Meet Our Team

Staff

Savannah Hansen Best, Esq.

Section Lead, Immigration Law

Savannah serves as a Staff Attorney at JusticeMatters. Originally from Metro Atlanta, Savannah moved to North Carolina to attend the great Wake Forest University in 2011 and never left. After graduating with a B.A. in Politics and International Affairs, Savannah earned her J.D. from Duke University School of Law, the second-greatest school on earth. Savannah learned of JusticeMatters almost immediately upon moving to Durham, and first joined the team as a Summer Legal Fellow in 2016. After working as a civil litigator, Savannah rejoined JusticeMatters to practice humanitarian immigration law in 2019. Her two pet shrimp, Karen and Kāren, also joined the JusticeMatters team. Savannah and her husband, Sam, love to travel, explore Durham’s unbeatable food scene, and venture to the Bull City’s many dog-friendly sites and events with their beloved canine children, Paisley and Calvin.

Cheryl Chew, Esq.

Managing Attorney

Cheryl Chew is Managing Attorney of JM, overseeing the provision of trauma-informed family law and immigration legal services through a team of eleven attorneys and paralegals. Cheryl joined JM in 2013 as the agency’s first immigration staff attorney and then immigration section lead, specializing in humanitarian immigration law to serve survivors of human trafficking and other crimes. Cheryl continues to represent clients in seeking immigration relief before the Department of Homeland Security. Over the past 11 years, Cheryl has led in the development and implementation of trauma-informed design across all areas of the organization, particularly within JM’s direct services teams. Prior to JusticeMatters, Cheryl obtained immigration law experience with the North Carolina Justice Center’s Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project and UNC School of Law’s Immigration Clinic. Cheryl received her B.A. from Duke University and her J.D. from the University of North Carolina School of Law.

Libby Magee Coles, Esq.

Executive Director

Libby Coles is founder and Executive Director of JM. Rooted in direct service provision, Libby has represented foreign national survivors of human trafficking and other traumas. A visionary leader, Libby has overseen the growth of JM from a volunteer effort to a robust nonprofit law firm with a talented staff of 17, a budget of $1.9M, and proven impact through direct services and systems-change efforts. Centering the experience and objectives of clients, Libby approaches law with a human rights and public health perspective, and has developed JM’s programmatic focus on strengthening protective factors and reducing risk factors to exploitation. Over the past decade, Libby has prioritized integrating trauma-informed principles at every organizational level for the well-being of clients and staff. Libby was appointed chair of the state’s Human Trafficking Commission upon its creation in 2013 and served in this role through 2019 by appointment of governors from both major political parties. Previously, Libby worked as a civil litigator with Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein in Raleigh and on the legislative staff of a U.S. Senator in Washington, D.C. Libby received her J.D. from Duke University School of Law.

Santae M. Cooper

Senior Case Specialist, Family Law/Office Manager, Durham

Santae Cooper is Senior Case Specialist and Durham Office Manager with JM. A member of the Family Law Section since 2018, Santae provides trauma-informed legal services to JM’s family law clients, specializing in the provision of services to kinship caregivers seeking legal permanency for the children in their care. She also oversees the operations of JM’s Durham office, ensuring efficiency in operations and comfort and safety for staff and clients. With over 20 years of experience working as a paralegal in various types of law, Santae brings a wealth of expertise to her leadership as Senior Case Specialist, and was integral to the development of JM’s Family Law Section and Pro Se Center program. Santae also volunteers as a Guardian Ad Litem with the Durham County Family Court. Santae received her Bachelor of Science degree in Paralegal Studies from Wesley College and her Master of Business Administration degree from Saint Leo University.

Betsy Divers

Director of Education and Client Support Services

Betsy Divers is Director of Education & Client Support Services with JM, overseeing both internal and external training and the provision of trauma-informed client support services. A member of the JM team since 2018, Betsy developed JM’s trauma-informed language access services and assisted in the provision of client support services. Born in Argentina to parents from Virginia and North Carolina, Betsy was raised speaking two languages and embracing life between cultures. She left Argentina to attend the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, VA, where she obtained a B.S. in Psychology and Spanish Language and Literature. Previously, Betsy worked in the field of Training and Instructional Design, which happily involved travel to many places, both domestic and abroad. JM is a space where the things that matter most to Betsy happen on a daily basis, and for that she is continually grateful.

