OUR TEAM

staff:

The staff at the Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians is culturally diverse and reflective of the communities we serve.

If you are contacting the Welcoming Center, please note that we can serve you better if you email only one staff member. If you are not sure the best person to contact, please email info@welcomingcenter.org.

Peter Gonzales, President & CEO

President & CEO

Peter is the Welcoming Center's president and CEO. An immigration attorney by training, he has a distinguished record of civic and business leadership and advocacy, and a longtime interest in and commitment to community economic development.

Prior to joining the Welcoming Center, Peter was a founding partner of the Gonzales Tiagha law firm. He is an active member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, and a past Pennsylvania State Chair of the International Municipal Lawyers Association. In 2008, he was appointed by Mayor Michael A. Nutter to serve on the Zoning Board of Adjustment in Philadelphia, where he served until 2012.

Previously, Peter also worked in the Solicitor’s Office for the City of Philadelphia, with the nonprofit Project HOME, and with the US Agency for International Development.

Anne O'Callaghan, President Emeritus

President Emeritus

Anne is the president emeritus of the Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians. She founded the Welcoming Center in 2003 and served as its president and CEO for nine years before moving to the emeritus role in April 2012. She has been a prominent advocate for immigrants for over three decades.

Trained as a physical therapist in Ireland, Anne came to the United States in 1970 and worked in the field for 20 years as a practitioner, college-level instructor, and service director. She brought her entrepreneurial skills to the founding and building of a software development company which serves the home health care industry. She is active in the Alliance for the Mentally Ill, the Visiting Nurses Association of Greater Philadelphia, and the Southwest Community Enrichment Center.

Anne received her training and certification at the University of Dublin (Trinity College) School of Medicine and the Oswestry and North Staffordshire School of Physiotherapy.

She is married and is the mother of three children.

Amanda Bergson-Shilcock, Director of Outreach and Program Evaluation

Director of Outreach and Program Evaluation

Amanda is the director of outreach and program evaluation at the Welcoming Center. She coordinates data collection and analysis, enabling the Welcoming Center to use hard evidence to support its decision making. She also handles inquiries from members of the media, researchers, community partners, and others who need clear, factual information about immigration in our region and the Welcoming Center's work.

Amanda previously worked at the OMG Center for Collaborative Learning, where her duties included grants management for the Pew Fund for Health and Human Services in Philadelphia.

She was educated at the University of Pennsylvania, where she studied American Civilization with an emphasis on minority populations. She is a native Pennsylvanian whose roots go back to Wales, Germany, Lithuania, England, and France, among other countries.

Bahiya Cabral-Johnson, Deputy Director

Deputy Director

Bahiya is the deputy director for the Welcoming Center. She oversees the development and implementation of the Welcoming Center's training programs; acts as liaison with fellow stakeholders in the arenas of higher education, workforce development, and economic development; and identifies new partnership opportunities.

Bahiya has more than 20 years of experience in program development, management and evaluation through her work with community-based organizations such as the Community Leadership Institute in Philadelphia, national programs such as Leadership Development in Interethnic Relations, and international organizations such as the American Friends Service Committee.

Bahiya is married and blessed with an extended family that, along with her commitment to social justice, is her passion.

Yana Chernov, Director of Employment Placement

Director of Employment Placement

Yana is the Welcoming Center's director of employment placement. She has more than 15 years of experience helping work-authorized immigrants to find employment that best suits their skills.

Yana was born in Ukraine and came to the United States in 1993. She speaks Russian and Ukrainian. She holds a Master's degree in Education from Kyrgyz State University in Kyrgyzstan.

When speaking about working with immigrants and refugees, she says: "It feels great to be able to help new Americans just like someone once helped me and my family. Everyone who comes here wants the best for their future and the lives of their children. To know that you are helping them achieve that goal feels wonderful. You cannot get tired of doing work like this."

