Meet The Team
Founder & CEO
Viridiana Carrizales
Viridiana was born in Michoacán, Mexico, and immigrated to the United States at 11. In 2004, she co-founded a grassroots organization to inform undocumented students of their rights and access to higher education. Viridiana holds a bachelor's degree in Spanish Literature and Communications from the University of Texas at Austin. She led Teach For America’s efforts to recruit and place DACA teachers in classrooms nationwide, recruiting over 240 educators teaching in 22 cities across 11 states. Recognized by LULAC and the Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce for her leadership, she became a US citizen in 2016 and resides in San Antonio, TX.
Co-Founder & COO
Lorena Tule-Romain
Dr. Lorena Tule-Romain immigrated to the U.S. at nine from Michoacan, Mexico, and grew up undocumented in Dallas, Texas. Mrs. Tule-Romain started her journey as an undocumented student activist back in 2006. She attended the University of Texas at Austin and received her Master’s in Higher Education from SMU. Mrs. Tule-Romain’s passion for education equity and liberation comes from her personal experience. She has served as a City of Dallas Park and Recreation Board Member, North Texas Dream Team Board Member, President of the LULAC council, and was a 2021 Dallas Public Voices Fellow from OpEd Project. Currently, she is pursuing her Doctorate in Education Leadership at SMU.
Senior Development Associate
Vindhyaa Pasupuleti
Vindhyaa (she/her) is a multi-passionate young professional and leader. She comes from a proud and chaotic family of South Asian immigrants. As a first-generation college student in the US, she graduated with a Dual Bachelors Degree in Health Equity and Neuroscience at Rhodes College where she examined interdisciplinary fields of sociology, political science, psychology, and cultural neuroscience. In her senior thesis projects, she researched multilingualism in the brain and explored the question: what motivates womxn of color in their justice-oriented work. She has worked in diverse non-profit and tutoring/coaching experiences from student-run free clinics to international community-based organizations. In her spare time, she enjoys trying new sports, traveling, and journaling/writing. She has recently moved to New York City, and currently resides in Brooklyn, NY.
Associate Director, NJ & PA
Kimberly Valle
Born and raised in El Paso, Texas, Kim is a proud daughter of Mexican and formerly undocumented immigrants.  She is a first-generation college graduate with a bachelor’s degree in journalism with a focus on international development from the University of Texas at El Paso (2016) and a master’s degree in public administration focusing on Public Policy Management from Rutgers University- Camden, New Jersey (2021). Throughout her undergrad career, Kim focused on covering borderland immigration stories of undocumented/immigrant students and communities. From 2016-2018, Kim served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Morocco where she created sustainable socioeconomic programs in rural areas for Moroccan youth and women that supported educational and employment attainment. Her passion for public service was deepened during her Peace Corps service and thus continued to work in the non-profit industry servicing immigrant communities through education and social services. Kim’s motivation and inspiration to continue the path of public service is her personal experiences growing up in a marginalized undocumented community by witnessing the educational and socioeconomic disparities that exist within immigrant communities.
Associate Director, TX
Brenda Gonzalez
Brenda was born in Cusco, Peru and immigrated to the United States at the age of 12. As an undocumented student throughout middle school she had to advocate for herself and seek how to further her education. Brenda attend Baruch College and graduated with a BS in Public Affairs. While searching for a career she was passionate about, she joined Teach For America and found her calling as a teacher and was able to pursue teaching with DACA. She moved to Fort Worth, Texas in 2014 and has been a bilingual teacher since then. She recently obtained an M.Ed in Bilingual Education and hopes to continue to advocate for immigrant students, parents and families who need guidance and support. She wants her personal experience as an undocumented student and a DACA teacher to impact the lives and future of immigrant families in the community she serves.
Program Associate
Jessica Sanchez
Jessica (she/her) was born and raised for eight years in Veracruz, México before moving to the United States and settling down in Garland, Texas. She completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Texas A&M University- Commerce.  For the last 6 years, Jessica was a kindergarten and first grade in teacher. Now, in addition to working at ImmSchools, Jessica an instructional early literacy coach for primary grades PK-3rd in Garland Independent School District. She is happily married and has two beautiful children. In her free time, she enjoys reading, being outdoors, and making memories with her family. She is passionate about creating a strong literacy foundation in children and making a positive difference in the lives of those around her.
Director of Policy and Advocacy
Astou Thiane
Astou Thiane, a 2015 Teach for America alumna and DACAmented educator, serves in New York City. Born in Dakar, Senegal, she immigrated to the U.S. at seven and was raised in Harlem, New York. Astou learned of her immigration status in high school and struggled to access higher education. In 2013, DACA status allowed her to work and finance her education independently. By 2015, she graduated cum laude with a double major in Political Science and Economics from Hunter College, CUNY. Joining Teach for America NYC, she taught 8th grade ELA in Harlem. In 2016, she joined the DACA Advisory Board, creating workshops for teachers on supporting undocumented students. In 2017, she earned her Master of Arts in Teaching from the Relay Graduate School of Education. Currently, she is an ELA teacher at KIPP Academy Middle School in the Bronx, continuing to advocate for marginalized communities in education.
