Team

Executive Director

Angélica Salas (She/Her/Hers)

Angelica Salas is an immigrant from Durango, Mexico.  She came to the United States as a child to reunite with her parents, who came to provide a better life for their family.  Angelica comes to her understanding of immigrants and immigration first hand, she and her entire family lived in the country undocumented, experienced deportation, and were able to legalize their status.  In 2008, Angelica became a U.S. citizen.  She makes Pasadena, California her home, the first city she arrived at as a child.  She is married to Mayron Payes, an immigrant from El Salvador, and has two children Ruben and Maya Payes.

Angelica joined CHIRLA in 1995 and became CHIRLA’s Executive Director in 1999.  In her role, she has transformed CHIRLA into a mass membership immigrant-led organization that empowers immigrants and their families to win local, state, and national policies that advance their human, civil, and labor rights.  She has grown CHIRLA into one of the nation’s largest and most effective immigrant rights organizations that organize, advocates, educates, and provides legal services to all immigrants. She has spearheaded ambitious statewide and national campaigns to expand immigrant rights. She has helped found organizations and coalitions to advocate for immigrant workers, youth, and families.  Among her achievements include: winning in-state, financial aid and grant programs for California’s undocumented students, establishing day-laborer centers that become national models, winning drivers’ licenses for undocumented drivers, decoupling local police departments from immigration enforcement, expanding access to immigrant legal services and winning Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).

Angelica is a state and national leader in the advocacy for immigration reform and immigrant justice.  She was instrumental in the formation of and serves on the Executive Committee of the Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM) and the National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA), two of the country’s largest immigrant rights coalitions.

Angelica is a recognized grassroots leader that plays a national leadership role in all major immigration reform campaigns. She serves as a national spokesperson for immigrant communities and immigrant rights campaigns. Angelica has sought expert responses from Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Washington Post, CNN, Univision. Telemundo, NPR, etc. Recently, Angelica’s work led to the House of Representatives passage of the Dream and Promise Act of 2019, a bill to give people with DACA and TPS a path to citizenship.

She graduated from Occidental College with a B.A. in History and a B.A. in Sociology in 1993.  In 2007, Occidental College awarded her an Honorary Doctorate for her many contributions making her one of the youngest persons to earn such an honor in the college’s history.

Managing Director

Zerihoun Yilma

Zerihoun Yilma is the associate director of CHIRLA. He is an immigrant from Ethiopia, who is committed to fighting racial, economic, and social inequality. He has worked tirelessly to bridge diverse immigrant groups with native-born Americans to bring immigration reform to the top of the American moral agenda.

Zerihoun has studied and worked in the nonprofit and for-profit sectors in Ethiopia, Botswana, Namibia, India and the U.S.

He currently serves as a Board member of the Californians for Human Immigrant Rights Leadership Action Fund, as the Board Chair for Black Alliance for Just Immigration, and as a Board member of Casa Libre Shelter/Freedom House (CHRCL).Before coming to CHIRLA, Zerihoun worked in financial services in Los Angeles and in Africa, where he managed small to medium manufacturing and service plants.

In Los Angeles, Zerihoun has helped shape several nonprofits: he is co-founder of the African Communities Public Health Coalition (African Coalition), co-founder of the Academia Moderna, a longtime member of Black Immigration Network (BIN) and has served as vice president of the Virgin Mary Ethiopian Orthodox Cathedral.

Zerihoun earned a Masters in accounting and cost accounting from Poona University and a BA in industrial management from Shivaji University in India.

As a social change leader, Zerihoun continually refines and expands his management skills through participation in leadership programs. He is a 2015-2016 Cross movement fellow at Rockwood Leadership Institute.

Director of Executive Affairs

Areli E. Hernandez (She/Her/Ella)

Favorite Quote

“Act Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly”- Micah 6:8

Director of Administration and HR

Yolanda Jones (She/Her/Hers)

Yolanda Jones joined CHIRLA in 2013 and became its director of administration in 2014. She oversees office management, information technology, bookkeeping and the executive and administrative assistant staff. She oversees the work plan under the organization’s strategic plan. Before CHIRLA, Yolanda lived in Washington D.C. and worked for the National Council of La Raza and Center for Community Change. Yolanda was born and raised in El Salvador, and she came to the United States as a teenager to reunite with her parents. She has completed certificate programs at Montgomery College and George Washington University to complement more than two decades of nonprofit administrative experience.

