Our Team - SDRT

A.J. McGladdery

Advisor

A.J. McGladdery has been working in education since 2008. Currently, he is a Technical Producer for an educational technology agency, helping develop educational apps and websites. Previously, he taught English as Second Language both locally in San Diego and abroad in the United Arab Emirates. He has a heart for refugee populations, having volunteered for the International Rescue Committee (San Diego), the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (Portland), and now San Diego Refugee Tutoring.

A.J. has been a volunteer with SDRT since 2023. He loves building connections with students through listening and laughter. In his free time, he loves to paint, draw, and take his dog to the beach.

Andrea Zeidell

Manager of Volunteer Services

A San Diego native and oldest of three sisters, Andrea Zeidell started volunteering with SDRT in 2016 and developed a quick bond with the very first student she tutored. After that first day, she attended every tutoring session available to get the chance to work with “her” student, and whom she still works with today. When SDRT was hiring for a Volunteer Coordinator and Social Media Manager in 2017, she jumped at the opportunity to have a deeper role in the organization. Now with the title of Manager of Volunteer Services & Web Support, she is grateful for the continued trust in helping with the growth & health of SDRT.

Andrea is a huge fan of dance, Kundalini Yoga, HIIT, kids birthday parties, cooking with others, and sound healing. She loves traveling, full moon hikes, spending quality time with family and friends in nature and/or surrounded by good food, live music, and meaningful conversation.

Andrew Younger

High School Director/Grant Writer

Prior to becoming SDRT’s MS/HS Director, Andrew Younger taught grades 7-12 and was the English Department Head and Curriculum Specialist at a middle school in South San Diego where he worked with a large English learner student population. Empowering students through language and literacy inspired Andrew to pursue an English degree through SDSU and a M.Ed through the University of San Diego. He is excited to continue empowering students and families with SDRT.

Outside of the classroom, Andrew is an avid movie and music fan who always appreciates recommendations. He plays multiple musical instruments in his free time and enjoys trivia, tennis, skateboarding, and travel. Andrew has visited 12 countries so far and is looking forward to adding more countries to that list soon.

Filbert Ochira

Elementary School Program Assistant

Filbert Ochira was born in South Sudan and displaced to Uganda at the age of seven. He spent two decades in the Kyangwali refugee camp, where he developed a deep connection to his culture and community. During that time, he completed his advanced certificate of education and served as a translator and interpreter for the UNHCR, IOM, Alight, and RSC, where he speaks seven languages. In 2024, he came to the US with his aunt, sister, and brother.

Dedicated to community engagement, Filbert has worked as a case manager and facilitator for a variety of social programs, including services for the elderly, child protection, family dispute resolution, youth sports, and an arts initiatives for refugee children. One of his proudest accomplishments was teaching discipline and child rights awareness to the young athletes he coached in basketball and soccer.

Now living in San Diego with his family, Filbert has joined SDRT as an assistant. Some of Filbert’s hobbies include joining book clubs, reading about history, writing, volunteering in the community, traveling and exploring new cultures, and playing sports like soccer. He looks forward to sharing his passions, such as painting and sports, to help children grow, learn, and thrive in their resettlement journey.

Brian Becker

President

Brian Becker is an international educator at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego where he directs both International Ministry and Study Abroad programs. He earned the MA Nonprofit Management and Leadership degree at USD School of Leadership and Education Sciences. Brian has also lived and worked in microfinance in Kisangani, Democratic Republic of the Congo with HOPE International.

Brian and his family reside in City Heights and have been shaped by close relationships with families from the DR Congo and East African countries.

Chris Magagnini

Advisor

Chris Magagnini is a Behavioral Neuroscience undergraduate at the University of San Diego. He has been a tutor with SDRT since 2023, where he has greatly enjoyed supporting students’ learning.

Prior to attending USD, Chris competed on the men’s soccer team at Las Positas College in Livermore, California. He also worked as an EMT in the Bay Area, where he provided patient care to people of many geographic and socioeconomic backgrounds. These experiences helped shape his commitment to helping any student succeed.

In his free time, Chris enjoys soccer, concerts, and exploring San Diego.

Keith Messerman

Finance and Development Support

A native Clevelander, Keith joined SDRT after moving from Denver, CO to City Heights in the summer of 2025. He has a background in victim services, grant management, and nonprofit administration, and was previously the finance director for Denver’s family justice center. He holds an M.A. in history and was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Tanzania where he taught high school English and learned to speak Swahili.

Keith became a first-time father to a beautiful baby girl in August 2025. While discovering the joys of being a girl dad in real time, he might be found exploring San Diego, hiking, camping, fishing, or doing his best not to ruin dinner for his hard-working better half.

