Deluwara (Dinu) Ahmed

Staff Attorney

Dinu joined Safe Passage Project as a staff attorney in September 2023. Prior to joining Safe Passage Project, Dinu worked for four years as a public defender with the New York Immigrant Family Unity Project (NYIFUP) at Brooklyn Defender Services. There, she represented detained and non-detained immigrants in removal proceedings, primarily working on asylum and cancellation of removal cases.

Dinu earned her J.D. at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law where she was a Public Service Scholar, recipient of the Dr. Samuel Belkin award, and Executive Editor of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Competition Honor Society. During law school, Dinu participated in two year-long clinics: the Kathryn O. Greenberg Immigration Justice Clinic, and the Criminal Defense Clinic (in partnership with the Legal Aid Society’s Criminal Defense Practice). She has volunteered with the Afghan Network for Advocacy and Resources (ANAR) Project to prepare humanitarian parole applications for Afghan families and the CARA Pro Bono Project to support asylum seekers detained in Dilley, Texas.

Dinu graduated cum laude from Bryn Mawr College, where she studied Comparative Literature and Political Science, with concentrations in Mass Media and Middle Eastern Studies. Prior to law school, Dinu worked as a community organizer on education reform and supported a parent-led campaign to reduce the disproportionate rates of school-based arrests, suspensions and summonses in Bronx public schools.

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Marta Alba

HR & Operations Associate

Originally from Spain, Marta is a Human Resources professional with over five years of experience in the private, public, and non-profit sectors. Before moving to NYC, she worked as an HR Generalist at ActionAid Spain, an international NGO that champions women's rights, migrants' rights, sustainable development, and humanitarian action. Marta is passionate about the non-profit industry and consistently strives to learn more about Human Rights. Moreover, she has volunteered with the Working Women Community Center, the Canadian Women’s Foundation, and ActionAid Spain.

Marta has a B.A. in Labor Relations and Human Resources from the University of Granada and an M.A. from the University of Alcala de Henares.

In her free time, she enjoys getting lost in a good book and exploring the many great places there are to discover in the city.

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Alma Aquino

IJC Fellow

Alma is an Immigrant Justice Corps Fellow with Safe Passage Project. Alma’s dedication to immigrant rights is rooted in her life and work experiences. Her professional experience in immigration spans several years before law school, where she worked with the AILA NY Chapter Children’s Docket, worked with immigration lawyers, and volunteered with the CARA Family Detention Pro Bono Project in Dilley, Texas.

During law school, Alma interned as an Immigrant Workers’ Rights Intern at Catholic Migration Services, a Legal Projects Intern at Immigrant-ARC, and a student attorney at her school’s Immigrant & Noncitizen Rights Clinic.

Alma holds a B.A. in Forensic Psychology with a minor in English from John Jay College of Criminal Justice and a J.D. from City University of New York (CUNY) School of Law.

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Sofia Azpúrua

IJC Fellow

Learning how to advocate for herself as a first-generation immigrant and asylum seeker sparked Sofia's interest in immigration advocacy. During law school, she volunteered as an interpreter at her law school’s Immigration Rights Clinic and later became the Clinical Director’s Research Assistant.

Sofia developed a particular passion for working with juvenile clients and sharing in their experience as immigrant children. She interned for Safe Passage Project, the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California, and participated in various projects with the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida and the International Rescue Committee. Sofia is thrilled to return to Safe Passage Project as an Immigrant Justice Corps Justice Fellow and serve the immigrant youth of New York City.

Sofia hold a BS in Criminology from Florida State University and a J.D. from Florida State University’s College of Law.

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Ulises Campeche

IJC Fellow

Ulises Campeche is an Immigrant Justice Fellow with Safe Passage Project, and as a child of immigrants, has observed the hardships immigrant communities face growing up. He has spent his last two summers as a student intern at Catholic Migration Services and Catholic Charities of New York assisting in the removal defense of asylum seekers.

Ulises spent the last three semesters of law school as a student intern in the Immigration Justice Clinic for John Jay Legal Services at Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University. Ulises received his J.D. from the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University and a B.A. in Political Science from Binghamton University.

Ulises is honored to be part of Safe Passage Project!

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Vanessa Casotti

Data Manager

Vanessa is a Data Manager at Safe Passage Project, where she oversees data strategy while building tools and processes to improve the organization’s effectiveness in their mission. Vanessa believes in defending human rights, promoting kindness, and welcoming diversity.

Before joining Safe Passage Project, Vanessa designed and implemented databases for her nonprofit clients as a software consultant. During this time she achieved recognition as a Salesforce Certified Administrator, Nonprofit Cloud Administrator, and Certified Scrum Master. Prior to consulting, she spent four years working in both Development and Program departments for an international NGO providing basic needs like clean water and sanitation to rural populations in Southeast Asia. She lived in Vietnam for nine months while rolling out new data management procedures and supporting program operations.

Vanessa holds a B.A. in Political Science from UC Berkeley, and an M.A. in International Relations from St. John’s University.

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Jazmin Karolina Chavez

Supervising Attorney

Jazmin Karolina Chavez joined Safe Passage Project as an Immigrant Justice Corps Fellow. Jazmin particularly enjoys working with immigrant children because she believes that her personal experience as a child immigrant from Peru to the U.S. helps her connect and communicate effectively with them.

Jazmin’s desire to be an immigration attorney stems from her childhood. When she was 11 years old, her parents decided to leave their home country of Peru in pursuit of safety and more abundant opportunities in the United States. Jazmin’s experiences taught her firsthand that immigrant matters are long, complex, and frustrating — and that this is further compounded when one lacks money, language skills, and adequate legal representation. Jazmin’s family was fortunate to have excellent legal assistance, and without it, they would likely be undocumented.

Before joining the Safe Passage Project team, Jazmin interned at the East Bay Sanctuary Covenant, ABA Commission on Immigration, Office of Immigration Litigation-District Court Section at the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Division, and The Legal Aid Society. She also participated in the Women and the Law Clinic at American University.

Jazmin received her J.D. from American University Washington College of Law in 2017 and her B.A. in Political Science from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2012.

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Natasha Chisty

Supervising Attorney

Natasha Chisty joined the Safe Passage Project as a Supervising Attorney in April 2023.

She supervises the legal team in the Long Island Office and provides mentorship to pro bono attorneys representing immigrant youth in removal proceedings. Prior to joining Safe Passage Project, Natasha was the Supervising Attorney at Sauti Yetu Center for African Women and Families in New York City, where she primarily represented individuals in their immigration matters involving asylum, adjustment of status, citizenship, family petitions, relief in removal proceedings, SIJ, VAWA, U-visa and waivers of grounds of inadmissibility.

Prior to Sauti Yetu, Natasha worked for private law firms in NYC defending detained and non-detained individuals in removal proceedings before the Immigration Court as well as representing immigrants before USCIS, ICE and the Board of Immigration Appeals. She has represented clients with complex immigration histories involving criminal charges, immigration fraud, unlawful entries, unlawful presence, and prior orders of removal.

Natasha received her J.D. from Nova Southeastern University in 2012, and her B.A. in English Rhetoric and Global Culture from SUNY Binghamton in 2008. She is licensed to practice law in New York and Florida.

During her time as a law student, Natasha participated in her law school’s International Law clinic through which she worked at the Broward County Legal Aid Society’s Immigration Law Unit, helping survivors of domestic violence or gender violence apply for VAWA and asylum. She advocated for women and children’s rights through her internships at NOW-NYC, Sakhi for South Asian Women and BRAC Bangladesh. She is fluent in English and Bengali.

Outside of work, Natasha enjoys traveling, writing and spending time with her friends and family, especially her two-year old daughter.

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Francisco Cinta

Operations Associate

Francisco is a Mexican immigrant and first-generation college graduate. He earned his BA in Criminal Justice at CUNY’s John Jay College of Criminal Justice. As an immigrant, Francisco knows firsthand the struggles faced by the very same children he works with. He is very passionate in helping ensure that the immigrant children he works closely with are able to live stable and prosperous lives amid the current political climate.

