Staff & Volunteers
EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT
Robin R. Taylor is the Executive Director of Veterans Legal Institute, where she leads statewide expansion of pro bono legal services for underserved veterans. She has raised more than $6 million and built scalable legal programs focused on impact.
Taylor is a national security and justice expert with over 20 years of experience across the U.S. Department of Justice, Department of Defense, and global legal organizations. As a former federal prosecutor, she launched her district’s first cybercrime unit and led complex fraud and national security prosecutions. At the United States European Command, she served on a multi-agency cabinet-level advisory team supporting the Commander and Senior Staff and created the Battlefield Evidence Project to support ISIS prosecutions and align legal strategy across allied militaries.
Taylor also served as the U.S. Department of Justice Legal Advisor at the U.S. Embassies in Kenya and Indonesia, advancing anti-corruption and financial crime enforcement. She later led global justice programs as Executive Director of Lawyers Without Borders and began her legal career in Sacramento.
In addition to her professional roles, Taylor was appointed to California’s Judicial Nominees Evaluation Commission, led the Sacramento Federal Bar Association, and co-founded a national civics program for high school students.
Antoinette Naddour is Executive Director Emerita and Co-Founder of the Veterans Legal Institute® where she oversees and has responsibility for the overall management of the firm including business development, outreach, public relations, marketing, strategic planning and a light legal caseload. She comes to VLI with a long-held passion to serve homeless and at-risk veterans and service members and has dedicated her career to that end.
Noticing an influx of service members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan seeking shelter at a local National Guard armory, Ms. Naddour discovered that many issues that contributed to these veterans’ chronic homelessness were legal in nature and required the assistance of an attorney. So moved by the fact that the men and women who had served the country abroad were now struggling, she committed herself to the cause of removing “chronic” from “homelessness” and empowering veterans into self-sufficiency. This led her to be instrumental in the co-development of a veteran-based project at a local legal aid, with over 700 veterans receiving legal assistance during her three-year tenure. Since co-founding the Veterans Legal Institute in 2014, over 6,000 local low-income veterans have benefitted from free legal services.
Ms. Naddour was an officer with the California State Guard for over six years. She served in the rank of Major both as a Marketing Officer assigned to Strategic Communications (STRATCOM) as well as reserve JAG Officer assigned to Legal Support Command. She regularly lectures on legal topics affecting veterans where she is known for providing innovative solutions aimed at veteran empowerment and self-sufficiency. She sits on the military advisory boards for Supervisor Katrina Foley and Congresswoman Young Kim. In the past, Ms. Naddour was a law lecturer at UCI School of Law for its Veterans Law Clinic.
Ms. Naddour is a graduate of the 2018 Presidential Leadership Scholars Class, a prestigious program that serves as a catalyst for a diverse network of leaders brought together to collaborate and make a difference in the world as they learn about leadership through the lens of the presidential experiences of George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and Lyndon B. Johnson. During her tenure in this program, she focused on the improvement and further development of mobile legal clinics for low-income veterans, a project that is shared freely throughout the nation to promote additional services for veterans in need.
Ms. Naddour was a two-term Director at Large with the Orange County Bar Association, a member of the Outreach and Pro Bono Committees and Co-Chair of its Military and Veterans Committee. She is a board member of the Orange County Women’s Lawyers Association and was named the OCWLA 2022 Attorney of the Year. She is also a Board Advisor for the Orange County Black Chamber of Commerce. Ms. Naddour is a member of the OC Veterans and Military Families Collaborative, former multi-year Chair of its Legal/ Re-Entry Working Group, and for a long period of time served as Vice Chair of its Steering Committee.
Ms. Naddour holds a degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing and Management from Chapman University School of Business as well as a Juris Doctor with a special certificate in Alternative Dispute Resolution and an LLM emphasized in Business and Economics from Chapman University Fowler School of Law.
*Admitted to practice in Arizona and California. VA Accredited.
Katie is the Deputy Executive Director at Veterans Legal Institute, where she assists in the overall management and future planning of the firm. She plans the annual fundraiser, Lawyers for Warriors, and advocates for VLI in the local legal and business community.
Katie is the Chair of the Legal & Re-Entry working group of the Orange County Veterans and Military Families Collaborative (OCVMFC), a consortium of veteran organizations and advocates in Orange County. She also sits on the Executive Board of the Orange County Bar Association (OCBA) Family Law Section and is a member of the OCBA Pro Bono and Community Outreach Committees. Katie now sits on the Board of the Leadership Tomorrow program, administered by the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce, after successfully graduating from the program. Katie is also a part of the Fieldstone Leadership Network’s Class of 2024.
