New Immigrant Community Empowerment (NICE)

Valeria Treves, Executive Director
valeria.nynice@gmail.com

Valeria Treves comes to NICE as an experienced educator and organizer. Throughout her teaching career, she has had the opportunity to work with a wide range of immigrant learners in public K-12 classrooms, in literacy programs, and in colleges and universities. Valeria holds an M.A. in Geography from Hunter College and a B.A. in Development Studies (Third World Political Economy) from UC Berkeley. Always a teacher-activist, Valeria has gained valuable experience in teacher and student organizing first by rallying against high-stakes standardized testing in Oakland, California and latter on as an adjunct organizer for the PSC-CUNY. Valeria was also co-producer of Lengua Suelta, a bilingual radio show on politics and activism in Latin America and in Latino communities in the United States.

Stephanie Bifolco, Social Worker
stephanie.nynice@gmail.com

Stephanie Bifolco has joined NICE's staff as the social worker for the new Immigrant Family Services Program. She brings with her a history of community organizing, with Cabrini Im-migrant Services and Two Bridges Tower Community Services, as well as experience working with the Peace Corps in Peru. She holds a Masters in Social Work from Hunter College School of Social Work, with a major in Community Organizing.

Beatriz A. Gil, Education Coordinator
beatriz.nynice@gmail.com

Beatriz has served children, youth, families and immigrant communities through her advocacy work in various community-based organizations. While at the New York based Vera Institute of Justice, she worked in an ATI (alternative to incarceration) program for court involved youth; coordinated program logistics for federally funded pilot programs for unaccompanied children and adults in immigration proceedings, and engaged sentenced youth on Rikers Island through a reentry program. Prior to Vera, Beatriz was a Public Policy and International Affairs Fellow at a public interest immigration law firm in San Diego, California. She has also worked in HIV/AIDS advocacy surrounding the reauthorization of the Ryan White CARE Act in Washington D.C. Beatriz received her B.A. in Politics and Latin American and Latino Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz.

NICE Teachers, Interns and Volunteer Consultants:

Education and Advocacy:
=> Jared Salcedo, ESOL Teacher and Advocacy
=> Jose Luis Zcatelco, ESOL Teacher and Comite de Trabajadores
=> Saara Nafici, ESOL Teacher and Curriculum Development
=> Jenny Alcaide, ESOL Teacher
=> Silvia Gonzalez, ESOL Teacher
=> Felix Ortiz, Language Exchange Coordinator
=> Cynthia Calvo, Computer Teacher

Fundraising and Office Management:
=> Marco Castillo, Fundraising/Marketing Volunteer Consultant
=> Carlos Rivera, Jones, I.T. Volunteer Cosultant
=> Rebeca Gamez, Fundraising Volunteer Consultant
=> Andrea Donez, Administrative/ Media Intern