Christine Friedman

Secretary

Christine Friedman has practiced law in California since 1996. Currently, she is a Deputy Attorney General in the Appeals, Writs, & Trials section of the California Attorney General’s Office. Previously, she practiced employment law and commercial litigation, and served as a law clerk for Hon. Barry Ted Moskowitz, United States District Court Judge, and Hon. David R. Thompson, Senior Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Christine has been a volunteer with SDRT since 2018. As an immigrant herself, she appreciates the difficulties of adapting to a new culture and wholeheartedly believes in SDRT’s mission of achieving social justice through educational access.

Erin Lavigna

Director

Erin Lavigna is the Executive Director of Marketing and Brand at UC San Diego Health, the region’s only academic health system. In this role, she leads the marketing strategy for the health system and oversees a diverse and award-winning team of professionals in advertising, content creation, social media, branding, design, website development, and user experience.

Erin was introduced to San Diego Refugee Tutoring (SDRT) by her husband, Ken, who is an active volunteer. She has since developed a deep connection with SDRT’s mission, especially cherishing her involvement in the annual Back-To-School event, where she enjoys helping students pick out new pairs of shoes.

In her spare time, Erin enjoys quality time with her family and two dogs. She has a passion for reading, solving jigsaw puzzles, knitting, and crocheting, and is an avid listener of true crime podcasts.

Habon Hassan

Family Academic Liaison

Born in Somalia, Habon Hassan moved to Kenya at the age three before arriving in the United States in 2014. She is a proud first-generation graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a minor in Child and Family Development. Habon began attending tutoring sessions with San Diego Refugee Tutoring (SDRT) in seventh grade and continued until her senior year of high school. This long-standing relationship with SDRT inspired her to give back to the organization that supported her throughout her academic journey. Today, she is proud to be a staff member with SDRT, helping other students succeed just as she once did.

Habon loves doing henna on special occasions, taking long walks, and spending time in nature, especially with her mom. An outdoor enthusiast, she completed the Five Peak Challenge in San Diego in 2019. In her free time, she also enjoys hiking, exploring the arts, and attending local events.

Itzel Bustamante

Advisor

Itzel Bustamante was born and raised in Tijuana, Mexico and moved to San Diego when she was ten years old. She recently graduated from California State University, Long Beach with a major in Molecular Cell Biology and Physiology and a minor in Chemistry.

Itzel has always been passionate about fostering personal and educational growth with every person she comes across. She believes there’s something incredibly fulfilling about witnessing someone discovering their passion through things they have learned along your side.

Having personal knowledge with the struggle of adjusting to the new language and academic system here in the USA, it brings Itzel even more joy to keep supporting SDRT on the right path to making learning more enjoyable and accessible. This is why she is more than excited to bring her unique and creative ideas to the SDRT Advisory Board.

Jess Kraus

Manager of Operations

Jess Kraus hails from the heart of the midwest; she grew up in a big multicultural family where she is the oldest of 4 sisters. She has lived in San Diego for 12 years and, through her daughter’s eyes, discovered SDRT. Currently, Jess is the Program/Admin Assistant and enjoys being out in the community, cultivating friendships, and watching students dive into a good story with their tutor.

Jess enjoys popcorn and a movie with her family. She loves to see live music with her daughter and is devoted to second-hand shopping.

Joanne Brown

Director

Joanne Brown began her career as a teacher of students with learning differences. She then became involved In leadership positions with a variety of nonprofits, often using her teaching skills to train adults. She ended her professional career as the manager of a volunteer program for a non-profit hospice. She holds a BA from Yale, an Ed.M from Harvard and an MPH from Boston University.

She has served on a number of boards, including the governing board for Cambridge Friends School, the only Quaker school in Massachusetts, and most recently for Mothers Milk Bank Northeast.

Now retired, Joanne and her husband moved cross-country from Cambridge, MA to San Diego in the summer of 2023. She began tutoring at SDRT in February 2024 and is delighted to be back to working directly with students. She is also honored to draw on her board experience to further support the organization.

Kristin McGraw

Elementary School Director

Kristin McGraw connected with SDRT as a volunteer, supporting a teacher at Ibarra Elementary with new refugee students. Her first years teaching were in the San Francisco Unified School District where she taught grades 4-8. The diversity of her classrooms inspired her to return to graduate school to become a reading specialist and to learn more about second language acquisition. While raising her family in San Diego, she continued to support classroom teachers as a volunteer, tutoring struggling readers, and working at a charter school in City Heights supporting middle and high school students. Her role at SDRT allows her to continue pursuing her passion of supporting students and their families.

Kristin and her husband have recently become empty nesters after many years of raising their three children. In her free time she is happiest hiking, exploring national parks, knitting, reading, and spending as much time as she can with her family.

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Laura Requena

Director

Laura Requena has worked in the biotechnology life sciences field for over 20 years. Laura focuses on developing and commercializing technologies, which scientists use to understand diseases and develop new therapies.

