EBRIF Steering Committee
Ari Jones, Chair | Residency & Naturalization Programs Director Oasis Legal Services
Ari Jones (they/them/elle) is the current EBRIF Chair and has been a member of the Steering Committee since January 2019. They work as the Residency & Naturalization Programs Director at Oasis Legal Services in Berkeley serving LGBTQI+ asylees and immigrants. As a nonbinary and transgender queer person, they are committed to creating a more inclusive society using an antisubordination framework. Ari is a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College and UC Berkeley School of Law. At Oasis Legal Services, Ari has expanded community outreach and policy advocacy. They also developed the Residency and Naturalization programs to provide continuity of service to LGBTQI+ immigrants eligible to apply for their green cards and citizenship. Outside of work, Ari is a drag and makeup artist who enjoys hiking in local parks and caring for their elderly pets.
Ballav Poudyel | Program Manager, Lao Family Community Development Inc.
Ballav is originally from Bhutan and resettled in the USA in 2008 under the refugee resettlement program. He has over 14 years of experience working with the Lao Family Community Development, Inc., as a Program Manager for the newly arrived immigrants, refugees/asylees, and CalWORKs, GA, and CalFresh contracts recipients funded by the Alameda County Social Services Agency, State, and Federal. He finds working in the nonprofit sector very rewarding and enjoys outreaching and finding different ways to support the various communities in the Bay Area. His goal is to continue to use his knowledge and skill to help the community reach emotional, mental, and financial stability.
Ballav’s purpose and passion are around helping and supporting local ethnic organizations to promote and protect their culture and create a social innovation for eco-social changes.
In his spare time, Ballav enjoys playing sports, particularly soccer. He also enjoys family outings (camping and hiking). Ballav lives in Oakland with his wife and two children.
Jasmin Koukhan | Wellness Educator, Diversity in Health Training Institute
Jasmin earned her MSW with a focus on Strengthening Organizations and Communities from UC Berkeley. She is fluent in Farsi/Dari. Jasmin has 6 years of experience working with refugees, immigrants, and other forcibly displaced populations in direct service and program development roles. She has experience across a continuum of care from initial intake, service planning, intensive case management, and program management. She has also supported domestic violence organizations across the country with integrating evidence-based practices related to gender-based violence and psychosocial supports for refugees, asylum-seekers and other forcibly displaced communities into their programming. She is passionate about creating healing spaces for vulnerable populations that are community-driven, trauma-informed, and honor the knowledge and wisdom of individuals and communities.
Jason Belanger | Director, Church World Service, Northern California/Bay Area
Jason Belanger joined Church World Service in February 2023 as the Director, Northern California/Bay Area. Jason has worked in the international development, non-profit sector, outside of the USA, since 1999. He brings 23 years experience in Deputy Regional Director, Country Director, and Project Manager roles, with a focus on serving vulnerable communities, including immigrants, refugees, and internally displaced persons. Jason is committed to CWS´s goal of “building a world where there is enough for all.” He is excited about the opportunity to make Northern California a home for him and his family while leading the NorCal team to serve immigrants, refugees and unaccompanied minors in the Bay Area.
Jason received his bachelor’s degree in Spanish from the University of California, Irvine and master´s degree in Community & Regional Planning at the University of Texas at Austin. He is fluent in Spanish, business proficient in Portuguese, and beginning French. In 2021, he earned a teaching credential from the State of Arizona Board of Education to teach social studies, grades 6-12. He and his wife, Lina María, are the proud parents of two boys, ages 14 and 12. Jason’s personal interests include swimming, reading, travel, and passing the water polo ball or American football with his wife and sons.
