Schedule of Speakers

Speakers

Kathi Anderson is the executive director and co-founder of the nonprofit organization Survivors of Torture, International. Kathi holds a M.A. in Counseling from San Jose State University and a B.A. in International Relations from the University of the Pacific. Prior to founding SURVIVORS, Kathi worked as a refugee resettlement caseworker, a hospital administrator, and a graduate-level professor in counseling. As a volunteer, she currently serves on the board of directors of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service and the University of the Pacific's School of International Studies Advisory Board.

In 1997, Kathi and her co-founders the Reverends Bill Radatz and George Falk recognized a need for a torture treatment program in San Diego County. There weren't any other organizations of its kind, even though San Diego is home to the busiest border crossing in the world. Since starting out of Kathi's home 11 years ago, SURVIVORS has provided services for more than 750 survivors of politically motivated torture from at least 50 countries. The organization is also dedicated to ending the use of torture through advocacy and education.

Scott DiPretoro first became involved with the American Red Cross (ARC) while completing his Master of Public Administration degree at the Monterey Institute of International Studies. He continued his volunteerism with the ARC chapter in San Diego while working at the International Rescue Committee as an AmeriCorps member. His volunteer activities included being a member of a Disaster Action Team and working in a call center to respond to the needs of those displaced by Hurricane Katrina. Recently, Scott became an International Delegate for the ARC and completed an Emergency Response Unit training in Panama. The fundamental principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (Humanity, Impartiality, Neutrality, Independence, Voluntary Service, Unity & Universality) guide his work for the organization.

Jacob Hall, Peace Corps regional recruiter for the Los Angeles Office, served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nicaragua from 2000 to 2002 after completing a bachelor’s at California State University, Fresno, in political science. Jacob is passionate about using his talents and skills to improve the world we live in. “My Peace Corps service,” says Jacob, “taught me to do more with less. It showed me how the smallest efforts can have a real impact on a handful of people in need.” After his Peace Corps service, Jacob was awarded a Trinity Fellowship at Marquette University through the Peace Corps Fellows Program. In his graduate fellowship, he worked as program development director for the Badger Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired while earning a Master of Arts in International Affairs.

Michael J. McKay, S.T.D., is the Director of the Department of Refugee Services at Catholic Charities, Diocese of San Diego. He has served in this capacity since October 2000. Dr. McKay has many years of administrative and managerial experience. He has a doctorate in Theology from the Catholic University of America and has lived, studied and traveled abroad giving him a strong multicultural perspective. He has served professionally as a minister and educator in the Diocese of San Diego for over 16 years and brings with him a broad understanding of faith-based communities in the San Diego area. Dr. McKay currently is responsible for managing and directing the refugee services of the agency and presently serves as Project Director for the Wilson/Fish Comprehensive Resettlement Collaborative (CRC II) that serves refugee resettlement in San Diego County.

Robert R. Montgomery is Regional Resettlement Director of the San Diego Regional Office of the International Rescue Committee. Bob began working with IRC in 1976 as a Resettlement Caseworker. Subsequently, he was promoted to Deputy Director, Resettlement Director and Regional Resettlement Director over his 31 year tenure with the IRC. Bob has a Master's Degree in Social Work from Temple University in Philadelphia and is an Accredited Representative with the Bureau of Citizenship and Naturalization Services. He co-authored: "Avenues" A Caseworker's Guide to Immigration for Refugees and Asylees and has been a presenter on resettlement and immigration issues at numerous conferences and workshops. Bob is currently the Chair of the California State Advisory Council for Refugees.

Clair Noel is the Program Manager for the Training Institute of the National
Conflict Resolution Center. In this position she supervises interns and
coordinates outreach and logistics for local, national and international trainings.
She is currently working on NCRC’s Summer Institute, a mediation course with
academic credit from SDSU in Rimini, Italy. She graduated from San Diego
State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Security and
Conflict Resolution with an emphasis on Conflict, Cooperation and Conflict
Resolution in 2006. Prior to graduation from SDSU, she worked at Bank of
America as a Sales and Service Specialist for over five years.

An important part of Ms. Noel’s life is her experience in multi-cultural
environments. She was born and raised in Manila, Philippines. Fluent in
Tagalog, she also understands and speaks conversational Spanish. While in
college, she traveled to New Zealand where she learned more about the
country’s culture and history. Additionally, Ms. Noel’s year-long internship was
with the International Rescue Committee where she worked with immigrants and
refugees.

Valery Santacruz from Accion graduated from the University of San Diego and received her B.A. in Business Administration, with a Finance emphasis. She has a background in commercial banking and experience in the non-profit world, having helped create and market a magazine focusing on local non-profits. As a loan officer, Ms. Santacruz is responsible for community outreach, establishing quality client relationships, generating new loans and servicing existing loans. She is bilingual in English and Spanish and joined ACCION San Diego in January of 2006.

Marisa Ugarte, as the Executive Director of the Bilateral Safety Corridor Coalition, brings more than 20 years of experience in advocacy for exploited men, women and children, and in assisting at-risk youth.

With a Masters degree (equivalent) in social work and psychology, Ms. Ugarte spent three years developing social services programs in Tijuana, Mexico. Ms. Ugarte is founder of the Binational Crisis Line in Tijuana, as well as the Domestic Violence Crisis Center for the Sistema Nacional para el Desarollo Integral de la Familia, Tijuana (DIF Tijuana). Ms. Ugarte continues to be an advisor to DIF and to the Civil Protection and Disaster Crisis Prevention Program in Mexico.

In the United States, Ms. Ugarte convenes an annual anti-trafficking conference in San Diego, and is an active speaker at conferences nationwide and internationally of human trafficking and the commercial sexual exploitation of women and children. Her public speaking engagements have included: The Artesana (Successful Coalition Building), Texas; the Millennium Conference, and the International Institute (Restructuring the Justice System in Mexico).

Ms. Ugarte has also taught at both the University of California, San Diego; the University of San Diego, and a Masters degree-level module of classes for Crisis Intervention at the University of Xochicalco, Mexico.

Ms. Ugarte is an alumnus of the San Francisco College for Women/USD; and Dun Barton University, Washington, D.C.