American Oversight is a non-partisan, nonprofit ethics watchdog and is the top Freedom of Information Act litigator investigating the Trump administration. Since our launch in March 2017, we have filed more than 100 public records lawsuits, uncovering and publishing tens of thousands of documents including senior officials’ calendars, emails, and expense records. Our State Accountability Project, is investigating voter suppression and other threats to democracy across the country, including targeted investigations in Florida, Georgia, and Texas. Relying on FOIA and other public records laws, we file requests to uncover misconduct that otherwise would not see daylight, and then we harness the independent power of the courts to force our government to obey the law.

Our Team

Austin Evers, Executive Director

Evers founded American Oversight in 2017 to leverage his experience as a litigator and government attorney to promote accountability in government. He served most recently as Senior Counsel in the Department of State for oversight and transparency matters where he advised the Department on responding to congressional, law enforcement, advocacy group, and media investigations. Prior to that, Evers was a litigator at Williams & Connolly LLP and clerked for the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court and the Federal District Court of Massachusetts. Evers graduated summa cum laude from Boston College Law School.

Melanie Sloan, Senior Advisor

Sloan is a former federal prosecutor and Capitol Hill staffer, where she worked for now Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, as well as then Senator Joe Biden, and House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers. Ms. Magazine referred to her as the “most feared woman in Washington,” she was named one of Washington’s top grassroots lobbyists by The Hill for six consecutive years, and Rolling Stone included her as one of its “100 Agents of Change.” Sloan started Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), which she led for more than a decade.

Katherine Anthony, Senior Litigation Counsel

At American Oversight, Anthony maintains an active docket of federal public records lawsuits, and she represents the organization and external clients in other complex and sensitive matters. She also assists in the organization’s public records and litigation strategy at the state level. Prior to joining American Oversight, Anthony practiced law at Goodwin Procter, where she focused on complex civil litigation, securities litigation, and internal and regulatory investigations. She also served as a Special Assistant District Attorney in Massachusetts. Anthony received her law degree with honors from Duke University.

Aadam Barclay, Researcher

Before joining American Oversight, Barclay completed an investigative internship at the Project on Government Oversight. He previously also interned at Common Cause and the Center for American Progress on its Democracy and Government team. Barclay graduated from Dartmouth College with a degree in Classical Languages and Literature.

John Bies, Chief Counsel

Bies served for eight years in the Obama administration at the Department of Justice, first as Counselor to Attorney General Eric Holder and then spending nearly seven years as a Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Office of Legal Counsel where he advised White House and executive branch officials on FOIA, congressional oversight, executive privilege, ethics, separation of powers, and other constitutional, statutory, and administrative law issues. Prior to his service in the government, Bies handled complex civil litigation and investigation and enforcement matters as a partner at Covington & Burling LLP and clerked for Judge Sandra Lynch on the First Circuit. He is a member of the American Law Institute and received his law degree with high honors from the University of Chicago Law School.

Olivia Bravo, Paralegal

Prior to joining American Oversight, Bravo completed an internship under Judge Burroughs at the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, and served as a junior lobbyist with the nonpartisan organization Friends Committee on National Legislation. Previously, she interned at the environmental nonprofit Conservation International. Bravo graduated from Middlebury College with a degree in Environmental Policy and was an Academic All-American softball player.

Cory Cerussi, Development Associate

Cerussi joined American Oversight after working for Blue Compass Strategies as a political and research fellow. Cerussi has multiple cycles of campaign experience working on field and finance teams across New York, including a position as Finance Director for Assemblywoman Christine Pellegrino. As a student, Cerussi interned for U.S. Representative Jim Langevin, the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism, and the Pew Research Center. Cerussi earned his Master’s in Public Policy from the University of Maryland after studying religion and public engagement at Wake Forest University.

Molly Claflin, Chief Oversight Counsel

Claflin previously served as counsel to the Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, where she worked on investigations and oversight, including as one of the primary investigators for the Committee’s probes into Russian interference in the 2016 election and potential obstruction of justice by President Trump, and into Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s email practices. Before joining the Committee, Claflin practiced law at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher where her practice focused on securities litigation and internal investigations. She received her law degree from Stanford Law School.

Sara Kaiser Creighton, Deputy Chief Counsel

Creighton practiced law at Williams & Connolly where her practice focused on complex civil litigation, trial and appellate advocacy, and pro bono services. Creighton clerked for Judge Ellen Segal Huvelle on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and for Chief Judge Sharon Prost on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. She received her law degree from Georgetown University Law Center.

Gabe Dell, Researcher

Dell most recently served as a gubernatorial research associate at a progressive opposition research firm. Dell also has internship experience working with a health policy consulting firm’s legislative department, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan’s economic policy team, and the ACLU of Southern California’s chief counsel. Dell graduated from the Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan.

Ty Diringer, Deputy Director for Outreach and Operations

Diringer previously served as a fellow with Venture for America and an entrepreneurship fellow at Oberlin College. While an undergraduate at Oberlin, he helped launch and grow two not-for-profit organizations.

