Board Members
2026-2027
NICOLETTE RAE BENCITO
New Lawyers Committee | DEI Committee
Kelsey Chetosky
Gala Chair
Kasen Evans
Law Student Representative | DEI Committee | Amicus Committee| CCBA Committee
Daniel Faessler
New Lawyers Chair | Social Committee
Gerardo Gama
Programs Committee | DEI Committee
Hillary T. Irvin
Programs Chair | DEI Chair
Brianna Jackson
Amicus Chair | CCBA Co-Chair| Community Engagement Co-Chair
Melanie Kim
Treasurer | Social Committee | Membership Co-Chair
Connor Kratz
Community Engagement Co-Chair | Gala Committee
Rafael Langer-Osuna
Amicus Committee | CCBA Committee
Andy Le
Law Student Representative | New Lawyers Committee | DEI Committee
Michael Mahoney
Amicus & CCBA Committee | Judiciary/Endorsements Co-Chair | Programs Committee | DEI Committee
Ernie Mejia
BALIF Co-Chair | DEI Committee | Social Chair | Social Media Chair | Membership Co-Chair
Kavya Narendra Babu
DEI Committee | Programs Committee | Social Media Committee
Robert Navarrette
CCBA Co-Chair | New Lawyers Committee | Gala Committee
Ceceli Riffo-Drecksel
Activism Committee | Social Committee | Social Media Committee
Daniel Turner
Secretary | New Lawyers Committee | Judiciary Co-Chair
Nathan Wexler
BALIF Co-Chair | Activism Chair | Community Engagement Co-Chair | Amicus & CCBA Committee
Jamal Anderson
BALIF Co-Chair | Communications & Social Media Committee | Programs/CLE Chair
NICOLETTE RAE BENCITO
New Lawyers Committee | DEI Committee
Nico is an Associate at Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani and a member of the Healthcare practice group. Born and raised in Long Beach, CA, she is a first-generation attorney and currently lives in San Francisco, CA. Prior to joining GRSM, she represented clients in matters involving general liability, regulatory compliance, and employment-related disputes.
Nico earned her law degree from the University of San Francisco, School of Law. During law school, she was involved in Law Review and served as a law clerk to the Honorable Charles E. Wilson at the Santa Clara County Superior Court in Palo Alto. She was a student clinician for USF’s Immigration Policy Clinic and a judicial extern for the Pro Se Department of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. As a practicing attorney, she currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Filipino Bar Association of Northern California (FBANC). She looks forward to serving LGBTQI+ legal professionals in the Bay Area and advancing BALIF’s mission to lead through advocacy, justice, community empowerment, and professional development.
Kelsey Chetosky
Gala Committee
Kelsey is a graduate of Northwestern Law School and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she studied Agricultural and Consumer Economics. As an undergraduate, she was an active member of the Illinois Trial Team, competing in dozens of tournaments across the country, and serving as President and team captain. Kelsey continues to serve as a member of the Illinois State Bar Association’s Law Related Education Committee, where she helps write the mock trial case problem for the Illinois State Competition.
In her free time, Kelsey enjoys meditation, biking up Hawk Hill, running along the Marina Green, planning for the Burn and staying close with her friends and family.
Pronouns: she / her
Kasen Evans
Law Student Representative | DEI Committee | Amicus Committee| CCBA Committee
Kasen Evans is a student at the University of San Francisco School of Law. Originally from Bend, Oregon, he earned his Bachelor of Commerce from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC, where he majored in Marketing and International Business. As part of his undergraduate studies, Kasen participated in a year-long academic exchange program in Denmark and China, gaining a global perspective on business and culture.
Before entering law school, Kasen worked as a family law paralegal at Baxter Law, LLC, where he developed a strong foundation in client advocacy and legal writing. He is passionate about public interest law and intends to pursue a career in the field after passing the bar. Outside of his academic and professional pursuits, Kasen enjoys hiking, camping, and trail running with his dog, Mari.
