Parvez is a nonprofit industry professional with a combination of management skills in development, public policy, and research. During his tenure in higher education, he led various global projects in alignment with St. John's University's Global Initiatives Program focusing on education and empowerment of underserved populations. He has a decade of progressive project management experience in community development in international locations including Brazil, Turkey, and Vietnam among others.

Parvez served as Director of St. John’s University’s Dr. M. T. Geoffrey Yeh Art Gallery in New York City from 2003 to 2016 and as Adjunct Professor from 2007 to 2015. He received an MA in Liberal Studies with a concentration in Cultural Studies and an MA in Global Development and Social Justice from St. John’s University. Capstone/Thesis in Global Development titled “Child Labor and Slavery in Bangladesh: Building Human Rights Through Information Sharing”.

He holds a Master of Public Administration from the renowned Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University, New York.

Idah Mathu was born and raised in Nairobi Kenya. She later moved to South Africa to pursue a Degree in Computer Science and upon completion moved to the United States. Idah joined NICE in September of 2009 as a Financial and Administrative Coordinator. She is also now the Director of Operations and Employee Services. Idah speaks Swahili, English and Kikuyu.

Cindy was born and raised in Iowa with her 10 brothers and sisters. She graduated from St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Biology. She spent over 30 years in corporate America starting in Quality Assurance and moving through several other areas including Finance and Sales. In Febuary of 2011, she started at NICE as a volunteer. In June, she was hired to be the Resettlement Program Coordinator overseeing all parts of NICE’s Resettlement Program, specifically R&P. Cindy currently serves as the Chief Finance, Operations and Resettlement Services Officer.

In 2011, Koang graduated from Nashville State Community College with an associate degree in Business Information Systems. In 2013, he graduated from Trevecca Nazarene University with a Bachelor’s degree in Human Relations. While working at NICE, he pursued his educational goal and obtained his Master of Science Degree in Management at Trevecca Nazarene University in 2015. He joined the NICE staff in October of 2011 as the RSS coordinator helping find sustainable employment for refugees. Koang currently serves as the Transportation Manager. Koang speaks Arabic, English and Nuer.

Nadia is originally from Dhaka, Bangladesh. She received her M.Phil in medical anthropology from the University of Oxford in 2010, M.A. in anthropology with a concentration in international development from George Washington University (GWU) in 2008, and a B.A. in anthropology from the University of Delaware in 2005. Her research interests include reproductive health and urban development in Dhaka, Bangladesh. After completing her graduate studies, she worked as a research associate for the Global Gender Program and Culture in Global Affairs at GWU. She also facilitated student discussions for the Department of Anthropology at GWU. She moved to Nashville to pursue a career in program and grants management for the Center for Medicine, Health, and Society at Vanderbilt University. Nadia currently serves as NICE's Associate Director of Self-sufficiency Services.

Brandon was raised in Cary, North Carolina. He graduated from Campbell University with a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies in 2009. He then received an MTS from Emory University in 2011. His graduate research focused on globalization, immigration, and cultural studies. Brandon has published with Yale University Press (2011), Templeton Press (2012), and The Borgen Project (2017). From 2013 to 2017, he served as a Montessori teacher with Durham Public Schools in North Carolina. He also has experience in the non-profit sector teaching children and adults. Most recently, he served as a site coordinator for the EdVenture Children’s Museum where he supervised a STEM based afterschool and summer program. Brandon currently serves as the Director of NICE's Education program.

Aisha is originally from Nigeria. She came to the US for college and graduated from Mid-Continent University in Mayfield, KY in 2004 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management. She started as a volunteer with NICE in July 2009 and has enjoyed meeting and getting to know people from many different walks of life. She currently works as the Immigration Manager, overseeing immigration applications and following-up as needed. Aisha speaks Hausa, English and Spanish.

Ally is a Pennsylvania native who moved to Nashville in 2018. She graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a dual major in anthropology and art history. She earned her teaching certificate in 2011 and then served as the Education Coordinator at the Erie Art Museum where she managed studio art classes and organized school tours. She also served as a program assistant in the folk art department for Old Songs New Opportunities: a cultural preservation program that trained former refugees to work in local childcare centers. She has worked in many education departments including the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville and the Nashville Zoo. She can speak French and can sing children’s songs in Arabic, Swahili, Nepali, Spanish and Bosnian!

