Our Social Services Team

Wendy Miron, LCSW serves as Vice President, U.S. Psychosocial Services. In this role, Wendy provides leadership, strategic vision, and guidance to ensure trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and strengths-based support to the structure and practice that guide psychosocial services to unaccompanied children in the U.S. and Mexico. Wendy has 18+ years of post-graduate experience working in the nonprofit sector alongside marginalized communities advancing social justice principles. Before joining KIND in July 2019, Wendy served as Program Director at LSA Family Health Services in East Harlem. She’s worked at other non-profits including Sanctuary for Families and Union Settlement Association and has been an active member of local and national coalitions that promote child wellbeing and advance equity in immigrant and BIPOC communities including Vital Villages’ Networks of Opportunities (NOW). Wendy has presented at various symposiums and conferences in the U.S and Mexico on best practices in working with migrant families, and therapeutic interventions for populations impacted by trauma. Wendy was born and raised in Guatemala and migrated to South Florida at the age of ten. In addition to lived experiences that continue to influence her practice, she holds a master’s degree in social work from Columbia University, an undergraduate degree in Anthropology and Religious Studies from Florida International University, and a post-graduate program certificate in Parent-Infant Mental Health and Trauma from Adelphi University. She is currently in her last year of a Doctorate in Social Work Degree (DSW) from Simmons University.

Roy has an extensive experience working with children and families. Roy worked for almost eight years for the Georgia Department of Family and Children Services, where his work positions included; Medicaid and food stamps case manager, Investigations case manager and Foster Care case manager. It was here where he developed his knowledge about case management and how to coordinate services for children as well as their parents. He then worked for the Georgia Migrant Education program for three years, where he traveled throughout most of north Georgia counties to coordinate educational services for migrant children with different school districts and providers. Roy obtained his Bachelors in social work from Dalton State College where he also served as the president of the social work club, then obtained his Master’s degree from Valdosta State University.

Melissa Davila is the Social Services Supervisor for Kids In Need of Defense Houston and Mexico Team. Melissa holds a bachelors and master’s degree in social work and has extensive experience in volunteering and working with immigrants in Houston. She previously served as a Social Services Coordinator for the Houston office, where she helped clients by connecting them to resources needed and providing psycho-emotional support throughout their legal process. Prior working with KIND, Melissa was a Bilingual Care Coordinator for the Mobile Crisis Outreach Team with The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD where she worked predominantly, with the Latino population. While she was completing her bachelor’s in social work at the University of Houston-Downtown, she participated in a study-abroad program led by the Criminal Justice Department through which she learned more about policy and explored different legislative approaches Amsterdam and Stockholm had implemented to prevent human trafficking. Melissa has always been passionate about direct services and policy and how policy can impact marginalized communities. During grad school, Melissa worked as a Social Work Intern in the Program Planning and Evaluation Department with Baker Ripley and the 85th Legislative Session with Texas State Representative Jessica Farrar.

Jasiel is KIND’s Regional Director, Social Services (East). She brings to this position over 13 years of experience working with and on behalf of vulnerable immigrant communities. Jasiel believes that the immigrant experience brings with it a certain degree of traumatization, especially for children, and she has worked arduously to bridge the service and support gap for this population. Jasiel has extensive experience developing and managing local to regional community-based programs for low-income and immigrant families. Most recently, Jasiel speared-headed KIND’s Boston Field office programming on socioemotional support, building capacity and designing strategies for KIND’s pro bono partners and staff to more effectively serve deeply traumatized, vulnerable Central American unaccompanied minors facing removal proceedings. Jasiel’s counseling experience focuses on immigrant and refugee complex trauma, families with adolescents, and at-risk youth. Her clinical interests include immigrant/refugee trauma, immigrant integration, and the intersectionality of immigrant mental health, faith, and resilience. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Middlebury College, and a master’s in clinical counseling as well as a graduate certificate in Principles of Trauma-Informed Care from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary.

At the age of 9 years old, Melissa, along with her mother and younger brother, relocated to the United States from their native country, Colombia. Although young, Melissa recognized how much easier and useful it would have been for her, and her family, to transition into the US if the appropriate resources and services had been available. Fueled by this experience, Melissa has been actively involved in numerous projects serving vulnerable populations. At The College of New Jersey, she taught English to undocumented immigrants and provided them with tools and resources on how to improve their life style, and volunteered with a group of autistic adults and at a state prison. Immediately after graduation, Melissa became a corps member for Teach for America and taught Spanish for 2 years in Detroit, Michigan. This impactful experience, undoubtedly, confirmed her passion and commitment towards empowering marginalized populations. After Teach for America, Melissa received her master’s degree in social work from Washington University in St. Louis. Melissa could not be more thrilled to be working with KIND as a social service coordinator, and is looking forward to helping her team grow in order to provide clients with opportunities, and long-lasting positive changes.

