Meet the Team
Our incredible team brings together a diverse range of expertise to best support our community. Their lived experiences and unique perspectives shape our organisation and the support we provide.
You can find out more about each of them below.
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Ana Diaz
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Ana is from Colombia, holds an MA in Children’s Literature and is a PhD student at the Institute of Education at University College London. Her interests are focused in education policy, assessment, ethnic identity, and transnationalism among others. She is also an Alumni of the Teach for All program, cohort 2021. Outside of work Ana enjoys doing yoga and watching rom-coms.
Angie Gomez
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Angie is Colombian and has lived in Brixton her whole life. She’s a psychology and criminology graduate who’s been involved in activism, facilitation and youth engagement in her community from a young age. She is also a Nandos and crime documentary lover.
Bruna Boscaini
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From Brazil, Bruna joined IRMO in 2019 providing front-line services. Growing within the organisation, she took over as Director in 2022, bringing a wealth of experience in project and financial management. Bruna’s work has always been guided by a passion for social justice. Outside of IRMO, she loves to cook, read, travel and tend to her plants.
Carmen Perez
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Originally from Spain, Carmen settled in the UK over 20 years ago. She is an immigration legal adviser with OISC Level 1 accreditation. Outside of work, she loves travelling, reading and gardening.
Carolina Vidal
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From Buenos Aires, Carolina has lived in the UK since 2008. She worked in the travel industry in Argentina and Spain before moving to London, where she started working in the charity sector. She loves photography, graphic design and spreadsheets. And outside work, travel.
Cecilia Maly
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Cecilia is from Budapest and has been in London for seven years. She loves to travel and has lived in four countries, with her work in education spanning Ghana and the UK. She’s currently studying psychology at London’s Birkbeck University and teaches yoga in her free time.
Gemma Sophia Grass-Orkin
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Gemma grew up in London, and has lived in Argentina, Colombia, France, Norway, Spain and Vietnam. She has a degree in social anthropology, a CELTA and Module One DELTA and is first aid trained. She’s interested in participatory learning and trauma-informed approaches. She’s also a nature-lover, knitter, weaver, wild swimmer, bookworm and mindfulness novice.
Jacobo Belility
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Venezuela native Jacobo is currently the coordinator of the Coalition of Latin Americans in the UK (CLAUK), a collective of non-profit organisations advocating for the rights of the community. He is also a trustee for Save Latin Village and Wards Corner Community Plan in North London. Away from work, Jacobo loves swimming, music and film.
Julia Thompson-Flores
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Julia is a Carioca from Brazil. She has a background in law, with an academic interest in decoloniality, gender and sexuality. She has experience with migrant and refugee integration support and a strong commitment to social justice. In her free time, she loves being in nature and curating playlists.
Karen Torres
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Karen, from Colombia, joined IRMO in 2023. She has previously worked in policy consulting, academic research and political advocacy. She holds an MSc in Evidence-Based Social Intervention and a BSc in Social Policy and Government. In her free time, Karen enjoys visiting the National Gallery and playing Animal Crossing.
Luana Barbagelata
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Luana is originally from São Paulo and has Peruvian heritage. She moved to London over 10 years ago. She studied politics and international relations and was introduced to the charity sector through volunteering. She’s into crystals, has a pet snake and her passion is to go scuba diving across the world.
Lucia Filinich
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Lucia is from Mar del Plata, Argentina. She came to London five years ago aiming to work in a community organisation, following her specialisation in international relations during her master’s degree. She has experience as an interpreter in the tourism world, and is passionate about East Asian cultures and languages.
Maria Auxiliadora Villacis
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From Quevedo, Ecuador, Maria has been living in London for 10 years with her beautiful, supportive family, following 11 years in Valencia, Spain. Maria loves to dance salsa, merengue and other Ecuadorian styles, which fill her heart with joy.
Marisel Mendoza
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Marisel is a journalist with master’s degrees in anthropology and development, and social gerontology. Originally from Chile, her career began in local and regional government. Since moving to the UK, she’s worked in the charity sector championing for the Latin American community. In her spare time, she loves to explore the natural beauty of Hampstead Heath.
Martina Rodriguez
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Martina is from Argentina and has been living in London for the past 9 years. She studied Global Politics and has experience in the charity, care, education, and trade union sectors. Her true passions are political activism and social justice, which she has been involved in since she was 15. She is also an avid football enthusiast!
