
The CARPLS Everyday Hero award honors the legacy of Pat Wrona, CARPLS former Director of Legal Services. Pat is the embodiment of CARPLS’ core mission: that no one should face a legal problem alone. She joined in 1995 as a part-time attorney and later became a supervisor. Pat became Director of Legal Services in 2007, and for 15 years through her quiet leadership and guidance, CARPLS became a national leader in legal service delivery innovation.
At this year’s Golden Gavel fundraising gala, CARPLS proudly honored Staff Attorney Aleida Lozano-Netzel with the inaugural Everyday Hero Award. The award includes a cash prize of $2,000, generously provided by past Director of Legal Services Pat Wrona. The award was established to acknowledge the excellent legal work and important contributions of the staff who make CARPLS an excellent and successful legal aid organization. When Aleida found out she was the first-ever recipient, her reaction was as humble as it was genuine:
“I just thought it was funny—like, what? I’m just doing my job. I work my little hours.” But Aleida has never been “just doing her job.” She’s been making a difference for over 31 years, starting with CARPLS in its earliest days—back when conflict checks were done by hand, email was a novelty, and a trip to the office’s conference room-turned-legal library was a regular part of the workday.
Drawn to the organization’s mission after several years in private practice, Aleida joined CARPLS in 1993. She knew what it meant to grow up in a working-class family without easy access to legal help. “Poor people can’t afford lawyers,” she said. “Back then there was no internet, no information. Some people just need a little guidance—legal or not. I think this is what I was called to do.”
CARPLS gave Aleida the flexibility to do meaningful work while raising two small children. She found her niche working three to four shifts a week while her kids were in school—finding purpose not in prestige, but in presence.
“I’m very conscientious,” she said. “If I don’t work, that means somebody else has to pick up the slack. Unless I’m at Disney, there’s no reason I can’t do my job—even if I’m sick.”
Her clients have benefitted from that unwavering consistency and heart for service—qualities that made her a clear choice for the Everyday Hero Award. “When I got the award, I was like, wow—someone noticed that I’ve made a meaningful impact. That felt really good.”
From translating for neighbors as a child, to fielding calls from clients who just need a little help solving life’s problems, Aleida has been a steady force in a constantly evolving field. She may not seek recognition—but after three decades of tireless work, we’re proud to give it to her.
Congratulations, Aleida—our very first Everyday Hero.
Written by: Rabiah Na’Allah, CARPLS Communications Coordinator