Francisco serves as one of the first points of contact for immigrant children and their families have with Safe Passage Project, as he helps schedule them for their screening with the organization. He has helped guide these same families from their initial screening with Safe Passage all the way through to their Asylum interviews as an interpreter.

Francisco is very happy to be part of the Safe Passage Project team and to continue to grow professionally while helping the community he comes from and cares for.

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Triciah Claxton

Supervising Attorney

Triciah C. Claxton joined Safe Passage Project as a Senior Staff Attorney in January 2021, and provides mentorship and other support to pro bono attorneys representing immigrant youth in removal proceedings. Prior to joining Safe Passage Project, Triciah was an associate attorney at an immigration law firm in New York City, where she worked on a wide range of immigration matters such as representation of clients seeking family benefits, citizenship, asylum, relief in removal proceedings, and waivers of grounds of inadmissibility. She also represented clients with complex immigration histories involving, among other things, criminal charges, immigration fraud, unlawful or irregular entries, unlawful presence, prior orders of removal, and appeals of unfavorable decisions to the Board of Immigration Appeals and the Administrative Appeals Office.

Triciah received her J.D. from New York Law School in 2013, and her B.A. in History with a minor in Political Science from New York University in 2006. Triciah is a member of many local bar associations such as the Metropolitan Black Bar Association, one of the largest local bar associations in NYC. She is also a member of the Association of Black Women Attorneys, the American Immigration Lawyers Association, and the New York State Bar Association.

Triciah is a proud wife and mother, and so when she is not in the office, she enjoys spending time with her wonderful family, reading, travel, listening to music, catching a movie, or spending time with her girlfriends.

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Tania Cohen

Managing Attorney, Legal Operations and Government Contracts

Tania Cohen joined Safe Passage Project in the Spring of 2017. Prior to joining Safe Passage Project, Tania was an associate at Chaffetz Lindsey and Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, working primarily on commercial arbitration, litigation, and enforcement matters. During her time in private practice, she worked on pro bono immigration matters, including as a pro bono attorney with Safe Passage Project. Tania received a J.D. from New York University School of Law in 2011 and a B.A. in Psychology from Yale College in 2006. Tania is admitted to practice in New York. She is fluent in Spanish.

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Sandra Cordoba

Supervising Attorney

Sandra is a Supervising Attorney. She comes to SPP with a solid background in community engagement and public service, having done a variety of public interest work in Miami, Chicago, and now, New York before, during, and after law school. She was previously a Supervising Attorney at the Immigrant Justice Corps overseeing a team out of the Brooklyn Public Library, where they handled a voluminous affirmative caseload and led a variety of immigration centered community projects. Before IJC, Sandra was a staff attorney with the Removal Defense Project at Catholic Migration Services for three years. She worked on a combination of removal defense cases, complex affirmative applications, and appeals. Sandra also actively coordinated and participated in Know Your Rights trainings, community outreach, and CMS’ legal intern program.

Sandra received her J.D. from the University of Miami, School of Law, in Miami, Florida where she was born and raised. During law school, she interned for the Florida State Attorney’s Office, Human Trafficking Public Policy Division, interned with The Door, and was a student attorney for UM Law’s Tenant’s Rights clinic. She graduated with a B.A. in Public Policy Studies from the University of Chicago, where she spent a number of years working in community organizing.

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Nicholas Coronel

Senior Staff Attorney

Nicholas Coronel is a Senior Staff Attorney on Safe Passage Project’s Long Island team. Prior to joining Safe Passage, Nicholas spent his entire career assisting families within the New York State Court System. As an attorney with the Legal Aid Society of Suffolk County, Nicholas represented both Spanish and English-speaking parents and children in all aspects of Family Court litigation, including custody disputes, child neglect and abuse trials, and successful appeals. When working as an attorney for children, Nicholas diligently and compassionately represented his clients, advocating for their individualized needs. As an attorney with the NYC Administration for Children’s Services, Nicholas vigorously prosecuted child abuse and neglect cases, from intake to trial within the Kings County Family Court. Nicholas further honed his legal skills in private practice, representing clients in highly contentious matrimonial litigation.

Nicholas received his J.D. from the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University in 2011 and his B.A. in Political Science from Stony Brook University in 2007. During law school, he was a Spanish translator for multiple law clinics, translating for both adults and children for fellow colleagues and professors. In 2011, Nicholas was the recipient of the Pro Bono Program Certificate, Gold Level for devotion of considerable time to public service as a student.

Nicholas is fluent in Spanish, and the son of parents from Peru. When he is not in the office, he enjoys traveling and spending time outdoors. Nicholas is excited to be a part of the Safe Passage Project team!

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Cristal Enriquez

Staff Attorney

Cristal is a Staff Attorney and former Immigrant Justice Corps Fellow who works with immigrant youth to provide them with quality representation. Cristal believes that every child deserves holistic, trauma-informed, client-centered immigration counsel. Cristal interned at The Legal Aid Society, UnLocal, and Brooklyn Defender Services and was a student attorney in the Immigrant & Non-Citizen Rights Clinic at CUNY Law. Cristal holds a BA from New York University in Politics and a J.D. from the CUNY School of Law.

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Denise Feliciano

Supervising Attorney

Denise Feliciano received her J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law.

She joined Safe Passage Project as an Immigrant Justice Corps Fellow at a time when advocates are struggling to provide access to justice to unaccompanied minor children and adults with children fleeing violence in their home countries.

As an intern at Catholic Charities Immigration Legal Services and at the Safe Center Long Island, Denise volunteered to work with unaccompanied minors and women who had suffered domestic abuse. Denise was also a student attorney with the St. John’s Immigrant and Refugee Rights Litigation Clinic, where she worked on family court petitions and asylum applications on behalf of unaccompanied minors fleeing from domestic and gang violence. Denise has also traveled to Texas to assist immigrant women and children detained at Karnes County Detention Center. Denise is excited and proud to be a part of the Safe Passage Project team.

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Angela Fernández

Executive Director

Angela Fernández brings 20 years of courageous leadership in the areas of law, non-profit management, advocacy and development. From 2009-2019, Angela served as the Executive Director and Supervising Attorney of the Northern Manhattan Coalition for Immigrant Rights (NMCIR), where she expanded their budget to exceed $2.2 million and spearheaded numerous initiatives that spanned federal, state, and local governments, and that positively impacted immigrant communities. These initiatives include the New York Immigrant Family Unity Project, which ensures universal representation for detained immigrants facing deportation, and the “ICE out of Rikers” campaign, which advocates for ending cooperation between the NYPD and ICE. Under her leadership, NMCIR also transformed its organizational culture, increased its capacity to provide immigration-related legal services (including for individuals facing deportation and those pursuing affirmative relief like DACA, TPS, family-based petitions, and naturalization), and elevated its profile as a nationally-recognized immigrant rights organization known for its bold policies and practices.

As the former New York State Commissioner for the Division of Human Rights, Angela led a successful turn-around of this investigatory agency. Her work led to a 25% increase in monetary awards to NYS residents who had been discriminated against in housing or employment. Angela also served on the New York City Civilian Complaint Board, where she vociferously advocated for the repeal of New York Civil Rights Law § 50-a, which required concealment of police disciplinary records from the public.

Prior to her leadership role at Northern Manhattan Coalition for Immigrant Rights, Angela held numerous positions in media, policy and education fields. She shed light on issues facing marginalized communities as a journalist for ABC News, spearheaded the first of its kind Women’s Studies Program for female detainees at Rikers Island Correctional Facility, and successfully founded and managed two elementary schools in the South Bronx and Washington, DC. Angela was a Non-Profit Leadership Fellow at The Aspen Institute, and is also the recipient of numerous humanitarian awards.

Angela is a graduate of Boston University and Columbia University School of Law. She lives in Washington Heights with her family.