Halima Ingabire was born in Uganda but grew up in Rwanda. She came to the United States as an international student on a full scholarship from St.Olaf College in Minnesota. Halima graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work with a concentration in Race and Ethnic Studies. During her time in college, she interned with some major international organizations including Partners in Health, City of Joy Rwanda and others. In 2017, Halima received a $10,000 grant from the Davis Projects for Peace Award, which she used to promote peace and reconciliation through art among the youth in Rwanda. Halima moved to Nashville, TN in 2018 and currently serves as the Youth Education Associate Manager at NICE.

Sophiya was born and raised in Nepal. She has earned her Bachelor of Science in Social work (Magna cum Laude) from Tennessee State University. Before she came to US, Sophiya worked as a Program Assistant with the local non-profit organization, helped international volunteers learn the Nepali language and helped design and implement the projects in Nepal. In 2014, she came to the United States and in 2017 joined NICE staff team as an immigration specialist to help refugees and immigrants with their applications. Sophiya currently serves as the Adult Education Data Specialist. Through the Adult education program, she supports refugees and immigrants’ clients in their journey to learn English, improve the quality of their lives and seek long term employment. She believes; the service of divine purpose is a great blessing and brings great harmony to her life.

Hanna was born in Kansas, USA, but was raised in Nigeria. She received her Bachelor of Science from Bingham University and also holds a Masters in Business Administration and Management from Nasarawa State University, Nigeria. Before moving back to the States, Hanna worked as a professor at Bingham University. She joined NICE in March 2018 as an Immigration Specialist and was also in charge of the NICE Family Mentorship Program. Currently, she serves as the Youth Mentorship Coordinator where she ensures youth get high quality and comprehensive academic support that is culturally and linguistically sensitive. By helping refugee and immigrant youth connect to school and the community at large through blended academic enrichment activities, she hopes to foster good decision-making process which will result in healthy, productive, and prosperous lives.

Bhuwan was born in Bhutan but had to flee his country when he was three months old. He moved to Nepal where he lived as a refugee for 17 years. He completed high school while he was there in 2008. He came to the United States in May of 2009. Bhuwan was hired as one of the case workers at NICE in June of 2011, where he has assisted many Resettlement and Employment clients. He now works as a Refugee Support Services Specialist. Bhuwan is currently studying Pre-Nursing at Nashville State Technical College. He speaks Nepali, Hindi, Dzonkha and English.

Fozia is originally from Hargeisa, Somalia. She moved to Pakistan, at the age of 13 where she completed her Bachelor’s degree in Development Studies. While pursuing her education, she worked as a full time Somali interpreter and translator with a local non-governmental organization and then with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees. She and her husband moved to USA in 2015. Before joining NICE Fozia worked with Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition as a Multicultural Organizer were she helped serve the community by engaging them in civic participation, identifying and recruiting coalition members, and maintaining open communication between all immigrant & refugee groups. As NICE’s Adult Education Student Coordinator, Fozia connects Nashville’s adult English learners to NICE’s Adult Education course offerings while simultaneously connecting NICE students to larger services offered in the Nashville community.

Joey was raised in East Tennessee and went to college in Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville. He served in the army as paratrooper from 1984-1987. He has been teaching English as a Second Language and citizenship in Nashville since September 2001. In 2017, Tennessee Human Rights Commission (THRC) honored Joey with a Lifetime Achievement award recognizing his service with veterans and refugees. He joined the NICE team in March of 2019.

Michelle was raised in the Nashville area. She graduated from Western Kentucky University
with a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Disorders in 2006. She then received her TEFL
certification and taught ESL in Japan, Mexico and Uganda. Once returning stateside, she
completed her Master’s Degree in Education with an emphasis in ESL education from MTSU in
2011. She served as an AmeriCorps volunteer in Atlanta, GA for Refugee Family Services and
found a strong desire to work with the refugee population. She first started with NICE by
teaching a math and computer class and then switched to ESL classes only. She is now the
lead teacher at The Donelson Fellowship site. She enjoys making an impact in the lives of her
students and supports the mission of NICE and the Adult Education Program.

Mulki was born in Somali, but spent 18 years livings in a refugee camp in Kenya. When she was in high school, Mulki received a scholarship to study Public Relations at Jomokenyatta University. Mulki came to the United States in 2014 and was resettled by NICE. She joined the NICE staff team in 2016 as the Administrative Assistant, and currently serves as a Refugee Self-Sufficiency Case Manager.

Joyce graduated from Vanderbilt University with a degree in English and Secondary Teaching. After raising her family and years of community volunteering, she received her ESL certification in 2019. Joyce has taught beginning and intermediate English and currently teaches remotely to students in Bolivia. At NICE, she teaches reading and writing skills for students desiring to obtain their High School Equivalency Degree.

