OUR TEAM
Board of Directors
AMY MARDEN
Founder | Chairman, Board of Directors
Amy has dedicated thirteen years to giving voice and agency to at-risk and transitional populations. She served six years as a resource and referral liaison for the U.S. Navy domestically and in Japan, where she worked with military families facing reintegration hardships after multiple tours in Iraq, Afghanistan, and at sea. On the heels of the Afghanistan evacuations, Amy founded REACT DC to assist Afghan allies with their resettlement. She is currently the CEO and Chairman of the Board of that organization, which serves over 800 Afghan and Ukrainian newcomers per month. Amy is a practicing attorney and former federal law clerk for the Northern District of Florida, where she assessed the validity of prisoners’ last right appeals. She is also the author of The Parts We Lost, which she published on the eve of the last evacuation flight out of HKIA
JOSH BURGESS
Founding Member | Vice President, Board of Directors
Josh is a social entrepreneur passionate about creating regenerative solutions to the Earth's most pressing challenges. He previously served 25 years in the United States Air Force as a special operations advisor, pilot, and international affairs expert. Through his deployment experiences in Afghanistan, Josh is deeply immersed in Afghan culture and committed to empowering our Afghan allies to build successful futures in America.
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PAUL KIEKHAEFER
Treasurer, Board of Directors
Paul is a community builder who is passionate about helping drive action at the intersection of the public, private, and social sectors. He works as a Delivery Leader for Delivery Associates, where he helps governments and social impact organizations deliver improved outcomes. He previously worked in management consulting at Alvarez and Marsal, where he helped state governments manage operational crises and tackle financial problems. Paul believes it is the duty of those with much to help those with less, particularly providing welcome to refugees. Paul brings direct experience as a member of a SponsorCircle that helped settle an Afghan couple in the Northern Virginia area in 2022 with REACT DC as the fiscal sponsor.
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LISA MADDOX
Secretary, Board of Directors
Lisa served 15 years as an intelligence officer for the Federal Government. Her work included war zone assignments, one of which took her to Afghanistan. An expert in Middle East and South Asia security issues, Lisa developed a dedication to issues in Afghanistan and stepped up during the August 2021 fall of Kabul to support fleeing families. Lisa’s expertise and insights can be found in recent New York Times articles and a Showtime documentary entitled, “The Longest War.” Now a small business owner working in the field of family history and genealogy, Lisa continues to support newly arrived Afghan allies, helping them adjust and thrive.
SUNIL VARGHESE
Board of Directors
Sunil is the Policy Director, supervising IRAP’s policy team and facilitating the advancement of IRAP’s systemic advocacy positions to ensure and improve pathways to safety, with dignity and due process, for refugees and highly vulnerable individuals. He previously served as Counsel to U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein where he focused on immigration matters for the Senate Judiciary Committee. He also spent over seven years in various management, training, policy, and adjudication positions with the Refugee, Asylum and International Operations Directorate of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, including as the Deputy Director of the Newark Asylum Office. He was the Asylum Program Attorney at the Human Rights Initiative of North Texas and an Associate at Kelley Drye & Warren LLP. Sunil received his J.D. and Certificate in Refugees and Humanitarian Emergencies from Georgetown University and is a member of the New York Bar.
MEGAN HINKLE
Board of Directors
Meg is an account manager responsible for overseeing EAB partner relationships with colleges and universities. She came to EAB after nearly a decade in higher ed fundraising, most recently at Georgetown University specializing in principal donor engagement. At Georgetown, Meg supported the fundraising campaign to sponsor students and scholars evacuating from Afghanistan in 2021. Her transition to EAB was driven in part by her commitment to building out access to higher education for underserved students, refugees, and other students in crisis. Meg holds a certificate in nonprofit management from Georgetown University and a B.A. in Government with a Religion minor from the College of William & Mary. She resides in Richmond, VA.
AMINA KHAN
Board of Directors
Amina Khan, MD, MPH is a pediatric hospitalist attending in the Division of Hospital Medicine at Children’s National Hospital and specializes in the care of children with medical complexity. She holds a faculty appointment at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences and serves on the Immigrant Health Committee for both the American Academy of Pediatrics DC and Virginia chapters. Amina has worked in a variety of roles and committees to coordinate efforts between Children’s National, federal and state agencies, and community organizations to streamline care and advocate for immigrant and refugee children in the DMV area. She is also an active youth mentor and Girl Scout troop leader within the Mclean Islamic Center community. Amina lives in Mclean, VA with her 4 children and husband and enjoys hiking, cooking, and gardening in her free time.