Said Bellam

Said works closely with the Welcoming Center West small business program, including as an instructor for English for Entrepreneurs. He also makes good use of his French and Arabic language skills as an interpreter for the Vocational Literacy program. Said previously worked as a mentor for Project Bridging Cultures. Being new to the country himself, he feels that he can relate to the issues of the immigrants he works with. Said developed his teaching skills in Morocco, his home country, where he taught English to high school students.

Chris Bergan

Case Manager

Chris is a recent graduate of the College of the Holy Cross, where he completed a double major in Spanish and Political Science. As part of his undergraduate experience, he studied abroad in Chile and conducted a year-long senior thesis studying the effects of the 1980 Chilean Constitution on the transition to democracy. At the Welcoming Center, Chris serves as a case manager via a placement through the Jesuit Volunteer Corps. He likes working with immigrants because it gives him a chance to further improve his Spanish and to learn more about other backgrounds and cultures. In his spare time he enjoys running, playing golf, and playing board games.

Kesha Carter

Instructor

Kesha Carter is an instructor for the Vocational Literacy Program. She holds an English degree from Florida State University (FSU). While at FSU, Kesha volunteered as a conversation partner with the Intensive English Studies program, where many of the students she worked with were Asian immigrants. She also studied Spanish for a semester abroad in Panamá City, Panamá. Both of these experiences helped her broaden her cross-cultural understanding.

Kesha taught high school English and reading in Florida. She has one son, who has just graduated from high school and is at a crossroad between college and the U.S. Navy.  Kesha has always enjoyed learning about other cultures. In the future, she plans to continue her education in Spanish and study Linguistics and French. Eventually, she hopes to teach abroad in Europe and Asia.

Rosara Castillo-Beshore

Intake Coordinator

Rosara is the intake coordinator for the Welcoming Center.  She schedules our employment clients and conducts the initial assessment of their education, experience, and skills. She also serves as an interpreter to Spanish-speaking clients.  Additionally, Rosara supports our legal clinics, conducts community outreach events, and serves as the point of contact for our online ESL class database.

Rosara's public relations skills were developed in her home country of Panama, where she received a B.S. in Public Relations and began her career in P.R. and communications before coming to the United States.

As of March 2012, Rosara is on maternity leave. Questions about our employment services may be directed to Intake Coordinator Antoinette Thomas at 215-557-2847.

Karolyn Rancourt Chamberlin

Small Business Development Manager

Karolyn is the small business development manager for the Welcoming Center.

Karolyn has worked in the field of economic development with domestic and international government agencies at the city, state, and regional levels. She provided technical assistance and guidance to a wide variety of businesses, ranging from microenterprises to multinational corporations.

Prior to joining the Welcoming Center, Karolyn managed community development projects in Indonesia for the United Methodist Committee on Relief. She received a B.A. from George Mason University, spending three semesters abroad in France and England. Karolyn earned a Masters in Urban Planning from NYU’s Wagner School of Public Service.

Karolyn speaks French and can converse in Spanish and Indonesian. She loves food, travel, and adventure and has eaten her way through countries in Asia, Latin America, Africa, and Europe.
 

Olga Chernov-Gitin

Employment Specialist

Olga is an Employment Specialist with the Welcoming Center. She came to the US from Ukraine when she was 10 years old. She graduated from Muhlenberg College, where she majored in Psychology and minored in Religion. She has worked in various areas of social work, but enjoys working with new Americans most because she says it is very rewarding to watch people who are courageous enough to start over, and be part of their journey to succeed in this country.  

Olga loves to travel, visiting places most tourists do not get to see, and being immersed in the local culture. She is very proud that her toddler son is the first American born into her family.

Talease Cleveland

Compliance Manager

Talease is the compliance manager for the Welcoming Center. She is part of the vocational literacy team and monitors program progress and participant data.

Talease was born and raised in Los Angeles, California.  She graduated from Dartmouth College with a degree in History.  Her past work experience includes working in the non-profit and television industries. She has provided assistance for programs concerning youth literacy, mentoring and workforce development. She enjoys traveling, writing poetry and painting abstract art.