Director of Communications

Jorge-Mario Cabrera

Jorge-Mario Cabrera joined CHIRLA in 2008 as director of communications after long experience in immigrant rights nonprofits. Before CHIRLA, he worked  at the National Alliance of Latinoamerican and Caribbean Communities, the Central American Resource Center, and Bienestar Human Services. He joined CHIRLA because he believes no family should be torn apart and no person should be dehumanized by this country’s immigration laws. Jorge-Mario has raised CHIRLA’s profile in the media as one of the nation’s premier advocates for immigrants.

Director of Marketing and Public Relations

Luis Tadeo

Director of CHIRLA Mexico

Esmeralda Flores

Director of Organizing

Pedro Trujillo

Director of Programs & Subcontract Administration

Maritza R. Agundez, Esq. (She/Her/Ella)

Favorite Quote

“Talk is Cheap… It is the way we organize and use our lives everyday that tells what we believe in.” – Cesar Chavez

Director of Development

Julio Martinez (He/Him/His)

Political Director

Fatima Flores Lagunas

Director of Humanitarian Response & Migrant Assistance

Chris Baca (He/Him/His)

Director of Community Education and Outreach

Miriam Mesa

Miriam Mesa joined CHIRLA in 2000 as an information and referrals specialist, was promoted to coordinator in 2009, and became the department’s director in 2016. She has received specialized training in immigration law, wage theft, intimate partner violence, LGBTQ issues, housing, access to benefits, worker’s rights, mental health awareness and the citizenship application process. She has extensive paralegal training in immigration law and is accredited with the Department of Justice. As a Cuban immigrant (she arrived in 1995), she intrinsically understands the challenges of immigrants. Miriam graduated with a chemical engineering degree from the University of Havana.

Director of Information Technology & Security

Gebriel Dawit

Favorite Quote

“Throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have acted; the indifference of those who should have known better; the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most; that has made it possible for evil to triumph.”

Director of Policy and Advocacy

Jeannette Zanipatin

Director of Legal Programs

Karla E. Aguayo (She/Her/Hers)

Favorite Quote

“Let us not tire of preaching love; it is the force that will overcome the world.” – Oscar Romero

Director of External Affairs

Oscar Zarate

Director of Worker Rights & Labor Legal Services

Yunuen Trujillo, Esq. (She/Her/Ella)

Director of Climate Justice

Vlad Carrasco Molina (He/Him/His)

Director of Data Analytics and Programs

Lorraine Tamburrino (She/Her/Hers)

Lorraine Tamburrino has over ten years in the field of data analytics with experience in the non-profit and private sector. She has worked for Fortune 500 companies, where she was responsible for developing recommendations that guide media and marketing strategies. In marketing analytics, her focus was on measuring the campaign effectiveness in different media channels, defining the ideal consumer prior to product development, or revamping the consumer profile for existing products in Latin American markets. She has also been an Instructor for the Master of Applied Analytics at Columbia University and the Master of Audience Analytics and the University of Florida.

Since 2019, Lorraine has worked for CHIRLA developing data management solutions that support the organization’s capture, processing, and reporting of data for effective decision-making. As the Director of Data Analytics and Programs, she oversees all data systems and integrations between platforms including Salesforce, departmental reporting, organizational research initiatives, and programmatic evaluation efforts. She received her master’s degree in Communication Studies from the University of Miami, and her bachelor’s in business administration with a concentration in Marketing from Florida International University.

Director of Membership and Member Services

Anabella Bastida (She/Her/Hers)

Anabella Bastida serves CHIRLA as Director of Membership and Membership Services. In this capacity, Mrs. Bastida, with her team, provides direct services and opportunities to CHIRLA members and to the immigrant community at large.

Mrs. Bastida counts with over 20 years of experience working in the non-profit sector and has expertise in finance, management, program design, community outreach, and organizing. During her career, she has implemented initiatives to educate the immigrant community in topics related to AB60 Driver’s licenses, DACA programs, naturalization drives, and education and health initiatives. She has developed lessons and curriculum for Promotoras Civicas and community leaders. Mrs. Bastida lead efforts in the promotion of the 2020 Census and worked with different coalitions while at the same time engaged Promotoras de Salud and community leaders in direct outreach to immigrants.

Mrs. Bastida has attended fellowships and trainings to create lasting collaborations and to work more effectively and sustainably. Mrs.  Bastida counts with a successful track record of project accomplishment. Mrs. Bastida is a well-known and respected leader in the immigrant community and she is recognized as an effective leader devoted to the advancement of immigrant families.