In the years of 2023 and 2021, Katie was honored as one of Congressman Lou Correa's Women of the Year. Katie regularly pens articles for publications like Orange County Lawyer and U.S. Veterans Magazine.
Katie is a graduate from the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University. During her time in law school, she was awarded the Judge Mary M. Schroeder Award for most pro bono hours as a 2L student, and graduated with the highest pro bono distinction. Katie is experienced in the public sector, with stints at both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Arizona State Legislature. Additionally, she has worked for multiple non-profits, advocating for renewable energy, regional solutions to climate change, as well as humane animal welfare practices in the agricultural industry.
Serving veterans is important to Katie. Her late grandfather was an Officer in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, so she seeks to honor him by utilizing her law degree to assist military veterans.
Robin Williams is a U.S. Army veteran with eight years of service, including assignments with the 1st Cavalry Division, 3rd Infantry Division, and Military Intelligence Readiness Command. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Master of Arts in Public Administration.
Michelle began her legal career as a criminal defense attorney in the Orange County Public Defender’s Office over 29 years ago. She has practiced criminal defense her entire career, with a brief cross over as a prosecutor. She has passionately worked with clients from all backgrounds, representing them throughout the criminal court process under highly emotional, stressful, and intense circumstances. She has negotiated and resolved a multitude of mental health, juvenile, misdemeanor, and felony cases.
Michelle’s passion has always revolved around participating in and representing clients in collaborative courts, working with multiple county agencies to aid in the rehabilitation of clients, including adult & juvenile drug courts, domestic violence court, and Military Diversion court for active duty military and veterans. Working towards aiding clients in rehabilitating themselves to become productive citizens has been the most rewarding part of her legal career.
Michelle is the mother of five children, one of whom is a Marine Corps veteran stationed in Washington, D.C. Her father was a Navy veteran, and her brother served in the U.S. Air Force. Her grandfather served during WWII in the British Army. She is deeply connected to the mission of Veterans Legal Institute and is excited to become a part of the VLI team to continue pursuing higher-purpose-related legal work, by working with Veterans.
Michelle obtained her B.S. degree from the University of Southern California in 1988 and her J.D. from Western State College of Law in 1995.
ATTORNEY STAFF
Doug is a Senior Staff Attorney and Lead of VLI's Veterans Benefits Practice Group.
Doug joined VLI in January 2020 with more than 35 years of experience in civil litigation, real estate, and bankruptcy.
Doug obtained his B.A. degree from Yale University in 1978 and his J.D. from Columbia University School of Law in 1982.
Between 1982 and 1994, Doug practiced in major private law firms (Kelley Drye & Warren - New York, New York, and Los Angeles, California; and Kelly Hart & Hallman, P.C. - Fort Worth, Texas) and financial institutions (American Savings Bank, F.A.; American Real Estate Group, Inc.; and New West Federal Saving and Loan Association). In April 1994, Doug co-founded Frankel & Tennant Professional Corporation in Costa Mesa, a small firm emphasizing representation of lenders in state and federal court, including foreclosures, receiverships, and bankruptcies. Doug retired from Frankel & Tennant to join VLI.
Doug is admitted to practice in New York (1983), California (1985), the District of Columbia (1989), Texas (1993), and to federal courts in California and New York. Doug has been a VA-Accredited Attorney since 2011, and served veterans and active duty service members pro bono for 10 years prior to joining VLI.
Faith, family, and community are important to Doug. He is active in the community as a Board Member of Laguna Hills Team Darkhorse (USMC 3/5 support group), as a Boy Scout leader, and as a Little League umpire.
Stella Pogosyan is a dedicated Trial Attorney who graduated from Southwestern Law School and was licensed to practice law in California in December 2011. She began her legal career at the Orange County Public Defender's Office and the Orange County Alternate Defender’s Office, dedicating a total of eight years and gaining substantial experience in criminal law, representing adult and juvenile indigent defendants facing felony and misdemeanor charges.
In 2020, Stella established herself as a solo practitioner, specializing in criminal law. She also began to expand her practice areas to mediation, family law, education law, and estate planning. Her strategic approach and dedication to her clients has earned her a reputation as a fierce and compassionate advocate.
In 2024, she brought her skills to Veterans Legal Institute, where she happily assists veterans with housing issues and other legal matters. By serving at VLI and continuing to run her own firm, she has thus joined her desire to serve the public interest, while also maintaining her private practice.
Outside of her professional life, Stella is an avid rock climber and now also a mountain biker. She volunteers as a Park Ambassador with OC Parks, reflecting her commitment to community service and the great outdoors.
