Kimberly Williams Blair

My name is Kimberly Williams Blair and I am the wife of Elliot Blair, as well as the President and a founding member of The Elliot Blair Foundation. In 2013, I graduated from the University of California, Irvine where I earned my BA in Psychology and Social Behavior and my BS in Political Science. I then attended Loyola Law School of Los Angeles and passed the California Bar Exam in 2017. In May of 2018, I was hired at the Orange County Public Defender’s Office and have been able to work with and serve some of the most disadvantaged in our community.

Elliot and I were together for nine years. We met in 2013 while interning at the Orange County Public Defender’s Office. There, I got to see him grow his passion for helping the disadvantaged. Elliot was hired at the Orange County Public Defender’s office in July of 2017. While he treated all his clients with respect and compassion, the assignment he was most passionate about was representing the juvenile clients. Elliot put a lot of time into his “kids” not only helping them with their court cases, but also mentoring them in life. My goal with this foundation is to honor the love he had for these kids and assist them in achieving their full potential.

Samantha Birkner

My name is Samantha Birkner. I am the Secretary and a founding member of the Elliot Blair Foundation. I am a close friend of both Kimberly and Elliot Blair – who I consider part of my Public Defender (PD) Family. I graduated from the University of San Diego in 2007 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a Minor in English. I earned my Juris Doctor from Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego in 2014. During law school, I spent two semesters interning at the San Diego Public Defender’s. While awaiting bar results in 2015, I also completed a post-bar clerkship there. I passed the bar exam in 2015 and pursued private criminal defense work for a short time. In 2017, I moved to Orange County after being offered an attorney position at the Public Defender’s office. I always wanted to fight for those who didn’t have a voice, who were mentally ill and who needed access to resources.

My first memories of Elliot are us being misdemeanor lawyers together as he started about 6 months after me. He shared an office with a close friend so I would always come to their office to talk about what happened in court and to prep our cases. Elliot was an eager young lawyer full of questions and care for his clients. Just like a little brother, he followed me to multiple assignments. We were both at juvenile court together where we both learned how early intervention and resources can change a young adult’s life. We cared deeply for our “kids” that we helped. His loss devastated not only our PD family but our legal community. Being on the EBF board helps me continue his legacy and promote our same compassion for juvenile clients.

Annie Rodriguez

I am an attorney with the Orange County Public Defender’s and a founding board member of The Elliot Blair Foundation. I currently also serve as an executive board member of the Orange County Attorney’s Association. I first started working with the Public Defender’s Office in 2002 as an Investigator. I worked full time and went to law school part time with the ultimate goal of achieving my dream of becoming an attorney. That dream came true in 2012.

It was at the Public Defender’s Office that I met Kimberly and Elliot Blair in 2017. Elliot and I formed a strong friendship while assigned to the Lamoreaux Justice Center. We shared a passion for protecting and guiding our “kids” through the juvenile justice system. Elliot understood that our representation extended beyond the courtroom. I know he would be proud of this foundation and its purpose.