About Us – AsylumConnect

About Us.

AsylumConnect provides the world's first tech resource platform for those fleeing persecution due to sexual orientation or gender identity.

AsylumConnect co-founders Sy and Jamie Sgarro met as college students at the University of Pennsylvania. As Sy shared his personal experience seeking LGBTQ+ asylum in the U.S. and explained the persecution that LGBTQ+ people continue to face on a global scale, Jamie realized that they had failed to speak out about their own LGBTQ+ identity in a country where they at least had that choice. Jamie and Sy co-founded AsylumConnect to extend a comprehensive digital lifeline to other persecuted and marginalized LGBTQ+ people.

At AsylumConnect, we believe there should never be a time when someone does not know where it is safe to go for help due to their LGBTQ+ identity or immigration status.

Need Help?

Visit our resource catalog today to search for verified LGBTQ- and immigrant-friendly services near you!

FIND HELP

Join Our Team

Join our team and help LGBTQ+ asylum seekers find the help they need! We need volunteers in all depts.

JOIN US

OUR TEAM, BOARD & ADVISORS

Learn more about our staff, volunteers, interns, Board of Directors, Junior Board, and Advisory Council.

STAFF

Staff

Our staff members lead our operations and collaborate with our volunteers to connect persecuted LGBTQ+ people with safety.

Jamie Sgarro Co-Founder & Executive Director

Chloe Moore Programs Manager (Part-Time)

F.J. Genus Tech Lead (Part-Time)

Abby Davies Resource Coordinator (Part-Time)

Carissa Chantiles Resource Coordinator (Part-Time)

VOLUNTEERS

Volunteers

Our volunteers are invaluable to the continued growth of our organization. We are proud to have volunteers from a diversity of immigration statuses, races/ethnicities, sexual orientations and gender identities. Learn more about our volunteers below.

Volunteer Directors

Our volunteer directors support our staff and help to lead AsylumConnect.

Hans How Vice President

Jordyn Mathis Director of Human Resources

Maher Darwiche Junior Board Program Liaison

Douglas Santeramo Director of Corporate Partnerships & Engagement

Li-Jay Chu Director of Marketing & PR

Tuqa Youssef Director of Partnerships

Volunteer Associates

Our volunteer associates leverage their skills to advance AsylumConnect.

Rebecca Jones Policy & Advocacy Manager

Chris Aguilar Data Manager

Angela Lair Designer

Shoshana Weinstein Data Entry & Outreach Coordinator

Swati Nikumb UX Researcher

Sarah Jayne Dimmick HR & Recruitment Manager

Pamela Vazquez Data Entry & Outreach Coordinator

Claire Bonzani Data Entry & Outreach Coordinator

Manuel Martínez Data Entry & Outreach Coordinator

Jasmin Diab Data Entry & Outreach Coordinator

Joshua Lokken Web Developer

Lilah Greenberg Research & Policy Analyst

Marie Esther-Buh Team Coordinator

TeAnna Stamps Designer

Ceren Ozgul UX Research Lead

Lyndi Castrejon Web Developer

Nina Rosenblatt Data Entry & Outreach Coordinator

Caroline Leeolou Data Entry & Outreach Coordinator

Jesus Galvan Data Entry & Outreach Coordinator

Ash Shetty Web Developer

Shaine Stuhlmuller Data Entry & Outreach Coordinator

Gabriel Friedin Data Entry & Outreach Coordinator

Jeffrey Lam Web Developer

Kendra Gallick Data Entry & Outreach Coordinator

Sara-Ann Rosen Policy & Research Associate (U.S.)

Yosheel Bangaroo Policy & Research Associate (Canada)

Rubina Sidhu Policy & Research Associate (Canada)

Christine Brydges UX Researcher

Camilla Menin Lead UX Designer

Wei Li UX Designer

Nathan Hartman Web Developer

Taylor Holmes Data Entry & Outreach Coordinator

Ellie Safran Data Entry & Outreach Coordinator

Katelyn Egan Data Entry & Outreach Coordinator

Shannon Wu Data Entry & Outreach Coordinator

Bowie Cao Web Developer

Miroslav Damyanov UX Researcher

Chelsey Copps Data Entry & Outreach Coordinator

Soo Kim Web Developer

Peggy Lu UX Designer

Julia Fest Data Entry & Outreach Coordinator

Hannah Kreisberg Data Entry & Outreach Coordinator

Sophia Zephir Data Entry & Outreach Coordinator

Babette Smith Data Entry & Outreach Coordinator

Nora Nyi Myint Corporate Partnerships & Engagement Coordinator

Kate Davila Social Media Coordinator

INTERNS

Interns

Our interns join us for the summer or a semester to develop their skills while supporting LGBTQ+ asylum seekers’ safe resettlement.

