Ali Bloomquist

Background

About Ali Bloomquist

Alison Bloomquist, Esq. is a racial justice educator, strategic leader, and trial attorney with two decades of experience advancing equity in the criminal legal system. As Vice President of Strategic Alliances and Innovation at the National Legal Aid & Defender Association (NLADA), she leads national initiatives to strengthen public defense and civil legal aid through a racial equity lens. She oversees a multimillion-dollar portfolio of research, training, and technical assistance, including NLADA’s Race Equity Institute and participatory research on racial disparities in legal representation. Alison designs and directs legal education programs that center anti-racist advocacy and cultural humility, and she mentors defenders and educators across the country. A Certified Racial Justice Trainer and long-standing faculty member at the National Criminal Defense College, she has contributed to the field’s understanding of how race shapes courtroom dynamics—from jury selection to sentencing. Before joining NLADA, Alison served as Director of Training for the Connecticut Division of Public Defender Services, where she led the agency’s first racial justice climate survey and developed statewide DEIA programming. She continues to represent indigent clients as a Special Public Defender in serious felony matters. Alison is a contributing scholar on race and merit frameworks in law and a frequent speaker on equity-focused legal practice. She holds a JD from Northeastern University School of Law and a BA from Boston University. She lives in West Hartford with her wife and three children.