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AILA National Spokespeople

AILA Doc. No. 99900725 | Dated August 15, 2022

AILA's network of national spokespeople includes recognized immigration law experts. To schedule an interview with an AILA national spokesperson, contact one of the Communications team members listed on the right.

For non-media calls, please see the Contact AILA page.

2022–2023 AILA National Officers

Jeremy McKinney

Jeremy McKinney, Esq.

Greensboro, NC,
President

Expertise:
Family, Business, General, Litigation, Removal Defense
Twitter handle: @McKJeremy
Farshad Owji

Farshad Owji, Esq.

San Francisco, CA,
President-Elect

Expertise:
Family, Business, Asylum, General
Kelli Stump

Kelli Stump, Esq.

Oklahoma City, OK
First Vice-President

Expertise:
Family, Waivers, General, Naturalization, Removal Defense
Jeff Joseph

Jeff Joseph, Esq.

Denver, CO,
Second Vice-President

Expertise:
Family, Business, General
Twitter handle: @jeffjoseph
Alexis S. Axelrad, Esq.

Alexis S. Axelrad, Esq.

New York, NY
Treasurer

Expertise:
Family, Business, General
Jacqueline Watson, Esq.

Jacqueline Watson, Esq.

Austin, TX (English, Spanish)
Secretary

Expertise:
Citizenship and Naturalization, Family, Removal Defense, Asylum, Federal Court Litigation

Other National Spokespeople

Allen Orr, Esq.

Allen Orr, Esq.

Washington, DC
Immediate Past President

Expertise:
Legislation, Consular Practice, General, Naturalization, Global, Investors, I-9, Business, and Worksite Enforcement
Twitter handle: @allenorresq

AILA National Office Spokespeople: Washington, DC

Benjamin Johnson

Benjamin Johnson, Esq.

AILA Executive Director

Twitter handle: @AILAExecDir
Greg Chen

Greg Chen, Esq.

Senior Director
Expertise:
Legislation/Congress and Agency Outreach
Twitter handle: @GregChenAILA
Sharvari Dalal-Dheini

Sharvari Dalal-Dheini

Director of Government Relations
Expertise:
Legislation/Congress and Agency Outreach
Twitter handle: @shevdd

Media Advocacy Committee

Evangeline Chan

Evangeline Chan, Esq.

New York, NY, Chair
Pronouns: she/her

Expertise:
Humanitarian-Based Benefits (Asylum, U/T Visas, VAWA, SIJ, TPS, DACA), Removal Defense, and Naturalization
Twitter handle: @EvangelineMChan
Adam Cohen

Adam Cohen, Esq.

Memphis, TN, Vice-Chair
Pronouns: he/him

Expertise:
Physician and Healthcare Immigration, Academic Immigration (Students and Scholars), General Business Immigration
Twitter handle: @MDVisas
Sandra Feist

Sandra Feist, Esq.

Minneapolis, MN
Pronouns: she/her

Expertise:
Business, Scientists/Academics, General, O/P visas, Religious Workers, H-1Bs, E-2
Twitter handle: @SandraFeistMN
Cecilia Lai

Cecilia Lai

Dallas, TX (English, Cantonese)
Pronouns: she/her

Expertise:
Business Immigration, EB-1A, EB-1B, NIW, O-1s
Matthew Maiona

Matthew Maiona, Esq.

Boston, MA
Pronouns: he/him

Expertise:
Business, Employer Compliance, Military, Removal, Family
Twitter handle: @MMaiona
John Manley, Esq.

John Manley, Esq.

Los Angeles, CA (English, Farsi, Spanish)
Pronouns: he/him

Expertise
Family, Business, Trusted Traveler Issues, CBP
Twitter handle: @JohnManley
Fiona McEntee

Fiona McEntee, Esq.

Chicago, IL
Pronouns: she/her

Expertise:
Extraordinary Ability (O-1 & EB-1A), Start-Ups, Entrepreneurs, Musicians/Artists/Creatives/Athletes, International Students, DACA, Family
Twitter handle: @USvisalawyer
Victor D. Nieblas Pradis, Esq.

Victor D. Nieblas Pradis, Esq.

Los Angeles, CA (English, Spanish)
Pronouns: he/him

Expertise: Deportation Defense, Asylum, DACA, Family, Waivers, EOIR, ICE Arrests
Twitter handle: @VictorNieblas
Gina M. Polo

Gina M. Polo

Miami, FL (English, Spanish)
Pronouns: she/her

Expertise: Business, Family
Heather Drabek Predergast, Esq.

Heather Drabek Prendergast

Cleveland, OH
Pronouns: she/her

Expertise:
Business, Family, Waivers, Complex Removal Defense, Consular Processing, TPS, Naturalization, General
Sara Ramey

Sara Ramey, Esq.

San Antonio, TX (English, Spanish, French)
Pronouns: she/her

Expertise:
Asylum, Removal Defense, Detention, Humanitarian Protection (TPS, VAWA, U/T Visas, Humanitarian Parole)
Kenneth K. Schmitt, Esq.

Kenneth K. Schmitt, Esq.

Saint Louis, MO
Pronouns: he/him

Expertise:
Removal Defense, Family, DACA
Twitter handle: @USLS_attorney
Shannon M. Shepherd, Esq.

Shannon M. Shepherd, Esq.

Chicago, IL
Pronouns: she/her

Expertise: Business and Family
Twitter handle: @ImmAttyShannon
Tahmina Watson

Tahmina Watson, Esq.

Seattle, WA (English, Bengali)
Pronouns: she/her

Expertise:
Business Immigration, Family-Based Immigration, Naturalization, AOS, Start-Ups, Entrepreneurs
Twitter handle: @tahminawatson

Cite as AILA Doc. No. 99900725.