U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI)

USCRI Staff

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Lavinia Limón
President of the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI)
Lavinia Limón has more than 30 years of experience working on behalf of refugees and immigrants. Prior to joining USCRI in August of 2001, Ms.Limon was Director of the Center for the New American Community, a project of the National Immigration Forum. During the Clinton Administration, Ms. Limon served as the Director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement, Department of Health and Human Services, designing and implementing programs to assist newly arriving refugees in achieving economic and social self-sufficiency. She served simultaneously as the Director of the Office of Family Assistance for four years, helping to devise policies and strategies for implementing national welfare reform. Ms. Limon was previously the Executive Director of the International Institute of Los Angeles.

Lee Williams
Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
Lee Williams joined USCRI as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer in August 2009. Prior to joining, Lee was the Executive Director of the International Institute of Akron (Ohio), a USCRI partner agency, for two years. Lee's early career was in client services and international banking. He was Vice President of the Morgan Stanley Trust Company, Vice President of the Deutsche Bank Global Institutional Services and Managing Principal of Capco-a capital markets company. Mr. Williams holds a Graduate Certificate of Non-Profit Management from Case Western Reserve University, a Master's degree in International Management from The Thunderbird School of Global Management and a Bs.L from Georgetown University in Arabic.

SENIOR STAFF
Danielle Bolks
Special Projects Manager
Ms. Bolks currently works as a Special Projects Manager at USCRI Headquarters. Danielle spent 2009 managing a Hurricane Ike disaster case management program on the Texas gulf coast for Boat People SOS, Inc. Danielle also served as Refugee Resettlement Director at Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston for six years. In 2008, Danielle fulfilled one of her lifelong dreams of working for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees when she was deployed to a refugee camp in eastern Ethiopia to prepare refugee resettlement applications and best interest determinations for Somali refugee families. In March 2007, she participated in a YMCA International service project building classrooms for rural children in Viet Nam. Danielle received her Masters of Social Work from the Graduate College of Social Work at the University of Houston. Danielle has a secondary school teaching certificate and a Bachelor’s of Arts in English. After graduating from The University of Texas at Austin, Danielle served as a Peace Corps Volunteer teaching English to high school students in northwest Ethiopia. She speaks basic Spanish and has survival knowledge of Amharic.

Sarah Cady
Director of Refugee Resettlement & Employment
Ms. Cady oversees USCRI's National Programs including Reception and Placement, Matching Grant, Preferred Communities, and Successful Integration of Burundian Refugees. Prior to working as the Director of Refugee Resettlement and Employment, Ms. Cady spent two years as a Post-Arrival Program Officer in USCRI's Reception and Placement program, designing monitoring and evaluation protocols and providing techincal assistance to refugee resettlement sites. Ms. Cady previously worked with the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society in New York City as a Program Associate, supporting resettlement around the United States. She has also worked as a Case Manager/Job Developer in USCRI's Albany field office serving refugees and as an AmeriCorps member with the International Rescue Committee in Batimore, Maryland. Ms. Cady received a dual B.A. in International Relations and French Language, Literature and Culture from Syracuse University in New York State. She studied in Strasbourg, France and is proficient in French.

Peter Limón
Director of Field OfficesAs the Director of Field Offices, Mr. Limón is responsible for the operational, financial and personnel management of USCRI field offices in Vermont, New York, North Carolina, Erie and Michigan while standardizing best practices in all locations. Mr. Limón has over 25 years of experience in business management, investment banking, financial services, telecommunications and customer service. Mr. Limón's previous work experience includes ownership and operation of two businesses, a financial services company and hospitality business in San Clemente, California. Mr. Limón has designed and managed several international communications projects in Africa, South America and Asia. Mr. Limón received his Bachelors degree from the University of California, Irvine.

Koula Papanicolas
Graphic Design and Production ManagerMs. Papanicolas is responsible for design and production of USCRI's monthly Refugee Reports, annual World Refugee Survey, issue papers, annual reports, and brochures. She previously worked for the National Federation of Independent Business. She received a Publications Production Certificate from George Washington University and studied graphic design at the Corcoran College of Art and Design. She is fluent in Greek.