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Katie Fite

Senior Staff Attorney

Katie is a Senior Staff Attorney and originally joined Safe Passage Project as an Equal Justice Works fellow sponsored by the Verizon Foundation and Seyfarth Shaw LLP. Her fellowship project focused on providing legal representation to unaccompanied minors fleeing gender-based violence and connecting them with mental health resources. Katie believes that every child deserves to build the life they choose and that cost-free and effective immigration counsel, too often inaccessible in the U.S., can help ensure that opportunity.

Prior to joining Safe Passage Project, Katie was a law student intern with the Legal Aid Society’s Immigration Law Unit and with National Advocates for Pregnant Women. She also participated in the Harvard Immigration & Refugee Clinic, where she represented child and adult asylum seekers. Katie holds a J.D. from Harvard Law School and a B.A. in Political Science and Art History from Stanford University.

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Cristina Garcia

Social Worker

Cristina Garcia is one of the Social Workers in Safe Passage Project who works with children to connect them with services such as health services, food assistance, mental health services, etc. Cristina believes no child should face the immigration process alone, social workers are important factors during this legal process.

Prior to joining Safe Passage, Cristina was a social work intern at the Community Health Action of Staten Island in the Domestic Violence program. In addition, Cristina was an employee there before returning to school and was the HIV Test Counselor. During her undergrad, Cristina was also a social work intern at the YMCA New Americans Welcome Center, her first hands-on experience with the immigration population- where Cristina’s passion for the immigrant population grew. Cristina was a CUNY Service Corps Puerto Rico Ambassador where she was chosen to participate in Governor Cuomo’s New York Stands with Puerto Rico Recovery and Rebuilding Initiative with the organization All Hands and Hearts in Yabucoa, Puerto Rico. Cristina worked on helping repairing houses that were damaged due to Hurricane Maria in 2017.

Cristina holds a Master’s degree in Social Work from New York University. Born and raised in Staten Island, Cristina received her B.S. in Social Work from the College of Staten Island.

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Evelyn Garcia

Social Worker

Evelyn is a social worker at Safe Passage Project. She is a dedicated advocate for immigrant youth and families. She comes from a mixed status family so she is very familiar with the fears and anxieties that the US immigration system brings. She worked at the NYC Department of Education for over 5 years supporting immigrant youth and families in District 79. She also shared crucial resources with immigrant communities throughout NYC while at the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs.

In her free time she likes to read, watch a good show and spend time with her friends and family. She takes care of her two cats and tries to keep her plants alive.

Evelyn obtained her degree in social work from Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College.

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Maria Gomes

IJC Fellow

Maria Gomes is an Immigrant Justice Corps Fellow with Safe Passage, who represents young migrants who face deportation. Maria’s long-standing commitment to advocating for immigrant rights stems from seeing the distress and fear her parents experienced about their immigration status.

In law school, Maria interned with Kid in Need of Defense at their Seattle office and with Brooklyn Defender Services in New York City. During her second year, she participated in the University of Washington School of Law’s Immigration Law Clinic, where she and her partner reunited a family after three years of separation. She also co-founded the student organization SAI Justice (Student Advocates for Immigrant Justice).

In Spring 2022, she and her teammates went to the Fort Bliss Emergency Intake Site in El Paso, Texas, where she and her team conducted legal screenings for immigrant children and “Know Your Rights Presentations.” The lessons and work she did at the border reaffirmed her commitment to protecting the rights of young immigrants.

Maria received her J.D. from the University of Washington School of Law and her B.A. in Political Science with a double minor in Latin American and Latinx Studies and Human Rights from CUNY-John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

Maria is excited and proud to be part of the Safe Passage Project team!

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Razia Hamid

Supervising Attorney

Razia Hamid joined Safe Passage Project as a Supervising Attorney in October 2024. Prior to joining Safe Passage Project, she served as a Supervising Attorney at The Door’s Legal Services Center, where she and her team represented unaccompanied children and young people presently or formerly detained in Office of Refugee Resettlement (“ORR”) custody, in their immigration court proceedings and applications for immigration relief. At The Door, Razia focused on SIJS, asylum, and other applications before USCIS, as well as motions to reopen, procedural challenges in immigration court, and advocacy for clients with ICE, DHS, ORR, and ORR-contracted detention facilities. Razia has also worked with many adult asylum seekers, refugees, and new immigrants in a volunteer or pro-bono capacity through Al Otro Lado, the New Sanctuary Coalition, and clinics in New York City.

Razia received her J.D. from the New York University School of Law in 2018. During law school, she served as an editor of the NYU Journal of International Law and Politics, and was co-president of the Muslim Law Students Association and the Anti-Trafficking Advocacy Coalition. In law school, she interned at the ACLU’s Immigrants Rights Project, with the refugee-rights NGO Asylum Access, and at the International Organization of Migration’s Asia-Pacific regional headquarters in Bangkok. She holds a B.A. in International Studies and Anthropology from the Johns Hopkins University. Originally from Washington, DC and of Pakistani heritage, Razia has also lived in Hong Kong, London, and Singapore, and has called lower Manhattan home for the past ten years. Razia is licensed to practice law in New York, and is professionally proficient in Spanish. In her free time, she enjoys solo travel, contemporary fiction, yoga and barre, and going to the beach.

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Erick J. Hernandez

Paralegal

Coming soon.

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Arlette Herrera

Senior Staff Attorney

Arlette Herrera is a Staff Attorney on Safe Passage Project’s Long Island team.

As a first-generation latina from Passaic, New Jersey, Arlette has been committed to immigration work from a very early point in her life. Arlette understands the many barriers that one encounters when navigating the legal system without proper representation. She strongly believes in the importance of ensuring that all immigrants understand their rights, receive zealous representation, and can live a life without fear of deportation.

Arlette received her J.D. from the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University in 2018. During law school, she was President of the Immigration Law Society where she created and coordinated an emergency Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) clinic following the Trump administration’s rescission of DACA in 2017; over 150 attorneys and law students volunteered for the clinic. Arlette was also a student attorney during her second and third-year of law school in the Hofstra Asylum Clinic, where she worked on multiple persecution-based asylum applications. In 2018, Arlette was the recipient of the Pro Bono Service Award of Excellence – one of only two students in her law school class to receive this award.

Prior to joining Safe Passage Project, Arlette worked as a paralegal specializing in immigration law for nine years. Arlette has previously worked and interned at Atlas: DIY, Her Justice, and various private attorneys throughout the tri-state area.

Arlette is excited to continue to serve the types of communities that have given so much to her, and looks forward to passionately contributing to the mission of Safe Passage Project, and ensuring that no young person or child has to face the immigration process alone.

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Melvin Hydleburg

Staff Attorney

Melvin is a Staff Attorney at Safe Passage Project. He is committed to providing holistic, client-centered legal representation to children facing the immigration process. Melvin began his career as a public defender at The Bronx Defenders. During law school, he externed at the federal public defender office in South Bend, Indiana, and the National Immigrant Justice Center. He spent his law school summers at the Center for Appellate Litigation and The Bronx Defenders. Before law school, Melvin was a paralegal at the Federal Defenders of New York. He also taught English in New York City and abroad to young children.

Melvin holds a J.D. from Notre Dame Law School, where he was an editor of the Notre Dame Journal of International and Comparative Law, and a B.A. from Queens College, CUNY. He is a proud, lifelong Bronxite.

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Rachel Jordan

Interim Managing Attorney

Rachel joined Safe Passage Project as a senior staff attorney in the summer of 2019, and provides mentorship to pro bono attorneys representing immigrant youth in removal proceedings. Prior to her work with Safe Passage, she worked as a public defender with the Brooklyn Defender Services’ New York Immigrant Family Unity Project (NYIFUP) team, representing detained and non-detained immigrants in deportation defense cases in New York and New Jersey.

Rachel previously spent four years working for the Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights Coalition in Washington, DC, first as a staff attorney providing deportation defense representation, pro bono mentorship, and Know Your Rights presentations for immigrants detained in jails throughout Maryland and Virginia, then as a senior attorney counseling defense attorneys on the immigration consequences of criminal offenses for immigrants. She has co-authored law journal articles on defending clients against unfounded ICE gang allegations in immigration bond hearings and on the human costs of inhumane ICE detention policies.

