Our Team

Interested in joining ILAP’s team? Check out our Employment page to view current openings.

Staff

Many ILAP staff have chosen to list their pronouns. Learn why pronouns matter.

Manuchca Alcime
Legal Program Assistant

Manuchca joined ILAP in September 2023 as a Legal Program Assistant. She has a background in the healthcare system and used to work for a non-profit organization that strengthens healthcare facilities in northern Haiti to help people find better care. She helped people after the earthquake and the cholera crisis. Manuchca moved to the States a few years ago. Before starting at ILAP, she worked in homecare and environmental services. She is fluent in English, Haitian Creole, and French.

Abraao Antonio
Senior Information Systems Specialist

Abraao, a computer engineer with a passion for living life to the fullest, joined ILAP in August 2024 as the organization’s Senior Information Systems Specialist. While not working, you can find him watching a movie or performing as a DJ in his garage, teeing off on the golf course, or firing up the grill for a mouth-watering barbecue feast. With a master's in Data Analysis from Northeastern University's, a bachelor's in Computer Management and Information, and a post-graduate in Strategic Human Resources Management, Abraao has the skills to back up his enthusiasm. But what really drives him is his love for freedom and the strong belief that it is possible to live in a world without hate. He believe also in being self-aware and mindful of his impact on the community around him. Abraao speaks English, Portuguese, and French.

Sarah Barton (she/her)
Senior Development & Communications Lead

Sarah joined ILAP in October 2019 and is currently the Senior Development and Communications Lead. Sarah previously served as an AmeriCorps VISTA at a non-profit in Lewiston, where she supported the launch of a long-term residential program for women healing from trafficking, incarceration, and/or substance use. She is a member of the Community Centric Fundraising (CCF) movement in Maine and believes all fundraising and communications must be grounded in racial justice. Outside of the office, you might find Sarah in the pottery studio or out on a walk with her pup.

Melissa Brennan, Esq. (she/her)
Co-Legal Director

Melissa is an attorney with more than 15 years of experience working on humanitarian matters. Throughout her career, she has helped countless immigrant clients attain legal status in the United States. She currently serves as Co-Legal Director at ILAP. Melissa previously worked at Sanctuary for Families where she represented immigrant survivors of gender violence before immigration agencies and founded a pro bono project to assist foreign-born victims of sex trafficking. Melissa also served as the Supervising Attorney of the Immigrants’ Rights practice at the Community Development Project (now called TakeRoot Justice), where she coordinated community-based legal clinics serving immigrants across New York City. Additionally, Melissa is a former legal fellow with the United Nations Interagency Project on Human Trafficking and has authored and contributed to reports on the human trafficking of migrants in Southeast Asia. She speaks English and Spanish.

Kate Chesney, Esq.
Senior Staff Attorney, Intake Supervisor

Kate joined ILAP’s staff in January 2015 as a Staff Attorney. She received her Bachelor of Arts from James Madison University in 2008 where she majored in Spanish and Political Science and minored in French and Latin American Studies. Kate received her Juris Doctor from Roger Williams University School of Law in 2013. Her passion for immigration law was discovered during her time as a student attorney at the Roger Williams University School of Law Immigration Clinic where she was able to help low income individuals file for humanitarian forms of immigration relief. Prior to coming to ILAP, Kate worked at the Law Office of Katherine James-Bowers in Newport, RI, where she was able to further her experience in immigration law. Kate is fluent in English and proficient in Spanish.

Laura Clark
Legal Program Assistant, Jesuit Volunteer Corps

Laura joined ILAP in August 2024 as a member of the Jesuit Volunteer Corp. She works primarily with ILAP’s Immigrant Children’s Project and Forms Program. Laura received a B.A. in Philosophy and Religious Studies from Santa Clara University. Throughout her time in undergrad, she interned with an education foundation that largely supported ESL programs and students requiring further assistance, including immigrant youth. She also interned with the International Rescue Committee where she assisted with a girls empowerment program as well as provided education and employment assistance to refugee youth.

Treva deMaynadier, DOJ Fully Accredited Representative (she/her)
Senior Accredited Representative

Treva joined ILAP in June 2017 and became a DOJ Accredited Representative in 2019, earning Full DOJ Accreditation in 2022. She supervises ILAP's Immigration Forms Assistance Program. Prior to working at ILAP, Treva lived and studied in Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua. She is a graduate of Oberlin College where she studied Anthropology and Political Science. When not at the office, Treva loves to travel with her family and to care for her multitudes of houseplants. She speaks English and Spanish.