Directors
SARAH CADY
Chief Executive Officer
Sarah Cady, LICSW, brings over 20 years’ experience working with foreign-born populations in the education, health, and refugee resettlement arenas. She has been a refugee case manager, job developer, and director of programs at both the national and local levels. Prior to joining REACT DC, she served as the Executive Director of the Refugee and Immigrant Services Department at Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area (LSSNCA) overseeing large-scale employment and initial resettlement programs for refugees, SIVs, and Afghan and Ukrainian Parolees. Additionally, she opened and directed the LIRS Alexandria Field Office which resettled over 1,400 Afghan Allies after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan. Sarah is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) in DC and Virginia and speaks French. When she is not working you can find her chasing around her 7-year-old son and 5-year-old daughter. She is an avid reader and loves riding her bike, practicing yoga, running, and gardening.
ALLISON AGOGLIA
REACTsponsors Director
REACTwomen Director
Allison lived the life of a military brat and grew-up all over the US and abroad. That sense of never staying in one spot for too long, learning about different cultures, and being able to explore new places through travel sparked her desire to work overseas and with diverse populations. She has worked with several NGOs around the world to provide assistance to women and children, access to education, and lessons on women’s health. She’s previously worked in a refugee resettlement office and assisted with their women’s and cultural orientation programs. Allison believes in the boots on the ground approach— interacting with the families directly, building relationships, learning people’s stories, and making those personal connections drive her to keep going. She approaches situations with empathy and compassion, a willingness to listen, and grit so that she can support and empower those she works with. Allison attended James Madison University and studied International Affairs with a Concentration in Africa along with a minor in French.
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ALEXA AUGUST, Esq.
REACTlegal Supervising Attorney
Alexa August, Esq. founded August Legal, LLC to help immigrants navigate our complex, asymmetrical, and constantly changing immigration system in the United States. Alexa graduated from American University’s Washington College of Law with a Juris Doctor cum laude and barred in Maryland in 2019. She also holds a Master of Arts in International Affairs with a concentration in U.S. Foreign Policy and National Security from American University’s School of International Service. Since Alexa was a first year law student, she knew she wanted to become an immigration attorney. Alexa has traveled the world providing volunteer legal aid to refugees, including in Greece and Jordan. With a passion for travel, she has been to 13 countries and counting. Alexa met with Congressional offices on The Hill to advocate for Afghan SIV reform, beginning in 2017. Since the collapse of the democratic Afghan government in August 2021, she has specialized in immigration services for our Afghan allies. She also works closely with the Latin American community, having briefly lived in Argentina, and speaks Spanish. Alexa believes that the attorney working on a client’s case should be accessible. The close relationships she maintains with clients has been instrumental to achieving successful outcomes for her clients.
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ALLY BROWN
REACTcore Director
Ally is a military spouse, family advocate, and substitute teacher in Arlington, Virginia. During her many years of activism, Ally shaped and developed policy for the Virginia Department of Education as part of the Military Child Education Coalition and was selected for U.S. Senator Tim Kaine's Military Family Roundtable, which informed the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee on various issues affecting military families. Ally previously spent 11 years as a software engineer in the telecommunications industry. As a mother of three--including two children with special needs--and a survivor of 14 military moves, Ally more than knows how to be resilient, resourceful, and ready. She is a passionate advocate for both refugee and military families and has experience engaging public officials and senior organizational leaders, especially on issues related to families with special needs.
FARIHA DAUD
Employment Director
Fariha is a graduate of George Mason University. For over a decade, she managed the administrative affairs at Northern Virginia Community College. Fariha is fluent in Farsi, Dari, Uzbek, Turkmen and she is also proficient in Russian, Turkish. She has put her language skills to use in her past roles as an interpreter and case manager. As a mentor to young refugees, Fariha leverages her past experiences to guide refugees and help them with navigating the American education system, both K-12 and college. Fariha enjoys taking drives to new places, watching movies and most importantly spending quality time with her family. Helping others and making her community a better place are two things that drive her.
