Bio
Elise is an attorney and policy advocate focused on reforming policy to help all children, and all people caught up in our carceral system. She started her legal career as a public defender in Washington, D.C., litigated civil rights cases against the NYPD in New York City, and then returned to her home state of Colorado, where she was a public defender and policy advocate for youth justice reform before moving into education law. In her current role as Senior Counsel for Denver Public Schools, Elise advocates for “students first” policy and practice, so every Denver child gets a quality education and supportive services.
Elise has served on many committees and task forces to improve the treatment of youth, including the Colorado Juvenile Justice Reform Committee, the Colorado Youth Detention Continuum Advisory Board, and the DYS Seclusion and Restraint Work Group. Elise previously served as the Chair for the Juvenile Law Section of the Colorado Bar Association.
Over the past decade, Elise has worked on legislative change in Colorado to eliminate life without parole for children, limit the use of seclusion and restraint in juvenile facilities, limit the detention of children in jail cells, expand expungement for youth charged with crimes, and more.
Outside of work, Elise loves to entertain, cook, read, and explore the outdoors with her son.