christina mathieson, executive director
Christina is the Founder and Executive Director of the National Habeas Institute. The idea of the National Habeas Institute arose from conversations Christina had with colleagues engaged in capital habeas representation who lamented the failure of the legal system to recognize the need for legal assistance for confined people sentenced to death, serving long non-capital sentences, or held in immigration detention facilities. Christina wants to teach others about the power that a writ of habeas corpus can wield on the American legal system.
chughes@habeasinstitute.org
Robin Konrad, Chair
Robin joins the National Habeas Institute as the Chair of the Board of Directors. Robin began her legal career as a capital defense attorney in Alabama and recently returned to Montgomery, Alabama to rejoin the Capital Habeas Unit in the Federal Public Defender for the Middle District of Alabama. Previously, Robin has worked at the Capital Habeas Unit at the Federal Defender for the District of Arizona, and as the Director of Research and Special Projects with the Death Penalty Information Center in Washington, D.C. Immediately before returning to Montgomery, Robin was a Professor of Lawyering Skills at Howard University School of Law.
madeline cohen, vice-chair
Madeline serves as the National Habeas Institute’s Vice Chair of its Board of Directors and joins the Board from Boulder, Colorado, where Madeline is a solo practitioner who specializes in capital and non-capital appeals and habeas litigation. Before forming her own practice, Madeline was an appellate and habeas litigator at the Federal Public Defender for the District of Colorado. As a former federal public defender, Madeline has extensive knowledge about how the current public defense system works (or doesn’t) and has been a creative reformer. READ FULL BIO
ezra aldern lcsw
Ezra joins NHI’s Board of Directors from Denver, Colorado. His 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, including NHI as well as Big Brothers Big Sisters and LYRIC (Learn Your Rights In The Community). 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.
linda mcdermott
Linda joins the National Habeas Institute from the Capital Habeas Unit for the Northern District of Florida in Tallahassee. Before joining the CHU, Linda practiced habeas law with her partner at McClain & McDermott in Florida. Linda has been a capital defense attorney specializing in state and federal habeas proceedings in Florida and the Eleventh Circuit for decades. She knows other lawyers on the front lines of capital defense litigation and will be critical for keeping standards realistic. Linda will also provide insight and much needed strategic advice as the Habeas Institute begins to represent clients.
ernestine walls benedict
Ernestine comes to the Board of Directors for the National Habeas Institute as the Chief Communications Officer for Zero to Three, a national non-profit that seeks to educate society on the importance of early development and well being during the pre-natal and first three years of life. Ernestine’s mother was a criminal defense attorney, and as a result, Ernestine grew up learning about the devastating long-term effects that poverty and inequality have on an individual and society as a whole.