Maria Woltjen, Founder (Chicago) Read More

Maria Woltjen is the Founder of the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights. The Young Center’s primary work is to advocate for the best interests—safety and well-being—of unaccompanied and separated immigrant children. As part of this work, the Young Center serves as Child Advocate (best interests guardian ad litem) for trafficking victims and unaccompanied immigrant children pursuant to the Wilberforce Trafficking Victim Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008. While at the Young Center, Maria’s focus was on reforming the immigration system to incorporate a best interests standard and developing a dedicated immigration justice system for children. Throughout her career, Maria focused on children’s rights, at the Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights, the ChildLaw Center at Loyola University of Chicago School of Law, and at the University of Chicago Law School. For her service to children and the advocacy community, Maria was the recipient of the 1996 Public Interest Law Initiative Distinguished Alumni Award, the 2013 American Constitution Society Ruth Goldman Award, the 2017 UNICEF Chicago Humanitarian Award, the 2019 American Red Cross of Chicago and Northern Illinois Global Citizenship Hero, and the Young Center’s inaugural Waymaker Award. Maria retired on June 28, 2021, after 18 years of serving children at the Young Center.

Olivia Peña, Co-Director (Harlingen) Read More

Olivia M. Peña, Esq. (She/Her/Ella) is Co-Director of the Young Center’s Child Advocate Program, where she helps lead a passionate and zealous interdisciplinary team of attorneys and social workers fighting for the rights and best interests of immigrant children. Before joining the Young Center in 2014, Olivia worked with vulnerable communities seeking humanitarian parole, asylum, and other forms of legal protection from violence and atrocities around the world. She represented and fought for the rights of children, families, and individuals seeking safety. At the Young Center, Olivia has served hundreds of immigrant children, who like her, traveled at a young age to the United States in search of a better life. She has lived most of her life along the U.S.-Mexico border, witnessing firsthand the issues and inequities impacting border communities. An expert on issues surrounding immigrant children, Olivia has participated in panels and roundtables with non-profit organizations, members of Congress, and governmental agencies. She has been featured in local, national, and international media outlets including NBC, Univision, Forbes, NPR, and the BBC. Olivia earned her J.D. at the University of Houston Law Center and her B.S. from the University of Texas at Brownsville & Texas Southmost College.

Marisa Chumil, Co-Director (Chicago) Read More

Marisa Chumil, LCSW, is the Child Advocate Program Co-Director at the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights. Since joining the organization in 2013, Marisa served as Staff Social Worker and then Deputy Director of Social Work, overseeing Child Advocate cases in Chicago, consulting on cases nationally for all Young Center offices, and coordinating the Young Center’s work on international home studies. Marisa’s connection to the Young Center began in 2009, when she volunteered as a Child Advocate and served as a social work intern. Prior to the Young Center, Marisa worked for nine years in early childhood programs at El Valor, a Chicago non-profit organization, where she focused on social services, social and emotional development, and mental health services for immigrant children and their families. She received her Masters in Social Work from Loyola University Chicago and specialized in Migration Studies and Children and Families. Marisa initiated her human rights work in Guatemala and El Salvador, where she volunteered in communities rebuilding after civil war.

Carrie Vander Hoek, Deputy Program Director (Harlingen) Read More

Carrie Vander Hoek, LMSW is one of the Young Center’s Deputy Program Directors and shares coverage of the Harlingen, San Antonio, Houston, and DC offices. Carrie previously filled the Managing Social Worker and Child Advocate Supervisor Social Worker positions in the Harlingen, TX office. Carrie began her work with the unaccompanied and refugee children as an undergrad intern at Bethany Christian Services Unaccompanied Refugee Minor and Long Term Foster Care Programs in Grand Rapids, MI. After graduation, Carrie then moved to the Rio Grande Valley and began working as an Americorps volunteer with the Mennonite Voluntary Services at South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Representation Project (ProBAR). Carrie then went on to work in the domestic foster care system as a social service worker and supervisor for a therapeutic foster care agency, The Bair Foundation. Prior to joining the Young Center, she worked with General Dynamics IT as a Case Coordinator for 5 years and as a Supervisory Case Coordinator for almost 2.5 years. Carrie earned her Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Calvin College and earned her Master’s degree in Social Work from The University of New England.

José Ortiz-Rosales, Deputy Program Director (Los Angeles) Read More

José Ortiz-Rosales is based out of the Young Center Los Angeles office. He is one of the Young Center’s Deputy Program Directors and shares coverage of the Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and Phoenix offices. He received his master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Southern California. Jose has many years of experience working exclusively with unaccompanied children across the country in various capacities and at different stages in their immigration journey in the United States. Jose has collaborated and partnered with immigration attorneys to provide client-centered legal services focusing on assisting unaccompanied children navigate their immigration case. In 2018, Jose coauthored a book chapter that discussed the multidimensional lives of unaccompanied children in the U.S. and the importance of an interdisciplinary approach to supporting them when they encounter various systems such as child welfare, education, delinquency, criminal justice, behavioral health, immigration, and social systems, among others.

Pamela Nickell, Deputy Program Director (Houston) Read More

Pamela Nickell is the Deputy Program Director at the Young Center’s Houston office. Pam joined the Young Center in 2016 as a Staff Attorney before becoming the Managing Attorney in 2019. Pam has assisted child survivors of human trafficking, children with complex medical needs, youth who are pregnant or parenting, children who are at risk of aging out into adult detention, and other particularly vulnerable children. Because of her commitment to serving unaccompanied children, Pam was appointed to the Houston Immigration Legal Services Collaborative’s Executive Committee, a strategic leadership body made up of representatives from service providers, advocacy organizations, educators, and funders that support immigrants and refugees in the greater Houston area. Pam received her J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law. She graduated summa cum laude from Southern Methodist University with her B.A. in Spanish and International Studies.

Maria Barbosa Groszek, Deputy Program Director (DC) Read More

Maria J. Barbosa is the Deputy Program Director at the Young Center’s Washington, D.C. office. Prior to joining the Young Center, Maria received a Michigan Law Bates Overseas Fellowship to represent refugees in resettlement at the Refugee Legal Aid Program (RLAP) at St. Andrew’s Refugee Services in Cairo, Egypt. She then continued at RLAP as a Senior Legal Officer where she supervised legal staff and volunteers representing refugees in refugee status determination and protection matters. Maria is a graduate of the University of Michigan Law School and Northwestern University, where she received a B.S. in Social Policy. While at Michigan, she worked with victims of sex and labor trafficking with the Michigan Law Human Trafficking Clinic. Maria is admitted to practice law in Illinois.

Sondra Furcajg, Deputy Program Director Read More

Sondra is a Deputy Program Director at the Young Center covering the New Jersey and Chicago offices. Sondra joined the Young Center in 2020 as a Staff Attorney in the D.C. office before becoming a National Staff Attorney in 2022. Prior to joining the Young Center, Sondra was a Staff Attorney at Rutgers Law School’s Immigrant Justice Clinic where she served as an immigration attorney for children in the New Jersey foster care system. Previously, Sondra established the immigrant legal services program at United African Organization, a Chicago community-based organization that serves African immigrants and refugees. Sondra earned a Master of International Human Rights Law and Humanitarian Law from Université Paris II and an LLM in International and Comparative Law from Chicago-Kent College of Law. Sondra is a native French and English speaker and is fluent in Spanish.

Rob Jackson III, Manager, Knowledge Management and Learning (DC) Read More

Robert Azeem Jackson III joined the Young Center in 2022. He serves as the Knowledge & Learning Manger for the Child Advocacy Program. He’s responsible for advancing and embedding the principles and practices of knowledge sharing and learning across the Child Advocate Program, creating tools and implementing strategies that advances the program’s Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) best practices. Underneath it all Rob is an educator obsessed with storytelling, community building, and practical innovation. Education and mentorship have been a passion of his dating back to 2010 when he founded his first non-profit in undergrad. Prior to joining the Young Center, Rob has worked in both the public and private sector supporting digital transformation, data strategy, and growth strategy specializing in non-profit capacity building. Rob is a Gates Millennium Scholar, completing his undergraduate studies at Georgetown University and earning a Masters of Science in Learning Analytics from Columbia University Teachers College.

Priscilla Guadarrama, National Volunteer Program Manager (Phoenix) Read More

Priscilla Guadarrama was born in Fallbrook, California. After moving to Phoenix, Arizona, she enrolled at Arizona State University. In 2015 she earned her B.S. in Criminology and Criminal Justice. While at Arizona State University she was involved in the Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program where she assisted in a study on perceptions of disorder based on racial cues in neighborhoods. During her senior year, she was an intern at a safe house that lends support and rehabilitative services to victims of domestic violence and/or human sex trafficking.

Camila Trefftz, National Program Manager (New York) Read More

Camila Trefftz is the National Program Manager for the Child Advocate Program. She was born in Medellín, Colombia, and raised in Michigan. Camila joined the Young Center in 2020 and served as a Case Support Associate for the New York office for two years. Prior to joining the Young Center, Camila worked at the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center as the UC Program Coordinator and a DOJ Accredited Representative, where she represented unaccompanied and separated immigrant children in removal proceedings. Camila holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from Kalamazoo College and is pursuing her Master's in Social Work at Columbia University.

