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Conference
The Social Integration of Immigrants in Maryland:
A New Comprehensive Approach
September 22nd (Tuesday) 2009, Annapolis, MD
| SPONSORS |
Jennifer L. Blake, has been Executive Director for FIRN, Inc. since August 2007. FIRN, a nonprofit organization based in Howard County, provides a variety of services to the foreign-born population including information and referral, immigration counseling and citizenship exam preparation classes, interpreting and translating, English literacy programs, and through its partners, Pinnacle Career Resources and Howard Community College, employment counseling. In FY 2009, FIRN’s clients came from 78 countries representing 40 native languages in addition to English. FIRN is widely consulted by human service providers and others who view FIRN as the local authority on issues pertaining to foreign-born individuals, immigration laws, and cultural awareness. FIRN recently piloted a new Community Outreach Workers model to address minority health disparities. Jennifer serves on the Maryland New Americans Partnership Steering Committee; the Superintendent’s District Planning Committee, Equity Council and International Office’s Advisory Committee within the Howard County Public School System; and Howard County General Hospital’s Healthy Families Advisory Board. Prior to joining FIRN, Jennifer was a community development consultant and volunteered in Columbia in such capacities as Chair of the River Hill Board and member of a Columbia Association Governance Committee. Her 30 years of professional experience at national, state, county and neighborhood levels has included directing the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Inner-City Ventures Fund which provided financing and technical assistance to affordable housing, commercial and industrial reuse developments in inner-city neighborhoods and small communities nationwide. In 1987, the U.S. Department of State designated her program as an official U.S. project in observance of the United Nations’ International Year of Shelter for the Homeless. Active in the development of national policy related to housing finance and community development, Jennifer served as a board member of the National Neighborhood Coalition between 1986 and 1994 and participated in the founding of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition. As a researcher at the Urban Institute, Jennifer collaborated in the design and evaluation of HUD’s Neighborhood Self-Help Development Program and co-authored Keys to the Growth of Neighborhood Development Organizations. Previously, her redlining research for a coalition of community organizations was presented at formal HUD and Congressional hearings that led to enactment of the Community Reinvestment Act. Jennifer has also administered a housing development loan and technical assistance program at the Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation and served as a planning consultant for neighborhood revitalization in Philadelphia, public-private land exchanges in Maine, and rural economic development in upstate New York. She holds a masters degree in city planning from the University of Pennsylvania and a bachelors degree from Middlebury College. [top]
Tom Brenneman serves as Policy Associate for Migration & Human Security with the 3D Security Initiative of the Center for Justice & Peacebuilding. He is a founding and active member of Cooperative By Design, LLC. an Arizona-based Peacebuilding Consortium and presently the Director of Mediation Services with the Community Mediation Center in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Working with faith communities, social services and law enforcement in the field of peace-building and restorative justice since 1992, Tom holds a degree in social work from Eastern Mennonite University and is currently an MA candidate in sociology at American University. He is a co-founder of the Sonoran Borderlands Peacebuilding Initiative (SBPI) and related Centro de Paz para Ambos Nogales (CEPAN), conflict resolution initiatives addressing migration and security concerns along the Arizona-Sonora border. He also serves on the Program Council of the Social Integration and Community Development Association. [top] Background Experience/Significant Achievements: Ms. Carson is a licensed attorney in Illinois. She was awarded the prestigious Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI) grant and clerked at the National Immigrant Justice Center in Chicago, Illinois. There, she primarily focused on representation and advocacy for unaccompanied immigrant minors. Carson also spent time teaching English in Central America. Ms. Carson has worked with U.S. Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, and participated in several state-wide and national political campaigns. She began her career as a community organizer during the 2000 presidential campaign. Education: Ms. Carson graduated from DePaul University College of Law with a Public Interest Law Certificate. [top]
Patricia Chiriboga-Roby is Acting Affiliate Director of the World Relief Baltimore Immigration Legal Clinic since October of 2009. She worked as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Maryland School of Law General Summer Legal Clinic during Summer, 2009. Previously she served as the Senior Staff Attorney with the Associated Catholic Charities Immigration Legal Services in Baltimore since 1997. She has worked representing low-income immigrants in asylum, family immigration, and in removal proceedings before the Baltimore Immigration Court, the Department of Homeland Security and the Board of Immigration Appeals.
