Our Team

Jason Baker, a native St. Louisan, received his Ph.D. in Languages and Literatures from Washington University in St. Louis in 2007. His journey with Monarch started as a volunteer citizenship tutor before he transitioned to Interpreter Coordinator in 2012. After assisting in strategic planning and operations, Jason became the Executive Director in 2016, dedicated to carrying out the founder’s vision of equal access for all.

Enisa, originally from Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, provided counseling there for 14 years. She moved to the U.S. to earn her Masters in Counseling at Covenant Theological Seminary. Fluent in Bosnian and English, she has experience in community-based therapy across diverse cultures. Enisa is also a coffee enthusiast who enjoys spending time in coffee shops.

Laura merges her passion for helping refugees and immigrants with her legal expertise in the Legal Services Department. With a B.A. in History and Urban Studies from Northwestern University and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Kansas School of Law, Laura has experience with Legal Services of Eastern Missouri and the Missouri Attorney General’s Office. She devoted ten years at Christian Friends of New Americans in STL, focusing on Health and Wellness Coordination and Ministry.

Mario Camere, Esq., our Director of Legal Services, obtained his Juris Doctorate from Saint Louis University School of Law. Joining in 2016, he ensures high-quality, accessible legal services for underrepresented immigrant communities. His work is crucial in aiding refugees and torture survivors

Abby Cedano Jimenez, LCSW, a St. Louis native, graduated in Psychology and African Studies from The University of Arkansas. After volunteering in Philadelphia, she earned her Master’s in Social Work from Washington University in St. Louis. Abby has extensive experience with immigrant service providers and is passionate about cultural learning and travel. In 2022, she is currently a therapist at the St. Louis Partnership for Survivors of Torture, after three years as a therapist there.

Rorke has a background in public health and racial justice and received their MEd in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from University of Missouri-St. Louis in 2023. Rorke practices an integrative counseling approach that joins person-centered and strength-based therapy that priritizes self-acceptance, – awareness, and body-mind connection. Originally from Southern California, Rorke spends his free time in St. Louis writing, jogging, DIY house projects, board games, and learning Khmer.

With over 25 years working with refugees and immigrants, she earned a Master’s in Social Work from St. Louis University. Her experience spans roles like school social worker, social work administrator, and behavioral health therapist. She’s been instrumental in developing supports for New Americans in St. Louis and currently supervises provisionally licensed therapists in the St. Louis Partnership for Survivors of Torture and War Trauma project.

Alicia Delaney, our Assistant Director, oversees Agency Operations, Human Resources, Change Management, and more. With a BA in Psychology and Communications from William Woods University, Alicia’s expertise in program development, advocacy, and nonprofit development is invaluable. She enjoys cross-stitching, dance, and travel in her free time.

Miranda Gace originally joined Monarch as an interpreter, focusing on aiding the Albanian and Kosovar communities in gaining U.S. citizenship and social services. With experience in teaching, journalism, and a significant leadership role in Tirana, Albania, she is a key advocate and community leader, actively involved in various organizations including Family Care Health Centers.

Henry Garside, a St. Louis native, is fluent in Spanish and English and has several years of experience serving the immigrant population in the city. After graduating with a B.A in Politics from Occidental College, he moved to Spain for nine months and worked as an English teacher. Since his return to St. Louis, he worked as an interpreter, translator, intake coordinator, and case manager for St. Francis Community Services. In his free time, Henry is a music enthusiast and a soccer fanatic; he supports our local MLS club, St. Louis City SC, and plays recreationally on a regular basis.

Originally from Colorado, Anne studied Fine Art and Psychology at Colorado State University. After graduating, she attended Southern Illinois University Edwardsville where she received a master’s in art therapy counseling. Here, she was able to intern with Monarch Immigrant Services and has since joined as a mental health therapist. In her free time, Anne enjoys creating and showing art of her own, being outdoors, and spending time with family and friends.  

Rafaela “Ela” Hajdini, originally from Korça, Albania, immigrated to the US in 1996. She’s currently studying Early Childhood Special Education at Saint Louis University and teaches Albanian to children at Shoqata Iliria. Ela joined Monarch in Fall 2021 as an intern and continued as a Community Access Worker.

Rahmatullah Hamdard, with an MBA from Afghanistan, has extensive experience in international NGOs. He founded HELA in 2015 and was involved in nonprofits like SKATEISTAN. After relocating to the US in 2021, he joined Monarch in 2022 as a Case Manager, applying his skills to assist refugees and align with the organization’s goals.