Alison Seiler
Director of Administration
Ms. Seiler implements the personnel policies and the overall administration of the agency. During her career Ms. Seiler has served as an Executive Assistant to the International Finance Corporation in Washington D.C., Gulf & Western Engineering and Advanced Technology in Pennsylvania, the United Nations Environment Program in Geneva, Switzerland and Nairobi, Kenya, and The Franklin Mint in London. Ms. Seiler graduated from North-East Essex College. She has lived in Germany and Japan, is a naturalized American, and speaks French and German fluently.

Tricia Swartz
Director of the National Center for Refugee and Immigrant ChildrenMs. Swartz oversees the Center, which provides pro bono legal, health and social services for vulnerable migrating children. Her experience includes more than 15 years experience in the nonprofit and legal fields. She has a MA degree in Nonprofit Management from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, a JD from the State University of New York, and a BA from North Carolina State University.

Sarah Petrin-Williamson
Director of International Programs
Ms. Williamson rejoins USCRI to focus on the development of new international programs. She previously served as USCRI's Director of Government Relations and Spokesperson from 2004 to 2007. During the 2008 presidential election, she served as an advisor to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the United Nations Foundation. Sarah has an operational background managing humanitarian programs in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. She holds a Master's in Refugee Studies from Oxford and a Bachelor's in International Relations, French, and African Studies from Gordon College.

FIELD OFFICE DIRECTORS
Tawfik Alazem
Director of Detroit Field Office
In July 2007, Tawfik Alazem joined USCRI as the Director for USCRI’s newly opened Detroit, Michigan field office in Dearborn. Since that time, Mr. Alazem has been responsible for the operational and personnel management of the field office. USCRI’s Detroit field office provides Reception and Placement (R&P), Matching Grant (MG), and Preferred Communities (PC) services to immigrants and refugees who settle in the greater Detroit, Michigan area. Before joining USCRI, Mr. Alazem held several management positions in finance, marketing, sales and general business management. He holds a Bachelors of Science degree from Eastern Michigan University. He is fluent in Arabic.

John Flanagan
Director of Erie Field OfficeJohn Flanagan has over 10 years of experience in the Human Service field, working for both providers and funding and government entities in the areas of drug and alcohol, aging and gerontology, and now refugee services. In addition to his directorship at the International Institute of Erie, John has worked extensively with elderly refugee populations in Pittsburgh, PA as a Senior Project Manager at the Allegheny Department of Human Services where he was responsible for serving elderly refugees living in city and county housing authority buildings as well as developing other programs targeted at elderly populations within Allegheny County. John holds a Bachelors degree in Criminology/Psychology from Gannon University in Erie, PA. He has a working knowledge of Spanish.

Jill Peckenpaugh
Director of Albany Field OfficeMs. Peckenpaugh is the Director of USCRI's Albany field office, which resettles approximately 400 refugees annually, arriving mainly from Burma, Iraq, Bhutan, and various African nations. Prior to joining USCRI, Jill was the Director of Program Management at Cross-Cultural Solutions, an international non-profit volunteering organization. Ms. Peckenpaugh has over 20 years of experience in marketing, training and organizational development, including holding positions at John Hancock Financial Services in Boston, MA for 10 years, mainly in their International Department. She holds a M.S. in Training and Development from Lesley University, and a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Shirley A. Thoms
Director of Raleigh Field OfficeSince 2007, Shirley A. Thoms has worked for USCRI as the Director of USCRI’s Raleigh, NC field office, overseeing both state and federal programming including Reception & Placement, Match Grant, Preferred Communities, Refugee Healthy Marriage, and NC State Refuge Assistance Program and advocating for refugees and immigrants. She has over fifteen years experience working with refugee and immigrant communities. Her career began as an AmeriCorps Access member working primarily with Bosnian refugees and later included large group resettlement of refugees from Kosovo, Vietnam, Somalia and Hmong from Thailand as a Program Coordinator and Program Manager. Her work has also included assisting in the establishment of the Ethnic Community Empowerment Center, ELT and child care programs as well as residential programs in refugee communities. She currently serves as Chairperson for the North Carolina State Advisor Council, has served on the founding board of several ethnic community based organizations and worked to implement and manage programming for Katrina Evacuees.

