Our Team
Staff
Keiko Cervantes-Ospina, Esq.
Keiko Cervantes-Ospina is one of CLA’s Founders and its Attorney-in-Charge. She has more than 10 years of experience fighting for the rights of low and moderate income New Yorkers on Long Island and in New York City. She was inspired to found CLA out of two deep concerns: that clients with multiple legal issues cannot obtain holistic representation and that too many are over income for free legal services but cannot afford a private attorney.
Before founding CLA, Keiko was a Supervising Attorney at the New York Legal Assistance Group, where she practiced in such areas as immigration, foreclosure defense, disaster relief, public benefits, advance planning, landlord-tenant, Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security benefits. Before joining NYLAG, Keiko practiced foreclosure litigation defense at Nassau/Suffolk Law Services.
She is a graduate of Pace University School of Law, where she earned a J.D. with a Certificate of Environmental Law and an LL.M. in Real Estate and Land Use Law. She is also a graduate of Stony Brook University.
Ann E. Dibble, Esq.
Ann is one of CLA’s Founders and its Executive Director. She has more than 20 years of legal experience. She is deeply committed to CLA’s mission of providing holistic legal services to underserved low and moderate income clients.
Before founding CLA, she worked at the New York Legal Assistance Group. At NYLAG, she founded the Storm Response Unit in the wake of Superstorm Sandy, was the founding Director of the Tenants’ Rights Unit, which assists New Yorkers at risk of eviction and was a Supervising Attorney in NYLAG’s medical-legal partnership. She has represented thousands of clients on immigration, public benefits, Medicaid and Medicare, advance planning and elder law issues. Before joining NYLAG, Ann was in private practice in New York and Silicon Valley. Ann graduated from the UCLA School of Law and the University of Pennsylvania.
Board of Directors
Edward Dibble
Edward Dibble is CLA’s Chairman of the Board. Edward was an elementary school teacher in Carle Place for more than 30 years. Since retiring, he has been a tireless community volunteer, including at The Mary Brennan INN, Meals on Wheels, Mercy Hospital and the CLA-NY office.
Berlotte Antoine, LMSW
Berlotte Antoine, LMSW, is a Senior Paralegal with a major NYC-based legal services organization. In addition to the work she does there, Berlotte is an active member of the community: she hosts the Brase Lide Radio Show, which connects New York's Haitian community with nonprofit organizations that provide education and services to this group. Additionally, Berlotte founded the Multicultural Ladies Initiative in 2016, which aims to connect New York's diverse population of women as they celebrate and learn from one another. Berlotte joined the CLA Board in January 2021.
Joel Bencosme
Joel Bencosme, CPA, is a Partner with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, where he focuses on state tax compliance and consulting services to the asset management industry. He serves on PwC’s Latino Inclusion Network Partner Board and is a member of the American Institute of CPAs and the New York State Society of CPAs. Joel received his Master of Science in Taxation as well as his undergraduate degree from St. John’s University. Joel joined the CLA Board in January 2018.
Rosemary Ventura-Muñoz
Rosemary Ventura-Muñoz, LMSW, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who is currently working as a virtual mental health therapist at Tia (an integrative women’s health clinic). Rosemary is also the founder of Love Vita Mental Health which provides mental health support to individuals struggling with fertility concerns, as well as perinatal and postpartum stress. Prior to this, Rosemary worked at Bellevue Hospital in the WTC Environmental Health Center, as a medical social worker. Her experience includes working with pregnant and postpartum individuals, 9/11 survivors, intimate partner violence survivors, as well as those involved in the legal system. Rosemary received a Master of Social Work from Lehman College, a Master of Arts in Forensic Psychology from John Jay College and her undergraduate degree from Stony Brook University. She joined the CLA Board in January 2018.
Samuel Wachtel, Esq.
Samuel Wachtel, Esq., worked for more than thirty years as a Regulatory Attorney for New York State government. Upon retiring from his state job, he worked for the New York Legal Assistance Group as a Staff Attorney providing assistance and direct representation to victims of Superstorm Sandy. Sam has been an active volunteer in political campaigns and has volunteered for CLA since 2019. Sam joined the CLA Board in January 2021.