PBA’s Diversity Through the Decades 2026 – Day Two

Kristine L. Calalang has dedicated her law practice to family law matters since 2004. She provides her clients with strong advocacy, compassion, and empathy. Ms. Calalang is passionate about serving in leadership positions to help elevate the legal profession, promote fellowship in the legal community, and support philanthropic endeavors. She has strong leadership roles in the Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA), serving as a Zone 1 member of the House of Delegates, Co-Chair of the Legal Academics Committee, and the Diversity Liaison and Co-Chair of the Diversity Task Force of the Family Law Section. Additionally, Ms. Calalang is the Diversity Liaison for the PBA Minority Bar Committee and the Co-Chair of the Diversity Committee of the Women in the Profession Commission. She is also in leadership in the Philadelphia Bar Association, currently serving as the Vice Chancellor and having served as a Member of the Board of Governors and 2022 Board Chair, Co-Chair of the Women in the Profession Committee, and Co-Chair of the Solo and Small Firm Management Committee. Ms. Calalang also served as the 2019 Chair of the Family Law Section and continues to serve as a member of the Section’s Executive Committee, Co-Chair of the Custody Committee, Co-Chair of the Diversity Committee, and founding member of the Diversity Inclusion Scholarship Committee. Ms. Calalang further serves as a member of the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Judicial Selection and Retention Commission and is an active member of Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law’s alumni boards. She often plans and presents programs for the PBA, Pennsylvania Bar Institute, Philadelphia Bar Association, and other legal groups.

DeJonna Bates, a Staff Attorney at CJP in Harrisburg, is a dedicated advocate for language access rights throughout Pennsylvania. Her work focuses on systemic change within federally funded institutions such as police departments, school districts, and subsidized housing authorities. She has successfully facilitated the development and implementation of language access plans and the provision of essential translation and interpretation services nationwide. Her impactful work in this area has earned her recognition from the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission.

Chi-Ser Tran (she/her) is a Senior Staff Attorney in the SSI Unit and Language Access Project at Community Legal Services. Her practice focuses on representing adults and children with disabilities who face issues attaining and maintaining Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. She also leads CLS’s language access advocacy and focuses on improving access to legal services, courts, and government agencies for individuals with limited English proficiency. Ms. Tran is a past president and a board member of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Pennsylvania (APABA-PA). She is also a board member of SEAMAAC, an organization that supports and serves immigrants, refugees, and other marginalized communities in Philadelphia. Ms. Tran has received several awards and recognitions, including a Philadelphia City Council resolution recognizing her as an “Emerging Leader,” City & State PA’s Law Power 100 and AAPI 100 lists, and the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Bar Star award. She has published numerous articles and reports on topics including improving access to SSI for individuals with disabilities and strengthening language access. Ms. Tran earned her JD from the Temple University Beasley School of Law in 2016. She earned her BA from New York University in 2009, where she majored in Asian/Pacific/American Studies.

Tyesha C. Miley brings more than two decades of litigation and regulatory experience to her practice. She has represented public agencies, insurers, and private clients in matters involving complex litigation, risk management, and regulatory compliance. Her career includes extensive trial and appellate work, along with significant experience managing high-exposure cases and developing operational efficiencies for legal departments. Tyesha previously served as counsel for major public entities and insurers, where she defended tort, contractual, and insurance claims, achieving impactful results on behalf of her clients, realizing substantial cost savings and leading the implementation of streamlined litigation systems. She also operated her own law firm, where she handled tort, real estate, and estate planning matters. Early in her career, she served as an Assistant District Attorney, gaining significant courtroom experience prosecuting a high volume of criminal cases. Active in the legal community, Tyesha has held leadership roles within the Pennsylvania Bar Association, including service as an At-Large Governor on the Board of Governors and Chair of the Minority Bar Committee. Additionally, Tyesha is an active member of the National Bar Association, where she has served in multiple leadership positions. She is a graduate of Fordham University School of Law, J.D., and The City College of New York, B.A. She is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and before the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of PA and U.S. Supreme Court.