Althea Klein, Senior National Social Worker (Chicago) Read More

Althea Klein, LCSW, is the Senior National Social Worker in the Young Center Chicago Office. Althea’s professional background has focused primarily on unaccompanied immigrant children, children involved in the child welfare system and child and adult survivors of trauma. Previously, she was a bilingual therapist in the child and adolescent outpatient clinic at Community Counseling Centers of Chicago. She has also provided case management and housing advocacy to families experiencing homelessness at La Casa Norte, she completed a graduate internship in the Juvenile Division of the Cook County Office of the Public Guardian, and she worked as a paralegal in the Immigrant Child Protection Project and the Immigrant Legal Defense Project at the National Immigrant Justice Center. Althea has also served as a volunteer child advocate with the Young Center. She received her Masters in Social Work from the Jane Addams College of Social Work at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Leigh Gorman, National Social Worker (New York) Read More

Leigh Gorman, LCSW, is the National Social Worker for the Young Center’s Child Advocate Program. Prior to her role on the national team, Leigh was the Managing Social Worker in the New York office. She previously worked in the domestic foster care system in New York City, where her practice focused on family restoration. Leigh holds a Bachelor of Science in Human Services and a Bachelor of Arts in Foreign Language and Literature from the University of Delaware and a Master of Social Work from Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service.

Tania Torres, National Social Worker (Harlingen) Read More

Tania Torres joined the Harlingen office as an LMSW, Social Worker and currently serves as the National Social Worker. Tania has been advocating for children and adolescents in some capacity for over 10 years. Prior to joining the YC team, Tania was a public-school teacher for 5 years and worked at ProBAR as a legal assistant. As a graduate student Tania, provided short term therapy for mothers with depression and facilitated support groups for Latin American parents. Tania has volunteered and interned as a Social Worker in both Guatemala and Mexico. Most recently, Tania served as a clinical counselor supporting children working through and living with depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Tania was part of the first cohort of YC volunteer child advocates in Harlingen and has continued her work with this beautiful community since then! Tania has a BA in Latin American History and a Master's of Science in Clinical Social Work from the University of Texas at Austin.

Amairani Rucoba, National Case Support Associate (Houston) Read More

Amairani Rucoba is a National Case Support Associate for the Young Center. Previously Amairani served as a case support associate in the Young Center's Houston office. Prior to joining the Young Center, Amairani worked in a school and mental health clinic that served children with special needs. Amairani also has an extensive history of working as a Legal Secretary for a law office that practiced Social Security Disability law, where she worked with both adults and children with mental and physical disabilities. Amairani graduated from the University of Houston – Downtown with a Bachelors of Science and minor in Psychology. It is her passion for helping others that fuels her desire to support organizations that fearlessly advocate for the vulnerable and underserved population.

Gladys Pineda, National Case Support Associate (Los Angeles) Read More

Gladys Pineda is a National Case Support Associate for the Young Center. Previously she served as a Case Support Associate in the Young Center's Los Angeles office. She graduated in 2018 with a B.A. in Political Science from UCLA. Gladys’s interest in immigration began when SB1070 in Arizona had passed. In high school, she volunteered with CHIRLA and learned about the CA DREAM Act and had the opportunity to lobby for AB130 and also witness Gov. Jerry Brown sign the legislation into law in 2011. Gladys is interested in studying the aftermath of an unaccompanied minor’s release into the U.S., and the resettlement process into U.S. schools, in hopes to find a way to provide and effective trauma informed school-setting that addresses the complexities and challenges of resettlement.

Jenifer Briones, National Volunteer Support Associate (Phoenix) Read More

Jenifer Briones is an Arizona native. While she grew up in Phoenix, she also considers Juarez, Chihuahua in Mexico home. She earned her degree in Film and Digital Media at Loyola University Chicago, and studied abroad at the John Felice Rome Center where she worked closely with Syrian refugees and volunteers. She has also trained, supervised, and managed volunteers on several local campaigns including the Adios Arpaio campaign, and the West Valley Votes for Arizona House of Representatives campaign. Currently, Jenifer is a member of the Comité de Guía for the Liberation project at Trans Queer Pueblo, where she engages the LGBTQ migrant community of color in projects and work that aims to ensure the protection of the rights of those who are experiencing detention. Trans Queer Pueblo fosters leadership opportunities for previously detained LGBTQ migrants, and enables them to create the change they would like to see.

Laura R. Vargas Quintero, National Case Support Associate (Michigan) Read More

Laura R. Vargas Quintero is originally from Mexico where she studied at Universidad de Monterrey. She has a Degree in International Marketing and is fluent in Spanish, English, and Portuguese. She is passionate about the well-being and rights of children. Prior to joining the Young Center, Laura worked at the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center as the team-wide Supervising Program Coordinator, working specifically with unaccompanied children who are in removal proceedings.

Jessica Beecher-Bell, Senior Case Support Associate (Massachusetts) Read More

Jessie Beecher-Bell was trained as a volunteer Child Advocate in 2015 and worked with many children in shelters prior to coming on staff in 2018 as a Child Advocate Supervisor. Jessie managed resident services coordinators and case managers in low-income housing for 20 years as leader of a company contracting with public housing authorities and real estate developers nationwide. Prior to that, Jessie worked as a journalist and news director for various media outlets in the Northeast US and in Latin America.

Shaina Simenas, Co-Director (New York) Read More

Shaina Simenas is a Co-Director for the Young Center’s Technical Assistance Program. Shaina has been a staff member with the Young Center since 2016 and prior to joining the Technical Assistance Program, Shaina served as the Managing Social Worker for the New York office. Through her work with the Young Center’s Child Advocate program, Shaina has extensive experience advocating for the best interests of vulnerable unaccompanied immigrant children in federal custody on issues of care, custody, reunification, safe repatriation, and legal relief. She holds master’s degrees in Public Health and Social Work from New York University. While at New York University she worked with middle and high school students in the Bronx, facilitating individual and group counseling for those at risk of dropping out. She received her undergraduate degree from American University in Health Promotion with a minor in Spanish. She first joined the Young Center as a volunteer Child Advocate in 2015.

Kelly Albinak Kribs, Co-Director (Chicago) Read More

Kelly Albinak Kribs is a Co-Director for the Young Center’s Technical Assistance Program. Kelly first joined the Young Center in 2016 and most recently served as the Managing Attorney of the Child Advocate Program team in the Chicago office. In her work with the Child Advocate Program, Kelly drew upon principles of child welfare, international, and immigration law in order to evaluate and execute best interests advocacy on behalf of unaccompanied and separated immigrant children on matters of their care, custody, reunification, safe repatriation, and legal relief. She has collaborated closely with social worker colleagues to help develop an interdisciplinary approach to assessing best interests as well as best practices for child-centered, developmentally appropriate, and trauma-informed engagement with immigrant children. Prior to joining the Young Center, she worked in private practice and clerked for a federal district court judge. She received her law degree from the University of Chicago Law School and her undergraduate degree in communications from Northwestern University. Prior to attending law school, Kelly worked at a research center on Latin American issues and taught English in Nicaragua. She began serving as a volunteer child advocate with the Young Center in 2008.

Fahima Ahmed, Technical Assistance Program Coordinator (New York) Read More

Fahima Ahmed is the Program Coordinator for the Young Center’s Technical Assistance Program. She is a nonprofit professional who has collaborated with diverse stakeholders on operational, programmatic, and development initiatives at local and national organizations. Prior to joining the Young Center, Fahima worked with Volunteers of Legal Service (VOLS); she began her tenure as the Operations Manager and later transitioned to Grants Data Manager. Prior to VOLS, Fahima worked with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) - NYC Chapter. She applied her prior private sector work experience to her role as Operations Manager and as an active staff volunteer. Fahima is based out of New York City, where she was born and raised. She actively invests, shares, and benefits from an abundance of non-capital resources across her social and professional communities and networks.

Jennifer Nagda, Chief Programs Officer (Philadelphia) Read More

Jennifer Nagda is the Chief Programs Officer for the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights. For more than a decade, her work at the Young Center has focused on protecting the rights of immigrant children in government custody—in particular, their right to have their best interests considered in every decision. In 2015, Jennifer was appointed by then-DHS Secretary Johnson to the ICE Advisory Committee on Family Residential Centers. From 2012-2015, she staffed the federal Interagency Working Group on Unaccompanied and Separated Children, which published its Framework for Considering the Best Interests of Unaccompanied Children in 2016. Jennifer is a lecturer in law at the University of Pennsylvania Law School’s Interdisciplinary Child Advocacy Clinic and previously taught at the University of Chicago Law School. Before joining the Young Center, Jennifer was an attorney at the Midwest Regional Office of MALDEF, where she litigated immigration, education and employment discrimination cases. She clerked for the Honorable James B. Zagel of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Prior to law school, Jennifer was the Associate Director of what is now the CityBridge Foundation in Washington DC. Jennifer received her J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School and her undergraduate degree from Duke University.

Mary Miller Flowers, Director of Policy & Legislative Affairs (DC) Read More

Mary Miller Flowers is the Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs for the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights. Prior to joining the Young Center, Mary was the associate director for justice at the Open Society Foundations’ Human Rights Initiative where she managed a global grant giving program on criminal justice reform, supporting civil society activists to uphold the rights of vulnerable criminal defendants. She was previously based in Liberia, West Africa with the Carter Center, working to improve access to justice. Mary received a master’s in international affairs from Columbia University and a master’s in divinity from Candler School of Theology at Emory University.

Jane Liu, Director of Policy & Litigation (Chicago) Read More

Jane Liu is the Director of Policy and Litigation with the Young Center. For over 15 years, Jane has engaged in litigation and legal and policy advocacy to advance the rights and justice for immigrant communities and communities of color. Prior to joining the Young Center, Jane was the Legal Director at the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum, where she led legal advocacy and litigation strategies to advance the rights of Asian American and Pacific Islander women and girls. Previously, Jane was a partner at Terris, Pravlik & Millian, a public interest law firm in Washington, DC, where she litigated public interest and civil rights cases, primarily federal class actions focused on health care access and special education. She began her career as a public defender in Boston. Jane received her J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and her undergraduate degree from Princeton University.

