meet our call-in volunteers · call-in volunteers 2015 ... karen alvarez is a cuny citizenship now!...

Meet our Call-In Volunteers

2015S E R V I C E • E X P E R I E N C E

C O M M I T M E N T

MAUREEN ABELL attended law school at Columbia University, then practiced immigration law in New York City for four years. She now lives and works in Charlotte, NC, but is back in town for the call-in.

ALBERT ADES is a former Chapter Chair of AILA. He is a bilingual lawyer in private practice in NYC and has more than 35 years experience in immigration law.

MOHAMMAD AKRAM is a member of NLSC, CEC, 21 Brooklyn and the Vice President of ACES. He is also a Trustee of the NYPD Desi and Muslim Officers Society. He is fluent in Hindi, Sindhi, Urdu and Punjabi.

GEORGE AKST earned a B.A. from Boston University, attended The Hague Academy of International Law and received his J.D. from Fordham Law. He has been practicing immigration law for over 35 years.

LETICIA ALANIS is a passionate advocate for social justice. She co-founded and directed La Union, an organization of people of the Global South, working to advance social, economic and cultural rights.

AIDA ALAOUIE is an Academic Advisor at Borough of Manhattan Community College. She is fluent in Arabic.

JULIAN ALDANA is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! and a recent graduate of John Jay College, where he studied political science. He wants to become an immigration attorney in the future.

MICHEL ALEXIS is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! and a CUNY alumnus. He studied U.S. immigration law and graduated in 2008.

AUDLEY ALLEN is an Associate Pastor at the Mount Vernon SDA Church with an interest in religious immigration matters. He participates in pro bono activities with Maurice Maitland, Esq.

KAREN ALVAREZ is a CUNY Citizenship Now! volunteer and a student at Guttman Community College, where she studies business administration.

ALTHEA ANGUS is a student and a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now!

DIEGO APARICIO is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! He enjoys helping people pursue the American Dream.

JONATHAN ARCENTALES is currently pursuing a B.S. in Biology at Medgar Evers College. He plans to study to become a physician assistant.

LISA ARPAIA is the Immigration Compliance Attorney for Family Care Plus in New England. She also has a pro bono VAWA/U-visa practice in Connecticut.

ELIZABETH AVILES is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! She enjoys helping people and is fluent in Spanish.

ANISIA AYON is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! and with Faith in New York. After retiring from Sabre Inc., she has dedicated her time to helping improve communities around her.

MOHAMMED AYUB is a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces, an Islamic Lay Leader, an Arabic tutor at Yankasa, a Ghanaian community organization. He speaks Arabic, Ga, Hausa, Kotokoli, Samireh, and Twi.

ALYSSA BAIN manages the Office for New Americans initiative at Opportunities for a Better Tomorrow in Brooklyn. She previously worked at Cabrini Immigrant Services in Manhattan.

MELISSA AARON-COOPER is an attorney who obtained her LL.B. at University of London, LPC at Oxford University and LL.M. at Cardozo Law School. She enjoys volunteering with CUNY Citizenship Now!

MARISABEL ABBAS is a Senior Legal Assistant for LatinoJustice PRLDEF, an organization that protects and defends the civil rights of Latinos.

IDRISSA ABDEL KADER has been a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! since 2011. He has a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and works as a real estate agent.

In New York,Volunteers Make It Happen!

AVIS BASCOM is a tax preparer and a full-time student majoring in accounting. She is also a member of the CUNY Citizenship Now! Volunteer Corps.

RACHEL BASKIN is the Senior Associate at O’Malley & Associates, located in New York. Her practice focuses on employment and family based immigration cases as well as naturalization applications.

YOLANDA BASTIDAS is a Senior Paralegal and Board of Immigration Appeals accredited representative at the York College Immigration Center. She is a graduate of Queens College.

MABEL BEJAR is a Staff Attorney for CUNY Citizenship Now! She is a member of AILA and is fluent in Spanish. She is admitted to practice in New York and California.

GISSELLE BELIA is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! and a student at Baruch College, where she studies public affairs. She hopes to attend law school upon graduation.

K.L.S. “RAJ” BHUSHAN is an immigration attorney with over 20 years of experience.

TAMARA BLOOM, an attorney, is the Legal Coordinator for CUNY Citizenship Now! She is a graduate of Binghamton University and CUNY School of Law.

LEONIE BORELAND is a paralegal and graduate student at The City College of New York. She is a native of Jamaica, West Indies. As a former immigrant, she enjoys giving back to the immigrant community.