STAFF
Goli Amin
Senior Program Officer
Ms. Amin is responsible for USCRI's Refugee Family Strengthening Programs which provides communication and problem solving workshops to support resettled families at 7 field and partner agencies. She is the editor of "Relationship Enhancement for Refugees and Immigrants," an illustrated participant workbook. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Ms. Amin brings six years of experience in direct practice in the areas of mental health and child welfare. She has also worked in Venezuela developing social services for refugees and victims of political violence. Ms. Amin received her Master of Social Work from the University of Maryland, Baltimore and BA in Psychology and Criminal Justice from the University of Delaware. She is an immigrant from Iran and speaks Farsi and Spanish.

Abdirahman Ahmed
Program OfficerAbdirahman “AJ” Ahmed joined USCRI in May of 2010 as Matching Grant Program Officer. Prior to joining, A.J. worked for the Catholic Family Center in Rochester, NY, as a Job Counselor and most recently as a Match Grant Program Specialist in charge of all MG cases in the agency. He lived in Cairo, Egypt, for over nine years, and spent time in East Africa and the Middle East. A.J. holds a Bachelor’s in Communications with a focus on Informatics from the University at Buffalo and two certificates from Millard Fillmore College in System Design and Analysis, and Network Management. He is fluent in Arabic and Somali.

Saba Berhane
Senior Program Officer - Reception and PlacementMs. Berhane works as a Senior Program Officer serving as primary point of contact for the USCRI Reception and Placement Program. She has over ten years of refugee-related experience and knowledge in the areas of overseas refugee assistance, processing, and the U.S. Refugee Resettlement programs. Prior to joining USCRI, Ms. Berhane served as the Senior Program Associate with Ethiopian Community Development Council in Virginia, coordinating an annual national conference on African Refugees; public education and outreach on refugee issues; and providing grants management and technical assistance to Community Based Organizations and resettlement sites. She holds a B.A. in Economics and a Minor in Marketing from Old Dominion University. She is fluent in Amharic.

Megan Bracy
Program Officer – Reception and Placement
Ms. Bracy works as a Program Officer for USCRI’s Reception and Placement program. Prior to joining USCRI, she worked for the International Institute of New Hampshire (IINH) where for over four years she served in multiple positions, Employment Coordinator, Director of Resettlement and Social Services and interim Site Director. While employed at IINH, she served on multiple advisory boards and committees, and received the “40 under Forty” award for leadership. She holds a B.A. in Women Studies from the University of New Hampshire and is completing her M.A. from the School for International Training in Intercultural Service, Leadership and Management. Ms. Bracy is currently studying Swahili.

Charlotte Corneliusen
Receptionist
As Receptionist, Ms. Corneliusen provides general office support to all staff at USCRI headquarters by ensuring the smooth operation of all administrative functions. Before working at USCRI, Ms. Corneliusen worked for 10 years in film production in Canada and Germany, primarily as a producer's assistant, documentary researcher and graphics designer. While living in Germany, she also worked for the US Army’s Civilians on the Battlefield program as a translator. While living in Canada, she volunteered with Vancouver Rape Relief. She speaks German as well as basic French and Spanish.

Emily Dahl
Development CoordinatorAs Development Coordinator, Ms. Dahl provides support to the Development department. She is responsible for gift acknowledgements, donor correspondence, state registrations and charity filings, and grant research and writing. Prior to working with USCRI, she has worked in sales and consulting. Ms. Dahl received her B.A. from St. Olaf College in Studio Art and Women’s Studies. She speaks beginning Spanish and Russian.