Samantha was born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee. She began working in federally subsidized family housing in 1988 and eventually became the manager of a 250 unit complex. She went on to continue her career in housing management and worked as assistant manager and activities director for a senior living facility. Samatha thrives when she is working to help people, and it is her heart’s desire to continue this work in her position at NICE.

Kelvine is originally from Rwanda. She was born in Burundi, moved to the Democratic Republic of Congo, and grew up in Rwanda.

She holds a bachelor's degree in law and a Masters in Genocide Studies from the National University of Rwanda. In 2011, as her country was transitioning from French to English, she came to the U.S. as a Romeo Dallaire scholarship recipient, to learn English at Lewis and Clark College in Portland/Oregon. In 2013, she received a Global Health Corps fellowship, and was based at the Rwandan Ministry of Health.

Kelvine moved to Nashville in 2015 and volunteered with Siloam Health as a Medical Interpreter.
She worked with World Relief as an interpreter as well. Kelvine is also a certified medical interpreter from the Tennesee Language Center. She speaks English, French, Swahili, Kinyarwanda and Kirundi. In her new role as an Immigration Specialist at NICE, Kelvine enjoys assisting refugees and immigrants in filling their application.

Jody was born and raised in suburban Chicago. She received a B.A in economics from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois and a M.A in linguistics from Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago, Illinois. She has taught and tutored ESL students at all levels in a variety of content areas. Since coming to Nashville, she has mainly been involved in helping students obtain their citizenship. Before coming to NICE, she was the citizenship manager at Nashville Adult Literacy Council responsible for administering a USCIS citizenship and integration grant. She is excited to work as the Occupational and Training Specialist in the Adult Education department at NICE and help students achieve their full potential.

Nat Martinez-White (she/they) is a graduate of Vanderbilt University with degrees in Cinema & Media Arts and Anthropology. Creating stories and helping others share theirs is her passion, and she seeks to do so through freelance writing, filmmaking and visual art. Growing up, Nat spent much of their time with their Mexican family, presenting a way of life that was much different than that of her peers in a small Midwestern town. In her free time, Nat loves to create art with her friends and pet her cat Tortellini.

Jonathan Turner was born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee. In 2019 he graduated from Middle Tennessee State University with a Bachelor's degree in Aerospace and a focus on unmanned aircraft, information systems, and crew resource management. Since graduating Jonathan has served as a volunteer for NICE's Education Department as both teacher and teacher's assistant. He is currently responsible for supporting the Adult Education data team as Education Data Coordinator.

Eric Bishonda prides himself in his work with people with disabilities and vulnerable groups. He has been working with refugees since 2016. He previously worked at World Relief Nashville, TN, and at Catholic Charities in Refugee Resettlement services. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from Bugema University in Kampala, Uganda in 2012. In his current role as Resettlement and Placement Case Manager at NICE, Eric helps to welcome newly arrived refugees to Nashville, ensuring they are connected to necessary resources during their first 90 days in the United States.

Hanan is originally from Sudan and came to the U.S in 2014, along with her family. Hanan joined St. Thomas Hospital in Feb. 2015 through Compass Group. Also, she attended Nashville State Community College for 2 years as a full-time student. Ms. Shaibu helps drive for NICE’s after school program.

Rayaan recently graduated from Rhodes College in Memphis and was an intern with NICE assisting Youth ED with the after-care and summer programs.

Chol is South Sudanese, born in Ethiopia. Fleeing war torn Sudan, Chol and her family immigrated as refugees to the United States when she was a little girl. Chol received her Bachelor of Science and minor in Nonprofit Administration from the University of Memphis. In college Chol worked for the Multicultural Affairs office at UofM and volunteered at the Refugee Empowerment Program in Memphis. She is also a member of the Tennessee National Guard. Her passion is giving back and advocating for her community. Chol currently serves as the Gallatin Interim Site Manager.

Sarah is originally from Columbus, Ohio. She received her Bachelor's from Sarah Lawrence College, where she studied French language and systems of oppression. She then worked as a Program Manager at a supported living agency for adults with developmental disabilities, before returning to school at Vanderbilt University where she received a Master's in Education in the Community Development and Action program. Sarah currently serves as the Refugee Support Services Program Manager.