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SAFIULLAH DELAWAR
REACTlegal Director
Safiullah Delawar is a highly accomplished professional with over 13 years of experience in government and nonprofit organizations. Previously serving as an asylum specialist at REACT DC, he holds master's degrees in International Relations and Political Science. His career highlights include roles as a Project Manager - Activity Coordinator at Lutheran Social Services National Capital Area (LSSNCA), Diplomat - Economic Counselor and Consul at the Embassy of Afghanistan in Washington, D.C., and Foreign Policy Coordinator at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Afghanistan. With a commitment to human rights and international conventions, he has also worked as the Director of reporting to international conventions. Through his diverse expertise, linguistic proficiency, and dedication to public service, Mr. Delawar continues to make a positive impact in his field and the lives of those he supports.
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HASIB DELLAWAR
Career Pathways Director
Hasib Dellawar has a master’s of criminal law and criminology from Avicenna University in Kabul in 2019 and a bachelor’s of Political Science from the University of Pune in India in 2011. He has worked as a manager, community mobilizer, cultural advisor, interpreter, translator, Lecturer in university and teacher in Afghan and American companies over the last ten years. Hasib is fluent in Dari/Farsi, Pashto, Urdu/Hindi, and English. Hasib likes to travel and visit new places. He plays chess and soccer in his free time. Hasib was born and raised in the northern Baghlan province of Afghanistan where he also attended school.
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DEVON MCCUAN
Communications Director
Devon is a former Army Signal Officer, a devoted military spouse, and a proud mother of three wonderful sons. Having lived on three continents and in all four corners of the Continental United States, she firmly believes in Mark Twain's adage that "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness." After leaving active duty in 2010, Devon continued to serve the military and broader community by volunteering for multiple army units, mothering groups, and spouse clubs throughout the US and Europe. Devon values the power of community and seeks adventure in every opportunity. She brings her infectious, glass-half-full enthusiasm to our team and enjoys spending her free time running, reading, and planning family reunions and friendcations with her loved ones scattered across the globe. Devon holds a B.A. in Government and International Politics from George Mason University.
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YASMIN PAJOUHESH, Esq.
REACTlegal Supervising Attorney
Staff
LIMA HOTEK
REACTlegal Program Manager
Lima Hotek was born in 1993 in Kabul, Afghanistan, and grew up in a family that valued open-mindedness and education. After completing high school in 2013, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Law. In 2019, Lima immigrated to the United States and began her career as a Linguist and Interpreter, contributing her expertise to renowned organizations such as Mackellar Corporation and Mission Essential. In addition to her linguistic roles, Lima gained experience working with the Legal team at Lutheran Social Services National Capital Area. She is also an active member of the Afghan American Women Association (AAWA), where she selflessly volunteers her services to support the community. As an immigrant woman living independently, she is deeply committed to supporting her community and promoting social welfare. Lima is fluent in multiple languages, including Dari/Farsi, Pashto, English, and Urdu, which enables her to communicate effectively and bridge cultural gaps.
MOHAMMAD AZRAKHSH ZARGHON
REACTlegal Program Manager
Mohammad Azrakhsh Zarghon holds a Bachelor of Sciences degree from Kabul University and possesses a wealth of experience in interpreting and case management. With a proven track record in the field, he has earned a reputation as a dependable and trusted professional within the community. Mr. Zarghon's unwavering commitment to assisting others is evident in his role as an interpreter for the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). Leveraging his exceptional language skills and deep cultural understanding, he facilitates effective communication among individuals from diverse backgrounds, facilitating their seamless integration into their new environment. Through his unwavering dedication and extensive expertise, Mr. Zarghon consistently makes a positive impact on the lives of those he serves, fostering a profound sense of belonging and hope as they navigate their journey toward a brighter future.
Frishta Ansari
REACTlegal Specialist
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Musafer Khan
REACTlegal Specialist
Hameed Parwana
REACTlegal Specialist
Mirza Rafat
REACTlegal Specialist
Paigham Ahmad Roshan
REACTlegal Specialist
Key Volunteers
Molly Sepulvado
Founding Member
Caroline Bello
Employment Assistance
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Kaylan Brett
Grants Acquisition
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Sarah Hawkes
Grants Acquisition
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Sofia Joucovsky
Summer Intern 2023
Tomoko Kawasumi
Inventory Manager
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Betsy Keenan
Community Engagement
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Caroline Lavin
Summer Intern 2022
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Kim Lundberg
Community Engangement
Kim Mestre
Workflow Specialist
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Jackson Sepulvado
Youth Engagement
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Kelly Smith
Public Relations Manager