Ande Banks

Ande Banks was named Harrisonburg City Manager on October 25, 2022. Prior to his appointment, Banks served as Deputy City Manager from 2017 to 2022, Assistant to the City Manager from 2016 to 2017, and as the City's Director of Special Projects and Grants Management from 2009 to 2016. Prior to that, he was district representative to a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 2001 to 2009. Banks is one of the founding members of the Welcoming Harrisonburg Council in 2016. Banks attended the Senior Executive Institute at the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service in 2019, completed his Master’s in Public Administration from JMU in 2017, achieved a Certificate in Local Government Management from Virginia Tech in 2013, and earned a Bachelor of Science in History from Eastern Mennonite University in 1997. He is a member of the International City/County Management Association, the Virginia Local Government Management Association, and the American Society for Public Administration.

Amy Snider

Amy Snider was appointed Deputy City Manager in November 2023. Prior to her appointment, Snider served the City of Harrisonburg as the Assistant to the City Manager since January 2019. Snider serves as the City’s representative on the Welcoming Harrisonburg Council. Prior to joining the City, Snider served as a policy analyst for the DeKalb County, Georgia, Board of Commissioners, and was an International City/County Management Association (ICMA) Local Government Management Fellow with the City of Smyrna, Georgia. Amy holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Political Science and a Master of Public Administration degree from Syracuse University. She is a member of the International City/County Management Association and the Virginia Local Government Management Association.

Diya Abdo

Dr. Diya Abdo is the Lincoln Financial Professor of English in the Department of English and Creative Writing at Guilford College. A second-generation Palestinian refugee born and raised in Jordan, Dr. Abdo’s teaching, research, and scholarship focus on Arab women writers and Arab and Islamic feminisms as well as refugee and immigrant issues. She has also published poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Her book AMERICAN REFUGE: True Stories of the Refugee Experience was published by Steerforth Press in 2022 and selected by the North Carolina Humanities as a North Carolina Reads Book for its 2024 Book Club Program. In 2015, Dr. Abdo founded Every Campus A Refuge (ECAR), which advocates for housing refugee families on college and university campus grounds and supporting them in their resettlement. The flagship chapter at Guilford College, now one of several ECAR campuses, has hosted 90 refugees thus far, including 16 Afghan evacuees. Dr. Abdo designed the minor Forced Migration and Resettlement Studies at Guilford College where students learn about refugee issues and receive credit for hosting refugees on Guilford’s campus and supporting them in their resettlement. Dr. Abdo is the recipient of the J.M. Kaplan Fund’s Innovation Prize (2021), Campus Compact’s Thomas Ehrlich Civically Engaged Faculty Award (2019), Gulf South Summit’s Outstanding Service-Learning Collaboration in Higher Education Award (2017), and The Washington Center’s Civic Engagement in Higher Education Award (2017). In 2018, she was named a finalist in the Arab Hope Makers Award. She has been making presentations about ECAR far and wide, including the White House and the United Nations Headquarters in New York. Dr. Abdo sits on the Advisory Board of the Community Sponsorship Hub. She lives in Greensboro, N.C., with her partner and two daughters. To learn more, visit the ECAR website or watch Dr. Abdo’s TEDxtalk.

Francie Osando

My name is Francie Osando, and I am a single mother of six. Twenty-four years ago I fled to the United States as a refugee from Republic Democratic of Congo and since then I have worked as a nursing assistant for 18 years. I graduated from Blue Ridge Community College in 2019 Major in Human Service Imply Science,co-founded the International Women's Day March of Harrisonburg.

David Nyringabo

Born and raised in the Democratic Republic of Congo, David migrated to Harrisonburg, Virginia about 6 years ago. David holds a Master of Arts in Conflict Transformation from  Eastern Mennonite University where he also received his STAR certification. As a certified STAR trainer and practitioner, David brings a diverse range of experience from East and Central Africa, Oceania and North America. 