Irma Esquivel-Lira

Client Services and Case Specialist

Irma is our client services specialist at JusticeMatters. She was born in Texas and raised in Idaho graduating from the University of Idaho in 2019 with a B.S in Sociology and B.A in Spanish. After graduating she interned with Student Action with Farmworkers in Durham and has been in North Carolina since then. She has been active advocating for the immigrant and marginalized community. During her free time she likes to read, plant, travel and try new foods.

Chelsea Fuller, Esq.

Senior Staff Attorney, Family Law

Chelsea serves as a Staff Attorney at JusticeMatters. She grew up split between Alaska’s mountains and Washington’s Puget Sound, and graduated from the University of Washington in 2013 with a B.S. in physiology and a B.A. in psychology (concentrating on early childhood development). Chelsea spent two years further cultivating her passions for community and justice by traveling and working for NGOs in Lusaka, Zambia before deciding to pursue a J.D. at Duke University. She graduated cum laude in 2018 with a Certificate in Public Interest and Public Service Law. Chelsea volunteered and externed with JusticeMatters throughout law school and, after a year-long interlude clerking for a federal appellate judge, was thrilled to return to North Carolina to join the JusticeMatters family law team. Chelsea and her new husband Caleb love their lively and diverse apartment complex in Durham, and split their free time between outdoor adventures and curling up by the window with books, fuzzy socks and warm drinks.

Edith Galvan Lopez

Director of Impact and Engagement

Edith Galvan Lopez is Director of Impact & Engagement with JM. A member of the Client Services Team since 2020, Edith works to support clients and their families, as well as the JM team, through leadership in program design, monitoring, and evaluation and community engagement. Edith’s devotion to social justice brought her to JM during her final year of college, and after completing her Social Work Practicum with JM, she joined staff as Client Services Specialist to provide client support services. Integral to the development of JM’s trauma-informed client support services, Edith was quickly promoted to Program Specialist to assist with program design, monitoring, and evaluation and to ensure access for JM’s clients with limited English proficiency. Edith’s commitment to the immigrant community has also prompted her to serve as a volunteer advocate with immigrant-serving organizations and as a mentor to undocumented immigrant families. Originally from Mexico, Edith’s family moved to North Carolina when she was five years old and she considers Raleigh her hometown. Edith received her Bachelor of Social Work degree from Meredith College and her Master of Social Work degree from the University of North Carolina School of Social Work. She will serve as project coordinator and support program design, monitoring, and evaluation for the Trauma-Informed Legal Services Program for Kinship Caregivers.

Elizabeth Heetderks, Esq.

Senior Staff Attorney, Durham Immigrant Legal Assistance Program

Elizabeth Heetderks began her legal career under the U.S. Attorney General Honor Program as a trial attorney for legacy U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (now ICE) in Atlanta, Georgia. She later gained experience in business and family immigration while working part-time in private practice in San Antonio, Texas and Raleigh, North Carolina. Ms. Heetderks worked at the N.C. Justice Center representing clients before the Immigration Court and USCIS. She assisted victims of violent crimes, filing U visas, VAWA and SIJS cases, working with several local police departments and gave Know Your Rights presentations to school and church groups. Most recently Ms. Heetderks worked as a staff attorney with Church World Service in Durham, focusing on clients evacuated from Afghanistan in 2021, filing over 20 affirmative asylum cases, and helping to secure over 85 green cards through the COM approva/Special Immigrant Visa process as well as assisting with family reunification efforts. Ms. Heetderks continues to volunteer with Afghan outreach through her church and other community organizations. In her free time, Ms. Heetderks enjoys being active, coaching high school tennis and teaching fitness classes at the UNC Wellness Centers. She and her husband controversially cheer on both UNC and Duke as college parents!

Laura Helton

Managing Director

Laura Helton was one of JM’s first employees and has recently returned to staff after a decade of management and consulting in the nonprofit sector. With over a decade of experience in nonprofit leadership, Laura is responsible for overseeing key business functions for JM, including project management, budgeting, and financial administration. Laura brings a strong background in project management, strategic planning, nonprofit governance, and change management to her leadership as Managing Director. Laura’s early career in commercial banking included a focus on nonprofits and their banking and cash management needs. Laura’s subsequent experience includes leading and consulting with nonprofit college student housing organizations, working with volunteers, staff, boards, and students on over 200 college campuses and real estate portfolios valued over $250 million. A community volunteer, Laura spends many of her volunteer hours with Durham Public Schools.

