Lesley Mendoza joined CABA Pro Bono Legal Services in February 2013 as executive director and is responsible for supervising attorneys and all legal services provided by the organization. Mendoza conducts outreach efforts to educate the community on the services provided as well as recruitment and fundraising. From 2004 to 2007, Mendoza worked at White & Case in New York as part of the firm’s commercial litigation practice group. Prior to that, she worked at Thornton, Davis & Fein in Miami. She earned a Juris Doctorate from the University of Miami School of Law in 2002 and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1998. Lesley is the 2014 recipient of the “Most Effective Lawyer” Award in the area of pro bono by the Daily Business Review.

Email: lesley@cabaprobono.com

Beatriz Schachter is the director of advocacy for CABA Pro Bono Legal Services, where she oversees a 28-person organization and helps shape the vision, strategy and growth of legal services for underserved populations across Miami-Dade County.

She joined the organization in 2018 as a staff attorney, assisting low-income veterans and victims of domestic violence with divorce, paternity, injunction, custody and child support cases. She regularly appeared in court to advocate for clients.

In 2021, Schachter expanded her advocacy into dependency court, representing teen victims of human trafficking. Her work as attorney ad litem in G.R.A.C.E. Court, a specialized court devoted to children identified as victims of commercial sexual exploitation and labor trafficking, provided more than 50 survivors with a level of consistency and safety many had never experienced.

Schachter is licensed to practice law in Florida and New York. She previously worked at Clifford Chance LLP in New York as an associate in its corporate practice group, specializing in securities and mergers and acquisitions. After relocating to Miami, she joined Bilzin Sumberg’s real estate division, followed by a tenure at Gelber Schachter & Greenberg, P.A., where she represented major corporate clients.

She holds a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida, where she served as president of the Cuban American Student Association. She is fluent in Spanish.

Email: betty@cabaprobono.com

Rosalba Penaherrera has been with CABA Pro Bono Legal Services since March 2008 and currently works as director of operations for the organization. Penaherrera handles the company’s charitable giving, customer relations and grant applications.

Before joining CABA Pro Bono, she was a title processor at Manuel L. Crespo, P.A. and a personal banking specialist at AmTrust Bank.

Email: rosalba@cabaprobono.com

Diana Pacheco serves as senior paralegal for CABA Pro Bono Legal Services. She joined the organization in 2023 as a paralegal, and graduated from the paralegal studies program at Florida International University in 2017 and began her career at Hochman & Goldin P.A., specializing in traffic law for seven years. Pacheco transitioned to real estate law and joined the Busutil Law Firm, where she dedicated three years. As paralegal at CABA Pro Bono, she previously worked with the Landlord Tenant Eviction Program and currently supports the team’s Children’s Legal Representation Program.

Email: diana@cabaprobono.com

Viviana Busutil joined the CABA Pro Bono team in 2014 and supports its Children’s Legal Representation Program. She previously supported CABA Pro Bono with low-income clients with foreclosure defense, loan modifications and landlord and tenant issues. In 2016, she opened her own firm, Busutil Law, which focuses on real estate law. Busutil attended Florida International University and earned her undergraduate degree in accounting. She received her Juris Doctorate from the University of St. Thomas College of Law.

Email: viviana@cabaprobono.com

Aida Diaz-Silveira joined CABA Pro Bono in 2023. Her legal career spans over two decades. She was admitted to the Supreme Court of the State of Florida and the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. She has provided pro bono representation for low-income clients with Church World Service, Americans for Immigrant Justice, and Catholic Legal Services. She actively participates in community events and discussions, including panels on neurodiversity in law. As an undergraduate at Florida State University, Aida interned with the Public Defender for Leon County and served as a legislative intern with Florida State Representative John Cosgrove and at the time Florida Senator Mario Diaz-Balart. She then went on to earn her Juris Doctorate from the University of Miami, School of Law.

Email: aida@cabaprobono.com

Patricia Salman is the supervising attorney for the eviction diversion program. Before this role, she handled all cases under the Human Trafficking Victim Representation Project at CABA Pro Bono Legal Services, the Neurodivergent Program, and often served as Guardian Ad Litem. Before joining CABA Pro Bono Legal Services, Salman worked in the public service sector for over a decade for various Florida state agencies.

Additionally, Salman worked as assistant regional legal counsel in the Department of Children and Families in the Office of General Counsel in Miami. She was also an assistant attorney general for the Office of the Economic Division/Consumer Protection Division in Miami. She is a member of the Florida Bar.