She has a BA in Liberal Studies and a Master’s Degree in Multicultural Education from CSUDH.  She received her JD from People’s College of Law. Mrs. Bastida was featured in her alma mater as an Alumna who works to foster education in the immigrant community.

Mrs. Bastida enjoys music, nature, spirituality, and spending quality time with her family.

Payroll and HR Administrator

Patricia Garcia (She/Her/Hers)

Favorite Quote

“I’m no longer accepting the things I cannot change…I’m changing the things I cannot accept.” – Angela Davis

Talent Recruitment and Operations Manager

Maribel Molina (She/Her/Hers)

Favorite Quote

“See it, Believe it, Achieve it.”-  Lori-Ann Muenzer

Operations Manager

Maria Montes (She/Her/Hers)

IT Support Specialist

Batbayasgalan Enkhbold

Favorite Quote

“Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.”– Maya Angelou

Custodian

Victoria Francisco (She/Her/Ella)

Favorite Quote

“Aquí estamos y no nos vamos y si nos echan nos regresamos”

Immigrant Assistant Line Supervisor

Elizabeth Rodriguez

 Favorite Quote

“At the end of the day, we can endure much more! Then we think we can!”

Information and Referral Specialist

Daysi Flores

Program Manager

Jessica Huerta (She/Her/Hers)

Favorite Quote

“Mantente alejado de aquellas personas que tratan de menospreciar tus ambiciones. Las personas pequeñas siempre lo hacen, pero los verdaderamente grandes hacen sentirte que tú también puedes ser grande” – MARK TWAIN

Information and Referral Specialist

Esmeralda Morales (She/Her/Hers)

Favorite Quote

“The only problem is whenever I try to make a taco, I get too excited and crush it.” – Kevin Malone, The Office

Program Assistant

Julian Herrera Millan

Favorite Quote

“The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any”.  – Alice Walker

Regional Field Coordinator, South LA

Grelia Vegas (She/Her/Hers)

Favorite Quote

“Social Justice starts in your heart!!!!”

South OC Community Education Representative

Karen Hernandez (She/Her/Hers)

Favorite Quote

“Sometimes we have to do the work even though we don’t yet see a glimmer on the horizon that it’s actually going to be possible”

Regional Field Coordinator Fresno

Brenda Ordaz

Favorite Quote

“Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle.” – Martin Luther King

Deputy Director of Development

Sharon Park (She/Her/Hers)

Favorite Quote

“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” – James Baldwin

Accounting Manager

Arvin Nazari

Paralegal

Aimee Negrete (She/Her/Hers)

Favorite Quote

“When we speak we are afraid our words will not be heard or welcomed. But when we are silent, we are still afraid. So it is better to speak.” – Audre Lorde

Programs Data & Finance Manager

Monica Vargas (She/Her/Hers)

“Entre los individuos, como entre las naciones, el respeto al derecho ajeno es la paz.” – Benito Juarez.

Managing Attorney

S. Benitez, Esq. (They/Them)

Favorite Quote

“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” – Barack Obama

Law Clerk

Daisy Mendoza (She/Her/Hers)

Program Manager

Sylvia Ortiz (She/Her/Hers)

Favorite Quote

“Instead of letting your hardships and failures discourage or exhaust you, let them inspire you. Let them make you even hungrier to succeed” – Michelle Obama

Managing Attorney

Diana Vasquez

“Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in the power of your hand to do so.” -Proverbs 3:27

Citizenship Coordinator

Fabiana Barcenas

Supervising Staff Attorney 

Navil Canal

Favorite Quote

“Laughter is timeless, Imagination has no age, and Dreams are forever” – Walt Disney

DOJ Accredited Representative

Jorge L. Galindo (He/Him/His)

Favorite Quote

“The cost of liberty is less than the price of repression.” – W.E.B. Du Bois

Legal Fellow

Ana Lujan

Favorite Quote

“Without community, there is no liberation”- Audre Lorde

Supervising Department of Justice Representative

Leslie Melendez

Favorite Quote

“Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.” – Mark Twain

DOJ Accredited Representative

Mercedes Montano (She/Her/Hers/Ella)

DOJ Accredited Representative

Eden Velasco (He/Him/His)

Legal Support Manager

Jose Mendoza

DOJ Accredited Representative

Sandy Lopez (She/Her/Hers)

Favorite Quote

“The Future depends on what we do in Present” – Mahatma Gandhi

Legal Assistant

Sandra Provencio

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” –C.S. Lewis

Marketing & Public Relations Coordinator

Zuleyma Barajas

Membership Campaign Coordinator

Veronica Villa (She/Her/Ella)

