This page is under construction. Each of our FY24/25 bios will be posted as they are made available.
Washington, DC:
Haoxuan (Avery) Liang (he/she/they) began their community service career in 2020, when they got an opportunity to work as a in Camphill Village Copake, a farming and handcrafting community that serves adults with developmental disabilities. Besides being promoted to care manager position in 2021, they also became the first POC co-director of the Youth Group Leadership Team in Camphill Village, in which position they leveraged their community management and leadership skills to work to eliminate most of the hate speech, discrimination, and harmful acts against individuals in the community. Their time at NYU as an MPH student allows them to deeply understand how social determinants of health could affect the health issues among the populations in the US, especially for lower class and minority populations. Avery will serve as a Patient Advocate for Community of Hope.
Sophie Sperber (she/her/hers) graduated from the University of Southern California with degrees in journalism and political science. She previously participated in the JusticeCorps program, where she helped self-represented litigants access legal information. As a student journalist, she covered areas in politics such as the CD6 Special Election and the mayoral debate, as well as campus issues like the fraternity row sexual assault protests and the lack of mental health resources. A political science student at heart, she has also had the opportunity to work on the simulation featured in the movie War Game, where legislators simulated a future-set escalated January 6th threat. Sophia will serve as a Development and Operations Associate for The Government Accountability Project.
Kylie Bowlds (she/her/hers) recently graduated from Valparaiso University with a Bachelors in Psychology. Throughout undergrad, she worked in a variety of different settings with individuals struggling with various mental illnesses, where she served as a link between students and available wellness/mental health resources at the university. One of her main areas of interest is suicide prevention, where she specifically is committed to decreasing rates of suicide in under-served and over-represented groups such veterans, LGBTQ+ individuals, and various ethnic/racial minorities. She will serve as an LVC Fellow at the Luther Place Memorial Church.
Halimat Ellams (she/her/hers) was born in Nigeria and moved to America with my family as a child. Adapting to a new country came with many challenges, but these experiences taught her valuable lessons. Her parents instilled in her a strong drive and determination to reach her goals. She studied Political Science at Hunter College on a scholarship and she am currently working towards a Paralegal Certificate. Before joining the Lutheran Volunteer Corp, she worked as an Estate Planning, Tenant, and Litigation Paralegal for two exceptional lawyers in New Jersey. She aims to pursue a law degree and use her skills and compassion to uplift and support others. She will serve as a Casework Intern with the Samaritan Ministry of Greater Washington.
Ivannav Davila (she/her/hers) immigrated to the U.S. as a political refugee at the age of 14. She understands the experience of being in an immigration camp and what it is like to be separated from family members; this experience, though hard, gave her the knowledge and resiliency to navigate the immigration system and a passion to help others who are in the same situation. She went to Taylor University on a scholarship that was given to her due to her leadership skills, where she was able to participate in different cabinets, such as Global Engagement. She also belonged to the Latino Student Union, as well as the International Student Society. She will serve as a Paralegal in the Detained Adult Program with the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights.
Twin Cities, MN:
Louisa Ntaji (she/her/hers) is a passionate human rights lawyer with LL.M. degrees from the University of Minnesota and the University of Pretoria. Her focus areas include reproductive rights, international human rights law, and global health. She has worked extensively with the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights promoting social justice and health equity. Louisa is driven by a profound belief in equality and the importance of giving a voice to the marginalized. Louisa will serve as an LVC Fellow with The Advocates for Human Rights.
Moe Kojima (they/them/theirs) is a recent graduate from Carleton College with a major in Sociology/Anthropology and a minor in Gender, Women’s and Sexuality Studies. As an queer international person from Japan, Moe has been passionate about creating safer spaces and building/developing communities in which all are seen and heard. During their undergraduate, they worked as a mentor for racial/cultural/gender minority college students and a facilitator for educational dialogues across differences in backgrounds and values. They are also a dancer and a choreographer who envisions performing arts as a powerful resource for storytelling, connection, and solidarity.
Moe will serve as a Food Initiatives Program Coordinator for Augsburg University.
Diego Varas Rubín (he/him/his) was born and raised in Apatzingán, Michoacán, where he always dreamed of making a change. His hometown is one of the most violent places in México due to the war against the drug cartels, and his community longs for peace to come to their city, so they can live without fearing for the safety of our families. The peace we so desperately need isn’t going to come if we don’t act and try to make a small but significant contribution. Because of this conviction, he has prepared himself academically (through scholarships) and professionally in three countries (China, Mexico and the US), to acquire the experience, knowledge, and skills to be an agent of positive change. He has expanded his community: he now has beloved friends from many places around the globe and he also wants to fight for them. As an LVC fellow, his goal is to keep learning and to hopefully contribute with my work to make a positive impact in the world.
Diego will serve as a Refugee and Immigrant Program Intake Assistant for The Advocates for Human Rights.
