Jenifer Agudelo
Originally from Medellín, Colombia, Jen is an audiovisual communicator by profession. Most of her work in Colombia focused on social and population issues as well as cultural events.
Jen is now a community health worker in Kingston where she enjoys participating in outreach events and community learning experiences. Since arriving in the United States, she has worked with families from diverse cultural backgrounds and, in particular, with women who are heads of households and with children.
More UIDN people
Father Frank Alagna
President, Affiliates, and Fundraising
Father Frank is the grandchild of immigrants and has been an Episcopal priest for nearly 50 years. “Advocating and caring for the ‘strangers’ who live among us,” he says, “is for me both a genetic and biblical imperative.”
Salvador Altamirano-Segura
Salvador is a social worker and team leader with Family of Woodstock. He co-chairs the Regional Racial Justice Advisory Committee, CARES of NY. He lives in Lake Hill.
Leslie Gallagher
Leslie is a retired teacher committed to social, racial, and food justice for all. (Leslie is in the brown coat in this photo taken at one of UIDN’s outdoor food distributions during the pandemic.)
Bob Gelbach
Bob lives in Saugerties. He is retired from careers as a political science professor and director of a disaster mental health agency.
Steve Goodman, Treasurer
Steve is an education consultant and writer with 35 years of experience in nonprofit management. He was founding director of a social justice organization in NYC that teaches BIPOC and immigrant youth to produce documentaries on critical issues in their communities. He lives in New Paltz with his family.
Patricia Grossman
Vice President, Rent & Utilities Assistance
Patty is a former K-12 educational publishing and technology specialist. She has volunteered in multiple capacities at GMHC in NYC.
Before joining UIDN’s board, she volunteered for two years for Woodstock Immigrant Support, a UIDN affiliate, where among other efforts she helped educate immigrant parents of Onteora Central School District students on their children’s rights. She moved from Brooklyn to Woodstock in 2016.
Graciela Heymann
For 25 years, Graciela served as executive director of the Westchester (NY) Hispanic Coalition, a policy and advocacy group, where she developed and implemented programs addressing worker’s rights, information/referrals, legal services, and sexual assault and domestic violence.
Graciela has also served as chair and vice-chair, the New York Immigration Coalition and on the boards of the NYS Coalition Against Sexual Assault, Worker Justice Center of NY, and the National Day Laborer Organizing Network. Originally from Venezuela, Graciela earned a degree in International Humanitarian Action from Fordham University. She also earned degrees at Barnard College and Teachers College at Columbia University.
Marylen Irizarry-Moyer, Health Care
Raised in the Bronx, Marylen is Cuban-American and has lived in the Hudson Valley for 25+ years. She began her career as a direct care worker for a non-profit. After taking a break to raise her children, she attended Empire State College and studied human services. After graduation, Marylen joined another not-for-profit as a community care worker eventually becoming program manager.
As a certified health care navigator, she now helps individuals get health insurance. When Marylen comes across community members with limited English she recalls translating for her parents as a child. Marylen enjoys Latin dancing while cooking everyone’s favorite black beans. The best of both worlds.
Marjorie Leopold
Housing Justice and Schools Outreach
Marjorie is a retired Ulster BOCES New Visions teacher, and worked with Ulster Literacy’s English for Parents program. She coordinates UIDN’s after school and remote programming with Kingston City School District and advocates for education equity and affordable housing.
Diana Lopez
Diana Lopez is a community organizer with For the Many based in Ulster County. She has lived in Kingston for over 27 years. Diana says she has met many amazing community members and neighbors through her involvement with UIDN, For the Many, the Worker Justice Center of New York, and Planned Parenthood. Her goal is to make sure our community is educated on what is happening locally and how they can make a difference.
Eline I. Martínez Chataing, Women’s Academy
Eline is a founder and facilitator for UIDN’s Women’s Academy. She was born in Barranquilla, Colombia, and has a background in communications, public relations, and corporate event planning. Eline currently works as a housing counselor at a non-profit group assisting families and individuals facing evictions. Her interests include serving the community, solidarity, wellness, and women’s empowerment.
Reverend Eliacín Rosario-Cruz
Originally from Puerto Rico, Eliacín serves as the priest-in-charge at Holy Cross/Santa Cruz Episcopal Church. He transitioned to the Pacific Northwest seeking a more fulfilling life and found his calling in the Episcopal Church, where he was ordained in the Diocese of Olympia, Washington. Fully bilingual in Spanish and English, Eliacín is dedicated to expanding intercultural understanding and serves as a trainer at the College for Congregational Development.
Kim Touchette, Household Support
Kim spent her career as an educator and continues to teach part time. She joined UIDN in the summer of 2019 to be part of an organization that promotes inclusiveness and tolerance and social justice and says she is “grateful to be part of a group of dedicated volunteers who share my passion for these issues.” Her immigrant grandparents hailed from Quebec, Canada.