Rachel received her J.D. with a Certificate in Refugee and Humanitarian Studies from the Georgetown University Law Center in 2013. In law school she interned with the ACLU National Prison Project and the Women’s Refugee Commission. She holds a B.A. in Psychology from Swarthmore College.

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Sadyia Khalique

Director of People and Operations

In 2019, Sadyia joined Safe Passage Project's People & Operations department. She previously worked as the Operations Manager at Global Action Project (GAP) supporting a team of youth media makers and community organizers. Before GAP, Sadyia was the Director of Operations at the Council on American-Islamic Relations-NY (CAIR-NY). In this capacity, she championed the rights of Muslims facing religious discrimination, defamation, and hate crimes. At CAIR-NY, she managed programs and services for the New York Muslim community in the areas of government engagement, planning lobbying trips to Albany, interfaith dialogue, youth development, media relations, and organizing community trainings.

Sadyia's journey in public service began at the NYC Department of Youth & Community Development (DYCD), where she served as a College Aide and Field Supervisor within the In-School Youth (ISY) Program. At DYCD, she worked with 40+ NYC community-based organizations and had the opportunity to facilitate the ISY Specialized Internship Program partnering with Bloomingdale's, the American Museum of Natural History, and the Drug Enforcement Administration to provide internships to high school students. Sadyia's passion for guiding and mentoring youth continued when she transitioned to Greenpoint YMCA. At YMCA, Sadyia had multiple roles as a Teen Advisor, Wellness Specialist, and Camp Administrator and she taught civic engagement programs, provided guidance & counseling services, and supported the administration of the summer camp program.

Sadyia has a BA in economics with a minor in English literature from Baruch College. She completed various fellowships in climate justice, interfaith dialogue, and leadership development. These fellowships, facilitated by NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, Morgan Stanley, Common Purpose, Our Voices, and Religions for Peace, have further enriched her dedication to advocacy, justice, community empowerment, and positive change.

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Svitlana Kobtseva

Staff Attorney

Svitlana Kobtseva joined Safe Passage Project as a staff attorney in July 2024. Prior to joining Safe Passage Project, Svitlana worked for three and a half years as a staff attorney at The Door’s Legal Services Center, where she represented immigrant youth in removal proceedings. While at The Door, Svitlana advocated for the dismissal and termination of her clients’ removal proceedings and cancellation of in absentia removal orders. She also helped her clients attain various pathways to lawful permanent residence, such as Special Immigrant Juvenile Status and asylum. In a particularly challenging case, she successfully appealed an adverse family court decision to the New York Supreme Court Appellate Division - Second Department, allowing her client to obtain Special Immigrant Juvenile Status.

Svitlana received her J.D. from New York University School of Law in 2020 and her B.A. in Spanish and Latin American Cultures from Barnard College in 2014. During law school, Svitlana pursued her passion for immigrant advocacy as an intern at The Door’s Legal Services Center and NYLAG’s Immigrant Protection Unit, as a student advocate at NYU School of Law’s Immigrant Defense Clinic, and as an extern for Immigration Equality.

Svitlana is originally from Ukraine and moved to the United States at the age of 8 after her mother won the Green Card Lottery. Her experience of immigrating to the United States as a child has fueled her passion for representing young immigrants who face higher stakes and greater challenges in attaining stability in the United States. She is fluent in Russian and Spanish, and is conversational in Hindi. In her free time, Svitlana enjoys biking, reading, and listening to poetry.

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Shevon Lewis

Interim Managing Attorney

Shevon Lewis joined Safe Passage Project as a Senior Attorney in December 2020. Prior to joining Safe Passage Project, she served as an immigration public defender under the New York Immigrant Family Unity Project (NYIFUP) with Prisoners Legal Services of New York and the Erie County Bar Association Volunteer Lawyers Project. Through this work, she represented detained and incarcerated immigrants before the immigration courts throughout Western and Upstate New York in matters such as fear-based claims, Cancellation of Removal, humanitarian visas, citizenship claims, waiver of inadmissibility applications, and motions for termination based on categorical match arguments. Prior to serving as a NYIFUP attorney, Shevon was an associate attorney in Miami Florida, representing clients in family-based applications, Provisional Unlawful Presence Waivers, stays of removal, humanitarian visa applications, fear-based appeals before the Board of Immigration Appeals, and petitions for review before the 11th Circuit. She was also a Legal Instructor with Keiser University, teaching legal courses to undergraduates aspiring to go to law school or become paralegals.

Shevon received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Temple University and her Juris Doctorate from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law in 2013. In 2013, she received a Fulbright Scholarship to research and provide legal assistance to asylum seekers in Mexico, as well as draft VAWA self-petitions for Mexican women who suffered abuse while living in the U.S. Shevon is licensed in California and the District of Colombia. She is professionally proficient in Spanish.

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Lesly R. Linares

Operations Associate

Lesly Linares is a paralegal at Safe Passage Project. She is a graduate of CUNY Brooklyn College, where she majored in Business Administration. Lesly comes to the Safe Passage Project with over 11 years of nonprofit experience. She is a passionate advocate for those who need advocacy. She believes every undocumented person should be given the power of knowledge, which gives them a voice. Lesly's pursuit to work in the legal field started several years ago when she witnessed the injustice experienced by a family member. Since then, she has made it her mission to help as much as she can. Lesly is excited to be a part of Safe Passage Project, where many incredible leaders have emerged, and she aspires to be a leader herself.

Lesly is a native English and Spanish speaker. She is a NYS Notary Public and has received training with AILA as an Immigration Paralegal.

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Emma Lloyd

Development Manager

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Gissell R. LoRusso

Staff Attorney

Gissell R. LoRusso is a Staff Attorney at Safe Passage Project, where she represents immigrant youth in their immigration proceedings. Gissell has made immigration rights her mission as a legal advocate. Prior to joining Safe Passage Project, Gissell was an Immigrant Justice Corps Justice Fellow/Staff Attorney at the Immigrant Justice Corps HQ and prior to that at and the Center for Immigrant Representation. There, Gissell worked on a variety of immigration cases for families, adults and children before USCIS, EOIR, the BIA and the NVC.

Gissell received her J.D. from Western New England University School of Law (WNEU), and her B.A. in Music with a minor in Latin American History from the City University of New York (CUNY) City College. While a law student Gissell participated in WNEU’s law school Immigration Clinic and worked alongside legal aid attorneys at the Central West Justice Center. She also served as an intern with Safe Passage Project in 2019. Gissell is admitted to practice in the wonderful states of New York and New Jersey.

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Mixdale Machuca

Paralegal

Mixdale is a first-generation college graduate from John Jay College of Criminal Justice, where she earned her bachelor’s degree. Mixdale double majored in Law and Society and Latin American and Latinx Studies.

Throughout her career, Mixdale has had the privilege of working closely with immigrant communities. Her roles as a legal intern at Safe Passage Project and a litigation paralegal specializing in immigration law have provided her with a deep understanding of the challenges and vulnerabilities faced by immigrants, especially children, navigating the complex legal system.

Her passion for supporting and serving immigrant communities has been evident from a young age. Particularly interested in aiding children facing deportation, Mixdale's motivation stems from personal experience, as her parents were unaccompanied minors. Witnessing her parents struggle due to a lack of resources and opportunities, Mixdale feels drawn to assisting immigrant children.

She is enthusiastic about continuing this important work and contributing her skills and experience to make a difference in the lives of those in need. Mixdale aspires to attend law school to continue aiding her community.

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Anjelica Mantikas

Senior Staff Attorney

Anjelica Mantikas is a Senior Staff Attorney at Safe Passage Project, where she represents youth in their immigration proceedings. Anjelica believes in the importance of an empathetic approach to client representation. Her interest in immigration stems from the experiences of her grandparents who emigrated from Greece. Prior to joining Safe Passage Project, Anjelica was an Immigrant Justice Corps Fellow/Staff Attorney at Make the Road New Jersey. There, she worked on a variety of immigration cases for families, adults and unaccompanied minors before USCIS, EOIR, and the BIA. Anjelica received her J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law, and her B.S. in Public Affairs from the City University of New York (CUNY) Baruch College. She is admitted to practice in New Jersey and New York.

