Serving undocumented non-citizens and others left out of the ACA

Undocumented non-citizens are barred from coverage under the ACA, but some states are using state-only funding to provide coverage to this population. This panel will discuss some of the current strategies around the country to serve undocumented non-citizens. Panelists will describe state and local initiatives that provide crucial health care to these individuals. Where the state isn’t providing funding, representatives from safety net systems will describe how they are filling this gap in coverage. Speakers:

• Claudia Calhoon, Health Advocacy Senior Specialist, New York Immigration Coalition -- Claudia Calhoon joined the NYIC in 2014 as Health Advocacy Senior Specialist. She is responsible for program development and management of NYIC’s advocacy to ensure health access for all immigrant communities in New York. Claudia has led program development and operations in a diverse array of public health and non-profit settings including the Bellevue/NYU Program for Survivors of Torture, the Open Society Foundations and as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Cuenca, Ecuador
• Tangerine Brigham, Director of Office of Managed Care, Los Angeles County Dept. of Health Services -- Tangerine M. Brigham is Deputy Director of Managed Care Services for the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (LACDHS) and oversees its management services organization and health program for the uninsured, My Health LA. Prior to joining LACDHS, Ms. Brigham served as a Deputy Director of Health with the San Francisco Department of Public Health and Director of the Healthy San Francisco Program, and oversaw development and implementation of San Francisco’s former Low Income Health Program. She previously served as Community Health Program Officer for The San Francisco Foundation, Chief of Staff-Administrative Services for L.A. Care Health Plan, Director of the Corporation for Supportive Housing’s California program, Director of Policy & Planning and Budget Manager for the San Francisco Department of Public Health, and Policy Analyst for the San Francisco Department of Social Services. She received her Master of Public Policy degree from the University of California at Berkeley and her Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of California at Los Angeles.
• Rebecca Pleitez, Senior Programs and Patients Services Director, Clinica Romero, Los Angeles -- Rebecca is the Senior Programs and Patient Services Director at Clinica Monseñor Oscar A. Romero where she is responsible for developing and executing strategic programming and patient services. She serves as a lead administrator working with cross-functional teams and program directors to offer care with respect and dignity to people with limited or no health insurance, without exclusion. Previously, Rebecca worked for National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, the National Council of La Raza/California State University Long Beach Center for Latino Community Health, Evaluation, and Leadership Training, AltaMed Health Services Corporation, and the County of San Bernardino Department of Public Health. Her work on cervical cancer and Latinas was published in the Harvard Journal of Hispanic Policy entitled, Latinas and Cervical Cancer, a Preventable Disease.
• Marlene Zurack, Senior Vice President & Finance Chief Financial Officer, New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation -- Marlene Zurack is Senior Vice President of Finance and Managed Care, Corporate Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”), and a Corporate Officer at HHC. As CFO, Ms. Zurack has charge and custody of and responsibility for all HHC funds and securities. Specifically, she has oversight of all treasury, financial planning and analysis, accounting, debt financing, investor relations, revenue cycle management operations, and budgeting functions. In addition, Ms. Zurack is responsible for managed care contracting and operations.
• Mariela Estrada, Brighton Park Neighborhood Council, Chicago

I’m insured, now what? Health literacy for New Americans

Becoming health insurance literate is difficult for anyone who hasn’t had insurance in the past but can be especially difficult for new immigrants who aren’t used to the American health care system with deductibles, co-pays, networks, etc. Panels will speak about best practices around the country for helping immigrant families navigate the system, use their new insurance coverage and stay insured. They will also discuss what health literacy tools/resources work best for different immigrant populations. Speakers:

