OUR Staff

  • Anne Pilsbury founded Central American Legal Assistance in 1986 in response to the Salvadoran Civil War refugee crisis. Before CALA, she was in private practice in the District of Columbia and Maine doing civil litigation, including a major civil rights Bivens action against the FBI and D.C. police "red squad" for the illegal COINTELPRO program- aimed at preventing anti-war protests and black-white unity in D.C. during the 1960s and '70s. She has represented thousands of immigrants over her career as Executive Director.

    Anne graduated with a J.D. from Antioch School of Law; holds an M.A. in Political Science from American University, and a B.A. from Penn State University. She sits on the Board of Directors of Brooklyn Legal Services, Corp. A. She is admitted to the D.C. Bar. She is also currently a member of the Bar of US Courts of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit, 5th Circuit, 9th Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court. She is fluent in Spanish.

  • Heather Axford has been representing asylum applicants at CALA since 2008 and is currently the Director. She practices regularly before the Immigration Court, Board of Immigration Appeals, and Federal Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. She has worked on numerous federal court cases in the Second Circuit advocating the rights of immigrants and asylum seekers, including Garcia-Aranda v. Garland, 53 4th 752 (2d Cir. 2022)(argued)(Reversing Board denial of CAT and clarifying that there is no "rogue officer" exception to CAT protection); Hernandez Chacon v. Barr, 948 F.3d 94 (2d Cir. 2020)(argued)(Recognizing that resistance to gang dominance and patriarchal social norms may be a basis for political asylum); Cotzojay v. Holder, 725 F.3d 172 (2d Cir. 2013)(argued) and Pretzantzin v. Holder, 725 F.3d 161 (2d Cir. 2013)(on brief)(Warrantless home raid by ICE was egregious 4th amendment violation, requiring suppression of evidence and termination of proceedings); Castro v. Holder, 597 F.3d 93 (2d Cir. 2010)(on brief)(Guatemalan police officer who denounced police corruption to a human rights organization eligible for political asylum). She is an Adjunct Professor of Refugee & Asylum Law at New York Law School. She is a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law and Vassar College.

  • Brian has worked at CALA since 1996. First as a paralegal and then as an Accredited Representative. He has been accredited by the BIA to represent in Immigration Court and before the Service since 2000. Before CALA, he was a Peace Corps volunteer in Zaire (now Congo) and taught high school social studies for four years. Brian holds a B.A. in English from SUNY New Paltz and an M.A. in Secondary Education from Adelphi University. He is fluent in Spanish.

  • Carlos has greeted all who enter our doors since June 2000 as CALA's front desk receptionist and intake coordinator. Originally from El Salvador, Carlos lived there during the Civil War and came to the US after the Peace Accords in 1992. He became a US citizen in 2001. He is the father of two kids. He is fluent in Spanish.

  • Ryan has represented asylum seekers in removal proceedings since 2017. Before joining CALA, Ryan worked as an Immigrant Justice Fellow for RAICES where he represented detained families and adults. Ryan received a Juris Doctor from George Mason University. He is fluent in Spanish.

  • Ana is a proud child of immigrants, born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. Her experience as a child of immigrants has driven and inspired her to advocate for the immigrant community.

    Ana attended CUNY’s John Jay College of Criminal Justice where she obtained a B.A. in Political Science, with a concentration in American and Urban Politics and Policy. Ana has previous experience in other legal settings like the Brooklyn District Attorney’s office and NYS Assembly District Office.

    Ana first joined CALA as a volunteer in 2018 and eventually became a paralegal for CALA. Ana is now CALA’s DACA Program Manager and a DOJ Accredited representative. She is fluent in Spanish.

  • Cassie has represented asylum seekers since 2017. She previously worked as an Immigrant Justice Fellow at Human Rights First and a Staff Attorney at New York Legal Assistance Group. Cassie received a Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center. She is fluent in Spanish.

  • After working at international law firms and interning at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Ecuador, Miwako joined CALA in 2005 to represent immigrants seeking asylum in the U.S. She is a graduate of Sophia University in Tokyo and earned her L.L.M. at Georgetown University Law Center. A native of Japan who lived on multiple continents, she speaks 5 languages including Spanish.

  • Carol comes to CALA after, most recently, working on the New York City Health & Hospitals’ Covid-19 Test and Trace campaigns--working in the neighborhoods and managing the logistics throughout the boroughs for the campaign’s efforts to get New Yorkers vaccinated.

    With advanced studies in Latin American development economics, travels to Mexico and Venezuela, and family ties to Ecuador and Bolivia, she has always had a strong interest in and love for the Latin and Central American communities. Carol holds her BBA in Economics with cum laude distinctions from Baruch College, City University of New York, is a board member of the New York Association for Business Economics, and a former fellow of The Center for the Study of the Presidency.

