A 2017 graduate of The University of Alabama, Caitlin Cobb Goodwyn formally joined the Blackburn community in the spring of 2016, though the values and mission of the Institute had been instilled within her years before. Caitlin’s mother, former Alabama Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb, has been a consistent supporter of Blackburn for decades and currently serves as an Advisory Board member.
Caitlin credits Sue Bell with ingraining a sense of communal duty within her, emphatically reminding her that helping others trumps any inconvenience. Thus, as Marlan Golden, Caitlin’s longtime neighbor and Blackburn Fellow, sat down with her ahead of college and encouraged her to delve into the array of opportunities at The Capstone, Blackburn felt like an obvious choice. Needless to say, she was correct.
Like other Fellows, Caitlin fondly reminisces on her time as a student of the Institute. Beyond the travel experiences and small group discussions (in which she quickly learned that diversity of opinion was her favorite value), her favorite memories in Blackburn come from working with her Daniel Community Scholars (DCS) team. After receiving the grant, Caitlin and her team members established a community garden in Holt, Alabama to address food desert concerns. The team had extensively researched food options for residents across the state, and they discovered that Holt citizens only had a Dollar General as their grocery store option. In true Blackburn fashion, the focus of the project extended beyond its immediate, more obvious benefits—Caitlin and her teammates wanted to build something that would be both impactful and sustainable. In other words, the garden would be both for the community and by the community.
From DCS and into her career, Caitlin has endeavored to answer her call to action. After graduating from The University of Alabama School of Law in May 2021, she returned to her hometown of Montgomery, Alabama to work at Capell & Howard, P.C., specializing in litigation, civil rights and constitutional claims, employment defense, and more. To Caitlin, being in her line of work means answering the call to action is inherent and necessary. Her daily work includes examining the U.S. Constitution and its case law, determining if the actions of some may violate the rights of others. Doing this means that she must be well informed about current events, particularly how certain policies may influence the interpretation and implementation of the First, Fourth, and Eighth Amendments. In fact, Caitlin proposes a Blackburn panel discussing ways in which the current administration is engaging with the Constitution and how the courts will manage these actions.
In the spirit of her mother’s teachings, Caitlin plays an active role in her community. She sits on the board for Brantwood Children’s Home, a DHS-licensed organization that provides stable housing and consistent support for children who are neglected and abused, a safe place for them to land before taking their next steps. After volunteering with the Brantwood for a number of years, Caitlin joined the board, focusing on the wellbeing of the children at the core of the mission and vision. She is also a board member for Samaritan Counseling Center, which serves individuals throughout the River Region through mental health counseling and educational programming, and the Heart of Alabama Food Bank, which sources and distributes food throughout 35 Alabama counties through community collaboration.
Caitlin is proud Blackburn Fellow and forever grateful for her time with the Institute. When asked, she stated that her biggest regret of her early career was not prioritizing attendance at the Annual Symposium, therefore not fully immersing herself into the expansive Blackburn network. The conversations and connections birthed through the Institute are unique to the rest of the professional world, so prioritizing these relationships should be paramount for every student joining the community. And, if a student is unsure of where to start, Caitlin is always one email away and ready to help.