• Bonnie Kwon, ACA Program Manager, Asian & Pacific Islander Health Forum -- Bonnie Kwon, JD, is the ACA program manager for the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF). Prior to working at APIAHF, Bonnie served as the program director for the Restaurant Opportunities Centers United where she oversaw workers’ rights education and outreach campaigns to promote healthy workspaces, increase minimum wages, paid sick days and antidiscrimination. She also founded the Restaurant Opportunities Center of Washington DC affiliate. Bonnie has also worked with immigrant women and their families at legal aid organizations.
• Alicia Fernandez, MD: UCSF School of Medicine, Professor -- Alicia Fernandez, M.D., is a Professor of Clinical Medicine at UCSF and an attending physician in the General Medical Clinic and the Medical Wards at San Francisco General Hospital. Her research primarily focuses on health and health care disparities, and she is particularly interested in vulnerable populations, Latino health, immigrant health, and language barriers.
• Paul Costigan: Vice President Program Development & Quality Assurance, International Institute (St. Louis) -- Paul Costigan, MA has worked at the International Institute of St. Louis since 1999. Currently he serves as Director of Program Development & Quality Assurance which is responsible for ensuring compliance with grants, developing procedures, providing funder reports, programmatic grant writing and conducting staff training. He is a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, having served in Slovakia from 1995-1997.
• Julie Silas, Senior Policy Analyst, Consumer's Union -- Julie Silas, JD, is a Senior Policy Analyst at the West Coast Office of Consumers Union, the advocacy and policy division of Consumer Reports. Ms. Silas is a lawyer and researcher with more than twenty years’ experience in health advocacy. She works on health care policy development with Covered California and the Department of Health Care Services (CA Medicaid), particularly on eligibility and enrollment, standard benefit design, and the consumer experience.
• Steven Larson, MD: Executive Director, Puentes de Salud -- Steven Larson, MD, is a cofounder and the Executive Director of Puentes de Salud and assistant dean for Global Health Programs and an associate professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Over the past 20 years, Dr. Larson has developed an extensive working knowledge of the health care issues facing immigrant populations in the United States. In 2003, recognizing the rapid growth of an urbanized, undocumented Latino population, Dr. Larson and his colleagues initiated work to establish Puentes de Salud.
• Hector De La Torre is the Executive Director of the Transamerica Center for Health Studies, a nonprofit focused on helping consumers and businesses navigate the health care landscape. De La Torre was chosen to lead this new initiative because of his private and public sector experience, particularly his leadership role on health care and advocating for consumers and businesses. Among his accomplishments as an elected official were expanding access to doctors in underserved communities, consumer protections against retroactive cancellation of health insurance, and supporting facilities improvements at Children’s Hospitals. De La Torre is also a member of the Board of Trustees at Occidental College in Los Angeles and serves on the California Air Resources Board (CARB) as a gubernatorial appointee. De La Torre served as a State Assemblymember for California’s 50th District from 2004-2010. Prior to that, he was Mayor and Councilmember in his hometown of South Gate. De La Torre was also a Manager at the County of Los Angeles Superior Court and served as Manager at Southern California Edison. Previous to those positions, he was Assistant/Chief of Staff to the Deputy Secretary at the U.S. Department of Labor. De La Torre has a bachelor’s degree in Diplomacy and World Affairs from Occidental College and attended the Elliot School of International Affairs at The George Washington University.

The Affordable Care Act from an Immigrant’s Perspective

This panel will reflect on year one of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and discuss what to expect in year two for eligible immigrant families. This panel will explore what navigator groups have done to prepare for the second open enrollment period and for the upcoming tax filing season. The panel will also discuss unresolved issues from the first open enrollment period, and what advocates are doing to improve access to HealthCare.gov in the future. Speakers:

• Sonal Ambegaokar, NHeLP – LA, Senior Attorney -- Sonal Ambegaokar is a Senior Attorney in NHeLP’s Los Angeles office, where her work focuses on access to affordable health care for low-income consumers. She conducts policy analysis and advocacy at the federal and state levels and provides technical assistance and trainings to ensure implementation of the Affordable Care Act benefits everyone.
• Luvia Quinones, Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, Health Policy Director -- Luvia Quinones serves as the Health Policy Director at the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR). In this role, Luvia oversees the In Person Counselor Program, the Immigrant Health Care Access Initiative and in collaboration with ICIRR's members develops ICIRR's health policy agenda with a special focus in access to health care and on health care reform. Luvia has a Master in Public Policy (MPP) from the University of Chicago and a BA in International Studies from DePaul University.
• Doreena Wang, Asian Americans Advancing Health Justice (Los Angeles), Project Director: Health Access Project -- Doreena Wong is the Project Director for Advancing Justice - LA’s Health Access Project, which works to protect and promote access to health care programs for vulnerable populations, including immigrants and limited-English proficient individuals, and monitors health care reform implementation issues that affect Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and Native Hawaiians. Prior to Advancing Justice - LA, Wong spent 11 years as a Senior Staff Attorney at the National Health Law Program (NHeLP), a national public interest law firm, where she specialized in health care issues affecting immigrants and limited English speakers. Wong is also a well-known social justice advocate who has helped to found several Asian American lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights group, including API Equality-LA, which she currently co-chairs. Wong graduated from New York University School of Law.
• Angel Padilla, National Immigration Law Center, Health Policy Analyst -- Angel Padilla leads NILC’s federal immigrant health policy agenda. Prior to joining NILC in February 2014, he was an immigration policy consultant at National Council of La Raza. Before that, he was a legislative assistant for Rep. Luis Gutiérrez (D-IL), advising on issues related to health care and the Affordable Care Act, among others. Mr. Padilla holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and a master’s degree from Princeton University, Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs.
• Sonya Schwartz, Georgetown University Center For Children and Families, Research Fellow -- Sonya Schwartz joined the Center for Children and Families in July of 2013 to work with advocates at the state level to improve access to health coverage for low-income children and families. At CCF, she also monitors and analyzes policies related to health reform implementation, immigrant families' access to coverage, Medicaid, CHIP, health insurance marketplaces, the basic health programs and more. Sonya has worked to expand access to health care and nutrition benefits for low-income populations such as immigrants and people living with HIV and AIDS for more than 15 years, and helped pass the District of Columbia's pioneering language access law in 2004. She holds a JD from the UCLA School of Law Program in public interest law and policy, and a BA in political science and Italian from Middlebury College.