  • Edwar graduated from Bard College with a Bachelor of Arts in human rights with a multidisciplinary focus in anthropology. He holds a certificate of global and international affairs from the Bard Globalization and International Affairs Program. After graduation, Edwar worked at the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, where he helped to promote and support domestic and international economic development for Hispanic businesses and individuals.

    In 2021, Aviles-Mercedes ran for City Council of his hometown in Lawrenceville, GA. He was the youngest, and first Hispanic, candidate to run for City Council in Lawrenceville. He is invested in voting rights and has worked with many grassroots organizations throughout his career to raise civic engagement.

  • Linda is a paralegal, returning after previously working at CALA in the 1990s. She has served as an international accompanier with returned refugees in Guatemala. Linda is a graduate of Duke University and City College, CUNY.

  • Luis Cruz Villarruel is the Pro Se Plus Project ‘PSPP’ Paralegal at CALA. Luis graduated from CUNY Hunter College with a B.A in Sociology with an emphasis on Race and Ethnic Studies and minored in Psychology. Their time working with Nuestros Niños Child Development Center and Mixteca pushed their strong passion for community outreach, immigrant, and indigenous peoples advocacy. They are fluent in Spanish.

  • Before joining CALA, Lucy was defending tenants facing eviction in Brooklyn Housing Court. She received a Juris Doctorate from Emory Law School in 2021, and as a student there she helped launch Emory’s first Immigration Clinic. She is fluent in Spanish.

  • Julia joins CALA as an Immigrant Justice Corps Fellow after graduating from the University of Connecticut School of Law. During law school, Julia participated in the Asylum and Human Rights Clinic where she helped represent clients in asylum proceedings. Julia’s commitment to immigrant justice is inspired by her parents, who courageously navigated the complex immigration system. Julia’s experience includes serving as a Case Manager at the Hudson Valley Community Coalition, interning at the Mexican Consulate, and volunteering at her local Plaza Comunitaria providing legal services for low-income immigrants. Julia is enthusiastic about fulfilling the vision of universal representation and empowering clients. She is fluent in Spanish.

  • Rebecca Press is a distinguished immigration attorney recognized for her legal expertise and unwavering commitment to supporting community-centered advocacy efforts. With two decades of experience, she has represented hundreds of clients in various immigration matters before the Immigration Courts and Board of Immigration Appeals. She has a robust practice before the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. In October 2023, she rejoined CALA's team as Senior Counsel, where she was previously a staff attorney and supervising attorney. Rebecca played an instrumental role in the creation and implementation of two ground-breaking programs expanding immigrants’ access to legal representation in New York State. The Rapid Response Legal Collaborative, launched in the Fall of 2019 and a first of its kind initiative, responds to the legal needs of people already ordered removed and at imminent risk of detention and/or removal. The Pro Se Plus Project, launched in January 2023, responds to the legal needs of the thousands of recently arrived migrants to New York. Both projects prioritize expanded access to legal representation and supporting communities through education. In May 2023, Rebecca was awarded an inaugural Nonprofit Trailblazers Award by the New York Nonprofit Media in recognition of her cutting edge representation of New York’s undocumented communities. A graduate of Oberlin College, Rebecca received her JD from New York University’s School of Law.

  • Before joining CALA, Andréa was an Immigrant Justice Corps fellow at Lutheran Social Services of New York. During her fellowship, she represented immigrants applying for asylum and other humanitarian forms of relief, principally from West Africa, the Caribbean, and Latin America. She received her Juris Doctor from the University of Connecticut School of Law. She is fluent in Spanish.

  • Livia Santoro joined CALA in 2024 as a Senior Staff Attorney. Before joining CALA, she served as Senior Staff Attorney at Safe Passage Project, representing unaccompanied immigrant children, and as Supervising Attorney of the Detained Minors Project at The Door in New York. She previously practiced immigration law in San Francisco and spent several years in Rome representing asylum seekers and migrants. She also provided legal assistance to asylum seekers at the Moria Refugee Camp in Lesvos, Greece. Livia holds a J.D. equivalent from Università degli Studi Roma Tre and an LL.M. from the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco. She is a member of the New York State Bar.

  • After a summer internship at CALA, Clara returns as a IJC Community Fellow. A graduate of Bowdoin College, she completed an honors thesis on policy making, decision making, and advocacy within the U.S. asylum system. Clara is excited to promote immigration justice and increase representation in immigration court through her work at CALA. She is fluent in Spanish.

  • Michelle Martínez serves as CALA’s Legal Director, a role she returned to in October 2025 after serving as an Immigration Judge at the 290 Broadway Immigration Court in New York City for two years. Michelle has a long history with CALA, having joined the team originally in 2017 as an Immigrant Justice Corps Fellow and later serving as a Supervising Staff Attorney and its Legal Director. 

