MEET THE CIP TEAM
Staff
Carmen (she/her/ella) is a profoundly spiritual leader whose faith fuels her deep sense of conviction and compassion. Her life's mission is dedicated to enhancing the human condition.
Her work is centered on transforming inequities, actively bridging the gap between disparate communities, ensuring equitable opportunities and resources for all, and focusing on access for the most vulnerable members of society.
With a respected 17-year tenure in the nonprofit sector, Carmen has been pivotal in establishing vital services and access points for various groups. These include immigrants, survivors of domestic violence and their families, and initiatives aimed at diminishing mental health stigma in communities of color. Furthermore, her efforts extend to improving mental health counseling services and educational opportunities for people across all age groups.
Carmen Patlán
Executive Director
Jael Mejía
Director of Legal & Civic Engagement
Jael is an accomplished immigration legal professional and organizational leader with over a decade of experience in immigration law, program development, and community advocacy. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Management from National Louis University, an ABA-approved Associate Degree in Paralegal Studies, and has extensive expertise in immigration law practice as a U.S. Department of Justice Accredited Representative.
Jael began her nonprofit career at Mano a Mano Family Resource Center, where she built an Immigration Legal Services Program that continues to thrive. She most recently served as Paralegal Manager and Lead Trial Paralegal at Zuma Law LLC, where she oversaw complex asylum and humanitarian cases, trained staff, optimized case workflows, and ensured the highest standards of legal service delivery.
Angelina Alfaro
Director of Health & Wellness
Angelina is a mission-driven social work leader and community strategist with more than 15 years of experience advancing health equity, workforce development, and community wellness across the health, education, and nonprofit sectors. A proud Waukegan, Illinois native and third-generation descendant of an immigrant family from Mexico, her work is grounded in cultural humility, lived experience, and community-centered systems change.
As Director of Health and Wellness at the Center for Immigrant Progress, Angelina leads initiatives that reduce barriers to care and expand culturally responsive supports for immigrant, refugee, and underserved communities. Her experience includes directing youth violence prevention programs, advancing Community Health Worker pathways, and leading cross-sector workforce development efforts. She has held director-level roles in Illinois and Arizona with organizations including Empowerment Systems Inc., Curt’s Café, A Safe Place, and LifeBridge Community Alliance.
A graduate of Arizona State University’s School of Social Work and Public Programs, Angelina centers her approach on the social determinants of health, coordinated care, and integrated systems of support across urban and rural communities. Rooted in interests in arts, culture, and farming, she brings creativity, compassion, and systems-level insight to her leadership, remaining committed to building community-rooted ecosystems of care that promote healing and long-term wellness.
Board of Directors
Dulce is originally from Ixtapan de la Sal, Mexico, and immigrated with her family to the United States at the age of two. Dulce is now a DACA recipient and has worked in the Lake County Community in Illinois as an advocate for immigrant families since her senior year of high school. Throughout her work in Lake County, Dulce has been a part of community efforts that advance the protection of immigrant families.
Dulce obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Northeastern Illinois University and a Master’s Degree in Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago.
In 2019, Dulce worked at Mano a Mano Family Resource Center as the community engagement manager, where she led the organization’s outreach and strategic partnerships and facilitated community workshops on policies and programs impacting immigrants. In 2024, Dulce was named the Executive Director of Alianza America, a Chicago-based organization advocating transnationally for immigrant justice.
Dulce Guzmán
President
Melanie is a field supervisor with the US Census Bureau. She is passionate about justice and equality. She received her bachelor’s degree in political science with a concentration in public policy and psychology from Marquette University in 2019. She has worked on Capitol Hill in Washington DC where she researched public policy put in place by Hispanic legislators all over the United States with the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators.
She has worked with nonprofits and specialized in family-based immigration. Since then she has become a firm believer that the people need to be at the forefront of public policy. She decided to join the Center for Immigrant Progress to empower and help other Lake/McHenry County community members take action.