Beatriz Coningham (M.A. TEFL University of Reading, UK; Ed.D. Candidate, George Washington University, Human and Organizational Learning Program). Lydia Espinosa Crafton, a mediator and facilitator of conflict resolution, is the principal owner of Mediation and ADR Deliberation and serves as Coordinator for the Peaceable Education Program, a comprehensive program of the North Baltimore Center (NBC) Mediation and Educational Programs that works with several Baltimore schools to educate students and adult members of the school community in the skills of peacemaking and constructive conflict resolution. NBC is an affiliate of Sheppard Pratt. Before entering private mediation practice worked with CALM, a community mediation center in Frederick County, Maryland where she served as Assistant Director and was CALM’s first Director of its Latino Program. As such in 2006-2007 she headed the Latino Project, a research project sponsored by the Maryland Mediation and Conflict Resolution Office (MACRO) and authored the project’s report “Community Mediation and Latino/Hispanics in Maryland” (2007). Her prior professional experience includes work community development, health and voter education, business administration, and entrepreneurship. Past civic service has most often been in the areas of community empowerment and participation of disenfranchised groups and activities related to cultural enrichment and historical awareness, particularly involving Chicanos, Chicanas, and Latinos. Aside from private mediation, Lydia mediates cases for several county circuit courts in Maryland, NBC’s mediation program, as well as occasional volunteer community mediation center cases. A member of the Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR), she also holds membership in the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts and the Maryland Program for Mediator Excellence, and serves on the Governor’s Commission on Hispanic Affairs for the State of Maryland. Lydia holds an M.A. in Conflict Resolution from Antioch McGregor University, a B.A. from Texas A & M University-Kingsville (formerly Texas A & I University), attended Notre Dame University (Mexican American Graduate Studies Program under leadership of Dr. Julian Samora), and continues her professional development with advanced dispute resolution training. Past conflict resolution work includes research, writing, and workshop trainings of the role that “worldview” plays in mediation, outreach practices related to the access of Latino/Hispanics to mediation services, and the meanings attached by Latinos to conflict situations. [top] Maria Cseh, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Human and Organizational Learning (HOL) Doctoral Program at The George Washington University, and Lecturer at the University of Pécs, Hungary. Her cross-cultural and international research studies on workplace learning, organizational development and change, and leadership were published in peer-reviewed journals and book chapters and presented at international conferences. She is a member of the Advisory Board for four international journals, serves on the Board of Directors of the Academy of Human Resource Development and consults on organization development and change and evaluation projects with profit and non-profit organizations. She is also an expert for the GRL (Global, Regional, Local) Development LLC and serves as Vice Chair of the Program Council of the Social Integration and Community Development Association. [top] Dang, Hoan, for abstract click here
Vu Dang has been Executive Director of the International Rescue Committee’s Washington, DC Regional Resettlement Office since June 2007. Most recently he was Assistant Director of The Carter Center’s Global Development Initiative, which assisted government and civil society in developing countries to gain greater capacity and autonomy in policy making. He has consulted for multilateral and bilateral institutions, and traveled extensively in Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and the Middle East. He lived in Guinea for more than two years, where he served as project manager for an indigenous NGO and as a Peace Corps volunteer. He began his career as a middle school teacher with Teach For America. He was a Presidential Management Fellow and a John F. Kennedy Public Service Fellow. He has a Master’s in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School, and a Bachelor’s in Political Science from the University of Houston. [top]
A financial management veteran who has led the growth of several finance and mortgage related initiatives. She joined Bank of America first as a customer service officer, eventually attaining the position of Vice president in the Mortgage division and Premier Banking. After 17 successful years with Bank of America, she decided to launch several successful business ventures in the financial services industry. She established 3 dynamic companies: Premier Mortgage Solutions – a one-stop shop for all mortgage related needs in the United States, Image Consulting Group – a general consulting firm specializing in business development, valuation, management and public speaking locally and internationally; Legacy Premier Foundation – a nonprofit organization committed to empowering under served communities in the region. Remi also serves in the following capacities: Board of Director: Prince George’s Chamber Of Commerce; Treasurer: African Business Owners Forum; Member: US Chamber of Commerce; Member: World Trade Center Institute; Member: of National Association of Female Professionals; Member: Small Business Committee for Congresswoman Donna Edwards; Member: Program Council of the Social Integration and Community Development Association. . [top]