LAWRENCE BOSKET has worked for 12 years as a Brooklyn College Admissions Counselor. He has Political Science and Sociology bachelor’s degrees from Brooklyn College and is pursuing a M.A. in History.

JULIA BRENT is a certified paralegal with 10 years of experience. She is studying international tax law and is a J.D. candidate at the University of Baltimore School of Law.

TORI BROOKS is a student at Guttman Community College majoring in Liberal Arts. In the future she wants to study forensic psychology.

TIFFANY BROWN is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! and a recent graduate from NYU’s Master of Global Affairs Program. She enjoys volunteering in her spare time and helping communities in need.

ISABEL BUCARAM is a part-time Staff Attorney with CUNY Citizenship Now! and a Court Attorney with the New York State Unified Court System. She is a graduate of The CUNY School of Law and NYU.

LILIANA BUCUR is a consultant for the United Nations and has a Master in International Affairs and Planning.This is her seventh consecutive year with CUNY Citizenship Now!

ELISE BURTON is a partner in the New York law office of O’Reilly Burton McCabe LLP. She focuses on business and family immigration law and the law of tax exempt organizations.

IRENE BYHOVSKY is a J.D. candidate with a passion for public and private law. She is skilled in legal research and court proceedings.

ELBIA CABRAL is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! and a student at Bronx Community College. She is proud to serve others from various cultural backgrounds.

NORMA CALDERON currently works with CUNY CIS as a Graphic Designer. A native of Ecuador, she likes to give back to the community.

SOPHIA BARCLAY is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! and an alumna of Brooklyn College, where she studied political science and philosophy of law. She hopes to attend law school.

SONIA BARCO is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! She works in the Office of the Registrar at Borough of Manhattan Community College.

SONIA BARTON LMSW, is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! She completed her undergraduate education at CUNY Hunter College and graduate work at NYU Silver School of Social Work.


MELISSA CHAN is a Graduate Academic Advisor at CUNY Brooklyn College. She obtained an Immigration Law Certificate at the CUNY School of Professional Studies.

ADRIANA CIRES is a New York attorney who has a LL.M. in International Legal Studies from NYU. She is fluent in Romanian and French.

BARBARA CLARK has extensive immigration-related experience within higher education. She has over 30 years in the field of international education from three different institutions.

MARIA CONTRERAS is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! and a student at City College, where she studies in the Continuing and Professional Studies program.

ANGELA COOPER is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! She enjoys giving back to the community.

NILBIA COYOTE works at the New York City Consulate of Mexico, where she coordinates DACA efforts. She holds a M.P.A. from NYU Wagner and is an active advocate of undocumented immigrants’ empowerment.

JESSICA CRUZ is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! and a student at Lehman College, where she studies multimedia journalism. She hopes to work in immigration upon graduation.

MICHAEL DE LUCA is a BIA Accredited Representative at Our Lady’s Migration Center in Queens. He is a former Immigration Inspector. He is fluent in Italian and Spanish.

MARIATOU DIALLO is a CUNY Citizenship Now! volunteer and student at New York City College of Technology, where she studies liberal arts and sciences. She hopes to attend dental school upon graduation.

SHARENY DIAZ is the Administrative Coordinator for the Jaime Lucero Mexican Studies Institute at CUNY. She is currently pursuing a Master in Public Administration at Baruch College.

ELAYNE DIX worked at NYC Probation as a Probation Officer, Staff Trainer and Manager. In retirement she has been a mediator and a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! and the Natural History Museum.

SONICA DIXON is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! She is interested in immigration, labor and employment law. She is active in several legal and community-based organizations.

ANGIE DOSTALY has volunteered with CUNY Citizenship Now! since 2012 and is pursuing a graduate certificate in immigration law. Upon completion, she aspires to work as a public service advocate.

DANIEL DRUCKER is an attorney at The Drucker Law Firm. He works in immigration and nationality law, personal injury, and general litigation. This is his eighth year volunteering at the call-in.

ELINOR DRUCKER RAHMANI has more than 25 years of experience as an attorney focusing on immigration law. She is admitted in NJ and serves as ONA Legal Counsel for Downstate Region One.

CHRISTINE DUNCAN is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! and a student at Baruch College majoring in business. She is from Trinidad and Tobago and has been living in Brooklyn for the past 15 years.

LUCY DUSEN, a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! since 2012, is a high school math and science teacher, an International Student Adviser and CUNY Citizenship Project Coordinator at Kingsborough CC.

NEENA DUTTA, principal of the Dutta Law Firm, has been a corpo-rate immigration attorney for over 10 years. She is an immigration and pro bono advocate and currently serves as AILA NY Chapter Chair.