Monte grew up in Nashville and is a cultural and medical anthropologist by training. She received her Ph.D. in anthropology from Vanderbilt University and has a Master’s degree in Sociology from Middle Tennessee State University. Over the last 15 years, she has collaborated with foreign research institutions, NGOs, government agencies, independent consultants, and communities on projects addressing issues of human rights, child labor, health, education, and the environment. Her doctoral research, which was funded by the National Science Foundation, examined the açaí (palm fruit) commodity boom and its socioeconomic consequences in two rural Amazon communities in eastern Brazil, focusing on children’s labor contributions, dangers involved in extraction, and the effects on children’s health, education, and wellbeing. She also has been a visiting professor at colleges and universities in Tennessee, including Vanderbilt University and Sewanee: The University of the South. Monte is fluent in Portuguese and speaks basic Spanish.

There is no one braver or more committed than my students, who come from all over the world to Nashville – so different and so disorienting for them – yet they surmount so many barriers to plug away at learning English despite all the difficulties! I’m originally from Washington, D.C., and received my undergraduate and graduate degrees from UT. After several careers at Metro Nashville government as a counselor for teens and their families, as a program director in child welfare services and finally as a grants manager for the Metro Finance Department, I retired. Following several years at Camelot Care services working on reaccreditation and quality assurance, I got TEFL certification from the Tennessee Language Institute. For the last 6 years, I have found great satisfaction in teaching ESL (and Citizenship) to so many wonderful students, at the Nashville Adult Literacy Council, as a volunteer at St. Luke’s church, and at NICE.

Sabine was born and raised in Beirut, Lebanon. Her passion for human rights led her to pursue a career in law. She holds a law degree from Saint Joseph University in Beirut and a Master of Laws from the University of Iowa, which focuses on human rights and immigration. Sabine currently serves as the Match Grant Specialist at NICE.

Kevin A Hunter was born and raised in Toledo, Ohio. His family moved from Toledo to
Bowling Green, KY in 1968. On completion of high school, Kevin enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. Returning home, he completed a BA degree in history with minors in folk studies, anthropology, and library science at Western Kentucky University, followed by completion of a MA degree in Intercultural Studies with an emphasis in Historic
Preservation at the same university. His employment with the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development in computer maintenance began in 1996 where he met his wife, Robbie Ann Ziegler. Shortly before marriage to Robbie, Kevin transferred to the Tennessee Department of Health in computer maintenance and maintenance of the department’s internet and intranet sites. Upon retirement from the state in 2014, Kevin and Robbie obtained certification at the Tennessee Language Center for teaching English as a Second Language. He volunteered teaching ESL for NICE in June 2014 and soon became employed as a part-time teacher. Kevin has had much satisfaction in helping immigrants and refugees adapt to U.S. by teaching English and citizenship classes. He also teaches ESL part-time for the Nashville Adult Literacy Council.

Max was born in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and his family moved to the United States as refugees in 1993. Max received a Bachelor of Arts in Human Development and Religious Studies from the University of Alabama, and began his professional career by organizing fundraising events for non-profit organizations in Alabama. Max's community involvement led him to City Hall in Birmingham, where he worked as the Community Engagement Officer for the Birmingham City Council - helping develop campaigns and events to increase interest in the participatory processes of local government. During his time at City Hall, Max continued producing community events to benefit local organizations, served on local non-profit boards, and managed a micro-grant foundation. Max moved to Nashville in 2020, and his non-profit fundraising work led him to serve in the role of Associate Director of Development at NICE.

Magut is an avid runner and Kenyan native. He graduated from Belmont University with a double major in Accounting and Information Systems Management. Over the last ten years, he has built a wealth of knowledge as an accountant, techie, and serial entrepreneur. Magut will assist with the development and execution of a Community Engagement & Sponsorship Program in conjunction with the NICE leadership team. Additionally, he will help cultivate relationships and partnerships across organizations in Middle Tennessee. He speaks Swahili, English and Kalenjin.

If you ever want someone to talk your ear off about social enterprise, blockchain, crypto, farming, and anything trivia-related, you can always count on Magut.

Elizabeth was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. Having grown up learning from friends and mentors with culturally diverse backgrounds, Elizabeth finds foundational importance in inclusivity, communication, empathy, and diversity as our greatest strengths. In 2019, Elizabeth earned her Bachelor of Science in Social Psychology and Organizational Behavior at the University of California, San Diego.

