People

Alexia Roberts (she/her) is a 3L from Maryland with an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering and a passion for criminal defense. Alexia has been a member of Harvard Defenders since the first semester of law school and was previously the Intake Director.

During her first summer, Alexia interned at the Public Defender Service for DC. Her second summer, Alexia split her time between the Public Defender Service for DC and the Mecklenburg Public Defender’s office in North Carolina where she was able to represent clients in misdemeanor court. At Harvard, Alexia has been a part of the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau where she defended clients during eviction proceedings; and this year she will be representing clients in criminal court as a student attorney in the Criminal Justice Institute. Alexia is also the political action chair of the Black Law Students Association as well as a managing editor of the Harvard Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Law Review. 

Defenders is Alexia’s favorite community on campus, and she is honored to be able to lead the organization and advocate for any client that needs assistance this upcoming year.

Abigail Hinchman is a 3L from Chebeague Island, Maine. She graduated from Middlebury College in 2019. She is passionate about providing zealous, client-centered advocacy to her clients. After graduation, she plans to pursue a career in public defense. 

Tabitha Escalante (she/her) is a 2L from Ohio. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Harvard College with an A.B. in Sociology and Secondary in Government. There, her studies focused on police, prisons, and crime. During her 1L summer, Tabitha worked at Civil Rights Corps, challenging unconstitutional pretrial detention orders and rampant police brutality. At HLS, Tabitha is on the board of the Prison Legal Assistance Project and La Alianza. This year, she will also join the Child Advocacy Clinic’s juvenile justice track.

Rachel is a rising 2L at Harvard Law School. She was raised in Dedham, MA and lived in New York City for two years after college. There, she worked as a case coordinator for a bail reform program in Manhattan. Working alongside public defenders inspired her to go to law school. In her first semester, Rachel joined Harvard Defenders, and immediately was so grateful to have a public interest minded community on campus. As Community Director of Defenders this year, Rachel hopes to keep up the amazing energy in Defenders and help bolster the organization’s ability to provide holistic resources for clients by coordinating training on referrals and navigating mental health and Padilla conflicts. Rachel is a long-time member of Beyonce’s BeyHive and a new fan of camping and hiking, let her know if you need convincing regarding the importance of Cowboy Carter! 

Jordan Hoogsteden (he/him) is a 2L from Central Jersey. He received his B.A. in Public Policy Analysis from Pomona College and went straight through to law school. At Harvard Law, Jordan joined Defenders in the Fall of 2023. During his 1L summer, he worked for Orleans Public Defenders. This year, Jordan is part of the Crimmigration and Housing clinics. Defenders is Jordan’s favorite part of HLS, and he looks forward to continuing to serve clients with compassion and zeal alongside the Defenders community!

Wesley is a 3L from Corvallis, Oregon. He received his B.A. in Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies from the University of Pennsylvania in 2020, where he concentrated in LGBT Studies. He spent his 1L summer at Orleans Public Defenders and his 2L summer at the Alaska Public Defender Agency. At Harvard, Wesley has participated in the Crimmigration Clinic and the Criminal Justice Institute. Outside of work, he loves knitting and weightlifting.

Emily Berry is a 2L from Annapolis, Maryland. She received her B.A. in Government and Politics in 2021 and her Master of Public Policy in 2022, both from the University of Maryland. Her past internship and work roles have included time in state government, legal aid, and a law firm in Washington D.C. This summer, she is interning at the Federal Public Defenders Office in Providence, Rhode Island. At HLS, she is Online Writing Editor for Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review and has been a member of the Prison Legal Assistance Project, the 2024 Captured Courts Conference planning team, and Defenders since her first semester. She is honored and excited to join the Defenders Executive Board!

Sal (he/him) is a 2L from Scranton, PA. He has been a member of Harvard Defenders since his 1L fall semester, and he spent his 1L summer interning with the trial and resentencing divisions of the Orleans Public Defenders in Louisiana. Before law school, Sal served as a speechwriter and equity policy advisor in the Biden-Harris administration. He also previously worked as a political and community organizer. Sal received his A.B. in Social Studies summa cum laude from Harvard College in 2019. He plans to commit his law career to indigent defense and anti-carceral movements in the United States.