Brandon Lee Wolff, Esq. represents and counsels individuals and businesses in matters involving business transactions, employment law, commercial litigation, estate litigation, estate administration, estate planning, real estate, bankruptcy, civil rights, disability law, health law, education law, family law and personal injury. Brandon is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Florida and the District of Columbia. Brandon is the Past Treasurer of the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, Past Chair of the New York State Bar Association Young Lawyers Section, Past Chair of the New Jersey State Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, Past President of The Florida Bar Out-of-State Division, Past Secretary of the Pennsylvania Bar Association Young Lawyers Division and Past Governor on The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division Board of Governors. In addition, Brandon is one of the most recent graduates on the Seton Hall Law Alumni Council and has co-chaired several committees. Brandon is also a co-chair of the Volunteer Lawyers for Justice Generation Now Committee. Brandon served as a law clerk to The Honorable Garry S. Rothstadt in the New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division. He also interned with three federal judges, the New Jersey Supreme Court and United States Attorney’s Office. Additionally, he was a Law Clerk at Summit Medical Group and Summit Health Management. Brandon received a Certificate in Healthcare Compliance and graduated cum laude (Top 11%) from Seton Hall Law with a Concentration in Health Law. He was the Editor-in-Chief of the Seton Hall Health Law Outlook, an Articles Editor of the Seton Hall Legislative Journal and a member of the school’s Appellate Advocacy Moot Court Board and Mock Trial Board. He participated in the school’s Impact Litigation Clinic, the Civil Rights & Constitutional Litigation Clinic, and the Southern District of New York’s Representation in Mediation Practicum. Before law school, Brandon was a National McCabe Scholar at Swarthmore College where he received the Deans’ Award for Sustained Contributions to the Swarthmore Community. Brandon was valedictorian of his high school class, founded an anti-violence organization and was recognized as the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards top high school volunteer in Pennsylvania.

Brendan Bertig serves as the interim Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Commission for Fairness & Justice, where he directs the implementation of the recommendations contained in the Pennsylvania Supreme Court Committee’s 2003 study on racial and gender bias in the justice system. Prior to stepping into his role as interim E.D. on October 1, 2026, Brendan served as the Commission’s staff attorney for five years, researching legal questions for, tracking legislation related to, and drafting reports on various Commission initiatives. A member of the LGBTQIA+ community, Brendan is dedicated to furthering the Commission’s goal of eliminating bias in the Pennsylvania justice system. Before joining the Commission, Brendan interned for a number of governmental and non-profit organizations in law school. Brendan lives in Pittsburgh, PA, and is a graduate of Duquesne University (summa cum laude, 2017) and the University of Pittsburgh School of Law (cum laude 2020).

William D. Goren, Esq., of William D. Goren, J.D., LL.M. LLC in Decatur, GA, has been dealing with the ADA as an Attorney since 1990. His law and consulting practice, https://www.understandingtheada.com, as well as his blog, Understanding the ADA, all focus on understanding the ADA so that the client understands what it means to comply with that law and related laws. In particular, he provides consulting, counseling, representation, and training services involving compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and related laws (such as the Air Carrier Access Act and the Fair Housing Act), among others. Mr. Goren also brings a deep, personal understanding of what it means to have a disability, equipping him with exceptional insight on how the ADA actually works. He is deaf with a congenital bilateral hearing loss of 70–120+ decibels, but functions entirely in the hearing world thanks to hearing aids, Bluetooth technology, automatic speech recognition, and lip-reading. For reasons independent of his deafness, he also uses voice dictation technology to access his computer.He is a frequent presenter, a trained mediator, a FINRA arbitrator (Chairperson eligible), and an arbitrator on the CPR employment panel. Finally, he is the author of Understanding the ADA, now in its 4th edition (ABA 2013), and numerous other articles on the rights of persons with disabilities. He is and has been a member of various committees of the American Bar Association, including: Legal Technology Resource Center Board (2017-2023); ABA Law Practice Section Business Development and Marketing Committee; ABA Law Practice Section Ethics and Professionalism Committee and the ABA’s Law Practice Section DEI committee. He is also a member of various committees of the Federal Bar Association, including: the Federal Bar Association (FBA) Committee for the Advancement in the Legal Profession (Diversity and Inclusion), Committee; the FBA’s Civil Rights section and its Governing Board; FBA’s Civil Rights Amicus committee; and since 2022, the Chair of the FBA’s Disability Best Practices Working Group. In the first year of the Disability Best Practices Working Group, it formulated an accessibility manual for the FBA and its chapters, and is currently working on a resource guide for attorneys when they are faced with situations involving persons with disabilities. In recognition of his disability inclusion efforts over the decades, he is also the recipient of the Federal Bar Association’s 2026 Sarah T. Hughes Civil Rights Award. He is also a member of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Bar Association and the Sports Lawyers Association. He has an A.B. from Vassar College, a J.D. from University of San Diego School of Law, and was one of the first in the entire country to receive the LL.M. in Health Law, in his case from DePaul University College of Law. Interesting fact: He trained his miniature poodle to be a hearing dog while he practices virtually.