Laura Jensen (she/her/hers) graduated from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN in May with a BA in English Literature and a minor in Women and Gender Studies. She has been involved with organizations like YWCA and the Rape and Abuse Crisis Center. She would like to be considered an advocate for others, empowering them to understand their own worth in a society that is constantly marginalizing them. White supremacy, patriarchy, heteronormativity, and beyond negatively impact everyone, even those in power. Social justice allows us to understand this. She would like to do my part to spread awareness about how the system in place sets us up for failure and how we can overcome it together. She believes education is the key to an informed, united society, and she makes it her mission to educate others, or at least guide them towards ways they can educate themselves.
BALTIMORE, MD
My name is Pablo Bejarano (he/him/his). I am from the border town of Tijuana, Baja California. Growing up there, you see all kinds of people in line, from all over the world. From day trippers that work for the weekend, to families that have sacrificed everything and more to be so close, yet so far from their dream. I went to primary school in Mexico and then, in the US, I went to high school. From there I went to a small liberal arts college named Hope College, where I got my philosophy degree.
Hi! My name is Emilie Gitter – Millie – (she/they) and I’m a recent graduate from Luther College in Decorah, IA. I graduated with a B.A. in Biology and a minor in Environmental Studies with a curiosity about the natural world and conservation biology. While I was a student, I enjoyed spending my time as a peer tutor and teaching assistant, which allowed me to develop leadership skills in teaching, problem solving, and group collaboration. One social justice cause that I am passionate about is combatting inequalities against the LGBTQIA+ community and pushing back against our heteronormative culture. I am Safe Zone training certified, so I can serve as a resource for creating safe, inclusive environments for people with diverse gender identities and sexualities. During my undergrad years, I also had the privilege of living in two intentional communities—one in Holden Village, Washington, and the most recent in San Mateo, Costa Rica. I believe that these experiences have been the most meaningful and transformative in my life thus far, which is one of the many reasons I’m excited to be a part of the LVC program! This year, I will be working with B’More Clubhouse as their Program Coordinator supporting adults living with mental illness. I am looking forward to new learning opportunities and forming new friendships!
I’m Kelsey Carlson (she/her/hers), and I graduated Syracuse University in 2022 with a degree in Writing & Rhetoric. This is the ability to craft persuasive arguments and put them into writing, to better look at arguments and positions held by others and work out what makes them successful and what they may be missing. The main benefit to this degree is that it has also taught me to see through the bluster of the divisive, to realize that people from all backgrounds and beliefs are being polarized through the intense misuse of rhetoric. During my time at university I volunteered for the public library, campaigned for a prospective Congressional candidate, and helped Get Out the Vote in the campus area.
I’m Hallie Millsaps (she/her/hers). As one who has a great passion for writing, I often use my writing to speak back to social injustices. Over the past few years, I have had the opportunity to take courses in Peace & Social Justice and recently earned my B.A. in Political Science and Africana Studies. These learning opportunities have given me great insight as to what the true issues are, and how I can possibly be a part of a solution. One of my more prominent skills that, I feel, will serve me while social justice volunteering is my ability to effectively to communicate, verbally and nonverbally. Communication is truly key and I hope to emphasize this notion throughout my LVC experience.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN
I’m Jacob Mier (they/them), and I graduated from Vassar College in May of 2022 with a major in Women, Feminist, and Queer Studies alongside a minor in Native American Studies. I spent all four years as a member of the swim and dive team and also worked closely with our LGBTQ+ center and the Native American and Indigenous Student Alliance (NAISA). With the LGBTQ+ center I served as president of AroAce Space my senior year and additionally helped plan Vassar’s first month of Pride celebrations in April of 2022.
Richnetta Parker (she/her/hers) is a recent graduate of Augsburg University where she studied Political Science and International Relations. She has spent the summer community organizing and serving as the Summer Non-Profit Capacity Building and Development Assistant at The Center for Leadership and Neighborhood Engagement, where she focused on collective leadership, community engagement, embodied anti-racism work, and creating participatory space for predominately white congregations to examine the ways in which they ethically engage in beloved community with BIPOC community members and congregants. Netta enjoys spending her free time singing in her home church and is a member of the youth and young adult choir “Chosen 1’s”.
WASHINGTON, DC
My name is Jocelyn Anctil (she/her/hers) and I am so excited to serve with the Lutheran Volunteer Corps for the 2022-2023 year! I am a recent graduate of Nazareth College with a B.S. in Social Work and Dance Studies. Through these degrees, I have had internships working with multiple populations in a legal setting. This has fostered an interest in the legal system and how it can be used and adjusted to better the lives of individuals. I have begun to learn how to advocate for multiple populations to receive better care. In March I went on a retreat to El Paso, TX where I worked with migrants and learned about the policies and laws that can dictate their lives. I immediately wanted to learn more from this population and empower them. My placement for LVC is with the Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights (CAIR) Coalition. Here I am hoping to build on the experience in El Paso and learn more about what gaps exist in the care of this population. After this year of service, I intend to use these experiences in pursuit of a law and public policy degree. I cannot wait to take every opportunity to expand my perspective!
