Executive Director Nadia Davis-Lockyer, Esq,
Nadia Maria Davis-Lockyer graduated from U.C.L.A. in 1993 with a degree in Sociology and from Loyola Law School in 1996. She was admitted to the California State Bar in 1997. Her deep commitment to empower others and assist the underprivileged is inextricably linked to every aspect of her personal and professional life.
At U.C.L.A., Nadia led numerous efforts to empower and inspire youth in Orange County and Los Angeles. She mentored inner-city youth with U.C.L.A.'s "Project Motivation" and taught motivational drama classes with "Unicamp." She completed a study of paroled youth with the David Kenyon Juvenile Justice Center in Los Angeles. She worked at the FOX television show "In Living Color" and initiated a college awareness campaign for the show's producer. At Loyola Law School, she lead pro bono efforts while chairing the Public Interest Law Foundation, mentored students at a neighboring elementary school, studied Human Rights and Environmental Law in Central America, and transcribed law books for a blind law student. Nadia has worked for some of the largest pro-bono law firms in the nation, including Public Counsel, The Center for Human Rights & Constitutional Law, and The Mexican American Legal Defense & Education Foundation. She also was a legal extern for California Superior Court Judge Paul Boland.
Following law school, Nadia independently authored a handbook and conducted seminars throughout the State for students seeking a higher education. She was a member of Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez's legal team and protected the voting rights of new citizens against unfounded accusations. She ran Honorable Lou Correa's fundraising in his first bid for State Assembly and later spearheaded the historical bi-partisan collaboration of both major political parties for the purpose of voter education and awareness efforts through the Southwest Voter Registration & Education Project and the National Association of Latino Elected Officials.
Nadia was thereafter elected to serve on the Santa Ana Unified School District Board of Trustees, one of the largest, densest school districts in the state with over 60,000 students. During her term, the District passed a large local school bond act and, while Nadia was serving as Board President, negotiated multiple matters involving a federal base closure. Nadia led efforts to increase college attendance rates, reduce teen pregnancy rates, and improve collaboration with City, County, and State elected officials. During this time, Nadia was an associate lawyer in the Public Law Department of Best Best & Krieger, LLP.
Nadia led pro-bono efforts to obtain the freedom of a wrongfully convicted 16 year old, Arthur Carmona. Her commitment to help the family remained steadfast even after she suffered a near fatal car accident resulting in 22 broken bones and a punctured lung. After nearly three years of legal filings, lobbying, petitions, press coverage, raising funds for the family, and securing top investigators and legal representation, Arthur was eventually freed.
Thereafter, Nadia practiced law representing adult victims of childhood sexual abuse and physical abuse. She also provides pro-bono legal assistance to her ancestors, the Juaneno Band of Mission Indians.
She is the recipient of the State Democratic Party's John F. Kennedy Jr. Public Service Award, the Orange County Human Relations Commission's Public Service Award, the Women's Suffrage Day Award, and the L.U.L.A.C. Hispanic Woman of the Year Award.
She is currently the Executive Director of the Alameda County Family Justice Center, a one-stop service delivery center comprised of multiple public, non-profit, and government agencies with the single mission of providing easily accessible, coordinated, and culturally sensitive services to victims of domestic violence, child abuse, and sexual assault and exploitation.