Jodi de la Peña | Oakland Unified School District; Burma Refugee Families & Newcomers, Board Chair; State Advisory Council on Refugee Assistance and Services, Acting Chair
Jodi joined OUSD as a Program Manager in Sept 2021 to manage a 3-year federal Human Trafficking Prevention Education grant. Prior to that, Jodi served as the Executive Director of Burma Refugee Families & Newcomers (BRFN) for 4+ years and now chairs the board. In addition, she chaired the Steering Committee for the East Bay Refugee & Immigrant Forum from June 2018-Dec 2022 and led the Afghan response efforts. Jodi also serves on the board of Association for a More Just Society (Asociación por una Sociedad Más Justa) and was recently appointed to serve on the State Advisory Council for the CA Department of Social Services to fill the Refugee Programs Bureau seat. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 30 years of direct social work and managerial experience in the U.S. and Latin America, focusing mainly on supporting newcomers (refugees, immigrants and asylees) and children and youth. Prior to BRFN, Jodi developed expertise on unaccompanied refugee and immigrant minors through her managerial roles with Refugee Foster Care at Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County, and as the Colorado Unaccompanied Refugee Minor Program Specialist. She has also worked with children and youth as a child welfare worker for Alameda County; with newcomers in community-based, medical and school settings in Boston; as a clinical supervisor for programs in Bolivia; as a program development consultant in Costa Rica; and as the LLC Manager and former property manager for a 23-unit apartment complex in Denver, housing refugees and immigrants.
Jodi earned her Master of Social Work degree from Washington University in St. Louis. She spent 5 years in Latin America (Colombia, Venezuela and Costa Rica) and is passionate about collaborations which emphasize person-centered, strengths-based, trauma-informed and culturally responsive supports to welcome newcomers and accompany them on their path towards economic and social well-being.
Jordane Tofighi | Director, International Rescue Committee - Oakland
Jordane has been serving as the Director of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) Oakland office since 2019 and as the Vice-Chair of the State Advisory Council for Refugees for the California Department of Social Services Programs’ Bureau since June 2023. Prior to IRC, Jordane began her career in social & human service agencies in 2001 where she worked in various non-profit organizations supporting vulnerable populations, including at risk-youth, houseless families, and individuals with disabilities & mental health conditions. Jordane has extensive training in crisis intervention and conflict resolution. Jordane earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Massachusetts, and a Master’s degree in Psychology with emphasis in Counseling along with a Certificate of Engaged World Psychology, from the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco. When she is not working, Jordane enjoys traveling, hiking, making music and catching up with her family in France and Iran.
Kathryn Winogura | Co-Director, Burma Refugee Families and Newcomers
Kathryn Winogura is Co-Director of Burma Refugee Families and Newcomers (BRFN) in Oakland. She has been working with the East Bay refugee and immigrant community for 30 years, and closely with the Afghan newcomer community since 2001. She worked with JFCS East Bay as Director of Volunteer Services for 23 years. She brings her vast knowledge of the refugee resettlement process specifically with Afghan newcomers, and has also served asylum-seekers and asylees from many parts of the world, including LGBTQ newcomers. Most recently, she served as Community Engagement and Development Director with CERI. Kathryn also led the EBRIF Volunteer Workgroup of more than 600 volunteers during the Afghan crisis.
Kawser Amine | Northern California Refugee Organizer, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights - Los Angeles
Kawser started with the Afghan Women’s National Soccer Team when she was in second grade because there was a window of opportunity for women–or really in her case, young girls. That window, along with employment and rights for women has closed. She’s in the US now working to start a soccer academy for refugee women and improve the rights in her home country so that both she and her daughter can return safely and be fulfilled. She currently works as a Northern California Refugee organizer with CHIRLA, a Human Immigrants Rights Los Angeles, runs her Non-Profit WSPL, and Roots of Peace as voluntary gender program manager.
Leva Zand | Executive Director, ARTogether
Leva Zand is a dedicated advocate with over 17 years of experience in the field of refugees, human rights, and social justice activism. Her educational background includes a BA in Sociology from California State University, Sacramento, and a Master's degree in Feminist and Religious Studies from UC Santa Barbara, specializing in religion, media, and sexuality. She studied law in her home country of Iran.
In 2005, Leva embarked on her nonprofit career in Sacramento, where she spearheaded a program aimed at assisting refugees from SouthEast Asia. She later assumed the role of team manager for The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES). Additionally, she directed a publication for the Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR) and led a gender awareness program for the Eurasia Foundation. She also demonstrated her creativity and storytelling abilities through her work as a writer and producer for the radio podcast "Narratives of Women" for Radio Zamaneh. Prior to founding ARTogether, Leva served as the director of an online school for the Nonviolence Initiative for Democracy (NID), showcasing her dedication to promoting peaceful initiatives.