David has worked with multiple humanitarian organizations and has been exposed to diverse cultures and worldviews. His journey has provided him with meaningful insights around Trauma Awareness and Resilience. 

Coming of age in a war zone has inspired him to learn and apply best practices for Trauma Awareness and Resilience. His personal story is nothing short of a testimony that these theories actually work.

Yathrip Abdelgadir

Yathrip Abdelgadir is a Refugee Community Organizer with Church World Service (CWS) and comes from a background rooted in refugee resettlement and services for over three years and believes in fostering community engagement and support for displaced populations. Yathrip holds a Bachelor's degree in Political Science and Religious Studies, and along with a Master's degree in Sociology which has given her a deeper understanding of the socio-political landscape that shapes the lives of displaced individuals. Yathrip’s role as a Refugee Community Organizer involves building relationships and equipping refugees and immigrants with the leadership and civic engagement skills necessary to advocate for local, state, and federal policies that promote welcome.

Valeria Vizcaino

Valeria Vizcaino works with Church World Service as a Refugee Community organizer based in Durham, NC. She works alongside immigrants and refugees to empower and equip their leadership. Her work mainly focuses on ensuring that they have the necessary tools to advocate around issues that impact their communities. Through ongoing collaboration with refugees and immigrant leaders, her team holds training community meetings, and partakes in different civic engagement activities. As a first-generation immigrant from Colombia, she is deeply passionate about change that focuses on dismantling the harmful systems that prevent immigrants’ refugees, and other disenfranchised groups from thriving in our society.

Rodrigue Makelele

Rodrigue Makelele is the Virginia Community Organizer at Church World Service and the state Lead for the Refugee Advocacy. Collaborating seamlessly with the policy and advocacy team, Rodrigue ardently develops and executes strategies to champion the refugee resettlement program with Virginia policymakers. In his role, he passionately empowers immigrant and refugee leaders through comprehensive training programs spanning leadership, community organizing, civic engagement, storytelling, and campaign strategy building. Rodrigue excels in forging meaningful relationships between policymakers and diverse community members, including refugees, employers of refugees, allies, supporters, and faith communities. He brings vibrancy and effectiveness to the advocacy efforts. With a master's in Conflict Transformation and a B.S. in Information Technology, Rodrigue's distinctive blend of skills significantly contributes to his impactful advocacy for and unwavering support of refugee communities.

Adamou Mohamed

Adamou Mohamed is the Director of Community Organizing with the Immigration and Refugee Program at Church World Service. Adamou leads a team of Refugee Community Organizers in eight states, engaging diverse refugee and immigrant leadership teams in leadership development, community organizing, campaign development and civic participation. He coordinates refugee and immigrant advocacy efforts in key states lifting refugee voices, stories, and promoting the welcome of refugees and immigrants. He is also an executive member of the Refugee and Immigrant Leadership Table with We Are All America. As a previously undocumented immigrant, Adamou previously worked as the Detention and Deportation Pipeline Interruption Fellow at the American Friends Service Committee of the Carolinas. Adamou is based in North Carolina and holds an MA in International Studies from NC State University, Raleigh, NC.

Deanna Reed

Mayor of the City of Harrisonburg

Mayor Deanna (Dee-na) Reed was sworn into office for Harrisonburg City Council on January 3, 2017, and then selected by her fellow council members as mayor. Becoming mayor (of her hometown) in Harrisonburg made her the first African American female mayor in Harrisonburg’s history.

Mayor Reed currently serves as the Regional Advancement Director for Eastern Mennonite University. Beyond her leadership and achievements, Mayor Reed is a 2021 graduate of the White-Riley-Peterson Policy Fellowship of Furman University. In addition, she has a Bachelor of Education degree and a graduate certificate in Urban Education from Liberty University. She has been a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated for 37 years. She serves as the primary advisor for the Iota Alpha Chapter of James Madison University and is currently serving as Vice President of the Charlottesville Alumnae Chapter and is the Staff-Parish Relations Committee Chair for John Wesley United Methodist Church.

