Treasurer/Director of Finance
Nathan M. Ciulla
treasurer@chicagoparalegals.org

         

Nathan Ciulla joined the Chicago Paralegal Association in 2021 after attending a webinar and meeting a couple of the founding board members. Due to his experience, he was appointed the Director of Marketing and now serves in that role as well as the Treasurer of the association.

Nathan is also a senior legal assistant at SATC|Law, where his focus is on helping clients, assisting lawyers, and making everyone feel welcomed. Nathan is a valued asset to the firm’s litigation and transactional teams. He continues to branch out into new areas, including assisting with IT, marketing, social media management and administration.

He is also the host and senior producer of the Bridging Chicago Podcast, the premier Chicago based community and social podcast brought by the SATC|Solution Center. With a microphone and camera as his tools, Nathan explores the experiences and achievements of Chicago business, charity and community leaders. He believes that everyone’s story has value, and by sharing these stories, even if it is just with one other person, we can inspire change in our communities. Nathan also serves as a mentor to other podcast hosts and producers through his involvement with The Podcast Academy.

Nathan enjoys meeting the members of the CPA and welcoming them to one of our many events. He also enjoys featuring the great things the association and its members are doing through our website and social media presence. He hopes to help grow the association in size and reach to continue highlighting why paralegals are such an important resource in the American justice system.

“For me, learning how to be my truest self at home, work and with friends was the most freeing experience of my life. It’s important to me to advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community so that more people can feel that same freedom and that no young person feels as though their life is less than anyone else’s."

Director-at-Large, Pro Bono
Gabriel Evelyn
probono@chicagoparalegals.org

         

Gabriel V. Evelyn is a Founding Member and the Pro Bono Coordinator of the Chicago Paralegal Association (CPA). Gabriel can often be heard telling everyone
about his unofficial motto for the CPA: “We have no hateration, here. We’re all about celebration, elevation, and uplifting the entire community!”
Gabriel currently works as the Paralegal at Prather Ebner Wilson LLP, a boutique law firm that focuses on probate, estate planning, and estate administration.

Gabriel Evelyn joined Prather Ebner LLP as a Paralegal/Legal Assistant in August 2020.

After graduating from DePaul University with a B.A. in Journalism in 2012, Gabriel worked within the journalism and pharmacy fields before discovering the Paralegal profession. He then decided to cultivate his long-held passion for the law by enrolling at Wilbur Wright’s A.B.A. approved Paralegal Studies program. He
officially transitioned into the legal field in 2018, first volunteering as an Administrative Assistant at Legal Advocates for Seniors & People with Disabilities, then by working as a Special Assignments Legal  Administrative Assistant & later as a Project Assistant at Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, before graduating with an A.A.S. in Paralegal Studies in 2019.

Outside of the Chicago Paralegal Association, Gabriel is a member of the National Association for Black Journalists; the National Association for Hispanic Journalists; the American Society of Composers, Authors, & Publishers (ASCAP); a global non- profit for creatives called Artist United; and the Chicago Cabaret Professionals
network. When he’s not drafting legal documents, discussing court cases with his colleagues, or collaborating with other CPA Board Members & local legal organizations, Gabriel can be found composing songs, performing music on stage and/or at an open mic (under his stage name, “Gabriel Valentino”), writing prose, waxing poetically about a restaurant’s delicious cuisine, biking through the many communities in Chicago, striking yoga poses to the rhythms of jazz music, dancing at live concerts & theatre shows, and celebrating food, family, words, & music via his social media presence, Umami Memories: Savoring, Story, Song, & Soul.

Secretary/Director of Operations
Alicia C. Figueroa EdD, MJ
secretary@chicagoparalegals.org

Alicia C. Figueroa EdD, MJ is a litigation paralegal and an adjunct paralegal and business law instructor.  Dra. Figueroa contributes to advancing legal education as an adjunct faculty member at Elgin Community College (ECC) and Triton College (TC), teaching courses in legal research and business law.  Committed to fostering collaboration and empowering teams, they bring expertise in legal administration, research, and education to drive impactful solutions aligned with organizational goals.  Her dedication to the legal field and  adult learning reflects a mission of supporting access to quality education and effective legal practice.  She also serves on the School of Business Advisory Board and the Triton College Legal Advisory Board.  Alicia has been a member of the Chicago Paralegal Association (CPA) since 2022.

As a board member, Alicia is committed to promoting minority representation.  Her deep passion for the paralegal profession and dedication to her students drive her desire to help guide the board’s efforts and support the ongoing growth of the field.  As a Latine LGBTQIA+ woman, she brings a unique and valuable perspective that strengthens the board’s ability to effectively serve the diverse paralegal community in Chicago.

Director of Professional & Student Development
Caitlin Elliott
education@chicagoparalegals.org

Caitlin R. Elliott is the Director of Professional and Student Development. After she attended her first CPA networking event, she felt an immediate draw to get involved.