Youth Programs Manager

Kathia Garcia

Favorite Quote

“Pies para que los quiero si tengo alas para volar” – Frida Kahlo

Orange County Organizer

Janeth Bucio

Favorite Quote

“Those who love peace must learn to organize as effectively as those who love war.” – MLK

Northern Regional CDN Organizer

Eva Jimenez (She/Ella)

Favorite Quote

“There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest.” – Elie Wiesel

Central Valley CDN Organizer

Gloria Vallin (She/Her/Ella)

Favorite Quote

“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new” – Socrates

Los Angeles Regional Organizer

Ana Martinez (Ella)

San Fernando Valley Organizer 

Maru Galvan (She/Her/Hers)

Favorite Quote

“Don’t wait for an opportunity, create it.”

Antelope Valley Organizer

Patricia Salazar

Favorite Quote

“Be you the change you want to see in the world, sharing your own humanity!”

High Desert Organizer

Mariela Jaquez (She/Her/Hers)

Favorite Quote

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou

San Bernardino Organizer

Mireya Gonzalez

Favorite Quote

“Una nación no debe juzgarse por cómo trata a sus ciudadanos con mejor posición, sino por como trata a los que tienen poco o nada.” – Nelson Mandela

Central Valley Organizer

Leticia Lopez (She/Her/Hers)

Education and Outreach Domestic Workers

Elsy Perez

General Counsel

Carl Bergquist

Favorite Quotes

“I dissent, therefore, from this legalization of racism. Racial discrimination in any form and in any degree has no justifiable part whatever in our democratic way of life.” – U.S. Supreme Court Justice Murphy, dissenting opinion in Korematsu v. U.S. (1944).

“Taken together, “the words of the President” help to “create the strong perception” that the rescission decision was “contaminated by impermissible discriminatory animus.” – U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor, concurring opinion in the DACA case, DHS v. Regents (2020).

Digital Media Manager

Felipe Chacon (He/Him/His)

Accountant

Cristina Jaquez Nevarez (She/Her/Hers)

Regional Subcontractor Administrator

Candace Leos (She/Her/Ella)

Paralegal

Oscar Alulema

Regional Policy Advocate

Luptia Martinez (She/Her/Hers)

OC Organizer

Yesenia Altamirano (She/Her/Hers)

Program Assistant

Isabel Medina

Paralegal

Christian Ortiz (He/Him/His)

Paralegal

Alexander Freitag

Deputy Director of Refugee Affairs

Anahita Panahi (She/Her/Hers)

Payroll and HR Program Assistant

Genesis Gomez (She/Her/Hers)

Social Media Coordinator

Melissa Diaz (She/Her/Hers)

Northern California Refugee Organizer

Kawser Amine Bidar

Legal Fellow

Ramon Hernandez (He/Him/His)

Paralegal

Haydee Perez (She/Hers/Ella)

Graphic Designer

Sara Eustache

Donor Engagement & Events Coordinator

Rosemary Gutierrez

DOJ Accredited Rep

Riham Sukariya (She/Her/Hers)

Youth Organizer, Wise-Up!

Samantha Barrientos

Marketing & Production Coordinator

Danielle Hochman

Membership Manager

Katherine Cabrel (She/Her/Hers)

Legal Assistant

Jessica Corson (She/Her/Hers)

Grant Writer

Daisy Pizana (She/Her/Hers/Ella)

Development Coordinator

Michelle Rincon (She/Her/Hers)

Deputy Director of State Policy and Advocacy

Cynthia Gómez (She/Her/Hers)

IT Support Specialist

Mario U. Saravia

Regional Field Coordinator San Bernardino

Christopher Vazquez (He/Him/His)

Community Education Programs Manager

Winston Leiva (He/Him/His)

Program Coordinator

Emily Romero

Logistics Manager

Yitzak Molina-Romo

Client Services Representative

Cindy Monterosa

Community Education Assistant

Lili-Anne Cabrera

Membership Assistant

Matsya Malvaez (She/Her/Hers/Ella)

Outreach Assistant

Christian Bolio

Volunteer & Intern Coordinator

Ingrid Olvera Escoto (She/Her/Hers)

Accountant

Andrew Lara

Recruitment Program Assistant

Nancy Honorato

Senior Staff Attorney

Crystal Caldera

Afghan Caseworker

Assadullah Tarzi

Senior Staff Attorney

Christopher Duran

Migrant Emergency Program Manager

Cecily S Ma (She/They)

