Meet Our Team
Vanessa
Batters-Thompson
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Vanessa Batters-Thompson joined DC Appleseed as its executive director in May 2022. Vanessa brings to her role more than twenty years of litigation, policy, and advocacy experience, as well as a passion for serving the District community.
Prior to joining DC Appleseed, Vanessa worked at the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center as their Associate Director of Legal Services for Individuals and Families. In this role, Vanessa spearheaded the launch and directed the Family Law Assistance Network, a joint endeavor of several legal service providers to offer parents and caregivers family law services through a single, accessible, intake point. As co-manager of the Pro Bono Center’s Advocacy & Justice Clinic, Vanessa oversaw the intake and matching of up to 300 clients per year with pro bono attorneys from private law firms and the public sector. Vanessa additionally supervised and provided substantive guidance to the Pro Bono Center’s individual representation training program, which won the D.C. Bar’s 2022 Frederick B. Abramson Award.
Prior to joining the Pro Bono Center, Vanessa worked for an anti-poverty organization, Bread for the City, providing direct representation to clients and engaging in systematic advocacy regarding child support issues. From 2009 through 2011, Vanessa served as a Friedman Fellow for the George Washington University Law School, teaching and supervising students handling domestic violence and family law cases through the Jacob Burns Community Legal Clinics. While in law school, Vanessa clerked for the Mental Health Division of the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia, as well as the Humane Society of the United States.
Vanessa obtained her J.D. from the George Washington University Law School and her B.A. from American University with a certificate in Women, Policy, and Political Leadership. She currently lives with her husband, daughter, and dog. During her downtime, Vanessa likes camping, reading, and growing flowers.
Erin M. Calloway
Director of Development & Communications
Muhammad Ali once said, “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth.” That spirit of service—and the belief that philanthropy is a powerful engine for change—has guided every step of Erin Calloway’s career.
Erin’s path began in public health programming, where she quickly realized that funding was the lifeline of impact. Securing support—even for her own role—sparked a lasting passion for connecting resources to results. For her, philanthropy is not just about raising money but building bridges between generosity and sustainable community outcomes.
For more than a decade, Erin has been a leader in the nonprofit sector, excelling in strategic partnerships, philanthropic compliance, and charitable campaigns. With experience across nearly every in-house nonprofit role, she brings a rare 360-degree perspective that blends legal insight, operational fluency, and fundraising strategy. A natural connector, Erin encourages collaboration and advances DC Appleseed’s mission with vision and integrity.
Erin holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from the University of South Carolina, a Master of Health Administration (MHA) from Louisiana State University–Shreveport, and a Juris Doctor (JD) from American University’s Washington College of Law, where she focused on Health and Philanthropic Law.
Her professional affiliations reflect her commitment to ethical governance and philanthropic leadership. She is active with the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP)—where she serves on the inaugural Code of Conduct Committee—and the American Health Law Association (AHLA). She also contributes to the Pediatric Clinical Ethics Committee at Children’s National Hospital, the John Carroll Society (JCS), the South Carolina Public Health Association, and Together SC.
Beyond her professional life, Erin enjoys mentoring young professionals, hosting dinner gatherings, and traveling. She is CEO of Calloway & Company, a nonprofit consulting firm, and divides her time between the District and South Carolina.
Kristin D. Ewing
POLICY COUNSEL AND DIRECTOR OF EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
As Policy Counsel for DC Appleseed, Kristin leads the Health Equity Project, focusing on behavioral health, sexual & reproductive health, and environmental justice & health-related climate change issues, as well as a project on long term care, aiming to advance the workforce in order to ensure quality jobs for workers and quality care for consumers. She is passionate about health equity and the broader social determinants of health impacting residents in the District. Her work often reminds her of this quote from FDR: “The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.”
Kristin is also proud to guide future advocates and attorneys through her work as the Director of Experiential Learning. She enjoys mentoring interns, externs, and fellows, ensuring they have a positive and well-rounded learning experience during their time at DC Appleseed through the robust experiential learning program DCA has created and fostered.
Before joining DC Appleseed, Kristin was Legislative Counsel for DC Councilmember Brooke Pinto. She has also worked with the Addiction and Public Policy Initiative at the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law and the House Oversight Committee’s Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis. Before becoming an attorney, Kristin lived in New York City, where she was a professional musical theater performer, performing in NYC and around the country.
Kristin received her JD from Georgetown Law and BS from the University of Nebraska, where she majored in Psychology and minored in Education. Kristin also graduated from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City, where she studied Musical Theater. In her free time, Kristin enjoys traveling, performing in shows in DC, seeing live theater, trivia, escape rooms with her awesome family, and exploring DC neighborhoods, including her Capitol Hill neighborhood.
Tommy Wells
SENIOR FELLOW
Tommy Wells brings a 35-year track record of driving progressive policies in Washington and the ability to build coalitions among diverse interest groups.
As the Director of the District Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) and Chair of DC Water from 2015 to 2023, Wells became a nationally recognized proponent of carbon emissions reduction, climate change resilience, river and stream restoration, and the activation of parks and public spaces.
Serving two terms on the DC City Council from 2007 to 2014, Wells was known for promoting livable walkable neighborhoods through innovative urban transit, environmental restoration, and the enhancement of community amenities including schools, parks, and libraries. He was a leading advocate for sustainable development, fueling unprecedented economic revitalization in Ward 6. He also stood firmly for adhering to a strict code of ethics at a time when many of the city’s leaders were mired in controversy.