Daniel Faessler
New Lawyers Chair | Social Committee
Since 2023, Daniel Faessler has been an Administrative Law Judge for the California Department of Social Services, State Hearings Division (SHD). Prior to joining SHD, they were a Senior Staff Attorney/Clinical Supervisor at East Bay Community Law Center and a lecturer at Berkeley Law School. They began their legal career as the 2014-2015 Tom Steel Fellow at Transgender Law Center.
Gerardo Gama
Programs Committee | DEI Committee
Gerardo Gama is a Mexican-born, San Francisco-based state bar candidate and self-taught multidisciplinary artist whose work challenges boundaries. Gerardo dives deep into authentic tradition, to create visual and intellectual experiences that invite exploration of alternate dimensions and deeper truths.
Gerardo is known for his analytical rigor, creative problem-solving, and deep commitment to justice. His professional journey bridges the realms of law and art, reflecting a nuanced understanding of both societal systems and human expression. Whether advocating for justice or presenting groundbreaking artworks, he is guided by a passion for beauty and truth.
Gerardo’s art, often rooted in mixed media, photography, and installation, evokes comparisons to classical and impressionist traditions, with clear influence from Russian iconography and Mesoamerican cosmovision. His visual works are designed to transport the viewer—to other planes of consciousness and self-reflection.
Driven by a belief that both law and art are tools for awakening and empowerment, Gerardo Gama invites us to look deeper, question boldly, and live our most authentic lives.
Hillary T. Irvin
Programs Chair | DEI Chair
Hillary T. Irvin is a former federal prosecutor who has represented clients in all facets of high stakes commercial litigation and criminal matters. She has experience litigating in federal and state courts throughout the United States. Hillary formerly served as an Assistant United States Attorney in both Miami and San Francisco. As a federal prosecutor, Hillary managed over 100 cases involving wire fraud, bank fraud, embezzlement, domestic and international terrorism threats, national security, and violent crimes.
Following her time at the United States Attorney’s Offices, Hillary specialized in ‘bet-the-company” litigation as an Associate at the prominent San Francisco boutique firm Keker, Van Nest & Peters. Hillary defended Fortune 10 companies in matters involving intellectual property, class-actions, mass arbitrations and emerging technology.
Hillary served as a law clerk to Judge Shaniek M. Maynard of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida and Judge Michele D. Hotten of the Supreme Court of Maryland.Hillary earned her J.D. from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law and her B.S. in political science from Towson University. Following her law school graduation, Hillary was inducted into the Order of the Barristers, an elite honor society for individuals who demonstrate exceptional skill in trial advocacy, oral advocacy, and brief writing. Hillary also received the Jerome E. Deise Trial Excellence Prize and the Maryland Public Service Award.
Brianna Jackson
Amicus Chair | CCBA Co-Chair| Community Engagement Co-Chair
Brianna Jackson is a California attorney and former social science researcher whose work sits at the intersection of racial justice, data-informed advocacy, and systems accountability. Her path to law was shaped by years of research, community advocacy, and movement work focused on understanding how systems create inequitable outcomes and how those outcomes can be changed. Drawing on interdisciplinary training in sociology, criminology, psychology, public health, and mixed methods research, she brings a systems-level perspective to legal advocacy and problem-solving.
Before entering the legal profession, Brianna spent years studying the institutions, policies, and social conditions that shape individual and community outcomes. Her research and policy work focused on understanding how systems produce inequity and identifying opportunities for meaningful change. Today, she applies that analytical foundation to her interests in criminal defense, post-conviction advocacy, civil rights litigation, and movement lawyering.
Brianna is committed to using both evidence and advocacy to challenge injustice, expand access to justice, and support communities and individuals in the ongoing struggle to exercise their Constitutionally protected freedoms. She serves on the Know Your Rights and Demonstrations Committees of the National Lawyers Guild’s San Francisco Bay Area Chapter. During her first year on the BALIF Board, she contributed to the Social Activism and Amicus Committees, supporting the organization’s advocacy and community engagement efforts.
