Melissa Garlick

Melissa Garlick was the associate director for advocacy and partnerships with Vera’s Advancing Universal Representation initiative. In her role, Melissa led the initiative’s advocacy and strategic partnerships strategy through building and supporting campaigns and advocacy work for universal representation across the country.

Before joining Vera in 2019, Melissa was the civil rights national counsel at the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), where she led ADL’s policy and advocacy work on immigrant and refugee rights as well as a range of civil rights issues. Before ADL, Melissa served as legislative director for Massachusetts State Senator Jamie Eldridge, working on issues of immigration, criminal justice, and housing.

She holds a BA from Brandeis University and a JD from Northeastern University School of Law.