Monica Hanratty, Researcher

Prior to coming to American Oversight, Hanratty worked as a paralegal at Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen, & Loewy, where her work focused on immigration. As a student, Hanratty served as an intern at the Jerome N. Frank Legal Services Organization, Gurtin Municipal Bond Management, MicroGrants, and the Orleans Public Defenders. She is a graduate of Yale University, where she received degrees in Economics and Political Science.

Anisha Hindocha, Researcher

Before joining American Oversight, Hindocha worked in the cross-section between national security, foreign relations, and cyber enforcement policy at a DC think tank. During law school, she did government and global relations at an international STEM nonprofit. She received her law degree from George Washington University Law School.

Jaci Jones, Web Associate

Prior to American Oversight, Jones worked as the Marketing & Communications Coordinator for the Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland, a nonprofit that provides free civil legal services to low-income people. Most recently, Jones served as the Marketing Associate for Kings County Tennis League, a nonprofit that uses tennis as a tool to cultivate the growth of children living in and around public housing developments in Brooklyn, New York.

Miranda Keating, Research Director

Keating previously served as the research director at People For the American Way, where she ran the Right Wing Watch project. In that role, she investigated and reported on the activities of far-right groups and their influence on law and policy. Before that, she worked in several communications and research roles at PFAW and as a campaigns and elections researcher at Congressional Quarterly.

Emma Lewis, Counsel

Prior to joining American Oversight, Lewis practiced political law at Caplin & Drysdale, where she counseled clients on compliance with ethics, lobbying, campaign finance, and ballot access rules. She previously practiced civil litigation and antitrust law at Hunton & Williams. Lewis received her law degree from New York University School of Law.

Narintohn Luangrath, Special Project Associate (Coronavirus Investigations)

Prior to working at American Oversight, Luangrath served as Special Assistant to the Commissioner of Health for the City of Baltimore. Her research and advocacy interests surround refugee livelihoods, “health-in-all” policies, and connections between work and social inclusion; from 2016-2017, she was a Fulbright Scholar to the European Union studying the labor market integration of refugees in Germany and Sweden. Luangrath earned her M.Sc. from the University of Oxford, where she was a Clarendon Scholar, and her B.A. from Boston College, where she was a Harry S. Truman Scholar.

Daniel McGrath, Lead Counsel for Federal Investigations

At American Oversight, McGrath has represented the organization in numerous matters, including cases seeking documents related to the Trump administration’s pressure campaign to encourage Ukraine to investigate one of the president’s political opponents as well as cases related to federal officials’ improper use of personal email. McGrath also assists in the organization’s development of investigations into potential misconduct at federal agencies. Prior to joining American Oversight, McGrath practiced law at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison with a focus on state and federal investigations, civil antitrust litigation and pro bono representation. He received his law degree from Harvard Law School and his undergraduate degree from Georgetown University. During law school, McGrath interned in the White House Counsel’s office.

Christine Monahan, Counsel

Monahan practiced law at Mehri & Skalet, PLLC, where she represented consumers, non-profits, and union health and welfare funds in judicial and regulatory proceedings. She clerked for the Honorable Judith W. Rogers of the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Monahan received her law degree from Yale Law School. Before law school, Monahan worked as a Senior Health Policy Analyst at Georgetown University’s Center on Health Insurance Reforms and as a Health Policy Advisor for the National Partnership for Women & Families.

Jack Patterson, Communications Associate

Patterson joined American Oversight after serving as Deputy Communications Director on ‘Yes-on-1631’ – the Washington State effort to pass carbon pricing at the ballot. Prior to that, he managed campaigns in Pacific Northwest and worked in the Oregon Legislature. Jack graduated from Linfield College with a degree in Communications.

Andrea Peterson, Senior Writer

Peterson is an award-winning journalist with a passion for oversight. Before joining American Oversight, Peterson was a staff writer covering technology for the Washington Post and an investigator at the Project on Government Oversight, where she helped author the whistleblower guidebook Caught Between Conscience and Career. Her byline has also appeared in the Daily Beast, Politico, Ars Technica, and Slate. Peterson was a 2019 Aspen Institute Cyber Journalism Fellow and has made expert appearances on national media as well as in academic and conference settings. She previously worked in congressional constituent services, campaigns, and online communications.

Clark Pettig, Communications Director

Pettig is an experienced communications strategist who served most recently as the press secretary at the U.S. Department of Transportation and was previously senior vice president at Crosscut Strategies, a Washington, DC strategic communications firm. Pettig began his career on Capitol Hill as a spokesperson and advisor to several members of Congress, and in 2012 he oversaw communications in Michigan and Virginia for President Obama’s reelection campaign. He is a graduate of Hamilton College and earned his master’s from the University of Florida.

Mariuxi Pintado, Paralegal

Prior to joining American Oversight, Pintado worked as a litigation paralegal at at an employment law firm, primarily focusing on private sector discrimination claims, unpaid wages, and wrongful termination. Before that, she also worked as a development associate at a non-profit organization, CASA de Maryland, drafting proposals for funding particularly in the areas of workplace development and citizenship. Pintado received her undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland

Mehreen Rasheed, Counsel

Prior to joining American Oversight, Rasheed practiced law at an employment civil rights law firm, where she represented individuals in discrimination and whistleblower retaliation matters. She has also done pro bono immigration work, assisting asylum seekers and drafting “know your rights” materials for non-citizens entering the United States. Rasheed received her law degree from American University Washington College of Law.