After moving to Nashville, TN, Elizabeth worked as Director of Human Resources in the sales & marketing industry, before getting an opportunity in 2021 to align her passions with her work. She started at NICE as a Youth Summer Camp Coordinator, where she became invested in furthering opportunities for the refugee community in Nashville. Elizabeth now works as NICE’s Volunteer & Training Coordinator, where she aims to connect role models and passionate individuals to spaces they can provide the most impact. She approaches each day with the mentality that we have multitudes to learn from each person we meet.

Matty grew up in New York and moved to Nashville to attend Vanderbilt University, where he studied Communication Studies and Jazz Guitar Performance. His research focused on the intersection between language and social justice, including a partnership with Workers’ Dignity immigrant worker center in which he designed a language justice-centered training curriculum for new interpreters. Outside of NICE, Matty enjoys making music and cooking. Matty speaks English, Spanish, and some Russian.

Dylan is originally from Providence, Rhode Island. He moved to Nashville to study at Vanderbilt University, where he received his B.S. in Public Policy Studies and Human & Organizational Development in 2020. His research interests include mass incarceration and statelessness. Before working full-time for NICE, he was the Match Grant Intern in the summer of 2021 and the Self-Sufficiency Intern in the fall of 2019. Prior to finishing his undergraduate studies, he worked for the UNHCR as a Registration Intern in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2019, and as an AmeriCorps VISTA Member in 2018. He currently serves as NICE’s Refugee Cash Assistance Specialist, and is also currently an M.Ed. candidate in the Community Development & Action program at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College.

Victoria Jenkins was born and raised in East Nashville. Being brought up in a racially isolated community and school system, the struggles and tribulations of people of color and immigrants has been ever present in their life. Victoria studied Multimedia Design at Nashville State Community College, and enjoys a night in with their cat and partner of six years.
At NICE, Victoria hopes to be able to help others rise up and build a better, fulfilling life in America as an Immigration Specialist.

Dameion Cowans is an educational stakeholder-driven by his fervent desire to close achievement gaps, achieve equity in education, and employ responsive teaching strategies. He is a doctoral student set to defend his dissertation on October 23rd. He has served in several capacities within the Metro Nashville Public School system, such as 7th & 8th Grade Science Curriculum Writer. Also, he served as an instructional coach for private schools. Most recently, he served as the S.T.E.A.M. Director for the Metro Action Commission, and Assistant Principal. Dameion is a native of Birmingham, AL, and enjoys traveling with his family in his spare time.

Fuad was born and raised in Iraqi Kurdistan. He moved to the US in early 2017. Throughout his long career, he has worked with different; local and international organizations, institutions and corporates holding various positions. His love of languages led him to study English language and literature and get Bachelor of Arts from Salahaddin University. Then he received his MBA from American University in Iraq. He joined NICE in September 2021 as Reception and Placement Case Manager. He loves his job and really enjoys helping immigrants and refugees. He is married and have three kids. He speaks Arabic, Kurdish, English and Farsi.

Hawzheen arrived in Nashville three years ago after living in Erbil, Iraq. She studied Biology and architecture design in Salahaden University and Cihan University. Hawzheen began as an ESL student in the adult education program and is so happy to be working at NICE and helping immigrants and refugees. She has two young children and enjoys visiting Long Hunter State Park with her family to hike, play on the playground and picnic. She speaks English, Arabic and Kurdish.

Waris Ashiker is a part of the NICE childcare team in adult education. Waris was born in Somalia and moved to London, England in 1996. Waris is a seasoned caretaker and has worked as a teacher and nurse in centers across the world. She is the mother to four children and loves to watch movies and cheer for her son on the soccer field.

Amiira Ahmed holds two positions at NICE: Childcare Coordinator and COVID 19 Trusted Messenger. Amiira was born in Somalia and moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota in 2003. She graduated from Washburn high school and helped her family to raise her 11 siblings. Amiira is trained and certified in Child Development and Guidance, Discipline in Child Care, Child and Infant CPR, Keeping Infants Safe, Emergency Preparedness in Child Care and Safety in Child Care Setting. Amiira enjoys working at NICE because “they encourage me to achieve my full potential as a child care educator for the next generation.” Amiira moved to Nashville in 2012 and has become a pillar of the local Somali community. She is thrilled that her position at NICE allows her to serve her community. She often translates for families and helps parents navigate the school system. As a trusted messenger, she teaches immigrants from all backgrounds about the importance of the COVID 19 vaccine. She is the mother of three lovely kids and loves to watch tv and visit new restaurants on the weekends.