Executive Associate

Michelle Raygoza (She/Her/Hers)

Legal Assistant, Family Unity

Nallely Vazquez

Legal Assistant

Alejandro Minh Ruiz

Legal Assistant

Fatima Leon (She/Her/Hers)

Paralegal

Dani Cooke (She/They/Them)

Resettlement Manager

David Malikyar (He/Him/His)

Employment Specialist

Ricardo Carrillo

Data & Programs Analyst

Erin Lopez (She/Her/Hers)

Digital Content Creator

Guadalupe Elizabeth Rodriguez

Paralegal

Oday Ariana Frausto

Paralegal

Vanessa Rizo (She/Her/Hers)

Paralegal

Veronica Garcia

Paralegal

Hannah Ponce (She/Her/Hers)

Paralegal

Sofia Lesnewski (She/Her/Hers)

Legal Assistant

Emmanuel Garcia Vizcarra (He/Him/His)

Individual Giving Manager

Marco Amezcua

Statewide Organizer, CDN

Randall Santiago

Legal Assistant

Kevin Teas Aldana (He/Him/Him)

Legal Assistant

Lina Sabri (She/Her/Hers)

Accountant

Marco Tellez

Legal Assistant

Cecilia Bonilla (She/Her/Hers)

Paralegal

Alexis Hernandez (He/Him/His)

Paralegal

Christopher Hernandez (He/Him/His)

Humanitarian Caseworker & Welcoming Navigator

Raquel Vargas

Bookkeeper

Maria Torres

Receptionist

Lilianna Ocon (She/Her/Hers)

Deputy Director of National Policy and Campaigns

José-Arnulfo Cabrera (He/Him/His)

Deputy Director of National Policy and Congressional Affairs

Marisol Hernandez

Regional Field Coordinator Orange County

Lourdes Dominguez

Humanitarian Caseworker & Welcoming Navigator

Rosanna Del Rio (She/Her/Ella)

Logistics Specialist

Bryan Santos (He/Him/His)

Logistics Specialist

Esmeralda Urieta-Diaz (She/Her/Hers/Ella)

Managing Attorney

Matthew Toyama

Academic Organizer

Xochitl Candelario (She/Her/Hers)

Paralegal

Monica Cordova

Paralegal

Luis Diaz

Paralegal

Maryam Vielmas (She/Her/Ella)

Law Clerk

Perlita Varela

Legal Assistant

Jeniffer Cruz (She/Her/Hers)

Integrated Voter Engagement Manager

Nayeli Rivera

Information and Referral Specialist

Mindy Hernandez (She/Her/Hers)

Receptionist

Cynthia Martin (She/Her/Ella)

Program Manager

Michael Stack

Facilities Manager

Jose Vazquez

Program Assistant

Liliana Ramirez (She/Her/Ella)

Call Center Manager

Rigoberto Lopez (He/Him/They)

Program Assistant

Chris Burton

Deputy Director of Civic Engagement

Andre Barrios (He/Him/His)

Legal Assistant

Boden Stringer (He/Him/His)

Legal Assistant

Alexandra Yeline Dominguez Estrella (She/Her/Hers)

Managing Attorney, Student Legal

Andres Guerra (He/Him/His)

Humanitarian Caseworker & Welcoming Navigator

Maria Soto

Grant Writer

Abby Gray (She/Her/Hers)

Legal Assistant

Genesis Martinez

Regional Policy Advocate

Natalia Saca

Supervising OLAP Accredited Representative

Farina Centeno (She/Her/Hers)

OLAP Partially Accredited Representative

Bria Contreras (She/Her/Hers)

Susuki Figueroa

Paralegal

Rocío García

Subcontractor Administrator

Leslie J. Lucas (She/Her/Hers)

Operations Program Assistant

Priscilla Martinez (She/Her/Hers)

Aura Silva

Paralegal

Mariella Solano (She/Her/Hers)

Youth Organizer

Silvia Treviño

Humanitarian Assistant

Maritza De Los Zambrano

Statewide Climate Justice Advocate

Alejandra Ruiz

Legal Assistant

Joana Montes

Paralegal

Milenia Quintero

Senior Properties Manager

Yamilet Jovel

Legal Assistant

Sergio Reyes Aguilar

State Policy Advocate

Monica Madrid

Staff Attorney

Nico Thompson-Lleras

Legal Program Manager

Brian Guzman

Outreach Assistant

Adriana Buelna

Beth Cruz

Legal Assistant

Jocelyn Solano