About Us

Lauren started her career in New York City as a special education teacher and development coach. She received her Masters in secondary education and special education from Pace University. In her classroom, Lauren experienced first hand the lack of services and supports her students needed and deserved. Upon seeing these unmet needs, she applied for law school. In 2012, she began her career at Creighton Law School and graduated in 2015. Lauren practiced as an Assistant Public Defender (PD) in Douglas County focused on juvenile law and criminal defense. During her time as a PD she became a founding member of Education Rights Counsel (ERC) in 2017, bringing her vigor and urgency to ERC’s mission. Since 2020, she has served as the full-time Executive Director of Education Rights Counsel. In this capacity, she has grown ERC’s staff from one full time employee to seven full time employees and two contract employees, as well as, growing ERC’s budget by 90%. With the increase in capacity, ERC serves over 1,000 Nebraskans through direct representation, training, and consulting services. Under her leadership, ERC has earned the recognition of the Nebraska State Bar Association who awarded ERC with the Special Merit Award, which is presented to an organization that advances the legal profession, the administration of justice, and public interest. She was a member of the 2022 class of Ten Outstanding Young Omahans. Lauren’s experience in the education sector and juvenile court has cultivated her passion for working to improve educational outcomes and legal access for ALL children.

Elizabeth has focused her career on education law for more than 20 years, and has served as the Chair of the National Council of School Attorneys and President of the Nebraska Council of School Attorneys. Her extensive legislative experience has developed her passion for working to improve education laws at the state and federal level. Elizabeth is licensed in Nebraska, Iowa and to practice before the United States Supreme Court. She became a founding member of Education Rights Counsel in 2017, building the expertise of ERC’s alliance of education advocates.

Sarah has her BA in Theatre and Art and her MA in Women’s and Gender Studies. After her time in academia and a short stint in retail and contract work, she began her work as a program coordinator at a legal aid organization in Chicago, IL in 2014. In May 2022, she started as the Office Manager at Education Rights Counsel. She is passionate about gender equity, LGBTQ+ rights, and equal access to justice.

Elizabeth (Liz) has dedicated her legal career to working with kids and families in juvenile court for nearly 10 years as a prosecutor, GAL and defense attorney. Her experience in juvenile court has developed her passion for helping kids and families navigate their educational rights within a district. Liz is licensed in Nebraska.

Jean has spent over 35 years as a special education teacher and administrator, accumulating experience with populations from birth through age 21. Before moving to Nebraska in 2001, she worked in Virginia, California and Department of Defense Schools in Germany. During her time as an educator, she worked to ensure young children and students were provided with high quality programs and services. Her work is rooted in the belief that regular open communication is the foundation to developing partnerships with families which lead to better outcomes for students.

Jean earned her B.A. and M.Ed. in Special Education from Marymount University, Ed.S. in School Administration from SUNY Oswego, and Doctorate in Educational Leadership from UNO.

Committed to sharing her passion for education and learning, Jean also teaches courses in early childhood to prospective educators at the university level.

After graduating from the Nebraska College of Law in 2006, Kate began her career as a solo practitioner and now has more than 17 years of experience managing her own private practice. She is a strong advocate with experience in civil, criminal, juvenile, workers’ compensation, and probate matters. Kate has a passion for helping children and her career has always had a special emphasis on juvenile law. As a juvenile court lawyer, Kate has handled cases for children and families both as a defense attorney and as Guardian ad Litem. She has successfully argued before the Nebraska Court of Appeals and the Nebraska Supreme Court. Kate started with ERC in July 2023 and strongly believes in the importance of access to a quality education for all children. In her free time Kate loves spending time with her husband Gary, yoga, cycling, Pilates, home design, cooking, and dreaming about gardening.

Hannah is passionate about protecting, supporting, and empowering silenced voices, especially those that are youth. They believe in the necessity of fostering a bold attitude of intellectual and creative defiance to inspire structural change. Their research interests span the transformative functions of symbols and language, social identities in educational contexts, and patterns of domination and resistance across educational settings

Maria studied Criminal Justice and Child, Youth, and Family Studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. During her education, she worked with children in a preschool classroom and gained legal experience working under attorneys at law firms. After getting her Bachelor’s, Maria started as Case Manager at the Department of Health and Human Services working hands on with families and children experiencing hardships in both court and non-court matters. Maria’s passion towards justice and equity continues at Education Rights Counsel as she consults with families who seek educational advocacy.