Janeen Steel earned her undergraduate degrees from Long Beach City College in 1990 and San Francisco State University in 1993. Ms. Steel went on to earn her Juris Doctor degree from University of California, Los Angeles in 1999. Prior to graduation, Ms. Steel received the UCLA Law Raza Alumni Association Cesar Chavez Summer Fellowship to create the blueprint for her future – the Learning Rights Manual, an advocacy guide for families of students with learning disabilities. While at UCLA she also had the honor to be named the President of the Disability Law Society. In 1999, Ms. Steel received an Echoing Green Fellowship, which allowed her to take the Learning Rights Manual and create Learning Rights, an advocacy program for children with learning difficulties not accessing the public school system.
Immediately upon graduation, thanks to the Echoing Green Fellowship, Ms. Steel created the Learning Rights Project and worked under the auspices of the Disability Rights Legal Center at Loyola Law School for five years. In September 2005, Ms. Steel took the project independent and created the Learning Rights Law Center (LRLC).
As Executive Director of LRLC, Ms. Steel is responsible for overseeing and managing all aspects of the Center, including supervision of attorneys, fund-raising, budget, Board of Directors, development and event planning. Ms. Steel also oversees and represents directly clients in federal civil rights actions and special education administrative hearings. Ms. Steel also conducts various trainings and seminars on education rights throughout Los Angeles County.
Ms. Steel has been published in Education for All: Critical Issues in the Education of Children and Youth with Disabilities 2008, and The California Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development: News Brief.
In addition to her work as Executive Director, Ms. Steel makes time to teach others the importance of the rights of all children in the education system. Ms. Steel has been a Visiting Professor at the following Universities: Claremont Graduate University, UCLA School of Law, Loyola Marymount University School of Counseling, Loyola Marymount School of Education, Loyola Law School, and USC Law School.
In addition to her time in the courtroom, Ms. Steel remains an active educator in the field, sharing her skills with the stakeholders, advocates and affected population groups in the Education System. Through LRLC, Ms. Steel has taught workshops at the Berkeley Center for Independent Living, Echo Park Boys and Girls Club, East Los Angeles Independent Living Center, Chanda Smith Education Alliance at the Hope Community Church, Los Angeles County Probation Department, East Los Angeles Regional Center, Child and Family Guidance Center, Department of Children and Families/Deaf and Hard of Hearing Unit, Learning Disability Association, and Parent’s Place.
Ms. Steel has also been involved with the 30th Commemoration for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act at Loyola Law School and Center for Exceptional Children. In 2005, Ms Steel was chosen to be a panelist on Echoing Green’s Fellowship Conference.
Jessica Toth started working at Learning Rights as a law student and has been on staff since 2007. She currently serves as Director of Education Clinics and Outreach and also manages the LAMCE program. Jessica attended the University of Washington and Southwestern University School of Law. In her free time, Jessica enjoys spending time at home with her husband and son, cooking and baking, and being out in the beautiful Los Angeles weather.
Devon Rios – Equal Justice Works Fellow, sponsored by Munger Tolles & Olson
After graduating from UCLA School of Law in 2009 Devon was awarded an Equal Justice Works Fellowship to start the East Los Angeles 3-7 Project at Learning Rights Law Center. East Los Angeles 3-7 is a direct legal services project designed to provide community based legal services for children ages 3-7 who need legal advice and advocacy in order to access the special education system. Devon, who was born and raised in the East Los Angeles area, is honored to have this opportunity to give back to her community through East Los Angeles 3-7. When Devon is not advocating for equal education access and rights, she loves spending time with her high-school-sweetheart-turned-husband and their two children.
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Janet Kim, Staff Attorney
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Sandra Robinson, Staff Attorney
Leticia Mejia, Sr. Administrative Assistant and Education Advocate -
Shortly after graduating from UCLA in 2006 with a degree in History and Chicano studies, Leticia Mejia started working at Learning Rights Law Center. Leticia began as an Administrative Assistant. She then worked with SEAT in 2008 and now she is an Education Advocate, working closely with TIGER (Training Individuals for Grassroots Education Reform) parents. She also coordinates intakes and helps out where ever she can.
Elvia “Meli” Rios, Paralegal
Melissa Rios started working at Learning Rights Law Center in 2007 as a file clerk while concurrently attending UCLA. Double majoring in English Literature and Women’s Studies, Melissa wanted to use her writing skills and love of equality and enter the legal field. During her last year at UCLA , she was placed to intern at various Self-Help centers in the L.A. state court houses through an AmeriCorps program, JusticeCorps, which heightened her interest for the legal field. She received her paralegal certificate from UCLA extension and was promoted to paralegal within Learning Rights Law Center. Melissa assists with all legal and administrative support at Learning Rights Law Center. She plans to attend law school in the near future.
Vanessa Vanegas, Administrative Assistant
Vanessa started with Learning Rights in June 2011. Vanessa has always been interested in working in an office environment. Lucie Hinden, a Learning Rights Law Center volunteer recommended Vanessa. Vanessa is currently attending school at ITT-Technical Institute and majoring in Computer Networking Systems; and looking forward to becoming a computer technician to get field experience but eventually would like to open her own computer repair business.
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Julio Arellano
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Jim Malone, Executive Assistant