MARISOL CARINO is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! and a student at The College of Staten Island, where she studies accounting. She hopes to gain more knowledge of immigration law.

JUAN CASTILLO is currently a director of five study centers. His goal is to create an educational community center that offers better jobs, opportunities and knowledge to the Hispanic community.

NICOLA CHAMBERS-YUNUSOV graduated from New York Law School in May 2014. She is admitted to practice law in New York and New Jersey. She currently works as a Human Resources Data Manager at SUNY/DMC.


GABRIEL ESPINAL is the Web Content Manager at CUNY Citizenship Now! He graduated from New York City Tech with a B.A. in Communication Design. He is a dedicated father and part-time standup comedian.

JONATHAN EUSTACHE is a CUNY Citizenship Now! volunteer. He is a Haitian-American community activist, U.S. Army Veteran and a NYPD Communication Technician. He is fluent in French and Creole.

FRANCIS FELIPE is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! and an Americorps/NYC Service Civic Corps Member. She graduated from John Jay College in 2014 and will attend Brooklyn Law School in the fall.

JENNIFER FERNANDEZ is the City Council Program Assistant at CUNY Citizenship Now! She is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Graphic Design at Queens College.

MARIA FLORES is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! and a student at Guttman Community College, where she studies liberal arts.

CONNIE FRANCIS is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! and an alumna of New York City College of Technology, where she earned an undergraduate degree in Law and Paralegal Studies.

CARLOS GALINDO is a full-time student at LaGuardia Community College, graduating in spring 2015. He intends to pursue a degree in political science and a minor in philosophy.

ALEXSANDRA GARCIA is a CUNY Citizenship Now! employee and a Law and Paralegal Studies student at the New York City College of Technology. She hopes to continue her studies in law or social work.

EDDY GARCIA is a business lecturer at Hostos Community College. He holds a M.B.A. from King’s Graduate School of Business. He is also a husband, proud father and active community leader in the Bronx.

ANA GARCIA REYES is the Associate Dean of Community Relations at Hostos Community College. She has extensive experience in higher education and has received numerous awards for her exemplary service.

IRENE GARCIA-MATHES is an Academic Advisor at CUNY’s Murphy Institute. Originally from Mexico City, she believes immigrants’ rights are a requisite to advance equality and justice for all workers.

ANFORD GAYLE is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! and a student at Brooklyn College, where he studies political science. He hopes to attend law school upon graduation.

EUGENE GLICKSMAN is a partner of the Law Offices of Glicksman & Cardoso. He is Co-Chair of the Immigration & Nationality Committee of the New York County Lawyers’ Association and is fluent in Spanish.

JUDY GORDON is a retired social work professor. She is completing the CUNY SPS Immigration Law Certificate Program and volunteering with immigrant-service organizations. She speaks Spanish.

GINTARE GRIGAITE is a partner at Grigaite & Abdelsayed, where she practices immigration law. She is also a long-time CUNY Citizenship Now! volunteer.

XIAI (ESTHER) GRUMBACHER is a paralegal with 17 years of immigration law experience. She works at the law office of Levan Natalishvili.

RITA GUILLEN is currently working with CUNY CIS as an IT Support/Administrative Assistant. While volunteering at this event she hopes to provide as much support possible.

ROSE MARIE GULSTON is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! She enjoys volunteering and helping individuals on their journey to becoming citizens.

COLLEEN EBANKS-SHIPPEY has a passion for client services. She believes volunteering for the call-in is a way to serve and give back to the community.

LAMPETO EFTHYMIOU is the Manager for International Student Life, Center of International Affairs, Immigration and Study Abroad at Queensborough Community College.

MARIE-GUILEME ELIE is CEO of Nostrand One Stop Services, Inc. She is a Cardiovascular Health Educator, Ambassador for the Perelman Heart Institute, and a NYPD Auxiliary Police Officer.


MIDORI HILLS is a Staff Attorney at CUNY Citizenship Now! She has worked in Immigration Legal Services since graduating from CUNY Law. She has given trainings on a wide variety of immigration issues.

ROBERT HOLLANDER is a private practice attorney who has focused on immigration law for the past 24 years.

NANCY HONORATO, a NALEO Educational Fund Hotline Operator, wants to major in political science and continue helping the community.

NADINE HUGGINS is a Brooklyn native and the daughter of West Indian immigrants. She is dedicated to inspiring, compelling and invoking change and movement in both individuals and institutions.

AMINU JIBRIN is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! He received an Immigration Law Certificate from the CUNY School of Professional Studies.

EWINS JULIEN is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! He is also a licensed Associate Real Estate Broker with ESP Realty, Inc.