Abena Hutchful, Policy & Litigation Attorney (New York) Read More

Abena Hutchful is the Policy & Litigation Attorney in the Young Center New York Office. Previously, Abena led the Youth Free Expression Program for the National Coalition Against Censorship. She has also worked as a humanitarian law extern for the UN OCHA in Sudan, where she supported the Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism Task Force for Grave Violations Against Children. Prior to law school, she worked with UNHCR and Youth Action International to advocate for stronger social and legal protections for displaced youth in Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Abena holds a JD and LLM in International Human Rights from Northwestern University School of Law and is admitted to practice in Washington, D.C.

Erika Andiola, Director of Communications (Phoenix ) Read More

Erika Andiola is the Communications Director for the Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights. Before that, she served as the Chief Advocacy Officer for RAICES and is the former Press Secretary for Latino Outreach for the Bernie Sanders 2016 Campaign. She started her community organizing experience when she co-founded the Arizona Dream Act Coalition. She then served in the National Coordinating Committee and the Board of Directors for the United We Dream Network. Her personal struggle as an immigrant herself has given her the drive and the passion to keep fighting for immigrant and human rights.

Alex McAnarney, Digital Media and Culture Manager (DC) Read More

Alex McAnarney is the Digital Media and Culture Manager for the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights. She has extensive experience working on human rights, social justice and migrant rights communication and advocacy strategies. Prior to joining the Young Center, Alex worked at the Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL) as Director of Communications where she developed and implemented online and press strategies and campaigns to advocate on behalf of victims of serious human rights violations across the Americas. Her work has been published in El País, El Faro and Al Jazeera, among other outlets. Alex worked at the Hispanic Liasion of Chatham County as Resource Development Coordinator, as a writer for the Center for International Policy's Americas Program, and at the Florida Immigrant Coalition where she coordinated a successful communications campaign against anti-immigrant laws. She received her M.A. in Latin American Studies from the University of Chicago, where her thesis focused on the right to healthcare for Central American migrants in Southern Mexico, and her BSc in Journalism and B.A. in Literature from Florida International University.

Anne Kelsey, Senior Policy Analyst, Disability Rights (DC) Read More

Anne Kelsey (she/her) is a Senior Policy Analyst for Disability Rights at the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights. Anne has worked on disability and health rights issues for more than a decade. She has previously held positions at the Center for HIV Law and Policy; Disability Rights New York (New York’s Protection and Advocacy organization); the Community Service Society of New York; and at Disability Rights Advocates. Anne received her J.D. from the Fordham University School of Law and her undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia.

Mina Dixon Davis, Policy Analyst (DC) Read More

Mina Dixon Davis is a Policy Analyst at the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights. Prior to joining the Young Center, Mina was at the Children’s Defense Fund, where she focused on pursuing justice for children at the intersections of child poverty, child welfare, and immigration policy. Mina comes to the Young Center with a background in journalism and law, and she grounds her work in listening, storytelling, and building a case to improve the odds for children. Mina received her J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and her undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Elizabeth Witmer, Policy Coordinator (Harlingen) Read More

Elizabeth Witmer is the Policy Program Coordinator based out of the Young Center Harlingen Office. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Work from Eastern Mennonite University (EMU) and is currently completing her Master of Social Work degree from UTRGV with concentrations in community practice and administration. Prior to her current role, Elizabeth worked as a Case Support Associate in the Young Center’s Child Advocate Program and as the Office Coordinator for EMU’s Intensive English Program, where she worked with adult immigrants, refugees, and international students. During her undergraduate studies, she completed her social work practicum with American Friends Service Committee in Guatemala City, where she completed research on the repatriation process for unaccompanied migrant children in Guatemala. Elizabeth spent a significant portion of her childhood living in Alta Verapaz, Guatemala.

Alexis Bay, Legal Fellow, Health Justice (Harlingen) Read More

Alexis Bay is the Health Justice Legal Fellow in the Young Center Harlingen Office. Having spent several years as a grassroots organizer in deep South Texas, Alexis worked at the cross-section of immigrant, LGBTQ+, and reproductive justice issues on the South Texas border. Alexis graduated cum laude from the University of Miami School of Law. They received a Justice Catalyst Fellowship at the Texas Civil Rights Project, where they fought border militarization and advocated for dignified and humane immigration policies at the federal and state level. Alexis participated in the University of Miami School of Law’s Immigration and Human Rights Clinics and was selected to be a Miami Law HOPE Summer Fellow at the Texas Civil Rights Project in Alamo, Texas assisting parents separated from their children under the zero-tolerance policy in 2018. Alexis was selected again for the HOPE Summer Fellowship in 2019 at the American Bar Association Commission on Immigration in Washington, D.C. Alexis received the Miami Law HOPE Exemplary Service to the Poor Award for their work in the Human Rights Clinic in 2019. They have a bachelor’s in political science from the University of Texas Pan-American.

Dani Doucette, Chief Operating Officer (New York) Read More

Dani Doucette (pronouns e/em/eir) is the Chief Operating Officer of the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights, where e supports the entire team to maintain efficient systems and a compassionate work environment. Dani previously served as CFO/COO for the Rainforest Alliance, EngenderHealth, and the Hetrick-Martin Institute, where e also served as Interim CEO. E has sat on the boards of Big Apple Performing Arts (chair), American Cancer Society-Brooklyn (chair), El Centro de Conocimiento Compartido, DanceNYC (treasurer), and Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island (treasurer). As a volunteer, Dani taught English to newly arrived immigrants with Ayuda in Washington, DC, facilitated suicide awareness workshops for youth with the Trevor Project, and mentored an unaccompanied minor with Dorcas International. For four years Dani owned and operated BraveShift, a leadership and culture change practice, and currently e produces and hosts two podcasts, “The Workplace Healer,” and “A Healing Being.” A healing artist, Dani recently founded Healeology, a resource teaching modern meditation practices. Dani holds masters degrees in both international development and organizational development, as well as a professional certification in leadership and life coaching.

Amy Jo Albinak, Interim Philanthropy Director (Chicago) Read More

AJ Albinak joined the Young Center in 2018, the day after a federal judge ordered the government to reunite separated immigrant children with their families. Since then, she has built a Philanthropy team that has expanded the Young Center’s foundation support, established new major gifts programs, and executed the $1 million Waymaker Campaign matching challenge with Young Center lead supporters Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds. She is also a volunteer Child Advocate, having worked with a West African teen in federal custody. AJ is a multi-genre author of more than a dozen novels and co-publisher of a series of social justice-focused anthologies featuring short stories by New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors. She has been active in fundraising for Chicago elementary schools, work-to-play sports programs for children, and LGBTQ youth shelters for twenty years. Her background includes a decade in HR management and extensive experience in social media platform building.

Lorena Gonzalez, Director of Institutional Giving (Chicago) Read More

Lorena Gonzalez is the Director of Institutional Giving for the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights, where she manages grants and cultivates relationships with funders. She comes from a public health and development background working predominantly on humanitarian aid, gender equity and human rights program development and grant writing. Lorena has 14 years’ ‘experience in developing organizational programs, securing funding, designing projects and supporting monitoring and evaluation systems to ensure accountability to target populations. Previously, Lorena worked with the National Foundation for Development and Humanitarian Response based in Yemen as the Programs’ Advisor and Development Specialist, and has had the honor of working with a multitude of organizations internationally, located in Northern Ireland, the Netherlands, Egypt, India, and Burkina Faso. She has an MPH from the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam and served for 3 years in Burkina Faso as a Peace Corps Volunteer.

Geoff Wood, Director of Human Resources & Operations (New York)  Read More

Geoff Wood is the Director of Human Resources & Operations with the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights. From 2016 to 2019 Geoff served as the National Volunteer Program Coordinator and prior to that he was the Volunteer Coordinator for the New York office and also managed the volunteer program in Chicago. Geoff first began working with immigrants through a volunteer program that matched undergraduate students with recently arrived refugee families in Colorado Springs, Colorado. After graduating, Geoff worked as an employment specialist for Lutheran Family Services of the Rocky Mountains Refugee and Asylee Programs where he prepared refugees, asylees, and victims of human trafficking to enter the workforce. Following his work with Lutheran Family Services, he taught English in Argentina and later volunteered with the Center for the Integration and Advancement of New Americans in Queens, New York. Geoff holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Colorado College where he majored in International Political Economy and a Master’s in Public Administration- Public and Nonprofit Management from NYU's Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.

Constance Moustakas, Sr. Philanthropy Officer (New York) Read More

Constance Moustakas is the Senior Philanthropy Officer for the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights, where she executes strategies to cultivate and steward donors in support of the mission. Previously, Constance was the Vice President of Development for the Mental Health Association of Westchester and has over 15 years’ experience working in philanthropy. She has served on numerous non-profit boards and is currently a board member of CASA New York State. Constance has an MBA in Finance from Pace University and a BS from Fordham University.

Noriana Hermes, Executive Office Manager Read More

Noriana Hermes is the Executive Office Manager. She joined the Young Center in November of 2020. Prior to joining the Young Center, Noriana was a Managing Attorney at the Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project (FIRRP) in Phoenix, Arizona. At FIRRP, Noriana represented detained and released children before the Phoenix Immigration Court and Maricopa County Juvenile Court. Noriana also ran the CUNY Citizenship Now! Clinic in Arizona where she provided free legal services to Legal Permanent Residents eligible to apply for U.S. Citizenship. Noriana obtained her Juris Doctor from the University of Puerto Rico-School of Law and she has BSBA in Operations Management from the University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez Campus.

