The criminal legal system remains at the forefront of national discourse, especially concerning the pervasive issues of abusive policing, mass incarceration, and the death penalty. These systemic problems not only undermine individual liberties but also perpetuate cycles of injustice and inequality within our communities. Addressing these challenges requires a deep examination of current practices and the implementation of transformative reforms to protect fundamental human rights and ensure equitable justice for all.  Learn more about these important topics at our 2025 Summer Forum Panel on Criminal Law & Death Penalty Panel on Thursday, July 10. Register here to join us!

Gwen Washington will moderate the Criminal Law & Death Penalty panel. Gwen previously worked as an attorney at the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia (PDS) for nearly two decades, where she litigated criminal, parole, mental health, and ancillary civil matters on behalf of her clients before multiple tribunals. She concurrently served as an immigrant defense consultant during her PDS tenure.

Gwen then worked as a managing attorney in the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center’s Landlord and Tenant Resource Center. She also served as the Pro Bono Director for Rising for Justice, where she managed the Civil Protection Order Project. Prior to joining the firm, Gwen served at the Manager for Tenant Advocacy and Support Practice at Legal Counsel for the Elderly, where she oversaw a housing litigation practice including eviction, housing subsidies, and housing conditions cases exclusively for senior citizens.

Our panelists will be:

Quiana Harris, Public Defender Service

Quiana is a general felony trial attorney at the D.C. Public Defender Service as a general felony trial attorney. Prior to joining PDS, she was on the faculty of Georgetown Law School as an E. Barrett Prettyman Fellow, where she supervised third-year law students in Georgetown’s Juvenile Justice Clinic while also representing children and adults in the DC Superior Court. Upon completion of the Prettyman Fellowship, Quiana was awarded an LL.M. in Advocacy. During law school, Quiana represented clients through the Criminal Justice Clinic and was the Executive Notes and Comments Editor for the Howard Law Journal. Quiana’s commitment to academic excellence and servicing minority and overlooked communities has also been recognized by the Washington Bar Association, as she was the first recipient of the Dr. J. Clay Smith Jr., Equal Justice Scholar Award and the Law360 Distinguished Legal Writing Award at the 2022 Burton Awards.  Quiana is a native of a small town in eastern North Carolina named Rich Square, a Summa Cum Laude graduate of Winston-Salem State University, and a graduate of Howard University School of Law.

Naida Henao, Network for Victim Recovery of DC

Naida is the Head of Engagement at the Network for Victim Recovery of DC (NVRDC). In this capacity, Naida works collaboratively with NVRDC staff and leadership to identify systemic barriers that impact NVRDC’s clients’ access to justice and creates strategic solutions to streamline NVRDC’s advocacy, legal work, and communications to combat these barriers. Her responsibilities range from managing NVRDC’s communications to analyzing and providing testimony on proposed legislation and supporting the Legal Program through complex motions practice and brief advice for clients. Naida joined NVRDC as a Bilingual Staff Attorney in 2016 and represented survivors in criminal cases, civil protection orders, and Title IX proceedings. In 2017, she became NVRDC’s Strategic Advocacy Counsel and took on legislative advocacy responsibilities in addition to her legal work. Before coming to NVRDC, Naida worked as a Law Clerk for the Honorable Timothy Lydon at Mercer County Superior Court’s Criminal Part in Trenton, New Jersey. Naida received her B.A. in International Studies at DePaul University and her J.D. at American University’s Washington College of Law.

Emily Olson-Gault, ABA Death Penalty Representation Project 

Emily is Director & Chief Counsel for the ABA Death Penalty Representation Project. Emily works with civil lawyers and law firms that are interested in pro bono death penalty representation to identify cases in need of assistance that match the needs and interests of the firm. She also oversees the Project’s systemic reform efforts and serves as a national expert on the ABA Guidelines for the Appointment & Performance of Defense Counsel in Death Penalty Cases. She routinely provides training and technical assistance to capital defenders and pro bono counsel and also assists state agencies and lawmakers with implementing qualification and performance standards for capital defenders. Emily co-teaches a habeas practicum at Georgetown University Law Center.

Anna Thompson, Arnold & Porter

Anna began her career at Arnold & Porter and later returned to the firm after working as Associate Chief Counsel for Enforcement at the FDA. While at the FDA, Anna worked with the Department of Justice to bring civil enforcement actions — including seizures, injunctions, and civil money penalties — against regulated entities. She also defended the FDA in constitutional challenges and those brought under the Administrative Procedure Act.

Anna has substantial experience in product liability and mass tort actions, bringing a unique perspective from her prior service in the Office of the Chief Counsel, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). She represents major pharmaceutical clients in product liability matters at both the trial and appellate levels. She also assists healthcare companies to proactively assess potential litigation risks.

Anna graduated from Washington and Lee University School of Law, where she was the Executive Editor of the Law Review and was elected to the Order of the Coif.

We look forward to seeing you at this panel! Register here to get your ticket to the keynote and the substantive panels. Join the conversation using #SumFo25!