I’m Onysha Boak (she/her/hers). As a recent graduate of St. John’s College (NM), I’m hoping to put all the thinking I’ve done about philosophy, ethics, and theology into action and further reflection during my service year. I’ll be serving at the Samaritan Ministry of Greater Washington as an intern caseworker. In the past, I’ve worked with Amnesty International USA as a chapter leader and interned at an advocacy organization working on ending police violence in my home country of Malaysia. I hope to live a life in accordance with the way Christ asks us to treat our neighbors wherever I happen to be.
I’m Jeffrey Carey (he/him/his). I graduated from St. Mary’s College of Maryland with a B.A. in English and a minor in Religious Studies. The four passions fueling my life are stories, people, nature and God. In my four years of AmeriCorps service, I cultivated a robust skillset in data management, facilitating activities, and public speaking. Living in intentional community has also been a goal of mine since Shane Claiborne’s The Irresistible Revolution introduced me to the idea, so I’m happy my journey took me here to LVC. From here, I have eyes on a non-profit career, publishing novels, and perhaps seminary.
Ian Herel (he/they) is a graduate from UMass Amherst with a degree in Social Thought & Political Economy, and minors in comparative literature and creative writing. In addition to fiction, he is interested in pursuing investigative journalism, and will be interning at the Government Accountability Project this year to work with whistleblowers and policy advocacy. Ian has also lived in Ecuador, speaks Spanish, and has experience in medical interpretation, ESL teaching, and teaching creative writing. He is so excited to live in community this year and continue learning about the intersections of spirituality, justice and writing.
My name is Sydney Johnson (she/they) and I am from Lake Elmo, Minnesota! I graduated from St. Catherine University with degrees in Economics & International Development. I have worked in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors while in school, including the MN Governor. I am a fourth degree black belt and taught karate for two years to ages 4-30. Through this program, I am excited to expand my experience in social justice topics I am passionate about, including women’s rights and economic freedom.
Zachary Light (he/they) was born to two queer women in Cambridge and raised in Sharon, Massachusetts. From an early age, Zack developed a keen eye for observing people and bridging their experiences with social dilemmas they read about at length in their free time. Their drive to always extend a hand in healing is rooted in their deep-set value of helping others before themselves. Their journey through Sharon High School and St. Olaf College were stepping stones to exploring the world of social justice and learning ways of service and reconciliation. As a history major and lover of literature, Zack excels at integrating vastly different perspectives and historical evidence into everyday problem-solving analysis. During this time, they supported numerous social causes from participation in GSA- and AAPI-rooted student organizations, courses in the Environmental Studies department that advocated for environmental justice and building community relationships, and the St. Olaf Chapel Choir which regularly highlighted a new social justice issue with each concert, from journeys of racial reconciliation to finding strength and hope in the midst of school shootings and mass loss of life. Zack has always sought to devote their life to enacting positive change in the world, and their first step is working with Community of Hope.
I’m Ellen Mickelson (she/her/hers). I am a 2022 graduate from St. Olaf College, majoring in Economic and Political Science with a concentration in International Relations. This taught me to think about problem from a variety of different perspectives and come up with creative solutions. Throughout my schooling I compete four years in cross country and track and field, 2 years as a captain. This developed my leadership skills and grew my passion for working in a team. I have worked in a variety of jobs in the service industry which taught me communincation skills.
I’m Lisa Thompson (she/her/hers), and I am looking forward to my current placement with Lutheran Volunteer Corps. I have a heart for social justice. People need basic needs met in order to live and work. I believe barriers need to be broken for people to make their dreams come true. Every person is valuable and can contribute to society. They can thrive with encouragement and support. I like serving at faith-based organizations since it gives me the opportunity to share my faith with others while encouraging them to find peace, purpose, joy, and hope in society.
VIRTUAL
Hi I am Ashley Dancy (she/her/hers), I am looking forward to volunteering through LVC, in my community I have been establishing a network to help spread social Justice. I advocate that no matter your race, age, Gender, we all should have the same opportunities and freedom.
I’m Edith Ramirez-Salazar (she/they). I am a recent college graduate that majored in both Political Science and Sociology, with a minor in Criminal Justice and certificates in Addiction Science and Multicultural Studies. In college, I was on the executive board of a student-led service organization called Mizzou Alternative Breaks, in which I was able to assist other students throughout their service trip planning process. Before joining the executive board, I led several service trips that were immigration and poverty focused. These social justice experiences have led me to work with the Network for Victim Recovery DC as an advocate screening and intake specialist, where I will learn more about the area of social work and continue on the social justice path.