She received her Bachelor of Science in finance, with a concentration in economics and criminology, from the University of Florida in 2003. Salman then went on to earn her Juris Doctorate from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2006.

 Email: patricia@cabaprobono.com 

Daniela Fletes began working with CABA Pro Bono in 2021, where she assists low-income clients with family law cases. She is a member of the Florida Bar and the Young Lawyers Division of the Florida Bar. In 2018, she earned her Bachelor of Arts in international relations with a specialization in political science from Florida International University. Fletes obtained her Juris Doctorate from the St. Thomas University College of Law in 2021.

Email: daniela@cabaprobono.com

Carolina de Diego joins the CABA Pro Bono team as an attorney, supporting programs for veterans, domestic violence victims and foster care youth. She has experience in Public Interest law and Pro Bono having served as Pro Bono Director at Legal Services of Greater Miami. De Diego has experience in Real Estate law transactional matters and serves in the Voluntary Bar Committee of the Florida Bar. De Diego has spearheaded a number of charitable initiatives including fundraising for the Humane Society of Greater Miami and toy drives to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami. De Diego also served as Director of Communications for the Miami Marlins where she led initiatives to build a village in Haiti for displaced victims of the earthquake in 2010. De Diego also served as Public Relations Manager at the Miami Seaquarium where she led efforts to support endangered manatees and sea turtles.

De Diego earned a Masters of Science in Leadership from Nova Southeastern University and earned a Juris Doctorate from St. Thomas University College of Law where she graduated Cum Laude and was a Book Award recipient in Family Law. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in print journalism from Florida International University. She is fluent in English and Spanish and conversational in Italian. 

Email: carolina@cabaprobono.com 

Vivian Escribano joined CABA Pro Bono Legal Services in May 2023 to serve as an Attorney ad Litem and Guardian ad Litem for underprivileged children, teenagers and young adults in our community.  As Attorney ad Litem in the dependency court system, she represents foster children who are not statutorily entitled to have an Attorney ad Litem, when judges deem the circumstances in their cases require one.  She has been an advocate for foster children in the dependency courts, including G.R.A.C.E. Court, a specialized court devoted to the needs of children identified as victims of human trafficking and helps in their transition from extended foster care to independent living.  As Guardian ad Litem, Escribano conscientiously researches the children’s familial system to ensure their best interests are being preserved in paternity or divorce cases usually involving mental, physical or sexual abuse.

Escribano has always been an ardent litigator in her legal career, first as an Assistant State Attorney in criminal court, and then in civil and commercial litigation, including intellectual property and trademark and copyright infringement.  She was admitted to the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

Vivian is the founder and executive director of Door To The Arts, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, that provided cultural arts enrichment services in the form of 25 different after school programs to over 20 schools in the South Florida area for ten years.

Vivian is fluent in English and Spanish.  She received her Series 7 and Series 52 Securities Licenses while working for RBC Dain Rauscher and the Royal Bank of Canada in New York City and Florida.  Escribano earned her Juris Doctorate at St. Thomas University College of Law and earned her bachelor’s degree in international finance and marketing at the University of Miami. Vivian won first place in litigation and trial advisory as an advocate in the American Bar Association National Trial Tournament when she was in law school.  She was on the ATLA/Trial Court Executive Board, the Peter T. Fay American Inn of Court and won the Trial Advocacy Practice Book Award.  She was also the president of the International Law Society and vice president of the Entertainment and Sports Law Society. 

As a Cuban American, she is very proud to be working for CABA Pro Bono Legal Services.

Email: vivian@cabaprobono.com

Frank A. Gonzalez is a staff attorney at CABA Pro Bono Legal Services, where he will contribute to the Eviction Diversion Program. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2024, graduating with honors as a Governor’s Scholar. During his legal studies, Frank served as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Technology Law & Policy and co-founded the Cuban American Bar Association UF Student Chapter. His professional experience includes internships at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the State Attorney’s Office, focusing on litigation and special victims cases. He is fluent in Spanish and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from Florida International University.

Email: Frank@cabaprobono.com

Sofia Henshaw is a staff attorney at CABA Pro Bono Legal Services. Before joining the organization, she served as a staff attorney at Catholic Legal Services, Archdiocese of Miami, where she prepared more than 620 legal filings, including more than 150 asylum applications, and conducted more than 1,600 individualized legal orientation sessions for pro se respondents. She also trained new paralegals, supervised interns and appeared as Friend of the Court in multiple master calendar hearings.