Tracey Garner
AccountantMrs. Garner focuses on USCRI’s field offices financial operation as part of the Finance team. Before joining USCRI in 2001, Mrs. Garner worked at the local television station, WTTG-Fox Channel 5 as the Assistant Account Executive for 6 years. Mrs. Garner has worked in the accounting field in the public and non-profit sectors for over 18 years.

Ajla Grozdanic
Internet Communications CoordinatorMs. Grozdanic is responsible for developing and growing a constituency that supports refugees and immigrants. She will be creates online features that help connect people to the plight of the refugees and immigrants that USCRI serves. During her career in mainstream media, Ms. Grozdanic has served as an editor for a national women’s magazine, First, and a long-term contributor for BudgetTravel.com. Her work has also been featured in a variety of publications, including MSNBC.com, The Brooklyn Paper, and Harper’s Magazine. Ms. Grozdanic holds a M.A. in Journalism from New York University and a B.A. in International Studies, German, and Spanish from Miami University. She speaks Serbo-Croatian, German and has a working knowledge of Spanish.

Ruth Hailu
Program Officer – Reception and Placement
Ms. Hailu works as a Program Officer for the Reception and Placement Program. She supervises the USCRI Reception and Placement processing unit, which supports the successful generation of family reunification cases and the resettlement of refugee cases. Prior to joining USCRI, she worked with Doctors without Borders, first as a logistics administrator and later as a project coordinator. Over the past six years, she has been posted in several South Asian countries, including India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Ms. Hailu speaks Tigrinya.

Jessica Hansen
Program Officer – Supporting the Successful Integration of Burundian RefugeesJessica Hansen is Program Officer on the Supporting the Successful Integration of Burundian Refugees program. Prior to joining USCRI, she was a Program Officer for Mercy Corps, a Program Specialist for the Women’s Refugee Commission (part of the International Rescue Committee), and a Program Assistant for Medecins Sans Frontieres. She also interned with UNHCR and the Centre for Refugee Research. Ms. Hansen’s field work has focused primarily on gender-based violence against displaced populations in Southeast Asia and East Africa. She holds a MSW in International Social Development with a focus on refugees and forced migration from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia and a BA in International Politics from the University of Central Oklahoma. She studied abroad as an undergraduate at the University of Leicester, UK. She currently works as a volunteer to support youth in Lugufu refugee camp in Tanzania, and speaks Thai, French, and a basic degree of Amharic, Swahili, and Japanese.

Judith Harris
IOM Senior Loan CollectorA member of USCRI's IOM (International Office of Migration) Loan Collection Department, Ms. Harris handles incoming and outgoing collection calls. She assists in educating refugees about how credit works and the importance of establishing and maintaining good credit. Ms. Harris previously worked at Woodward and Lothrop 25 in Collections.

Sherjeel Islam
Database Developer/Administrator
Mr. Sherjeel is responsible for maintenance, development and design of USCRI’s in-house databases. He previously worked for NSS Incorporated as Database Administrator/Developer. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Mehran University of Engineering and Technology. He has a wide range of technical expertise and several certifications. He is a Microsoft Certified IT Professional in Database Administrator and Technology Specialist in SQL Server 2005 and .Net Framework 2.0 (Web Applications). Mr. Islam is a native of Pakistan and speaks Urdu, Hindi and Panjabi.

Heather Joseph
Matching Grant Program Officer
Ms. Joseph provides support to USCRI’s Matching Grant Program as a Program Officer. Prior to joining USCRI, she managed the Central Asia program for the American Bar Association’s Rule of Law Initiative. She has also worked for the International Organization for Migration in Vienna, Austria and Almaty, Kazakhstan as Program Development and Project Manager, managing projects in Central Asia and conducting field-based research on IDPs and refugee crises. Ms. Joseph holds a B.A. degree in Cross-Cultural Studies from Toccoa Falls College and a Master’s degree in Russian and Central Asian Studies from the University of Washington. She has lived in Austria, Kazakhstan, and Russia. She is proficient in Russian, and has a working knowledge of German.

