Lindsay Toczylowski

Executive Director

Lindsay is a social entrepreneur whose work to increase access to justice for immigrants is at the forefront of the movement for universal representation. Lindsay also served as the Overseas Operations Director at Asylum Access, an international nonprofit that fights for the rights of refugees in the global South. She was recently named one of California’s Top 40 Under 40 Lawyers by the Daily Journal. Lindsay is the proud mother of two revolutionaries-in-training, and they are her inspiration to keep fighting for social justice every day. 

Susan Alva

Associate Director

Susan was born in New York City to Mexican and Dominican immigrant parents. She has held various leadership roles defending vulnerable communities and worked on several high-profile cases, including the El Monte Thai garment workers case. She is on the Boards of the National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild and the National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. Susan is a fierce defender of immigrant's rights and through her work, many lives have been positively impacted. 

Bhairavi Asher

Managing Attorney

Before joining ImmDef, Bhairavi represented abused and neglected foster children in dependency court at the Children’s Law Center. She also volunteered in Tanzania as an English Teacher and as a Legal Advocate for Asylum Access providing legal aid to asylum seekers and refugees. When she is not working, you can find her hiking, running, exploring new places, or hanging out with friends and family.

Margaret Cargioli

Managing Attorney

Margaret has worked on behalf of underserved indigent groups, including victims of domestic violence and  asylum seekers throughout her legal career. In 2010 she received an award from the International Institute of New Jersey for her legal immigration work on behalf of survivors of torture fleeing persecution. She was also a recipient of the Joseph Doherty Civil Rights Fellowship.

Nicole Cortes

Human Resources Manager

Bio Coming Soon

Cynthia Felix

Managing Attorney

Bio Coming Soon

Iliana Gomez

Managing Attorney

Bio Coming Soon

Yliana Johansen-Mendez

Legal Services Director

Bio Coming Soon

Arlette Lozano

Paralegal Coordinator

Bio Coming Soon

Carlos Olivares

Administrative Coordinator

Bio Coming Soon

Reashly Pineda Leon

Case Management Coordinator

Bio Coming Soon

Axel Sawczuk

Finance and Operations Director

Bio Coming Soon

Jennifer Toledo

Paralegal Coordinator

Bio Coming Soon

Jonathan Barrales

Support Services Manager

Jonathan graduated from CSULA with a degree in Latin American Studies. Before joining ImmDef he worked as a Community Organizaer at Eastside Café and also Co-Founded El Sereno Bungalows Collective. His favorite part about working at ImmDef is his passionate, hard-working and intelligent coworkers and seeing the confidence our clients feel when we help them navigate the unjust immigration system.

Devin Chatterton

Managing Attorney

Since her time in college, Devin has been a passionate advocate for marginalized groups. During her second summer of law school, Devin successfully argued before the California Court of Appeal for the First District under then California Attorney General Kamala Harris. When not working, Devin likes spending time with her family or keeping active with boxing, Pilates, or treadmill cardio classes.

Mickey Donovan-Kaloust

Directing Attorney

Bio Coming Soon

Diana Gama Salmeron

Program Coordinator

Bio Coming Soon

Daniel Gonzalez

IT Supervisor

Bio Coming Soon

Leah A. Jones

Managing Attorney

Bio Coming Soon

Joyce Noche

Legal Services Director

Bio Coming Soon

Laura Olmos

Operations Manager

Bio Coming Soon

Natalia Rodriguez

Paralegal Coordinator

Bio Coming Soon

Amanda Schuft

Directing Attorney

Bio Coming Soon

Eric Vera

Managing Attorney

Bio Coming Soon

Sarena Bhatia

Managing Attorney

Prior to ImmDef, Sarena adjudicated applications for refugee status at UNHCR. Before law school, she served as an AmeriCorps member with the IRC in San Diego, where she coordinated a family education center for resettled refugees in the community and taught an after school program. During her spare time, you can find Sarena exploring LA and re-acquainting herself with life on the West Coast.