Miriam Muradas
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From Venezuela, Miriam holds a degree in hotel management and a bachelor’s in law. Previously a private welfare adviser for more than 10 years, she found a passion for the charity sector after volunteering with LAWRS, joining IRMO shortly after. She loves comedy, making clothes and long walks.
Nelson Amendoeira
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From behind the hills in Portugal, Nelson holds qualifications as an adviser, interpreter and carer. Together these give him knowledge and experience with the community in the care-centred planning and well-being services, with a background working with customer service, challenging behaviour and awareness. He loves to eat, cook, travel and socialise.
Olivia Gonçalves
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Olivia is from São Paulo, and has lived in four different countries. She speaks Portuguese, English, and Spanish fluently. Olivia has studied Spanish and International Relations which has helped her achieve her dream of assisting people within the Latin American community. In her personal time, Olivia loves cooking and baking, but also enjoys Karaoke nights
Paola Hidalgo
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Paola moved to the UK from her home country of Ecuador three years ago, where she worked as journalist and communications officer for the Ecuadorian government. In London, she started volunteering and working in the charity sector. She loves to read, travel, make documentaries and spend time with loved ones.
Priya Haughey
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From India, Priya moved to the UK following 15 years in Singapore. She is an MBA, MA and CELTA qualified English language teacher with 22 years of experience working with people from a diverse range of cultures. Priya loves to paint, create jewellery and design clothes in her free time.
Shirley Ortiz
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Shirley is originally from Colombia. After travelling around South East Asia and Latin America, she got her BA degree in Anthropology in 2021. She has dedicated over a year to volunteering for the Latin American community in London and has a special interest in books, photography and migrant experiences.
Vanessa Fukuda
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Vanessa, a Londoner of mixed Colombian and Japanese heritage who’s unique perspective allows her to bridge cultural divides and advocate for the empowerment of young people in multicultural environments. A student of Sociology who has focused her career on youth development. A lover of the arts with a passion for painting and photography
Trustees
Carolina Cal
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From Brazil, Carolina holds a master’s in applied theatre and is the founder and creative director of Migrants in Action, an arts organisation run by and for migrant women from the global majority in London. Carolina is happy when she’s discussing migration, gender, identity and belonging. She also loves to explore the outdoors, theatre, live music and art.
Celia Gardiner
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Celia is from London and has strong family ties with Colombia, where she travels regularly. She worked for many years as a lawyer specialising in banking and insolvency law. Since her retirement from commercial practice, she’s dedicated her time to IRMO and to music as a classical singer and pianist.
Danielle Guizzo
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Danielle is from the metropolitan area of São Paulo, Brazil. She moved to the UK in 2015 and is currently an associate professor in economics at the University of Bristol, spreading her passion for economics, history and philosophy. She loves to travel and cook, and is learning the art of callisthenics.
Érika Huartos Castañeda
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Érika is Colombian and has been working on community-led projects and social impact for nine years. In 2023, she moved to London to pursue a Master’s degree in Social and Cultural Psychology. She has also volunteered in initiatives focused on community engagement, promoting social justice, and building inclusive cities where no one is left behind. She enjoys listening to podcasts, trying foods from different countries and is a gym-goer.
Lucas Olmos Woodward
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Lucas is half Costa Rican half British, he was born in Costa Rica but grew up in the UK. He works on international climate and nature conservation projects and brings experience in project management, proposal development, funding strategy and operations. In his free time he enjoys travel, cooking, and eating.
Lucila Granada
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Lucila is from Argentina. Following 14 years working in the areas of labour rights, migration and women’s rights, she is now the director of Focus on Labour Exploitation and a Board member at the Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women. Lucila has completed a PhD on migration and loves hiking, cycling, music and pottery.
Noella Bello Castro
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Noella was born in the UK to Colombian and Spanish parents. She’s worked in communications for over twenty years, including roles in education, local government and the music industry. She currently works in communications for NHS England. Outside of work, she’s an avid fan of music, food and travel.
Martin Tiedemann
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Martin lives in Brixton and grew up in South London with an Argentine mother and German father. He is an elected local councillor for Clapham Park on Lambeth Council. He works in training and campaigns and has been involved in the co-operative movement for many years. Martin loves to cook and to eat.
Join us
We are always looking for skilled, passionate people to join our team. If that sounds like you, you can explore all current job and volunteering opportunities at the link below.