Evinch was born in Chicago in 1963 to immigrants from Manisa, Turkey. He is a principal at the Washington DC law firm of Saltzman & Evinch, (www.TurkLaw.Net). Evinch also serves on the National Board of Directors of the World Affairs Council of America (WACA). Evinch was a U.S. Fulbright Scholar on the Armenian matter at Ankara University (1991-93). He received his Juris Doctor from Washington & Lee University (W&L) School of Law, Virginia (1991), completed an EU Legal Studies Program at the University of Madrid (1989), and double majored in Economics and Public Service at the University of California, Davis (UCD) (1986). Evinch interned with the San Francisco District Attorney and Sacramento Federal Public Defender (1985). He interned in employment law at Nemir in San Francisco (1986-89). He also interned at the District Office of the late Congressman Tom Lantos (1981-82). Evinch served as President of the W&L School of Law and Vice President of the College of San Mateo. He was a counselor for international relations and upper-division students at UCD, for which he received the UC Regents Outstanding Seniors Award. Martin Ford, Ph.D. is serves as Associate Director of the Maryland Office for Refugees and Asylees where he oversees refugee resettlement program activities, including contracts for such services as English language instruction and employment services. He also manages the Maryland Citizenship Promotion Program, which prepares immigrants from throughout the state for the naturalization test. Additionally, Martin oversees office internships, grants-writing, reporting and cross-cultural training. Trained as a cultural anthropologist, Martin has done ethnographic research in West Africa. He holds degrees from Rutgers University (B.A.), Ohio University (M.A.), and the State University of New York at Binghamton (M.A., Ph.D.). He lives with his wife and two sons in Laurel. [top]
Karina Fortuny is a research associate in the Urban Institute’s Center on Labor, Human Services, and Population Studies with a main focus on the diverse U.S. immigrant population. She studies the demographic and socioeconomic profiles of immigrants and their families locally, statewide, and nationally; analyzes the policy impact on immigrants’ well-being and integration; and examines the economic and social impact of immigration on American communities. She recently looked at the economic wellbeing and integration of immigrants in low-income urban neighborhoods in a study for the Annie E. Casey Foundation. [top]
Fabiana Franco, Ph.D., is an independent clinical psychologist, running her own practice in Maryland and D.C. She received her doctorate in clinical psychology from the George Washington University. During her studies, she worked in a variety of inpatient and outpatient settings including mental health centers, medical facilities, psychiatric hospitals, oncology departments, and forensic settings. Dr. Franco completed her internship at the University of Rochester School of medicine and Dentistry. Her specialty areas are behavioral medicine, cross-cultural psychology, and forensics. She enjoys doing individual, family, and group psychotherapy and clinical, psychoeducational, and forensic assessment of children and adults. Dr. Franco has extensive experience working with trauma survivors, chronic medical conditions, forensic and other clinical issues. She has specialized training in cognitive and dialectical behavior therapy, guided imagery, and relaxation techniques. In the past she was a visiting assistant professor of psychology at the Catholic University of America, where she continues to hold a research faculty position. Dr. Franco has authored several journal articles and presented several scholarly articles and lectures. She is a member of the clinical faculty at the George Washington University. In addition to English, she speaks fluent Spanish, French, Italian, and Portuguese. [top]
Margot Gotzmann, Ph.D. is an international consultant, scholar, manager, social activist and problem-solver. Her consulting & scientific fields are: economic/social/human development, social security systems, management, intercultural management, multiculturalism and history of ideas. In the recent past she collaborated with UNDP, European Union, Asia-Europe Foundation, the Council of Europe, governmental/scientific/non-profit institutions of European Union She was main organizer and keynote speaker at international conference series on multicultural dialog. Adviser to CEO’s of banks and large businesses and governments. For many years, served as CEO for businesses and governmental agencies within social security system, and was an initiator, founder and president of several non-profit organizations in the field. She is also a co-author of enactment of social security acts in Europe and pension program reforms. She was founder and president of school of management, and lecturer in social security systems management & financing, social security reforms, pension programs, development (economic, social, human, cultural), history of ideas and heuristics. [top]
Barbara Levy Gradet is the Executive Director of Jewish Community Services, the newly consolidated human service agency of the Associated Jewish Federation of Baltimore. She is responsible for the management of the agency’s $13 million dollar annual budget, the delivery of a broad array of services to over 25,000 individuals annually, the human resources management of 210 employees and over 400 volunteers, and the agency’s strategic planning and resource development initiatives.
