Eleanor LaRussa joined Empire Justice Center’s Rochester office in November 2022 as a Paralegal with the Disability Advocacy Program (DAP). She provides support to DAP unit’s attorneys and senior paralegals who advocate for individuals on SSI appeals before Administrative Law Judges and the Appeals Council. Ms. LaRussa is a graduate of St. Lawrence University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Global Studies with a minor in African American studies. She has a rich advocacy background serving her communities, from work at the Senator’s Office in New York City, to teaching positions in the Rochester City School District. Eleanor is a student of life, a dancer at heart, and can be found in the kitchen baking vegan pastries in her free time.  

Maribel is the Administrative Assistant at Empire Justice Center for the Disability Advocacy Program (DAP.)  In this role, she screens and processes applications, communicates with health care providers, maintains documentation for clients, and provides other support for DAP's layers and paralegal team. Maribel has 5 years of non-profit administration experience, and was a Financial Aid Advisor for 17 years in higher education. She has a master’s degree in Higher Education, Enrollment Management, and Institutional Marketing from Walden University. In her free time, Maribel loves taking Bachata classes and dancing in a safe but fun atmosphere, and enjoys dancing Salsa since it it brings her great memories of her  homeland Island, Puerto Rico.

Emilia Sicilia is a Senior Staff Attorney and Statewide Coordinator of the Disability Advocacy Program (DAP) at the Empire Justice Center in Yonkers, New York, where she focuses on Social Security disability and Supplemental Security Income benefits.  Her work includes systemic advocacy and impact litigation.  She currently serves as co-counsel to plaintiffs in Amin v. Berryhill, a lawsuit challenging the failure of the Social Security Administration (SSA) to process non-disability appeals.  Prior impact litigation experience includes the class actions Martinez v. Astrue and Clark v. Astrue, which challenged SSA’s policy of suspending and denying benefits based on an outstanding warrant, and Padro v. Astrue, which charged the denial of due process and anti-claimant bias by five administrative law judges in SSA’s Queens hearing office Emilia has represented numerous clients before the Social Security Administration and in federal court.  She presented trainings for the National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives (NOSSCR), the New York State Bar Association, several NYC legal services and advocacy organizations, and the Hunter College School of Social Work.Previously, Emilia worked at the Urban Justice Center’s Mental Health Project and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison.  She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin Law School and Wesleyan University.