Our Washington, DC and Northern Virginia Team

Teresa’s personal experience growing up in a heavily immigrant community surrounded by families with mixed immigration statuses motivated her to pursue a legal career advocating for society’s most vulnerable, particularly those children who cannot advocate for themselves. She now works with unaccompanied children who have been victims of severe forms of violence, including intra-family violence, community violence, sexual violence, and trafficking. Teresa is a graduate of American University Washington College of Law (WCL). At WCL, Teresa was a student attorney with the Women and the Law Clinic, where she was awarded the highest grade certification for her work with indigent clients. While in law school, she also interned with Ayuda, where she assisted in a number of unaccompanied children’s cases, KIND, where she conducted numerous intakes with unaccompanied children, and Catholic Charities’ Hogar Immigrant Services, where she was introduced to a wide variety of immigration cases. Prior to law school, Teresa graduated with honors from George Mason University where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology – with a concentration in Childhood and Youth – and a minor in Spanish.

Prior to coming to KIND, Kelly was a staff attorney at Connecticut Legal Services where she represented unaccompanied immigrant children and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in family and immigration matters. Her experience working with vulnerable client populations began during law school, when she spent two summers as a fellow at Jerome N. Frank Legal Services at Yale Law School in three clinics dealing with immigration and related matters. After clerking for the Honorable Robert E. Beach on the Connecticut Appellate Court, she continued representing low income clients as a LawyerCorps attorney at Greater Hartford Legal Aid, where she handled SSI, education, family, and immigration related matters. Kelly earned her JD from Western New England University School of Law with a concentration in criminal law. She has a BA in International Studies and Russian from Dickinson College, and is fluent in Spanish.

Sofia Lorenzo became an attorney with KIND in January 2016. Prior to joining KIND, she worked as an immigration attorney with Northern Virginia Family Service in Falls Church, Virginia, and as a Washington College of Law-J.D. Distinguished Fellow with Ayuda in Washington, D.C. Sofia received her J.D. in 2014 from the American University, Washington College of Law. She received the Dean’s Award for Professional Responsibility for her work as a student attorney with the Immigrant Justice Clinic. As a law student, Sofia interned with Ayuda, the Legal Aid Justice Center, and the Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia. She received her B.A. in Latin American Studies from George Mason University in 2011.

Prior to joining KIND, Hamida worked as an Investigations, White Collar, and Fraud Associate at Hogan Lovells US LLP, where she maintained an active pro bono practice representing women and children in immigration, custody, and domestic violence cases. As a first-generation American, Hamida has long been committed to empowering immigrants and refugees, including vulnerable children. She served adults and unaccompanied minors seeking immigration relief as a volunteer pro bono attorney with the Legal Aid Justice Center in Virginia, and she previously managed a non-profit internship program impacting children and youth in New York City through Harvard’s Center for Public Interest Careers. Hamida clerked for a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Eastern District of Virginia and a U.S. District Judge in the District of Maryland. She earned her J.D. from Stanford Law School, where she gained experience handling wage and hour, SSI, criminal expungement, and eviction cases in Stanford’s Community Law Clinic, and served as Co-Director of the Timor-Leste Legal Education Project. Hamida also holds an A.B. in African Studies with a Secondary Field in Government from Harvard University.

Max joined KIND in June 2020. He received his J.D. from the Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University. In law school, Max was the Editor-in-Chief of the National Security Law Journal and completed internships with the Public International Law and Policy Group and the Washington D.C. Office of Administrative Hearings. Prior to attending law school, Max taught English in Brazil and in Argentina. He earned his B.A. in Political Science from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2012. Max is currently pursuing a Master of International Policy and Practice at George Washington University.

Prior to joining KIND, Jessalyn worked in Boston as a court-appointed attorney for children and parents involved in child protection proceedings, students facing school offender and truancy petitions, and adults in mental health guardianship and commitment cases. Through her casework, Jessalyn was able to familiarize herself with reporting procedures for allegations of child abuse and neglect, services focused on reunification and permanency, and the difficulties faced by families and children in obtaining supports. Jessalyn was selected as a Super Lawyers Rising Star for the Boston area in 2018. Jessalyn is active in other professional organizations, participating in various capacities with the Washington Council of Lawyers and in advocacy roles pertaining to the welfare of undocumented residents in Washington D.C. She has previously written Practice Point pieces for the American Bar Association’s Children’s Rights Litigation Committee. Jessalyn is a DC-area native and earned her JD from Northeastern University School of Law in Boston and her BA from Pennsylvania State University.

