PRESIDENT

Becky (she/her) is an attorney and the Director of Economic Empowerment in the Office of the State Treasurer.  Becky started working with asylum seekers more than ten years ago through her law school’s immigration clinic. Since then, she has worked in a pro bono capacity on a number of immigration matters, including volunteering at the southern border in 2018 and 2019. In 2021, she co-founded the Vermont Asylum Assistance Project. She is licensed to practice law in Vermont and New York. Becky lives in Burlington, VT with her husband and three children.

VICE PRESIDENT

Kate (she/they, ella/elle) is the Director of Community Engagement at the Vermont Human Rights Commission, where they promote and deliver know-your-rights education and work to advance human rights in the State of Vermont. Previously, Kate directed the Milk with Dignity Standards Council (MDSC), a nonprofit organization dedicated to the monitoring and enforcement of labor rights on farms in the Milk with Dignity Program, and the Community Asylum Seekers Project in Brattleboro, where they worked with Becky Wasserman to launch VAAP. Kate holds a doctorate in Latin American Studies from the University at Albany (SUNY) and was a postdoctoral fellow at the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame, where they researched social movement organizing in Colombia. Kate lives in Burlington with her two children.

TREASURER, FINANCE CHAIR

Peter (he/him) brings more than 50 years of public service and leadership in local government and international development. He began his career as a town and city manager, including in Winooski, before joining the administration of Burlington Mayor Bernie Sanders and later being elected Mayor himself, serving seven terms—the longest tenure in the city’s history. During his time in office, he helped advance affordable housing initiatives, revitalize Burlington’s downtown and waterfront, and support the resettlement of refugees. Following his mayoral service, Peter worked with Tetra Tech, where he led democracy and governance initiatives around the world, including USAID-funded projects in Afghanistan, Albania, and other countries. He has also held leadership roles with the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the Vermont League of Cities and Towns. Peter remains active in nonprofit and civic life and lives in Burlington with his spouse.

DIRECTOR, FUNDRAISING & OUTREACH CHAIR

Geneva (she/her) leads the New York Lawyers for the Public Interest’s fundraising efforts as the Director of Development and Communications. Before joining NYLPI in fall 2017, she held several positions at museums across the country including: The Field Museum in Chicago, Peabody Natural History Museum in New Haven, New York Transit Museum in Brooklyn, and most recently as the Manager of Institutional Giving at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York. She worked at Lawyers Committee for Better Housing in Chicago a legal nonprofit that provides free legal and supportive services to improve housing stability for lower income renters while advocating for the rights of all renters until everyone in Chicago has a safe, decent, and affordable place to call home. Geneva holds a Master’s in Environmental Design from Yale University’s Architecture School and a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology from Loyola University Chicago. She lives in Brooklyn, NY with her two children.

DIRECTOR, SECRETARY

Jae (they/them) is a self-described recovering academic and public health workforce director based in Central Vermont. After nearly 20 years working in post-secondary education, they transitioned into the beautiful world of public health. Now based at the Vermont Department of Health, they utilize their expertise in research, instructional design, equity/justice work, and trauma-informed communication to support Vermont’s health workforce as they advance the Department’s mission of ensuring that all people and communities in Vermont have equitable opportunities to achieve their highest level of health and well-being. They serve on Governor Scott’s Workforce Equity and Diversity Council and the Vermont Association for Mental Health and Addiction Recovery board.

DIRECTOR, GOVERNANCE CHAIR

Ana (she/her, ella) brings a deep commitment to service, justice, and community to the VAAP board. After serving with AmeriCorps and working with the Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, she pursued law school, where she was recognized for her leadership and dedication to community-based advocacy. Ana has since worked across the criminal legal system and currently serves as Director of Policy and Planning at the Department for Children and Families. She is passionate about strengthening systems that support individuals and communities and is excited to support VAAP’s staff and mission. She lives in Chittenden County with her partner, toddler, and two pups.

DIRECTOR

Trudy (she/her) is a mother who immigrated to the USA in 2018 and settled in Vermont. With the help of law student clinicians at Vermont Law and Graduate School, the Chittenden Asylum Seekers Assistance Network, and the community, her case was approved by a Boston Immigration Court Judge in 2022 amidst so many challenges. As a highly trained finance professional, she worked with the Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity for several years before joining the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission, called to both nonprofits' missions of helping improve the lives of local community members. Trudy loves Vermont and to her, this is a home away from home.

DIRECTOR

Juan (he/him, el) is a mission-driven finance professional, small business owner, and asylum seeker originally from Venezuela. He works as the Community Relationship Banker for Mascoma Bank and previously worked with Chase, Citizens, and M&T. His arepas food truck, the Caracas, features in Burlington’s summertime South End Get Down events.

DIRECTOR

Chelsea-Leigh (she/her) most recently served as Assistant Director of Career Development for the Public Sector at UC Irvine School of Law, where she supported students pursuing public interest careers with government agencies and nonprofits, including competitive postgraduate fellowships such as DOJ Honors, Skadden, Equal Justice Works, and Immigrant Justice Corps. Previously, she was the PSJD Fellow at the National Association for Law Placement, where she helped expand access to public service job resources and national programming on postgraduate fellowships. She has also worked with the New York City Civilian Complaint Review Board and the NYC Transit Authority Law Department. Chelsea earned her J.D. from Brooklyn Law School and her B.A. in Philosophy from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

DIRECTOR

Sarah (she/her) is a historian of Latin America and an associate professor at the University of Vermont, specializing in twentieth century Mexico. She directs graduate studies in the UVM history department as well as UVM’s Latin American and Caribbean Studies program. In recent years, she has served as a Spanish-English interpreter for detained asylum seekers as well as a Mexico country conditions expert for asylum cases. Her latest teaching project is a new, interdisciplinary migration studies program and course sequence co-taught with colleagues in anthropology and political science. It includes a capstone seminar in which highly qualified undergraduates do country conditions research for VAAP and partner’s asylum cases. She originates from the Boston area and lives with her family in Burlington, VT.