Presently, Leva holds the position of Executive Director at ARTogether, an organization she established in 2017. ARTogether’s mission is to provide art programs that foster compassionate communities where refugees and immigrants can flourish. In addition to her role at ARTogether, Leva contributes her expertise as a board member of Oakland Art Murmur, furthering her impact in the art and cultural community.
Laura Vaudreuil | Co-Executive Director, Refugee and Immigrant Transitions
Laura Vaudreuil has had the honor of serving as the Executive Director for Refugee & Immigrant Transitions (RIT) for the last 22 years, sharing the role as Co-Executive Director with Jane Pak since 2021, and together centering the collective well-being of the RIT community. Laura is extremely grateful to work with an amazing team committed to RIT’s mission of welcoming and partnering with people who have sought refuge, employing strengths-based educational approaches and community supports so they may thrive in our shared communities. RIT’s multicultural team represents the major communities RIT serves. The team collectively speaks 20 of the most common languages spoken by our participants, including Spanish, Cantonese and Mandarin, Mam (from Guatemala), Arabic (Yemen), Dari, and Pashto (from Afghanistan).
Laura values collaborative models and shared leadership. She strives to support collective impact by listening and learning from refugee and immigrant communities and partnering with nonprofits, school districts, and government agencies throughout the Bay Area. As such, she was drawn to the Steering Committee of the East Bay Refugee & Immigrant Forum (EBRIF) and was fortunate to be part of the initial advocacy and fundraising efforts to formalize the work of EBRIF and hire a Coordinator. Laura has had the privilege of serving on the Steering Committee from 2010-2015 and then again from 2019 to the present. She has seen the incredible growth of EBRIF over the past 20 years and is grateful for RIT’s role and collaborative efforts in creating more welcoming communities, developing/ensuring effective practices, and building more equitable systems in the East Bay.
RIT works with communities who have sought refuge from ~50 countries around the world, annually serving over 1,700 people new to the U.S. (regardless of their immigration status), to cultivate spaces of mutual support. RIT provides education, family engagement, and community leadership programming. Education is at the core of RIT programming, often serving as a point of entry to RIT’s holistic programming. Programs include adult classes (English/literacy/vocational/citizenship prep), case management, home-based tutoring for youth and adults, academic/wellness programs for youth at partner high schools, internships, and leadership opportunities. Laura takes inspiration from our students and community members and continues to learn so much from them.
Peach Kander | Quality Assurance Coordinator - Refugee Services, Jewish Family and Community Services East Bay
Peach (they/them) is focused on ensuring proper compliance in the resettlement process at their agency. They’ve worked previously in development at the Center for Investigative Reporting, and as a barista in coffee shops around the Bay Area and in New York. Peach graduated from UC Davis with a major in English, and holds an MFA in Creative Writing, Poetry from NYU. They have published writing in various journals, and their chapbook MAGIC BOX is out now from Ursus Americanus Press.
Sean Kirkpatrick, Coordinator | East Bay Refugee and Immigrant Forum
Since 2017, Sean has served as the Coordinator of the East Bay Refugee and Immigrant Forum, a coalition of over 35 community-based organizations, public systems, advocates, and community leaders serving immigrants, refugees, asylees, Special Immigrant Visa holders, and others who look to make a new home in the San Francisco East Bay. Sean has held the role of documenting and providing facilitation support for the Bay Area Quarterly Community Consultations since 2020. Sean has worked in the areas of social justice and health equity in the East Bay for 22 years. Including 13 years in community-based behavioral health and health equity for un- and underserved immigrant and refugee communities. Before moving to Oakland in 2002, Sean received a Master’s degree in Urban and Medical Anthropology from University of Memphis, and was a doctoral candidate in Cultural Anthropology at University of Wisconsin-Madison where he focused on Southeast Asian cultures and histories. He conducted ethnographic and historical research in Thailand for three years, and speaks, reads, and writes Thai and Lao.
