Legal Services Alabama has added four new members to its Board of Directors to advance its mission of closing the civil legal justice gap in all 67 counties. New members join the Board from across the state to share their experience advancing advocacy strategies in Alabama.
Carmelita Arnold
Carmelita Arnold serves as President of the Board of Directors for the Lowndes County Unincorporated Wastewater Program (LCUWP), a nonprofit focused on addressing septic and wastewater infrastructure problems in rural parts of Lowndes County.
She brings a diverse background to her role, including service in the U.S. Air Force and professional experience as an Air Traffic Controller with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
In her work with LCUWP, Arnold leads efforts to engage with local government and health agencies, and advocate for low-income residents affected by failing wastewater systems.
Her role is rooted in improving public health and environmental conditions in rural Lowndes County by expanding access to proper sanitation infrastructure for historically underserved rural residents.
In her new role on the LSA Board of Directors, Arnold will bring a deep understanding of the intersection between public health and access to justice.
She remains committed to advocating for underserved rural communities and advancing solutions that protect families’ health, dignity, and legal rights across Lowndes County.
Eve Brantley
Eve Brantley, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor in the Department of Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences and serves as a Water Resources Specialist with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. In this role, she works to advance research-based education related to water resources across Alabama.
She holds a Ph.D. from Auburn University’s School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, a master’s degree in forest resources from Clemson University, and a bachelor’s degree in biology from Berry College.
Dr. Brantley has held faculty and specialist roles with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System since 2009. Her other roles have included Agriculture Program Associate with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System Water Program, work with the Auburn University Marine Extension and Research Center as well as working under the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant.
Dr. Brantley is actively engaged in professional leadership in Auburn and across Alabama. She is the incoming president of the Alabama Section of the American Water Resources Association, and a member of the Soil and Water Conservation Society and the Alabama Association of County Agriculture Agents and Specialists.
Miriam Nava
Originally from Guatemala, Miriam Nava came to Alabama in 2005 and has since dedicated her career to working with and for her community.
She began her service as a volunteer with La Casita and later worked for several years with the Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama (HICA), where she supported community education and advocacy efforts. Her work has consistently focused on empowering individuals through access to resources and connecting them with community-based support.
Nava currently works with Adelante Alabama Worker Center, an organization that unites low-wage and immigrant workers and their families in the Birmingham area to defend workers’ rights and pursue justice.
The organization centers the voices of the most vulnerable workers and strives to create safer, more equitable living conditions for immigrants, people of color, and working-class families.
“For me it is a lovely experience to be able to show my community what one day other people taught me,” Nava said. “Now I have the great opportunity to work at Adelante and continue to be involved with the community, which is the work I have always loved to do.”
As a member of the LSA Board, Nava brings lived experience, community trust, and a strong understanding of the challenges facing low-wage workers.
Kristy Waldron
Kristy Waldron, J.D. is counsel in the Mobile office of Burr & Forman LLP, where she practices insurance defense, business litigation, and government liability, with a focus on appellate work.
She represents clients in complex civil matters, including medical malpractice, wrongful death, shareholder disputes, and civil rights cases. She has successfully briefed and argued cases before the Georgia Supreme Court, the Alabama Supreme Court, and the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals.
Waldron began her legal career as an assistant district attorney in Alabama and Georgia and later held roles at Alford Bolin, LLC and Frazer, Greene, Upchurch & Baker, LLC.
She serves as first vice president of the Mobile Bar Association Women Lawyers and is a member of the Junior League of Mobile. She earned her J.D. from Tulane University Law School and a B.A. in anthropology from Haverford College.
As a member of the LSA Board of Directors, Waldron brings extensive courtroom experience, appellate expertise, and a commitment to supporting access to justice for all Alabamians.