America Hernandez is an immigrant from Jalisco, Mexico who has spent the majority of her life in the Central Valley of California. She is a recipient of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. As an undocumented student with limited opportunities, she worked hard to pursue her dreams of going to college. She graduated early from high school at the age of 16 and attended Fresno State from 2000 to 2003. She obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Chicano and Latin American Studies and has a Minor in English and another in Spanish. America has always been passionate about immigrant rights and social justice issues that affect minorities. She actively worked on the A.B. 540 campaign in 2001 in California that allowed for undocumented students to be able to pay in-state tuition in California, and has also been a public advocate for the Dream Act since 2004. America frequently shares her story with the media, and also with locally and nationally elected officials such as Nancy Pelosi and Kamala Harris in hopes of elevating support for the Dream Act and general Immigration Reform. She has also been presented with certificates of recognition by the offices of Council Members Esmeralda Soria and Oliver Baines, Congressman Jim Costa, California Assembly Member Joaquin Arambula and Senator Kamala Harris for her work in the community and her advocacy around DACA and Dreamer issues. Presently, America works with Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) as a Social Services Program Manager, California to ensure that unaccompanied immigrant children in the Central Valley are able to access essential services and resources, and advocating for them when needed. America is also a giving member of the Central Valley Latino Giving Circle Network, which is a philanthropist group that invests in Latino-led organizations that serve the Central Valley. She has also collaborated with other Dreamer Leaders of the Central Valley on creating opportunities for undocumented youth to be involved in the civic process, despite not being able to vote, by helping to educate and empower eligible voters.

Maira was born and raised in Houston, Texas to Mexican-American parents. She attended the University of Houston-Downtown and graduated with Bachelor of Social Work in May 2015. After graduating, Maira worked for Communities in Schools of Houston, coordinating social services and advocating for children within the schools. She then graduated with a Master of Social Work from University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work, concentrating in clinical social work and trauma. Since then she has found her way back to advocating for children through KIND - Houston.

Karen Mejia has over seven years of experience working with immigrant youth and unaccompanied minors. For the last five years, she has worked for Massachusetts General Hospital’s Chelsea Campus as the unaccompanied minors case worker supporting UCs and their families with a wide range of services including basic medical care, mental health assessment and referrals, school access advocacy, truancy diversion, and parenting classes. She was awarded the Ernesto Gonzalez Award for her excellence and dedication to vulnerable patient populations at MGH. Karen also provided cultural sensitivity training to doctors and residents as well as initial training for first year medical residents at the start of their placement. She was also the designated complex population health worker working under a Chelsea Police grant conducting home visits along with the FBI Gang Unit providing support to families involved in high-profile gang violence cases. Prior to her work at MGH, Karen worked as OB/GYN case manager for the past two years, she has been a certified facilitator for the Parent Leadership Institute in various Massachusetts cities training immigrant parents and parents of UCs to advocate at the local and state levels. In a personal capacity, Karen volunteers with Agencia ALPHA as a citizenship coach volunteer, and as a youth leader in her faith community. Being an immigrant from Central America with life experiences similar to our clients, Karen is very well-known as an immigrant issues advocate, supporter, and social services professional. Karen is pursuing a Bachelors degree in Human Services and plans to continue onto an MSW program thereafter.

Argelia Tlatelpa Perez recently completed her MSW from Fordham University in October 2019. She received her Bachelor's degree majoring in Psychology from City College of New York City in May 2009. Her working experience at Little Sisters of Assumption has been empowering immigrant families and educating them that they have rights and a voice in NY disregarding their legal status. While working with families she has been able to provide support to parents when a crisis arose. She has also provided play therapy when working with children who experience traumatic experiences at the Child Center of NY. Her dedication and contribution when working with immigrant families and young children who immigrate seeking a better future is rewarding to her because she knows that when working with children she is contributing to have a better society, human beings and gives hope to those in need.

Lizbeth is a licensed professional counselor in New Jersey with a Masters in Marriage and Family therapy. With almost 10 years in the social service field, Lizbeth has always worked with youth and their families by other providing case management services to help underserved families in crisis as well as managing and providing trauma-informed therapeutic services to youth in residential facilities. Lizbeth was born in Peru but raised most of her life in New Jersey. Lizbeth understands there are many challenges that migrant families may face when entering a new country such as not knowing the language, and not knowing where to look for services, and the adjustment to a new culture. Lizbeth is eager to assist KIND families in finding resources in their community to obtain the necessary and appropriate services they may need.

Ingrid graduated from the University of Virginia (UVA) where she double majored in Philosophy and Foreign Affairs with an specialization in Latin America. She has been working with the migrant population in the Northern Virginia area for the last six years. She started an internship at Immigrants First where she assisted immigration attorneys with a variety of cases. Later, she joined Catholic Charities Diocese of Arlington-Hogar Immigrant Services where she started as their legal assistant and end up managing their naturalization and citizenship program. While there she received her Board of Immigration Appeals partial accreditation and most of her knowledge of immigration law. Throughout her career, Ingrid has worked with different aspects of federal and state law. Ingrid is originally from Lima, Peru and is excited to continue her work with the immigrant community at KIND.