Joshua Blubaugh-Perez, External Relations Manager

Joshua joined PILI as our External Relations Manager in September 2025. In this role, his responsibilities include managing all aspects of PILI’s external relations, including fundraising and development, relationship management and communications. Joshua most recently served as Research & Business Specialist for Visit Frisco/City of Frisco, TX. He previously worked as Assistant to the City Manager in Aledo, TX and Martinsville, VA; as a Management Analyst for the City of Duncanville, TX; and as Communications Coordinator with the IndyEast Promise Zone in Indianapolis. Across these roles, he built a strong foundation in stakeholder engagement, content development, grant writing and reporting, and project coordination. Joshua has led high-impact external relations efforts, including writing strategic reports, developing branded content, and cultivating relationships with donors, media, and community partners. He holds dual master’s degrees in Public Affairs and Public Policy and a Certificate in Program Evaluation from the University of Texas at Dallas, along with a BA in International Relations from the University of London’s Birkbeck College.

Allison M. Cain, Senior Manager for Operations & Administration

Allison joined PILI the Senior Manager for Operations & Administration in June 2025 after serving in that role on an interim basis since January. In this role, her responsibilities include financial management & development, operations & administration, and human resources. Allison is seasoned not-for-profit and human resources/operations professional with over thirty years of experience. Most recently, Allison was the principal of Able Consulting providing human resources expertise and serving in interim leadership roles for non-profit organizations. Prior to that, she served as the Managing Director of Lifeline Theatre from 2009 to 2021. She has experience leveraging strategic human capital capabilities to maximize resources and deliver results by achieving sustained improvements in organizational performance. Allison is a certified DiSC® practitioner with a focus in talent effectiveness design, development and facilitation of one-on-one coaching and training workshops for individuals and organizations. As a human resources professional, Allison worked for companies such as PricewaterhouseCoopers, Willis Towers Watson, ProActive, Recruiter.com and Felix Global. As a consultant, she worked with organizations such as Porchlight Music Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre, Steep Theatre, Theatre Squared, Lifeline Theatre, The League of Chicago Theatres and the League of Regional Theatres. As an actor, she has performed in over 50 shows in Los Angeles, Connecticut, Chicago, Edinburgh, Michigan and New York primarily focusing on new work. She received her training at Carnegie Mellon University and Columbia College.

Abigail Causer, Managing Attorney

Abigail joined PILI in April 2021 as the Managing Attorney for PILI's Central Region and is based in Champaign. She is responsible for helping PILI to expand and enhance pro bono legal assistance in the central portion of Illinois by overseeing the work of PILI’s Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committees, Illinois Free Legal Answers, and PILI’s participation in the Illinois Armed Forces Legal Aid Network (IL-AFLAN) in that region.  Most recently, she was an Assistant Public Defender with the Champaign County Public Defender’s Office. In law school, she was a 711 Intern with the Department of Children and Family Services, and both a Research Assistant for Professor Andrew Leipold and a 711 Senior Law Student at the Family Advocacy Clinic at the University of Illinois College of Law. Abigail received her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Illinois State University and her Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois College of Law. She is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Ten Thousand Villages Champaign Store. Abigail is admitted to the practice of law in the State of Illinois.

Alondra Dueñas, Intake & Program Support Associate

Alondra joined PILI as our Intake & Program Support Associate in May 2026. In this role, her responsibilities include supporting client intake and referral services, maintaining program records, assisting with administrative and programmatic operations, and helping connect individuals with legal resources. Alondra most recently served as a Legal Assistant with Alianza Hispanoamericana NFP, where she managed client records, supported immigration case preparation, conducted legal research, and served as a live interpreter for attorney-client meetings. She previously worked with Northern Illinois University’s Undocumented Student Resource Center, coordinating outreach initiatives and educational programming for immigrant and underserved communities. Alondra has also held leadership roles in community advocacy, including serving as President of DREAM Action NIU and as a Summer Fellow for Congresswoman Lauren Underwood’s campaign. She holds a BA in Communication with an emphasis in Public Speaking and Advocacy from Northern Illinois University, along with minors in Latin American Studies and Political Science. Alondra is bilingual in English and Spanish.