Parent Engagement: Addressing Gaps Facing Immigrant and ELL Students and Their Families

Parent knowledge and engagement are essential to young children’s school readiness, K-12 education success and achievement of postsecondary education and career goals. Yet existing parent engagement policies often overlook the barriers experienced by immigrant and LEP parents and children. This session will focus on critical challenges facing immigrant family advocates working to unleash immigrant and refugee parents’ energy and concern for their children’s education success, pointing to promising policies and practices effective in working with diverse families. Moderator:

• Rosie Arroyo is Program Officer at the California Community Foundation (CCF), where she manages programs, initiatives and outreach for the Civic Engagement Department. She joined CCF in October 2007 as a Joan Palevsky Fellow for the foundation’s El Monte Community Building Initiative, and was board-community relations liaison. Previously, Arroyo was program director at the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund. Ms. Arroyo holds a bachelor’s in Mexican-American studies from California State University, Los Angeles. She is currently pursuing an MPA from California State University, Northridge.

Speakers:

• Maki Park, Policy Analyst, Migration Policy Institute, Washington D.C. -- Maki Park is a Policy Analyst and Program Coordinator at the Migration Policy Institute’s National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy, where she works on domestic and comparative issues affecting children of immigrants in early childhood and K-12 education. Previously, Ms. Park worked as Director of Outreach and Program Manager at WorldTeach, based at Harvard's Center for International Development where she oversaw recruiting and admissions operations and managed the organization's program in Guyana. She holds a master's in international education policy from Harvard University's Graduate School of Education, and earned her bachelor's degree with a double major in French and government with a concentration in international relations from Cornell University.
• Max Ahmed, Senior Education Advocacy Associate, New York Immigration Coalition -- Mubashar (Max) Ahmed is the Senior Education Advocacy Associate with the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC). His advocacy and policy work in the Education Program has been shaped by the collaboration of NYIC’s 200 member groups which engage with immigrant parents and students. Recently, Max has helped advocate for NYC’s $18M initiative to support eligible populations to apply for DACA by enrolling in educational/career programs. He also works on parent access and engagement issues through providing College Access Workshops for immigrant parents as well as Consulate ID Events, a unique multi-national approach to community integration.
• Joanna Brown, Parent Engagement Institute and Education Director, Logan Square Neighborhood Association, Chicago -- Joanna Brown is the Director of the Parent Engagement Institute which provides training and mentoring to non-profit organizations who wish to replicate the 20-year-old Parent Mentor program of the Logan Square Neighborhood Association. The Parent Mentor program is a holistic approach to immigrant integration. Parent Mentors, typically low-income Latina and other immigrants, tutor struggling students daily for a year in their children's school. Through practice, workshops and mutual support, many become school and community leaders, and even teachers. In the past 4 years the program has expanded to more than 20 organizations and 80 schools.
• Sandra Gutierrez, Abriendo Puertas -- Sandra Gutierrez is the Founder and National Director of Abriendo Puertas/Opening Doors. Ms. Gutierrez led the development of Abriendo Puertas/Opening Doors-the nation’s first evidence-based, comprehensive training program for Latino parents with children 0 to 5. Prior to her work with Abriendo Puertas / Opening Doors, Ms. Gutierrez developed a series of training programs to support children and families involved in the child welfare system for Parents Action for Children. She brings over forty years of experience with legal, children’s advocacy and community service organizations. Ms. Gutierrez graduated from UCLA with Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and in Latina American Studies. Her multi-faceted career has included founding the first service organization to assist Central American Refugees, developing health education programs for the United Farm Workers of America and leading campaigns to promote the benefits of preschool to the Latino community. In addition, for seven years, she served as a founding member and State Commissioner for First 5 California where she established the Advisory Committee on Equity. Ms. Gutierrez serves as an Advisory Board member for the Too Small To Fail Initiative. In March 2014, Ms. Gutierrez was named by the White House as a César E. Chávez Champion of Change.

Improving High School Outcomes for Immigrant and Refugee Youth: Pressure Points for Advocates

Immigrant and ELL students face many challenges at the high school level, with rigorous curriculum demands and the clock ticking for completion of high school exit exams. This session will highlight common challenges facing newcomers, long-term ELLs, and other immigrant and refugee students in the high school grades and provide opportunities for participants to explore key pressure points community advocates can take advantage of to support their success. Moderator:

• Sarah Hooker, Policy Analyst, Migration Policy Institute -- Sarah Hooker is a Policy Analyst at MPI’s National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy, where she focuses on research and policy analysis related to education, workforce development, and language acquisition. She manages MPI’s field-based research on efforts to promote the high school completion, postsecondary success, and economic advancement of English Language Learners (ELLs) and immigrant youth. Prior to joining MPI, Ms. Hooker worked with the American Youth Policy Forum on issues and policies related to college- and career readiness, education access, and success for students from under-represented groups. She holds a master’s degree from the University of Chicago’s School of Social Service Administration and a bachelor of the arts degree in Latin American studies from Pomona College in Claremont, CA.

