The staff of the National Lawyers Guild of Los Angeles (NLG-LA) work diligently to lead and support our programmatic work. You may find more information about them below.
Christopher D. Chavis
Executive Director
Chris currently serves as the Executive Director of NLG-LA, where he is responsible for working with the board and staff to set and oversee the execution of the programmatic and strategic vision of the organization. Most recently he served as the Policy Director for the National Indian Health Board, where he was responsible for analyzing health-related regulations as they related to Tribal nations. He is a sought-after expert in social justice matters. He is also a past president of the Dartmouth Native American Alumni Association and currently represents Dartmouth’s Native American community on its Alumni Council. He graduated from Dartmouth College with a double major in Native American Studies and Social Policy. He also has a Juris Doctor from Michigan State University and a Master of Public Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His writing appears in multiple publications and he has also presented at multiple conferences, including the American Bar Association’s Equal Justice Conference. Chris is a citizen of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina.
You may reach Chris at chris@nlg-la.org.
Shelsea Sanchez
Community & Membership Engagement Advocate
Shelsea (they/she) graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2021 with a degree in Political Science and Feminist Studies. They have been involved with labor organizing and mutual aid efforts in Santa Barbara prior to their tenure with the NLG where they coordinate the Legal Observer Program and support the chapter’s programmatic work. They are passionate about working with marginalized communities in envisioning a better world for all.
You may reach Shelsea at shelsea@nlg-la.org.
Complaint Procedure
Anyone, NLG member or not, who has a complaint about any member, Board member, services, or anything else provided to them by NLG or anyone acting on behalf of NLG, except for law enforcement officers and persons accused of harassing NLG-LA legal observers, may email either the Executive Director or a Co-Chair of the Board with information about the complaint. The complaint will be communicated to the Board of Directors meeting in an executive session. If the Board determines that further investigation is necessary, it may appoint a person or committee to investigate the complaint and report back to the Board, where the Board may take such action as it deems appropriate.