Previously, Henshaw was a partner and title attorney at De Diego Henshaw PLLC, managing a boutique title agency and advising clients on estate planning, property refinancing and seller-side real estate transactions. She also worked as an associate attorney at Bryant Law Firm handling probate and guardianship matters, and as a judicial intern for Judge Barbara Areces in the Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida.

Henshaw earned her Bachelor of Arts in business administration with a concentration in international business from Florida International University in 2009. She received her Juris Doctor, cum laude, with a business law certificate from St. Thomas University School of Law in 2019. She is a member of the Florida Bar and is fluent in English and Spanish.

Email: Sofia@cabaprobono.com

Denise Moreno has joined CABA Pro Bono Legal Services as a part-time staff attorney, where she supports the team within the Landlord Tenant Eviction Program. 

Email: denise@cabaprobono.com

Tensie Suengas graduated magna cum laude from Florida International University with a B.A. in psychology. Suengas went on to attend American University’s Washington College of Law in D.C. During law school, she helped survivors of domestic violence obtain U-Visas, VAWAS, restraining orders, and resolve custody and child support disputes. Suengas worked for the Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida as a case manager for the Unified Family Court Division and Complex Litigation Division. As a case manager, she assisted judges in cases such as divorce, domestic violence, paternity, dependency and juvenile delinquency. Suengas was a staff attorney with Dade Legal Aid where she represented victims of domestic violence in divorces, paternity and custody proceedings. At CABA Pro Bono Legal Services, she has represented victims of human trafficking, domestic violence and abandoned, abused and neglected youth.

Email: tensie@cabaprobono.com 

Carolina Pelleya-White has joined CABA Pro Bono as a staff attorney, and will support the organization’s work with domestic violence clients seeking divorces. Previously, she worked as an associate attorney in the real estate department of a local law firm and has experience in transactional law and banking.

Pelleya-White earned a Juris Doctorate from the University of Miami College of Law where she graduated Cum Laude, was a Dean’s Scholarship recipient and participated in numerous activities, including as an editor of the University of Miami Law Review. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Relations from the University of Florida. She is fluent in English and Spanish. 

Email: caro@cabaprobono.com

Allison Collett has joined CABA Pro Bono as a staff attorney for the Neurodivergent Legal Assistance Program. 

Email: 

Mollie Blank is a staff attorney at CABA Pro Bono Legal Services, where she supports individuals involved in the dependency court system and those facing domestic violence issues. 

Her legal interests include children’s welfare, education law, governmental accountability and broader public policy initiatives. She brings a strong background in advocacy, having previously served with the Miami-Dade Guardian ad Litem program, where she worked with child advocates and gained firsthand insight into the dependency system. She also contributed to the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust, supporting efforts to promote transparency and integrity in local government. In addition, she worked with Advocates for Justice & Education Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to advancing educational equity and supporting families of children with disabilities. She further gained practical experience through the University of Miami Children and Youth Law Clinic, assisting youth navigating complex dependency matters.

She earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Miami School of Law in 2025 with an area of focus in social justice and public interest. A proud “Double Cane,” she also holds an undergraduate degree in communications and public administration from the University of Miami.

Email: mollie@cabaprobono.com

Maria Jacqueline Rodriguez has more than 15 years of legal experience, having served as a family law attorney in her native Cuba and eight years as a paralegal in Miami. She graduated from the University of Matanzas Law School in Cuba in 1990 and served as a family law and tax law professor until 2004. Rodriguez joined CABA Pro Bono in September 2006 and assists with preparing U.S. citizenship applications for foreign-born individuals and their families. In addition, she conducts initial intake interviews, helps prepare legal documents for simple divorces, and assists in training classes to help applicants overcome barriers to becoming a citizen.

Email: jackie@cabaprobono.com

Dani Gonzalez joins CABA Pro Bono as a law clerk for the organization. 

Email: Dani@cabaprobono.com

Mixa Hernandez joined CABA Pro Bono in 2025 and serves as a law clerk. She assists with cases involving children who have been abandoned, abused or neglected by their parents, as well as immigration and family court proceedings.

Hernandez is fluent in English and Spanish. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history with a minor in political science from Florida International University. She is a third-year student at St. Thomas University School of Law, where she is pursuing the Real Estate Certificate program.