Nina Keres
Immigration Program CoordinatorMs. Keres coordinates client intakes and pro bono representation for immigrant children at the National Center for Refugee and Immigrant Children. She has a diverse background in child welfare, international aid and multicultural education. She has served as a Program Officer for International Adoptions at the Helsinki Metropolitan Social Services in Finland and as a Liaison Officer for the Service Center for Development Cooperation, an aid organization, in Mozambique. She has also worked at the Hewlett Foundation in Washington, DC and at the World Food Program in Mozambique with displaced flood victims. Ms. Keres has a teaching degree and has specialized in multicultural education and communications. She is fluent in Finnish, English, Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish and German.

Madelyn C. Leeke
Program OfficerMs. Leeke has lead responsibility for USCRI's Preferred Communities program. She has a diverse background in law, public finance, and securities and commodities regulation. She earned a B.A. in French from Morgan State University in 1986, J.D. from Howard University School of Law in 1989, and Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Securities and Financial Regulation from Georgetown University Law Center in 1991. She speaks French and Spanish.

Priscilla Loperfido
Junior AccountantMs. Loperfido handles grants management, accounts receivable and general ledger transactions as the grants analyst at USCRI. She also prepares monthly financial reports, bank reconciliations, audits schedules and budgets. Prior to working at USCRI, Ms. Loperfido worked for American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) as Staff Accountant, and DC PHP (Sawco) as Office Manager, in charge of processing payroll, accounts payable and accounts receivable. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from UNEB in Brasilia and she has completed coursework at Hunter College, International English Language Institute in New York. Currently, she is studying for a CPA license at NVCC and works as a Realtor at Long and Foster. She speaks Portuguese and is originally from Brazil.

Ashley Mahood
Senior Matching Grant Program OfficerMs. Mahood provides support to USCRI’s Matching Grant program. Prior to her work at USCRI, she coordinated the Matching Grant Program at the Catholic Community Services Refugee Center in Washington, D.C., and served as a caseworker and job developer. She has also served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Mali, West Africa, working on income generating projects and micro-finance. She has a Bachelor’s degree of Economics from the University of Virginia. Ms. Mahood is proficient in French.

Masady Mani
IOM Loan CollectorA member of USCRI's International Office of Migration (IOM) Loan Collection Department, Ms. Mani handles new, active, and delinquent loans as well as incoming and outgoing collection calls. She also works closely with customers, replying to all requests. Ms. Mani has a B.A. in Art from Royal University of Fine Art (Phnom Penh, Cambodia), and she also has a certificate in Office Technology (Montgomery College, Maryland). She speaks fluent Khmer.

Sarah Mazouz-Marrero
Junior Accountant
After completing her accounting internship at USCRI, Mrs. Mazouz-Marrero joined the Finance team as a Junior Accountant. She holds a Certificate in Accounting from Northern Virginia Community College and is currently studying for the CPA exam. Sarah has experience working for the Department of State as a Consular Assistant and Biometrics Coordinator at the U.S. Embassy in Tunis, Tunisia. Sarah holds a B.S. in Biology with a specialty in Genetics from the University of Science and Technology in Algiers, Algeria. She is fluent in French and Arabic.

Sunil Mathur
Comptroller
Mr. Mathur monitors the processing of accounts payable, accounts receivable and general Ledger transactions, prepares monthly financial reports, pension and other benefit payments, and federal reports, and also assists in yearly audit in preparing budget and proposals. Mr. Mathur has worked as an accountant in the for-profit and non-profit sectors since 1988. He has a B.S. in Business Administration, specialization in Accounting, from the University of Maryland, College Park. He has lived in India and speaks Hindi and Urdu.

Catherine McAvoy
Program Officer--Reception and Placement
Ms. McAvoy works as a Program Officer for the Reception and Placement Program. Prior to joining USCRI, Ms. McAvoy worked in India, creating and evaluating social service programs for orphans and vulnerable children. She has served two years in the Peace Corps, working on education programming in Madagascar. Ms. McAvoy has also spent two years as a case manager for at-risk and adjudicated youth. She received her MSW from the University of Maryland and her BA from Hofstra University. She speaks conversational Malagasy.