Previously, as a social worker, school board member, and nonprofit director, Wells spent 15 years devising, advancing, and executing measures to improve public education and social services. As the Director of the Consortium for Child Welfare, he helped forge a coordinated response to the effects of the AIDS crisis on families. He also partnered with leaders in Congress to create the DC Superior Court’s Family Court, which led to a 300% increase the number of foster children adopted into permanent homes every year.
Wells currently serves on the board of directors for Anacostia Riverkeeper and Greater Greater Washington. He has a law degree from the Catholic University Columbus School of Law and a master’s degree in social work from the University of Minnesota. He lives on Capitol Hill with his wife, Barbara Wells.
MJ Gray
Policy Fellow
MJ Gray is a Policy Fellow at DC Appleseed, specializing in environmental justice and the health impact of climate change. A proud DMV native who has lived in all three jurisdictions, she has a deep love for DC and a strong commitment to making the city a better place.
She first joined the DC Appleseed family during her Summer 2023 internship, where she saw firsthand the importance of local government in shaping daily life and decided to put down roots in the District. After graduating summa cum laude from Syracuse University in May 2024 with a degree in environmental policy, she returned to DC Appleseed to continue her work. At Syracuse, MJ was a fierce advocate on the mock trial team, a Dean's List scholar, and a volunteer career coach in the public school system. In her current role, she supports DC Appleseed’s environmental initiatives, combining policy research with a passion for community-focused solutions. When she’s not working, MJ can often be found thrifting, scrapbooking, sipping chai lattes or Dr. Pepper, and hanging out with her tuxedo cat, Rory.
Karina Chatha is a fourth year at the University of Georgia, pursuing Bachelor’s degrees in Criminal Justice and Political Science. She is passionate about prison reform and criminal justice reform, and hopes to attend law school after graduation. In her free time, Karina enjoys reading, painting, and walking her dog.
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Karina Chatha
Sydney Richardson-Gorski
LEGAL POLICY INTERN
Sydney Richardson-Gorski (she/her) is a California native who has been living in Washington, D.C. - and missing West Coast tacos - since 2019. A 3L at Georgetown Law, Sydney is a Blume Public Interest Scholar and has been involved in the Student Bar Association and various on-campus diversity efforts. Sydney graduated summa cum laude from Menlo College with a BS in Marketing and BS in Business: Human Resources.
Professionally, she has experience in policy, advocacy, and political spaces. Prior to law school, Sydney worked at the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. As Policy Associate, Sydney worked closely with the Director of Public Policy on a myriad of issues such as policing, school anti-diversity efforts, and judicial nominations.
Having held a variety of roles in nonprofits, advocacy organizations, and government, Sydney has also advocated for youth in the juvenile justice system, fought for DC Statehood, and contributed to the development of the National Advisory Council on Eliminating the Black-White Wealth Gap.
Sydney has committed her career to contributing to the fight to dismantle systemic racism, oppression, and exploitation; and aims to radically reimagine a transformative future.
Julia Hartman is a third-year undergraduate student at the University of Georgia. She is majoring in International Affairs and Spanish while preparing to apply to law school. Julia is involved with several nonprofit organizations in the Athens Community and writes for the Georgia Political Review. Julia is interning with Dc Appleseed while participating in UGA’s Washington Semester Program. After graduation, she hopes to teach English abroad through the Fulbright Program before attending law school.
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Julia Hartman
David Boord
LEGAL POLICY INTERN
David is a rising 3L at GW Law. David initially came to law school to use the law as a tool to expand access to outdoor recreation and promote environmental justice. After spending a semester as a student attorney in GW Law's Health Equity Policy & Advocacy Clinic, he has discovered an additional passion of advocating for healthy, habitable, and stable housing.
David graduated from *THE* (obligatory emphasis) Ohio State University with a B.S. in Environmental Policy and a minor in History. At GW, David serves as a notes editor on the Journal of Energy and Environmental Law and as one of the Estrella Trial Advocacy Competition Co-Chairs. Between undergrad and law school, he spent two summers in the Conservation Corps in Rocky Mountain National Park doing wildfire mitigation and trail work. In prior roles during law school, he's worked with FEMA's Office of Chief Counsel and Earthjustice's Alaska Regional Program. He looks forward to working with DC Appleseed and partnering with community members to identify and advocate for solutions that will address unmet needs in the District. David enjoys yoga, movies, browsing Facebook marketplace, and just about any activity that gets him outside.
Paige Buckley
LEGAL POLICY INTERN
Paige is a 2L at American University Washington College of Law, where she serves as a staff member on the Health Law and Policy Brief and as a junior staffer on the American University International Law Review. She graduated from Boston College in 2021 with a B.A. in Philosophy and a minor in Medical Humanities. She is passionate about the intersection of public health law and social justice, with a focus on advancing equity and access to care through legal advocacy. Through this internship at DC Appleseed, she hopes to gain practical experience in policy advocacy and learn from legal professionals who are leading efforts for systemic change in Washington, D.C.
In her free time, Paige enjoys baking, traveling, and spending time with her dog.
Natalie Ogami
Policy and
Communications Intern
Natalie is a Senior at Arizona State University earning a B.A. in both Political Science and Journalism. Natalie has previously been a writer and reporter for the student-led paper, The Downtown Devil, and is a member of the ASU Asian American Journalists Association. With a strong background in American politics and communications, Natalie hopes to utilize her skills to contribute to impactful policy change in DC while both expanding her knowledge in a legal perspective and fostering new connections.
When Natalie is not in the office, you can find her exploring the city’s museums, at her local farmers market, hiking or enjoying her latest book!