Sandra joined KIND in September 2017. She received her J.D. from The George Washington University Law School. At GW Law, Sandra was a student attorney with the Family Justice Litigation Clinic, where she worked with indigent domestic violence litigants. While in law school, she also interned at Tahirih Justice Center, where she assisted in a number of cases of victims severe and gender-based violence. Prior to law school, Sandra graduated with summa cum laude from Arizona State University where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a minor in International Relations.

Lauren Graham Sullivan is a Staff Attorney serving the District of Columbia’s immigrant community. Prior to joining KIND, Lauren dedicated her legal career to representing immigrants in a variety of contexts including legal matters before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Immigration Courts, the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA), Consulates/Embassies, and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP). Her practice includes advocacy before the Boston and Miami Immigration Courts as well as complicated affirmative family reunification and naturalization cases before USCIS. In addition to her direct-representation experience with South Coastal Counties Legal Services, Inc., Catholic Charities, South Florida Justice for our Neighbors, and the Fonte Immigration Firm, Lauren was a Project Attorney for the Catholic Legal Immigration Network’s BIA Pro Bono project and National Children’s Project, giving her a unique understanding of the training, resources, and mentorship challenges facing pro bono attorneys representing vulnerable populations. Lauren grew up in Falls Church, Virginia and earned her Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy/World Religions from James Madison University. She completed her Juris Doctorate at Roger Williams University School of Law as a Public Interest Fellow and is licensed to practice law in Massachusetts. She is a proud resident of the District of Columbia with her Coast Guard JAG spouse and her three lovely little ladies.

Reta Arbusto joined KIND as a Staff Attorney in September 2021. Prior to joining KIND, Reta was a Staff Attorney at Legal Services of Central New York for over seven years and launched an Immigrant Rights Project in 2016. Through this casework, she focused on the unique needs of children seeking Special Immigrant Juvenile Status and disabled refugees pursuing naturalization. Reta earned her J.D. from Syracuse University College of Law in 2013. During law school, Reta interned for Human Rights Watch, a Constitutional Lawyer in Uganda, and a local NGO in rural Sierra Leone. As a student attorney in the Community Development Clinic Reta began working with local immigrant communities and was compelled to continue this work after graduation. Reta earned her B.A. from the University of Washington in 2006

Bio coming soon.

Prior to coming to KIND, Rafael was an associate at a private law firm where he represented both unaccompanied immigrant children and adults fleeing persecution in Central America. Rafael grew up in Caracas, Venezuela, where he received his Bachelor of Laws from Monteavila University in 2014. During that year, he was part of the Student Movement in Caracas that protested against the Maduro regime. He came to the United States to pursue an LLM with a concentration in Constitutional Law at William & Mary Law School, from which he graduated with honors, before transferring to and graduating from the JD program, Rafael speaks English and Spanish and is licensed to practice law in New York and the District of Columbia.

Bio coming soon.

Bio coming soon.

Andy Morales supports the Legal Services team at KIND. She graduated summa cum laude from California State University, Fresno with degrees in Political Science and Latin American Studies. Prior to joining KIND, Andy had many experiences working with children including volunteering for Camp Kesem, a nonprofit organization that supports kids through and beyond their parent’s cancer, as well as assistant teaching in Verona, Italy. Andy also held multiple legislative internships in the federal government as well as the local government of Fresno. These opportunities exposed Andy to the work of KIND and led her to pursue a career with this organization. As an immigrant from Juarez, Mexico, she has always shown a passion for immigration reform and advancing the rights of those seeking refuge. Andy held an internship and part-time position in KIND prior to joining full-time as a paralegal for the ORR Emergency Intake Shelter in El Paso in May of 2021. She hopes to pursue both a Law and Masters of Public Policy degree to continue her advocacy.

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.

Coming soon.

Bio coming soon.