Sara McDowell
Senior Immigration Attorney
Ms. McDowell is the Senior Immigration Attorney for the National Center for Refugee and Immigrant Children. In this capacity, she works on legal and advocacy issues pertaining to migrating children nationwide. Ms. McDowell has worked in immigration law for over seven years. She was previously an Equal Justice Works Fellow with the Pennsylvania Immigration Resource Center (PIRC), where she represented unaccompanied children, families, and survivors of domestic violence and trafficking in removal proceedings. She has also practiced immigration law with firms in New York and Washington, D.C. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Le Moyne College, in Syracuse, New York, and her Juris Doctorate from Villanova Law School. Ms. McDowell is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

Jennifer Micker
Program AssistantMs. Micker is the Program Assistant for the Preferred Communities and Supporting the Successful Integration of Burundian Refugees programs. She earned a B.A. in Spanish from Villanova University, and studied abroad at the Universidad de Cádiz and Universidad de Sevilla. Prior to joining USCRI, Ms. Micker served as an AmeriCorps volunteer at the Heartland Alliance Marjorie Kovler Center for the Treatment of Survivors of Torture in Chicago, IL. She speaks fluent Spanish and beginning French.

Zoeann Murphy
Development OfficerAs Development Officer, Ms. Murphy manages public relations, event planning, outreach campaigns, and individual, foundation, and corporate giving. Previously, Ms. Murphy was the Director of USCRI's Albany Field Office which resettles hundreds of refugees yearly. She is also a photographer and uses her art to raise awareness about the needs and rights of refugees. Through participatory photography projects like Unseen America, Zoeann has helped scores of people tell their stories. She has worked with refugees living in Thailand, India and the United States.

Wony Pak
Senior Network AdministratorMr. Pak is responsible for the ongoing maintenance, development, and support of network and computing platform, and for the design and management of internet and network security. From 1993 to 1997, Mr. Pak worked as a Network Engineer and System Integrator at various companies including Technology Automation Management Inc, Comstor Inc., and RHI. He has completed Local Area Network study at Computer Learning Center in 1994 and has completed various IT training and certifications including MCSE, CNE, CCSA. Studied Music Composition at the University of New Orleans. He previously lived in Seoul, South Korea and speaks English and Korean.

Elizabeth (Libby) Park
Matching Grant Program Officer
Ms. Park provides support for USCRI's Matching Grant Program. She offers technical assistance to network affiliates, database support and development, and works on expense processing within the program. Ms. Park is a graduate of Tufts University, receiving her Bachelor's degree in International Relations as well as Peace and Justice Studies. She speaks Spanish.

Serban Popescu
Program Officer-Reception and PlacementMr. Popescu works as a Program Officer for USCRI’s Reception and Placement program. Mr. Popescu began employment with USCRI as an Administrative Assistant, coordinating human resources for USCRI headquarters and field offices, and providing primary support to the Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. He later joined the RR&E Division as a Program Specialist, where he worked in the family reunification program and provided back up to the R&P pre-arrival team. Prior to joining USCRI, he worked as a Research Assistant at Streit Council for a Union of Democracies in Washington, DC. Serban received his M.A. in Nationalism Studies from the Central European University, and B.A. in Philosophy from the University of Bucharest. Serban speaks French and Romanian.

Artelia Robinson
Administrative Assistant
Ms. Robinson is responsible for responding to human resources related inquiries, admininistering benefits, managing the internship program and providing administrative support to the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Ms. Robinson previously worked for Illume Communications and American Friends Service Committee as Program Assistant. Ms. Robinson completing a Graduate Certificate in Leadership of Non-Profit Organizations from the College of Notre Dame in Maryland. She also received a B.A. degree in International Studies from Towson University in Maryland. She has studied in Guanajuato, Mexico and is proficient in Spanish.