Laura was a refugee from Chile, gaining asylum in the UK as a child. Laura and her family initially struggled with the English language and culture—she was often seated at the remedial table in primary school. After overcoming these difficulties, Laura completed her Ph.D. and emigrated to the US in 2001. Her career has led to secondments in Japan and China.

When at home in San Diego, Laura enjoys live music events, and tending to her unruly backyard chickens.

Mauricio Hernandez

Middle and High School Program Assistant

Mauricio Hernandez is a proud City Heights native and UC Santa Barbara grad with deep pride in the place that raised him. As the son of two Mexican immigrants whose dream was for him to earn an education, the lessons and values they passed down continue to guide his work and shape how he connects with others. Those foundations have enabled him to cultivate meaningful relationships throughout the community and approach every endeavor with purpose. He works to connect residents with the best resources and opportunities, always leading with integrity, serving from the heart, and holding himself accountable to do everything with the dignity the community deserves. Outside of work, he enjoys watching soccer with his dad, making dinner with his mom and sister, discovering new music, and working out.

Melissa Phillips

Executive Director

Melissa Phillips is the co-founder and Executive Director of San Diego Refugee Tutoring (SDRT). A credentialed teacher, she served in San Diego Unified schools (City Heights area) for almost two decades. When she discovered the intense needs of students from a refugee background in her classroom, she created SDRT with another colleague, Jeremy Blough. Together, they wanted to connect volunteers to students in an outside-the-box effort to meet the significant academic needs of students who recently resettled in the United States. SDRT has continued to grow at a rapid rate, far exceeding anything Melissa ever dreamt of creating. She loves watching the students and tutors connect where, as a result, both tutors and students end up seeing life from a different perspective. While living in City Heights for 21 years, she loved seeing firsthand the diversity that each unique culture brings to the community. She is passionate about all students deserving an equitable educational experience.

Melissa is also a mom to five children through adoption and foster care. When she isn’t with kids, she can be found on a date with her high school sweetheart (who also works in education), hiking, camping, jogging or reading.

Navid Zohoury

Director

Navid Zohoury graduated from UCSD with a degree in Molecular Biology in 2010, and began his career as a researcher in the field of autoimmunity. Over the past seven years, Navid has transitioned into computer programming, specializing in data visualization and automating business processes.

As a refugee who immigrated to the U.S. from Iran with his family at the age of nine, Navid has a deep, personal understanding of the challenges of adapting to life in a new country.

He resides in University Heights with his wife, dog, and cat, and they are expecting their first child in January 2025.

Ratasha Pugh

Advisor

With over 12 years in special education, Ratasha Pugh is deeply passionate about creating inclusive learning environments that address the diverse needs of all students. Her journey has allowed her to take on various roles within the field, each one enriching her understanding of how to best support students with different needs.

One of Ratasha’s proudest achievements has been designing and implementing a school-wide Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) intervention program. This initiative was driven by her commitment to closing the reading gap and enhancing educational outcomes for every student. By using evidence-based strategies and a holistic approach, she has been able to support not just academic growth, but also the emotional well-being of students.

Ratasha firmly believes in supporting the whole child, which means engaging with and empowering families as well. She strives to create a collaborative environment where students, families, and educators work together to achieve the best possible outcomes.

Ratasha’s experience has been both challenging and rewarding, and she remains dedicated to making a meaningful difference in the lives of students and their families through innovative, compassionate, and comprehensive support. Over the last year, she has had the opportunity to tutor with SDRT to continue to support the learning and growth of children. She enjoys the opportunity to be a part of such a great and rewarding program that supports her vision of providing ‘All’ students with the skills and opportunities to learn. She looks forward to being a part of the Advisory Board and giving back to this awesome organization.

Rohit Ahuja

Director

Rohit Ahuja is a UCSD graduate with a degree in Human Biology. He joined SDRT in 2021 during the midst of COVID and has had a wonderful time helping students learn and grow.

Rohit aims to pursue a career in medicine through a social justice lens. During undergrad, he engaged in various community service initiatives including a homeless organization that connects individuals to services and programs that combat barriers to housing and unemployment. He worked as a mentor at the International Center of UCSD and as a teaching assistant for over a year. His mission and philosophy is committed to helping students of all backgrounds thrive and succeed.

Sadia Habib

Family Academic Liaison

Sadia Habib serves as the Public Outreach Manager and Communications Director for the Afghanistan Law and Political Science Association (ALPA), where she supports free educational opportunities for Afghan women worldwide. With a background in teaching and tutoring through various NGOs and schools, Sadia is passionate about creating pathways to learning and empowerment for communities in need. Her own experience of being displaced for four years has given her a deep understanding of the challenges that come with navigating new environments, making her especially appreciative of the impactful work SDRT is doing for refugee students and families.