Todd Tran | Lived-Experience Ally
Todd is a refugee from Vietnam who resettled in the US in 1979. He has over 25 years business management and strategy experience from companies such as Bain & Company, Apple, Yahoo and Teads, working in Europe and in the US. Most recently he was the Chief Strategy Officer at Teads, a leading digital advertising platform company. Todd is currently a board member of Refugee & Immigrants Transitions (RIT) and an EBRIF Steering Committee member. He lives with his wife and 2 children in the East Bay.
Dr. Valerie Smith | PhD, MPH, CHES, Afghan Health Leadership Consortium Facilitator, Afghan Coalition
As a refugee health studies scholar and advocate, Dr. Valerie Smith focuses on the migration, resettlement, and adjustment of refugees and influences of the social and structural environments on health disparities. Valerie earned a PhD in Communication Studies from Regent University and a Master of Public Health from UC Berkeley. She is a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES).
Valerie completed Afghan refugee community research on The Information Needs and Associated Communicative Behaviors of Afghan Female Refugees in the San Francisco Bay Area and served as Co-PI for an Afghan refugee community health and mental health needs assessment survey. In 2019 she was awarded the “Ulysses Medal for Leadership in Refugee Health” by UC Davis School of Medicine.
Dr. Smith is an award-winning Public Health and Communication faculty member at California State University, East Bay. Through the Afghan Coalition she oversees the Afghan Health Leadership Consortium, a consortium of health, social, and human service providers throughout the greater region to partner for the health and wellbeing of refugees in our community with cultural humility and sensitivity. The consortium consists of quarterly trainings for providers serving the Afghan community, advocacy for Afghan-related causes, and resource and information sharing through the AHLC listserv.
Ali Saidi | Director, Stand Together Contra Costa
Ali Saidi is the Director of Stand Together Contra Costa, the rapid response and immigration legal services program for Contra Costa County which is administered by the Office of the Public Defender. Ali is an immigrant from Iran and a Deputy Public Defender who specializes in the intersection between immigration law and criminal law. For over twenty years, he has been using both litigation and policy advocacy to fight for community-members dehumanized by our systems of mass incarceration and mass deportation. He has taught criminal defense pre-trial advocacy at Berkeley School of Law, and he has practiced criminal defense and deportation defense throughout the Bay Area and before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Ali received his B.A. from the University of California, at Berkeley and his J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School. Ali has served on the Contra Costa County Measure X Community Advisory Board, as well as on the Contra Costa County 2020 Census Complete Count Committee. Ali currently serves as a member of the Core Team for Contra Costa’s new Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice. In his free time, Ali is an active participant in immigrant rights and anti-violence advocacy efforts in our community. He is a founding member of the Contra Costa Immigrant Rights Alliance where he serves on the Internal Coordination Committee. Ali is also a founding member of the Reimagine Public Safety Contra Costa Campaign.
Dalia Flores | Practice Manager, Eastmont Wellness for Alameda Health System
Dalia Flores is Practice Manager at Eastmont Wellness for Alameda Health System and is responsible for planning, organizing, and managing the operations and activities of all Eastmont Wellness clinics and services. She has over twenty years of experience leading clinical operations and business development, including serving as Group Practice Manager at Davis Grand Medical Center (DGMC) – Travis Air Force Base, Practice Administrator at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland (CHO), and Practice Manager at Pediatric Surgical Associates of the East Bay. Dalia is an immigrant from Mexico, passionate about Public Health. She moved to the Bay Area 18 years ago with her four children and ex-husband.
Tim Jefferson | International Rescue Committee - Oakland
Tim is the Resettlement Manager overseeing reception and placement at IRC Oakland. He is a native of Southern Arizona. After serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras and studying in Spain, he went on to build a career in social services working with vulnerable populations including refugees, survivors of human trafficking, immigrant victims of crime, and at-risk youth in both the government and non-profit direct services sectors. He has worked and lived in Arizona, Washington DC, New York and Chicago. He recently relocated to Oakland and is excited to be living near mountains and wilderness areas to go hiking and camping. Tim likes to cook and is excited to experience all the different cultures and cuisines that make up the communities of the Bay Area.