Paula Esteves, Esq. (she/her)
Project Attorney, AALOP

Paula joined ILAP as a Racial Justice Fellow in 2023 and now serves as the Project Attorney for the Asylum Assistance and Legal Orientation Project (AALOP), providing community legal orientation and pro se assistance to new arrivals applying for asylum. Paula has worked previously in both non-profit and private practices of immigration law. Paula is from Brazil but moved to the U.S. for school, receiving her bachelor’s degree in Political Science and African Studies from the University of Pittsburgh, her master’s degree in International Relations from Durham University in the U.K., and her J.D. from the University of Maine School of Law. Paula is fluent in Portuguese, Spanish, and English. She also loves to bake everything from sourdough to croissants!

Michelle Gentry, Esq. (she/her)
Senior Asylum Program Attorney

Michelle joined ILAP in January 2019. Previously, she worked as an attorney at the South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Representation Project, where she focused on representing asylum seekers and immigrant victims of crime and abuse, a mediator for the Eighth Judicial District Court, a volunteer attorney on child abuse cases, and a legal intern both for the District Attorney’s Office and for the Honorable Lloyd D. George, Senior District Judge for the US District Court of Nevada. Prior to working in the legal field, Michelle worked in Spanish-language radio and television. Michelle has a BA in Anthropology with Minors in English, Spanish, and French and a JD with a concentration in International Law. She has lived, studied, and interned abroad in Spain, France, and Germany and speaks English, Spanish, French, and a smattering of German.

Leah Glowacki, Esq. (she/her)
Senior Staff Attorney

Leah joined ILAP in January 2022 and is a Senior Staff Attorney. Prior to joining our team, she was a staff attorney at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid and an Immigrant Justice Corps Fellow at the Central American Refugee Center in Hempstead, New York. In these roles, she represented immigrants pursuing humanitarian relief and provided removal defense to children and families. Leah holds a B.A. from Occidental College and a J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law. She is fluent in English and Spanish. Leah loves being outside and feels grateful to live in Maine.

Marjorie Hankla (she/her)
Development Director

Marjorie Hankla joined ILAP as Development Director in December 2024. As an immigrant from Brazil, Marjorie deeply understands the challenges of moving to a new country and is passionate about supporting immigrant communities. Before joining ILAP, Marjorie worked as a labor attorney in Brazil and spent time traveling the world, exploring new cultures, and discovering her next steps. Inspired by her family’s encouragement and her lifelong drive to help others, she transitioned from the corporate world to the nonprofit sector. Marjorie began her nonprofit career at United Way of Southern Maine, where she served as a Relationship Manager before being promoted to Director of Major Gifts and Stewardship. These roles cemented her natural talent for building relationships and fostering community, a passion that continues to guide her work. A native Portuguese speaker and proficient in Spanish, Marjorie loves traveling and connecting with people from all walks of life. Outside of work, she thrives on bringing people together—whether it’s sharing meals, playing board games, or singing her heart out at karaoke.

Beatriz Harley (she/her)
Senior Development & Grants Lead

Beatriz (Bea) joined ILAP's Development Team in December 2022. After serving six years at A Better Chance's (ABC) Winchester, MA Chapter in three roles, including Program Manager, Bea realized she thrived in a purpose-driven environment, which is why when she moved to Maine, Bea applied for and accepted the position at ILAP. In addition to her non-profit background, Bea has worked in press and community outreach, as well as marketing and social media in the music industry. She has a BA from Framingham State University, and, as the daughter of a Cuban refugee and a Venezuelan immigrant, Bea brings her real life immigrant experience to ILAP. She is fluent in English and Spanish.

Alice Kopij, Esq. (she/her)
Co-Legal Director

Alice joined ILAP as a Staff Attorney in the Lewiston office in April 2018. Prior to that, she was an associate at the immigration law firm of Landis, Arn, & Jaynes, P.A. Alice has also served as a law clerk for the Department of Justice, Executive Office for Immigration Review, at the Boston Immigration Court, and as a law clerk to the Hon. Margot Botsford of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. Before she became an attorney, Alice was a social worker and manager of social service programs for several years, primarily working in the area of refugee resettlement. She holds a B.A. from Bowdoin College, a Master’s degree in Social Work from Columbia University, and a Juris Doctor from Northeastern University School of Law.