Recently, Mayor Reed received the 2022 Citizen of the Year Award from The XI IOTA Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Incorporated. In addition, she was recognized by the Virginia Library of Congress as one of the Strong Men and Strong Women of Virginia History. And Mayor Reed was featured in Essence Magazine on the top 100 WOKE list.

Mayor Reed continues to hold numerous offices within several communities. She serves as the Chair of the Virginia Municipal League Legislative Committee and the Virginia Transit Association Vice President. She serves on the Advisory Board for Civic Engagement for James Madison University. The Social Services Advisory Board and the Parks and Recreation Commission for Harrisonburg. She is an honorary member of the American Association of University Women (AAUW).

Mayor Reed remains passionate about enriching the lives of youth in her community.

Edith Kasongo Monga

I am Edith Kasongo Monga, I am from the democratic Republic of Congo. I immigrated to the United state of America in 2016 as a permanent Resident. I am a wife and mother of 4 kids Highly skilled and motivated business practitioner and developer; with more than eleven years of experience working with state and non-state institutions, non-governmental organizations, business entities and entrepreneurs. Fluent in English, French, Lingala and Swahili

Hagar Ahmed

Hagar Ahmed is a refugee from Darfur, Sudan and a wife and mother of four children. She is the Founder and President of the Sudanese Community in Harrisonburg, VA since 2017 when she organized 13 families and 45 single people into an association. She is an active volunteer for several local organizations that supports refugees including Bridges, Many Voices of Harrisonburg and Welcoming Harrisonburg Council, and the Harrisonburg International Women’s Day March. She is regularly invited to speak on behalf of Sudanese and other refugees for churches, community groups, and university classes. Hagar assists Church World Service Refugee Resettlement in providing direct service and interpreting for Arabic speaking refugees including driver training, newcomer orientation, and any resettlement needs families encounter. She also teaches host country nationals (Americans) how to interact and assist refugees in their community in the “Linking Communities” program. She is employed as a medical interpreter.

Monique M. Tshibola

Monique M. Tshibola As an enthusiastic advocate and organizational leader, I bring a wealth of experience to the upcoming Leadership Summit, where I am honored to speak as the Planning Committee Leader for the International Women's Day in Harrisonburg. My academic background includes a BS in Organizational Leadership and a minor in Business Administration from Eastern Mennonite University. In my roles as a Refugee Social Services Case Worker and Education Outreach Specialist at Church World Services and later as a School Liaison, I have consistently facilitated positive change and academic success. Fluent in French, Lingala, English, and Tshiluba, I possess leadership, community organizing, and public speaking skills. I look forward to sharing insights and experiences that align with the values of the International Women's Day celebration in Harrisonburg, contributing to meaningful discussions at the Leadership Summit.

I hosted two lively sessions at a local church, chatting with over 50 people about childcare and door-to-door transit. It was a blast! I've also had the mic at Valley Interfaith Action, not once, but twice, sharing thoughts on important stuff. And oh, I even got to be a speaker for International Women's Day right here in Harrisonburg. Those moments taught me a lot, got me pumped up, and now I'm all set to bring that energy to the summit. Can't wait!

Monica Robinson

From an early age, Monica Robinson noticed the ways her grandfather fought for the rights of African Americans in the Harrisonburg community. Watching him work at improving the lives of those around him was the beginning of a life dedicated to social justice and being involved in organizations in the local community. Monica believes that “Change comes by you being a part of the change-making machine. You can’t really argue that you’ve been out of the loop if you never even walked near the loop, so you become an effective agent of change by putting yourself in the position to be of help.”

