AVLF | MAY 20, 2022

We’ve hired five new staff members – including one on the Safe and Stable Families team, three on the Safe and Stable Homes team. Meet the newest members of our community!

Takoya Frazier

Staff Attorney, Standing with Our Neighbors Project

Takoya recently joined the AVLF team as the Director in Human Resources. She is originally from Florida but Georgia is where the heart is. She is a graduate of Georgia State University (GO PANTHERS!!!) with a Bachelor of Managerial Science, concentration in Humana Resources. Takoya has over 10 years of Human Resource experience. Bringing great HR knowledge and wealth to an already awesome organization. She has volunteered for local charities and organizations like PAWS Atlanta, The Georgia Aquarium, and Decatur Book Festival. Takoya keeps busy with her 3 kids, 3 dogs, being the team mom for a youth football team and a cheer coach.

Cassandre Damas

Managing Attorney, Housing Court Assistance Center

As the Housing Court Assistance Center’s (HCAC) Managing Attorney, Cassandre administers and oversees the day-to-day operations of HCAC, and provides limited legal representation or legal advice to tenants facing eviction and other landlord tenant disputes. At the HCAC, tenants can get immediate advice about the eviction process. HCAC provides tenants with the knowledge and resources they need to advocate for themselves throughout the eviction process

Prior to joining AVLF, Cassandre worked as an immigration attorney at Catholic Legal Services in Miami, Florida. She counseled and represented clients in numerous immigration proceedings such as Asylum, VAWA, and Humanitarian Parole. In addition, Cassandre dedicated her expertise to assist hundreds of Haitian immigrants apply for Temporary Protective Status in the United States after the assassination of Haiti’s president and the country’s deteriorating political crisis, violence, and a staggering increase in human rights abuses.

Before practicing at Catholic Legal Services, Cassandre worked at Georgia Legal Services Program. In that position, Cassandre worked as the Eviction Prevention Project staff attorney and defended low-income tenants in eviction actions and other civil matters.

She received her J.D. from Appalachian School of Law, her M.S. in Public Administration from Clark Atlanta University, and her B.S. in Paralegal Studies from Nova Southeastern University. Cassandre was born and raised in Montreal, Canada to Haitian parents. She is fluent in French and Haitian Creole. Outside of the office, she enjoys spending time with her nieces and nephews, hiking, and traveling.

Christen Ansuini

Staff Attorney, Safe and Stable Families Project

Desni Scaife

Staff Attorney, Standing with Our Neighbors Project

Susan Leonard

Volunteer Engagement Manager, Safe and Stable Homes Project