Sarah Coffey Bowes, Executive Director

Sarah Coffey Bowes, Esq. is a veteran non-profit manager with a strong background in programmatic growth, sustainability, and strategic planning. Sarah supervised the operation and continuous expansion of the award-winning Maryland Courts Self-Help Centers - a network of legal service centers operated via a contract between the Maryland Judiciary and Maryland Legal Aid’s subsidiary, the Maryland Center for Legal Assistance. Under her leadership, Maryland’s self-help centers grew from an experimental, pilot program to a robust, statewide network of 6 offices serving more than 80,000 Marylanders yearly. Sarah previously served as the Deputy Director of the Self-Represented Litigation Network (SRLN), a nationwide network of justice system professionals who work to improve access to justice for the unrepresented. Sarah holds a Bachelor of Arts from Georgetown University. She received her Juris Doctor from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law where she received the Ward Kershaw Award for Client Advocacy.

Carrie McCully, Deputy Director

Carrie McCully is the Deputy Director of Civil Justice, where she oversees the day-to-day operations of Civil Justice and its referral network. A longtime and dedicated advocate for the working poor in Maryland, Carrie was instrumental in creating the Foreclosure Brief Legal Advice project, which helped hundreds of homeowners obtain timely and affordable legal advice from foreclosure defense attorneys with no income restrictions. She also managed the low bono foreclosure mediation representation program and the Of Counsel program. Prior to joining Civil Justice, Carrie worked for four years as a senior mortgage processor, and continues to speak at conferences for housing counselors about the many challenges faced by the working poor. She graduated from Lock Haven University with a B.A. in Journalism.

Alexa Bertinelli, Managing Attorney

Alexa Bertinelli joined Civil Justice in February 2018, where she oversees the Economic Justice Project and leads Civil Justice’s in-house consumer litigation. Alexa handles both individual and class cases that challenge a variety of abusive business practices, including wrongful evictions and auto-fraud. Prior to joining Civil Justice, Alexa worked as a staff attorney for Maryland Legal Aid for nearly six years. Her work at Legal Aid focused primarily on housing and consumer law matters. Alexa has been recognized for her advocacy on behalf of low income Marylanders. In 2016, she was honored with the Diane Kinslow Award by the Maryland Legal Aid and in 2017, she received The Daily Record’s Leading Women Award. Outside of work, Alexa engages in a number of professional activities in support of her community. Alexa serves on the board of the Neighborhood Design Center. In addition, Alexa is the current president of the LGBTQ Bar of Maryland and is an active member of the Maryland State Bar Association, serving on the Editorial Advisory Board, Leadership Academy Committee, and Delivery of Legal Services Section Council. Alexa received her J.D. with honors from the University of Texas School of Law in 2011 and her B.A. from the University of Arizona in 2006.

Carolyn Wetzel, Community Engagement & Services Coordinator

Carolyn Wetzel recently joined Civil Justice as the Community Engagement and Service Coordinator where she works with the Renter Eviction Avoidance Program (REAP). Carolyn conducts outreach and helps the senior staff attorney with intake and client coordination. Prior to joining Civil Justice, Carolyn worked with virtual high school students as well as with the League of Women Voters of Maryland. She graduated summa cum laude from Hope College in 2020 with her B.A. in Peace and Conflict Studies where she also worked as a research assistant and had the opportunity to study and research international human rights.

Karlia Brown, Project Manager

Karlia Brown is the Project Manager of the Maryland Passport Project. She is an Air Force veteran and Returned Peace Corps volunteer, who was born in Kingston, Jamaica. Her passion for helping others and creating calm out of chaos led her to a career in project management. Karlia enjoys working with diverse individuals, understanding business needs, developing creative solutions, and eliminating waste from the project management process.
She graduated from Kennesaw State University with her Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs and is currently obtaining her Master of Science in Project Management at Northeastern University. In her spare time, she enjoys playing soccer, meditating, and volunteering."

Shaiteria Williams, Paralegal

Shaiteria "Shai" Williams joined Civil Justice in August 2021 as a Paralegal. At CJ, Shai manages client intake and referrals to our statewide network of attorneys. She also provides litigation support for our in-house programs. Prior to joining Civil Justice, Shai coordinated high-volume intake for a medium-sized law firm and was also a legal assistant at an immigration law office. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Howard University and a Paralegal Certificate from Community College of Baltimore County. Shai is currently studying to take the LSAT and plans to attend law school in 2022.