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Aileen Medina

Paralegal

Aileen received her bachelor’s degree from CUNY Hunter College in Political Science with a minor in Legal Studies. She later received an Advanced Certificate in Race and Criminal Justice from CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice with a focus in unconscious biases. As part of the first generation of her family that emigrated from Mexico, she decided to want to give back to the immigrant community and find ways to assist their needs.

Aileen’s journey began as an intern for the Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence (formerly known as Office to Combat Domestic Violence) and was based at the Queens Family Justice Center. She was able to see first-hand the demand of services desperately needed to families that entered the Center each day due to unforeseen circumstances, ranging from social to legal, and how important sensitivity to each situation was essential in prioritizing the needs of each individual. She later transitioned to Her Justice as a legal assistant intern, assisting on court runs to New York Supreme Court, completion of U-Visa Supplemental B Forms from certifying agencies to submit for client applications, and conducted weekly intakes for potential clients.

After some time at a mental health office that offered counseling and conducted psychological evaluations for immigration cases, she transitioned to Safe Horizon Immigration Law Project, providing support for the project, and direct service to clients such as preparing work authorization applications. Aileen is excited to join the Safe Passage Project team and eager to contribute in providing opportunities to the youth population.

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Lourdes Medina

Senior Social Worker

Lourdes Medina is a Social Worker at Safe Passage Project. Lourdes works with youth by advocating for them and aiding them to find the needed resources to deal with the hurdles of the immigration process.

Growing up, Lourdes observed the struggles her parents were dealt with as they navigated a new country. Those struggles prompt Lourdes to help make a better future for those in similar positions.

Throughout her career, Lourdes has worked with youth and families in various settings including education and juvenile justice. Within these roles, Lourdes was an intricate part in aiding youth and families combat the injustices they may face. Lourdes believes that supporting and advocating for youth will empower them to fight systemic barriers. Lourdes has coordinated, facilitated, and organized workshops, panel discussions, and events to bring awareness to issues at a macro level.

Within her prior work settings, Lourdes has noticed that the demographics are particularly all the same; first-generation or immigrant youth and families from disadvantaged backgrounds and vulnerable communities. Lourdes believes that navigating through the immigration system may be tricky and challenging especially for youth who are finding their own self-awareness.

Lourdes graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Lehman College in 2014 and in 2018 received her Master’s in Social Work from the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College with a specialization in child welfare and concentration in Community Organizing, Planning and Development.

Lourdes finds great joy witnessing youth and families overcome hurdles and barriers!

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Jean Martinez

Paralegal

Jean Martinez is a paralegal at Safe Passage Project. He received his bachelor’s degree from Shippensburg University where he majored in Psychology with a focus on Political Science. Seeing the example his parents gave him of hard work and sacrifice in immigrating from Guatemala to the United States, he became a first-generation college graduate.

His passion for working with youth began while working at summer camps in Maryland, where he had the opportunity to work with youth from varying socioeconomic backgrounds. Through this, he was given opportunities to volunteer in Kentucky, specifically the Appalachia area, where he worked with a team to provide a day camp for youth and work on collaborative building projects for the residents of the community. Additionally, Jean volunteered at El Hogar De Amor y Esperanza in Tegucigalpa, Honduras for multiple years, where he served as a mentor and tutor to the children there.

Jean gained experience in the legal field during a year of service through the Episcopal Service Corps in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where served as a Mediator in the Juvenile Justice System and instructor of Conflict Resolution techniques for youth and families. This is where his desire to advocate and work with youth within the justice system began. After moving back to New York City, Jean has been able to further gain experience working in the legal field, and hopes to go to law school to continue to work in immigration. Jean believes in providing hope to people in the midst of crisis and is looking forward to doing this alongside Safe Passage.

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Wayne Massey

Senior Staff Attorney

Wayne S. Massey is a Senior Staff Attorney at Safe Passage Project. He works principally with Safe Passage’s pro bono partners, providing mentorship, resources, and other support to volunteer attorneys representing poor immigrant children in the New York City area. Wayne believes that every immigrant should have a full and fair opportunity to pursue the immigration benefits and relief available under U.S. law, which often begins and ends with access to competent legal counsel.

Prior to joining Safe Passage Project, Wayne was an associate attorney at a boutique immigration law firm in New York City, where his practice encompassed a broad range of immigration matters, including representation of clients seeking family benefits, citizenship, asylum and other forms of humanitarian relief, relief from removal or deportation, waivers of grounds of inadmissibility and orders of removal, and prosecutorial discretion. He frequently represented clients with complex histories involving, among other things, criminal charges and/or convictions, immigration fraud, unlawful or irregular entries, unlawful presence, judicial and administrative orders of removal, and appeals of unfavorable decisions to the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) and Administrative Appeals Office (AAO).

Wayne earned his LL.M (Masters in Law) from the Fordham University School of Law (International Law & Justice Program) and his J.D. from the George Washington University Law School, where he was on the staff of the Public Contract Law Journal. He also earned a B.A. in Mathematics and a B.A. in English from the University of Pennsylvania prior to law school.

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Samantha Norris

Supervising Social Worker

Samantha Norris is the supervising social worker at Safe Passage Project. She works with the young people that Safe Passage serves by supporting them as they navigate both life in NYC and their legal case. She ensures that these youth are connected to various resources, including mental health services, educational programs, and health insurance enrollment, by collaborating with community-based organizations and city services. Samantha believes that an interdisciplinary approach of both legal and social work is key to ensuring successful legal outcomes and connecting youth to each other and their communities.

Prior to joining Safe Passage, Samantha was a social worker and high school soccer coach with South Bronx United. Samantha's passion for immigrant rights grew out of the relationships she developed with SBU youth and their families. Before moving to NYC, Samantha was a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Dominican Republic, where she worked with children, youth, and families in collaboration with a community-based organization while developing both Spanish and bachata skills.

Samantha is currently a licensed master social worker (LMSW) in New York State and holds a certificate in immigration law from the CUNY School of Professional Studies. Born and raised in Chicago, Samantha received her B.S. in Psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and her M.A. in Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago.

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Victoria Orellana

Staff Attorney

Victoria interned at Safe Passage Project as a Pro Bono Scholar for three months. She then joined Safe Passage Project as a law graduate in Summer of 2024. Victoria received her JD from New York Law School and obtained a BA in Criminology from John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Victoria is passionate about working with immigrant youth and is happy to be part of the Safe Passage Project team.

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Paulina Perera-Riveroll

Social Worker

Paulina is a Social Worker at Safe Passage Project and works for, lends support, and advocates for children and youth going through the immigration process by connecting them with services and resources in their community.

As an immigrant from Mexico and growing up in a border town in Texas, Paulina knows how difficult it is to be an immigrant in the United States—so many obstacles to overcome. She knows the importance of having someone on “your side” while acclimating and navigating the struggles of a new country, city, neighborhood, school, language, and life. Paulina is “the one on their side” for the immigrant children and youth she works for at Safe Passage Project.

Paulina moved to New York City to attend art school and made NYC her home. She has worked in many museums around the city, always working with immigrant communities focusing on helping them feel welcomed and having a positive experience while learning about the culture and the arts of their new home, New York City. She has made a career change by becoming a Social Worker to serve immigrant communities better.

Paulina graduated with a BFA in Photography from Parsons School of Design in 2000. In the Spring of 2023, she graduated with an MSW in Community Organizing Planning & Development with a Field of Practice specialization in Global Social Work and Practice with Immigrants and Refugees (GSWPIR) from the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College.

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Kristin Pezzuti

Supervising Attorney

Kristin Pezzuti joined Safe Passage Project as a staff attorney in the spring of 2019. She represents immigrant youth in removal proceedings and provides mentorship to pro bono attorneys. At Safe Passage, Kristin has enjoyed mentoring interns and NYLS clinic students under her supervision. She believes that every immigrant facing deportation deserves free and effective immigration counsel. She traces her passion for immigrant rights and child advocacy to her experiences as a Korean adopted overseas.