Born and raised between two different cultures, Mexican and American, she acknowledges the challenges that bicultural individuals face and wants to help build bridges to create a safer, healthier, and a more just community. She wants to make the difference.
Melanie Hernández
Board Member
Sandra is a DACA recipient born in Reynosa Tamaulipas, Mexico, and migrated to the US at the age of 5. Sandra’s career in the nonprofit sector started in 2017, her commitment to the work was ignited by the impact of immigration policies on her local community and family.
In her previous roles, Sandra spearheaded implementing a civic engagement program in Lake County, Democracy in Action, amplifying the voices of those traditionally underrepresented in civic duty. Her work was dedicated to narrative change which led to the creation of campaigns aimed at reshaping perceptions and fostering understanding.
As a Board Member of Alianza Americas, a transnational organization, Sandra brings a unique perspective to her immigrant rights advocacy efforts. She holds an associate's degree in Networking and Computer Administration, combining technical expertise with her passion for storytelling to bridge gaps and address the needs of undocumented students, young professionals, and immigrant families.
In 2019, Sandra co-founded the Center for Immigrant Progress alongside five other immigrant women and daughters of immigrants as a grassroots organization committed to championing access to education, immigrant rights, and fostering a dignified way of life for all people.
Sandra Díaz
Secretary & Treasurer
Andres is a global thought leader and strategist on leadership, culture transformation, and inclusion. He is the President and Founder of Andrés Tapia Strategy Group, where he advises corporations, nonprofits, and civic institutions on embedding equity, belonging, and agility into their leadership and organizational strategies.
Previously, Andrés served as Senior Partner at Korn Ferry, where he helped global organizations advance inclusive leadership and culture transformation. Over his 25-year career, he has advised Fortune 500 companies and mission-driven organizations across more than a dozen countries.
A bestselling author of The Inclusion Paradox and The Five Disciplines of Inclusive Leadership series, Andrés has shaped how leaders worldwide approach diversity, innovation, and systemic change. He also serves as an elected City Councilmember in Highland Park, Illinois, and sits on several national boards, including Jobs for the Future, Leadership Greater Chicago, and the Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Foundation.
Born in Lima, Peru, Andrés brings a bicultural lens and a lifelong commitment to advancing inclusion, leadership, and human dignity across communities.
Andrés T. Tapia
Board Member
Eloiza Domingo
Board Member
Eloiza is a nationally recognized culture innovator and strategic advisor with more than two decades of leadership across healthcare, academia, pharmaceuticals, and finance.
As Vice President of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging at the National Audubon Society—and former Chief Inclusive Diversity Officer at Allstate—she has driven transformative change and strengthened organizational cultures worldwide. Her work at Johns Hopkins Medicine and Astellas Pharma earned national recognition for advancing equity, innovation, and belonging.
Named one of the Most Influential Filipinas in the World and a 2022 ICON by the Congressional Black Caucus and Motion Picture Association, Eloiza brings deep expertise in inclusive leadership and cultural transformation to the CIP Board of Directors. She is the daughter of Filipino immigrants.
Jesús Ruiz has served the Lake County community for more than ten years. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Loyola University Chicago, a master’s in Higher Education Leadership from Northeastern Illinois University, and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Educational Administration and Foundations at Illinois State University.
Jesús is the first Latino Dean of the College of Lake County’s Lakeshore Campus. His career includes leadership roles at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science and the Lake County Health Department, where he advanced initiatives in education, community health, and student support.
He is a former president of both The Latino Coalition of Lake County and the Waukegan Public Library Board, and currently serves on the boards of the Illinois Latino Council on Higher Education (ILACHE), the University of Wisconsin–Parkside Foundation, and the Waukegan Arts Council.
Throughout his career, Jesús has focused on expanding educational access and equity. His work in pipeline programs, community advocacy, and mentorship has opened doors for students of color and other underrepresented communities across Lake County.
Jesús Ruíz
Board Member