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
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,
In her role as a PANA Policy Associate, Asma focuses on affordable housing, equitable development, and tenant protections. She serves as Co-Chair of the Equitable Development Coalition, a regional coalition working to advance affordable housing, a fair transition to a zero carbon economy, and transi
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 Democracy Counsel, Mytili will build on PANA's recent achievements by driving policy and legal campaigns to secure equal access and full civic participation among refugee and BAMEMSA communities. She has over a decade of experience advancing human rights in post-war Sri Lanka, advising the Women
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