Melanie Kim
Treasurer | Social Committee | Membership Co-Chair
While in pursuit of her law degree, Melanie served as a clerk for the AIDS Legal Referral Panel in San Francisco, and as a Judicial Extern for the Honorable Jon S. Tigar of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. During the COVID -19 pandemic, she volunteered for Berkeley Law’s CARES Act Small Businesses Project, assisting small business owners applying for federal aid available through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Connor Kratz
Community Engagement Co-Chair | Gala Committee
Connor is an associate at Cox, Castle & Nicholson LLP where he focuses on land use, natural resources, and environmental law matters among various industries in connection with real estate development, infrastructure, and renewable energy. He advises clients at all stages of development and across sectors, including residential, commercial, mixed-use, and renewable energy projects to ensure an efficient path from project inception to completion. He also defends land use approvals and environmental reviews challenged in litigation, including real property transactions involving affordable housing and community development.
Prior to joining the Cox Castle, Connor received his J.D. degree from the Georgetown University Law Center. While at Georgetown Law, he clerked at the United States Senate and District of Columbia Office of Planning, in addition to receiving the CALI Award for his studies in Land Use Law. He also provided pro bono representation to DC residents facing eviction proceedings through his law school’s housing advocacy and litigation clinic. Connor was also a proud member of Outlaw to further LGBTQ inclusion throughout his legal studies.
Prior to attending law school, Connor received his B.A., with high honors, in Political Science and Sociology from Boston College after writing his thesis on urban planning and affordable housing outcomes in American cities. During his undergraduate studies, Connor also interned at the Boston Municipal Courthouse under the Honorable Michael J. Coyne and at the Office of US Senator Elizabeth Warren. As an elected student body representative, he expanded access to sexual health resources on campus and advocated for the creation of an LGBTQ student center. Connor remains committed to the advancement of LGBTQ rights in his personal and professional capacities as an attorney in San Francisco.
Rafael Langer-Osuna
Amicus Committee | CCBA Committee
Rafael dedicates a significant amount of time to studying and bettering the world around them. They recently maintained an active pro bono practice assisting trans asylum efforts, working for environmental groups, winning cases for local charitable organizations, and helping to improve gender equity. In addition to serving as a BALIF board member, Rafael also currently serves as the Co-Chair of the National Trans Bar Association and the Vice President of the Western Cave Conservancy. Rafael has served on a number of other boards in the past few years.
Rafael was born in Bolivia, grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and has lived all over the country. They earned degrees from Carnegie Mellon University (BA), UC Berkeley (MA in Education), and Duke (JD/MA in East Asian Studies) and studied in Hong Kong SAR and Nanjing, China. In their spare time, Rafael reads voraciously, practices Daoist arts, cooks vegetarian meals for friends, gardens, and surveys California’s caves and reefs.
Andy Le
Law Student Representative | New Lawyers Committee | DEI Committee
Andy Le (He/Him) is a JD Candidate at Santa Clara University School of Law. A California native, Andy was born and raised in Silicon Valley by Vietnamese and Chinese immigrant parents. He credits his teachers and community for supporting his personal and academic journey, inspiring a lifelong commitment to service and advocacy.
Prior to law school, Andy served on the board of a regional center and a national organization dedicated to advancing equitable healthcare access for children with special needs. His experiences have fueled a deep passion for advocating on behalf of underserved communities, particularly individuals with disabilities. He believes in using his voice, education, and legal training to empower others.
Outside of his legal pursuits, Andy enjoys working out at the gym, exploring new restaurants, and spending quality time with friends and family.
Michael Mahoney
Amicus & CCBA Committee | Judiciary/Endorsements Co-Chair | Programs Committee | DEI Committee
Michael’s legal work focuses on consumer and data privacy class actions. He is a member of the Bay Area Legal Incubator where he is receiving support to help grow his firm. Michael started his legal career as a litigation associate at Seyfarth Shaw and was an attorney with the San Francisco Dependency Panel where he represented parents at-risk of having their children removed from their care.