Prior to joining Safe Passage, Kristin was an asylum officer who adjudicated hundreds of affirmative asylum cases in New York. She also conducted credible fear interviews in Texas. In addition, Kristin was responsible for mentoring junior officers at her local office. At Safe Passage, Kristin draws on her knowledge of USCIS policies and practices when she prepares immigrant youth for their asylum interviews. She has presented numerous trainings on asylum law and policy.

Before becoming an asylum officer, Kristin was a litigation associate in the New York office of a national law firm. There, she had committed much of her practice to pro bono work, including as a volunteer attorney with Safe Passage. Her experience preparing for trials and working with medical experts aids her practice at Safe Passage.

Kristin received a J.D., cum laude, from Hofstra University School of Law in 2013 and a B.S. in Psychology, summa cum laude, from Fordham University in 2010. Kristin was an Associate Editor of the Hofstra Law Review, a Child and Family Advocacy Fellow, and a Senior Research Assistant who researched emerging legal presumptions in child custody disputes. At Fordham, she was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society.

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Jessie Pimentel

Paralegal

Jessie Pimentel is a paralegal at Safe Passage Project. Jessie has worked in the non-profit field supporting LGBTQ+ and HIV affected community members with immigration matters ranging from asylum to adjustment of status. Jessie believes in uplifting community members in a holistic manner to support their mental and emotional well being as they navigate the immigration system. Jessie holds a BA from NYU in Latino Studies and earned a Paralegal Certificate from Queens College.

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Natalia Rincon

Social Worker

Natalia Rincon is a Social Worker who works with young people to help them connect with resources in the New York area. As immigrants, navigating the different systems can be difficult. From enrolling in school, to working with ACS for foster care cases, to getting help with the social security office, Natalia assures young people fulfill their goals.

Natalia is a dual-citizen of Colombia and the US. She is first generation as the daughter of immigrant parents that came to the US from Colombia in the 80s.
Natalia believes that immigrants deserve to have their rights protected. As a Social Worker, she does this by bridging the gap for disenfranchised communities and being a voice - because language is important.

Natalia has assisted immigrants obtain status in the US through marriage based adjustment of status, SIJ, DACA, and asylum. Her most recent win was assisting an immigrant from Georgia win his asylum case and be approved for his green card all within 3 years!
Natalia is certified in motivational interviewing, a notary for the state of New York and has translated legal documents for over 3 years.

Natalia holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a minor in Studio Art from the Catholic University of America ('17), as well as a Master of Science in Social Work from Columbia University ('22).

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Elizabeth Rivera

Paralegal

Elizabeth Rivera is a paralegal who works with immigrant children in New York City to help them obtain immigration relief. Elizabeth believes that every young person deserves to live in a stable, safe, and a free of violence environment. She has an interest in advocating for immigrant rights and social justice.

Elizabeth was part of the 2nd cohort of the City University of New York (CUNY) Service Corps 2014-2015. As a CUNY Service Corps member she interned for CUNY Citizenship NOW! at City Council Julissa Ferreras’s office and at the City College Immigration Center. Elizabeth was also part of the CUNY Citizenship NOW! Volunteer Corps, where she provided citizenship application assistance and has participated in the CUNY/Daily News Citizenship NOW! Call-in where information and referrals to immigration matters was provided. Elizabeth supported the nonprofit Galapagos Center for New Americans as a Special Projects Coordinator and was a legal assistant for the Law Office of Karla P. Rosero, PLLC. Elizabeth joined Safe Passage Project as a Justice AmeriCorps Paralegal in 2015 and joined full-time staff in December 2017.

Elizabeth holds a Bachelor of Arts in Law and Society from John Jay of Criminal Justice.

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Alexandra Rizio

Managing Attorney, Policy and Partnerships

A graduate of Fordham Law School and Columbia College, Alexandra Rizio has a long history of advocating for the rights of immigrants. Alex joined Safe Passage Project as a staff attorney in 2015, and she later supervised the organization's New York City team. Alex now serves as Managing Attorney for Training and Partnerships at Safe Passage, where she develops litigation and technical assistance tools for attorneys and leads the organization's pro bono department, which works with over 400 volunteer lawyers throughout New York City and Long Island. Alex also led Safe Passage Project's representation of over 60 children forcibly separated from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border during the summer of 2018, and she continues to lead the organization's ongoing litigation strategy in relation to the separation policy.

Before Safe Passage, Alex was an Associate Immigration Attorney at the firm Masliah & Soloway (now the Masliah Firm), which focused on serving LGBTQ immigrants; prior to that, she coordinated a pro bono program at Start Small Think Big, an economic empowerment non-profit located in the Hunts Point section of the Bronx. At Fordham Law, Alex was a Stein Scholar in Public Interest and Ethics, a Crowley Scholar in International Human Rights and a 2012 recipient of the Archibald R. Murray Public Service Award. During law school, Alex served as the Ellenbogen Fellow at HerJustice (formerly inMotion), as a Revson Fellow in the Family Law and Domestic Violence Unit of South Brooklyn Legal Services, and as an asylum intern at the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society. She was also a Leitner Fellow at MAP Foundation in Chiang Mai, Thailand; in that role, she researched labor violations and gender-based violence experienced by female Burmese migrant workers and analyzed Thailand’s compliance with the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. Prior to law school, Alex worked for the UN’s International Labor Organisation in Bangkok and for the International Center for Transitional Justice in New York. Alex has volunteered for the Refugee and Immigrant Fund in Queens and as a soccer coach for a team of immigrant girls through South Bronx United.

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Olivia Sanchez

Senior Staff Attorney

Olivia Sanchez joined the Safe Passage Project as a staff attorney to represent and defend children seeking immigration relief in New York.

Olivia believes that a trauma-informed and an intersectional lens is integral to effective advocacy for immigrant youth. As a first-generation Latina, Olivia has dedicated her career to working in the nonprofit sector to advocate for womens', children's and immigrants' rights and access to justice.

Previously, Olivia worked as an interim staff attorney at Kids in Need of Defense where she represented unaccompanied minors in removal defense, SIJS and asylum applications, and also provided mentorship to Pro Bono attorneys. Olivia also comes with four years of litigation experience from her time working at the New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) Domestic Violence Law Unit, where she represented survivors of violence in family and matrimonial matters as well as in affirmative immigration applications.

Olivia earned her J.D. from Brooklyn Law School in 2019, graduating as a PIPS fellow, and was honored with the BLS Gold Public Service Award, BLS Access to Justice Award, and the BLS Pro Bono Leadership Award. As a law student, Olivia served as Co-director for the Brooklyn Law Students for the Public Interest (BLSPI), a 501c3, and was an active board member of the Latin American Law Students Association (LALSA). Olivia interned at NYLAG, Her Justice, and Safe Horizon. Before entering law school, Olivia worked as a victim advocate at the Suffolk County Child Advocacy Center, primarily working with cases of alleged child sexual abuse.

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Michelle Sencion

Government Grants & Compliance Manager

Michelle Sencion is a nonprofit professional with a strong background in social services and nonprofit management. She previously worked with Union Settlement to successfully develop and implement planning infrastructure for annual end of year initiatives. Before her time at Union Settlement, Michelle worked as an Intake Coordinator & Finance Assistant at the Coalition for Immigrant Freedom. Her involvement in managing government grants and supporting a community mental health initiative led to increased access to care for underserved immigrant populations. Additionally, Michelle played a crucial role in managing the compliance of large government contracts, resulting in rapid growth within a small grassroots organization. Michelle’s passion for serving the immigrant community started during her internship with Safe Passage Project through ULAMP in 2016. This experience laid the foundation for her future commitment to nonprofit work.