Caitlin was born and raised on Chicago’s Northwest side. From high school, she wanted to go to college for music business. Seeing as the journey would be costly, she acquired the Chicago STAR scholarship to attend City Colleges of Chicago, Wilbur Wright College. In attempt to get transferable credits, Caitlin took many courses and soon fell in love with law after taking a business law course. Caitlin then changed her academic path and enrolled in Wilbur Wright College’s ABA approved Paralegal Program and earned an AAS in Paralegal Studies. During her time at Wilbur Wright, she served as the Vice President and later the President of the Paralegal Club.

Since earning her degree in December of 2019, Caitlin has worked at Plaintiff Personal Injury firms that focus on pre-litigation litigation. In her current role with the City of Chicago, Department of Procurement Services, Caitlin works to assist the Departments attorneys with various contract and research-based assignments. 

Caitlin hopes to help spread the name of the Chicago Paralegal Association and promote more member involvement. As the Director of Professional & Student Development, she will ensure that those entering the paralegal field have the support they’ll need to thrive in their career. 

In her free time, Caitlin can be found out at concerts, restaurants and street fests or at home reading, gardening, cooking and spending time with her pets.

Director-at-Large, Events
Tyra Peterson

events@chicagoparalegals.org

Tyra Sherese Peterson is a seasoned legal professional committed to maintaining integrity and ethical and professional standards. Throughout her career, membership in
various law related organizations allowed her to develop and hone her leadership skills, participate in continuing legal education programs, network and be of service to others. As a member of the Chicago Paralegal Association (CPA), she has served as a mentor in the CPA Mentorship Program; and as a member of the 2023 CPA Committee for Race Judicata. In October 2023, she was elected to serve on the CPA Board of Directors as Director-At-Large effective January 2024.

Tyra is 1989 graduate of Michigan State University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communications. She began her professional career with the Ingham County
Circuit Court in Lansing, Michigan, where she served as a judicial assistant to the Honorable Carolyn Stell, Chief Judge. In 1994, she earned a paralegal certificate from
the University of Detroit Mercy and worked as a legal secretary and paralegal in notable law firms, governmental agencies, and non-profit organizations in Michigan. She served as the Pro Bono Community Service Chair of the Paralegal Section of the Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association, and as a member of the Paralegal Section of the State Bar of Michigan, and the Oakland County Bar Association. In 2009, she earned a Master of Arts Degree in Social Justice from Marygrove College.

Tyra is currently employed as a paralegal with the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) where she has served as a FOIA officer; she currently specializes
in discovery and preservation requests in litigation matters involving civilians, police officers and the City of Chicago. She is a member of the American Bar Association
(ABA), Women in eDiscovery (Chicago Chapter), Association of Certified E-Discovery Specialists, the ABA SPEAKeasies Chapter of Toastmasters International, and the
Michigan State University Alumni Association (MSUAA). Tyra is committed to making a difference in the lives of others and has worked to promote issues that she believes are important to the health and welfare of her community. In 1995, she was one of 59,000 Black Women who were invited by Essence magazine to enroll in the Black Women’s Health Study, a long-term observational study conducted at Boston University to research and improve the health of Black women. She has remained a participant in the study for nearly 30 years. She is also a passionate mental health advocate.

Tyra is a member of the Junior League of Chicago (JLC), where she has served as a Group Mentor in the JLC New Member Program, and as an ambassador for the JLC
Little Black Dress Initiative. She is a recipient of various awards, including the JLC 2021-2022 Outstanding New Member Award; and she currently serves as Chair of the
2024 JLC Derby Committee. Tyra is also a member of Alpha Pi Chi National Sorority, Inc., the Gold Coast Neighborhood Association, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
African American Network. She enjoys the performing arts, historical tours, museums, art galleries, estate sales, reading, and journaling.

Erica is a dedicated and experienced paralegal at Kelly Law, specializing in personal injury litigation and workers compensation. With 6 years of experience in the legal field, Erica brings a strong foundation of legal knowledge, attention to detail, and a commitment to supporting attorneys and clients throughout all stages of legal proceedings. Erica’s compassion, empathy, knowledge of complex cases  and passion to fight for her clients has been what has made her successful in her career.

Erica holds an Associates Degree of Applied Science in Paralegal Studies and is a proud member of the Chicago Paralegal Association since 2024. Erica is bilingual and also in the process of becoming a notary. Known for exceptional organizational skills and proficiency with legal research, document preparation, and case management, Erica strives to ensure efficiency and accuracy in every project.

Passionate about continuous professional development, Erica is dedicated to staying current with industry trends and developments through ongoing education and networking. Erica is committed to upholding the highest ethical standards while providing indispensable support to attorneys and their clients.

When not working, Erica enjoys spending time with her family, going to baseball games, traveling and being with friends.

Vacant Board Positions:
President Elect

Director-at-Large

Interested in one of our open board positions or joining a CPA committee? Email us at membership@chicagoparalegals.org.