Elisa Scalise went to law school interested in all aspects of international and comparative law, particularly in post-conflict and transitional situations.  After taking the bar exam, she worked in Rwanda for a local land rights NGO.  While there, she learned how efforts in the areas of land laws and policy can not only help mitigate the effects of conflict, but also prevent conflicts from occurring in the first place, leading her to RDI.

Elisa is a land law and policy attorney who specializes in women and land; gender and customary law and practices; customary property and inheritance regimes; marriage practices, family law and land; and legal empowerment. She also has experience in international and comparative law and both civil code and common law systems. Ms. Scalise has extensive project management, research, drafting, and editing experience.

Elisa holds a J.D. from Seattle University School of Law (2006); a Graduate Diploma in Public Policy and Management from Melbourne University (1999), and a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Women’s Studies from Monash University (1998, Melbourne Australia).

Curriculum Vitae

elisas@rdiland.org