JFS is a multi-faceted organization with an impact range of over 11,500 Western New Yorkers. With an operating budget of $16 million in 2024, JFS continues to provide important services to help individuals move from crisis to thriving, while achieving their unique aspirations. As CEO I oversee the work of the 135 person, highly diverse staff who provide services across a broad spectrum of care including behavioral health, refugee and immigrant services, Holocaust survivor care, career services, health care coordination, and specialized programming focused on family support and older adult care. The development of the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Healing at JFS is a shining example of both strategic development and strong operational management. The Center provides specialized and culturally responsive behavioral health and well-being services through innovative programming for an underserved population.Check us out at www.jfswny.org and learn how you can become part of the team.

Full-time doctoral candidate with a dissertation focused on US refugee resettlement policy and the intersection of early self-sufficiency and integration of refugees. Dissertation successfully argued on April 12, 2019.

Responsible for IINE program administration in New Hampshire including refugee resettlement, employment services, English as second language instruction, extended case management, and youth programming. Serve as an accredited representative providing OPLA legal services to the larger New Hampshire immigrant community.

Oversaw the set-up and opening of a new office for the International Rescue Committee with a focus on internal control development, community outreach, public information management, and development of service delivery for newly arriving refugees. Engaged with volunteers, service providers, and local government to build the foundation for a welcoming community for refugees.Proudest Moment: The arrival of the first refugee family for resettlement in the state of Montana.

As Deputy Director for Administration I oversaw the human resources, finance, property, procurement, travel logistics, and information technology units. My responsibilities included:• Development and oversight of the annual budget of $22 million;• Management of the facilitates and property;• Compliance with 2 CFR 200 to ensure operations and administration of federal funds are within acceptable practices;• Oversight of the maintenance and continued development of the IT infrastructure to enable the organization to meet security needs and adapt new technologies;• Compliance with US, Kenyan, Tanzanian, and South African labor regulations through implementation of appropriate human resource policies and procedures;• Oversaw the well-being of the 471 person work force; and • Analyze organizational staffing needs to assure the work force is appropriate for the administration of the program.As one of two Deputy Directors I was a member of the Senior Management Team and provided strategic leadership to the organization. I worked with staff to effectively manage a highly diversified work force operating throughout sub Saharan Africa. Administrative support was provided both to CWS Africa's Refugee Support Center and the CWS Africa's Relief, Development, and Protection projects in East and South Africa.Proudest Moment: When 122 new caseworkers, field team assistants, and case processing assistants sat down for their first day of work and met their new director. An end to five months of hard work for the administration team but the beginning of a year of new possibilities for refugees.

As Cultural Orientation Coordinator for CWS RSC Africa I managed the delivery of cultural orientation to 10,000 refugees departing sub Saharin Africa for the United States as part of the US Refugee Admissions Program. Before promoting into the position of Deputy Director for Administration, I facilitated the implementation of a new English as Second Language program in Rwanda and Tanzania to increase basic English language and literacy skills among Congolese refugees expected to be resettled in the United States. During my brief time as the CO Coordinator I engaged staff in team building and effective decision making training to better prepare them for the challenges they face while operating throughout the large service area of sub Saharan Africa.Proudest Moment: Visiting the amazing English as Second Language program in Gihembe Refugee Camp and seeing the bright faces of thirty refugees eager to learn the language of their future homeland.

Journey's End is a mid-size non-profit serving refugees and the Western New York community for over 25 years. The purpose of Journey's End is to provide newly arriving refugees with the resources and tools they need to become successful and contributing members of the community.Under my directorship Journey's End grew substantially not only in fiscal capacity, but more importantly, in ability to service the refugee community in Western New York. Upon my departure, the 50 staff of Journey's End provided a full spectrum of services to refugees with a focus on integration. Journey's End has seven key divisions: refugee resettlement, employment, youth education, adult education, immigration legal services, interpreting/translating, and the sustainable food systems project. The focus of my directorship was to grow the capacity of Journey's End as well as to manage the challenges of growth through internal organizational capacity building. The staff, board, refugees, and community partners of Journey's End all played an important role in growth management and developing the vision for the organization.Proudest Moment: The day we officially opened the Legal Services Department making Journey's End a fully holistic program serving refugees and immigrants at all stages of their transition.

As the Field Office Director I was responsible for opening and developing a new field office in Albany, NY that provided refugee resettlement, employment and legal services to the refugee and immigrant community in the Capital Region of New York. Over the course of three years I worked to expand the office to provide a holistic array of services including refugee resettlement, social supports services, family support services, employment services, ESL instruction, community mentor programs, and immigration legal services.Proudest Moment: The day my first grant approval letter came for a service delivery program I developed.

118 bed shelter for asylum seekers, victims of trafficking, and victims of violent crimes providing legal, medical, and social assistance.As the Legal Services Coordinator I managed the Board of Immigration Appeals Accredited legal department in the delivery of legal services to asylum seekers from around the world. Our program provided both asylum aid in the United States and referral to services for refugee claims in Canada.Proudest Moment: The day I won my first affirmative asylum case allowing a family to stay safely in their United States, where they could practice their faith without fear of persecution or separation.