Just Neighbors has a talented, committed board of directors dedicated to fostering relationships within the community to support our immigrant neighbors:
Bryce Chadwick, a long-time volunteer at Just Neighbors, joined the board in 2015. He is currently serving as our Chair. Bryce first became interested in immigration justice issues while teaching English in Ecuador after college, and upon his return to the United States, discovered and started to volunteer with Just Neighbors. He is currently an attorney at Sheppard Mullin Richter and Hampton and is a member of the firm's Government Contracts, Investigations and International Trade Practice. Bryce received his JD from the University of Virginia School of Law.
Lauren Bell joined the board in 2019 and currently serves as Vice Chair. She is the Founder and Managing Director of LaCire. Lauren is a business operations executive with over 15 years experience growing and scaling new and established businesses, specializing in minority and/or woman-owned organizations and nonprofits. She holds a masters in both engineering and public policy from UC Berkeley as well as a Bachelors in civil engineering from Howard University. Lauren is a senior leader with experience in program operations, corporate support, corporate operations, public-private partnerships and program management. She previously served as VP for domestic programs for a government support company and was the acting COO for a public-private partnership venture capital organization. She currently works with start-ups and established businesses, increasing revenue and employing systems to ensure long-term sustainability.
Lisa Trangsrud has been a long-time volunteer at Just Neighbors and has been treasurer since December 2012. She has an MBA from the University of Miami. Her prior jobs include economic analyst for the U.S. Commerce Department, commercial lending consultant for Chevy Chase Bank, and teacher at Justice High School.
Leticia Corona is an attorney at Bazzi Immigration Law, PLLC focused on removal defense and humanitarian relief. She is currently serving as Secretary of the Just Neighbors board. She also serves as Co-Chair of the Women’s Bar Association of the District of Columbia’s Immigration Law Forum. She has traveled to the U.S.—Mexico border volunteering with the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc.’s (CLINIC) Estamos Unidos Asylum Project, Immigration Justice Campaign’s Proyecto Dilley (formerly the Dilley Pro Bono Project), and the Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center. A new Just Neighbors board member as a result of the recent merger with DC-MD Justice for Our Neighbors, she remains committed to advancing legal representation for our immigrant neighbors.
Nancy González was born in Caracas, Venezuela, and is married with two adult children. She studied Business Administration in Venezuela and worked as an Administrative Assistant for several different multinational and national companies such as Hay Group, Citibank, and Diario El Universal. In 2016 she moved to the United States and she now lives in Virginia. She has completed many different English courses and the Workforce Readiness Certification through the English Empowerment Center. In 2023, she completed her Certificate in Administrative Support through Northern Virginia Family Services’ Training Futures Program. She has been involved with Just Neighbors since 2019 when she started working as a Volunteer Bilingual Office Administrative Assistant. She regularly volunteers at the monthly Just Neighbors legal clinics and is a Just Neighbors client.
Sue Gunter has been a long-time supporter of Just Neighbors. Her support grows out of her strong belief that the United States is and always has been a “melting pot” and is enriched by the diversity of its population. Sue’s paternal grandparents immigrated from the Ukrainian area. After growing up in poverty and losing both parents at an early age, her father and his two siblings became successful, contributing members in their communities and lived the “American Dream.” Sue is a recently retired labor and employment attorney. She began her legal career at the National Labor Relations Board in Washington, D.C., where she performed trial and appellate work. She then worked as a Senior Trial Attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice, enforcing the provision in the Immigration Reform and Control Act that prohibits national origin and citizenship status discrimination. She tried one of the first citizenship status discrimination cases. After taking time off after her two sons were born, she began working at Sherman Dunn, P.C., where she represented international, national, and local labor unions and a department of the AFL-CIO. Sue had been exploring ways to contribute time during her retirement for the greater good when the opportunity to serve on the Just Neighbors Board arose. Sue’s happy place is on a bicycle, so she spends most of her free time engaging in recreational cycling with friends. She previously served a two-year term on the Board of a non-profit educational, recreational, and social cycling organization - Potomac Pedalers - one of the largest bicycle clubs in the United States.
Margie Hernandez is a proud Cuban-American who has been a pharmacist since 1992. She is an active member of Braddock Street United Methodist Church and is committed to promoting social justice for all, particularly within the Latino community. Margie is the Hispanic Language Coordinator on the Executive Board of United Women In Faith for the United Methodist Virginia conference. She is also a member of the advisory board for Opportunity Scholars, a nonprofit organization that helps students in local communities through education and job training. As a leader of Construyendo Puentes (Building Bridges) at Braddock Street UMC, Margie works with local nonprofits such as Just Neighbors, Literacy Volunteers of the Winchester Area, and Arte Libre to empower, nurture, and educate the Latino Community. In her spare time, Margie enjoys bird watching, gardening, reading, and a daily afternoon cafecito.
Max Rangel is an experienced Technology Project Manager, a first generation Mexican-American, and a US Marine Veteran. With a background in management consulting, he has worked with multiple Fortune 100 clients and U.S. Federal Departments, delivering impactful solutions that serve the needs of all people. After serving in the Marine Corps, Max studied Political Science at Columbia University with a focus in International Relations. Max is motivated to be part of the board of Just Neighbors because he wants to make an impact by being active in an organization that helps individuals achieve their dreams and overcome the barriers they face. Being part of Just Neighbor's, allows Max to give back to his community and help others who may not have the resources or knowledge to navigate our immigration system.
Elisabeth Rhyne's interest in Just Neighbors’ mission grew out of her interactions with people of all continents during her career in international development. She served with the U.S. Agency for International Development and founded the Center for Financial Inclusion at Accion, a think tank devoted to extending financial services to the world’s poor. She is currently on the board of the Grameen Foundation and the Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington. She is a lifelong Virginia resident.
Rodrigo Soto Cordova works at the Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis. In college, Rodrigo was President of Mason DREAMers and currently sits on the Mason DREAMers Advisory Board. Since coming out as both gay and undocumented his sophomore year in college, Rodrigo has been heavily involved in advocating for immigrants and LGBTQ+ people. His background in immigration and higher education policy has served him in the various roles he takes in the local and state government. Over the years, Rodrigo has been a regular guest on Spanish and English news media to talk about immigration issues and has recognized for his work by the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, Centreville Immigration Forum, Washington Peace Center, and Office for Diversity Inclusion and Multicultural Education at George Mason University, and the George Mason University Alumni Association. As a former client turned lifelong supporter, Rodrigo is excited to work with Just Neighbors in advancing their mission.
Mike Wilson joined the board in 2018. Spent over 20 years as an executive in the healthcare informatics field. Was a founder and board member for the non-profit company WAGES, a job placing service for ex-offenders and the homeless. Also served on the Board of Directors of ACTS (Action in the Community Through Service); serving the poor in Prince William County. As a member of St. Paul UMC, he has been responsible for ministries that serve the poor, homeless, and immigrants.
Erin McKenney (executive director of Just Neighbors)