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Christine Link
executive director
Christine Link is the Executive Director of the ACLU of Ohio, a post she has held for over 17 years, making her one of the most experienced directors among 53 ACLU affiliates.
Chris has an academic background in health care policy and public health. For many years she worked for the expansion of reproductive rights and health care services with organizations such as Planned Parenthood. Joining the ACLU as executive director in 1990, Chris has overseen the expansion of the organization in all program areas.
During Chris’ leadership of the organization the Ohio ACLU has litigated scores of civil liberties cases involving issues as diverse as religious liberty, racial profiling, voting rights, the reform of prisons, free speech, the rights of students, women’s rights, reproductive rights and privacy. Chris is the primary spokesperson for the organization on all issues and as such appears in print and electronic media routinely.
Under Chris’ leadership the ACLU of Ohio has been wildly successful in creating cutting-edge programs to promote civil liberties to different constituencies. Today, civil liberties groups use a number of the programs she conceived nationwide. In addition, she created the organization’s internship program, which provides a venue for scores of young people to learn about democracy.
To support of the organization’s litigation and education programs, Chris led the agency in the purchase and renovation of the building in Cleveland, which is today the Max Wohl Civil Liberties Center. In addition to housing the ACLU, the building has become a community center for a diverse array of organizations that hold meetings and programs in support of civil liberties.
In the post 9/11 world Chris’ work is in demand. In a climate of fear and expanding governmental power she is promoting the positive message that Ohio can be both safe and free. The war on terror should not be a war on free speech or due process. Chris travels the state tirelessly giving speeches and creating coalitions of citizens groups against government encroachment on civil liberties.
Jeff Gamso
legal director
Jeff Gamso assumed the role of Legal Director of the ACLU of Ohio in 2004. Since that time he has spent much of his time traveling around the state on ACLU business. As legal director, Jeff maintains a rigorous schedule that includes overseeing the ACLU legal program, testifying before the Ohio General Assembly, and participating in public education campaigns.
Jeff’s work comes at a critical time for civil liberties. In the aftermath of the tragedy of 9/11, there have been a string of government attempts at rolling back traditionally protected freedoms. In his public appearances, Jeff emphasizes that security and liberty are not mutually exclusive ideals.
“In the last few years, the government has stripped Americans of basic civil liberties in the name of national security,” Gamso says, “but we do no service to freedom when we suppress it in order to save it.”
Jeff has been an active member of the ACLU since 1984, serving as past president of the Northwest Ohio chapter and vice president of the Ohio Board of Directors. He is president and co-founder of the Maumee Valley Criminal Defense Lawyers Association and was appointed by the Ohio Supreme Court to the Public Defender Commission. A passionate opponent of the death penalty, while he was in private practice Jeff represented about 5% of Ohio’s death row prisoners at any given time.
In 2004 and again in 2005, Law and Politics Magazine declared Jeff an Ohio “Super Lawyer.” He was named to the prestigious list based on a survey sent to 33,000 Ohio attorneys. Lawyers chosen for the honor comprise only 5% of attorneys in the Ohio Bar Association.
Jeff Gamso completed graduate coursework in English at Michigan State University and received his J.D. from the Texas Tech University School of Law in 1987.
Gary Daniels
litigation coordinator
After graduating from Kent State University in 1994 with a bachelor’s degree in political science, Gary Daniels went to work for the ACLU of Ohio, eventually working his way up to the position of Litigation Coordinator.
After nearly five years with the ACLU of Ohio, Gary moved to New York City in 2000 and worked for the Center for Constitutional Rights, where he ran the Cuba Travel Project, advising and assisting in the legal representation of U.S. citizens who faced government penalties for travel to Cuba.
In 2001, Gary then joined the staff of the National Coalition Against Censorship, also located in New York City, as their Media Affairs Coordinator. During that time, he was also the sole employee of the Free Expression Network – a coalition of dozens of free speech groups – where he provided content for and edited their website.
He has extensive experience in defending civil liberties in the press and has been a spokesperson
on a variety of issues in local, state and national media.
