Make a gift when you file your pro bono / IOLTA report.
Are you an attorney in Maryland? Help the PJC celebrate the first year of service of our Executive Director Khalilah M. Harris, EdD, JD, with a gift to help us realize our mission of building a just society by making a contribution to the Public Justice Center when you file your pro bono / IOLTA report with the Maryland Judiciary by September 10.
For more than 40 years, the PJC has advanced racial and economic justice through legal representation and advocacy alongside tenants, workers, students, and families to reform systems so that people have what they need to thrive. You can help fuel the next 40 years. Here’s how your gift could take action:
- $10/month could provide a know-your-rights workshop on tenants’ or workers’ rights.
- $20/month could support a directly impacted advocate to testify before state legislators about life-sustaining food and cash assistance benefits.
- $35/month could ensure a student facing exclusionary school discipline has representation.
- $50/month could support coalitions advocating for a right to counsel when basic needs are at stake.
File your report and make a donation here
Thank you!
Make a gift when you file your pro bono / IOLTA report.
Are you an attorney in Maryland? Help the PJC celebrate the first year of service of our Executive Director Khalilah M. Harris, EdD, JD, with a gift to help us realize our mission of building a just society by making a contribution to the Public Justice Center when you file your pro bono / IOLTA report with the Maryland Judiciary by September 10.
For more than 40 years, the PJC has advanced racial and economic justice through legal representation and advocacy alongside tenants, workers, students, and families to reform systems so that people have what they need to thrive. You can help fuel the next 40 years. Here’s how your gift could take action:
- $10/month could provide a know-your-rights workshop on tenants’ or workers’ rights.
- $20/month could support a directly impacted advocate to testify before state legislators about life-sustaining food and cash assistance benefits.
- $35/month could ensure a student facing exclusionary school discipline has representation.
- $50/month could support coalitions advocating for a right to counsel when basic needs are at stake.
File your report and make a donation here
Thank you!
Annette joined the Public Justice Center in July 2026 as a paralegal for the Human Right to Housing Project. Before working at PJC, they spent four years at CASA, helping to provide legal services to members primarily in eviction cases. Annette graduated from UMBC with a B.A in Political Science and Global Studies. She is a proud child of Colombian immigrants. When not at work, Annette loves cooking for friends, going to shows, and cozying up to a good book with her dog, Zuko.
Phone: (410) 625-9409
she/they
Alison Domonoske is an attorney in the Workplace Justice Project.
Phone: (410) 625-9409
August 7, 2026
Join us for a community-powered day of giving to mobilize resources and amplify the impact of Black-led social change across the Baltimore region
The Public Justice Center is proud to participate in CLLCTIVGive as an opportunity to expand awareness of our mission, celebrate our 40-year legacy of advocacy and community impact, and secure critical funding to sustain our work. Through this campaign, we aim to connect with new supporters, highlight the progress made over four decades, and raise essential resources that will allow us to continue advocating for equitable policies, empowering communities, and driving meaningful change for years to come. Our goal is to raise $25,000 for expanded know-your-rights education in multiple languages.
How to participate
- Make a gift
- Re-post PJC posts on social media. Find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
- Ask your family, friends, and colleagues to donate to the campaign. Create your personal fundraising page.
- Join us for a happy hour at Nest on August 5 from 5:30-7:30 pm (21 N Eutaw St, Baltimore)
- Join us for a book talk at the Ivy Bookshop on August 6 from 6:00-7:30 pm (5928 Falls Road, Baltimore)
- Sign up for text messages from the PJC so you can get updates on how to help the PJC earn prizes on August 7.
What is CLLCTIVGive?
CLLCTIVGive is a community-powered day of giving fueled by the collective strength of social media, collaboration, and shared investment in Black-led change. As an initiative of CLLCTIVLY, CLLCTIVGive brings together individuals, organizations, and supporters to mobilize resources and amplify the impact of Black-led social change efforts across the Baltimore region. Taking place on August 7, 2026, from midnight to 11:59 pm, this special day is an opportunity for the community to unite around a common purpose: strengthening local organizations, investing in transformative work, and ensuring resources reach the communities that need them most.