Speakers:

• Shelly Spiegel-Coleman, Executive Director, Californians Together -- Shelly Spiegel-Coleman, the Executive Director of Californians Together, leads a coalition of 25 statewide professional, parent, and civil-rights organizations focused on improving schooling for English learners. Spiegel-Coleman was Senior Project Director for the Multilingual Academic Support Unit for the Los Angeles County Office of Education. She previously served as a member of the English Learner Advisory Committee to the California State Board of Education and has served as a member of California State Superintendent Tom Torlakson's transition team, as well as the Public School Accountability Act Advisory Committee, English Language Development Standards Project, and the California Curriculum and Supplemental Materials Commission.
• Roxana Norouzi, Senior Education Policy Manager, OneAmerica -- Roxana Norouzi has over 12 years of experience in advocacy and social justice work with immigrant and refugee populations. Currently, she leads the education strategy for OneAmerica, Washington State's largest immigrant rights organization, where she focuses on closing the opportunity gap through local and state policies and programs that support integration of immigrant children and families. In 2010, after earning her Masters in Social Work, Roxana was awarded the University of Washington's Bonderman Fellowship which allowed her to travel to 20 countries exploring post-conflict regions, migration trends, and identity. Roxana is fluent in Farsi (Persian) and her experience as a first generation American informs her passion and commitment to justice and immigrant rights.
• Hilda Maldonado, Director, Multilingual and Multicultural Education Department, Los Angeles Unified School District -- An educator for 23 years in LAUSD Hilda Maldonado began her career as a bilingual teacher at Murchison ES teaching a combination fifth and sixth grade bilingual class on an emergency teaching credential. She is one of 6 children and arrived in the United States as a 12 year old in the late 70s with a dream of learning English and improving her family’s economic situation. Hilda has worked as a bilingual teacher, a bilingual coordinator, an advisor in the Language Acquisition Branch, an Assistant Principal in Special Education, has transformed schools as a Principal and is now a Director of the Multilingual and Multicultural Education Department for Los Angeles Unified School District.

From In-State Tuition to College Completion: College Access and Success for Immigrant Youth

While the past several years have seen considerable progress in the fight for tuition equity and financial aid for Dreamers, there are still many hurdles to postsecondary success facing students from immigrant families. Immigrant students are more likely to be nontraditional college students—they enroll at older ages, often attend school part time, and balance competing work and family responsibilities. This session will explore strategies and institutional innovations that promote postsecondary success for immigrant youth. Moderator:

• Teresita Wisell, Executive Director, Community College Consortium for Immigrant Education

Speakers:

• Kathy Gin, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Educators for Fair Consideration
• Jose Arreola, Training and Community Relations Manager, Educators for Fair Consideration
• Joy Smucker, Highline College, Transition Success Center
• Jazmin Segura, Educators for Fair Consideration
• Tehani Collazo, CASA de Maryland
• Angela Chen, UCLA Bruin Resource Center

Entrepreneurship as a Component of Integration in Welcoming Cities

Places pursuing immigrant integration initiatives recognize the positive impact immigrant-owned small businesses can have in revitalizing and strengthening communities. Efforts often include supporting the sustainable development of firms, connection to capital, educating owners on U.S. business norms and laws, and fostering network-building among immigrant owners. In this session, panelists will discuss research on immigrant integration and entrepreneurship and share best practices, providing their perspectives on challenges and opportunities learned from experiences in their own communities. Moderator: 

• Paul McDaniel, Research Fellow at the American Immigration Council, Washington D.C. -- Paul McDaniel is the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Fellow at the American Immigration Council in Washington, D.C. Prior to his work at The Council, Paul was a researcher at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte where he worked on community-based research with the Department of Family Medicine at Carolinas Medical Center, Levine Museum of the New South, Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools, Crossroads Charlotte, and the Latin American Coalition. His research focuses on immigrant settlement and integration in new immigrant gateways and destinations, immigrant access to education and healthcare, immigrant entrepreneurship, and community receptivity. Paul holds a Ph.D. in Geography and Urban Regional Analysis from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Panelists: 