Young-chan Han immigrated to America from South Korea in 1973 with her family. With the support of caring educators, she was able to successfully complete high school, earn a bachelor’s degree, two master’s degrees from University of Hawaii and Lancaster Bible College, and a graduate certificate for Administration and Supervision from John’s Hopkins University. In 1999, Young-chan Han joined the Howard County Public School System as an International Student and Family Outreach Specialist to bridge the communication and cultural gaps between schools and immigrant families. Through the International Office, staff from her office served over 3000 immigrant families. Ms. Han supervised over 20 school-based bilingual community liaisons, interpreting and translation program working closely with over 300 bilingual interpreters and translators, and also provided staff development on working effectively with immigrant families to educators including teachers, guidance counselors, pupil personnel workers, school nurses, infant and toddler service providers, and etc.
Pat Hatch, a graduate of the State University of New York College at Buffalo, has for the past decade worked for the Maryland state refugee office, known as the Maryland Office for Refugees and Asylees, in the Maryland Department of Human Resources. Pat serves as program manager there, and primary staff liaison to Maryland’s one-stop refugee resettlement centers, one in Baltimore and the other in Silver Spring. She also provides periodic trainings on cultural competence, linguistic access and immigration issues. Pat specializes in policy development, improving the linguistic and cultural accessibility of mainstream social services are linguistically and culturally appropriate for foreign-born clients. Pat also serves as MORA's chief contact with foreign-born and service provider communities, managing the annual meeting schedule and conference for the Maryland Coalition for Refugees and Immigrants.
From a diplomatic and public service family background, Ms Evelyn Joe professional and public services are centered on community development. An accountant, entrepreneur, free lance writer, political strategist and public speaker. Ms Joe founded and funded the start-up of the Continental African Union Community Development Services, which is also known by its trade name as the Community African Community to foster and promote Asset-Based Community Development in order to improve and foster self-empowerment development.
Dr. Kamau is a Kenyan born educator and social activist with a philosophical grounding in multiculturalism and gender equity. She holds a doctorate in Counselor and Health Education from the Pennsylvania State University and has extensive experience in counseling, teaching and consulting in mental health, African Cultural Competency training and Conflict Resolution. She has held many leadership positions in women's and civic organizations both in Kenya and the United States. Dr. Kamau was a Visiting Scholar at the University of MD Department of Education Policy Planning and Administration from 2005 - 2007. From 1996-1999 Kamau worked as the Senior Diversity Planning Analyst and Adjunct Professor at the Pennsylvania State University. She was Assistant Dean of Students at the University of Nairobi Kenya from 1977 to 2000. In 2007, Kamau was recognized as a Purpose Prize Fellow, by Civic Ventures joining ranks with Social Innovators over age 60 Leading with Experience. Dr. Kamau is a widely sought speaker on issues of African culture, mental health and intercultural communication. Dr. Kamau's research and publications are on Mental Health, African women's health issues conflict resolution and African Cultural Competency. She has just made two videos: Adolescent Rites of passage and a Child of Two Worlds a tool for African Cultural Competency Training. Dr. Kamau is a mother of four children who are professionals and a grandmother to 6 lovely grandchildren. [top]
Erin S. Karpewicz is a Projects Planner with Arundel Community Development Services, Inc., (ACDS), Anne Arundel County’s nonprofit housing and community development agency. Ms. Karpewicz reports directly to the Executive Director and plans, administers, implements and monitors the use of federal, State and local funds for the County’s housing and community development programs and activities. Prior to joining ACDS in early 2002, she was a policy advisor in the Office of Maryland’s Lieutenant Governor on children, youth and family issues. She also served as a program manager and policy coordinator for the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development’s housing finance agency. Ms. Karpewicz received her Masters in Policy Sciences, with a concentration in Urban Policy, from the University of Baltimore, Baltimore County and her Bachelors degree in Sociology from the University of Cincinnati.
