Amanda Azad

Deputy Executive Director

Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-WA)

Amanda Azad is a dedicated civil rights advocate with a strong history of advocating for Muslim communities. As the Deputy Executive Director at Council on American-Islamic Relations – Washington, she helps craft CAIR’s integrated advocacy approach to issues; working externally on policy and advocacy and internally on capacity, planning, and development to build communal and organizational strength.

Before starting at CAIR Washington, Amanda worked at the ACLU; first as an intern for the Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief, and then as a Litigation Fellow. Most recently, she worked as Policy Counsel at the ACLU of Arizona.

Originally from New Jersey, Amanda graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Anthropology from Stockton University where she was on the board of the Muslim Student Association.

She received her Juris Doctor and Master of Theological Studies from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia where she wrote her thesis on the criminalization of Muslims in the U.S. At Emory, Amanda was the Assistant Managing Editor of the Journal of Law and Religion. She organized and moderated several panels on issues impacting Muslim communities, including ones at Yale Law School’s RebLaw Conference and the National Lawyers Guild Convention.

During graduate school, she was the recipient of Candler’s Criminal Justice Fellowship, working at the Southern Center for Human Rights. She also worked pro bono at Project South in Atlanta.

Before attending graduate school, Amanda worked at the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy and served as an AmeriCorps VISTA at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. where she helped with capacity building for service-learning programs.

Besides her advocacy work, Amanda enjoys camping and hiking, reading books and going on road trips, and spending time with her husband and new baby – all while enjoying a good cup of coffee.

 

Andrea Lino

Supervising Attorney

Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP)

Andrea Lino is the supervising attorney for Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP) in their Tacoma office. She provides individual representation for immigrants who are deprived of their liberty because of their immigration status.

Andrea is a licensed attorney in Guatemala and in the United States. She graduated from the University of Washington School of Law in 2015 and has been working for NWIRP ever since.

In her free time, Andrea enjoys spending time with her friends and family. She loves biking, hiking, backpacking, traveling, and cheering for the Seattle Sounders, and in general, she is happily exploring the beautiful surroundings of the Pacific Northwest!

 

Miguel Cueva-Estrella

Community Organizer

Colectiva Legal del Pueblo

Miguel joined Colectiva Legal del Pueblo as the Community Organizer in May 2021. His role as a Community Organizer allows him to support and work alongside different communities and assess needs being faced by people to find ways to tap into new and established resources.

Miguel graduated from the University of Washington-Tacoma with a Bachelor’s degree in Ethnic, Gender, and Labor Studies and a Minor in Sociology. Before joining Colectiva, Miguel worked with the YMCA with their after-school youth mentoring programs. Miguel has also worked with a labor union representing workers at UW Seattle and the Medical Center.

Miguel is a proud union member and continues working with unions in the area and is very passionate about immigrant and worker’s rights. Miguel was born in Guadalajara, Mexico and emigrated with his family to California when he was seven; shortly after arriving in California his family decided to settle in Tacoma, WA, where he has now lived for the majority of his life. In his free time, Miguel enjoys reading, playing the drums, playing soccer and spending time with his wife and daughter and their two dogs.

 

Phebe Brako-Owusu

CEO and Therapist

253 Therapy and Consult

Phebe Brako-Owusu is a daughter of Ghana, wife, mother of three boys, friend, sister,  speaker and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.  Phebe approaches therapy from the stance that traditional therapy theories did not have Black, Brown, Indigenous and Other People of Color in mind when they were developed. So her therapeutic approach emphasizes different cultural interpretations of the issues her clients come to therapy with – sadness, worry, past traumas, work stressors, relationship conflict and the struggles of trying to build a home away from home.

In conjunction with her work as a therapist, Phebe is invested in supporting the upcoming generation of therapists as a Washington State Approved Supervisor. She is the proud Founder and CEO of 253 Therapy and Consult, a group therapy practice based in University Place, Washington. 

Emmanuella L. Shasha

Chief Operations Officer

Congolese Integration Network

As a proud Congolese immigrant who has navigated the path to success in Seattle, I bring a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to immigrant rights and community empowerment to my role as a board member at WAISN. My journey, supported by my parents’ belief in the power of education, led me to earn a BA in Accounting from the University of Washington, a foundation I have built upon to serve my community in various capacities.

My professional journey has been marked by significant achievements in the fields of financial and corporate accounting. After earning my BA in Accounting from the University of Washington, I embarked on a career that saw me navigating the complexities of the software industry, where I applied my expertise in financial analysis, strategic planning, and fiscal management to drive organizational success. This experience in corporate accounting has not only sharpened my analytical and financial skills but also instilled in me a deep understanding of the economic factors that influence organizational growth and stability. Yet, it is my role as the Chief Operations Officer at the Congolese Integration Network that truly encapsulates my dedication to community service. Here, I have been instrumental in developing programs that enhance economic stability, cultural integration, and empowerment for Congolese immigrants, reflecting my broader commitment to supporting immigrant communities at large.

At WAISN, I am eager to leverage my experience and insights to champion the rights and well-being of immigrants across Washington State, working collaboratively to create a more inclusive and supportive environment for all.

Robert Foss

Legal Services Director

Entre Hermanos Legal Service

Robert has worked at Entre Hermanos since 2019. As an Immigration lawyer for many years, Robert focuses on asylum and is passionate about human rights. Robert believes in working in solidarity with immigrants and indigenous people and is delighted to be working with transgender asylum applicants in Washington state. In the past, Robert has worked to advance human rights in El Salvador during the war years.