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AILA National Spokespeople

AILA Doc. No. 99900725 | Dated August 1, 2023

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.

2023–2024 AILA National Officers

Farshad Owji

Farshad Owji, Esq.

San Francisco, CA,
President

Expertise:
Family, Business, Asylum, General
Kelli Stump

Kelli Stump, Esq.

Oklahoma City, OK
President-Elect

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

Jeff Joseph, Esq.

Denver, CO,
First Vice-President

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

Alexis S. Axelrad, Esq.

New York, NY
Second Vice-President

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

Jacqueline Watson, Esq.

Austin, TX (English, Spanish)
Treasurer

Expertise:
Citizenship and Naturalization, Family, Removal Defense, Asylum, Federal Court Litigation
Rekha Sharma-Crawford, Esq.

Rekha Sharma-Crawford, Esq.

Kansas City, MO (English)
Secretary

Expertise:
Removal Defense, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, Family, and Federal Court Litigation

Other National Spokespeople

Jeremy McKinney

Jeremy McKinney, Esq.

Greensboro, NC,
Immediate Past President

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

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
John Manley, Esq.

John Manley, Esq.

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

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

Wilberforce Agyekum

Greenbelt, MD
Expertise:
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
 

Jennifer Michelle Howard

Aurora, CO
Expertise:
 

Tammy Lin


Expertise:
 

Isabel Machado

Clovis, CA
Expertise:
Kevin Miner

Kevin Miner

Atlanta, GA
Pronouns: he/him

Expertise: High-skilled business immigration, PERM, LCA and I-9 compliance
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
Brittany Nicole Odom

Brittany Nicole Odom

Metairie, LA
Pronouns: she/her

Expertise: J1 Visa Waivers, Naturalization, and Employment-Based Matters (H-1B, O-1, NIW, EB-1)
Anthony Pawelski

Anthony Pawelski

Somerville, MA
Pronouns: he/his

Expertise: Healthcare Immigration, J Visas, and Achievement Based Green Cards (NIW, EB1B, EB1A)
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)
Shannon M. Shepherd, Esq.

Shannon M. Shepherd, Esq.

Chicago, IL
Pronouns: she/her

Expertise: Business and Family
Twitter handle: @ImmAttyShannon
Annie Wang

Annie Jen Wang

NY, NY
Pronouns: she/her

Expertise: DACA and pathways to citizenship for undocumented youth; Family-based adjustment of status applications
Twitter handle: @wanganniej

Cite as AILA Doc. No. 99900725.