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

Middle / High School Director

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.

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.

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

Executive Assistant

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.

Joseph Munyarakengwa

Elementary School Program Assistant

Joseph Munyarakengwa was born in DR Congo and raised in Uganda, otherwise known as “The Pearl of Africa”. Due to financial difficulties in his homeland, Joseph never received his high school diploma. He is currently pursuing that thanks to the Urban Corps of San Diego charter school program after only being in the USA for a year.

While his journey of adaptation in the USA is a newer story and just getting started, he is now doing it alongside SDRT’s students, with the full knowledge of how it feels adjusting to a different environment like America. He wants to bring his motivation, courage and eagerness to succeed to every child at SDRT.

Joseph absolutely loves spending days with kids and seeing their constant academic improvement. His favorite days at SDRT are when he looks around the classrooms and sees every single child reading independently.

His family is his greatest blessing and is the second child in a family of five children. He enjoys playing soccer, reading, and learning new skills. His motto is “NO ROOM FOR COMPLACENCY”.

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.

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.

Patrick Goddard

Treasurer

Patrick Goddard is a public high school teacher working within the San Diego Unified School District. Prior to being an educator, he spent almost twenty years in the entrepreneurial start-up industry, scaling and growing businesses. He holds his MBA and educational administrative credential from San Diego State University and a BA in history from Boston College. A San Diego native, he enjoys time with his spouse and two boys. He was introduced to San Diego Refugee tutoring through his older son, who was a tutor for several years while in high school.

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

Middle / High School Program Assistant

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.

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

Brian Becker

Chris Magagnini

Christine Friedman

Erin Lavigna

Habon Hassan

Itzel Bustamante

Jess Kraus

Joanne Brown

Joseph Munyarakengwa

Kristin McGraw

Laura Requena

Melissa Phillips

Navid Zohoury

Patrick Goddard

Ratasha Pugh

Rohit Ahuja

Sadia Habib

Sodaba Dehpoor

Sopyda Yin

Steve Gilbert

Susie Sovereign

Ready To Get Involved?

A.J. McGladdery

Andrea Zeidell

Andrew Younger

Brian Becker

Chris Magagnini

Christine Friedman

Erin Lavigna

Habon Hassan

Itzel Bustamante

Jess Kraus

Joanne Brown

Joseph Munyarakengwa

Kristin McGraw

Laura Requena

Melissa Phillips

Navid Zohoury

Patrick Goddard

Ratasha Pugh

Rohit Ahuja

Sadia Habib

Sodaba Dehpoor

Sopyda Yin

Steve Gilbert

Susie Sovereign