IFSI 2026 SYMPOSIUM

Heritage Point

108 Myrtle Street

Quincy, MA, 02171

 

Agenda

  • 8:30 to 9:00 AM

  • 9:00 to 9:30 AM

    • Opening Remarks

    • Mentimeter Poll

    • IFSI Video on Current Landscape

  • 9:30 to 10:00 AM

    • Boston Public Health Commission, Dr. Kevin Simon

    • Massachusetts Immigrant Collaborative, Frank DeVito- Emergency Cash Assistance

    • Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, Elizabeth Sweet

  • 10:00 to 10:20 AM

    • Office of Refugees and Immigrants: Ronnie Millar

    • Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti, Brian Concannon

  • 10:20 - 10:30 AM

    •  Jessica Santos and Danielle Chun of Leah Zallman Center for Immigrant Health Research

  • 10:45 -11:50 AM

    • Legal and Advocacy: Led by Mabel Center for Immigrant Justice (Alexandra Peredo Carroll and Raphaela Barros)

    • Health Care: Led by Boston Medical Center (Kalkidan Antonios-Britton and Sarah Le)

    • Workforce Development: Led by Jewish Vocational Services (Amy Nishman) and Brazilian Worker Center (Lenita Reason and Lorrayne Reiter)

    • Youth Education: Led by Dessalines STEAM Academy (Dr. Regine Philippeaux) and Massachusetts Association of Haitian Parents (Reverend Daphne Germain-LaRoche)

    • Mental Health: Led by William James College (Gina Dessources Benjamin), IFSI (Dr. Carlot Celestin), New American Association of Massachusetts (Dr. Scune Carrington), and SaveSouls (Patricia Désert and Obelle Pluviose)

    • Faith-Based, Social Services, and Philanthropic: Led by B.I.R.D. (Melinda Priest) and Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action (Cindy Rowe) and IFSI (Narly Vital)

  • 12:00 to 12:50 PM

  • 1:00 - 1:30 PM

    • City of Boston Energy Saver: Brooks Winner and Paulina Dieffenbach

    • Boston Immigrant Resource Dashboard (B.I.R.D.): Melinda Priest of Immigrant Connection at Awaken City and Richard Tang

  • 1:30 - 2:00 PM

    • Five-minute reports from the morning’s sector-based breakout sessions

  • 2:15 to 2:45 PM

    30 minute panel discussions led by representatives from various sectors.

    We will all engage in an interactive Q&A. It will be an opportunity for immigrant services providers, and community members to engage with difficult issues, clarify any misunderstanding.

  • 2:45 - 3:00 PM

Breakout Guiding Questions

    1. What are you currently seeing in your work?


    2. If nothing changes, what future reality do you anticipate?


    3. What can we do—individually and collectively—to prevent that scenario?


    4. What is your hope for this sector moving forward?

SPEAKERS

IFSI-USA Leaders

  • Dr. Geralde Gabeau

    Chief Executive Officer, IFSI-USA

  • Jennifer Pamphile

    Chief of Programs
    Chief of Staff, IFSI-USA

State and Federal Policies

  • Heather Yountz

    Senior Immigration Staff Attorney, MLRI

  • Iván Espinoza-Madrigal

    Executive Director, Lawyers for Civil Rights

  • Christina Aguilera Sandoval

    Executive Director,
    Office for Refugees and Immigrants (ORI)

  • Brian Concannon

    Co-Founder and Executive Director, Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti

Impact of New Policies on Immigrant Communities

  • Dr. Kevin Simon

    Chief Behavioral Health Officer, City of Boston

  • Frank Devito

    Executive Director, Massachusetts Immigrant Collaborative

  • Elizabeth Sweet

    Executive Director, Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition

Afternoon Presentations

  • Brooks Winner

    Director of Community Energy Programs, City of Boston

  • Paulina Dieffenbach

    Building Decarbonization Project Manager, City of Boston

  • Melinda Priest

    Co-Founder, Boston Immigrant Resource Dashboard

  • Richard Tang

    Co-Founder, Boston Immigrant Resource Dashboard

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