Micah Herskind is an organizer, writer, and second year law student. He is Training Director for Harvard Defenders, and has written for publications including New York Magazine, Scalawag, MSNBC, Prism, Teen Vogue, and Race & Class. Micah is a co-editor of No Cop City, No Cop World: Lessons from the Movement (Haymarket Books, 2025).

Abigail (she/her) is a 2L from Ames, Iowa. She received her B.A. in 2018 from the University of Virginia. Prior to law school, she worked in civil rights litigation as a paralegal at Relman Colfax PLLC and intake manager at the National Student Legal Defense Network. During her 1L summer, Abigail interned with the New Hampshire Public Defender. This year, Abigail is part of the Crimmigration Clinic, and on the boards of the Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Journal and Women’s Law Association. She is excited to help foster Defenders’ community involvement as Outreach Director this year

Bianca (she/her) is a 2L from Los Angeles, California. She received her B.A. in History and Political Science from Columbia University. Before law school, she worked for Essie Justice Group, a nonprofit organization that works with women with incarcerated loved ones to end mass incarceration’s harm to communities. At HLS, she is an editor of the Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review and on the executive board of the Black Law Students Association. During her 1L summer, she worked as a Special Litigation Unit legal intern at The Legal Aid Society in New York City. As the Strategic Partnerships Director, Bianca looks forward to cultivating relationships between Harvard Defenders and the larger Boston community.

Christopher Egi is a 2L at Harvard Law School from Markham, Ontario, Canada. After graduating magna cum laude from Harvard College, Chris moved to New York, where he worked in finance, launching initiatives to increase funding for businesses led by founders from historically marginalized groups. Additionally, Chris co-founded No More Names, an organization that connects students, student-athletes, and young professionals with community organizers focused on reforming the criminal legal system. On campus, Chris is actively involved with Harvard BLSA and the Youth Advocacy Fellows Program. He is excited to contribute to the Litman Symposium and highlight the communities served by Harvard Defenders

Luisa Graden is a 2L hailing from Moscow, Idaho. Prior to law school, she was the founder and director of the Yale Interpretation Network, the country’s largest student-run translation service, where she oversaw efforts to help thousands of immigrants navigate legal resources, healthcare services, and education support. She’s also worked as a community organizer, high school teacher, and public defense mitigation investigator. As client engagement director, she overseas Defenders’ language access efforts and responds to clients’ concerns. 

Since 1980, Attorney John Salsberg has been the clinical instructor at Harvard Defenders.  John is an experienced trial lawyer, focusing on state and federal criminal litigation and academic discipline cases. His legal career started at the Public Defender office in Boston, until he went into private practice. He was also a part time faculty member at Boston College Law School.

John was a founding member and chair of Suffolk Lawyers for Justice, a not-for-profit organization coordinating the provision of private assigned counsel to indigent criminal defendants charged with offenses in the Suffolk County Superior and District Courts. He was a Board Member, and then Chair, of the Criminal Justice Act Board, which is responsible for managing the selection and performance of private attorneys who take appointments in the First Circuit. John is experienced in handling high profile murder cases and has taught at continuing legal education seminars and authored articles in the area of criminal defense practice.

In 1998, John received the Edward J. Duggan Award for “zealous advocacy and outstanding legal services to the poor” from the Committee for Public Counsel Services, and has been recognized by the Massachusetts Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the National Lawyers Guild for his work as a criminal defense attorney.

Sama joined Harvard Defenders in 2021. Prior to working at Harvard Defenders, Sama worked at Harvard Medical School as an Events and Logistics Administrator.  After two years, Sama joined the Alumni Center at Harvard Law School.

Sama earned her Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from Keele University in the United Kingdom. She earned her Master of Arts in Organizational Behavior from Murray State University and Master of Liberal Arts in Management from Harvard Extension School.

Sama is passionate about diversity and inclusion. She is the founder of the first HLS Staff Cultural Festival. She served as an advisory committee member on the HLS Dean’s Award for Excellence and Harvard Heroes. Sama is also the recipient of 2023 Suzanne L. Richardson Staff Appreciation Award which is given each year to a staff member who demonstrates commitment to the student experience and concern for students’ lives and work.

Sama is very committed to working with our General Board to help serve our clients effectively, while also supporting all members of Harvard Defenders.