Donna Kinerney is the Instructional Dean for Adult ESOL & Literacy Programs at Montgomery College where she overseeing numerous grant-funded programs. After studying German in undergraduate and graduate school, she began, in 1989, teaching ESOL in a federally funded adult education program. Enjoying ESOL infinitely more than German, she began teaching in refugee vocational ESOL programs and earned a master’s in TESOL. After teaching ESOL in K-12, she directed a refugee training program where, in 1996, she designed one of the early nursing assistant programs that integrated content and ESL. In 2000, she became the administrator of the public schools’ ABE/GED/ESOL program, transferring with the program to the community college in 2005. Donna’s doctorate at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, focused on the persistence of adult ESOL literacy learners. She continues to teach a graduate seminar there on ESOL instructional systems design. [top] Nicholas Kittrie, Ph.D., is an international lawyer and a distinguished academic. Currently University Professor at the American University, Washington College of Law. He also serves as the Chairman of the Program Council of the Social Integration and Community Development Association and is an expert for the GRL (Global, Regional, Local) Development LLC. Has served as counsel to the United States Senate Judiciary Committee, and is an expert in American and international public and criminal law. Past president of the American Society of Criminology, former dean of the Washington College of Law, and chair of the United Nations Alliance of NGOs on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, he is the author and editor of over fifteen books and numerous articles. He frequently appears in mass media to deal with topics such as political offenders, terrorist activities, war crimes, drugs and alcohol, extradition, penology and criminal sentencing. Educated at the London School of Economics (U.K.), the University of Cairo (Egypt) and the Universities of Kansas, Chicago and Georgetown (USA), he is fluent in several languages. He has traveled extensively and has lectured at universities and congresses in Europe, Asia and Africa. He has served as legal consultant to several foreign governments and to the United States Vice-President's Commission on Terrorism. Among Kittrie's books (as author or editor) are Rebels With A Cause: The Minds and Morality of Political Offenders; The Tree of Liberty: A Documentary History of Rebellion and Political Crime in America; The War Against Authority: From the Crisis of Legitimacy to a New Social Order; The Right to Be Different: Deviance and Enforced Therapy; Crimes and Punishments: International Criminal Law and Procedure; The Future of Peace in the Twenty-First Century, and The Laws of War and the Laws of Peace; The Mentally Disabled and the Law. [top]
Kien S. Lee, Principal Associate provides research and technical support to government agencies, foundations, non-profit organizations, and intermediaries in the development, implementation, and use of evaluations and capacity building strategies. Currently, she leads the evaluation of the following initiatives: The Colorado Trust’s Supporting Immigrants and Refugee Families’ Immigrant Integration Strategy and Equality in Health Initiative; Connecticut Health Foundation’s objective to reduce health disparities by improving patient-provider interactions; Jessie Smith Noyes Foundation’s Diversifying Leadership for Sustainable Food Policy; and RESPECT, an internal affinity group at the Annie E. Casey Foundation focused on promoting social equity and equitable grantmaking. In the past, she has directed or helped manage the following evaluations: Alliance For Nonprofit Management’s Cultural Competency Initiative; Annie E. Casey Foundation’s capacity building assistance for its Making Connections grantees and of the foundation’s internal use of evaluation; and a national partnership between the Ford and Mott Foundations to build the capacity of community foundations to fund intergroup relations work. [top]
Esther Ezra Lopatin, Ph.D., is currently an Adjunct Professor at The George Washington University (teaching European Union Politics and International Relations Theory) and Visiting Scholar at the Institute for the Study of International Migration (ISIM) at Georgetown University. She is also an expert for the GRL (Global, Regional, Local) Development LLC and serves on the Program Council of the Social Integration and Community Development Association. Graduate of Department of Political Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, she received her Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Munich, where she examined the effect of EU integration on the development of European immigration and asylum policy. Prior to her graduation, she was a Transatlantic Fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States in Washington D.C., examining the impact of the changed international security situation on transatlantic cooperation in the field of immigration. Esther was working for Immigration and Assimilation Committee of the Knesset (Israeli Parliament). She also organized a series of panel discussions with officials from both sides of the Atlantic, focusing on how to foster transatlantic dialog in the fields of migration and security in the post 9/11 security environment. She speaks fluently English, German, Hebrew, Arabic and working French. [top]