Samuel Kessler is the Managing Paralegal with the Public Justice Center’s Human Right to Housing Project. Prior to joining the PJC in July 2026, Samuel helped to develop and launch the Coordinated Intake System for Maryland’s Access to Counsel in Evictions after their introduction to legal services as an intake paralegal. After a childhood spent in southern West Virginia, Samuel found their home in Baltimore City while earning a Bachelor’s degree in Peace Studies at Goucher College. Outside of work, they can be found engaging in spirited political discussions while cooking meals for friends and family, refinishing vintage furniture, and reading classic works of literature and historical materialism.
Phone: (410) 625-9409
Shannon M. Dawkins, MBA, joined the Public Justice Center in July 2026 as its first People and Culture Lead. She is a strategic and purpose-driven human resources leader with more than 25 years of experience advancing organizational success through people-centered initiatives, compliance, and operational excellence. Throughout her career in the public, municipal, higher education, and nonprofit sectors, she has focused on reducing institutional barriers and aligning HR strategies with fairness, transparency, and equity, transforming operations to better support employees and organizational success.
Most recently, Shannon served as Director of the Office of Employee Benefits, Retirement, and Absence Management for Baltimore County Public Schools, where she led modernization efforts, strengthened compliance practices, and fostered a supportive and inclusive workplace culture. Previously, as an HR Business Partner for the City of Baltimore, she managed full-spectrum HR operations and built strong relationships with labor unions, significantly reducing grievances through open communication and collaborative problem-solving.
Shannon is a proud alumna of Morgan State University, Pennsylvania State University, and Johns Hopkins University. As she joins the Public Justice Center, she is excited to leverage her human resources expertise in support of PJC’s mission to pursue systemic change and build a just society. Shannon believes that an equitable, healthy, and empowered workforce is essential to advancing justice and expanding opportunities for underserved communities.
Shannon is the mother of one son and enjoys traveling, spending time with family and friends, and watching HGTV.
Phone: (410) 625-9409 x227
she/her
Ruby joined the Public Justice Center (PJC) as the Development Assistant in July 2026. Prior to this she interned in a London law firm as a part of the Court of Protection team of Burke Niazi, where she assisted Solicitors who worked with individuals who didn’t have the capacity to make decisions about their own health, welfare, and property. Ruby enjoys reading and writing and is looking forward to engaging with the nonprofit sector to support the good works of the PJC.
Phone: (410) 625-9409
Olivia West (she/her) is an associate for the development team. Prior to joining the PJC, she worked as a grassroots organizer in Chicago and Colorado Springs to advocate for equitable, sustainable policy solutions. Olivia graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2025, where she earned her BA in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, baking, and learning new ways to craft.
Phone: (410) 625-9409
she / her
Department: Administration
FLSA Status: Exempt
Reports To: Director of Finance and Administration
Supervises (Directs):
Benefits:
403(b)
Dental insurance
Health insurance
Paid time off
Parental leave
Training & development
Vision insurance
Wellness resources
Position Summary
The People and Culture Lead is responsible for supporting the cultivation of a high quality workplace culture along with day-to-day administration and implementation of various HR processes such as recruitment, onboarding, payroll support, benefits, labor relations to include supporting a unionized environment, performance management, learning and development, offboarding, employee engagement, records management, and compliance efforts.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Responsible for complete employment life cycle activities from employee sourcing through termination, including sourcing & recruitment efforts, and on-boarding of new hires.
- Administers the recruitment process, including reviewing and updating position descriptions, tracking vacancies, drafting, and placing job ads, distributing applications, scheduling interviews, conducting phone screens, tracking applicants, and conducting reference checks, as assigned.
- Assists with offboarding activities to include but not limited to (stakeholder notifications, final pay calculations, employee records/profile updates, conducting exit interviews, overseeing property/equipment returns, etc.)
- Serves as primary contact for employee related questions and concerns and escalates matters when appropriate while ensuring effective communication through each life-cycle phase to proactively inform all relevant stakeholders involved when appropriate, to include preparation of weekly staff internal communications.
- Supports PJC Leadership in union related projects, negotiations, and tasks as needed, to include collaboration with external union representatives.
- Supports the administration of employee health, welfare and retirement plans including enrollments and changes to ensure compliant management of employee database, benefits records compliance and audit, federal and state compliance, and necessary filings.
- Partners with PJC leadership in providing support with the execution of the performance management process including coaching, counseling, new hire and annual reviews and partnership across each phase of the performance management process.