MISUMBA KALALA-GANDY is a former CUNY Citizenship Now! intern and a student at Borough of Manhattan Community College, where she studies human services.

JALE (JULIE) KAPTANER is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! and a member of the Volunteer Advisory Committee. She is an ESL instructor at AFCS and a freelance international education advisor.

ZILA KATZ is an immigration attorney who was born and raised in New York City to immigrant parents. She has over 15 years of legal experience in immigration law.

ROLI KHARE RASTOGI is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! and is co-founder at Basso & Khare LLC. Roli routinely represents clients in all aspects of business and family immigration.

ANGELA KHASHAFYAN is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! and the Director at Bell Language School. She has 16 years of experience as an international student advisor.

RAVISHARON KHUNKHUN has been practicing law for 13 years. She runs her own practice in Queens where she focuses on immigration law. She speaks Punjabi and Hindi.

EWA KORNACKA is the Executive Director of Polonians Organized to Minister to Our Community, Inc. She has 20 years of experience in immigration assistance and is fluent in Polish.

DORY KORNFELD is graduating from Columbia University with a Ph.D. in Urban Planning this May. She teaches urban studies at the CUNY Murphy Institute, and labor studies at SUNY Empire State College.

JOSEPH LAVETSKY is an immigration lawyer with CUNY Citizenship Now! He was a teacher for 3 years and rode a bicycle across the U.S.

FATAI LLAWAL, practices immigration law, focusing on family petition, asylum and citizenship applications. He also handles divorce/family law cases and personal injury. He speaks Yoruba.

SONIA LAWRENCE is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now!

VICTORIA LAWRENCE is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! and a Paralegal Studies student at New York City College of Technology. Upon graduation she hopes to find a position in a law firm.

RAYNIELY HENRIQUEZ was born in the Dominican Republic. She studies liberal arts and sciences at Guttman Community College. She speaks Spanish and is practicing Italian.

DESIREE C. HERNANDEZ is the Supervising Attorney at the Safe Passage Project where she assists unaccompanied minors in removal proceedings.

MARCIA HERSHKOWITZ has worked for the Suicide Prevention Helpline, CASC, Fairchild Publications, Javits Convention Center and MNN. She has a B.A. and a Paralegal Certificate.


GOSIA LEWANDOWSKA is an aquatic fitness and swim instructor. She is studying towards a M.A. in Disability Studies and believes fitness should be accessible for all.

JING LIU is a Managing Attorney at Liu & Associates Law Group, P.C. She has been practicing immigration law since 2010. She is a member of American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA).

JULISSA LORENZO VASQUEZ is a CCNY Graduate and a BIA Accredited Rep./Paralegal at CUNY Citizenship Now! She looks to continue to grow as a professional in law and other academic fields.

CARLOS LORENZO assists the community with USCIS waivers, removal proceedings and family based immigration.

CEZANNE LYTE has volunteered with CUNY Citizenship Now! for over five years. She is currently working to obtain a master’s degree in the human resources field.

MAURICE MAITLAND, an attorney, works in public interest law to help claimants with Social Security, disability and immigration benefits. He reaches out to clergymen in his community.

VERONICA MALDONADO is a Brooklyn College graduate and a CUNY employee at Macaulay Honors College, where she is the DACA liaison for students.

MARIA D. MALDONADO is a CUNY Citizenship Now! volunteer. She studies immigration law and is part of the Board of Directors of New Women New Yorkers, an organization that assists young immigrant women.

MERIUM MALIK is an immigration and criminal defense attorney.

STAN MARK is a Senior Staff Attorney at AALDEF. He conducts legal rights clinics at community workers centers, registers newly naturalized citizens to vote and advocates for 9/11 health care.

ANGIE MARKHAM has been the Executive Director of the Federation of Italian American Organizations of Queens, Inc. since 1988. She is a paralegal and is fluent in Italian.

TOM MARSH is a retired Dean of John Adams High School. He is currently a YMCA spinning instructor, NYC poll worker and CUNY Citizenship Now! Volunteer.

REINA “REINITA” MARTINEZ is a graduate of Mount Saint Mary’s University and a former City of West Hollywood intern. Currently, she enjoys being part of the NALEO Educational Fund hotline team.

EBONI MASON is the Special Events Manager for CUNY Citizenship Now! She holds a master’s degree in General Management from Metropolitan College of New York. She also does community service in Harlem.

DARRION MAYE is a teacher with the NYC Department of Education. She is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! and a member of the Volunteer Advisory Committee.

MICHELE MCLAREN studied at SUNY Queens Educational Opportunity Center.