Michele Manatt is a consultant on U.S. foreign policy, government affairs, women’s advancement and the U.S. political system. Her current work includes a project on Hispanic Integration and the workforce with the Americas Society/Council of the Americas. Ms. Manatt served over seven years in the Clinton/Gore administration (1993-2001). She was the Director of Legislative Affairs at the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (an office popularly known as the “Drug Czar”) from 1999-2001. She was the Senior Policy Advisor to the Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs from 1993-99. Prior to that she worked as a professional staff member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, serving under the leadership of then-Chairman Dante Fascell (D-Florida). Ms. Manatt holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Economy from the University of California, Berkeley. She did graduate work in Business and International Economics at the George Washington University. Ms. Manatt is a member of the Pacific Council on International Policy, the Los Angeles, California-based of the Council on Foreign Relations. She is also a member of the Women’s Foreign Policy Group and the Asia Society. She serves on the Advisory Board of the American Film Institute Silver Theatre in Silver Spring, Maryland and of the Washington, DC Friends Committee of Aid to Artisans. Ms. Manatt is based in McLean, Virginia. She is fluent in Spanish, and is proud that her children are as well. [top]
Amy Novick is Of Counsel to The Haynes Immigration Law Firm, where she focuses her practice on obtaining visas for highly skilled professionals, waivers of the two-year home residency requirement, issues of concern to G-4 international workers, investors, foreign adoptions, naturalization and citizenship, waivers of inadmissibility, and family-based immigration matters. Amy also specializes in complex immigration problems that relate to public policy and immigration agency interpretations of law. Before joining The Haynes Immigration Law Firm, Amy practiced at Maggio & Kattar as a Senior Attorney and Shareholder. Adam Ortiz serves as
Deputy Chief of Staff, Office of the Lieutenant Governor, State of Maryland. His immediate recent position was Special Assistant to the Secretary at the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation. His duties included directing the agency's compliance and audit functions, implementing Governor Martin O'Malley's StateStat program, and staffing the Maryland Council for New Americans, the state’s innovative initiative to integrate immigrants. He also serves in a volunteer capacity as Mayor of the town of Edmonston in Prince George's County. In this position municipality, he has boosted public safety cutting crime in half, established financial accountability, ended years of flooding securing the construction of a state-off the art $6 million flood control system, hired bilingual staff in all departments to improve community accessibility to services, and launched a Green Agenda – reforming services and programs in an environmentally responsible manner including the construction of the east coast’s first Green Street with strong support from President Obama’s administration. He also negotiated a landmark agreement with the Wal-Mart corporation, prohibiting guns, ammunition and other community-oriented measures for a local store.
Lily Qi (pronounced "Chee") is Montgomery County Executive's Liaison for Asian and Middle Eastern Americans. She also overseas Montgomery County government's policy and practices on language access and cultural competency. A professional in public affairs and communication, Lily held executive and managerial positions in several fields including government communication, economic development, and higher education. Her struggles as an adult immigrant compelled her to speak on policies, issues and experiences related to immigration, Asian Americans, women, and cultures at government agencies, military installations, colleges, nonprofit organizations, and conferences. Lily is a board member of Leadership Montgomery, a commissioner of the Maryland Governor's Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs, and the immediate past president of the Organization of Chinese Americans Greater DC Chapter. Lily has an MBA in Marketing from American University and a MA in Organizational Communication from Ohio University. [top]
In 1997, President Bill Clinton asked him to join his administration as U.S. Ambassador to Romania, where he worked to win friends for America and make the world a safer place. Returning in 2001, Governor Glendening appointed Jim to a five year term on the Board of Regents of the University System of Maryland, which governs the university. In 2006, Jim was elected to represent the 21st District in the Maryland Senate, where he serves on the Education, Health, and Environmental Committee and as a member of the Senate Democratic Leadership. Jim and his colleague, Delegate Joseline Peña-Melnyk, sponsored the legislation creating The Task Force on the Preservation of Heritage Language Skills, and Gov. Martin O’Malley signed the measure in 2008. [top]
