Tzedek DC is proud to announce the expansion of our Board of Directors through the addition of three outstanding new members, each with demonstrated commitment to Tzedek DC’s mission: Rebecca Azhdam, Joshua Levy, and Robin Nunn.
Rebecca Azhdam is an Attorney in the Civil Rights and Labor Management Division of the U.S. Department of Labor. She previously practiced law at Tycko & Zavareei and, in 2019, served as a Tycko & Zavareei LLP Public Interest Fellow at Tzedek DC. During her time as a Fellow at Tzedek DC, she was instrumental in our successful efforts to overturn DC’s practice of automatically suspending driver’s licenses for those owing $100 or more in fines and fees to the District. She has since remained active as a Tzedek DC volunteer.
Josh Levy is a Partner at Levy Firestone Muse LLP, where he specializes in litigation and white-collar matters. He formerly served as counsel to the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs and as counsel to U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer. He teaches at Georgetown Law and sits on the Board of Directors of the Washington Lawyer’s Committee on Civil Rights and Urban Affairs and on Tzedek DC’s Advisory Council.
Robin Nunn is a Partner at Linklaters LLP. She is a seasoned trial attorney who has litigated over 300 cases before numerous courts. She is a former public defender, sits on the Board of Directors of the National Endowment for Financial Education, and is also active in DC affairs, including having served as an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner, a member of the Board of Directors of the Duke Ellington School of Arts, and a member of Tzedek DC’s Advisory Council.
In a joint statement, Tzedek DC’s Board Chair Rachel Kronowitz, and Founding President and Director-Counsel Ariel Levinson-Waldman, said:
With the rippling impacts that consumer debt and fines and fees have across DC for vulnerable community members, the need for Tzedek DC’s work—legal, systemic, and educational—is greater than ever. We are honored to welcome Rebecca, Josh, and Robin to the Board. Their unique past and present leadership roles, talents, experiences, perspectives, and public interest commitments will bring additional strength to Tzedek DC’s efforts towards justice. We are at the same time expressing deep gratitude to Irv Nathan and Courtney Weiner, who are each founding Board members and now term-limited as they are completing their seventh year of Board service. Both have made enormous contributions to our work.
About Tzedek DC
Drawing from the Jewish teachings of “Tzedek, tzedek tirdof,” or “Justice, justice you shall pursue,” Tzedek DC’s mission is to safeguard the legal rights and financial health of DC residents with lower incomes facing the often-devastating consequences of debt collection and credit-related obstacles. This mission responds to the massive wealth gaps in DC and nationwide. Tzedek DC serves a client base of 90% African American, 60% women, and 25% disabled community members. Our strategic approach combines three synergistic activities: (i) free legal representation and advice; (ii) working in coalition to make systemic change; and (iii) providing community legal education on debt collection, identity theft, and credit management. Since 2017, Tzedek DC has served over 3,000 client households in legal matters—saving clients an average of $2,625 per full representation case—and helped catalyze systemic reforms with substantial impacts for hundreds of thousands of DC residents.