PANA’s Founder and Executive Director, Ramla Sahid is committed to nurturing authentic, community driven campaigns to champion policies and practices that address racial disparities, expand protections, and promote belonging for refugee and immigrant families. Nearly ten years later, PANA is a San D
As Deputy Director, Homayra Yusufi works closely with the Executive Director to advance PANA’s community-driven mission and goals. She leads PANA’s policy advocacy at the federal, state, and local levels.Homayra has over a decade of experience protecting the civil rights of immigrants, refugee and
As Chief Operating Officer, Daniela Alvarado oversees all of PANA’s administrative and operational functions, including compliance, human resources, facilities operations, new property project developments, risk management, and financial stability. Daniela is an experienced administrator with a dem
Director of Strategic Partnerships and DevelopmentPANA’s Director of Strategic Partnerships & Development, Rachel brings 15 years of experience in community & economic development and public-private collaborations. Rachel is committed to creating opportunity and championing equity & welcome in the S
As the Director of Campaigns and Organizing, Rahmo works with the leadership team to ensure PANA accomplishes its organizational priorities. She trains and meets regularly with PANA’s organizers providing direct community support.Born in Mogadishu, Somalia, Rahmo came to the United States as a refu
As a Community Organizer at PANA, Mustafa advocates for immigrant and refugee communities by organizing a group of people who share common goals. He supports PANA’s campaign strategies, addresses community issues, and provides immediate support to immigrant and refugee communities.Prior to joining P
Lucky is the Youth Organizer at PANA. She facilitates Youth Congress, a space dedicated to helping young, first generation immigrant and refugee leaders from across San Diego County build their advocacy skills and bring change to their communities. Lucky began her journey as a volunteer in youth spa
As PANA’s Business Manager, Ayan is responsible for managing the organization’s finances, budgets, expenses, and employee payroll.Ayan is a refugee from Somalia. She graduated from San Diego State University with a Bachelors in Accounting. Prior to joining PANA, Ayan volunteered and worked for The U
Avak supports PANA’s day-to-day operations and provides general support to PANA’s leadership and organizing teams. Avak is a Kurdish Syrian refugee. He studied in Syria where he received a college degree in mechanics and went on to become an electronic technician. After civil war broke out in Syria,
Asma Abdi is the Philanthropy Coordinator at the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA). With over six years of experience in community work, Asma has been dedicated to advancing initiatives that support marginalized communities in San Diego. Her commitment to equitable development
Maria C. Chavez, the daughter of Salvadoran immigrants, is the Immigration Legal Director at Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA) in San Diego, CA. She represents clients in a wide range of immigration matters including removal defense in immigration court, family-based petitions
As a Project Manager, Dean is a dedicated and detail-oriented professional. He exemplifies the essence of hard work and meticulous attention to task details. With a foundation rooted in education from San Francisco State University. Having ventured into entrepreneurship, Deen has established multipl
As PANA’s Legal Assistant, Patricia, provides legal assistance, with the supervision of an attorney, to community members as they navigate United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Patricia represents PANA at a a regional housing collaborative to prevent evictions. She helps coordi
Randy Torres-Van Vleck joins PANA as the Project Manager for the Refugee & Immigrant Cultural Hub (RICH). RICH is a community-driven initiative that will build affordable housing and commercial space on 2.2 acres of land on University Avenue in Mid-City. Randy brings 15+ years of experience in the f
Director of Strategic Partnerships and DevelopmentAs Political Education Coordinator, Mariam designs curricula according to community organizing needs, supports in leadership development, researches and analyzes data for program strategy and evaluation, and develops creative political education meth
As an Intake Coordinator, Sayed Lemar supports PANA’s legal team, translating documents and conducting in-language interviews of Afghan asylum seekers and refugees in need of legal and other community support. He supports the PANA policy and organizing teams, providing interpretation at community me
Policy ManagerAs Policy Manager, Jermaine Rocacorba works closely to advance PANA’s community-driven mission and goals. She supports PANA's policy advocacy at the federal, state, and local levels. Jermaine has over eight years of advocacy supporting immigrants, including co-founding the development
