The SDVLP Board is Thrilled to Welcome Jennifer Nelson to the CEO Role

Ms. Nelson has spent the last 18 years working in the legal and nonprofit communities. She has served as SDVLP’s Pro Bono Manager since October 2017 and has been responsible for recruiting the volunteers that are SDVLP’s life blood. Before working at SDVLP, Ms. Nelson was Director of San Diego Programs for California Lawyers for the Arts. She began her career in private practice where she gained expertise in nonprofit law. Ms. Nelson received a law degree from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law and a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Ms. Nelson has extensive volunteer experience, most notably on boards of trustees. She currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego. She previously served on the board of the Balboa Art Conservation Center and the San Diego Architectural Foundation.

Board chair Liza Brann said, “The SDVLP board is thrilled to welcome Jenn to the CEO role. SDVLP’s success is driven by the efforts of pro bono volunteers. Jenn has had significant success recruiting those volunteers and has volunteered as a pro bono attorney while in private practice. Jenn also brings significant fundraising experience to the role. We are happy that our extensive search yielded such a uniquely qualified candidate. We also wish to thank our outgoing CEO, Amy Fitzpatrick, for her many years of dedicated service to SDVLP and the San Diego community. Amy leaves SDVLP in a strong position, ready to move confidently into the future.”

“As the pandemic has exacerbated the problems of the poor, the legal services that SDVLP provides have become even more critical,” said Ms. Nelson. “In the coming months, SDVLP will offer hope to an increasing number of San Diegans facing eviction and homelessness, seeking protection from domestic violence, and in other desperate situations. I am honored to have the opportunity to lead SDVLP, and its dedicated and talented team of staff and volunteers, as we work together to provide access to justice to San Diegans in need.”