Bridget Hylak, CT, CI, MTC, is a globally recognized leader in the language industry with more than 30 years of experience spanning translation, interpreting, language technology, and AI. An industry spokesperson, international speaker, author, consultant, and trainer, she is known for bridging historically siloed sectors across language services, technology, and public policy. Her expertise has been featured by TIME Magazine, NPR, The Huffington Post, and other major outlets. She co-authored federal guidance on Machine Interpreting for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, serves on multiple committees focused on language access, AI, and IDEA, and advises AI Labs and startups as a Localization Advisor.

Josie B. H. Pickens is an attorney and administrator whose experience has spanned law, municipal government, and higher education. Pickens was a Supervising Attorney and Co-Director of the Energy Unit at Community Legal Services of Philadelphia where she represented vulnerable Philadelphia residents to preserve affordable access to utility service and advocated to reform utility practices for low-income residential consumers. She previously served as Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer for the City of Philadelphia and Interim Dean for Equal Opportunity and Engagement at Penn Carey Law School. In her role with the City of Philadelphia, she led efforts to promote fairness and equal opportunity in the city’s operations and business practices. Pickens currently leads city-level government relations as the Director of City and Community Relations for Temple University. She is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley and Temple University Beasley School of Law.

Mr. Law practices with the firm of Law & Associates, LLC, in Philadelphia, with a concentration in real estate. He is a past chair of the Pennsylvania Bar Association Minority Bar Committee, a former governor of the Pennsylvania Bar Association Board of Governors and a founding member of the Asian American Bar Association of Pennsylvania (formerly the Asian American Bar Association of the Delaware Valley) and the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association. Mr. Law is past chair of the Philadelphia Bar Association Public Interest Section and the Philadelphia Bar Association Civil Rights Committee. He is also a past co-chair of the Pennsylvania Bar Association Civil and Equal Rights Committee and the past vice chair of its Long Range Planning Committee. Mr. Law received his Master of Public Health from the University of Michigan and his J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. Before attending law school, Mr. Law was an automotive welder in California, a truck mechanic in Colorado and a licensed mechanic in Michigan. He was a union steward in the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers local lodge 1305. He was admitted to Penn Law School through its affirmative action program.

Jennifer Ellis is an attorney licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania and the principal of Jennifer Ellis, JD, LLC, a law practice management and technology consulting firm. Her legal practice focuses on ethics, and her consulting work assists lawyers and legal organizations with technology selection, implementation, and risk management, including cybersecurity and the practical use of artificial intelligence in legal practice. Jennifer has extensive experience in legal education and professional development and has worked closely with bar associations and continuing legal education providers on the development and presentation of programs for lawyers at all stages of practice. She regularly speaks and writes on legal ethics, law practice management, and emerging technology issues, with an emphasis on helping lawyers evaluate new tools realistically and responsibly. Her work emphasizes clarity, accuracy, and ethical judgment, particularly where law and technology intersect. Find Jennifer online at jlellis.net.

Jada S. Greenhowe joined the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (“PHFA”) as Assistant Counsel in 2014. In her role as Assistant Counsel, Jada provides legal advice regarding an array of topics such as bankruptcy, credit reporting and third-party vendor management and oversight. She counsels PHFA’s secondary mortgage program, the Homeowner’s Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program, and represents the Agency in civil litigation matters including Actions to Quiet Title and Commonwealth Court appeals. She oversees federal and state regulatory compliance pertaining to the mortgage servicing industry, such as Act 91 (Homeowner’s Emergency Assistance Act), Act 6 (the Loan Interest and Protection Law) and the Fair Credit Reporting Act for PHFA’s Single Family mortgage program. In addition, she handles multi-party transactional real estate closings involving investor partnerships and Low-Income Housing Tax Credits in connection with PHFA’s Multifamily program. In 2013, Ms. Greenhowe obtained her Juris Doctor from the University Of Pittsburgh School Of Law. She earned a B.A. in Communication Rhetoric from the University of Pittsburgh in 2009. Ms. Greenhowe is admitted to practice in the Western, Middle and Eastern District Courts of Pennsylvania. In addition, she is a member of the American Bar Association, the Dauphin County Bar Association and the Pennsylvania Bar Association where she is a member of the PBA House of Delegates and where she also serves as co- Chair of the Civil and Equal Rights Committee (CERC), and is the co-Chair of CERC’s CLE Subcommittee, as well as its Young Lawyer’s Division (“YLD”) Liaison. In addition, she serves as the At-Large Chair to Diversity for the YLD, is co-Vice Chair of the In-House Counsel Committee and is the YLD Liaison to the Environmental and Energy Law Section. In 2019, Jada was selected as a member of the 2019-2020 class of the PBA’s Bar Leadership Institute.  She is also the 2021 recipient of the Minority Bar Committee’s (“MBC”) Rising Star award and is the current Chair of the MBC Houston’s Rising Star Award Committee.