Catherine N. Lindgren, Esq. (she/her)
Senior Project Attorney

Catherine joined ILAP in September 2021 to oversee ILAP’s legal response to the crisis in Afghanistan following the U.S. withdrawal and Taliban takeover. She now manages ILAP's Asylum Assistance and Legal Orientation Project (AALOP), providing legal orientation and pro se asylum assistance to new arrivals. For over eleven years, she was a member of ILAP’s Pro Bono Panel and volunteered doing hundreds of asylum assessment interviews. Prior to that, she was Director of Marketing at Verrill Dana LLP after being an associate attorney at McLane Middleton in New Hampshire. Catherine is a 1996 graduate of the University of Maine School of Law and received her B.A. from Mount Holyoke College in 1991.

Maggie Loeffelholz, Esq. (she/her)
Immigrant Children’s Project Attorney

Maggie joined ILAP in October 2020 as the Immigrant Children’s Project Attorney. She holds a B.A. from the University of Minnesota, and a J.D. from Boston University School of Law. Maggie was a legal intern at ILAP and the PAIR Project in Boston, as well as a student attorney for the BU Immigrants’ Rights Clinic, where she specialized in representing children in immigration proceedings. Maggie has previous experience working for the Make It Happen! program at Deering High School and as a Program Director at Southern Maine Community College. Outside of work, Maggie enjoys swimming, biking, and exploring the Maine outdoors!

Emily Nault Massell, Esq. (she/her)
Immigrant Justice Corps Fellow

Emily joined ILAP in September 2023 as an Immigrant Justice Corps Fellow, working primarily with ILAP’s Immigrant Children’s Project. She holds a B.A. from Carleton College and a J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law, where she was a Public Interest Law Scholar. Before attending law school, Emily completed a Fulbright fellowship in Jordan and worked with international development organizations facilitating children’s access to psychosocial services and education in response to the Syrian refugee crisis. In law school, she worked as a student attorney in Northeastern’s Immigrant Justice Clinic Practicum, and she completed internships with Rian Immigrant Center and Greater Boston Legal Services. Emily is fluent in English and proficient in French and Arabic.

Emma Morgenstern, Esq. (she/her)
Senior Staff Attorney

Emma Morgenstern joined ILAP in May 2022. Prior to that, Emma served as an Immigrant Justice Corps Fellow working with the Immigration Project at Volunteers of Legal Service in New York City to provide free legal services to individuals in contact with the immigration system. Emma also gained experience in immigration advocacy through the Transnational Legal Clinic at Penn Law, with ILAP, and with Costa & Riccio, LLP in Boston, MA. Emma received a bachelor’s degree in International Relations and French from Tufts University, a master’s degree in Human Rights from the London School of Economics, and a J.D. from the Toll Public Interest Scholarship program at the University of Pennsylvania Law School. Emma is fluent in English and French.

Jaimie Mulligan (she/they)
Operations and Administrative Assistant

Jaimie joined ILAP as the Operations and Administrative Assistant in April 2024.Jaimie previously worked both in the corporate and nonprofit sector. Most recently, she worked as a Billing Specialist at Martin's Point Health Care and as a Benefits Specialist at Unum. Jaimie's interest in nonprofits began when they accepted their role as an AmeriCorps VISTA at the United Way of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, where she supported local literacy efforts. Jaimie also worked at Manna Food Center, a food bank in Gaithersburg, Maryland. They coordinated a mobile kitchen and food pantry, taught nutrition education, and partnered with local schools to increase food security for students. She holds a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology and Geographic Science from James Madison University. Outside of the office, Jaimie loves to cook elaborate meals for anyone at their table and take long walks on Mackworth island with her husband and dog.

Eric Munyentwari
Legal Program Assistant, AALOP

Eric joined ILAP in June 2023 as a Legal Program Assistant for the Asylum Assistance and Legal Orientation Project (AALOP). He was born in Burundi, as a Rwandan refugee. At the age of sixteen, he saw Rwanda, the country of his ancestors, for the very first time in his life. This was a traumatic experience for him as the country was still overshadowed by the aftermath of the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi. What he witnessed and experienced shaped his future career choices. Throughout his career, Eric has gained extensive experience in education and law. He started as a schoolteacher and worked his way up to becoming an assistant lecturer in 2015. Eric has also completed various IT programs, including computer maintenance in 2006, and he was trained to be a GIS Secondary Schools Trainer with CGIS-Germany in 2008. He studied at the College du Christ-Roi in Rwanda and graduated with a degree in Latin and Modern Languages. He then went on to study law at the University of Lay Adventists of Kigali and graduated with first-class honors in 2015. From there, he became a professional advocate and member of the Rwanda Bar Association, with two years of service as a professional mediator at the Supreme Court of Rwanda. He moved to the United States in 2022 and worked as a volunteer with Peer Workforce Navigator Project in Portland. He attended clinics for unemployed workers and served as a multilingual interpreter to help the community. Outside of his work at ILAP, he also is a Reverend Pastor. Within this role, he serves the community as a trusted messenger among peers, providing counsel, support, and a listening and understanding ear whenever he can. Eric holds a master’s degree in Administration of Criminal Justice and Security from the University of Phoenix. He is fluent in English, French, Kiswahili, Kirundi, and Kinyarwanda.