• Linda Lopez, Chief, Office of Immigrant Affairs, Los Angeles Mayor’s Office -- Dr. Linda Lopez was appointed by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti as the new Chief ofthe Office of Immigrant Affairs in September of 2014. The Office serves many functions for immigrants in the city (1) coordination of city services and departments (2) convening with organizations and agencies around immigration integration issues and (3) tracking and advocating for sound immigration policies at the federal, state and local level and its implementation. Prior to her appointment by Mayor Garcetti, Dr. Lopez was an Associate Dean for Diversity and Strategic Initiatives in USC Dornsife College and formerly a Program Officer at the National Science Foundation in Washington DC. She is an expert in public policy and received her Master Degree and PhD at USC in Political Science. She has published in several peer-reviewed journals on public policy issues affecting racial and ethnic communities and voting participation. Dr. Lopez was born in Los Angles to parents who immigrated from Ecuador.
• Isela Gracian, VP of Operations, East LA Community Corporation -- A graduate of UC Davis, Isela joined ELACC in 2004 as a Program Coordinator and has served as Director of Community Organizing and Associate Director prior to her current role as Vice President of Operations. Isela directly oversees ELACC’s operations in Tenant Services, Fund Development and Communications, Community Organizing, and office administration. She manages and facilitates the organization’s strategic and operational planning efforts. She provides strategic policy making support to the Community Organizing Department’s numerous campaigns, coalition-building and leadership development efforts.
• Suhas Kulkarni, Director, Louisville Mayor’s Office of Globalization, including RISE (Refugees and Immigrants Succeeding in Entrepreneurship) -- Suhas Kulkarni is Mayor Fischer’s Director of the Office for Globalization at Metro Louisville. In his present role he is charged with making Louisville an international city -culturally and economically. He is an immigrant entrepreneur starting with a neighborhood grocery and expanding to international trade and information technology. Among the many programs he founded is RISE (Refugees and Immigrants Succeeding in Entrepreneurship) a collaborative dedicated to helping immigrants start and succeed in business. Mr. Kulkarni is a past President of the Board of Directors of the Asia Institute, Crane House, and the past Chair of Vogt Awards selection committee, which supports development of innovative entrepreneurial concepts. He is currently the Chair of the Indian Professional Council and on the board of the World Affairs Council, Venture Connectors,World Trade Center and on the advisory board of Jewish Family and Career Services.
• George S. Wright, Midwest Director of Citi Community Development -- Currently, George serves as Director of Community Relations forCitibank’s Global Consumer Group. In his role he is responsible for Community Development for the Midwest Region which includes 17 states in the U.S. and Canada. George rejoined Citi in July of 2007. Previous to Citi, George served as Director of Emerging Markets at Washington Mutual. In his role, he was responsible for Home Loans sales to the emerging market consumers. George joined WaMu in December of 2005. Previously, George was Senior Vice President for CRA / Fair Lending & Customer Care at GMAC Bank. George was responsible for implementation, monitoring / compliance and sales as it relates to all areas of Community Reinvestment and Customer Service. He was responsible for GMAC Bank’s local assessment area goals and a $6 Billion National CRA commitment, exceeding goal in a 2 year timeframe. George was also responsible for all branch banking, national ATM deployment / management and the Bank’s customer service call centers, both domestic and international.George began his career at Citicorp / Citibank in Illinois as a Loan Originator and was trained on all Bank sales-related products. He was later asked to take on the responsibilities of the National Sales Trainer at Citicorp Mortgage where he developed training programs and trained mortgage and bank employees on cross sales, while focusing on the credit insurance business. George then moved to Branch Banking at Citibank where he managed all sales activities for the second largest branch bank in Illinois. George then moved into the position of CRA and Fair Lending National Marketing Manager where he worked with all Citibank entities from a CRA / Fair Lending marketing perspective. George’s last role at Citibank was as Community Investment Officer for the central region, where he managed all aspects of CRA / Fair Lending.

Building Economic Power for Immigrant Workers: Union Organizing, Apprenticeships and Collective Bargaining

Labor organizing, apprenticeship programs and collective bargaining have long been key tools to improve economic conditions and opportunities for workers. Unions serve as important mechanisms for immigrant inclusion into our society and help building economic power through collective voice. In many fields, labor-led apprenticeship programs are the primary means through which workers build the skills and qualifications needed to access safe and well-regulated employment. Panelists from unions, worker centers and academia will discuss the trajectory of labor unions as spaces for immigrant inclusion and improved economic mobility, as well as how collective action and new forms of organizing and bargaining can serve and protect the economic interests of immigrant workers in the absence of public policies of integration. Moderator: 

• Arturo Mendoza, Field Campaign Director, AFL-CIO National Organizing Department – Works with the Building Trades Unions in the Southwest U.S. on strategic organizing campaigns to organize recent immigrant construction workers.  Began career with the United Farm Workers Union as organizer for 14 years followed by several years as staff representative with the National Education Association.

Speakers:

• Victor Narro, UCLA Labor Center, Project Director -- At the UCLA Labor Center Victor Narro directs leadership programs immigrant workers, strategy and campaign support for worker centers and unions, and student internships. He is a professor for the Labor and Workplace Studies Program; adjunct faculty at UCLA School of Urban Planning; and Lecturer in Law at UCLA Law School; and he has co-authored several scholarly studies.
• David Gornewicz, Ironworkers Association IWINTL, Assistant Director of Organizing (Assoc. Membership, Apprenticeship) -- Member of the Iron Workers Local Union 272 Miami, FL since 1980 where he served as Apprenticeship Director, Organizer, President and Director of Organizing. Became International staff in 2006 and currently Assistant Director of Organizing. Served on Catholic Charities Legal Services Board of Directors (Miami, FL) from 1999 - 2006.
• Rosemarie Molina, CLEAN Carwash Campaign Strategic Director - At CLEAN Rosemarie develops comprehensive strategies that steer a coalition effort partnering with the United Steelworkers to support carwash workers organizing to improve conditions in their workplaces and in their communities in Los Angeles.
• Lorena Lopez, UNITE HERE Local 11 -- Lorena Lopez is an organizing director for hotel workers’ union UNITE HERE Local 11. In the past 14 years she has successfully helped thousands of Southern California hotel workers from Santa Monica to Costa Mesa demand respect and better working conditions by organizing a union.

