Demetri is TeamChild’s Community Attorney in Pierce County. TeamChild provides free legal services and advocacy for youth involved in the juvenile justice system, child welfare, education, and mental health systems in Washington State. By helping youth secure housing, stay in school, and access community-based services, TeamChild addresses systemic barriers and empowers young people to achieve their goals
Demetri was born and came of age in Seattle, WA. He attended Garfield High School, where he is proud to have walked the same hallways as the likes of Quincy Jones, Jimi Hendrix and Ishmael Butler. Those formative years went a long way in shaping the work he’d be committed to later in life. He loves soccer and played as an undergrad at UC Santa Cruz. It’s a toss-up whether he’s more proud of graduating with honors in the Legal Studies major, or being the team’s leading goal scorer in his sophomore season.
Demetri came home to attend the University of Washington School of Law. He traveled far, spending his final quarter there in Arusha, Tanzania as a clerk at the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for the Rwandan genocide. As a lawyer, he has extensive experience as a public defender in criminal law, in the child welfare system, and now in education law. He believes deeply in ensuring that youth’s rights are upheld, so they are empowered to be who they are and who they can become. Demetri now coaches his own son’s soccer team, sharing lessons he has learned about how much can be accomplished when supporting one another.