Hannah Comstock

Managing Attorney

Bio Coming Soon

Cathy Dreyfuss

Supervising Attorney

Bio Coming Soon

Renee Garcia

Development & Communications Manager

Bio Coming Soon

Kimberly Harbin

Managing Attorney

Bio Coming Soon

Eva Leiva Partnoy

Program Coordinator

Bio Coming Soon

Lisa Okamoto

Directing Attorney

Bio Coming Soon

Jonathon Orta

Paralegal Coordinator

Bio Coming Soon

Natalie Sanchez

Finance Supervisor

Bio Coming Soon

Munmeeth Soni

Director of Litigation and Advocacy

Bio Coming Soon

Alejandra Aguilar Ruiz

Paralegal

Bio Coming Soon

Soledad Alejandre

Paralegal

Bio Coming Soon

Fernanda Antonello

Staff Attorney

Bio Coming Soon

Karina E. Ramos

Staff Attorney

Bio Coming Soon

Chelsea Bell

Staff Attorney

Bio Coming Soon

Rosana Carretero

Receptionist

Bio Coming Soon

Kely Cortes

Paralegal

Bio Coming Soon

Andrea Debroy

Legal Assistant

Bio Coming Soon

Daniela Diaz

Paralegal

Bio Coming Soon

Miriam Enriquez

Staff Attorney

Bio Coming Soon

Dani Gies

Staff Attorney

Bio Coming Soon

Annabel Gonzalez

Paralegal

Bio Coming Soon

Llaned Huerta

Law Clerk

Bio Coming Soon

Shoshana Kushner

Staff Attorney

Bio Coming Soon

Amanda Manalo

Staff Attorney

Bio Coming Soon

Mary Mattingly

Human Resources Associate

Bio Coming Soon

Camila Mojica

Law Clerk

Bio Coming Soon

Mayra Navarro

Staff Attorney

Bio Coming Soon

Alina Pastor-Chermak

Law Clerk

Bio Coming Soon

Andres Peña

Paralegal

Bio Coming Soon

Sandra Ramirez

Legal Assistant

Bio Coming Soon

Adan Rodriguez Zavala

Staff Attorney

Bio Coming Soon

Michelle Saucedo

Equal Justice Works Fellow

Bio Coming Soon

Sarah Shlemon

Program Associate

Bio Coming Soon

Edwin Vargas

Staff Attorney

Bio Coming Soon

Juana Warlick

Program Associate

Bio Coming Soon

Paola Aguirre

Operations Associate

Bio Coming Soon

Cesia Alvarez

Staff Attorney

Bio Coming Soon

Maricela Baltazar

Case Management Associate

Bio Coming Soon

Sandra Bautista

Paralegal

Bio Coming Soon

Nicholas Borkowski

Staff Attorney

Bio Coming Soon

Marcos Cerna Gonzalez

Staff Attorney

Bio Coming Soon

Ismael De Anda

Legal Assistant

Bio Coming Soon

Roberto De La Peña

Development & Communications Assistant

Bio Coming Soon

Lucia Diaz

Staff Attorney

Bio Coming Soon

Nicholas Garces

Staff Attorney

Bio Coming Soon

Carmen Godinez-Tapia

Program Associate

Bio Coming Soon

Kathleen Gutierrez

Legal Assistant

Bio Coming Soon

Mona Iman

Staff Attorney

Bio Coming Soon

Amy Lopez

Paralegal

Bio Coming Soon

Ana Karen Manjarrez

Case Management Associate

Bio Coming Soon

Madeline McCormick

Case Management Associate

Bio Coming Soon

Muñoz Stefany

Paralegal

Bio Coming Soon

Jennifer Norris

Staff Attorney

Bio Coming Soon

Sandra Patlan

Staff Attorney

Bio Coming Soon

Johana Peña

Paralegal

Bio Coming Soon

Paulina Reyes

Staff Attorney

Bio Coming Soon

Luis Rodriguez

Staff Attorney

Bio Coming Soon

Allyssa Scheyer

Law Clerk

Bio Coming Soon

Katie Siler

Staff Attorney

Bio Coming Soon

Jacqueline Vargas

Paralegal

Bio Coming Soon

Alma Zazueta

Paralegal

Bio Coming Soon

Carmine Aiello

Staff Attorney

Bio Coming Soon

Caitlin Anderson

Staff Attorney

Bio Coming Soon

Anna Barie

Executive Assistant

Bio Coming Soon

Alejandra Becerra

Paralegal

Bio Coming Soon

Kelly Camacho

Program Associate

Bio Coming Soon

Michael Citrin

Legal Fellow

Bio Coming Soon

Brenda De Leon

Paralegal

Bio Coming Soon

Edgar Diaz Gonzalez

Paralegal

Bio Coming Soon

Eduardo Doering

Staff Attorney

Bio Coming Soon

Oscar Garcia Mendoza

Case Management Associate

Bio Coming Soon

Anna Rae Goethe

Staff Attorney

Bio Coming Soon

Dulce Guzman

Program Associate

Bio Coming Soon

Marc Jacome

Staff Attorney

Bio Coming Soon

Selene Lopez

Paralegal

Bio Coming Soon

Rogelio Maravilla

Paralegal

Bio Coming Soon

Ethan Metcalfe

Executive Assistant

Bio Coming Soon

Neysa Nankervis

Staff Attorney

Bio Coming Soon

Marlene Olarra

Administrative Assistant

Bio Coming Soon

Harlan Peebles

Operations Associate

Bio Coming Soon

Sarah Poblano

Paralegal

Bio Coming Soon

April Rios

Paralegal

Bio Coming Soon

Madeline Sachs

Paralegal

Bio Coming Soon

Carson Scott

Legal Fellow

Bio Coming Soon

Elaine Torres

Staff Attorney

Bio Coming Soon

September Cervera

Staff Attorney

Bio Coming Soon