Jyoti Gurung | Sr. Community Engagement Coordinator for Refugee & Immigrant Transitions (RIT), Emerging Leader
Jyoti immigrated to the U.S. in 2009 from Nepal as a Bhutanese Refugee. She went to Oakland International High School (OIHS) and was a Peer Tutor/Youth Leader in Refugee & Immigrant Transitions’ After-School tutoring program. After graduating from OIHS, she continued to partner with RIT as an Alumni Tutor and Intern. She graduated in May 2016 from San Francisco State University with a B.S. degree in Business Management. She began to work as a Development and Program Associate in June 2016. She assists with fundraising and communications, as well as adult, youth, and volunteer programs. Jyoti is a recipient of the 2017 Asian Pacific American (APA) Heritage Award for Youth Leadership.
Faisal Esmaty | Social Integration case manager with Burma Refugee Families and Newcomers (BRFN), Emerging Leader seat
Faisal Esmaty, a native of Afghanistan, immigrated to the United States in 2017. With a proven track record as a Sales and Marketing Executive in multinational corporations based in Afghanistan, Faisal brings extensive expertise in customer service, management, and social media strategies to his endeavors.
Having personally traversed the challenges of immigration, Faisal developed a profound empathy towards newcomers and became actively involved in volunteering with local Mosques and community organizations such as 5ive Pillars. His dedication lies in providing essential support to the Afghan community, facilitating their integration into their new environment.
Currently, Faisal serves as a Social Integration case manager with Burma Refugee Families and Newcomers (BRFN), leveraging his personal experiences, linguistic skills, and professional expertise to guide Afghan newcomers, offering them vital resources for successful integration into society.
Faisal's unwavering commitment to assisting others, coupled with his proficiency in multiple languages, underscores his dedication to making a positive impact in the lives of those he serves. He holds a Master's degree in Business Administration from Kardan University in Kabul, and Communication studies from California State University, East Bay.
Zuhal Bahaduri | Founding Member and Executive Director, The 5ive Pillars
Zuhal Bahaduri has made significant strides in both political and philanthropic spheres. At 18, she successfully campaigned for a Fremont City Council candidate and was later elected as the first Afghan-American female California Democrat Party Delegate for Assembly District 20, serving two terms. Her strategic acumen was further demonstrated through her role as a volunteer and training coordinator for the CA Democratic Party, where she managed statewide trainings and recruitment efforts. As a Public Healthcare Business Analyst and founder of a Mental Health Awareness Brand, Zuhal has been dedicated to normalizing mental health conversations. Her humanitarian efforts during the Refugee crisis in 2021 led to the co-founding of The 5ive Pillars Organization, which supports the dignified resettlement of newcomers. Zuhal’s contributions have garnered prestigious accolades, including her induction into the Women’s Hall of Fame in 2023. She has also received Special Congressional recognitions from two Congress members, a Special Commendation from the County, and official acknowledgment from the Secretary of State, highlighting her impactful work and dedication.
Kelly Robinson | Coordinator, Prevention Early Intervention (PEI) - Mental Health Service Act (MHSA) Division, and for Substance Use Disorder Primary Prevention Services, Alameda County Behavioral Health Care
Kelly has a Master of Arts degree in Public Administration and over twenty-five years' career experience in government and nonprofit management service. Kelly is Coordinator for Prevention and Early Intervention Services and for Substance Use Disorder Primary Prevention Services at Alameda County Behavioral Health.
Rahman Zamani | Program Specialist & County Refugee Coordinator, Alameda County Social Services Agency
Rahman Zamani, originally from Afghanistan, received his education in his home country. However, due to the Russian invasion, he was compelled to leave Afghanistan. He migrated to Pakistan, where he dedicated over 11 years to assisting Afghan refugees. Rahman’s background is in medicine, and his advanced studies encompass Child and Refugee Health, Tropical Medicine, and Public Health Administration. His commitment extended beyond Pakistan; he contributed to Global Health initiatives in Austria for a year, served in Somalia for six months, and worked in Bangladesh for three years. Having obtained political asylum in the United States, Rahman’s professional journey included a decade of service at the San Diego School of Public Health and the University of California, San Francisco. Currently, he serves as a Program Specialist at the Alameda County Social Services Agency, where he also holds the role of Alameda County Refugee Coordinator.