- Responsible for planning and execution of staff engagement events and activities with support from the Office/Operations Manager and Administrative Coordinator.
- Generates and maintains HR information and relevant employee processes in HRIS system in alignment with local, state, and federal laws and compliance with EEOC as needed, developing reports on demand and when necessary.
- Contributes to the ongoing maintenance & communication of the Employee Handbook including updates to ensure employees are informed on how to comply with company-wide policies, and HR programs, procedures, and guidelines.
- Remains knowledgeable and current regarding federal, state and case law changes and monitors labor law updates for changes that affect human resources and the organization to support drafting of proposed policies and HR-related compliance and legal and regulatory requirements.
- Assists with the enhancements or establishment of and maintenance of HRIS system, and related platforms supporting HR processes and procedures.
- Support for implementation of PJC’s race equity commitments and implementation of related initiatives.
- Performs other duties as requested.
Qualifications, Knowledge, and Skills Required:
- At least an associate’s degree from an accredited school or university AND five (5) years of work experience; OR Bachelor’s degree and at least 3 years of experience working in a similar role
- Must have proven experience working to support a unionized environment to include collective bargaining.
- HR Certification a plus
- Spanish/English bilingual (or Spanish proficiency) in written translation is a plus
- Demonstrated experience and skills in key HR program areas of employee/labor relations, recruitment, total rewards, performance management, and talent management
- Proficient and experienced using Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) applications, video conferencing technologies and HRIS/ATS platforms (ADP experience preferred)
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, employee relations skills and the ability to work collaboratively with others within and outside the PJC
- Strong attention to detail and accuracy
- Strong work ethic and capable of handling confidential and sensitive information with integrity
- Ability to work effectively with diverse groups and strong commitment to contribute to positive, supportive, and collaborative relationships
- Must be dependable with excellent time management skills and the ability to work under deadlines and manage multiple tasks and competing priorities
- Must be a self-starter with the ability to work with minimal supervision and in accordance with PJC’s policies and best practices
- Passion for social justice and commitment to the mission of the Public Justice Center and demonstrated experience with low-income, oppressed, or exploited communities
- Possess an understanding of the principles of race equity analysis and able to apply them to the PJC’s organizational life and to our work
- An authentic passion for the PJC’s mission with an ability to serve as an example for the PJC’s values and a deep commitment to intersectional and race equity with experience advancing these values in organizational practices
- Able to work flexible hours and engage in minimal travel as needed to support organizational needs
Compensation:
This is a full-time, exempt, professional position. The People and Culture Lead may be called upon to work hours more than 40 hours in a workweek, including the potential for evening and weekend work. Salary is determined by the PJC’s pay scale; the range for a People and Culture Lead with 3 to 5 years of experience is $75,000 – $85,000 and increases with experience, plus a $3,000 Spanish language annual salary supplement if qualified. An excellent cafeteria benefit package in the annual amount of $16,200 is also provided. This package offers health, dental, disability and life insurance, and retirement options. Cafeteria benefits packages give employees flexibility to choose how to direct their benefits. For example, this package can cover 100% of employee healthcare premiums, but an employee can choose to direct those funds towards retirement if they already have health insurance or can have remaining funds added to the employee’s taxable salary. PJC employees receive at least 15 days of paid leave, with increases based on length of tenure, 12 paid holidays, and 15 days of sick leave annually. In addition, the PJC closes for two paid rest weeks each year in June and December.
Applications:
We will accept applications through June 30, 2026, and conduct interviews on a rolling basis until the position is filled. To apply, please submit (1) a cover letter explaining your interest, (2) a resume, (3) a writing sample, and (4) the names, telephone numbers, and email addresses of three references. Please put your cover letter, writing samples, and references in a single PDF to upload in the “Cover Letter” portion of the application module.
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ADA Specifications:
- Normal demands associated with an office and remote-based office work environment
- Ability to work on computer for prolonged periods, communicate with individuals in person, by telephone, email, and video conferencing technologies
- Ability to travel as needed to support organizational needs
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the individual assigned to this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities and skills required. Management reserves the right to modify, add or remove duties and to assign other duties, as necessary. In addition, reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.
Flexible work from home options available.
Compensation: $75,000.00 – $85,000.00 per year