Sadia is multilingual, speaking several languages fluently, which helps her connect with diverse communities. Outside of her professional commitments, she enjoys learning new things, meeting people from different backgrounds, and exploring new places. She believes in the power of education to transform lives and is dedicated to making a positive difference in the lives of those she serves.

Sodaba Dehpoor

Family Academic Liaison

Sodaba Dehpoor is the dedicated Family Academic Liaison at SDRT, bringing warmth and enthusiasm to her work supporting students and families. She is committed to helping refugee families thrive academically. Known for her friendly approach and positive energy, Sodaba creates a welcoming learning experience for everyone.

Outside of her role, she enjoys exploring new ideas and cultures, believing that curiosity is the key to growth.

Vivian Munoz

Middle School Director

Prior to joining the SDRT team as the Middle School Program Director, Vivian Muñoz has enjoyed many career opportunities as a documentary filmmaker, social service navigator for both the elderly and those experiencing homelessness, and as a climate justice researcher. Through these experiences, as well as through her Master of Public Health from UCLA, Vivian has had the opportunity to both work with a variety of immigrant and refugee communities, and understand how large systems can center equity and justice through relationship-centered work. Being a first generation student and the daughter of immigrants has only solidified to her the role that education plays in health and wellbeing, so Vivian hopes to help create learning environments where SDRT students feel safe, valued, and empowered to grow, and where students, families, and staff can collaboratively nurture resilience, imagination, and leadership.

In her free time, you may find Vivian hiking or camping, helping out at a local mutual aid event, or playing music on the guitar or violin. She also enjoys finding new coffee shops around town, going for a swim, and tending to her virtual farm in Stardew Valley.

Sopyda Yin

Advisor

Sopyda Yin is a second-generation Cambodian American. Her family were refugees who immigrated to the United States after the Khmer Rouge. Deeply touched by her parents’ story and the experiences of fellow Cambodians, Sopyda was inspired to advance her education and represent her community. She graduated from the University of California, San Diego with a Bachelor of Science in Human Biology and works as a Staff Research Associate at UC San Diego Qualcomm Institute. She hopes to pursue a career in medicine in the near future.

Sopyda’s passion for education is evident through her previous experience as an undergraduate writing tutor at UCSD. Since then, she has been an advocate for quality education and was deeply moved by the mission of San Diego Refugee Tutoring (SDRT). Since joining SDRT as a volunteer in January 2023, she has had the honor of tutoring many talented refugee students and is committed to making a positive impact on the refugee community.

In her free time, Sopyda enjoys spending time with loved ones, reading, pilates, and painting.

Steve Gilbert

Director

Steve Gilbert has been actively helping refugees in San Diego, where he currently resides, and in various countries for 30 years. He has been involved in these countries helping to build schools, micro-finance and job skill training. He has an ESL certificate and has taught ESL at Salvation Army. Through the years and when able, he and his wife have had the joy of volunteering with SDRT. He knows that education is a key factor to everyone’s success.

Currently, he is involved with ministries in Haiti, India, Brazil, and Mexico. In recent years he and his wife have hosted families from Ukraine and Sudan in their home. He truly believes in what SDRT is all about, the idea of “loving the foreigners in your land”, and is humbled and honored to be a board member.

Susie Sovereign

Director

Susie Sovereign was a public school educator and administrator for over 30 years and is now happily retired. She was the principal at Herbert Ibarra Elementary, where San Diego Refugee Tutoring started, for 14 years.

She grew up in Monterey, California, went to college at the University of the Pacific in Stockton and came to San Diego for graduate school.
After completing her master’s degree she stayed in San Diego and will not leave unless it is to visit Italy for an extended period of time with her boyfriend.

Meet Our Team

A.J. McGladdery

Andrea Zeidell

Andrew Younger

Filbert Ochira

Brian Becker

Chris Magagnini

Keith Messerman

Christine Friedman

Erin Lavigna

Habon Hassan

Itzel Bustamante

Jess Kraus

Joanne Brown

Kristin McGraw

Laura Requena

Mauricio Hernandez

Melissa Phillips

Navid Zohoury

Ratasha Pugh

Rohit Ahuja

Sadia Habib

Sodaba Dehpoor

Vivian Munoz

Sopyda Yin

Steve Gilbert

Susie Sovereign

Ready To Get Involved?

A.J. McGladdery

Andrea Zeidell

Andrew Younger

Filbert Ochira

Brian Becker

Chris Magagnini

Keith Messerman

Christine Friedman

Erin Lavigna

Habon Hassan

Itzel Bustamante

Jess Kraus

Joanne Brown

Kristin McGraw

Laura Requena

Mauricio Hernandez

Melissa Phillips

Navid Zohoury

Ratasha Pugh

Rohit Ahuja

Sadia Habib

Sodaba Dehpoor

Vivian Munoz

Sopyda Yin

Steve Gilbert

Susie Sovereign