Izadora Rabelo, Financial Analyst (Chicago) Read More

Izadora Rabelo is the Financial Analyst for the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights, supporting the Finance Team and serving as liason between the Finance and Fundraising departments. She is originally from Brazil and grew up in Orlando, Florida where she completed a BA in International Affairs at Rollins College. She would, soon, like to start her own non-profit of wrap-around services for refugees.

Paulette Jones, Sr. Accounting Manager (Chicago) Read More

Paulette Jones is the Accountant for the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights. Previously, she worked at various Chicago area non-profit organizations as Manager of Accounting. Paulette comes to us with over 15 years of experience working in the non-profit arena and holds a Masters in Non-Profit Business Administration (MNPA) from North Park University. She is currently in the process of obtaining her CPA license and is owner of her own Bookkeeping and Income Tax Business.

Maritsa Leyva Martinez, Payroll & Benefits Manager (Harlingen) Read More

Maritsa Leyva Martinez is the Payroll and Benefits Manager at the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights. She holds an MFA in Fiction from Arizona State University and is a SHRM Certified Professional. From 2019 to 2021 she served as the Volunteer Coordinator for the Harlingen, TX office and prior to that she was a Volunteer Child Advocate for the Phoenix, AZ office. She comes from a background in education with 10 years of experience teaching English Literature, English as a second language, and creative writing, nationally and internationally.

Liz Farias, Talent & Culture Manager (Los Angeles) Read More

Elizabeth Farias, ACSW, is the Talent & Culture Manager and is based in the Los Angeles office. Formerly Elizabeth served as a bilingual social worker for the Young Center also for our San Antonio office. Prior to joining the Young Center, Elizabeth worked as a Program Manager at Bronx Community Solutions and the Brownsville Community Justice Center with the Center for Court Innovation in New York City. Elizabeth provided supervision and clinical expertise to a multidisciplinary team while overseeing diversion programs in the criminal court setting. Elizabeth holds a master’s degree in Social Work from the Silver School of Social Work at New York University with a concentration in micro and macro work. During her graduate career, she interned at the Family Justice Center in the Bronx where she worked with immigrant survivors of domestic violence working with attorneys to receive their U-Visa. As a daughter of immigrants, Elizabeth has found a passion to work with families with similar backgrounds and advocate for their rights. Elizabeth’s practice revolves around holistic, restorative and trauma informed care.

Erika Salgado, Talent & Culture Coordinator (San Antonio) Read More

Erika Salgado is the Talent & Culture Coordinator at the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights. Erika was born and raised in Houston, Texas. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management with a concentration in Human Resources from Texas A&M-San Antonio and is a SHRM Certified Professional. As a first generation Mexican-American, Erika is very passionate of helping her community and knows the importance of giving back, formerly Erika served as a child advocate volunteer for the Young Center for our San Antonio office. She enjoys spending quality time with her loved ones and cat.

Jes Olvera, Grants Writer (Chicago) Read More

Jes Olvera is the Grants Writer for the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights. For the past nine years, Jes has lived in Milwaukee where she worked with various non-profits from Boys & Girls Clubs to Sojourner Family Peace Center. During her time at Sojourner, she worked as a Domestic Violence Survivor Advocate where she assisted survivors in petitioning for restraining orders, provided emotional support during court hearings and co-facilitated a multi-week curriculum for women and children that provided education in coping skills, conflict resolution and rebuilding trust. At Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee, Jes worked alongside the Development department where she provided global support to the team, coordinated gift in-kind donation acceptance and delivery to the Clubs’ 44 site locations. Additionally, during her time in Milwaukee, she served in the AmeriCorps program Public Allies which aims to create a just and equitable society and the diverse leadership to sustain it.

Antonio Campagna, Development Associate (Chicago) Read More

Antonio Campagna is the Development Associate at the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights. Born and raised in the Chicagoland area, Antonio attended Northwestern University where he majored in Sociology. Antonio has worked with a variety of organizations supporting the welfare of young people and is excited to further the Young Center’s work serving immigrant children.

Raia Stoicheva, Managing Attorney Read More

Raia Stoicheva is The Managing Attorney with the Young Center based in Chicago. She served as a Staff Attorney and Child Advocate Supervisor in the Chicago office for three years prior to her transition. Before joining the Young Center, she was a staff attorney and clinical instructor at the DePaul College of Law Asylum and Immigration Law Clinic. There she helped community-based organizations to provide legal representation to immigrants and taught a clinical course on immigration law. She graduated with honors from the Northwestern University Pritzker College of Law where she participated in the asylum law and the international human rights law clinics. Raia has served as a Child Advocate with the Young Center. She is originally from Bulgaria.

Alli Gattari, Volunteer Coordinator Read More

Alli Gattari is the Volunteer Coordinator for the Young Center’s Chicago office. Prior to joining the Young Center, she was a legal assistant with the National Immigrant Justice Center’s Immigrant Children’s Protection Project. Alli’s work focused on providing legal services for unaccompanied and separated immigrant children in the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). Previously, she was a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Chiapas, Mexico and worked at a migrant shelter with asylum seekers. After graduation, Alli was a bilingual teaching assistant for the Urbana School District in Urbana, Illinois and worked as a community organizer for Champaign-Urbana Immigration Form.

Dane Olsen, Staff Attorney Read More

Dane Olsen is a Staff Attorney in the Young Center’s Chicago office. Prior to joining the Young Center, Dane clerked for a federal district judge and worked in private practice. He graduated with honors from the University of Chicago Law School, where he served as president of the Immigration Law Society and participated in the Young Center Clinic. While in law school, Dane traveled to Laredo, Texas, and Dilley, Texas, to provide legal aid to recently arrived immigrants in detention. Before law school, Dane earned undergraduate degrees in Philosophy and Spanish Studies from Brigham Young University.

Tatiana Alonso, Staff Attorney Read More

Tatiana Alonso is a Staff Attorney at the Young Center’s Chicago office. Prior to joining the Young Center, Tatiana worked as an Associate Attorney practicing family-based immigration law, and family law. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in Political Science and Latino/a Studies. Tatiana graduated from Chicago-Kent College of Law with her J.D. and a certificate in Public Interest Law and is admitted to practice law in Illinois. While in law school, Tatiana worked full time as a legal assistant and was a member of the Immigration Law Society (ILS). As a member of ILS, Tatiana volunteered with the CARA Pro Bono Project at the South Texas Family Residential Center and worked directly with detained women and children seeking asylum. Tatiana is fluent in Spanish and proud daughter of Mexican immigrants.

Inés Lagos, Case Support Associate Read More

Inés Lagos is a Case Support Associate at the Young Center’s Chicago office. Prior to coming on staff, she became a volunteer Child Advocate in 2019. Advocating for each child inspired her to make a transition from nearly 20 years in Adult Education as a volunteer, teacher, and administrator across Chicago community-based organizations and community colleges. Her family roots spring from Argentina. In her free time, she enjoys being outside in nature, dancing to and playing Brazilian music, and spending time with loved ones.

Kimberly Vazquez, Social Worker Read More

Kimberly Vazquez, LMSW, is a social worker at the Young Center Chicago office. They received their Bachelors of Social Work and Masters of Social Work from Loyola University Chicago. In their MSW, they specialized in Clinical Work with Children and Families and sub-specialized in Migration Studies. Professionally, they have worked primarily with children from immigrant communities. They provided case management to Latinx high school students from underserved neighborhoods on Chicago’s North Side. They interned at, and then joined, a legal service provider that served unaccompanied immigrant children in Phoenix, Arizona providing trauma-informed case management, accompaniment, and advocacy surrounding housing, access to public services, and education. As a child of immigrants, they are passionate about serving the immigrant community.

Deisy Lee, Managing Attorney Read More

Deisy Lee is the Managing Attorney for the Young Center’s Houston office. Prior to joining the Young Center, Deisy worked as an Associate Attorney practicing Social Security Disability law, namely Title II and Title XVI of the Social Security Act, where she worked with children and adults with physical and mental disabilities. Deisy also worked for the Scanlan Foundation, a non-profit organization in Houston, where she worked alongside the Board of Trustees, including Daniel Cardinal DiNardo of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. Deisy is a proud first-gen who is committed to being an effective agent of change for the vulnerable and underserved in the legal system. Deisy graduated Cum Laude from the University of Houston with a B.A. in Psychology and a Minor in Human Development and Family Studies, and received her J.D. from Thurgood Marshall School of Law. She is also a Certified Mediator in the State of Texas.

Valeria Olmedo, Managing Social Worker Read More

Valeria Olmedo is a bilingual Licensed Master Social Worker who joined the Houston office in 2019 as the first Social Worker on the team, and transitioned into the Managing Social Worker in 2022 . Prior to joining the Young Center, Valeria worked as a mental health clinician at a Houston shelter for unaccompanied minors ages 5-17. She provided mental health services including individual therapy and crisis intervention as well as focusing on assessing for trauma, abuse, neglect and trafficking. Valeria completed a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from the University of Houston-Downtown and continued her studies to obtain a Master’s degree in Social Work at the University of Houston with a concentration in Clinical work specializing with Latino populations. While completing her graduate degree, Valeria served as a volunteer child advocate with the Young Center. Her experience includes working with Latino adults and adolescents with trauma history, parenting and case management for immigrant and low income families. Valeria utilizes a trauma-informed lens in her work with Latino families and immigrant youth and is passionate and committed to her professional development working with the Latino immigrant population.