Immigration and the States: Advancing State Policy Priorities in Immigration

Several states have created dedicated offices to advance state immigration policy priorities in such areas as economic development, citizenship promotion, and talented workforce recruitment. The Pew Charitable Trusts will lead a discussion among representatives from these offices to hear examples of how they are achieving various state-policy aims regarding immigration. The panel will highlight the roles they play in advancing immigrant integration, and areas where state engagement is important for any future federal immigration reform. Panelists:

• Adam Hunter, Director, Immigration and the States, The Pew Charitable Trusts -- Adam Hunter directs The Pew Charitable Trusts’ immigration and the states project, examining the intersection of federal, state, and local immigration laws and policies and their impact on all levels of government. Before joining Pew, Hunter was the acting chief of staff at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Department of Homeland Security, which administers immigration benefits and related activities for the U.S. government. In an earlier capacity at USCIS, he managed citizenship and immigrant integration policy research, interagency initiatives, and international engagement. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in German and European studies from Vanderbilt University and a master’s degree in public policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

• Jorge Montalvo, Director, New York Office for New Americans -- Jorge Montalvo serves in New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s administration as the top policy advisor to the New York Secretary of State and Director of the New York State Office for New Americans. He has distinguished himself as one of the most entrepreneurial thinkers in public service. He employs his training as a chemist to take a “systems-based approach to make change and open opportunities for hard-working people.” Among some of his many accomplishments, Montalvo developed the State’s Opportunity Agenda to ensure those living in poverty were included in the state’s economic revitalization, helped merge the State’s consumer protection and occupation licensing agencies and created the Empire State Fellows program - an innovative approach to attracting and training cross-sector leaders for public service.

• Karen Phillippi, Deputy Director, Michigan Office for New Americans -- Karen Phillippi is the Deputy Director of the Michigan Office for New Americans in the Executive Office of Governor Rick Snyder. She began her more than 20 years of work in immigration law by serving as the Immigration and State Department Specialist for U.S. Senator Don Riegle. She is very passionate about immigration and has served on a variety of boards and committees related to the issue including serving as Board Chair for Global Detroit; Chairperson for the Global Michigan initiative; and serving on the advisory boards for the Global Talent Retention Initiative; Welcome Mat Detroit; and, Welcoming Michigan. Karen is very active in promoting the benefits that immigrants have on the economy, and making Michigan a more immigrant-friendly state.

• Marcony Almeida-Barros, Acting Executive Director, Massachusetts Office for Refugees and Immigrants -- Marcony Almeida-Barros serves since July 2014 as the Acting Executive Director for the Massachusetts Office for Refugees and Immigrants, having joined ORI in January 2013 as its Chief of Staff. Prior to ORI, he was the Director of Organizing and Deputy Director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA) where he worked primarily in the area of comprehensive immigration reform at the federal level, assisted with the management of the agency’s policies and procedures, performed outreach, advocacy and communications on legislative efforts, as well as immigration trainings for interested stakeholders. In 2003, the Mayor’s Office of New Bostonians presented him with the New Bostonian of the Year Award for his significant contribution to improve the lives of the immigrant and refugee communities in the city of Boston. Mr. Almeida-Barros received a Bachelor’s of Arts in Journalism at Universidade Católica de Pernambuco in Recife, Brazil, and a Master’s of Science in Corporate and Organizational Communications, with concentration in leadership, from Northeastern University in Boston.

• Teresa Reyes, Director, Illinois Office of New Americans -- Teresa Reyes is the Director of the Illinois Governor’s Office of New Americans where she ensures human rights protections and access to justice for immigrants through various programs, policies, and public education. GONA has been unique in building on the foundation of the strengths of New Americans in order to promote stronger immigrant integration throughout Illinois. Prior to joining the Governor’s Office, she served as District Director for Congressman Luis V. Gutierrez of Illinois’ Fourth Congressional District, where she managed congressional casework, was responsible for community outreach, acted as a liaison for local community groups and national organizations. The daughter of Mexican immigrant parents, Ms. Reyes is a first generation college graduate and was born and raised in the far South East Side of Chicago.

