Alabama Appleseed

John Pickens, JD
Executive Director

John Pickens was born and raised in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. He received his Bachelors Degree in Economics from Rice University in Houston, Texas, and his Juris Doctorate from Vanderbilt University School of Law in Nashville, Tennessee. Before returning to Alabama in October, 2002, to join Alabama Appleseed as its first Executive Director, John had a successful thirty year legal career in Atlanta, Georgia, which included the formation and administration of a non-profit law project for the indigent.

John is the Executive Director of the Alabama Appleseed Center for Law & Justice, Inc. John is currently working most directly on constitutional reform and our Health Insurance Coverage Project, while overseeing and being directly involved, as needed, on all other Alabama Appleseed projects.

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Shay M. Farley, JD
Legal Director

Shay Farley was born and raised in Orlando, Florida. She received her Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice from Faulkner University in Montgomery, Alabama, and her Juris Doctorate from Thomas Goode Jones School of Law in Montgomery, Alabama. Before working at Alabama Appleseed, Shay had a successful career as an attorney in Montgomery, Alabama, which included practice in areas such as civil, criminal, domestic and probate law.

As Alabama Appleseed's Legal Director, Shay is responsible for the following projects: Immigrant Policy, Landlord/Tennant Project, Payday Lending Reform and Restorative Justice.

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Craig H. Baab, JD
Senior Fellow/Policy & Development

Craig H. Baab was born and raised in the Chicago area. He received his BA in political science from Elmhurst College in Elmhurst, Illinois, and his Juris Doctor from American University's Washington College of Law in Washington, D.C. Before working at Appleseed, Craig's non-profit legal career began with 19-year tenure in the Governmental Affairs Office of the American Bar Association in Washington, DC. More recently he served as the Chief of Party for the Palestinian Judicial Reform Project in Ramallah and the Gaza Strip. During brief government service with the U.S. Agency for International Development he was a Senior Advisor in the Bureau for Policy and Program Coordination, and also the Center for Democracy & Governance. He was the General Counsel and Director of Governmental Affairs for the Armenian Assembly of America.

Craig is the Senior Fellow/Policy & Development of Alabama Appleseed Center for Law & Justice, Inc., is Appleseed's Heir Property Project Director and also is developing the Constitutional Reform Project.

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Zayne B. Smith, JD
Immigration Policy Fellow

Zayne Smith was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. She received her Bachelors Degree in History from The University of West Alabama in Livingston, Alabama, and her Juris Doctorate from Thomas Goode Jones School of Law in Montgomery, Alabama. Before working at Alabama Appleseed, Zayne worked for a private law firm in Montgomery.

Zayne is an Advocacy Staff Associate at Alabama Appleseed Center for Law & Justice, Inc. and helps the Executive Director with administrative matters.

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Vaughan Branch, JD
Healthcare Policy Fellow

Vaughan Branch was born and raised in Pinehurst, Georgia. He received his Bachelors Degree in Business Administration from Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, and his Juris Doctorate from Mercer Law School in Macon, Georgia. Before working at Alabama Appleseed, Vaughan was a Program Manager, TASC Division at the University of Alabama Birmingham, Litigation Associate at Balch & Binghan, LLP in Birmingham, Alabama, a Commercial Law Associate at the Law Offices of Andrew J. Kline in Washington, D.C. and Assistant District Attorney in the Gwinnett & Northeastern Judicial Circuits in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia.

Vaughan is the Healthcare Policy Fellow for the Health Insurance Coverage Project at Alabama Appleseed Center for Law & Justice.

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