Staff

Kelsey De Avila
Advocate

Kelsey De Avila joined Disability Rights Washington in 2025 after graduating from law school. Prior to joining DRW, she worked in New York at Brooklyn Defender Services, where she served as Project Director of Jail Services. In that role, Kelsey oversaw a team of social workers and advocates providing direct support and advocacy for incarcerated individuals in New York City jails, including Rikers Island and borough-based facilities. Kelsey also worked closely with formerly incarcerated individuals and families through the NYC Jails Action Coalition and the HALT Solitary Campaign, advocating for an end to solitary confinement in New York.

Kelsey holds a Master in Social Work (MSW) from CUNY Hunter Silberman School of Social Work and a Juris Doctor (JD) from CUNY School of Law.