About Us

Staff

Howard Rubin
Interim Executive Director

Dean Rubin’s lifetime career of public service is reflected in his 27 years as director of the DePaul Legal Clinic, providing legal services to the working poor and indigent prisoners while supervising students in the practice of law and encouraging careers in public service. He was honored with a Cook County Board of Commissioners resolution to recognize legal services to ensure constitutional rights of indigent criminal appellants. As associate dean, he carries out his commitment to the belief that a quality skills curriculum is essential to a well-rounded legal education. Prior to joining DePaul, Dean Rubin served as chief administrative law judge for the State of Illinois Fair Employment Practices Commission, and he worked for the Prison Legal Services Project as a senior staff attorney.

Catherine Diebel, BA MA JD
Associate Director
cdiebel@depaul.edu 312-362-5385

Catherine Diebel is the Associate Director at the International Human Rights Law Institute (IHRLI) directing education and student programs. Catherine earned her JD from DePaul University College of Law in 2009 with a Certificate in International and Comparative Law and is licensed to practice law in the state of Illinois. Prior to joining IHRLI, Catherine directed emergency medical interventions in conflict and post-conflict countries including Sudan and Liberia, as well as directing programs in China and Morocco. She has worked with Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders), US Peace Corps and Medical Emergency Relief International (MERLIN). She holds an MA in International and Intercultural Management from the School for International Training in Vermont, and a BA in literature from Gettysburg College.

Elizabeth Ward, BA, JD
Project Director

Elizabeth Ward is the Project Director of international projects and grants at the International Human Rights Law Institute (IHRLI). From 2009 to 2012 Elizabeth managed 5 IHRLI’s U.S. Department of State grants in Iraq, which included the Legal Education Reform Project, the Women’s Leadership Project, the NGO Training Project, the Supporting Democracy in Iraq grant and the Building Gender Capacity grant. Elizabeth traveled to Iraq frequently to monitor the implementation of the IHRLI’s grants. She is a licensed attorney in the State of Illinois. She received her J.D. from Michigan State University’s College of Law and her B.A. from James Madison College at Michigan State University.

Erika Roditis, BS
Business Manager

Erika Roditis is the Business Director at the International Human Rights Law Institute. She is the primary director responsible for the financial grant management and administration for IHRLI’s national and international programs including budgeting, reporting and human resources. Prior to joining the institute, Roditis worked as a Financial Accountant for the University of Chicago in the Restricted Funds Section of the Comptroller’s Office, working with federal and non-federal grants and contracts. Erika received her Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from DePaul University’s College of Commerce.

Ruth Chojnacki
Outreach Director

Ruth Chojnacki began human rights work defending refugees from Central America’s wars against deportation during the 1980s. Working from her congressman’s office, she founded what is now the National Security Archives, an indexed repository of U.S. foreign policy documents acquired through the Freedom of Information Act now housed at George Washington University. While conducting dissertation field work among Mexico’s highland Maya 1993-95, she worked with the Centro de Derechos Humanos, “Fray Bartolome de Las Casas,” in Chiapas, Mexico. She holds the M.Div. from the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley and the Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. Her book on contemporary religious change among the Tzotzil Maya , Indigenous Apostles, was published in March, 2010. Ruth also regularly teaches evening classes in social ethics to Spanish-speaking ministry candidates for the Instituto de Liderazgo Pastoral, University of St. Mary of the Lake.