After years of teaching in the public and private education sector, Robinson put away her lesson book to become the Executive Director of the Shenandoah Valley Black Heritage Project. Her work focuses on giving African Americans in the Shenandoah Valley a voice and space so they can narrate their rich history firsthand. Robinson's research of the rich and dynamic history of historically marginalized communities, allows her to use her platform to address the intersectionality of race, class, and other forms of discrimination in those communities.

Robinson is currently a City Council member for the City of Harrisonburg.

Cindy Hunter

I am faculty emeritus for JMU Social Work Department and have been on the International Women’s Day committee since the beginning. We are now in our 8th year! I am a mother, a sister and a wife. Having lived and worked in Mauritania and El Salvador, my passion has always been in accompanying newcomers as I was welcomed into new places. I currently have the opportunity to engage in that work at NewBridges Immigrant Resource Center in downtown Harrisonburg.

Ariana Correa

I was born and raised in Harrisonburg, VA. I am a 2017 JMU Social Work alum and first-generation Latina. I worked a total of 5 years at JMU for the Shenandoah Valley Migrant Education Program and the Valley Scholars Program. I recently joined the United Methodist Family Services (UMFS) organization as a Home Study and Post Release Case Manager for unaccompanied youth under the Caminos Program. I am one of the newest members of the International Women’s Day team.

Katie Cohen

Katie Cohen is the lead organizer for Valley Interfaith Action, a broad-based, multi-issue citizens power organization in Rockingham County and Harrisonburg. Growing up in West Virginia fostered Katie's deep belief that local people, committed to their own community, can and should be co-creators of their future. After 15 years in New York and New England, first as an opera singer then as an organizer, Katie was excited to return to the mountains. The most exciting part of this work for Katie is the relationships formed between talented leaders across political, race, faith, and income divides getting into action together and the development of new leaders.  She believes that locally-led, relational organizing can be an antidote to the deep polarization and hopelessness of this moment. And, there is no better place than the Valley to demonstrate that meaningful change is possible when people with different beliefs gather, engage, debate, and focus on a common challenge.

Nadina Pupic

Nadina Pupic has been with the United Way of Harrisonburg & Rockingham County for the last three years in various roles. Prior to that, she worked at United Way of Staunton, Augusta & Waynesboro as the Director of Community Impact where she oversaw the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program. When Nadina was 11 years old, her family moved to the United States as refugees from Bosnia and Hercegovina. They did not speak the language and in those early years, Nadina watched her parents navigate a new world of finances, among many other life changes. They were not familiar with checking and savings accounts or what a credit score was. Nadina reflects on that period as a time that shaped her desire for community work and inspired her to help others navigate the resources our community has to offer.

Liz Webb

Liz Webb has been the Housing Coordinator for the City of Harrisonburg since 2022. Originating this role, Liz is tasked with helping the city achieve its vision of Available Housing For All. From 2016 to 2022, Liz was the Housing Choice Voucher Program Manager at the Harrisonburg Redevelopment & Housing Authority. Prior to that, she worked in JMU’s Office of Sponsored Programs. Liz has also previously served as a compliance director for Community Management Corporation; a portfolio manager for the South Carolina Housing Finance and Development Authority; a program analyst for the Los Angeles County Housing Authority; and a research assistant for ICF Consulting. Liz holds a Bachelor’s degree from Smith College.

Crimson Solano

Sam Rasoul

Delegate Sam Rasoul has served in the General Assembly representing Roanoke since 2014. He is the child of immigrants and grew up in his parents' corner store in Roanoke, where he would stand on a milk crate and ring up customers starting at the age of 5. After working two jobs in high school and college to make his way, he graduated with a degree in Business Administration from Roanoke College and a Master’s in Business Administration from The University of Hawaii, and began a career in non-profit health care management and as a small business owner. He lives in his hometown, Roanoke, with his spouse, Layaly, and their three children.