Francine Ngabu, DOJ Accredited Representative
Senior Intake Paralegal

Francine joined ILAP in October 2019 as a Legal Program Assistant. She previously worked as a prosecutor and judge in the Democratic Republic of Congo and co-founded the League for Peace and Human Rights in Kinshasa, where she worked as the Deputy National Coordinator. Since moving to the U.S. in 2011, Francine has worked as a CNA at Springbrook Center and a laboratory assistant with Nordx. She also co-founded Peer to Peer (P2P) Exchange, a networking organization focused on building connections between immigrants with legal backgrounds and people currently involved in the legal profession in Maine. As a well-respected leader in the Congolese community, she serves as the General Secretary of the Congolese Community of Maine. Francine holds a law degree from the Democratic Republic of Congo and speaks French, Lingala, Swahili, Kikongo, Ciluba, and English.

Lisa Parisio, Esq. (she/her) 
Policy Director

Lisa joined ILAP in April 2022 as the Policy and Outreach Attorney. Prior to ILAP, Lisa was the Director of Advocacy at the Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC) where she oversaw CLINIC’s state and local advocacy project and federal policy portfolios. Lisa has particular expertise in law and policy around Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) and was a co-founder of the TPS – DED Administrative Advocacy Coalition. Before CLINIC, Lisa worked at the International Refugee Assistance Project, where she continues to be a volunteer pro bono attorney on refugee cases. Lisa is a graduate of the City University of New York School of Law where she focused on economic justice, health law, and immigration/refugee law. 

Nolwenn Robison, DOJ Accredited Representative (she/they)
Legal Program Associate

Nolwenn joined ILAP’s Lewiston office in August 2020 and became accredited in 2022. Nolwenn graduated from Bates College, majoring in Mandarin Chinese with a French & Francophone Studies minor. They volunteered as a French translator for senior thesis projects and the Bates Human Resources Department. Prior to working at ILAP, she worked for the Bates Student Employment Office as a Student Employment Coordinator, often supporting international students working with the Student Employment Office and Center for Global Education on obtaining their work authorization and finding employment on campus. Nolwenn is fluent in French and English and proficient in Mandarin.

Susan Roche, Esq. (she/her)
Executive Director

Sue has been with ILAP since August 2000, when she was hired as the organization’s first Staff Attorney. She became Supervising Attorney in 2003, Legal Director in 2011, and was named the organization’s Executive Director in 2013. Sue is an expert on issues related to family-based immigration, remedies for immigrant survivors of domestic violence and crime, and removal defense, and has presented at regional and national conferences of the American Immigration Lawyers Association. Under her tenure, ILAP’s programs, staffing, and budget have grown more than three-fold. In 2017, Sue was named one of Maine’s 50 leaders that are transforming their communities and the state by Maine Magazine and, in 2019, was honored with the Maine Women’s Fund Leadership Award in recognition of her accomplishments. She has a BA from the University of New Hampshire, a JD from Northeastern University, and is fluent in English and proficient in Spanish.

Chelsea Russell, DOJ Accredited Representative (she/her)
Forms Program Paralegal

Chelsea joined ILAP in 2019 and became a DOJ Accredited Representative in 2022. Most of her work is within ILAP’s Immigration Forms Assistance Program, with some Full Representative cases before USCIS. Prior to ILAP, Chelsea spent a year living and teaching English in Spain, and then volunteering with Portland Adult Education. Chelsea is a graduate of Bates College, where she studied Economics and Sociology. When not at the office, Chelsea loves to be outside – hiking, biking or exploring with her family. She speaks English and Spanish.

Sarah Scola, SHRM-CP (she/her)
Human Resources and Operations Director

Sarah joined ILAP in April 2023. Prior to ILAP, she was the Director of Human Resources and Operations at Cheverus, a Jesuit high school in Portland, Maine. She earned her B.A. in Communication and Minor in Education from University of Southern Maine and J.D. from University of Maine School of Law. During her undergraduate and graduate education, Sarah volunteered as a client intake interviewer at Maine Volunteer Lawyers Project. While at Maine Law, Sarah earned a Katahdin Law Student Recognition for providing pro bono service and was awarded the Roger A. Putnam Fellowship. During the fellowship, she gained experience at the Cumberland Legal Aid Clinic, where she practiced as a student attorney in the General Practice Clinic, Prisoner Assistance Clinic, and Protection From Abuse Program. Prior to law school, Sarah worked as a litigation paralegal at Perkins Thompson.