Director of Policy & Business Development
Christina Rivera
Christina grew up in South Bronx and brings over 20 years of experience in financial management to the nonprofit sector. She excels in building operational efficiencies, optimizing financial performance, and implementing robust financial controls. Growing up in a community with a large undocumented population, Christina witnessed firsthand the challenges and gaps in the school system's support for immigrants. She leverages financial analytics and insights to drive organizational success and support nonprofits in achieving their missions. Passionate about addressing social injustices, Christina is dedicated to working with organizations that make a direct impact on underserved communities.
Senior Program Associate
Maria Rocha
Originally from Torreón, Coahuila, México, MarÃa migrated to the Unites States at the age of three and has been living in Texas for the past 28 years. She received a Bachelor Degree of Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 2012; however, due to her immigration status, her dream of becoming an educator seemed close to impossible. Upon her 25th birthday on June 15, 2012, DACA was announced and provided MarÃa the opportunity to obtain her teaching credentials allowing her to secure a position as an educator. As a 2015 Teach for America alumni, MarÃa is in her 5th year as an educator in San Antonio, TX and recently received her M.Ed. in Educational Leadership at UTSA in December 2018. MarÃa is a strong advocate of early childhood education, dual-language programs, and providing equitable educational opportunities for all students regardless of their immigration status. She knows first-hand the importance of providing a safe space for our immigrant community. She is currently using her platform as an educator to ensure students embrace their cultural background thus continuing to instill and carry their familial values.
NJ & PA Program Associate
José Fernández Brito
José was born and raised in the Dominican Republic. He migrated to Camden, New Jersey with his family as he was about to start high school. Adapting to a new country, language, and culture was challenging. Fortunately, he graduated high school at Woodrow Wilson High School. He was the first to graduate high school and attend college in his family. He graduated with a bachelor's in Health Promotion and Wellness Management from Rowan University in 2018. During college, from 2013 to 2015, he was a mentor in the Upward Bound ELLs program at Rowan University in Camden assisting English learners high school students with college readiness. After graduating college, José worked in community health for five years with the mission to decrease the maternal and infant mortality rate in Camden City. As a community health worker and health educator, José had the opportunity to serve immigrant families via health education, parenting classes, and connection to resources. As an immigrant José has seen first hand the impact of the lack of support for newcomers and the challenges students and families face in education and access to resources. He is a firm believer that supporting immigrant students and families is an essential part of a country’s future.
Board of Directors
Board Secretary
Yllka Seseri
Yllka Seseri received her J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law in 2010. Immediately after graduation, she joined the law offices of Davidson and Schiller, LLC, where she practiced for over six years. In February 2017, she began her own immigration practice alongside Mark Davidson, a long-time mentor. She has extensive experience in areas including family-based immigration, removal defense, J-1 waivers of the INA 212(e) requirement, Religious Worker petitions, U visa requests and VAWA self-petitions, waivers of inadmissibility, and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.In her free time, Yllka loves spending time with her husband and two daughters. Yllka is fluent in Albanian, Spanish, and understands Italian.
Board President
Ivy Teng Lei
Ivy Teng Lei is a native New Yorker from Chinatown, Manhattan, and a proud product of the NYC public school system. She is a DREAMer and an advocate for immigrants and education. Ivy has contributed op-eds to The Guardian, and her advocacy work has been featured on major news platforms like NBC, Fox, ABC, NY Times, NPR, and BBC UK. She played a key role in founding New York’s Asian American/Pacific Islander Chamber of Commerce and Entrepreneurship and has held leadership positions such as Chair of the Asian American Federation Professional Leadership Council and chair of a statewide college affordability campaign. With over a decade of lobbying experience, she has raised significant funds for various causes. Professionally, Ivy began her career at Interpublic Group of Companies (IPG), worked in Global Marketing at The Gap, and held strategic roles at tech firms Ladder.io and Thesis. She has served on the boards of OCA-Asian American Advocate New York, the Baruch College Association, and as a DREAM Fellow at the New York Immigration Coalition. Currently, Ivy is the Account Marketing Lead at Exygy, a B-Corporation focused on digital solutions for human problems, while continuing her advocacy work for immigrants and underserved communities.
Board Member
Nancy Adossi
Nancy Adossi is an educator and public speaker who speaks on topics such as education, immigration, and human rights. She received her Doctorate in 2017 from the University of Houston and has a Masters of Public Administration and a Bachelor’s of Science in Political Science. She is a professor at the University of Houston-Downtown. Dr. Adossi was born in Lome, Togo and moved to America at the age of 9 in 1998. Her parents are originally from Nigeria and Benin. She has four brothers. She is a human rights researcher and policy data analyst based in Houston, TX and New York City, NY.
Board Member
Pierre Berastain
Pierre is the Interim Executive Director at Centre for Public Impact, a BCG Foundation. Pierre leads CPI’s work in North America and brings over 15 years of experience in organisational management and program implementation. He is the Co-Founder of Caminar Latino-Latinos United for Peace and Equity. He previously held leadership roles at organisations such as the District Alliance for Safe Housing, Harvard University, and Esperanza United, focusing on gender-based violence. A published author and public speaker, Pierre has been recognised for his work in immigration, LGBTQ advocacy, and restorative justice. Pierre holds degrees from Harvard College and Harvard Divinity School. Originally from Peru, he now resides in Washington, DC with his husband Paul.