Georgette MacDonald, Operations & Communications Associate

Georgette joined PILI as the Operations & Communications Associate in February of 2026 after serving in that role on a temporary basis since November.  In this role, her responsibilities include providing operations, administrative and communications support for PILI’s operational and programmatic efforts. Most recently, Georgette worked as a Veteran’s Affairs Assistant for the Military, Veteran, and Returning Adult Center (MVRAC) at Gonzaga University, in Spokane, Washington while they completed their undergraduate studies.  There, she facilitated events, provided programming activities, and assisted students in navigating the mental health, educational, and financial resources available to them. Georgette earned her Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration, with focus in Operations and Supply Chain Management and International Business. During Georgette’s time as an undergraduate, she served as the first student liaison for the Operations and Supply Chain Management Advisory Board for the institution and founded the Gonzaga University Supply Chain Association to connect upcoming graduates with community members and industry opportunities. Additionally, they served as the Project Coordinator for the Gonzaga team that participated in the National Student Advertising Competition (NSAC), with the team placing third in the district. 

Jessica Schneider, Program Director & Senior Managing Attorney

Jessica joined PILI in 2020 as the Managing Attorney for the Northern Region responsible for helping PILI to expand and enhance pro bono legal assistance in the northern portion of Illinois by overseeing the work of PILI’s Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committees, Illinois Free Legal Answers, and PILI’s participation in the Illinois Armed Forces Legal Aid Network (IL-AFLAN) in that region. Jessica was named Senior Managing Attorney in October 2022 and Program Director & Senior Managing Attorney in June 2026. In her current role, she also provides strategic and operational oversight of PILI’s four core programs, ensures that PILI’s programming advances its mission, supervises the Programs Team, oversees key initiatives and partnerships, manages grant compliance, and contributes to organizational strategic direction.

Prior to joining PILI, Jessica worked as a Staff Attorney in the Special Education Clinic at Equip for Equality. Before that, Jessica worked as a Staff Attorney at Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights for seven years, practicing in both their Fair Housing and Education Equity Projects. In law school, Jessica was a PILI Law Student Intern at MALDEF. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Spanish from Washington University in St Louis and her Juris Doctor from DePaul University College of Law. Jessica is a member of the Chicago Bar Association and the Illinois State Bar Association, serving on its Special Committee on Racial Inequality. She is also a member and former board member of the Chicago chapter of the National Lawyers’ Guild, Associate Board member of Legal Prep Charter Academy, and a member of the inaugural cohort of the Racial Justice Institute by the Shriver Center on Poverty Law, a program to further race-equity as an essential part of anti-poverty advocacy. She has also taught as an adjunct professor at the Loyola University Chicago School of Law. In 2014, Jessica received the Chicago Bar Foundation Sun Times Public Interest Law Fellowship. Jessica is admitted to the practice of law in the State of Illinois.

Andrea Schrader, Attorney Program Manager

Andrea joined PILI in April 2024 as the Attorney Program Manager for PILI's Southern Region and is based in Edwardsville. She is responsible for helping PILI to expand and enhance pro bono legal assistance in the southern portion of Illinois by overseeing the work of PILI’s Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committees, Illinois Free Legal Answers, and PILI’s participation in the Illinois Armed Forces Legal Aid Network (IL-AFLAN) in that region. Andrea serves as a mentor with the RiverBend Growth Association Young Adults Committee and as volunteer attorney with the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence Virtual Legal Clinic. Prior to joining the PILI staff, she also served on PILI’s Third Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee. Andrea is a member of the Madison County Bar Association. Most recently, Andrea worked as an Associate Attorney at MillerKing LLC. Prior to that, she was a Senior Staff Attorney at Land of Lincoln Legal Aid. Andrea received her Bachelor of Science in Social Work from Illinois State University and her Juris Doctor from the Saint Louis University School of Law. Andrea is admitted to the practice of law in the State of Illinois.