Every month, BASF shines the spotlight back on all our amazing staff who work tirelessly to actualize our mission.
Recently, we recognized the tremendous work Princess Bustos has accomplished and continues to carry out with BASF. Bustos first began her journey with us over ten years ago as a Bi-lingual Legal Interviewer, Tagalog-English, with the SF-Marin Lawyer Referral and Information Service (LRIS). These days her role as a Community Outreach and Attorney Engagement Manager involves recruiting new attorneys into our services, overseeing thousands of case referrals, and managing the new self-referral program. In partnership with the LRIS, BASF Cannabis Section, and the San Francisco Office of Cannabis, she also assists individuals who were previously incarcerated due to cannabis related offenses and connects them with a volunteer attorney for limited scope assistance.
“I’ve always enjoyed working with people and what makes my work worthwhile is knowing that I am helping to make a difference in someone’s life,” Bustos explained. She previously managed the only Filipino-bilingual afterschool program in the nation, where she bridged the gap between her students' families and their access to social and academic services.
Although difficult at times, Bustos was sure to express the most rewarding aspect of her role. “Sometimes it can be emotional. You become a bridge, a therapist, and a punching bag all in a span of 20 minutes, and more often though, you’ve put a smile on someone’s face because they know you cared enough to listen and that you will do your very best to get them the help they need.
BASF also highlighted the recent promotion of Antonio Hernandez to Director, Lawyer Referral and Information Service (LRIS) Public Service Programs, and Roger Moss to Director, Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), following Carole Conn's departure last month.
Hired as a Bilingual Legal Interviewer in 2005, Hernandez has served as the LRIS Supervisor for 14 years, and brings a wealth of operations management and leadership experience to the role. He will be responsible for the largest and most historic public service program within the Bar Association of San Francisco (BASF). Every year, the LRIS matches thousands of clients with San Francisco and Marin based attorneys and helps usher thousands more to appropriate solutions at over 250 nonprofits throughout the Bay Area. Additionally, he will be overseeing special programs through which the LRIS collaborates with government agencies and other public service partners to ensure that legal services are accessible to our most vulnerable and systematically overlooked communities.
Moss joined BASF in 2016 to develop the Conflict Intervention Service (CIS), which prevents homelessness and the dislocation of small businesses in San Francisco. He brings 30 years of experience in commercial real estate, as well as negotiation and deal-making expertise, strategic insight and a solutions-oriented approach. In his new role, he intends to build on the ADR department’s legacy of delivering outstanding programs for BASF members and the community at large.
Along with highlighting promotions, we welcomed new staff, namely our new Barristers Club Manager, Leah LaCroix. After finishing a stint working at Port of San Francisco as their Social Media and Content Development Analyst, LaCroix joined BASF last month to take over Barristers Club operations.
Long active in local politics, LaCroix currently serves as the First Vice-Chair of the San Francisco Democratic Party. She was (and still is!) the youngest person elected to public office in San Francisco when she ran and won in 2016.
A strong advocate for public transit and youth organizing, she began her public service work as a Mayoral appointee and chair of the San Francisco Youth Commission, where she led the commission’s early work on the Free MUNI for Youth program and the prior Youth Lifeline pass. After earning her B.A. degrees, LaCroix joined the SF Youth Commission staff team in 2015 as the Coordinator of Community Outreach and Civic Engagement, and was appointed Director in 2017.
She earned dual bachelor of arts degrees in Urban Studies and Planning and Political Science from San Francisco State University in 2015. LaCroix is also an alum of the CORO’s inaugural Youth Development Fellow program and Urban Habitat’s Boards and Commission Leadership Institute.
No stranger to being the youngest in a room, LaCroix is beyond excited to work with the Barristers Club and support their leadership.