Grace Croke

Intake Support

Grace has been with the Welcoming Center since its inception. She is on the center's Board of Directors, and serves as its secretary. She is currently a part-time intake support staff and case manager. Grace was born and raised in Philadelphia. She was a nurse for 46 years and has 5 children

Janice Darab

Office Administrator

Janice is the office administrator for the Welcoming Center. She oversees the general operations of the office and is also an assistant to the President and CEO. She was born and raised in Philadelphia. A graduate of Ursinus College, Janice was a computer programmer and systems analyst before retiring from the workforce to raise her twin sons. Janice is an active member of the Spina Bifida Association of the Delaware Valley where she served on the Board of Directors for over 20 years, including eight years as President. She volunteers actively in the non-profit sector, including fundraising, and has recently become a proud grandmother!

Frances Heron

Lead Instructor

Frances is the Welcoming Center's lead instructor. She received her master's degree in TESOL from Temple University in 2006, where she also taught in the Intensive English Language Program and tutored elderly immigrants through Temple’s SHINE Program (Students Helping in the Naturalization of Elders).

Originally from Washington, DC, Frances moved to the Philadelphia area in 1999. While in DC, she lived and raised her family in one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the city and she continues to feel inspired and grateful for the cultural diversity of Philadelphia and her work at the Welcoming Center. Frances also teaches ESL at the Community College of Philadelphia. She hopes to find time, after her beloved and final child leaves for college, to continue studying Spanish, dance more Argentine tango, and work on her photography.

Jesse James

Vocational Literacy Instructor

Jesse James is the instructor for the Vocational Literacy Program. She attended Davidson College in North Carolina where she studied Community Development. She received her TEFL certification in Prague and since then has lived and taught English as a Foreign Language in Taiwan and Thailand.

Originally from Philadelphia, Jesse recently moved back to the area with her new husband, who is from London, England. She has traveled extensively, and enjoys teaching because of the relationships she forms with her students and the day-to-day fun, humor and challenge of being a teacher.

Judy Johnson

Case Manager/Contracts Manager

Judy is the Contracts and Case Manager for the Welcoming Center.   As a case manager, she assists Welcoming Center clients as they navigate the jobseeking process, and helps them access necessary services that will strengthen their employment prospects.  She also assists with oversight and management of grant contracts.

Judy holds a degree in Organizational Leadership from Philadelphia University, and also received a master’s degree from the Chestnut Hill College in Administration of Human Services. In addition to being proficient in nonprofit administration, she has over 20 years of experience in the areas of early child care, parenting education, behavioral modification for teens, and group facilitation.

Judy is blessed to have her mother, daughter and son to keep her motivated and inspired as a mentor and motivator to others.

Chan Mi Jung-Pyles

Instructor

Chan Mi Jung-Pyles is an instructor in the Welcoming Center's Global Works Training Center, teaching English, civics, and GED classes. She is also the facilitator of English for Entrepreneurs for Koreans and provides Korean-English translation and interpretation for the Welcoming Center Opportunity Calls and events.

Chan Mi graduated from Korea University in her hometown, Seoul, with a BA in English Language and Literature and Spanish Language and Literature. In Philadelphia, she earned an M.S.Ed in Intercultural Communication, along with a Teaching English as a Second Language (TESOL) certificate, at the University of Pennsylvania.

Chan Mi completed long-term internships at the Congressional Affairs Section of the Embassy of the Republic Korea in Washington D.C., and the Greater Germantown Business Association in Philadelphia. She loves interacting and connecting with people of different backgrounds.

Timothy Mulcahy

Employment Specialist

Timothy is an Employment Specialist with the Welcoming Center.  He studied at American University, where he received a bachelor's degree in sociology.  He has studied and volunteered in southern Africa.  Tim has also interned for the International Rescue Committee in Silver Spring, MD, where he assisted refugees in their job search.  He enjoys working with immigrants and Philadelphia-area employers to strengthen the local economy and improve the quality of life for new Americans.

Herman Nyamunga

Small Business Development Coordinator

Herman Nyamunga is the small business development coordinator for the Welcoming Center. He provides technical assistance to entrepreneurs and business owners to successfully establish, stabilize, and expand their microenterprises.