Swathi Shanmugasundaram, Senior Researcher

Shanmugasundaram has worked for civil rights organizations including the Southern Poverty Law Center and South Asian Americans Leading Together, where she conducted research and writing on state and federal legislation, investigated connections between legislators and far-right groups, and advocated for immigrant and voting rights. Most recently, she served as policy manager and lobbyist for Asian Americans Advancing Justice–Atlanta. Shanmugasundaram graduated from the Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan.

Khahilia Shaw, Counsel

Prior to joining American Oversight, Shaw practiced law at K&L Gates LLP, where she counseled registered investment companies on regulatory and compliance matters arising under U.S. securities laws. She also focused on pro bono immigration and civil rights representation. Shaw received her law degree from Duke University.

Dera Silvestre, Communications Associate

Prior to joining American Oversight, Silvestre completed a constituent services internship at the Boston office of U.S. Senator Edward J. Markey. Previously, Silvestre interned in the immigration department at the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute. She graduated from the College of Communication at Boston University.

Kyla Sommers, Digital Engagement Editor

Prior to joining American Oversight, Sommers was the editor-in-chief of the History News Network, a website dedicated to historically contextualizing breaking news. She earned her Ph.D. in American history from the George Washington University.

Kelsey Speers, Deputy Federal Research Director

Speers previously served as a political analyst for the government focused on national security, where she produced assessments on foreign political crises to inform policymakers’ decisionmaking. She also worked in legislative affairs, bridging US national security policy, mission operations, and congressional oversight. Speers is a graduate of Dartmouth College and earned her masters of public policy from Georgetown University.

Sarah Studley, Senior Investigative Counsel*

Studley most recently served as Counsel and Senior Policy Adviser to the Michigan Senate Democrats, where her work focused on the Flint water crisis. She was responsible for developing caucus strategy for the water crisis, including planning and preparing members for legislative hearings and conducting an in-house investigation. Prior to her work with the Michigan Senate, Studley worked at the Franklin Forum and American Bridge 21st Century. She earned her master of public policy and law degrees from Georgetown University.

*Admitted only in Michigan. Practice limited to providing internal counsel; not available to provide legal advice other than to American Oversight.

Amanda Teuscher, Senior Editor

Prior to joining American Oversight, Teuscher was the managing editor at the magazine The American Prospect. She is a graduate of Ohio University, where she received degrees in journalism and political science.

Nicholas Trevino, Researcher

Trevino joined American Oversight from the Project On Government Oversight, where he interned for a year within the Investigations and Communication departments. Prior to that, at the American Association of University Women, he helped advocate for feminist policies like pay equity legislation and paid family leave. He has also interned at Hyderabad Urban Labs, where he used GIS to write about the challenges facing Telangana State’s healthcare infrastructure. Trevino graduated cum laude from the Davidson College.

Miho Watabe, Content Manager

Watabe previously worked as a research and advocacy assistant at Class Size Matters, an education nonprofit in New York City. Since moving to DC in 2016, she has worked as a teaching assistant at American University and as a digital intern with both The New Republic and The American Prospect. Watabe received her masters in public anthropology from American University.

Shira Weiner, Director of Human Resources and Operations

Weiner is a nonprofit HR professional who has supported mission-driven organizations in expanding and empowering their workforces. Previously she has served on talent and recruiting teams at education and community organizations including City Year Inc., Hillel International and Gamma Phi Beta Sorority. She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin–Madison and earned her master’s from Columbia University Teachers College.

Dylan Winters, Document Clerk

Winters is a freshman at American University, studying political science with a certificate in leadership studies. He plans to get minors in history and international studies before pursuing a career in civil rights law. Winters previously interned at the Guatemala Solidarity Project and worked at the Department of Government in AU’s School of Public Affairs.

Sarah Wishingrad, Paralegal

Prior to joining American Oversight, Wishingrad completed an internship with the office of Rep. Zoe Lofgren and an internship with Rock the Vote. She previously interned with the ACLU of Southern California and the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. Wishingrad received her master’s degree from the University of Oxford and her undergraduate degree from Stanford University.

Hart W. Wood, Counsel

Before joining American Oversight, Wood practiced law at Crowell & Moring, where he counseled federal and state government contractors on regulatory compliance, criminal investigations, and contract litigation. He also maintained an active pro bono practice, with a focus on affordable housing and immigration. Wood received his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law.

Shireen Younus, Staff Writer (Coronavirus Investigations)

Prior to joining American Oversight, Younus completed internships at the National Organization for Women and the ACLU of Massachusetts. As a student, Younus was an editor and columnist at the Harvard Crimson. She graduated from Harvard University with degrees in Government and Comparative Religion.

American Oversight’s Board, Click to View