Douglas Van Renen Marketing Intern

Jayna Jung Social Services & Outreach Coordinator Intern

Chase Hoffman Social Services & Outreach Coordinator Intern

Sylvia Hensley Social Services & Outreach Coordinator Intern

Ella Seltzer Social Services & Outreach Coordinator Intern

Malaika Tiglao Marketing Intern

Emma Sammons Social Services & Outreach Coordinator Intern

Melissa Navarro Social Services & Outreach Coordinator Intern

Diandra Sarr Program Recruitment & Outreach Coordinator Intern

Sydney Whitcombe Social Services & Outreach Coordinator Intern

Andrea Corilloclla Social Services & Outreach Coordinator Intern

Alexis Cino Social Services & Outreach Coordinator Intern

Amber Hanke Program Recruitment & Outreach Coordinator Intern

Sophie Lampl Social Services & Outreach Coordinator Intern

Camila Frohlich Social Services & Outreach Coordinator Intern

James Wilson Social Services & Outreach Coordinator Intern

Grace Cannell Social Services & Outreach Coordinator Intern

Alya Pruiz Recruiting Intern

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Board of Directors

The Board of Directors is the governing body for AsylumConnect. Our board plays a pivotal role in developing AsylumConnect’s strategic plan, providing oversight and guidance. Ultimately, our board works to steer AsylumConnect towards a bright and sustainable future.

Jamie Sgarro Co-Founder & Executive Director at AsylumConnect

Julian Sanjivan Co-President at InterPride

Sean Buckley Director of Operations at Kupanda Capital

Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen Deputy Executive Director for Policy & Advocacy at the National Center for Transgender Equality

Wesley Bizzell Sr. Asst. Gen. Counsel at Altria Group & Pres. Natl. LGBT Bar Assoc.

Justin Becker Associate at Sidley Austin LLP

Keeley Hanlon Vice President at With Honor

JUNIOR BOARD

NYC Junior Board

In 2020, we launched our inaugural AsylumConnect Junior Board for young professionals. The AsylumConnect Junior Board is a group of young professionals committed to supporting AsylumConnect’s critical work through fundraising, networking and marketing.

Click here to apply to join our 2021 Junior Board program.

Ryan Eakin Twitter; Technical Recruiter, Cortex

Lauren Gerken INEE, Consultant: Gender & Education in Emergencies

Stephen Rice Google, Software Engineer

Glenn R. McGillivray Jones Day, Associate (Securities Litigation and SEC Enforcement)

Aimée Hernandez-Meza Freelance Graphic Designer

Michael Stewart-Evans UN Women, Policy Analyst - Gender and Migration

Chasen Richards, 2020 Co-Chair McKinsey & Company, Business Analyst

Michael Leonetti University of Oxford, Postgraduate

Ivana Bolfarini PwC, Assurance Associate

Erica Riley Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College, Graduate Student

Nehal Gupta, 2020 Co-Chair Novantas, Senior Analyst

Mary (MO) Swinson The Mount Sinai Hospital, Volunteer Program Coordinator

Jimmy Zhang McKinsey & Company and Stanford, Alumni

Caylyn Perry Hogan Lovells, Law Clerk

Megan Druss Point72, Intelligence Associate

Michael Lupton Blank Rome, Associate

Nina Seminara Ipsos, Research Analyst

Julie Hendrickson, Jones Day, Associate in the Financial Markets Practice Group

ADVISORY COUNCIL

Advisory Council

The Advisory Council is a diverse group of LGBTQ+ advocates, asylees, refugees, nonprofit leaders, and human rights defenders. Members generously lend their areas of expertise, personal experiences, and networks to help AsylumConnect reach its full potential.