Herman is a Licensed Consultant for the Standards for Excellence Program, which advances ethics and accountability standards in nonprofit management nationwide.

Previously, he served as Program Manager for Africa Tobacco Media program and as a Logistics Officer for the International Federation of Red Cross. As a business owner, Herman operated a procurement and supplies company which specialized in government contracts, import and exports.

He has an MBA from Eastern University in St. Davids, Pennsylvania and a Bachelor’s degree in Education from Kenyatta University, Kenya. He likes traveling and has spent time in Hong Kong, China, India, Dominican Republic, Zanzibar, Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya, where he was born.
 

Isabelle Rambo

Public Relations and Communications Manager

Isabelle is the communications and public relations manager for the Welcoming Center.

Isabelle previously worked at a Philadelphia based Welfare-to-Work program.  She started as a career advisor helping clients find employment and then worked in the finance and operations department.

Isabelle was educated at Duke University (BA) and Syracuse University (MA), where she studied International Relations. While in school, she spent a summer interning at the International Organization for Migration in Geneva, Switzerland.

Isabelle grew up in the Philadelphia area and loves to travel. She has spent time in South Korea, Mexico, Costa Rica, Switzerland, Australia and Thailand.

Michelle Cross Smith

Employment Specialist

Michelle has been an employment specialist with the Welcoming Center since 2006. She greatly enjoys working with the diverse immigrant communities of the Philadelphia region, and is happy to see so many talented people coming to the United States. Michelle holds a Bachelor’s degree in History from Temple University, with a focus on Third World Studies.

Originally from Maine, Michelle worked for the non-profit organization H.O.M.E. Inc. in Orland as Assistant Director of the Learning Center and Regional Representative for Emmaus International. Also involved in H.O.M.E.’s organic farm, Michelle has transplanted her gardening skills to her back yard in Delaware County.

As of November 2011, Michelle is on maternity leave. Questions about our employment services may be directed to Director of Employment Placement Yana Chernov at 215-557-2864.

Nora Telles

Instructor


Nora Telles is an instructor at the Welcoming Center.  She graduated from Temple University with a BA in Philosophy and Spanish Language, Literature, and Linguistics.  While at Temple University, Nora worked with Temple’s project SHINE Program (Students Helping in the Naturalization of Elders) where she led an ESL class for Spanish speaking immigrants.

After graduating, Nora worked with the South Philadelphia Literacy Partnership. She taught an ESL class of students from many different backgrounds, though the majority were from Bhutan.

Nora loves the challenge of being a teacher as well as everything she learns from her students.  In addition to continuing to teach, she hopes to return to Spain to continue practicing her Spanish and to remind her of the challenges of learning a new language and culture.

Antoinette (Toni) Thomas

Antoinette (Toni) works with jobseekers in the Employment Department. Previously, she worked as a mentor with the Welcoming Center's Project Bridging Cultures, where she founded a weekly English Conversation club, and joyfully supported students in their educational and social development.

Toni graduated from Ursinus College with a B.A. in Spanish and K-12 instructional certification.  She first began working with underserved students and English Language Learners during her year of national service with City Year Greater Philadelphia.

Toni is newly married and is looking forward to visiting India with her husband, who was born there.

Desirée Welborn Wayne

Associate Director of Programs

Desirée's responsibilities include managing the Welcoming Center's legal activities, including monthly legal clinics; supervising and providing training center support services; and ensuring programmatic and staff compliance with funder requirements.

She holds a degree in History & Diplomacy from Georgetown University and received her law degree from the University of Houston Law Center. She also holds a certificate in non-profit management from the LaSalle University School of Business.

Desirée comes to the Welcoming Center after having provided immigration legal services to the refugee and asylee clients of Lutheran Family Services of Colorado. She has been committed to informing Americans of the desperate poverty in Haiti, most recently as Executive Director of the Lamp For Haiti, Inc. and as the chief prosecutor for the International Tribunal on Haiti.