William H. Johnson, Esq.

Staff Attorney, Immigration Law

Will serves as a Staff Attorney at JusticeMatters, focusing on immigration law. Previously, Will worked at Legal Aid of North Carolina with its Medical-Legal Partnership and then Immigration Pathways for Victims programs. Will received his B.A. from Guilford College in Greensboro, NC, and after living in Mexico and then completing two years of service through the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, he earned his J.D. from the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Law. Will and his wife, a Methodist pastor, live in Raleigh with their two awesome kiddos and three adorable cats. In his spare time, Will loves to explore libraries and bookstores with his kids and one day hopes to have a bogey-free round playing disc golf.

Jennifer Jordan

Senior Case Specialist, Family Law/Office Manager, Raleigh

Jenni serves as a Case Specialist as well as a Spanish interpreter with JusticeMatters in the Raleigh office. Having grown up in Barcelona, Spain, Jenni gained a love for the Spanish language as well as people of Latin cultures. Jenni has experience working with people of all ages and from all backgrounds. She was a teacher for eight years teaching several different subjects in grades ranging from pre-k through high school. She has served on several non-profit boards and has always had a heart for reaching people. Her desire to use her knowledge of the Spanish language and her love for people of other cultures led her to work the past seven years as a paralegal and interpreter for an immigration attorney in Raleigh. After volunteering with JusticeMatters for several years, Jenni joined the staff in 2018 to help launch the Raleigh office. Jenni loves the mission of JusticeMatters and enjoys using her knowledge of the Spanish language and her experience as a paralegal to help those who are in need. Jenni has served the Hispanic population for over eighteen years in many capacities, such as leading a women’s Bible study, teaching English as a second language, advocating for them and supporting them in whatever way they need. Jenni and her husband Todd have three teenagers and enjoy spending their time at their children’s sporting, playing games with family and friends and volunteering within their community and church.

Ineavelle Middleton

Senior Case Specialist, Immigration Law

A native of Puerto Rico, Ineavelle grew up in Brooklyn, NY and relished in the diversity offered by NYC. Upon graduating high school in NY and attending college in Indiana, Ineavelle decided to move to Greensboro, NC for a change of pace and then married her best friend from middle school, Lloyd Middleton. They have been happily married now for over 20 years and their family consists of two wonderful teenagers, Lloyd and Shelly, and a spoiled-rotten bull dog named Max (who all claim is Ineavelle’s favorite).

Ineavelle worked as an Executive Assistant for various Fortune 500 companies. Feeling disheartened after multiple reorganizations and mergers, Ineavelle opened herself up to embarking on something new. It was by pure chance that she came across an opportunity that led her into the world of immigration law via Chapman Law Firm. Through client cases, Ineavelle learned about the injustices and difficulties that people coming to the U.S. for a better life were facing. Through immigration law, she discovered the career passion that she had been longing for. She credits Mr. Chapman for introducing her to the world that would eventually lead her to her current position as a Case Specialist with JusticeMatters.

Katie Moye, Esq.

Section Lead, Family Law

Katie Moye is Family Law Section Lead with JM, overseeing the provision of trauma-informed family law services. Katie joined JM in 2018 to help lead JM’s family law services in Wake County and continues to provide direct representation, specializing in the provision of services to kinship caregivers seeking legal permanency for the children in their care. Over the past six years, Katie has led in the implementation of trauma-informed design in JM’s family law services for the well-being of clients and staff. Previously, Katie served as a county attorney handling child protective services cases, worked with a private firm in Charlotte, and transitioned to private practice in Raleigh in 1997, advising and representing clients in all areas of family law. Katie received her B.A. from Louisiana State University and her J.D. from the University of North Carolina School of Law.

Taylor Reynolds, Esq.

Staff Attorney, Durham Immigrant Legal Assistance Program

Taylor Reynolds serves as a Staff Attorney for the Immigrant Legal Defense Program at JusticeMatters. Taylor provides humanitarian immigration legal services to residents of Durham and Durham County.

Taylor received her B.A. from the University of Oklahoma and her J.D. from Cornell Law School, where she worked on immigration cases in Cornell’s Farmworker Legal Assistance Clinic. After law school, Taylor litigated cases in state and federal courts and clerked for a federal judge in the Northern District of New York.

Taylor and her husband enjoy hiking and cheering on their favorite teams during basketball season.