VIVIENNE MCLEAN is a Special Projects Assistant at CUNY Citizenship Now! This is her ninth call-in. She holds an Immigration Law Certificate from the CUNY School of Professional Studies.

ANN MARIE MCNAMEE is a Graphic Designer with CUNY Citizenship Now! She holds a Paralegal Studies Certificate from Westchester Community College.

POLINA LEMBERG is a BIA Accredited Immigration Specialist at the Boro Park JCC. She has 13 years of experience and is fluent in Russian.

ANDRES LEMONS is a Staff Attorney at the CUNY Express Immigration Center. He is a graduate of the University of Arizona College of Law. Andres is fluent in Spanish and proficient in Portuguese.

JANET LESLIE completed her B.A. at Brooklyn, M.S.Ed at Baruch and Doctorate at the University of Maryland University College. She serves as an adjunct at CUNY/KCC and administrator at CUNY/SPS/JSMI.


NESTOR MONTILLA, SR. is the Director of Community Development at CUNY’s Lehman College. He is also Chairman of the Dominican American National Roundtable and the New Jersey Latino Leadership Alliance.

SHAUNEE MORGAN, MSW is a legal advocate at the Urban Justice Center’s Safety Net Project. She provides representation and advocacy for New Yorkers in receipt of public assistance.

NINA MORGENLANDER has been working as a Foreign Student Adviser for the College of Staten Island for four years. This is her second time volunteering with CUNY Citizenship Now!

MARIBEL MORUA is the Director of the Office of International Student and Scholar Services at The City College of New York. She is a member of the National Association of Foreign Student Advisors.

NANDANIE MOTILALL is a paralegal and has worked with attorneys in New York for a total of 19 years. She is a resident of Queens, New York and she has a passion for assisting people.

DIVINE MURAGIJIMANA is the President of The Council of Young African Leaders and a Marketing/Branding Consultant at Savoir-Faire Global Consulting. She is a CUNY Alumna.

TCHADJERI OURO-TOU is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! and a student at CUNY School of Professional Studies, where he studies immigration law. He hopes to attend law school upon graduation.

LYDIA PADILLA practices immigration law in NYC and does pro bono work with a number of organizations. She has been an attorney since 1985. She speaks Spanish and French.

ALEXANDRA PAEZ-FERREIRA is a CUNY Citizenship Now! volunteer. She is a first generation college student and graduated from Stony Brook University, where she studied higher education administration.

KLARIDA PAPAJANI is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! She has a B.A. in Criminal Justice and Economics from Rutgers University. She has a passion for immigration law.

MARIA ISABEL PARADA is a Guttman Community College student and hopes to become a professional broadcast journalist. She volunteers with CUNY Citizenship Now! because she wants to help her community.

UMAMA PASHA works at Literacy Nassau in Freeport, Long Island. She was given the opportunity to better serve her community by creating and teaching ESL classes, helping immigrants become citizens.

ELIZABETH PEREZ is a senior at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. She will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Law and Society. She hopes to attend law school to become an immigration attorney.

LYNDON PHILBERT is an Administrative Assistant at CUNY Citizenship Now! and a graduate of Medgar Evers College. He has a strong passion for public advocacy and plans to attend law school.

VERLISHA PHILLIP is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! and currently attends La Guardia Community College, where she studies criminal justice. She is a prospective immigration lawyer.

MIGUEL POLANCO is an immigrant from the Dominican Republic and a student at Hostos Community College, where he is pursuing a degree in Paralegal Studies. He likes helping people become citizens.

MELISSA PORTILLO is in her senior year at Baruch College, where she studies political science. She is a strong advocate for immigration reform and is involved in various volunteer projects.

PETER RAMIREZ was born in Colombia. He is a graduate of CUNY and a S.A. Manager of a law office in New York City. He is bi-lingual.

DAVID MELLADO is a Mexican immigrant, has an associate’s degree in Criminal Justice and has been working at Peace OFF. He is eager to help the immigrant community.

KAREN MICCICHE is the Executive Director of Literacy Nassau and a B.I.A. Accredited Representative. She manages one of the only NYS New Americans Opportunity Centers on Long Island.

DINA MOCAN is a graduate of Northwestern University School of Law. She is currently an applicant for admission to the NYS Bar. She has been volunteering with CUNY Citizenship Now! since November 2014.


ENRIQUE ROBLES is a second year volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! and a hotline operator with the Ya Es Hora campaign.

ANSELMA RODRIGUEZ is a proud volunteer for CUNY Citizenship Now! and is the Associate Director at GCWE, Brooklyn College.

