25 years of freeing the wrongfully convicted

Lynn M. Bagley received her bachelor’s degree in Theatre Arts from Virginia Tech. After a decade of touring the country with multiple small theatre companies, she decided to try her hand at Private Investigations. She worked for multiple detective agencies prior to striking out on her own. Before coming to work with the Illinois Innocence Project, Lynn worked with many different attorneys practicing all different types of law including criminal defense, personal injury, civil rights, real estate and family law. She co-taught the Introduction to Private Investigations class at Wright College and helped to create the curriculum. Lynn began working with IIP as a contract employee at the very beginning of 2020 and became a full time IIP Staff Investigator in 2021.

Marcus Beach started his law enforcement career in 1996 with the Rantoul Police Department in central Illinois.  During his 27-year career, he worked a variety of assignments including dispatch, patrol, narcotics, SWAT, and Investigations.  Marcus retired March 10, 2023, at the rank of Sergeant and was a supervisor on the day shift patrol division.

After retirement, Marcus began working with the Illinois Innocence Project through the University of Illinois-Springfield as the Associate Director of the Wrongful Conviction Awareness and Avoidance training project.  This project has brought training on Wrongful Convictions, and the common contributing factors that lead to Wrongful Convictions, to recruit police officers in the State’s many police academies.  This training was made mandatory by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board in 2023.  

Marcus has an AAS degree in Criminal Justice from Parkland College, a Bachelor of Arts degree through Eastern Illinois University, and a Master of Public Administration degree through the University of Illinois-Springfield.

Leanne Beyer received her law degree from Northern Illinois University in 2015, during which she externed for the Illinois Innocence Project. Leanne then worked as a legal aid attorney, representing clients in such matters as divorce, orders of protection, and sealing/expungement of criminal records. Leanne is currently a Visiting Staff Attorney with the Illinois Innocence Project. Leanne also has a Masters in Social Work from the University of Chicago, and prior to becoming an attorney she was a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, specializing in mental health and addiction treatment.

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Courtney joined the Illinois Innocence Project in 2014, providing fundraising and communication services. She facilitates operational support to the rapidly expanding organization, and continues to develop and implement fundraising and communication strategies. Courtney holds a Master of Science in journalism from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Arts in English and communications from Hamline University. She loves to travel and wander off the beaten path.

Maria de Arteaga joined IIP in 2019 and is based at our Chicago office. Maria maintains her own caseload, advocating and litigating on behalf of IIP clients. She also directs IIP’s law student externship program. Maria came to IIP with several years of experience representing the wrongfully convicted as a staff attorney at the Wisconsin Innocence Project. There, Maria also supervised second- and third-year law students as part of the Wisconsin Innocence Project’s clinic at the University of Wisconsin Law School. She received her law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School, where she graduated cum laude.

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Kendal received her bachelor’s degrees in political science and economics at the University of Iowa in 2016.  She went on to obtain her Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan Law School, where she worked as a student attorney in the Michigan Innocence Clinic for two years. After law school, Kendal practiced commercial litigation at a large law firm in Chicago, while continuing to represent underserved populations through her pro bono work. She joined IIP as a Staff Attorney in February of 2024

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Stephanie is an attorney and the Interim Director at IIP. Stephanie graduated from Santa Clara University School of Law and earned an LLM with Honors in Human Rights Law from Northwestern University School of Law. After law school, Stephanie practiced as a civil litigator in the San Francisco Bay Area and in criminal appellate law in Illinois. At the Project, Stephanie advocates on behalf of wrongfully convicted clients, educates police cadets, students and the public on wrongful convictions and works on legislative reform. A passion for human rights infuses her life and she is grateful to be a part of the IIP family.

Abbie started with IIP as a student intern during summer 2023. After graduating with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Illinois State University in August 2023, she continued helping at IIP before becoming a staff paralegal in May 2024.

Kasey received her B.S. in Criminal Justice Sciences from Illinois State University in 2020, completed a Certified Paralegal course in March 2022, and will begin her M.A. in Legal Studies in January 2023 at the University of Illinois Springfield. Kasey has been at IIP since January 2020 where she started as an intern, felt compelled to continue the fight and is currently the IIP Program Assistant, who manages our main office, works closely with attorneys, support staff, students and volunteers, and oversees the intake team.