Kersten Horn, MA, oversees Monarch’s data management and technology infrastructure. He was born in Germany and educated in France, the UK, and the United States.

Mudar is a mental health therapist at Monarch Immigrant Services. He provides trauma-informed psychotherapy to children, adolescents, and adults, using a combination of ACT, EMDR, and DBT skills. Mudar earned his M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Webster University in 2023, completing his internship at Casa de Salud, where he provided individual and group counseling to immigrants and refugees living in St. Louis. Mudar is also an alumnus of the Webster Institute for Clinical Scholarship (WICS), where he conducted presentations on healthcare access among Latin Americans in St. Louis at the WICS Ecological Seminar in April 2023 and the transcultural application of counseling theories at the WICS Summer Symposium in July 2023. Mudar’s passion for working with immigrants and refugees comes from his parents’ experiences as first-generation Syrian immigrants in the United States and his experience as a second-generation Syrian American.

Rana Issa  has a strong connection with Monarch. She started as an interpreter in 2020 but first encountered the agency in middle school when she attended a senior center group meeting with her family. Rana holds a BS in Psychology and History from St. Louis University, where she interned at Monarch. Currently, she serves as the Language Services Coordinator. Rana plans to continue her studies in social work .

Ying Jiang, originally from China, is a Community Access Worker and Mandarin Interpreter at Monarch. She earned a Masters of Science in Health Psychology from the University of Michigan – Dearborn and later completed a Masters of Arts in Neuroscience at Washington University in St. Louis. Ying is passionate about advocating for the aging population and enjoys spending time with her family.

Hannah is a LMSW who earned her BA in International & Area Studies from Washington University in St. Louis. She earned a Master’s in Social Work in 2022, concentrating in Mental Health with an emphasis on the experiences of LGBTQ populations with migration backgrounds. Hannah provides supportive and relief services to displaced individuals and families as well as with unhoused and foster youth. Hannah seeks to cultivate a safe and identity-affirming space to support each individual on their path towards healing.

Carrie Kowieski, LCSW earned her Masters in Social Work from the University of California, Berkeley in 2014. She moved from San Francisco to St. Louis in 2019 to spend time with her grandmother in her final years. She is glad to have found a professional home at Bilingual International where she draws on her experience with end-of-life care, grief work, and medical trauma within diverse communities. Carrie views people’s “symptoms” as brilliant survival strategies in the face of displacement, oppressive systems, and multiple forms of trauma. She is certified in EMDR and her practice is grounded in neuroscience while incorporating clients’ religious, spiritual, and cultural beliefs and practices. Carrie’s warm relational approach is foundational to fostering the emotional safety necessary for healing.

Originally a volunteer with Monarch, Martin started as Citizenship Tutor and Volunteer Coordinator in February 2024. Previously, he was a middle school English teacher with more than 25 years classroom experience before retiring in 2023. He is excited in his new role helping coordinate tutors with clients who want assistance with their citizenship test. In his spare time, he enjoys travel, classic film, his two cats and a pit bull/boxer mix that he has recently started fostering.

Anna has a master’s in Art Therapy Counseling from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, focusing on creative programs for immigrant youth in STL. An expert in acute psychiatric care, behavioral health, & eating disorders, she employs trauma-informed, creative therapeutic approaches using art. Anna has contributed to conferences, co-authored art therapy publications, & leads on project coordination responsibilities at Monarch.

Thinh Nguyen, born in Vietnam, holds degrees in Journalism and Law from Hanoi & a Masters in Legal Studies from Webster University. He began as a Community Access Worker for the Vietnamese client base and transitioned to a Survey Researcher in 2014. In this role, he manages surveys for agency programming /reporting and interprets survey data.

Rebecca Niedner’s background in logistics, ESL, resettlement, and advocacy ensures our clients receive exceptional language services. With degrees in Fine Art and advanced TESOL certification, she strives to be creative in effective communication with LEP individuals. In her spare time, Rebecca volunteer teaches ESL to Syrian refugees and is currently studying Levantine Arabic.

Katie grew up in New Mexico, USA, and likes sunshine, tacos, and all-things-outdoors. After completing a Master of Arts in Counseling in 2024, Katie joined Monarch’s staff as a therapist on the Children & Youth Mental Health team. Creativity, consistency, and cultural sensitivity are an important part of Katie’s work. She enjoys working with clients, families, and schools to find practical solutions for daily emotional health.

