Ana Cruz
acruz@cwsglobal.org
Ana oversees programs that offer direct support to clients for both the Harrisonburg and Winchester offices. She provides supervision to case managers while working to develop mental health services for clients. Ana is a graduate of Eastern Mennonite University and holds an MA in Clinical Mental Health.
Annie Regina
aregina@cwsglobal.org
Annie assists refugees and those seeking asylum throughout the entire immigration procedure while working as a paralegal for the immigration service. Annie graduated from Cincinnati State Technical & Community College with an Associate of Applied Business Degree (A.A.B) (Paralegal Studies) and from Purdue Global University with a BS in Legal Studies. She enjoys reading, traveling, cooking, listening to music, and being outside in nature.
Cari Brown
cabrown@cwsglobal.org
Cari works as an Employment Specialist at the Winchester office. She comes with ten years of previous work experience working as a local hire for FEMA, as a Human Service Specialist, where she interacted with disaster survivors and helped enroll individuals in disaster programs, provided resources of local, national and Federal Agencies to help in their recovery efforts. She also assisted in the FEMA Covid-19 Pandemic Funeral Assistance program that began in 2021 under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Cari has lived in the Winchester area for twenty years where she has continued to watch the growth while enjoying the interaction with local employers and organizations that help assist our clients obtain their first employment in the U.S. She is always eager to make a difference in the lives of other people. She enjoys spending time with her family, playing with her grandkids, gardening, playing the ukulele, making memories, and planning new adventures.
Emily Bender
ebender@cwsglobal.org
Emily oversees the CWS Virginia development department, coordinates community support for refugees, organizes fundraising initiatives, and responds to local media requests. She has an MA in International Migration from the University of Kent Brussels School of International Studies. Prior to moving to Harrisonburg, she worked with Mennonite Central Committee in Papua, Indonesia and UNHCR in Washington DC. She enjoys weaving, biking, and spending time with her family.
Hena Wardak
hwardak@cwsglobal.org
Hena works as a PC Case Manager to facilitate refugee self-sufficiency, support service providers, provide resources, and support resettlement communities. She received her bachelor's degree in law and political science at Tabish University in Kabul Afghanistan and is pursuing Medical School in the fall. She loves working in the humanitarian Field, spending time with kids, learning new languages, and writing a book.
Jenny Chacon
jchacon@cwsglobal.org
Jenny is originally from vibrant Colombia, and is fluent in Spanish thanks to her upbringing. Her American adventure began in 2018 with a cultural exchange program. For two unforgettable years, she soaked up the charm of Maryland before making the leap to Virginia. Now, she is rocking it as a proud mom and part of the awesome CWS crew in Winchester. As the cheerful face at reception, she is here to welcome you with a smile and make sure you're pointed in the right direction. Need a hand with office stuff? She's got you covered – whether it's copying, scanning, sorting mail, or juggling appointments, count on Jenny to keep things running smoothly!
Kyle Hayes
khayes@cwsglobal.org
Kyle joined the Winchester CWS staff in May of 2022. He has worked with a variety of nonprofits, education, and church organizations in various capacities - directing volunteers, training, fundraising, teaching, programmatic roles, curriculum design, outreach, etc. He loves people and their stories. His education includes a Bachelor of Science in Sociology concentrating in “Family Studies and Social Service” and “Race and Ethnic Relations” from Reinhardt College (’05) and a Master of Divinity from Luther Seminary (’09). He currently resides in Front Royal, VA. He is married with seven children and spends his time outside of work helping at his church, working on home renovation projects, volunteering with his sons’ Boy Scout Troop, and taking care of his chickens, rabbits, cats, and fish.
Lucia Canizares
lcanizares@cwsglobal.org
Lucia is the Immigration Program Coordinator for both the Harrisonburg and Winchester offices. She assists clients with applications for legal services such as asylum, citizenship, green card applications, and family reunifications. She is accredited by the Department of Justice to practice immigration law. She speaks Spanish and French.
Rodrigue Makelele
rmakelele@cwsglobal.org
Rodrigue works with the CWS policy and advocacy team to develop and implement strategies to increase support for refugee resettlement with policymakers in the state of Virginia. He also supports building refugees’ civic engagement efforts in the State of Virginia through capacity building and trainings. He holds a Master’s degree in Conflict Transformation from Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, VA, and a B.S. in Information Technology from Institut Superieur d’Informatique et de Gestion in Goma, DRC. He speaks several languages including French, Swahili, and Lingala.
Sabrin Wshah
swshah@cwsglobal.org
Sabrin is the Accounting Assistant at the Winchester office. She was born and raised in North Carolina. She graduated from East Carolina University where she studied Criminal Justice and Accounting. She comes with over ten years of previous experience working with nonprofits, resettlement, and real estate law. She has a passion for community service and helping refugees. She is conversational in Arabic.
Samar Jafri
sjafri@cwsglobal.org
Samar Jafri is the Resettlement Program Coordinator for CWS Winchester. Samar is committed to the resettlement work and to the CWS mission and finds the work very meaningful and rewarding. Samar has been involved with various non-profits in various capacities over the last 10 years. She is currently serving on the boards of Valley Interfaith Council, the City of Winchester’s Board of Architectural Review, the Islamic Society of Winchester and is the treasurer for the non-profit HandUp Loans. She has a BA Hons in Economics from York University in Toronto, Canada and is currently pursuing her Masters in Public Administration at Old Dominion University. Her name is pronounced like the season – Summer. Samar is fluent in Urdu and Punjabi.
Susannah Lepley
slepley@cwsgobal.org
Susannah provides leadership and oversight to all CWS offices operating in Virginia, working collaboratively with the Office of New Americans to advance the shared vision of welcome across the state and the provision of professional, compassionate services to displaced populations. She lives in Harrisonburg with her spouse and dogs and enjoys riding her motorcycle and trying different foods from around the world. Susannah grew up in Brazil and speaks Spanish and Portuguese.
Vicky Lim
vlim@cwsglobal.org
Vicky Lim is the Senior Communications Specialist for the Harrisonburg and Winchester offices and assists with developing communication material through creative and innovative design work. She graduated from James Madison University with a BFA in Graphic Design. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, painting, and drawing. She speaks a little bit of the Chinese dialect Teochew.
Zia Mangal
zmangal@cwsglobal.org
Zia Mangal is the Health Liaison. He is originally from Khost, Afghanistan and attended high school and and college in Peshawar, Pakistan. He graduated from Spinghar Medical Institutes of Higher Education (Doctor of Medicine) in Kabul, Afghanistan and interned at ADEI Medical Complex in Kabul, Afghanistan. In his spare time he likes to visit the mountains- they remind him of his home village. He speaks Pashto, Dari, Urdu, and Hindi.