Building Financial Capability in Immigrant and Refugee Communities

As a follow-up to a popular NIIC 2013 session, this best practice-based panel will provide more practical examples of holistically-developed “nuts and bolts” being used to increase the financial capability of immigrants and refugees as they move towards citizenship and/or enter the financial mainstream. The panel will include successful models from the field and discuss challenges facing financial inclusion. Presenters will detail tools, products, program design, and innovative implementation strategies of their local asset-building programs. Moderator:

• Cynthia Arreola, Senior Program Manager, NALCAB -- As Senior Federal Grants Manager, Cynthia is responsible for managing NALCAB’s federal grants for performance and compliance, ensuring strong internal systems and driving high quality implementation. She works with senior staff on administrating funding from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s OneCPD Program, Fair Housing Initiative Program and Neighborhood Stabilization Program II and provides supplementary support on technical assistance and resource development projects as needed. Cynthia, bilingual, received her BBA in International Business Management from the University of Texas at San Antonio and a Bilingual Business Certification from her studies in Mexico and Argentina.

Panelists:

• Mattias Kraemer, Deputy Director of Asset Building Programs, Mission Economic Development Agency, San Francisco -- As Deputy Director of Asset Building Programs at Mission Economic Development Agency in San Francisco (MEDA), Mattias Kraemer’s responsibilities include management of diverse multi-platform projects including CFSI’s Credit Building through VITA, FINRA Foundation’s Financial Capability in San Francisco Hotels, UWBA’s SparkPoint San Francisco Plaza Adelante, and the national hackathon’s winning smart phone app - MEDA Pulse. Internally, responsibilities include program design and support, curriculum development, capacity building and agency wide financial capability performance management. A Chileno double national, Mattias holds an M.A in Cultural Anthropology from the Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, as well as a B.F.A. from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.

• Chancee Martorell, Executive DirectorThai Town Community Development Center, Los Angeles -- Born in Thailand and raised in Los Angeles, Martorell studied political science and public law at UCLA where she received her B.A. and her M.A. in Urban Planning with a specialization in Urban Regional Development/Third World Development. She also studied Humanities at Chiang Mai University in Northern Thailand in 1988. Engaged in social activism for the past 28 years, Martorell is currently the Executive Director of the Thai Community Development Center, a non-profit organization she founded in 1994 in an effort to improve the lives of Thai immigrants through services that promote cultural adjustment and economic self-sufficiency.

• Isabel Rubio, Executive Director, Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama, Birmingham -- Isabel Watkins Rubio is a second generation Latina born and raised in post-civil rights era Mississippi. A social worker by training, Ms. Rubio was led to found the Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama in 1999 as she observed the rapidly growing Hispanic population in Alabama. Remembering Birmingham and Alabama's place in the Civil Rights Movement, Ms. Rubio believes that lessons learned from that struggle will help Hispanics in Alabama and the broader community integrate in a more peaceful and intentional manner.

• Hee Joo Yoon, Executive Director, Korean Resource Center -- Hee Joo Yoon is the executive director of the Korean Resource Center. Prior to leading KRC, Hee Joo has been the KRC program director since 2005, after volunteering at KRC for thirteen years. She has been instrumental in developing and strengthening the organization’s programs and services which now include the areas of health access, civic engagement, youth leadership development, immigration legal services, and financial empowerment. Hee Joo was recently honored by the White House as Champion of Change for her leadership in launching and managing an impactful, culturally competent housing and foreclosure prevention program.

Discover Immigrant Integration in Practice through L.A. Neighborhood Tours at NIIC 2014

At the National Immigrant Integration Conference 2014 (NIIC 2014), we want you to get a firsthand understanding of our host city, Los Angeles. This year, we're offering Discover L.A. Tours, providing you with the opportunity to get out of the hotel and discover one of five vibrant neighborhoods defined by the immigrant experience in one of America's most dynamic cities.

NIIC participants can choose between a tours of East Los Angeles, South Los Angeles and others. These tours will provide an excellent dose of the cultural context the conference will play out in, and will help inform participants of the issues facing Los Angeles' immigrant communities.

Local community residents and organizations will guide participants through Boyle Heights, South L.A., Little Ethiopia, or Chinatown to reveal examples of immigrant integration and how cultural tourism can serve as a vehicle for economic development. Each neighborhood is facing intense pressures of gentrification. Our tours will offer insights into how local residents, street vendors, small business owners, and artists are working to preserve the spirit and legacy of these historic immigrant communities.

During the mid-twentieth century Boyle Heights was the shared neighborhood of Jewish, Japanese and Mexican immigrant groups. Today, it faces intense pressures from gentrification that are rapidly shifting the culture and racial-ethnic landscape of this historic community. But local residents, artists and musicians are working to preserve the spirit and legacy of the historic immigrant communities of Boyle Heights and East L.A.

Register today and take advantage of this excellent opportunity to visit the people we're helping in their own communities and hear directly from them about their issues!

Photo courtesy of Community Coalition

Meet the Team Working on Workforce Development

The NIIC 2014 program is really shaping up. This year’s conference will feature nine content track areas, covering everything from education to health care to economic opportunity. The tracks are led by preeminent thought leaders in their respective fields. The track working groups are tasked with determining which questions deserve particular attention on the national stage of NIIC 2014.

"Strengthening our Nation through Workforce Development" will be one of the NIIC 2014 content tracks. This track will explore effective policy and program solutions--in the private and public sector--for adult education and training, positioning immigrants to hold family-wage jobs and attain career pathway success.