LAURIE ROLON is a second year volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! and a staff member at the NALEO Educational Fund in Los Angeles, CA. She enjoys giving back to her community.

PABLO ROMANO is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! and a student at John Jay College, where he studies political science and public administration. He is also an active member of Lions Club.

RUTH ROMERO has worked for CUNY Citizenship Now! for almost three years. She is also a student at John Jay College where she studies forensic sciences.

ANA M. RONZEL is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now!

KARLA ROSERO KAHN is an immigration attorney at the Law Office of Karla P. Rosero PLLC and a City Council Attorney with CUNY Citizenship Now!

RICARDO SALAZAR is a member of the Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre. He has lived in NYC for over 27 years and became a U.S. citizen two years ago with the help of NALEO and CUNY Citizenship Now!

FATOUMATA SANGARE is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! and this is her second time volunteering at the call-in. She is also a CUNY student studying political science.

JEANNETH SANGURIMA-QUILES isa CUNY Citizenship Now! volunteer. She earned a B.S. and M.S. from Queens College. She is a faculty member at Queens College and the CUNY School of Professional Studies.

INDIRA SEENAUTH-FRASER is the Senior Accountant for Local 420, District Council 37, AFSCME, AFL-CIO, the union which represents New York City health care workers.

CARLOS SIERRA is the CUNY Citizenship Now! Community Liaison. He has been with CUNY for eight years, was a member of the Bronx Community Board #4 and is very active in his community.

JEAN HERALD SIMILIEN is a Case Manager at HRA and a paralegal. He is also a former NYC Council candidate.

KEISHA SIMON is the Director of International Student and Scholar Services at Brooklyn College. She has worked with international students for seven years.

KIYANA SLADE is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! She currently majors in Business Administration at Guttman Community College. Upon graduation she plans to attend Brooklyn College.

TAMIR SMART is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! and is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Legal Studies. Upon graduation, she hopes to attend law school.

AMY SOLOWAY is a part-time immigration paralegal. She recently finished nine months of volunteering as an Immigration Counselor for Catholic Migration Services; helping in this field is her passion.

ZOAUNNE Y. SOSA RAMIREZ is currently a student at NYU working on a court interpreter certificate program. She hopes to become a federal court interpreter. She enjoys helping others.

DELCIA REID is a volunteer social worker for the Emmanuel Seventh Day Church ministers and an intern social worker with the law firm of Maurice D. Maitland. She is employed with AHRC.

LISA REINER is an Associate Director of the CUNY School of Law’s Community Legal Resource Network, supporting lawyers increasing access to justice. She has practiced immigration law for over 15 years.

GRISELDA REYES is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! She has a B.A. in Accounting from Hunter College and also has an immigration and paralegal certification.


CLAIRE THOMAS is a Staff Attorney at the Safe Passage Project, a non-profit dedicated to helping unaccompanied immigrant children. She is also an Adjunct Professor at New York Law School.

RACHEL B. TIVEN is the Executive Director of Immigrant Justice Corps. She graduated from Harvard College and Columbia Law School and clerked for the Hon. Barbara S. Jones.

SUZANNE TOMATORE is the Director of the Immigrant Women and Children Project at the New York City Bar Association’s City Bar Justice Center.

RAYMOND TOMASELLI has been a licensed attorney in New York since 1990. He focuses on family and business immigration law. He is an expert mediator and was an Assistant District Attorney for 10 years.

CLAUDIA UREY has been a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! for eight years. She has a Master in Law from the Centroamericana University in Nicaragua and from the University of Barcelona.

CYNTHIA VASQUEZ is a student at Lehman College, graduating in May 2015 with a degree in Business Administration. This is her third consecutive year as a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now!

KATHERINE VASQUEZ has been a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! for five years. She has a law degree from the Dominican Republic and a Master of HR Management and Employment Law from Mercy College.

MIRNA VELASQUEZ is the Director of Immigration Affairs for Congressman Joe Crowley. She assists individuals with urgent and high-profile inquiries related to federal immigration procedures.

LUIS F. VELEZ was a lawyer and judge in his native Colombia. He is a former union organizer and is now working with CUNY Citizenship Now! He is pursuing a M.A. in International Crime and Justice.

KATHERINE VERA is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! and a student at John Jay College, where she studies sociology. She hopes to pursue her education and reach her goal of helping other people.

ELIZABETH VILLEGAS is a full-time student at Lehman College, majoring in Social Work. She is a CUNY Service Corps member working with CUNY Citizenship Now! She is also a DACA recipient.

CAROL VILSAINT MORTIMER is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! and an alumna of CUNY SPS, where she studied immigration law. She has a passion for the law and hopes to become a lawyer.

