ezra aldern, lcsw

board of directors member

Ezra Aldern is a licensed clinical social worker and mitigation specialist, who joined the National Habeas Institute’s (NHI) Board of Directors in September 2020.

“It is an honor to have the opportunity to support NHI’s mission that lawyers, legal system advocates, and clients, are able to access resources and support when pursuing habeas corpus claims,” stated Aldern. “As our country comes to the realization that our criminal legal system does not work for everyone, it is imperative that we continue to fight until all human beings are treated as human beings.”

For close to a decade, Ezra worked in the public school system in metro Denver, engaging high-impact youth who were expelled or had dropped out of school. As a school-based social worker, Ezra developed afterschool programs that enhanced teacher-student relationships and connected students with prosocial activities. Ezra has served as a consultant for several Denver-area school districts. Through his consultation work with schools and educators, Ezra strives to enrich school cultures that disrupt the ‘school-to-prison’ pipeline.

After earning a Master’s Degree in social work in 2014, Ezra started his own mitigation practice, Dance in the Rain Consulting Inc. DITR Consulting Inc. provides comprehensive forensic mitigation, assessment, and advocacy for juveniles and adults charged with felony offenses. As a mitigation specialist, Ezra has worked on capital cases at the state and federal level. Ezra has private contracts with Colorado’s Alternate Defense Counsel, the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the District of Colorado and Northern District of New York, as well as, the Criminal Justice Act Panel.

Ezra’s passion of working with high-impact youth has led to his engagement with other organizations that seek to empower the most vulnerable members of the community, such as Big Brothers Big Sisters and LYRIC (Learn Your Rights In The Community). For the past six years, Ezra has been a “Big Brother” to Alan. Ezra currently serves on LYRIC’s Board of Directors, a Colorado-based nonprofit that educates youth on their constitutional rights as an avenue to support safe interactions with law enforcement. Ezra also serves on the treasurer for Chained Voices, a grassroots organization that provides opportunities for individuals who are incarcerated to showcase their artistic talents.