Haroon Safi, an Afghan native, worked with refugees in Pakistan before studying Political Science and Law in Kabul. Moving to the U.S. in 2014, he’s been an interpreter and cultural advisor in St. Louis, speaking multiple languages including Dari and Pashto. Haroon plays a key role in aiding Afghan evacuees since 2021, coordinating the SASIC program, managing Afghan case workers, and partnering with support agencies.

Zamzama “ZZ” Safi, Case Manager and Program Ambassador, was born and raised in Afghanistan. ZZ worked as a translator and cultural advisor to coalition forces, risking her life helping the US military and providing aid to local Afghans from 2012- 2020. She became an advocate for women’s rights and universal education and holds a BA in political science from Karwan University. She earned a special immigrant visa, and she was forced to leave her family and her homeland during the fall of Kabul in August 2021. Since then, she has lived and worked in the US, and she is a public motivational speaker. She has spoken at several universities across the country, including Yale! She was honored to receive a literary fellowship from Authentic Voices, a woman-of-color collective supported by the Women of Color Podcast and Women’s National Book Association. ZZ speaks six languages, including Pashto, Dari, and Farsi. She loves helping, reading, writing, cooking, driving, and enjoying her independence.

Ellen Sherman, a founding board member at Monarch and twice President of the Board, played a key role in growing the agency. With an MA in Gerontology and 40 years in senior services, she’s known for her effective volunteer coordination and positive impact on the team’s expansion and vibrancy.

Quill is a nonbinary lgbtq+ advocate in St. Louis. For ten years, they worked helping immigrants and refugees overseas in Málaga, Spain through food and clothing distribution, teaching English and writing, and photography. After the pandemic, they returned to their home in St. Louis to be closer to family. They’ve worked extensively with teenagers of different cultures and backgrounds, including as a special education substitute for the St. Louis school district. Currently, they aid Monarch’s children and youth mental health team as a bilingual Family Case Manager. Their goal is to facilitate immigrant parents in reaching their goals of making a home in the U.S. through problem solving, researching resources, and connecting them to the community to allow greater stability for their youth and children. When Quill isn’t working, they love creating safe queer spaces to play tabletop role playing games in the community and snuggling with their pug Luna during their downtime.

Daly Sullentrup, born in Cuba to missionary parents, is the Bookkeeper at Monarch. Fluent in English and Spanish, she has worked in various locations including Florida, Mexico City, Texas, and Missouri. Daly, with previous experience in law and non-profit sectors, embraces the challenges of her role, contributing to the organization’s success.

Azizullah Taaj, originally from Afghanistan, worked with an NGO and as a US military interpreter post-2001 invasion, leveraging his cultural and political understanding. He holds a law degree from Nangarhar University and immigrated to the US in 2009. Since 2021, he’s been actively volunteering to assist new Afghan arrivals, earning appreciation in his community for his dedication and kindness.

Lorna Vaughn, LPC, with a background in crisis intervention in St. Louis and roles at institutions like ALM Hopewell Center, provides counseling through Monarch’s STEPS to Better Health program and assists non-foreign-born seniors. She holds an MA in Professional Counseling from Lindenwood University and is a licensed ACA Navigator.

Lisa Vilchis, originally from San Antonio, TX, has been a Missouri resident for over 30 years. She has a diverse heritage, with Cuban and Mexican roots, and a background in missionary work. Lisa settled in St. Louis, MO, is a mother of two boys, and enjoys traveling with her children. She manages daily operations at the International Senior Center, interacting with a diverse group of participants.

Paul Witte, LPC, holds degrees in Literature, Psychology, and Mental Health Counseling. He started his career at the Center for Survivors of Torture and War Trauma in St. Louis and later supervised the Belize City Community Counseling Center. Paul returned to St. Louis and now coordinates the St. Louis Partnership for Survivors of Torture and War Trauma while continuing as a therapist.

Deanna Cocic-Vijayan, a refugee from Sarajevo, arrived in St. Louis in 1998. She worked in sales and customer service at Lambert International Airport for 15 years before joining LAMP as an interpreter. For the past five years, she has been working on the Social Services team, providing case work, citizenship, benefits assistance, and Medicare counseling to Bosnian-speaking clients. She also oversees the Bosnian senior group.

An ordained minister working with refugees and immigrants in the South St. Louis area since 2004 through faith-based service initiatives. He speaks the primary languages of the former Yugoslavia (Bosnian, Croatian, and Serbian) and serves as the primary screener and Client Services Coordinator of the St. Louis Partnership for Survivors of Torture and War Trauma. Sasha was born in Salzburg, Austria and grew up in Sanski Most, Bosnia. He immigrated to the US in 2002