MARIO W. VIZUETA is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! and an alumnus of Hunter College.

SOPHIA WALSH-NEWMAN is an experienced paralegal and has volunteered with CUNY Citizenship Now! for the past five years. She has taken courses in immigration law and immigration policy.

NAQUAN WARE is a junior at New York City College of Technology, where he is studying to be a paralegal. He currently interns for The Legal Aid Society and hopes to attend law school upon graduation.

VERA WEEKES works at CUNY Citizenship Now! as a Senior Paralegal/BIA Accredited Representative. She has over 20 years of immigration experience and has been a community advocate for many years.

GERALD WHITE-DAVIS is President of the International Consortium of Caribbean Professionals and President of UWIAA-N. He is an Academic Advisor/Instructor at Medgar Evers College.

KARIN WOLMAN is a New York attorney focused on employment-based immigration in business, health, design and the arts. She is a frequent speaker on naturalization and business immigration topics.

JOHN STAHL is an attorney and the Director of Legal Services at the Emerald Isle Immigration Center in Queens and the Bronx. He has been practicing immigration law exclusively for over 10 years.

JENNY SUQUILANDA is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! She is currently a participant in the NYC Civic Corps and Lehman L.I.F.E. She hopes to apply to the Peace Corps upon receiving U.S. citizenship.

RENEE TELLO is an attorney with over seven years of experience in the field of immigration law. She has maintained a general practice law office in Queens since July 2010.


PATRICK WONG is an International Student Advisor working mostly with F-1 visa/status students. He was previously a volunteer with a non-profit immigration law firm.

EMILY YEH is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! and a student at Columbia University, where she studies political science. She hopes to attend law school upon graduation.

BOUAZI ESTELLE YESSOH is the Advancement Services Coordinator Assistant at CUNY Citizenship Now! She has a B.A. in Multimedia Communication and Journalism. She is a former CUNY Service Corps member.

SUSIE ZEIGER is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! She is a retired ESL teacher who taught both children and adults in Brooklyn. Susie is fluent in Haitian Creole and French.

BEI ZHANG is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! and an International Student Counselor at The Graduate Center, where she has worked for 17 years.

BRIAN ZHININ is currently pursuing an A.A. in Human Services at Guttman Community College. In the fall, he will be a junior at Lehman College, where he plans to study social work.


BABETTE ALBIN is a CUNY Citizenship Now! volunteer who enjoys giving back to the community.

JOSE ALONSO is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! He has an interest in immigration and criminal law.

NORMA AYALA is a coordinator for immigration and public benefits services at Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice.

YOLASKY BAEZ is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! She is a student at Hostos Community College, where she is studying to become a paralegal. She hopes to attend law school upon graduation. VALMA BELGRAVE is a retiree. She worked as a payroll manager for thirteen years.

STEPHANIA CASIMIR is currently attending Mercy College, where she is majoring in health science. She would like to pursue a career in law and help her community.

JESSICA CHARNIGA is an attorney primarily interested in human rights and immigration law. She volunteers with CUNY Citizenship Now!, the Safe Passage Project, and the NLG as a Legal Observer.

KAREN CRAWFORD-CHAMBERS is a Community Relations Specialist born in Trinidad and Tobago. She immigrated to the U.S. in 1976 and received her degree in computer science.

WENDY DAVENPORT is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! and Lutheran Social Services of North Dakota, where she is an Immigration Paralegal. She will apply to become a BIA accredited representative.

DANIELLE DIMITROV, an attorney, is the Director of the Office of Diversity and Compliance and Chief Diversity Officer at the College of Staten Island/CUNY.

TIFFANY DUNN is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! and a New York Law School graduate.

JESSICA ECHAVEZ is the Adult Learning Center Coordinator at the College of Staten Island and a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now!.

PAUL EMEONYI is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! and a student at Medgar Evers College, where he studies biology. He speaks Hausa and Igbo. ADRIAN ESCOTO is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! He is a student at Guttman Community College, where he studies business. He has many interests including volunteering.

ZORAN GERASIMOVSKI is an International Student Advisor at Baruch College and a longtime volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! He is fluent in native Macedonian, Serbo-Croatian and Bulgarian.

ARKEYA GINYARD is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! and a student at Guttman Community College, where she studies liberal arts. She hopes to attend Brooklyn College upon graduation.

SUBRINA HALL is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! and recent alumna of John Jay College, where she pursued a Master of Criminal Justice. She hopes to attend law school in the future.