In late 2002, Gary relocated to the Cleveland area to start a small business. He returned to the ACLU of Ohio in 2003 to resume his role as Litigation Coordinator.
Carrie Davis
staff attorney
Carrie Davis is a lobbyist and staff attorney for the ACLU of Ohio. Carrie's areas of interest include education, civil rights, and Internet law. She has worked for two special education law practices and worked as a legal intern with the Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education.
Carrie published several articles on First and Fourth Amendment rights online through
The Internet Law Journal, of which she also served as Editor-in-Chief. Prior to pursuing her law degree,
Carrie spent time as a Congressional Aide and Outreach Coordinator to U.S. Rep. (and now Senator) Debbie Stabenow of Michigan and interned as a lobbyist with the Feminist Majority in Washington, D.C.
She has a BA in philosophy and public policy from Albion College and a JD from Case Western Reserve University.
Shakyra Diaz
education director
Shakyra Diaz oversees the organization's award-winning summer internship program
and Cleveland area programming, as well as select statewide
programming related to juvenile justice, racial justice, and
immigrant rights.
A native of the Dominican Republic, Shakyra has been a resident of
Cleveland for over 20 years. She attended Cleveland public schools
and, upon graduation from East High School, sought her Bachelor of
Arts in Communication Sciences and Sociology from Case Western
Reserve University. Armed with a background in mass media,
multicultural communication, gender issues, and social inequality,
she entered the work force committed to giving back. She focused
her career in the non-profit arena, specifically working with young
people.
She has served as both project director and program
coordinator for Youth Opportunities Unlimited, and as retention
specialist and education specialist for Case Western Reserve
University's Upward Bound Program. As education specialist with Upward Bound, Shakyra ensured
access to post-secondary education for first-generation and low-income
students via programming geared toward financial aid, college
readiness, college planning and placement, and direct student
advising. Shakyra supervised and trained both tutorial and
residential staff working with students. She has experience in
project management, grant writing, program implementation,
and event planning.
Shakyra is passionate about reproductive rights, racial profiling, immigrant
rights, and juvenile rights, as a result of her own
experiences and of those with whom she has come in contact.
Shakyra is married with a three year old daughter.
Jason Jaffery
development director
Jason Jaffery began work as the ACLU of Ohio’s Development Director
in March of 2007.
A native Clevelander, Jaffery has been very active in the non-profit
sector. He has served as Development Director for several prominent
organizations, including Cleveland Public Theatre, the AIDS Housing
Council, the Hunger Network, Free Clinic and he served as
Director of Major Gifts for the School of Medicine at Case Western
Reserve University. Most recently, Jaffery was Development Director
for Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple.
Jason’s activism began in college as a film student at New York
University, where he volunteered and demonstrated for the free
speech movement when the National Endowment for the Arts was being
attacked. Jason has also volunteered with the ACLU of Ohio in the
past, as an organizer for public education events.
ann rowlett
deputy director
Ann Rowlett is deputy director of the ACLU of Ohio Foundation. She
had previously served as administrative director since she was hired
in 1995.
In addition to managing the agency’s internal operations — finance,
project supervision and evaluation, publications, equipment and
facilities — her responsibilities also include grant writing,
representing the ACLU on community coalitions, staffing board
committees, and overseeing all agency activities in the absence of
the executive director.
Ann is editor of the agency’s award-winning statewide
newsletter, ACLU News.
Ann holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Akron, and
a Master’s degree from the Ohio State University, both in English
with an emphasis on women’s issues. In 2007, Ann earned
a Master's in Library and Information Science from Kent State
University.
For more than 20 years, Ann has worked for various
organizations seeking to advance the rights of individuals in the
areas of welfare, labor, and law. She also spent two years managing
communications for a political campaign. She is experienced in
writing and publications, public relations, teaching, and nonprofit
administrative and financial management.
In addition, Ann has volunteered with several organizations
enhancing opportunities for women, for the disabled, and for
artists. Currently she serves on the board of directors of Greater Cleveland
Community Shares.
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