Amanda Del Castillo, Volunteer Coordinator Read More

Amanda Del Castillo is the Volunteer Coordinator for the Houston office. She is a native Houstonian and has an extensive history working and volunteering with grassroots organizations and non-English speaking communities. Amanda seeks to mobilize and empower migrant and LGBTQ communities by developing their leadership and organizing skills. A first generation Mexican-American, Amanda loves to meet new people and cats.

Bree Hurt, Staff Attorney Read More

Bree Hurt is a Staff Attorney at the Young Center’s Houston office. Bree graduated summa cum laude with her Bachelor’s degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice with minors in Psychology and Spanish from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. She joined the Young Center after receiving her Juris Doctor with a certificate in Litigation from the University of Nebraska College of Law. Throughout Bree’s time in law school, she worked as a juvenile law clerk with Legal Aid of Nebraska, served as a certified mediator in Nebraska, and worked as a research assistant with the Nebraska Judicial Branch. Additionally, she spent her last year of law school serving as a Senior Certified Guardian Ad Litem representing children’s best interests in Nebraska’s juvenile courts through the University of Nebraska College of Law Children’s Justice Clinic. It was through these experiences that she realized her passion for working with and supporting children and families through some of their most challenging experiences.

Jennefer Esquivel, Staff Child Advocate Read More

Jennefer Esquivel is a Staff Child Advocate for the Houston office. Prior to joining the Young Center, she worked as a Law Clerk for a complex civil litigation and appellate law firm. She graduated from the University of Houston with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and earned her J.D. from Thurgood Marshall School of Law. While pursuing her J.D., Jennefer was a member of the Institute for International and Immigration Law organization in which she volunteered in immigration workshops for asylum, citizenship, and unaccompanied children. Jennefer is the daughter of immigrant parents who escaped the Civil War in El Salvador and as such recognizes the need to advocate for those who do not have a voice. Jennefer is fluent in both Spanish and English.”

Gracie Cuevas, Social Worker Read More

Gracie Cuevas is a Social Worker for the Young Center’s Houston office. Gracie attended the Graduate College of Social Work at the University of Houston and is now a Licensed Master of Social Work, pursuing her clinical license. Prior to joining the Young Center, Gracie worked as a clinician at a shelter for unaccompanied minors; where she provided mental health services, such as individual therapy and crisis intervention. Gracie has an extensive history of working with children and adolescents across their lifespan, having previously been a counselor at a Houston high school, and a mental health therapist at a children’s center. Gracie’s social work practice initially began at the Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD where she served as care coordinator for Harris County’s vulnerable population. At the policy level, Gracie worked as a legislative intern during the 86th Legislative Session for the Texas House of Representatives, where she collaborated with the National Association of Social Work Texas to fight for adding social work language into Texas law. Gracie now has the privilege of merging her professional experience, the populations she’s passionate about helping, and her values of justice and equity in her role with the Young Center. As a child of immigrant parents, Gracie strives to contribute toward protecting and advancing the rights and best interests of immigrant children.

Jennifer Rodriguez Velez, Social Worker Read More

Jennifer Rodriguez Velez is a bilingual Licensed Master Social Worker who joined the Houston office in October 2023. Jennifer completed her bachelor’s degree in Sociology at the University of Puerto Rico – Mayaguez. While doing her bachelor’s degree, she volunteered to help and provide resources to women who were going through domestic violence and doing so, along with personal experiences from her childhood, inspired her to obtain a master’s degree in clinical social work from the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico. During her career, Jennifer has worked with diverse populations in different scenarios such as domestic violence, rape crisis center, mental health treatment specialized in psychosis, and hospice. Prior to joining the Houston office, Jennifer worked in ORR shelters as a Clinician for over five years. For her, it has been very rewarding to help children achieve their goals while providing psychoeducation on different topics for them to be aware of how they can advocate for their rights and well-being. Jennifer has always enjoyed being around children, teaching them about safety and well-being, and is passionate about helping others. While working as a Clinician, she learned about the challenges that unaccompanied children face day by day; wanting to be a voice to advocate for the well-being and best interest of these children is what takes her to her role as a Social Worker for the Young Center.

Paulina Castañeda, Case Support Associate Read More

Paulina Castaneda is one of Houston’s newest CSAs. She was born in Mexico and lived there for 8 years before moving to the U.S. She graduated with a B.A. in Global Latinx Studies and Sociology from Trinity University in San Antonio, TX. She has been passionate about working with children since she was in high school and began working with unaccompanied minors as a volunteer at a shelter in San Antonio. Before this role, Paulina was a Case Manager at a local Houston shelter. She is excited to continue working with these children as a Child Advocate for The Young Center.

Lorraine Cruz Castillo, Case Support Associate Read More

Lorraine Cruz Castillo is currently serving as a Case Support Associate for the Houston office. Prior to joining the Young Center, Lorraine worked in multiple roles providing support services for victims of childhood trauma and therapy for neurodivergent children. Originally from Dallas, Texas, Lorraine graduated from Texas A&M University in College Station, TX with a B.A. in Sociology before relocating to Houston, TX. Currently, she is pursuing her Master of Social Work with a focus on direct practice with children and families in a hope to further expand the scope of her work and experience. Lorraine has gained an extensive background working with Latino and low-income populations through her experience at multiple Child Advocacy Centers and internships. She is bilingual, client-driven, and passionate about advocating for vulnerable and underserved communities.

Vanessa Vallejos , Volunteer Coordinator Read More

Vanessa, originally from Chile, serves as the Volunteer Coordinator in the Houston office, where her extensive background in youth education, leadership, and community engagement converges with her passion for revealing the hidden potential in everyone. With a Master's in Youth Education and Leadership, she brings much experience from her global volunteer work, particularly in teaching and aiding diverse communities. Fluent in English and Spanish, Vanessa is adept at building bridges across cultures and fostering an inclusive environment for volunteers from various backgrounds. She believes in the transformative power of volunteerism to serve the community and enable personal growth and discovery. In her role at The Young Center, Vanessa is dedicated to cultivating a dynamic community of volunteers, aligning their unique talents with meaningful opportunities. Her love for justice, jazz, and comedy mirrors her approach to life and work – finding meaning, joy, and creativity in every experience and encouraging others to do the same.

Pamela Duran, Managing Attorney Read More

Pamela Duran is the Managing Attorney for the Young Center’s Washington, D.C. office. Prior to joining the Young Center, Pamela worked as a Public Defender at the Maryland Office of the Public Defender in Montgomery County, where she represented clients in a range of criminal matters. While earning her law degree from the American University Washington College of Law, Pamela interned for the Legal Aid Justice Center and served as a student attorney for the Immigrant Justice Clinic. Before law school, Pamela worked as a social development consultant for the World Bank, where she focused on violence prevention in Latin America and the Caribbean. Pamela holds a master’s degree from the George Washington University in Political Management, where she focused on Advocacy Politics, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Richmond. Pamela is originally from Guayaquil, Ecuador and since coming to the United States for college, Pamela has been passionate about assisting the immigrant population in both her work and personal life. She is a native Spanish speaker and is admitted to practice law in Maryland and Washington, D.C.

Tami Benchoam Rogers, Senior Social Worker Read More

Tami Benchoam Rogers, LMSW is a senior social worker for the Washington, DC office. Previously, Tami worked at a local non-profit in DC conducting home visits and parent groups with families who have young children. Tami obtained her Master’s degree from Tulane University School of Social Work with a certificate in Global Social Work. During her degree training, Tami interned in Pretoria, South Africa working on a research project to highlight the difficulties experienced by refugees and asylum seekers; and in the United States she worked as a case manager for victims of trafficking. Tami’s passion for social justice and working with the immigrant population comes from her mother, who came to the United States as a refugee.

Dorothy Neher, Volunteer Coordinator Read More

Dorothy Neher is the Volunteer Coordinator for the Young Center’s DC office. Dorothy graduated magna cum laude from Tufts University with a degree in International Relations and Spanish, focusing on Latin America. During college, she volunteered on a refugee camp in Greece and interned at a court service center in Boston, assisting pro-se litigants with civil cases. After graduating, Dorothy worked in New Mexico, helping survivors of domestic violence secure citizenship and at Disability Rights DC, conducting intakes for individuals with disabilities in need of protection and advocacy.

Alejandra Miss Ozuna, Staff Attorney Read More

Alejandra Miss Ozuna is a Staff Attorney with the Young Center’s Washington, D.C. office. Alejandra joined the Young Center immediately after graduating from the George Washington University Law School where she focused in Human Rights and International Law. Alongside her coursework, she completed a Clerkship under the Honorable Judge Laura A. Cordero at the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, she helped represent domestic violence victims under GW’s Domestic Violence Clinic, and was Editor of the GW Latinx Brief. Alejandra is an immigrant herself that came to the United States at the age of 12 in 2010 with her younger sister and mother. Facing de jure discrimination in Arizona and a complete language barrier, she internalized a passion for human rights which motivated her to go to pursue higher education. Alejandra graduated Summa Cum Laude from Barrett, the Honors College of Arizona State University, where she received a B.A. in Political Sciences and Psychology.

Fryda Cortes, Case Support Associate Read More

Fryda Cortes is a Case Support Associate for the Young Center’s Washington, D.C. office. She graduated from The George Washington University with a B.A. in Political Science and a minor in Sociology. While as an undergraduate student, Fryda engaged in research studying the relationship between democracy and race relations in the United States. She also previously served as a public policy intern for the Hispanic Federation. She was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia to Mexican Immigrants, which has led her to be involved in community and grassroots organizing for the rights of marginalized communities.

