Mary Nelson

Assistant Director, Practice

Prior to joining APHSA, Mary spent three years as a Program Manager with CASA for Children of DC where she managed programing for youth in the District of Columbia dually involved in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. Prior to this, Mary spent nearly two years as a Senior Associate Analyst with StateScape reviewing local, state, and federal legislation. Mary also volunteers as the chair of the Lt. Joseph P. Kennedy Institute Human Rights Committee for Catholic Charities DC, where she reviews Behavioral Support Plans and incident reports for individuals in assisted living facilities. Mary has a long track record as a researcher and served for a year with the UN Volunteers Program as a research editor for the Ghanaian non-profit Young People We Care. Mary also worked for research services with Georgetown University Law Library and as a research assistant to Professor Upendra Acharya of Gonzaga University. Prior to moving to Washington DC, Mary worked in Spokane, WA as a Youth and Family Advocate with the Crisis Residential Center and also volunteered as a Court Appointed Special Advocate with Spokane County.

Mary earned an LL.M. in International Business and Economics Law from Georgetown University, and has a JD from Gonzaga University. Mary obtained a B.A. from Whitworth University.