Laura Simocko (she/her)
Senior Development Advisor

Laura joined ILAP as a part-time Grant Writer in February 2018 and after 6 years as the organization’s Development Director, now serves as Senior Development Advisor. She began her fundraising career as ILAP’s Office & Development Associate in 2011 and, prior to re-joining the organization, was Development Director for a Latin@-led and -serving youth organization in Boston. Laura is an aspiring practitioner of community-centric fundraising and has co-presented on the topic at conferences convened by the Maine Philanthropy Center and Association of Fundraising Professionals - Northern New England. She holds a B.A. in Peace & Conflict Studies from Colgate University and an M.Phil. in Race, Ethnicity, Conflict from Trinity College Dublin.

Lourdes Trujillo (she/her)
Rural Community Liaison

Lourdes joined ILAP as a Rural Community Liaison in April 2023, after having worked as a volunteer Community Development Worker for several years in Venezuela, acting as a link between the community and different authorities to promote positive changes in her community. This non-profit activity polished her communications skills and gave her the experience to analyze information, research problems, determine and implement solutions, and work with data and data analytics. In addition, Lourdes is a pharmacist, graduated from the Central University of Venezuela (Caracas - Venezuela). She chose this career because she has always liked helping people and has always been aware of the welfare of the people around her. When she arrived in the U.S., she worked on a dairy farm in Maine, which led her to be very involved with the rural community in this state. As an immigrant, she is focused on helping to promote the rights of immigrants and collaborating with the education of the community so that they have the opportunity to have a better quality of life. Lourdes is fluent in Spanish and English.

Kate Turrell (she/her)
Paralegal

Kate joined ILAP in September 2022. Kate previously worked as an Immigration Case Manager with the American Civic Association in Binghamton, NY. In this role, Kate became a Department of Justice (DOJ) Accredited Representative and participated in the Anti Human Trafficking Task Force of the Southern Tier. She also helped organize workshops on the intersecting issues of immigration law and labor trafficking. Kate received her B.A. in Sociology and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from Binghamton University.

Nadine Twagirayezu, DOJ Accredited Representative
Senior Paralegal

Nadine joined ILAP’s staff in March 2016 and worked as an asylum paralegal where she coordinated the asylum program intake and did case assessments as well as case vetting for placement with pro bono attorneys. She was involved in the preparation and presentation of asylum workshops and outreaches. She became a DOJ-accredited Representative in 2021 and provides consultations and legal representations on humanitarian cases before the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Nadine is committed to social justice and has spent much of her spare time in different volunteer positions with different organizations in Maine. Nadine has a bachelor’s degree in law from Burundi and is fluent in English, French, Kirundi, and Kinyarwanda. She is proficient in Swahili.

Kate Weaver, Esq.
Immigrant Justice Corps Fellow

Kate joined ILAP in September 2023 as an Immigrant Justice Corps Fellow, working primarily with ILAP’s full representation team. She holds a B.A. from Vanderbilt University and a J.D. from Duke Law. Kate worked abroad in Switzerland and France, where she researched immigration topics. During law school, she crafted a know your rights resource for asylum seekers, worked on multiple T visa and asylum applications, completed DACA renewals, coordinated student pro bono projects, and represented detained immigrants in Georgia in bond hearings. Kate speaks English and French.

Don Wilkinson, Esq.
Rural Maine Project Attorney

Don joined ILAP in March 2024 as the Rural Maine Project Attorney. Don was previously a teacher in Spain, France, South Korea, and Tennessee. After working as a teacher, Don worked in Portland, ME as a housing case manager for veterans experiencing homelessness. Don has a B.A. from Northern Arizona University and J.D. from the University of Maine School of Law, where he spent his last semester working in the Refugee and Human Rights Clinic. Don speaks English, Spanish and French.

Board of directors

ILAP is proud to have a volunteer board of community members and legal professionals. Many of ILAP’s former and current board members bring connections to the communities we serve. ILAP’s Board is actively involved in the organization’s management philosophy, fundraising, and policy work.

ABOUT ILAP

Mission & Values
Our History
Annual Report
Strategic Plan
Financials
Staff & Board