    Her career is defined by a deep commitment to immigration law, including past roles as an Attorney Advisor at the Federal Plaza Immigration Court and a Staff Attorney at the Boston University Immigrants’ Rights Clinic. Michelle earned her Juris Doctor from Boston University School of Law. She is a member of the New York State Bar and is fluent in Spanish and proficient in French.

  • Sarya joins CALA as an Equal Justice Works Fellow after graduating with a Juris Doctor from Fordham University School of Law. During law school, she regularly volunteered with CALA through the Pro Se Plus Project. She interned at Safe Passage Project, Legal Services NYC, Fordham Law’s Criminal Defense Clinic, and the American Friends Service Committee’s Detention and Deportation Defense Initiative. She was also active in the Immigration Advocacy Project and travelled to El Paso, TX for a service trip with the Feerick Center for Social Justice. Prior to law school, she worked for three years as a paralegal at an immigration law firm in Boston after graduating from Boston College. Through all these experiences, she has been fortunate to work with a wide array of immigrant populations. She is the child of Lebanese immigrants and was raised in three different countries—her life experiences have made her passionate about advocating for immigrants through her law career.

  • Miles graduated from Bowdoin College with a Bachelor of Arts in Hispanic studies and English literature. After working as a writer and editorial intern for several publications in Maine and New York, Miles joined CALA in 2026. He is excited to help intake new clients, welcome visitors to the office, and advocate for NYC’s immigrant community. He is fluent in Spanish.

  • Oscar enjoys greeting clients, inspecting files, and prowling the office as our security guard.

OUR Board

  • Lisa Reiner is the Associate Director of the Community Legal Resource Network at CUNY Law School. She holds a J.D. from CUNY law and a B.A. from Reed College. A former CALA staff attorney, she has served on CALA’S board since 2006.

  • Harry Shulman is an attorney and former commodity trader born and raised in New York City. His law practice consists of helping pro bono immigrant children navigate their cases through immigration court. He currently serves as the President of the Board of the Brooklyn Kindergarten Society. He also serves on the CME Business Conduct Committee, hearing disciplinary actions brought by the exchange. He came to CALA through it’s annual Brooklyn Half Marathon fundraiser. He has two almost almost adult children, and can’t really believe it, three big dogs, and lives in Brooklyn.

  • Anne Isaak is the owner of Elio's restaurant in Manhattan. Ms. Isaak was a former sous-chef at Chez Panisse. She has served on the Board since 2008.

  • Mr. Rosa is a Special Education teacher in Brooklyn. He has served as a member of the Board since 2001.

  • Mr. Ramos works for the YMCA in their Finances Department. He has served on the Board since 2008.

  • Christina is an associate at Sidley Austin LLP. Christina has experience litigating complex commercial matters in federal and state court as well as international arbitration disputes under the aegis of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). Prior to joining Sidley, Christina clerked for the Honorable Karen Nelson Moore of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Christina received her J.D. in 2010 from New York University School of Law, magna cum laude and Order of the Coif, where she was a notes editor for the New York University Law Review and both a Pomeroy and Allen scholar. Christina received her B.A. in 2007 from Georgetown University, magna cum laude.

  • Elizabeth (Betsy) Plum is the Director of Special Projects at the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC), an umbrella immigration policy and advocacy organization with nearly 200 member organizations across New York State. At the NYIC, Betsy oversees several initiatives and campaigns to empower and integrate immigrant communities. Included in this work is Betsy's leadership on the “This is Our New York” campaign in response to the 2016 presidential election, adult education and workforce development policy, and the NYIC's Key to the City Initiative. Prior to joining the NYIC, Betsy was a staff member of CALA. She is a graduate of Bard College and the London School of Economics and Political Science.

  • Jeffrey S. Chase is an immigration lawyer in New York City. Jeffrey is a former Immigration Judge and Senior Legal Advisor at the Board of Immigration Appeals. He is the founder of the Round Table of Former Immigration Judges, which was awarded AILA’s 2019 Advocacy Award. Jeffrey is also a past recipient of AILA’s Pro Bono Award. He also sits on the Board of Directors of the Association of Deportation Defense Attorneys.

  • Kristi Dalling is an immigration attorney and founder of Dalling Immigration Law PLLC. Kristi represents individuals and families in removal proceedings before the Immigration Court and the Board of Immigration Appeals, as well as others seeking to apply for immigration status in the U.S., with a focus on asylum, family-based immigration, and humanitarian relief. Prior to starting the firm in 2022, she worked as a Senior Attorney at Catholic Charities Community Services in New York City and a clinical instructor in the Refugee and Immigrant Rights Litigation Clinic at St. John's University School of Law. Kristi is fluent in Spanish and represents many clients from Central and South America. She received her J.D. from Columbia Law School, where she was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar and Managing Editor of the Journal of Transnational Law, and her B.A. from Harvard College, magna cum laude.

IN MEMORY OF BECKY MCBRIDE

1/1/1985 - 4/9/2020

Becky, siempre presente!