Rebecca Rittenhouse, Managing Staff Attorney Read More

Rebecca Rittenhouse is the Managing Attorney for the Young Center’s New York office. From 2018-2021, Rebecca was a Staff Attorney with the Young Center’s New York office. Prior to joining the Young Center, Rebecca worked at ECPAT International in Bangkok, Thailand as a Legal Research Officer, researching and reporting on issues related to child sexual exploitation and child trafficking. Rebecca has worked as a legal intern at the Human Rights Foundation in New York City, as well as the Special Tribunal for Lebanon in The Hague. She also served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nicaragua from 2004-2006. Rebecca holds a LLM in International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law from the University of Essex in England, a JD from New England Law/Boston and a BA in International Studies from Allegheny College. She is admitted to practice law in New York.

Juliana Pinto McKeen, Social Worker Read More

Juliana Pinto McKeen, LMSW, is a social worker in the New York office. She holds a Master of Science in Social Work from Columbia University, and a BA in psychology with a minor in African American, Puerto Rican, and Latino Studies from Hunter College. She is published in the Columbia Social Work Review’s 2021 edition.
Juliana was the co-founder and director of an early childhood program in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. The program was open for six years before closing in July of 2020. She interned at the Legal Aid Society’s New York Immigrant Family Unity Project, serving the detained docket at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. After completing her graduate studies, Juliana worked at Closing the Women’s Wealth Gap as the Policy and Program Manager, working on the Build Back Better campaign in the summer and early fall of 2021. She is a licensed clinician, specializing in working with clients processing the immigrant experience in the United States. Her passion for serving the immigrant community comes from her own experience, Juliana is a previously undocumented immigrant from Colombia.

Sarah Caspari, Social Worker Read More

Sarah Caspari, LMSW is a social worker in the Young Center’s New York office. Sarah previously worked providing evidence-based trauma treatment to children and adults as a clinician for the Trager Lemp Center for Treating Trauma and Promoting Resilience at Westchester Jewish Community Services. Sarah was first introduced to the unaccompanied child population in 2016 as an intern for Kids In Need of Defense, then spent five years as a case manager for the ORR program at the Children’s Village. Her commitment to human rights work began when she traveled to La Plata, Argentina as an undergraduate in 2013 to participate in a human rights education program with the Comisión Provincial por la Memoria and complete an oral history project focused on the memory of the country’s last dictatorship. She earned her Master of Social Work degree from NYU and her bachelor’s in Global Studies from the College of William and Mary.

Rommie Cardenas, Volunteer Coordinator Read More

Rommie Cardenas is the Volunteer Coordinator for the Young Center’s New York City office. Rommie’s prior experience includes community organizing in Newark, NJ, where she developed programs and resources to meet the needs of local neighborhoods. She was also a Peace Corps Volunteer in Cambodia from 2018 to 2020 where she taught English to high school students and learned the Khmer language and culture. While completing her undergraduate degree, Rommie worked as a communications intern at the International Women’s Health Coalition. Additionally, she joined the Institute of International Education as an outreach and recruitment intern. She was also an intern at the International Rescue Committee, where she supported families with the application process for the Central American Minors Refugee Program. Rommie graduated in 2018 with a B.A. in Political Science and a minor in French from William Paterson University.

Pallavi Pandey, Case Support Associate Read More

Pallavi Pandey is a Case Support Associate for the Young Center's New York office. She graduated from Northwestern with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Science in Human Culture. Following graduation, Pallavi worked as a consultant at Accenture on projects in Healthcare and Public Services. She has been engaged in advocacy work that combats the harms of carceral systems. Pallavi first joined the Young Center in 2021 as a volunteer Child Advocate and was moved by the work to continue advocating for and advancing the best interests of children.

Victoria Dicktiar Canales, Staff Child Advocate Read More

Victoria is a Staff Child Advocate for the Young Center's New York office. Victoria is originally from Mexico City where she obtained her law degree from Universidad Iberoamericana. She recently moved to New York and received her Master of Laws in International Legal Studies from New York University (NYU) where she focused her studies on Human Rights. She also worked at NYU's Global Justice Clinic for the advancement of indigenous peoples' rights. Prior to joining the Young Center, Victoria worked 8 years in corporate and capital markets law and previously on criminal, civil, and family litigation. Also, she has a background working for the advancement of women's rights, including her work at the Human Rights Department at Mexico’s Foreign Relations Ministry. She is passionate about children's rights and therefore has aided and collaborated with several non-profit and assistance children's organizations including among others, Colonias de Vacaciones, I.A.P., Make a Wish Foundation and Maya's Hope Foundation.

Daniel Burkowsky, Case Support Associate Read More

Daniel Burkowsky is a Case Support Associate for the Young Center’s New York office. He studied anthropology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and then moved to Cartagena, Colombia to teach English and study a masters. He completed his master’s at the University of Cartagena in Social Conflict and Peacebuilding, conducting research on sociocultural conflicts that arise from the educational policy and programs designed for immigrant children in the U.S. school system. After graduating, he taught anthropology in Cartagena and advised students on designing research projects that addressed social issues in their communities. Daniel joined the Young Center in 2023 because of his desire to positively impact the lives of immigrant children in the United States.

Fernanda Canessa, Staff Attorney Read More

Fernanda Canessa is the Staff Attorney for the New York Office. Prior to joining the Young Center, she worked as a matrimonial Law Clerk for the Honorable Jodi L. Rosenberg in the Essex Vicinage, New Jersey. Fernanda holds a BA in Political Science and International Studies from Macalester College, an MA in International Relations from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, and a JD from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. Fernanda’s passion for children’s rights began at a young age, and she is excited to help advance the rights of children within the federal immigration system.

Élaine Simon, Staff Attorney Read More

Élaine Simon (she/her), JD, is a Staff Child Advocate for the Young Center's New York office, located on the ancestral land of the Lenape. Élaine is originally from the unceded and unsurrendered land of the Algonquin Anishnaabe, now known as Ottawa, Canada. Prior to joining the Young Center, she worked for five years as a staff attorney for a community legal services organization, where she assisted newcomers with their applications for immigration status through various humanitarian programs, fought to cancel their deportation orders, and helped reunite families who had been separated during their migration journey to Canada. She holds a BSocSc in Political Science and a JD from the University of Ottawa. After graduating, Élaine completed a clerkship with the Honorable Justice Michael J. Moldaver at the Supreme Court of Canada. Élaine speaks English, French, and Spanish, and she is excited to advocate for the best interests of children.

Veronica Rodriguez, Managing Attorney Read More

Veronica Rodriguez is the Managing attorney at the Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights San Antonio office. Based in San Antonio she is originally from the Rio Grande Valley. After graduating from the University of Richmond School of law she served as an Equal Justice Works fellow along the Texas/Mexico border working to help low income residents obtain legal title to their land and access to basic infrastructure, such as water, electricity, and sewer. She served as the Team Manager for Texas RioGrande Legal Aid’s (TRLA) Colonias and Real Property Team before transferring to the TRLA San Antonio Office. In San Antonio she oversaw a case load of consumer, manufactured housing, and private landlord/tenant cases and helped to create a website and video to inform consumers of their rights with regard to predatory payday loans.

Belinda Teye, Staff Attorney Read More

Belinda Teye is a Staff Attorney in the Young Center’s San Antonio Office. Belinda graduated Magna Cum Laude from the State University of New York at Albany with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and earned her JD from New England Law|Boston. Upon graduation, Belinda worked with a legal services in Cambridge Massachusetts representing Immigrant Victims of crime in family court and before USCIS. Prior to joining the Young Center, Belinda worked as a Staff Attorney in the Family Court Program of Pace University’s Women’s Justice Center where she supervised and trained law students to obtain orders of protection for victims of domestic violence.

Jamilah Tigner, Staff Child Advocate Read More

Jamilah Tigner, MSW joined the San Antonio office following several years of working for nonprofit organizations that provide legal and social services to unaccompanied immigrant children. She earned two degrees in Social Work from University of Texas-Arlington and University of Connecticut. Her career and volunteerism have primarily focused on three areas – support for victims and survivors of sexual violence, immigrant integration efforts and promotion of LGBTQ+ civil rights. Jamilah’s interest in this work ignited during her senior year of high school when she served as a youth mentor and read the book “Hear These Voices: Youth at the Edge of the Millennium”. For nearly two decades, she has provided direct services to clients of all ages, offered peer support to fellow human services professionals, and conducted educational outreach to various constituencies. Her goal has always been consistent: to empower marginalized communities; advocate on their behalf when necessary; and help them access, navigate and sometimes confront complex systems and institutions.

Dulce Segura, Staff Child Advocate Read More

Dulce Segura is the Staff Child Advocate for the Young Center's San Antonio office. Following her graduation from Texas Tech University in 2015, Dulce interned for U.S. Representative Filemon Vela's D.C. office (TX-34) specializing in Education, Homeland Security and Healthcare policy. Following her internship, Dulce simultaneously worked as an investigator for the Children's Law Center's Guardian ad Litem Program, and as a support specialist with the National Sexual Assault Hotline through the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN). While in D.C., Dulce volunteered with various Federal and State organizations advocating for immigrant rights and assisted in developing Lambda Theta Alpha’s annual Lambda Hill Days advocacy program on permanent solutions for DACA and TPS recipients. Currently, Dulce is pursuing her Juris Doctor from St. Mary's University School of Law with a focus on immigration law and continues to volunteer with organizations serving migrants in Tijuana, MX and Matamoros, MX under the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) program.

