Staff News
Comings and Goings, a Promotion, and a Well-Deserved Break

Belinda Castro joined the LIRS staff March 4 as a clerk in the loan services unit. She comes to us from J. Dashew Inc., Baltimore, where she worked as an office supervisor since 1999. A native New Yorker who studied in Puerto Rico for two years, Belinda's other previous experience includes administrative positions with Prescription Containers Inc., Brooklyn, N.Y., and Graham Fields Inc., Bronx. She brings Spanish fluency to the position, and her educational background includes a 1994 certificate in computerized office technology from Suburban Technical School, Ronkon, N.Y., and 2001 certificate in information management from Baltimore City Community College.

Thomas Giossi is the new deputy director for RefugeeWorks effective April 1. Tom brings over 20 years' experience designing and administering employment and empowerment programs. Most recently he served as project director for Community Service Employment with the Cambodian Mutual Assistance Center of Greater Lowell (Mass.). Other previous experience includes work as a consultant for SmartEDU, also in Lowell, 2000-01, and as the founding executive director of Lowell Small Business Assistance Center for Middlesex Community College and Community Teamwork Inc., 1997-2000. During 1994-99, Tom held several positions with Southern New Hampshire University's Graduate School of Business, Manchester, where he received a master's in community economic development in 1994. During 1984-93, he worked in the Central African Republic as director for a World Bank Microenterprise Development Project, an evaluation and training consultant for Africare, and a rural credit specialist for the United Nations. After receiving his 1981 bachelor's in business administration from St. John's University, Collegeville, Minn., he did a two-year Peace Corps stint in Burkina Faso as a credit advisor. Tom is fluent in French and Sango and has a working knowledge of Baya.

Amanual Estefou came to LIRS April 1 as an assistant director for case processing. A native of Iraq, Amanual speaks Arabic, Chaldean and Greek and completed certification as a medical and legal interpreter in Michigan. After receiving a 1995 bachelor's in medicine and surgery at Saddam College of Medicine in Baghdad, Iraq, he was a resident physician at Teaching Hospital of Saddam University until 1997, when he fled as a refugee to Greece. There he worked in Athens, first with the Medical Rehabilitation Center for Torture Victims as a medical assistant and interpreter until 1998, then with Mesopotamian Clinic as a physician until 2000. In September of that year Amanual was resettled through Lutheran Social Services of Michigan, Southfield, where he took a position as an employment caseworker. If difficulties with his credentials can be resolved, Amanual hopes to return eventually to the medical field. He is currently enrolled in a Basic Immigration Law Course and expects to complete his certification in May.

Christine Ouellette is the new program assistant for LIRS's capacity building unit in the Resettlement Department effective April 3. Christine, who holds dual U.S./Egyptian citizenship, comes to us from Legg Mason Wood Walker, where she held various positions since 1998, most recently as a corporate recruiter. Before that she worked as the Maryland admissions representative for The Boyd School in Pittsburgh. Other previous experience includes stints as a human resources assistant for Sweetheart Cup Company and a management assistant and volunteer coordinator for Center Stage Associates, both in the Baltimore area. She has also done volunteer work with refugees through her church's sponsorship activities and through a program in Cairo, Egypt, where she created and taught English programs for refugee children. Christine holds a 1993 bachelor's in anthropology from the University of Maine, Orono.

Recent departures from the agency include Cristian Banu, assistant director for case processing since November 2000, who left January 15; Jamie McLeod, project manager of the RefugeeWorks California Capacity Building Project since October 2000, who left January 25; Sandra McCotter, administrative assistant for program development and church relations since October 2000 and on staff since November 1999, who left January 30; Kathleen Flanagan, case manager with International Social Service—USA Branch since November 1999, who left February 28; and Lorraine Cordeiro, youth employment coordinator for RefugeeWorks since May 2001, who left March 5.

LIRS is also losing two valued directors. Director for Legal Services Bindu Wotorson left the agency April 16 to return to private legal practice. Many benefited from her generous counsel on legal issues throughout her tenure. Director for Children's Services Susan Schmidt will be departing effective May 10 to move to the Twin Cities, where her husband has accepted a position with the University of St. Thomas Law School and Susan anticipates doing consulting work on refugee children's issues. Among the many highlights of Susan's nearly eight-year tenure with LIRS was her effort to engineer the domestic and international negotiations and discussions that led to the resettlement program for the Sudanese youth from Kakuma Camp in Kenya. Both Bindu and Susan plan to spend more time with their young children.

Karen Willard, who joined the agency in January 2000 and has served as program assistant in the resettlement unit since December 2000, has been promoted to assistant director for reception and placement effective April 1. In her new position, Karen will serve as secondary manager of the program, which includes post-arrival refugee resettlement program activities.

LIRS President Ralston Deffenbaugh begins a six-month sabbatical May 16. During his absence Vice President for Programs Annie Wilson will serve as acting president and Delia Gomez will join LIRS and step into Annie's position for the interim. A dedicated and seasoned community leader, Delia brings 23 years' experience with immigrants, refugees, human rights and U.S.-Mexico border issues. She currently works as an on-site management consultant for the Women's Intercultural Center, located in a border community in New Mexico, and is a founding member of Annunciation House in El Paso, where she served as the resident co-director 1978-81. Other experience includes a 1988-97 stint as executive director of Las Americas Refugee Asylum Project in El Paso, four years—1996-2000—as Texas/New Mexico regional coordinator for an AmeriCorps program engaging Latinos in programs of service, and service on numerous committees and boards throughout her career. In 1997 Delia was recognized through the Bannerman Fellowship Program, which honors outstanding activists of color with sabbatical funding.

Return to top | Return to LIRS homepage