Myra Dahgaypaw

Myra Dahgaypaw is the Refugee Congress Delegate for Virginia. She is a Karen human rights activist from Karen State, Eastern Burma. She was an Internally Displaced Person for nearly 12 years and a refugee for 17 years until she fled to the United States. She lost many of the people she knew, including but not limited to her own immediate family members, close relatives and close friends due to oppressive torture and killing by the Burmese SPDC (State Peace and Development Council) troops. Myra became an active community organizer and human rights advocate when she was thirteen years old. Over the past decade, she has been engaged with various human rights issues in Burma as well as serving Karen refugees in the U.S. She is director of the U.S. Campaign for Burma, an organization dedicated to empowering grassroots activists in the Burmese diaspora across the U.S. to rally for human rights, amply the voices of the impacted community and bring an end to the military dictatorship in Burma. She is also a founder of the Karen American Organization (KAO), now known as the Karen Organization of America, an organization dedicated to working, educating and empowering Karen communities across the U.S. through meetings, conferences, leadership training, networking, community-building and advocacy. Prior to this, she served as a Board Member for the Karen American Communities Foundation, an organization that helps the Karen refugees from Burma who have survived the trauma of resettlement from a jungle war zone to an extremely dissimilar urban culture in the U.S. Myra has been part of SEARAC’s organizational development technical assistance program since 2012. SEARAC has assisted her with strengthening board structure, building program design and creating an online forum to engage Karen youth to pursue higher education.

Smita Sarkar

Smita Sarkar was born and raised in urban India, but studied and worked in Singapore, Hong Kong, Istanbul and London before making Greensboro her home. With a Masters in International Relations and a major in journalism, Smita has worked with leading news agencies, not-for-profits and the immigrant and refugee communities from across the world. Smita’s parents were refugees, and she grew up to be humble, intensely conscious of the struggles of displacement. As an individual whose national origin is outside of the US, she is one of the elected leaders, and holds the position of Vice Chair at the International Advisory Committee, under the Greensboro Human Rights. She is one of the core leaders of the Integrated Working Group, and a research fellow focusing on Community Engagement with the Center for New North Carolinians at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro. Smita juggles two jobs. She is the first Community Outreach Specialist of the Greensboro Police department, a position created to build bridges between the foreign-born communities and the police officers. She is also the Outreach Director of the New Arrivals Institute, where she is developing hubs across rural areas in North Carolina to impart services to refugee and immigrant communities. Community engagement, and the willingness to serve is what her soul thrives on. In her spare time, she picks up new dance forms, tries out new recipes and packs up her backpack with five essential items to travel.

Adamou Mohamed

Adamou Mohamed is the Director of Community Organizing with the Immigration and Refugee Program at Church World Service. Adamou leads a team of Refugee Community Organizers in eight states, engaging diverse refugee and immigrant leadership teams in leadership development, community organizing, campaign development and civic participation. He coordinates refugee and immigrant advocacy efforts in key states lifting refugee voices, stories, and promoting the welcome of refugees and immigrants. He is also an executive member of the Refugee and Immigrant Leadership Table with We Are All America. As a previously undocumented immigrant, Adamou previously worked as the Detention and Deportation Pipeline Interruption Fellow at the American Friends Service Committee of the Carolinas. Adamou is based in North Carolina and holds an MA in International Studies from NC State University, Raleigh, NC.

Sabrina Abdulla

Sabrina Abdulla is a 19 year-old Sudanese first year at the University of Virginia majoring in Neuroscience on the Pre-medical track. She began her advocacy career in the 6th grade when she spoke at the International Women's Day Parade in Harrisonburg and since then has been an advocate for many groups in the area including the Islamic Association of Shenandoah Valley, and the Harrisonburg Sudanese Community. Currently, she is a part of Virginia Immigrant Voices where she lobbies for various bills to be passed at the Virginia House of Delegates and advocates at Congress with the organization, "National Refugee Congress". She was the recipient of the 2022 National Refugee Congress Youth Award and hopes to continue her work by improving all immigrant and refugee communities.