The Workforce track has assembled an impressive team to develop this exciting program. The working group members include leading demographers, funders, practitioners, and policymakers:

• Audrey Singer, Senior Fellow, Brookings Institute
• Jose Ramon Fernandez-Pena, Associate Professor of Health Education, San Francisco State University
• Flavia Jimenez, Senior Fellow, National Skills Coalition
• Margie McHugh, Director, Migration Policy Institute’s National Center on Immigrant Integration
• Paul Feltman, Director, Global Talent Bridge initiative for World Education Services (WES)
• Felicito (Chito) Cajayon, Vice Chancellor of Workforce Development, Los Angeles Community College District's (LACCD)
• Trang Tu, Program Officer, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
• Juan Salgado, President and CEO, Instituto del Progreso Latino
• Amanda Bergson-Shilcock, Director of Outreach and Program Evaluation, Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians (Track Co-lead)
• Luis Sandoval, Development Manager, Building Skills Partnership (Track Co-lead)
• James Witte, Research Director, Institute for Immigration Research (IIR)
• Safiya Khalid, Executive Director, Institute for Immigration Research at George Mason University
• Antonio Bernabe, CHIRLA
• Josh Bernstein, SEIU International
• Luis Barrera-Castanon, Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce

Based on the varied expertise of their working group, this track promises to be thought-provoking and engaging. Stay tuned for more updates on the conference program!

NIIC 2014 Early Bird Registration Ends Oct. 3

Are you heading to sunny Los Angeles this December for the National Immigrant Integration Conference (NIIC 2014) and want to save money on registration? Now is your chance: the Early Bird Registration rate ends this Friday, October 3!

The NIIC 2014 Steering Committee, California Host Committee, and co-hosts CHIRLA and the National Partnership for New Americans, have been very busy preparing the groundwork for creating a dynamic space at the conference for participants to continue improving the road to active citizenship, expanding effective education and workforce training opportunities, improving access to healthcare, increasing financial assets, and more. Much more.

This year's theme "America's Future is Here," captures the over 20 years of organizing that have led to successes across California like record naturalization numbers and New American Voters, the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights, the Trust Act, Driver's Licenses for All, and reduced deportations through sentencing reform in our state.

Los Angeles has the nation’s largest population of legal permanent residents, with more than 750,000 across the county. No question, these families, students, and workers offer us endless opportunities to strengthen our region, while NIIC 2014 offers you the opportunity to strategize with leaders, advocates, service providers, and researchers about how immigrant integration can strengthen our nation.

Don't hesitate, register today, and make your travel plans for beautiful L.A. from December 14-16! Applications for Scholarships are due by October 17, so don't wait! To find out more details on NIIC 2014 registration, visit here.

Here are the powerful organizations who comprise the NIIC 2014 California Host Committee:

African Communities Public Health Council, Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Los Angeles, Black Alliance for Just Immigration, California Immigrant Policy Center, CDTech, Central Amercian Resource Center, Chinatown Community for Economic Development, Community Coalition, East Los Angeles Community Corporation, Holman United Methodist Church, Koreatown Immigrant Workers Advocates, Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy, Mobilize the Immigrant Vote, National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, Salvadoran American National Association, Services, Immigrant Rights, and Education Network, Thai Community Development Center, and the USC Center for the Study of Immigrant Integration.

NIIC 2011: Seattle

The theme of NIIC 2011 was “Building A Stronger Democracy: A New Decade For Immigrant Integration.” The fourth conference of its kind, it built on previous conferences by adding significant new content tracks as well as attracting a dynamic group of participants – more than 700 total. NIIC 2011 was hosted by OneAmerica in Seattle, Washington. The overarching goals of the conference were to:

• Increase and deepen our understanding of different components of immigrant integration,
• Highlight promising practices, discuss key challenges and future directions, and provide opportunities for capacity building and training, and
• Widen the field and bring in new allies and partners including local government, host communities, and a wider diversity of immigrant populations.

OneAmerica, the largest immigrant rights organization in Washington State, hosted NIIC 2011 which was held October 24-26 at the Westin Hotel in downtown Seattle.

This was the largest ever iteration of this event, drawing more than 700 participants from across the country to advance a national understanding and dialogue around immigrant integration, elevate immigration issues, share best practices and innovative models around immigrant integration, and to engage diverse sectors in that conversation.

NIIC 2012: “Diversifying the American Dream"

CASA de Maryland, the state's foremost Latino and immigrant organization, hosted NIIC 2012 in downtown Baltimore. More than 800 immigrant integration leaders and advocates from across the country came together at the Hilton Baltimore from September 22-25.

NIIC 2012 was designed to take the public dialogue on immigration beyond the border enforcement headlines and dive deep into the effort to diversify the American Dream by ensuring that immigrants have the opportunity to become integral members of the U.S. communities they call home.

Click here for photos from NIIC 2012. (Photos by Máté Vladár, Elena Robles, and Rufael Seyum - CASA de Maryland)

Barack Obama's Letter to NIIC 2012