Michael previously served on the board of Code Tenderloin, a Tenderloin-based non-profit that removes employment barriers for formerly homeless and formerly incarcerated people.
He earned his BS from Cornell University, MBA from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and JD from UC Law, San Francisco.
In his spare time, he helps with his parents’ real estate business and his fiancé’s specialty foods company. He also farms a small piece of land in Half Moon Bay and spends time with his dog, Henry.
Ernie Mejia
BALIF Co-Chair | DEI Committee | Social Chair | Social Media Chair | Membership Co-Chair
Ernie received his Juris Doctorate from the University of San Francisco, School of Law, and his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California, San Diego. Ernie was identified Best Lawyers in America® Ones to Watch distinction in Litigation – Labor and Employment (2024) and currently serves on his firm’s Associate Leadership Council and Diversity Committee. Ernie is a Los Angeles native and currently lives with his Partner and his little Chihuahua Bettie near Golden Gate Park where they spend nights watching Ru Paul’s Drag Race and every scary movie they can get their hands on together.
Kavya Narendra Babu
DEI Committee | Programs Committee | Social Media Committee
Kavya is a first-year associate working in the San Francisco office of Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani as a member of the healthcare litigation group, representing healthcare providers and organizations on a wide range of matters involving significant exposure and complex litigation. They received their J.D. from UC Law SF in 2025, and their B.A. In Legal Studies and Molecular Cellular Biology from UC Berkeley. BALIF is an important organization which bolsters the sense of community and belonging amongst queer attorneys and legal professionals. They are excited to help realize BALIF’s vision.
Robert Navarrette
CCBA Co-Chair | New Lawyers Committee | Gala Committee
Ceceli Riffo-Drecksel
Activism Committee | Social Committee | Social Media Committee
Ceceli Riffo-Drecksel is a recent graduate of the University of San Francisco School of Law. Originally from Salt Lake City, Utah, she moved to California to attend San Diego State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in English and Sociology. She later relocated to San Francisco to pursue her legal education at USF.
During law school, Ceceli served as Co-President, Vice President, Community and Alumni Outreach Coordinator, and Class Representative for Pride Law. She also served as the Forum Editor for Volume 60 of the USF Law Review.
In her free time, she enjoys attending music festivals and concerts, trying new restaurants, traveling, and spending time with her partner, dog, and cat.
Daniel Turner
Secretary | New Lawyers Committee | Judiciary Co-Chair
Nathan Wexler
BALIF Co-Chair | Activism Chair | Community Engagement Co-Chair | Amicus & CCBA Committee
Before law school, Nathan studied Jewish and Islamic law and literature in Israel, Lebanon and the Palestinian Territories. As a law student, he interned at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Boston in the Major Crimes Unit, for Justice Barbara Jaffe on the New York County Supreme Court (Civil Division), and with the Advancement Project on prison condition reform.
Jamal Anderson
BALIF Board Member
Jamal Anderson is a Special Assistant Attorney General at the California Department of Justice, where he serves as the Attorney General’s legal and policy advisor on Public Safety, Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement. Prior to working at the Department of Justice, Jamal served as an Assistant District Attorney in the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office, where he handled Child Abuse and Sexual Assault cases and served as the office’s designated Hate Crimes prosecutor. Before joining the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office, Jamal worked as a Senior Associate at the Renne Public Law Group (RPLG) in San Francisco, where his practice focused on representing and advising public agencies, conducting independent investigations, and assisting public agencies with police reform. Prior to joining RPLG, Jamal served as a Deputy District Attorney in the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office. Before becoming an attorney, Jamal worked for several Members of Congress and served as Federal Affairs Advisor to the Mayor of Washington, DC. Jamal is a graduate of Howard University and the University of San Francisco School of Law, where he serves on the Board of Governors and works as an Adjunct Professor. Jamal also serves on the Board of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bay Area and the Alice B. Toklas LGBTQ Democratic Club.
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