Ruth Lopez Email & Phone Number

Chicago, IL

Under my direction, the LPF program provided over 6,500 immigration legal screenings and had over 3,500 immigration cases filed. I oversaw the program's external community and government relations, "Know Your Rights" outreach, developed training content, represented clients in immigration proceedings before the U.S. Department of Executive Office for.

I developed grant-making structures, policies, procedures, communications plans, constituency/validator engagement strategies, and ongoing compliance work. I guided 20 grantee organizations, addressing their programmatic concerns and service gaps to improve outcomes. I conducted over 50 on-site evaluations across the country and Mexico during the 2015-2016.

Greater Chicago Area

At the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, I created the "Illinois Is Ready"campaign. A state-wide campaign meant to prepare immigrant communities across Illinois forcomprehensive immigration reform (CIR). The campaign served as a clearinghouse for Illinois-specificinformation regarding the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA).

Washington D.C. Metro Area

• Help develop and coordinate the national field and legislative strategy for comprehensive immigration reform
• Provide liaison between the legislative team and the field and communications components of the campaign through calls, emails and presentations

• Assembled a coalition of organizing and legal partners in northern-border states to address the burgeoning civil rights issues affecting immigrants and New Americans in these communities.
• Facilitated the beginnings of dual border partnerships to confront border issues systematically

Washington D.C. Metro Area

• Coordinated efforts to build alliances with key constituencies.
• Created opportunities to hold field/policy briefings, lobby days, and related activities; documented progress and provided follow-up as appropriate.
• Facilitated network communications through regular email updates, conference calls, direct conversations, support for local and regional trainings, meetings and conferences, and other events

Washington D.C. Metro Area

• Organized national immigration rally with over 5,000 attendees and a national telephonic “house parties”
• Prepared materials and organizer packets for lobby days and travel packets.

• Provided free civil legal services to low-income and disadvantaged people and communities on the west side of Chicago
• Managed cases starting from client intake, researched legal issue, and appeared and represented motions in the Circuit Court of Cook County under attorney supervision with 711 license
• Researched and wrote memos, motions, and affidavits in family, bankruptcy, housing, and public benefits law

• Helped provide pro bono and low cost direct representation to immigration clients at the Chicago Legal Clinic’s south side Pilsen office
• Researched and wrote memos, motions, affidavits, and waivers for immigration cases
• Assisted with client intake and filled out immigration forms in immigration cases related to naturalization, adjustment of status, employment authorization, and cancellation of removal

• Organized parent leadership groups and lead groups through negotiations with the Chicago Public Schools to bring three after school programs and a 3-5 p.m. preschool session
• Mobilized parents to fight the closing of a public neighborhood preschool resulting in the extension of the school lease
• Created four block clubs to mobilize around concerns of city services and neighborhood safety
• Worked in citywide coalitions around issues of crime, health, education and immigration concerns
• Worked extensively in grant proposal writing acquisitioning over $300,000 for fiscal years 2005-2006
• Utilized fluency in Spanish with community residents in a 70 % Latino populated neighborhood

J.D., Public Interest

Activities and Societies: • Recipient of The Honorable Abraham Lincoln Marovitz Scholarship • Dean’s Distinguished Public Service Award •.

B.A., Bachelor Of Arts In Spanish, And Minor In Latino/Latina Studies