Email: Mixa@cabaprobono.com

Valeria Lopez-Trujillo joined CABA Pro Bono Legal Services in 2024 as a junior paralegal. Her responsibilities include assisting clients with work authorization and drafting petitions for the organization’s Children’s Legal Representation Program.

Email: valeria@cabaprobono.com

Yoldy-Dancy Brignolles joined the CABA Pro Bono Legal Services team in 2023 as a legal assistant. She specializes in assisting with cases involving victims of domestic violence and children that have been abused and/or neglected by their parents. Brignolles is fluent in English, Creole and Spanish. 

Email: yoldy-dancy@cabaprobono.com

Rebecca Penaherrera joins the CABA Pro Bono team as a Junior Paralegal. She is responsible for maintaining accurate case records, preparing monthly reports, and handling client communications. Rebecca earned her bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from Florida International University. 

Email: rebecca@cabaprobono.com

Christ joined the CABA Pro Bono Legal Services team as a legal assistant in 2024, overseeing schedules, conducting legal research, and managing Paladin and the legal server to connect volunteer attorneys with pro bono opportunities. He is currently pursuing a nursing degree at Miami Dade College and speaks Creole, French and English.

Email: Christ@cabaprobono.com

Yolanda Lopez Fuentes joined CABA Pro Bono as an Intake Paralegal, bringing strong organizational and client service skills to the team. Before joining, she worked as a Secretary and Manager’s Assistant, where she also handled finance-related tasks. Yolanda graduated from high school in 2020 and is currently studying finance at Miami Dade College (MDC). She enjoys helping clients by managing intake processes, making and receiving calls, and ensuring smooth communication. Passionate about legal support, Yolanda aspires to earn a paralegal degree to further her career in the legal field.

Email: yolanda@cabaprobono.com

Reyna joined the CABA Pro Bono Legal Services team as a legal assistant in 2025.

Email: Reyna@cabaprobono.com

Victoria Lopez-Trujillo joined CABA Pro Bono in 2024 and currently serves as a a junior paralegal for the nonprofit. Victoria has work experience in advocacy and mental health as a PSR counselor at Meraki Wellness & Healing Behavioral Health and a resource coordinator at Lotus House Women’s Shelter. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Florida International University in 2020 and is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling at University of Massachusetts.  

Email: victoria@cabaprobono.com

Alicia Louis works as a juniort paralegal at CABA Pro Bono Legal Services, where she provides administrative and translation support, as well as assistance with client relations. In her role, she helps non-English speaking Haitian clients communicate effectively with the attorneys on staff. Alicia is currently a senior at Florida International University, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in psychology, with the goal of attending law school.

Email: Alicia@cabaprobono.com

Isabella Plazas joined CABA Pro Bono in 2024 and currently serves as a junior paralegal also assisting with the organization’s in-house marketing efforts. She has worked in public relations for the U.S. State Department and on the information technology team at the World Bank. She graduated from George Washington University with a Bachelor of Arts in international economics and plans to attend law school. 

Email: Isabella@cabaprobono.com

Tammy Real joins the CABA Pro Bono team as a part-time Junior Paralegal, where she provides support for the Children’s Legal Representation Program. She has served as a board of member for the Ronald McDonald Foundation Panama, Fundación Hazme Brillar and Fundación Pro Obras de Beneficiencia. Real has experience working as a marketing executive in the automotive and the advertising industries. She graduated from the University of St. Maria La Antigua with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering. Tammy is fluent in Spanish. 

Email: tammy@cabaprobono.com

Birgitte Tamayo joined the CABA Pro Bono Legal Services team as a junior paralegal in 2025.

Email: birgitte@cabaprobono.com

Schena Jean Pierre is a Legal Assistant supporting CABA Pro Bono’s divorce cases, where she schedules client calls, helps manage cases, and prepares legal paperwork to support the attorneys. In addition to her legal work, Schena is a licensed insurance professional, bringing a versatile skill set to her role.

Email: schena@cabaprobono.com

Daniela Ortiz is the administrative assistant at CABA Pro Bono. She supports the director of operations with tasks such as managing finances and tracking donations. She also assists the executive director with fundraising and outreach for annual events. She graduated from Villanova University in 2025 with a degree in peace and justice and a minor in public service and administration.

Email: danio@cabaprobono.com