Alpha Martinez-Suarez, Volunteer Coordinator Read More

Alpha A. Martínez-Suárez is the Volunteer Coordinator for the Young Center’s San Antonio office. She is also a Ph.D. Candidate in the Culture, Literacy, and Language program at UTSA. Alpha has dedicated years to community wellbeing and advocacy work. She is the 2022 Distinguished Mexican of the Year, an honor awarded by the Government of Mexico for community well-being, academic and cultural contributions that elevate the prestige of Mexico abroad. She is also the 2022 University of Texas at San Antonio’s President Distinguished Diversity awardee: a Two-time Academy for Teacher Excellence Presidential Distinguished Scholar, and 2020’s Golden Feather awardee. Martínez-Suárez is the founder of the Focused Library for the Dreamers’ Center at UTSA. She has been a volunteer child advocate since The YC opened its doors in San Antonio, and collaborated for and with refugees, undocumented, and DACAmented students in various capacities. Her areas of research interests include advocacy development in education, immigrants’ children’s educational rights, culturally efficacious teaching, and teaching as a social justice advocate for culturally and linguistically diverse populations in Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) and Minority Serving Institutions (MSI). She holds a B.H. in International Relations from the Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas in México, and an MA in Bicultural and Bilingual Teaching Education, graduated with honors.

Ariana Villarreal, Case Support Associate Read More

Ariana is a first-generation American and graduated from Our Lady of the Lake University in 2020. Ariana has a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a minor in Chemistry and Spanish. Following her graduation Ariana was employed as a Youth Care Worker at an Emergency Intake Site temporarily housing unaccompanied minors in San Antonio. She has also worked as a development specialist with Texas Biomedical Research Institute where she helped create instructional documents and assisted with donor outreach and organizing donor events. And later as a project coordinator at University Health, where she coordinated outreach events and worked to educate the community on general wellness tips and the resources available to them through University Health’s CareLink Program. Ariana is very passionate about giving back to the city where she grew up and hopes to play a part in being an advocate for unaccompanied children in San Antonio.

Estrellita Alvarado, Safe Repatriation Manager Read More

Estrellita is the Safe Repatriation Manager in the Arizona office. Prior to joining the Young Center, Estrellita served as a Clinician providing trauma-informed mental health services for unaccompanied immigrant children. As a clinician, she assessed for abuse and human trafficking, facilitated individual and group counseling, and provided crisis intervention. Estrellita graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, a Bachelor of Science in Family and Human Development and a minor in Communication. She received her Masters of Science in Social Work with a minor in International Social Welfare from Columbia University’s School of Social Work. She has experience working with at-risk youth, undocumented survivors of domestic violence, and immigrant populations in Phoenix, AZ and New York City. Estrellita is passionate and committed to social justice, working with immigrants and their families.

Sibila Quiroz, Social Worker Read More

Sibila Quiroz, LMSW, is part of the social work team for the Young Center’s Phoenix office. She has experience in areas of mental health, human rights advocacy and reunification services for children and families of immigrant backgrounds. After earning her BA from the University of Arizona, she joined AmeriCorps to serve as a youth support advocate in Harlem, NY and Phoenix, AZ. Following her service, she began working in family reunification for unaccompanied immigrant children. In 2017, while attending graduate school, she was introduced to the Young Center where she served as a Child Advocate Volunteer. Most recently, she has worked as a therapist where she has advocated for the inclusion of nature-based interventions, drawing from a child-centered and indigenous knowledge focus. Sibila hopes to continue her commitment in fearlessly advocating and honoring the autonomy of the community she stands alongside.

Jena Gutierrez, Managing Attorney Read More

Jena Gutierrez is the Managing attorney at the Young Center’s Phoenix office. After graduating from the University of Michigan Law School in 2012, her legal work focused primarily on representing unaccompanied children seeking protection through various forms of immigration relief and coordinating pro bono programs. She has worked at the Florence Project, Kids in Need of Defense (KIND), Ascentria’s Immigration Legal Assistance Program, and Community Legal Aid (Worcester, MA).

While attending Michigan Law, she was awarded a Bergstrom Child Welfare Fellowship, served as a Contributing/Associate Editor for the Journal of Law Reform, and worked as a student attorney in the Pediatric Advocacy Clinic. Before attending law school, Jena completed a year of service as a domestic violence advocate through an AmeriCorps program and worked at a small private firm. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science with a minor in Spanish from the University of Michigan.

Roxanne Bedoya, Senior Safe Repatriation Associate Read More

Roxanne Bedoya is the Senior Safe Repatriation Associate for the Young Center. Previously, Roxanne was the Case Support Specialist for the New York office. She graduated from Rutgers University with her Bachelor of Arts. She has spent much time volunteering with children in her community and has spent a significant amount of time working with victims of substance abuse and addiction.

Isobel Conroy, Volunteer Coordinator Read More

Isobel Conroy is the Volunteer Coordinator for the Young Center’s Phoenix office. She received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor in Spanish Language and Culture from Barrett, The Honors College at Arizona State University. During her undergraduate education, she worked as a research assistant for both the Transiciones project, which examined the development of Latinx adolescents throughout their college career, and the Pathways to College Health study, which examined the impacts of various environmental stressors on mental health and substance use and abuse outcomes of Latinx and White/Caucasian students. Isobel is a published author in the Journal of Child Psychiatry and Human Development and was the Wellness Coordinator of the Sun Devil Fitness Complex, where she created and led events for college students and other local organizations centered around mental health and holistic wellness. In the future, Isobel plans to pursue a Master’s in Social Work to further her education and her passion to advocate for disadvantaged groups.

Maria Dominguez, Case Support Associate Read More

Maria Dominguez is the Case Support Associate for the Young Center's Phoenix office. She was born in Merida, Yucatan, and grew up in Arizona. Maria completed the ASU Child Welfare Education Program and has a BSW from ASU. She interned for the Arizona Department of Child Safety for a year prior to being hired with them in 2017. Maria worked as an Ongoing Specialist for AZDCS for almost 5 years. Some of her duties included providing family reunification services, assessing children’s safety, conducting home visits, and documenting and assisting court hearings. Maria has also interned at De Colores, a domestic violence shelter. At this internship, she took screening calls, assisted with the after-school program, and with campaigns against domestic violence. Maria has also worked as a caregiver for children and adults with disabilities.

Ana Tapia, Social Worker Read More

Ana Tapia is a Social Worker for the Young Center in Phoenix, AZ. Ana received her B.S. in Social Work from ASU with a minor in Early Childhood Development and her Master's in Social Work from NAU. Before The Young Center, Ana worked in the Child Welfare system providing case management to children with behavioral, medical, mental health, and educational needs. She accompanied foster children to court hearings and advocated for them by building court reports and connecting the family to services. Furthermore, she was a kinship support navigator who trained kinship families and provided resources to foster their children successfully. Additionally, Ana worked at the Office of Prevention within the Child Welfare, developing and implementing child abuse prevention programs for the community with an emphasis on the Protective Factors Framework from the Children's Trust Fund Alliance. Ana volunteered with immigrant children for ten years, providing mentorship to become successful in their community.

Fatima Fareed, Staff Attorney Read More

Fatima is a Staff Attorney for the Young Center's Phoenix office. Fatima received her JD/MBA from the University of La Verne, College of Law where she served as a legal extern at the university’s Justice and Immigration Center (JIC). Fatima also served on the editorial board of the University of La Verne Law Review and competed as part of the law school’s Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) team. Prior to joining the Young Center, Fatima worked for several private firms advocating for employees in matters of workplace sexual harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and wage disputes. Fatima was born in Mexico and migrated to the United States with her mother at the young age of three. As a former DACA recipient, Fatima understands the importance of advocating for vulnerable populations, including undocumented children.

Shantel Vachani, Managing Attorney Read More

Shantel Vachani is the Managing Attorney in the Los Angeles office with the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights. Shantel comes to this role with extensive professional experience providing holistic legal and social work advocacy to youth in the foster and juvenile justice systems. Prior to joining the Young Center, Shantel worked as a Clinical Assistant Professor at the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work in the Children, Youth and Families Department where she taught policy and clinical practice courses to aspiring social workers, including Social Work and the Law, Working with Transition Age Youth and Advocacy for Justice Impacted Youth. Shantel has also worked as an children’s rights attorney and advocate in the Children’s Rights Project at Public Counsel Law Center, where she provided holistic social work and legal advocacy for youth transitioning out of foster care. Following law school, Shantel was a Soros Fellow and Education Attorney at the Learning Rights Law Center where she developed and directed a multi-disciplinary project called the School-to-Prison-Pipeline Reversal Project, aimed at preventing youth with special needs from being pushed of the educational system and into the juvenile justice system as a results of disability-related behaviors. Shantel received her joint Law degree and Masters in Social Work (MSW) from UCLA School of Law and UCLA School of Social Welfare, respectively.

Perla Aragon, Social Worker Read More

Perla Aragon is a bilingual, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, based out of the Young Center’s Los Angeles office. She holds a Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Southern California. Perla has over 13 years of post-graduate experience. Prior to joining the Young Center, Perla worked as a Children’s Social Worker for the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) where she conducted child abuse and neglect investigations and provided family preservation and family reunification services. Perla then went on to join the Los Angeles Mayor’s Office of Gang Reduction and Youth Development (GRYD) where she served as a Regional Program Manager. Perla provided ongoing technical assistance and training to GRYD contracted providers. Perla also helped coordinate Summer Night Lights (SNL) programming for communities impacted by poverty and violence. Perla later joined Children’s Bureau. As a Supervisor, she guided and supported the Prevention Team staff and MSW interns. Perla also oversaw the implementation of prevention contracts and programs. Most recently, Perla worked for the Department of Mental Health where she conducted mental health assessments, mental health linkages and crisis intervention for children and youth with an open case with DCFS. The primary purpose of these services was to prevent family separation and minimize multiple placements for youth in foster care, while prioritizing child safety and wellbeing. Perla is dedicated to advocating for and working alongside young people who have been impacted by abuse, neglect and trauma.