She holds a Master of Social Work with a concentration on public policy advocacy from the Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service, where she developed expertise in project management, policy implementation, and fundraising. Michelle is a graduate of CUNY John Jay College with a BS in Criminal Justice and Latin American and Latinx Studies, respectively. During her graduate studies, Michelle interned with Highbridge Community Development Corp. and the New York Caring Majority, where she worked to push for legislative policy change that would drastically improve the lives of home care workers and their elder and/or disabled clients.

As a native New Yorker, she is passionate about supporting transformative policies and programs that uplift the most vulnerable members of our community.

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Will Sheehan

Staff Attorney

Will Sheehan joined Safe Passage Project as an Immigrant Justice Corps Fellow and is now a Staff Attorney. Will works with immigrant youth to provide them quality legal representation. Will believes that every child deserves to craft a life for themselves and that free, trauma-informed, and client-centered immigration counsel can help ensure that opportunity. Will holds a J.D. from Roger Williams University School of Law, a M.Ed. from Columbia College, and a B.A. in Philosophy and Spanish from Kalamazoo College.

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Rebecca Sparks

IJC Fellow

Rebecca earned a BA in History and Political Science from Simmons University, where her internship experiences drew her to uplifting noncitizen communities. Her passion grew throughout her legal education at Northeastern University School of Law. There, she co-opped with Justice Bridge Legal Center, Greater Boston Legal Service’s Immigration Unit, and the Rian Immigrant Center, while serving as a Student Attorney for the Immigrant Justice and Domestic Violence Clinics. These experiences have informed her culturally-sensitive and trauma-informed representation approach, which she looks forward to applying when she works with unaccompanied children as an IJC Fellow at the Safe Passage Project.

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Erik Tacam-Tzunun

IJC Fellow

Erik Tacam is a committed advocate for immigrant rights, bringing extensive legal expertise and a deep passion for social justice to his work. His experience in various immersive settings has honed his skills in supporting immigrant youth, particularly in applying for asylum and Special Immigrant Juvenile Status. Fluent in Spanish and well-versed in trauma-informed care, Erik is uniquely positioned to provide compassionate and effective legal assistance. His strong background in advocacy, community outreach, and cultural competence empowers him to make a significant impact on the lives of vulnerable populations.

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Cristina Trinidad

Paralegal

Cristina is originally from Puebla, Mexico. She is a first generation college graduate from CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice, where she earned a degree in Liberal Arts and Political Science, and a minor in Latin American Studies. Cristina is the co-founder of Mexican-American Youth Advising Students (MAYAS), where she promoted the importance of higher education among the Mexican community through leadership development activities, college-related activities, mentoring programs, and projects that emphasized civic commitment and education. Cristina has also been a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship NOW! Call-In, where she provided information to participants about their eligibility for legal benefits. Prior to joining Safe Passage Project she was a hair salon owner in Brooklyn, New York. She served as a ULAMP (Unaccompanied Latin American Minors Project) intern, which led to her Justice AmeriCorps Paralegal Fellowship. Cristina is beyond excited to be part of an amazing team!

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Patricia Vazquez

Staff Attorney

Patricia is a Staff Attorney at Safe Passage Project. In her role, she provides direct legal services to youth in removal proceedings. Patricia believes in using a holistic, client-centered approach to advocacy while we work to create a world where every human being is free from the threat of deportation.

Prior to joining Safe Passage Project, Patricia was a BU Law Public Service Fellow at African Services Committee, where she represented non-citizens seeking affirmative and defensive immigration relief. During law school, she served as a student attorney with the BU Law International Human Rights Clinic and interned at Catholic Charities Community Services and the Bronx Defenders. Patricia holds a J.D. from Boston University School of Law and a B.A. in Political Science from Boston College.

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David Vidals

Operations & IT Associate

David brings a unique perspective as a Brooklyn-raised, Mexican-American, first-generation college graduate. He started out working at various front-of-house positions in the New York City hospitality scene and showed an early talent for leadership by quickly moving into management roles across two high-volume establishments in Manhattan, all while attending college as a full-time student.

David made the pivot to tech in 2021 when he was accepted into Pursuit - an intensive 12-month, Google-funded fellowship focused on full-stack web development. Immersed in a demanding coding bootcamp teaching JavaScript and platforms like React and Node.js. The rigorous training regiment prepared him for a transition into technical operations and IT project management.

When not coding or managing teams, he enjoys playing soccer around the local parks and recreational leagues in Brooklyn, especially in the goalkeeper position.

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Leslie Wagner

Senior Staff Attorney

After representing Safe Passage Project clients as a pro bono attorney for five years, Leslie joined the Safe Passage Project team as a Staff Attorney in April 2019. While representing immigrant youth in removal proceedings, she is in awe of their courage and believes these children hold great promise for the future of our country. She is committed to providing the steadfast and passionate legal counsel they deserve as they pursue the rights afforded them by United States law.

Prior to joining Safe Passage Project, Leslie worked as a criminal defense attorney for the Legal Aid Society and the San Diego Public Defender, representing both adults and juveniles in criminal court. In that capacity, she was especially moved by her work with the children, who held unlimited promise. Prior to working in criminal defense, she served as a clerk for California Supreme Court Justice Marcus Kaufman.

In addition to practicing law, Leslie also reviews children's books for the Bank Street Children's Book Committee.

Leslie received her J.D. from the University of San Diego and her B.A. from UCLA. She is admitted to practice in New York, Connecticut, California, and the District of Columbia.

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Eugenie Woo

Finance & Operations Manager

Eugenie joined Safe Passage Project in 2022 as part of the People and Operations team. She supports the organization and its staff by helping to manage its internal processes including finance, information technology, human resources and other systems. Eugenie deeply believes in the value and beauty of all people and is excited to be a part of SPP and it's mission.

Eugenie brings over 15 years of operations, finance and project management experience in the hospitality industry now to the non-profit space. She has worked in environments that range from luxury hotels to corporate services and independent businesses. In corporate hospitality management, she supported and managed the pre-opening of over 50 new accounts across the Northeast including the US Senate, World Bank, cultural institutions and major banks and legal firms. Leaving the corporate environment, she focused on building community relationships as an entrepreneur in Brooklyn by partnering with organizations that served the marginalized community and created a space that fostered connection, wellness and inclusion. Eugenie is proud and excited to now work with an organization whose mission is to fight for those suffering with no voice and push forward positive change in the systems that bind them.

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Timothy Zurcher

IJC Fellow

Timothy Zurcher joined Safe Passage Project in September 2024 as an Immigrant Justice Corps Fellow. Coming from an immediate family filled with schoolteachers, he is particularly drawn to working with immigrant children, applying his family's childhood skills to communicate effectively with his clients and properly advocate for their interests.

Prior to Safe Passage Project, Tim worked with Santa Fe Dreamers Project in New Mexico, Canales Law Offices LLC in New Jersey, and Catholic Charities and Safe Horizon in New York, exposing him to several different aspects of immigration law and cementing his passion for service. He also participated in the Child Advocacy Clinic and the Immigrant & Refugee Rights Litigation Clinic while at St. John's University School of Law in Queens, NY.

Tim received his J.D. from St. John's University School of Law in 2024 and his B.A. in Hispanic Studies from the University of Pennsylvania in 2020. In his spare time, he enjoys reading, watching the New York Mets, and spending time with his cat, Tito.

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Andrew Amer

Director

Andrew Amer is Special Litigation Counsel in the Litigation Bureau of the New York State Attorney General’s Office, having recently transitioned into public service after a 30-year career as a litigator at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP. Mr. Amer’s current position involves defending the State and its various agencies in complex litigation often involving constitutional challenges to legislation and agency determinations. In private practice, he focused on the areas of insurance, reinsurance, bankruptcy, products liability and law firm defense, and he has extensive trial and appellate experience in state and federal courts throughout the United States. Over the course of his career, he has also maintained an active pro bono docket, representing clients in connection with immigration proceedings, habeas petitions, human rights violations and criminal appeals. Mr. Amer is recognized by Chambers USA and Benchmark Litigation as a leading lawyer nationwide in the area of insurance.