Davone Silaphet
Program Specialist--Reception and Placement
Davone Silaphet has worked at USCRI since 1994 as a program specialist. She handles voucher payments for partner agencies, reviews reports from agencies, and serves as back-up for refugee travel, assurances, and transfers. Prior to coming to USCRI, she spent 14 years at the International Institute of San Francisco as a Resettlement Coordinator and Immigration Caseworker and completed advance paralegal training through the Immigration Legal Resource Center. She has a Diploma and Brevet D'etudes du Second Degree in General Education from College - Lycee Luang Prabang, Laos through Academie de Montpeller - France and her Baccarauleate from Lycee Vientiane, Laos. She was a medical student at the University of Medicine in Donesk, USSR and studied refugee issues at York University, Toronto, Canada. Ms. Silaphet speaks Lao, Thai, French, Russian, and English.

Lillian Smith
Program Assistant--Reception and Placement
As a Program Assistant for the Reception and Placement program, Ms. Smith is responsible for coordinating travel arrangements for newly arrived refugee clients. She earned a B.A. in History from Colorado College. She has interned for the Center for American Progress, the U.S. Senate and Amnesty International. Before working at USCRI, she lived in Jordan where she studied Arabic and taught English for the UN in Jerash Refugee Camp. She speaks some Arabic and Spanish.

David Vanca
Program Assistant-Reception and Placement
Mr. Vanca works as a Program Assistant for the Reception and Placement Program in 2008. Mr. Vanca began his employment with USCRI as R&P Program Assistant specializing on processing of refugee assurances. He is currently working in the R&P family reunification program where he is responsible for processing of Refugee Interest Forms, Lautenberg and Iranian AORs. He also provides back-up to R&P pre-arrival processing unit. Mr. Vanca hold B.S. from Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University where he majored in International Politics with a focus on trans-state actors. He focused on history and current affairs of Islamic World and on immigration and integration of Muslims in Europe and in the United States. Prior to joining USCRI, Mr. Vanca worked as a research assistant in Streit Council, as an assistant to the press secretary in the Embassy of the Czech Republic, Washington DC and he also interned with the German Marshall Fund of the United States. Before coming to the United States Mr. Vanca worked as a journalist for the Czech newspaper, Lidove Noviny, covering world and international news. Mr. Vanca is a native of the Czech Republic and he is fluent in Czech and Slovak and proficient in Arabic and German.

Linda Yu
Junior AccountantLinda joined USCRI in July 2010 as a Junior Accountant for the Finance team. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of California, Davis and has completed coursework towards an Accounting degree from Ajou University in Seoul, Korea. She is currently a CPA candidate. Her previous experience includes the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Seoul, Korea as an Intern. Linda is fluent in Korean and has working knowledge of French.

FELLOWSHIPS
Maureen Contreni
EJW AmeriCorps Legal Fellow
Ms. Contreni is an Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Legal Fellow with the National Center for Refugee and Immigrant Children. She received her B.A. degree from American University and her J.D. from the University of Maryland. During law school, she represented asylum seekers and juveniles in her school's immigration clinic; volunteered at Catholic Charities and the CAIR Coalition; and held clerkships at the Baltimore Immigration Court, Berlin & Associates, and Maggio & Kattar. Prior to law school, Ms. Contreni worked at the International Rescue Committee and USCRI. She also earned a M.A. degree in History from the University of Maryland. She speaks Spanish and Portuguese.

Stacy Jones
EJW AmeriCorps Legal Fellow
Stacy Jones is an Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Legal Fellow at the National Center for Refugee and Immigrant Children. She received her J.D. from American University, Washington College of Law in 2008, after earning a B.A. in Spanish and International Relations from Lehigh University in 2005. At WCL, Stacy served as a student attorney in the International Human Rights Law Clinic, working on international human rights law and immigration cases. During her years in law school, she also worked as an intern in the Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the Due Process of Law Foundation in Washington, D.C., and Chile Transparente in Santiago. She participated in WCL's Summer Program in Chile and Argentina, and also studied for a semester in Alcala de Henares, Spain, as an undergraduate student. She is fluent in Spanish, has a working knowledge of French, and is a member of the District of Columbia Bar.