Jocelyn Vargas, Volunteer Coordinator Read More

Jocelyn Vargas (she/her/ella) is the Volunteer Coordinator at the Young Center’s Los Angeles office. Jocelyn was born and raised in Los Angeles to two immigrant parents, and as a first-generation college student, earned both her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Social Work from California State University, Los Angeles. During her time at Cal State LA, she served as part of the Associated Students, Inc., as a college representative and was eventually appointed to the Executive Board as the Vice President for Academic Governance. In her executive role, Jocelyn advocated for access to basic needs, academic policy changes, funding for student resource centers, and student rights. Simultaneously she interned with the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) as a Psychiatric Social Work (PSW) Intern serving the communities of Boyle Heights and Southeast Los Angeles. In this role, she provided students and their families with psychoeducation related to mental health, trauma awareness, social skills, conflict mediation, grief, drug prevention and other social emotional issues that impact student learning. Jocelyn is excited to join the Young Center in aiding their mission to protect and advance the rights and best interests of immigrant children.

Jennifer Umberg, Staff Attorney Read More

Jennifer is a Staff Attorney with the Young Center’s Los Angeles office. She previously served as an Eligibility Associate for UNHCR in Thailand drafting Refugee Status Determination assessments in accordance with international law, and then as a Case Advisor with Asylum Access Malaysia assisting asylum seekers with their claims and appeals in front of UNHCR. During law school, Jennifer clerked with the UC Davis Immigration Law Clinic, Legal Services of Northern California, and the Investigations Unit of Disability Rights California. Early in her career, she also served in administrative, development, and reporting roles in several international nonprofits and organizations, including Human Rights Watch and One Acre Fund. She received a UC Berkeley Blum Center for Global Poverty scholarship to briefly work in an internally displaced person camp in rural Kenya, and a Princeton in Africa Fellowship to work with the UN World Food Programme’s regional bureau in South Africa. Jennifer holds a BA in Peace & Conflict Studies from UC Berkeley, an MA in Human Rights Studies from Columbia University, and a JD from UC Davis School of Law.

Natalia De Prado-Hurtado, Case Support Associate Read More

Natalia De Prado-Hurtado is the Case Support Associate for the Young Center’s Los Angeles office. She was born in Bogota, Colombia, and grew up in New Jersey. Previously, Natalia has volunteered for the American Cancer Society as a Patient Navigator. She focused on providing services and translating for Spanish-speaking patients and their families. Natalia has an associate degree in Criminal Justice. She is passionate about helping vulnerable communities.

Karla Villacorta-Straub, Social Worker Read More

Karla Villacorta-Straub is a bilingual Social Worker in the Los Angeles office with the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights. Karla’s professional experience includes working with survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, child sexual abuse, human trafficking and torture in their country of origin. Prior to joining YC, Karla worked at a dual sexual assault center and children’s advocacy center in Gwinnett County, Georgia advocating for adults and children who experienced sexualized violence. She is a trained forensic interviewer through the National Children’s Advocacy Center, having conducted over 500 interviews in both English and Spanish throughout her career. Karla is inspired by collaborating within a multi-disciplinary team setting and passionate about integrative social work practice. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Policy from the University of Southern California and a Master of Science in Social Work from Columbia University School of Social Work. After nearly 10 years in the state of Georgia, Karla is ecstatic to be back residing where she grew up in Southern California.

Paloma Epp, Volunteer Coordinator Read More

Paloma Epp is the Volunteer Coordinator for the New Jersey office. Paloma graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor's degree in Global Health and a minor in Project Management. She has extensive experience volunteering for local organizations within the New Jersey area and with international children's organizations within Mozambique, Africa. After graduating, Paloma spent time working with children of all ages within the New Jersey school system and within nonprofit fundraising. In her free time, Paloma loves yoga, watching live music, volunteering at her local food pantry and spending time with her kitty, Daisy.

Jasmine Vela, Case Support Associate Read More

Jasmine Vela is a Case Support Associate for the Young Center New Jersey office. Jasmine graduated from Texas A&M University–College Station with her Bachelor's in Early Childhood Education. During her time at A&M, Jasmine interreacted with children domestically and internationally in China and Italy. Jasmine was a Head Start teacher during the height of the pandemic, teaching 3-year-olds in Santa Maria, Texas. Jasmine graduated from New York University with her Master's in International Education, focusing on Peace/Conflict, Development, and Humanitarian Aid. Jasmine worked on projects that advocated for girls' rights, education and has experience collecting qualitative/quantitative data. Jasmine interned with World Education Inc. in Ghana and helped work on an ongoing project that supported vulnerable and marginalized girls in the rural areas of Ghana to get access to education and vocational training. As a first-generation Mexican American growing up by the U.S.–Mexico border, Jasmine is motivated and passionate about pushing for children's rights and dismantling inequities in the immigration system.

Stephanie A. Cabrera Andeer, Staff Attorney Read More

Stephanie Cabrera Andeer is a Staff Attorney for the Young Center New Jersey office. Prior to joining the Young Center, Stephanie worked as a Staff Attorney at Make the Road New Jersey, where she directly represented and advocated for vulnerable communities seeking immigration relief including but not limited to naturalization, adjustment of status, and Special Immigrant Juvenile Status. Stephanie graduated Magna Cum Laude from Rowan University with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and earned her JD from the City University of New York (CUNY) School of Law. At CUNY, Stephanie worked as a legal intern in the Immigrant and Non-Citizen Rights Clinic working with people in removal proceedings, and was on Law Review. Stephanie is fluent in Spanish and is a proud daughter of Peruvian immigrants.

Ellen Salgado, Social Worker Read More

Ellen Salgado, LMSW, is a licensed social worker for the Young Center’s Grand Rapids, Michigan office. She comes to this work after previously serving as a clinician and later, lead clinician for unaccompanied children in short-term foster care settings for the past 4 years. Having been inspired working alongside YC staff during this time, Ellen was thrilled to hear about the YC expansion to Michigan and could not be more excited about joining the team and helping to provide essential advocacy to immigrant children in detention. Prior to her work with unaccompanied children, Ellen served children and families involved in the domestic child welfare system, as a children’s protective services investigator and ongoing case manager with the State of Michigan. Ellen studied Spanish in undergraduate school at Michigan State University, with specializations in International Development and Latin American and Caribbean Studies. She later received her MSW from MSU, marrying her passion for service and advocacy to others with her language studies. Ellen has a background in volunteer work abroad, primarily in Latin American countries. Ellen completed internships in the areas of domestic violence and community engagement/education and worked/interned with the migrant farmworker population of Michigan, providing essential language and advocacy services. She has recently completed coursework to receive the Trauma Informed Care Certificate from MSU and is committed to continuously working to become more trauma-informed. Ellen is eager to utilize her skills and previous experiences to contribute to the essential work of advocating for and with immigrant children in detention.

Katherine White, Staff Attorney Read More

Katherine White is a Staff Attorney at the Young Center’s Grand Rapids office. Before joining the Young Center, Katherine was a Supervising Attorney at Michigan Immigrant Rights Center on the Unaccompanied Children’s team. Prior to that, Katherine founded Immigrant Connection at City Life Church, a low-cost immigration law office, serving as the Executive Director and a DOJ Accredited Representative. At Immigrant Connection, she practiced general, family, and humanitarian-based immigration law, helped develop a national Immigrant Connection network, and developed several niche local programs, including programs to assist elderly immigrants with disabilities obtain U.S. citizenship and for newly arrived refugees to obtain legal permanent residency. Katherine graduated from Grand Valley State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies with an emphasis in Human Rights and Social Photojournalism and earned her J.D. from Western Michigan University’s Cooley Law School.

Liliana Valderrama, Volunteer Coordinator Read More

Liliana Valderrama is the Volunteer Coordinator for the Grand Rapids, Michigan office. Peruvian born and raised in Miami, Florida alongside three sisters all one year apart. She received a Bachelor of Science Education degree from Florida International University. Teaching in the nation’s 3rd largest school district, for eight years, is where she learned about allyship and advocacy. Through her teaching, she became a regular at Everglades NP and fell in love with public land. So, she pursued becoming a National Park Ranger. She has rangered all over including Alcatraz Island NP, Olympic NP, Mount Rainier NP, and Biscayne NP. All the while promoting connections through bilingual outreach with the Spanish-speaking community and creating space for them in their parks. She is so pleased about joining The Young Center and grateful to have this opportunity to lift up immigrant children who may be the most vulnerable and the most resilient.

Alma Acevedo, Case Support Associate Read More

Alma Acevedo is a Case Support Associate for the Young Center’s Grand Rapids office. She was born in Jalisco, Mexico, and raised in Michigan. Alma holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Spanish, and Global and International Studies from Western Michigan University. Before joining the Young Center, Alma held various positions at the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center, where she dedicated herself to serving unaccompanied children in removal proceedings. Prior to that, she served as a caseworker for children in Transitional Foster Care (TFC). As an immigrant from a former seasonal farmworker family, Alma harbors a profound passion for supporting vulnerable communities.