Our Team

LIFT Wisconsin is a collaboration between the Economic Justice Institute, Inc., Legal Action of WI, Inc., UW Law School’s civil legal clinics, Center for Patient Partnerships, and Employment and Training Association.

Jessie Lutter-Long

Jessie Lutter-Long

Justice Coordinator

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Jessie Lutter-Long is an attorney licensed to practice law in the State of Wisconsin and the Eastern District of Wisconsin Bankruptcy Court. She obtained her B.F.A. from the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design and graduated with her J.D. from Marquette University Law School in 2019. After graduating, Lutter-Long worked at Legal Action of Wisconsin attorney and the Center for Driver’s License Recovery and Employability where she assisted low-income Milwaukee County residents obtain valid driver’s licenses and remove barriers to family-sustaining employment. Outside of work, she enjoys art, animals, and gardening.

Erica Nelson

Erica Nelson

Executive Director

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Erica Nelson (she/her) has been working to advance social, racial, environmental and economic justice for over 20 years. Her work includes advancing practice and policy reform in child welfare and youth justice as well as leading efforts to address the systemic and structural drivers that perpetuate and compound racial and economic inequities. She is a visionary, strategist and social entrepreneur whose love language is transformative policy change and who is deeply committed to increasing access to justice for under-resourced individuals, families and communities.

Erica began her career as an attorney at the Center for Family Representation representing parents involved in New York City’s child welfare system. After moving to Wisconsin in 2010, she founded and directed the Race to Equity project, served as Advocacy Director at Kids Forward and is currently Executive Director of LIFT Wisconsin.

Nelson is a graduate of UW-Madison and Rutgers Law School. Before entering law school, her first career was as a contemporary ballet dancer in New York City. She has two amazing children, an overly energetic Labrador, and strives to be proficient at mountain biking, surfing, and sailing among many other things.

Alberto Prado

Alberto Prado

Outreach Coordinator

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Alberto is LIFT’s Outreach Coordinator. He maintains cooperative working relationships with government agencies, educational institutions, non-profits, and community groups, as well as training community service providers, librarians, students and volunteers about our Legal Tune Up tool. Alberto also coordinates regional pop-up clinics to help participants restore their driver’s license. Fluent in Spanish, Alberto ensures that everyone can use the tool.

 

When he’s not helping clients, you can find Alberto walking Leo (Australian blue heeler) and Sam (golden retriever puppy) around town.

Our Founders/Advisors

Sarah Davis

Sarah Davis, JD, MPA

Director, Center for Patient Partnerships

Marsha Mansfield

Marsha Mansfield, JD

Distinguished Clinical Professor Emeritus

Mitch

Mitch, JD

Director, Economic Justice Institute