Lisa Eyanson is an accomplished criminal defense attorney with over 30 years of litigation experience. Eyanson has dedicated her career to representing indigent clients, including over two decades in the Orange County Public Defender’s Office. She is currently a Senior Staff Attorney with the Veterans Legal Institute where she now uses her legal experience to advocate on behalf of veterans and their families in need. Eyanson focuses primarily on assisting veterans with expunging and sealing criminal records, affording them better access to housing and employment, ensuring veterans access to all resources available to stay safe and secure.
Lisa received her Bachelor of Arts from Loyola Marymount University and her Juris Doctor from Western State University College of Law. Upon receiving her Juris Doctor, she was an associate with the Law Offices of William J. Kopeny, handling pre-trial motions and appeals, including capital case appeals at both the state and federal court levels.
In 1994, Lisa joined the Orange County Public Defender’s Office eventually serving as a Senior Deputy Public Defender, where the majority of her litigation experience was in the handling of serious, violent, and complex felony matters, including special circumstance and capital murder cases.
In her free time, she serves as the Volunteer Coordinator with USO of Orange County and as the Soldier and Family Readiness Group Leader for the 358th Military Police Company of the United States Army Reserve.
Mark Berry is a graduate of Chapman University, Fowler School of Law, licensed to practice law in California, and accredited by the VA. He was born in Long Beach, CA, and raised in Orange County. He received his BA in history, cum laude, from California State University, Fullerton. At Chapman, Mark was the marketing chair for his school's Public Interest Law Foundation.
During the summer of 2019, Mark volunteered for VLI as a legal intern. He was also a law clerk with the Orange County Public Defender's office for more than two years. As an undergraduate student, Mark volunteered as an English literacy tutor at Read Orange County. He is also a fluent Farsi (Persian) language speaker.
Mark is devoted to pursuing public interest law. He is proud to be a part of VLI, and committed to making a difference in the lives of military veterans and their families, who have sacrificed so much for their country.
Ezekiel Bottorff is a VA-accredited attorney specializing in VA benefits. Since 2017, he has dedicated a portion of his legal practice to helping veterans with their legal concerns and ensuring they receive the VA benefits they are entitled.
Having served in the United States Marine Corps between 2006 and 2011, Ezekiel's strong sense of duty propelled his passion for supporting fellow veterans. He holds a juris doctorate from Golden Gate University, a bachelor's in Urban Studies and Planning from the University of California - San Diego and an associate's degree in Private Piloting from San Diego Miramar College.
Mr. Douglas is a 2014 graduate of Western State College of law. He earned an MBA from California State University, Fullerton, and a BA in Linguistics from California State University, Dominguez Hills.
While attending CSU, Dominguez Hills, he also participated in the ROTC program at UCLA, receiving a commission in the US Army.
Prior to earning his BA, Mr. Douglas enlisted in the U.S. Army, were he had served as a translator of the Vietnamese language. After his service in the Army, Mr. Douglas worked for the phone company for a couple of years, and then spent 25 years in the US Postal Service as a Letter Carrier, retiring in 2007.
His time in the Army, as well as having seen how Vietnam Veterans were treated when they returned from deployment, along with attendance at several events hosted by the VLI, led him to volunteer to become part of the VLI team.
Jeanette is a staff attorney with Veterans Legal Institute (VLI), assisting veterans with their benefits claims to help them get the benefits to which they are entitled for their service. Jeanette has experience across a wide array of legal disciplines in her 25 years as a practicing transactional attorney, and she brings that diverse experience and knowledge to her advocacy for VLI’s veterans and their families. Jeanette is also the mother of 3 children and the spouse of a retired Marine. As a military spouse, she has lived on military bases on both coasts of the US and understands well the needs and concerns of veterans and the challenges of both military and veteran life.
Her drive to assist the veteran community comes naturally as Jeanette has always been focused on helping others and trying to do her part to improve the lives of everyone in her community. This dedication to service extends to all corners of her life. Jeanette is the current Secretary of the San Diego Seminole Club, for which she was the founding President for its first several years of existence. Recently she has been volunteering with Moonlight Youth Theater as well as working with an organization that rescues and places cats and kittens in loving homes. She has also served on various community and charitable boards over the years. She is very committed to the mission of Veterans Legal Institute and excited to work with the veteran community as yet another way of giving back to her community.
Jeanette has a J.D. from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill School of Law, where she served as an articles editor on the North Carolina Law Review. She also has a B.A. in political science from Florida State University. She is licensed to practice law in California and North Carolina. In her free time she loves spending time with her family, friends and pets, attending concerts and live theater, and traveling to new places both inside the US and abroad.