Cynthia M. Saunders is a health services researcher focused on issues surrounding access to health care, quality of health services, and cost of health care and health insurance. She has a PhD in Socio-medical Sciences from Columbia University, an MPH from University of Rochester and a BA in Finance from University of Cincinnati. Dr. Saunders has published in peer review journals including Quality and Quantity, Evaluation and the Health Professions, and Qualitative Inquiry. She is involved in the Triple Aim project of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement which is dedicated to efficiency and effectiveness of health care services by examining population health, patient experience, and per capita cost. [top] Larry Hajime Shinagawa, Ph.D., has been appointed Director of Asian American Studies and Associate Professor of American Studies. For the past 30 years, he has been involved in the fields of sociology, American studies, multicultural education, ethnic studies, and Asian American studies. Prior to coming to the University of Maryland, he was the Director of the Center for the Study of Culture, Race, and Ethnicity and Associate Professor of the Sociology Department of Ithaca College. As the Center Director, he was responsible for the development of academic programs in African New World Studies, Asian American Studies, Latino Studies, Native American Studies, and Comparative American and Ethnic Studies at Ithaca College. [top]
Community Involvement: Presently: Community Service Lane Director for the Annapolis Rotary Club, member of the Sojourner-Douglass College Southern Maryland Campus Alumni Association, director on BB&T=s Board of Advisors, serves on the Anne Arundel Community College=s Advisory Board on Diversity, Boys and Girls Club of Annapolis & Anne Arundel County Board of Directors, Formerly: Frontiers International Annapolis Club, 1996 International Olympic Torch Bearer: one of four Annapolitans to carry the Olympic Torch in Annapolis, lighting the caldron at the City Dock, former vice president of the Anne Arundel County Public School Board (1999-2004), secretary and treasurer of the Maryland Association of Boards of Education (MABE, 2001-2004), member of the Culture Arts Foundation of Anne Arundel County, and member of the Maryland State Arts Council. Independent Vocal Performer: Signatory, Recording Artist/Poet/Model/Composer/Storyteller and Founder of Enrapture Records; performs gospel, jazz & R&B; National, regional, and local credits (1965 to present); He manages a performing career which has included appearances with the Jimmy Smith Trio, Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, WAR, James Cleveland, Shirley Caesar, The Dixie Humming Birds, The Soul Stirrers, Larnelle Harris, Sandy Patti, The Imperials, BeBe & CeCe Winans, Carmen, Twila Paris, First Call, Phil Driscoll, The Bill Gaither Trio, Doug Olghum, Michael W. Smith, Davy and the Giants, and many others. He is married to Dr. Vivian Gist Spencer, professor of English at Anne Arundel Community College in Arnold Maryland, the father of three children: Tiffany, Tonya and Aaron and has three grandchildren: Amirah, Axavier and Alaiya. [top]
Anna White is an Immigrant Program Coordinator of the Baltimore’s Mayor’s Office of International and Immigrant Affairs. Coordination of the Language Access Program is one of her major projects at the Mayor’s Office. Ms. White received a masters Degree in foreign languages and translation from Odessa State University, Ukraine. Currently, Ms. White is working on her Master’s Degree in International Relations at School of International Service at American University. Prior to joining Mayor’s Office, Anna worked as ac court interpreter for Maryland Court System. Ms. White speaks four foreign languages: Russian, Ukrainian, French and conversational Arabic. [top]
She is former Adjunct Professor from the College of Notre Dame, Strayer University and University of Maryland, College Park. Additionally, Dr. Zoppi is a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army (Reserve) with expertise in the military intelligence, civil affairs, and public affairs fields. Dr. Zoppi holds a Ph.D. in Education Policy, Planning, and Administration from the University of Maryland (2004); a Master’s in Business Administration from Johns Hopkins University (2000); and Bachelor of Arts in Modern Languages from the University of Puerto Rico. She serves as Vice President of the Board of the Social Integration and Community Development Association and is immediate past Executive Director for Centro de Ayuda/Center of Help (501c3) non-profit charitable organization in Annapolis, Maryland where she has successfully completed her two year engagement bringing the organization to the new level of development and multicultural outreach. [top]
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_______________
Organizers
Social Integration and Community Development Association
Maryland Office
for Refugees and Asylees
Asian American Studies Program, University of Maryland
GRL (Global, Regional, Local) Development
_________
Sponsors
High Commission for Immigration and Intercultural Dialogue
Governor O'Malley and Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown
Arundel Community Development Services, Inc.
Eat, Sleep and Breath
a Piece of History!
Bringing World through Art, Arts&Crafts and Books !
Traditional Irish Pub with Three Locations in Maryland
School of Music in Crofton, MD
Computer Repair & Data Recovery Service in DC and MD
Colossal Contractors, Inc.
Minority Owned Business Success
Culturally Responsible Marketing Solutions for Small Businesses