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Joseph Bavuso

Director

Joseph Bavuso is a member of the Zegar Family Foundation, and works to develop grants in several areas, including food access and hunger, immigration and civil rights, environmental science and advocacy, and civic participation. Mr. Bavuso is also an attorney, and was formerly a Senior Counsel at the New York City Law Department for many years, where he litigated eminent domain and real property tax matters.

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Lenni Benson

Director

Professor Lenni Benson is a nationally recognized expert in the fields of immigration law and political asylum. Before joining the New York Law School faculty in the early 1990s, Professor Benson represented numerous corporations and individuals as partner at the international firm, Bryan Cave, LLP.

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Barbara Camacho

Director

Barbara Camacho is the Director & Pro Bono Counsel at Fragomen Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP (“Fragomen”). Barbara is responsible for managing the firm’s pro bono initiatives throughout the United States. She directs the pro bono program strategy and planning, oversees compliance with internal and external policies and practices and ensures the program is aligned with the firm’s organizational goals. Barbara is a frequent panelist on a variety of immigration issues, including removal defense and children’s immigration issues before bar associations, community groups and child protective agency personnel. Barbara also serves as the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion New York Lead.

Barbara Camacho, graduated from Drew University, B.A., 2000 and received her J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law. She is admitted to the practice of law in New York, New Jersey and the U.S. Supreme Court.

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A. Nicole Campbell

Director

A. Nicole Campbell specializes in creating peace of mind. She has provided strategic legal, governance, and operational guidance as a senior advisor for two of the world’s most prominent philanthropists, and has spoken on and trained senior management teams and board members in nearly every region of the world in grant making, governance, and organizational design.

Nic is founder of the Build Up Companies, a federated group of companies comprised of Build Up Advisory Group, The Campbell Law Firm, and Build Up, Inc. and focused on transforming outcomes for vulnerable and marginalized communities. She is Chief Executive Officer of Build Up Advisory Group, an advisory firm that specializes in improving governance, grant making, and organizational design for brave philanthropists, philanthropies, movements, and nonprofit organizations to provide them with the structural capacity to deliver on their missions.

She is Managing Attorney of The Campbell Law Firm, a boutique law firm that serves as a trusted advisor to brave grant-making nonprofits, movements, philanthropies, and philanthropists to interrupt cycles of injustice and inequity. Prior to founding the Build Up Companies, Nic was Senior Director of Operations and Foundation Counsel for Dalio Philanthropies, Ray Dalio’s global, multi-million dollar family philanthropy; Deputy General Counsel and Secretary for the Open Society Foundations, George Soros’s global, multi-billion dollar philanthropic network; and Associate General Counsel for the New York Community Trust, a multi-billion dollar community foundation.

Nic received her B.S. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, her J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law, and her LL.M. in Taxation from New York University School of Law. She earned her Certification in Executive Leadership from INSEAD.

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Carlos Fonseca

Board Member

Carlos Fonseca currently lives in Santiago, Chile with his wife Aurelia and two daughters, 15 and 16 yrs old.

He is currently the General Manager for Latin America for Komatsu Mining Technology Services. Recently he was the Regional Managing Director for Latin America at Astec Industries Inc., also based in Chile, and before that he lived in Lima, Peru where he was country manager for Peru and Colombia at Komatsu Mining Corporation. Before his management roles, Carlos held various legal roles for a US-based mining equipment manufacturer, a US-based medical device and pharmaceutical company, and worked for US-based law firms Gordon & Reese LLP and White & Case LLP.

Carlos is currently a member of the board of directors of The International School Nido de Aguilas, a private non-profit foundation and serves as Board Secretary, and member of the Executive Committee.

Carlos holds a B.A. in International Relations from Stanford University, a Juris Doctor from Columbia University, and a joint MBA from Tulane University and the Universidad de Chile.

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Pam Foster, Esq.

Chair

Pam Foster is a not-for-profit operations leader with more than 15 years of progressively responsible strategic and operations management experience. She currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer at Co-Impact. Prior to that, she was the Managing Director for Program Operations and Associate General Counsel at The Rockefeller Foundation in New York City, where she worked since 2003, previously serving as Managing Director for Grants Management. She has overseen the restructuring and streamlining of the grant management process, as well as producing and managing programmatic budgets, forecasts, budget monitoring, financial projections, cash flow management and more. She possesses well over a decade of experience in organizational management and restructuring, as well as in grant review and administration. From 2000-2003 she was an Associate in the firm of Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton. She received her Bachelor’s Degree from Trinity College in 1993 with honors, and her Juris Doctor from New York Law School in 2000, where she graduated summa cum laude from the evening division, which she attended while working full-time at The Rockefeller Foundation. She is a frequent presenter on philanthropic operations, and serves on a number of boards and committees in this area, including the finance committee of Philanthropy New York and the advisory board of NGOsource. She also sits on the Board of Directors of the New York Law School Alumni Association.

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Caroline B. Kronley

Director

Caroline B. Kronley is the President of The Tinker Foundation, which provides grants to civil society organizations in Latin America. Previously, Caroline worked as the Managing Director for Strategy at the Rockefeller Foundation, leading the development of new programmatic initiatives. Earlier in her career, she was a management consultant at Katzenbach Partners as well as Booz & Company where she served a broad range of clients on strategy and organizational performance. Caroline worked for several years for a microfinance institution in Oaxaca, Mexico, engaging with rural communities experiencing high levels of migration. She holds an MBA from the Yale School of Management.

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Isabel Martinez

Director

Dr. Martinez is an Associate Professor in the Department of Latin American and Latinx Studies at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY. Trained in Sociology and Education, her research focuses on unaccompanied Latin American teenagers, past and present, pedagogies and issues impacting students attending Hispanic-Serving Institutions, and more recently, a history of Latinx stand-up comedy in New York City. She is the founding director of U-LAMP, the Unaccompanied Latin American Minor Project, a research and service project that focuses on providing academic, social and legal support to recently arrived immigrant minors in removal proceedings and Adelante!, a Latinx Leadership initiative at John Jay. She is the recipient of numerous awards and fellowships including the Woodrow Wilson National Foundation Fellowship, the John Jay Distinguished Teaching award, the John Jay Distinguished Service to Students award, the 2020 and 2015 Kwando Kinshasa Excellence in Mentoring Award and the 2018 New York State Youth Leadership Council Outstanding Educator award.

Her manuscript, Becoming Transnational Youth Workers: Independent Mexican Teenage Migrants and Pathways of Survival and Social Mobility (Rutgers University Press 2019) highlights findings from a study examining the life courses of unaccompanied, out-of-school Mexican immigrant youths living in New York City. She has articles and book chapters in other scholarly works including Protecting Migrant Children: In Search of Best Practice (Elgar 2018), Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, Latino Studies and Journal of Latinos and Education. She is currently developing an edited book project with her colleagues from three additional Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) (Dr. Irma V. Montelongo (UTEP), Dr. Nicholas D. Natividad (NMSU) and Dr. Angel D. Nieves (SDSU) tentatively titled Beyond Digital Fronteras: Rehumanizing Latinx Education that focuses on the use of digital tools in HSI and Latinx Studies classrooms. She is a founding member of John Jay College of Criminal Justice's Immigrant Student Success Center, the first immigrant student center in CUNY and in New York City.

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Antonio Miranda

Treasurer

Mr. Miranda is a partner and Chief Investment Officer of Compass Group, a Latin American specialist investment management firm. Previously he held asset management and capital markets leadership roles with Mellon HBV, Unibanco, UBS and Citibank. Mr. Miranda has a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Pontificia Universidad Católica of Rio de Janeiro and an MBA from INSEAD, France.

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Federico Reyes

Director

Federico Reyes is currently the Chief Financial Officer at Magnolia Bakery. Previously, he was CFO at Nuts.com and led Commercial Strategy and Business Projects at Tequila Casa Dragones and Financial Planning & Analysis and International Finance for KIND Snacks; was Corporate Controller for Heineken USA; and held roles in strategic planning, investor relations, corporate finance, and investment banking at FEMSA, BBVA Bancomer and Bear, Stearns. Mr. Reyes holds an MBA from INSEAD.

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