ZAID HYDARI is co-founder and Executive Director of the Refugee Solidarity Network, a non-profit providing legal assistance for asylum-seekers in Turkey. Zaid is a member of the NY State Bar and AILA.

MALORIE JEAN is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! She is also a fitness instructor and a certified travel professional.

HENRY LAJARA is a Director in the Office of Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice. He assists with immigration and public benefit entitlement issues.

ELEANOR LAM is the Supervising Attorney with ILS Immigration Legal Services. She represents clients in various immigration matters before EOIR and USCIS.

EVELYN MALDONADO is a graduate of CUNY School of Law, a law professor at John Jay College and a member of AILA.

SUJATA MALHOTRA is the Deputy HR Director at CUNY Central Office and a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources. She is studying immigration law at CUNY School of Professional Studies.

SARA MATEO-DEO is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! and works for Mennonite Central Committee as a paralegal. She is fluent in Spanish.

BARBARA MEDINA, LMSW is a Hunter College/Research Foundation employee. As a volunteer for many years with CUNY Citizenship Now!, she takes pride in the opportunity to empower others.

ANDRE MOMPLAISIR is a chemical engineering graduate of City College of New York. He is a tax specialist and immigration paralegal at the law firm of Paul Jourdan. He is fluent in French and Creole.

WAY MOY is a retired Chinese interpreter.


JACQUELINE MUNOZ is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! She has a bachelor’s degree in Accounting.

GRISSELLE NADAL is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! and a paralegal at Bronx Community College. She hopes to start law school in fall 2015.

SONIA NAZAIRE is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! She was previously a caseworker at NYC-HRA, Home Care Quality Control where she monitored home care services. She recently retired.

PATRICK O’CONNELL is the Director of International Students and Scholars at Queens College with over 20 years experience.

TOYIN OMOLOLA works for DSI, Inc., providing coaching, counseling, seminars & workshops to immigrants, ensuring that they receive the proper resources to help in settlement and career choices.

LUIS M. PAULINO NOVA is an Administrative Assistant at CUNY Express Immigration Center and a student at City College, where he studies political science and theater. Luis hopes to attend law school. JEANNE PEARSON-GRAY has been a CUNY Citizenship Now! volunteer for ten years. She is a SEEK Counselor at Baruch College and a retired paralegal with the U.S. Army Reserve.

XAVIER REMIGIO is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! and Assistant Director in the Hunter College International Students Office, where he provides support services to international students.

ASHLEY RODRIGUEZ is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! She is a student at Hostos Community College and is interested in paralegal studies.

LYADALIC ROMERO is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! and a student at El Camino College, where she is studying sociology. She hopes to transfer to complete her education.

GLADYS ROSALES is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! She is currently a junior at John Jay College majoring in criminal justice and pursuing a certificate in legal translation and interpretation.

HASAN SHAFIQULLAH is a Staff Attorney at The Legal Aid Society, focusing on immigration law.

VERRIS SHAKO is an attorney in private practice for the last six years. She would like to learn how to assist the people who approach her with immigration questions.

OCARIA SILVA works at Literacy Nassau, providing English and citizenship classes as well as applica-tion assistance to adults. She enjoys working with individuals on their path to citizenship. FRANCISCO SILVERIO-EL is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! He is also a Paralegal Studies student at Hostos Community College. He hopes to become a lawyer one day. VALERIE SMOSNA is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! as well as a Program Assistant at Queensborough Community College, CUNY Adult Literacy Program.

HOWLATU SOWE is a student at Guttman Community College, majoring in liberal arts. He hopes to become an immigration lawyer.

MAYRA E. TORRES is employed at Hunter College and has always had a passion for helping immigrants. This is her fourth time as a volunteer for the CUNY Citizenship Now! call-in.

HONG TRAN is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! and a Community Fellow at Immigrant Justice Corps. She graduated from Yale with a B.A. in Religious Studies.

MAUREEN TRENK is a retired NYC worker who enjoys helping immigrants. She is a CUNY graduate who earned a bachelor’s degree from Queens College and master’s degree from Hunter College.

AURA VICTORIA VARGAS is the Executive Director of Pro America Immigration Services in Elizabeth, NJ. She received an Immigration Law Certificate from the CUNY School of Professional Studies.

PRIYA WARSLIE has been a paralegal for over ten years. She currently works at the Law Office of Edon H. Warslie, P.C.

CARL WOODLY is a practicing attorney with 25 years of experience working primarily in the area of criminal law. He recently began practicing immigration law. MARCIA WYNTER is a volunteer with CUNY Citizenship Now! and a student at CUNY School of Professional Studies. She will be attending law school upon completion of her Immigration Law Certificate.

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