LEGAL SUPPORT STAFF
Diana Garcia serves as a Staff Paralegal supporting VLI's Family Law Department. She holds a Bachelor of Arts with a double major in Criminology, Law, and Society and Public Health Policy, as well as a Paralegal Certificate, all from UC Irvine. Previously, Diana served as VLI’s Volunteer Coordinator and Legal Assistant, effectively managing over 80 volunteers annually in support of hundreds of client matters. Her exceptional leadership and dedication as VLI's volunteer coordinator significantly contributed to VLI receiving UC Irvine’s "Internship Program of the Year" award in 2023.
Nicole Balucanag graduated from the University of California, Irvine (UCI) in 2015 with a Bachelor of Science in Public Health. Prior to VLI, she worked at an occupational health company as an American with Disabilities Act (ADA) Specialist. In December 2023, Nicole completed UCI's ABA-approved Paralegal Certificate Program.
With a passion for law, political science, and public administration, Julie Goodson enjoys helping her local community through public service. She is eager to assist veterans in navigating the legal system with compassion and understanding.
Ms. Goodson holds an Associate's degree in Paralegal Studies from Riverside City College. She continues to pursue her educational goals at the University of La Verne while in her final year of earning a Bachelor's degree in Public Administration.
Prior to joining VLI, Ms. Goodson has held such titles as Staff Analyst, Business Development Manager, Paralegal, and Executive Assistant. Ms. Goodson has over 20 years of administration experience in both the public and private sectors, specializing in public finance, local government, and critical infrastructure.
In her spare time, Ms. Goodson enjoys spending quality time with her loved ones and has one child. Additionally, she enjoys the outdoors such as hiking and taking day trips to the beach, botanical gardens, or mountains.
Valeria Aranda, a driven individual whose journey through education to her passions have led her to remarkable achievements. In 2023, Valeria graduated from the University of California, Irvine (UCI) with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology, Law, and Society.
Valeria first began as an Intern at Veterans Legal Institute where her passion grew immensely for law and the Veteran community. Ms. Aranda will continue to pursue her passion for law by enrolling in the Paralegal Program and attaining her certification at the University of California, Irvine.
SUPPORT STAFF
Stephen first came to work at VLI as a volunteer in 2017. Before then, he lived in Japan for six years working as an English Instructor and later as part of an IT Support Desk in Tokyo, Japan. Stephen has a Bachelor of Science degree in Telecommunications Management, which he put to use when he worked as a Wide Area Network Engineer.
Stephen has worked in various IT roles, but customer service is a field he has been involved in throughout his entire career. He enjoys music, cooking, and traveling in his spare time.
Zak is the Communications Manager at Veterans Legal Institute (VLI), where his knowledge in strategic communications is crucial for articulating the VLI mission and bolstering support for the organization’s objectives.
Zak served in the United States Marine Corps as an Infantryman and in the California Army National Guard as a Geospatial Engineer. In addition, he served as the C5 Strategic Communications non-commissioned officer during his time in the California State Guard. Zak applies his military background and creative talents to champion and uplift fellow veterans.
Holding a BA in Film with a concentration in Cinematography from Mount Saint Mary’s University, Los Angeles, Zak has seamlessly merged his military discipline with his artistic skills. This unique fusion is evident in his work, ranging from educating at-risk youth to managing a content creation company that highlights veteran programs and charitable endeavors.
Zak's work has been featured by major media outlets such as Fox News, the TODAY Show, and the LA Times, and through collaborations with notable organizations like Pin-Ups for Vets, Patrol Base Abbate, Coffee or Die Magazine, The Military Time, and Department of Defense Defense Visual Information Distribution Service.
His commitment to the veteran community was further acknowledged in 2020 when the California Army National Guard selected one of his photographs as one of the "Top 20 of 2020."
Driven by a passion to make a difference, Zak’s future ambitions are focused on inspiring others and creating a meaningful legacy through both his creative output and his advocacy for veterans.
Alexis serves as a Human Resources Assistant at Veterans Legal Institute, where she plays a role in supporting the team that drives the organization's mission forward. A graduate of the University of California, Irvine, with a Bachelor's degree in Psychological Science, Alexis began her journey with Veterans Legal Institute as a Human Resources intern. Her passion for serving both the team and the veteran community grew during her internship, leading her to transition into a full-time position where she continues to develop her skills in human resources. Outside of work, Alexis enjoys spending time outdoors with activities like hiking, camping, and kayaking.
Frances Bushnell graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Criminology, Law, and Society from UCI in 2023 and holds a Crime Scene Investigation Certification from CSULB. Currently enrolled in a post-baccalaureate psychology program through Berkeley, she plans to pursue her graduate degree at UCI in the near future. After starting as a Legal Assistant, Frances discovered her interest for the nonprofit sector and now works closely with the grants and operations departments. She is also dedicated to supporting the veteran community, inspired by her late grandfather’s Navy service and her aunt and uncle’s Air Force careers.