Baraka is originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Migrated to the United States the year 2009. Baraka received his Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and an MBA from Liberty University. Baraka worked for Ntibonera Foundation in NC, and was in charge of shipping of 50k pairs of sneakers to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Baraka spent Five months working as an operation’s intern in the DRC for Samaritan’s Purse. He also worked as a Swahili translator for new arrival refugees in North Carolina. Baraka Currently serve as NICE's Refugee Benefits specialist.

Timothy Brass was born in Uganda. After his parents passed when he was at the tender age of one, he moved with his extended family who later agreed to put him up for adoption. He was adopted and moved to the States in 2006. He went on to pursue his undergraduate in Global Policy and Service Studies at Southern Adventist University and later went on to get his Masters in Public Health with a focus on Health Services, Management and policy at East Tennessee State University.

He has worked as a Patient Service Representative at Covenant Health, Behavioral Respite at Frontier Health, and developed a Care Navigation program focused on assisting children with chronic and complex health conditions at Niswonger Children’s Hospital with Ballad Health. Prior to joining the team at NICE, he served as a Public Health Specialist and Project Manager for the African Regional Covid-19 Food Security Project at ADRA International in Uganda.

Originally from Denver, Colorado, Connor relocated to Nashville from Wheaton, Illinois in October 2021. He graduated from John Brown University in 2018, playing soccer as a student athlete and earning a degree in International Business. For the last 3 years he has worked with a soccer ministry organization called the Chicago Eagles as a coach, accountant, international trip leader, and a leader for urban outreach and ministry in a refugee and immigrant neighborhood that he lived in.

Tomoka, or Tomi, was born and raised in Southern Japan, Shikoku Island. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Bukkyo University in Kyoto and then taught students ages 13-18 grammar, reading, writing, and classic Chinese & Japanese literature. Tomi also served as the school librarian. In 2004 she earned her masters degree in education and developed a national curriculum for secondary education in Japan on moral & character development and social responsibility.In 2019, she moved to Nashville. Tomi currently is a childcare teacher at the Donelson Fellowship. She also teaches Japanese language and calligraphy at the TN Language Center. Her interests are vast and include kendo,a martial art similar to Japanese Traditional Fencing and neighborhood walks with her dog, Blue.

Fariba is originally from Iran, and she won the visa lottery back in 2000. She moved to the USA when she was 21 with a Bachelor degree in Nursing. She worked for 15 years as a nurse with a passion for helping sick people. She went back to school and earned a Bachelor's degree in Administration and Planning Care. She worked at a bilingual clinic as a Persian speaker to help refugees. Her passion remains serving refugees, which is why she joined the team at NICE.

Mohammad was resettled by NICE in 2016, along with his family. In Afghanistan, he worked with coalition forces providing interpretation services for a period of 5 years.

For the last 3 years, he has joined Stanley Steamer International as a professional driver. Mohammad has received multiple certifications and recommendations from US army and coalition forces based on his ethic and interpretation skills.

Mir is from Afghanistan and came to the U.S. as a result of the recent evacuation, his educational background is in nutrition and health within the context of sports. His most recent work includes coaching adults/young adults develop plans for nutritional and holistic well-being.

Aidan was raised in Nashville, TN. He graduated from Birmingham-Southern College with a Bachelor of Arts in History in 2020. After graduating, he worked as a teacher at the Covenant School and participated in the Nashville Fellows program. Aidan currently serves as NICE's Instructional Support Specialist for our Adult Education program.

A recently graduated German and Philosophy major from Belmont University with a work-background in mental health and substance-abuse, I bring to N.I.C.E. a systemic, trauma-informed perspective that I use to best serve the newly arrived persons. Outside of work you can find me hiking at one of the local parks, working through my insurmountable reading list, and playing music with friends.

Emily was born and raised in Nashville, and she attended the University of Louisville to study music and Arabic. In 2019, she volunteered with an organization called LEAP (Learning for the Empowerment & Advancement of Palestinians) which provides English and music programming for Palestinian and Syrian refugee students in Lebanon. Working with these English language learners solidified her desire to continue supporting refugee education. In addition to teaching in Lebanon, she has experience teaching English online and mentoring refugee students at Overton High School. She also enjoys studying applied psychology and counseling through the University of Santa Monica’s online program. She’s grateful to be part of the NICE team and is delighted to serve as the distance education coordinator.

Nasreen is originally from Afghanistan, and worked as a physicians’ assistant at Malalai Hospital in Afghanistan. Before joining the team at NICE, she worked at Siloam Health as a medical interpreter.

Lisa Zhito is a certified English as a Second Language instructor with eight years’ experience teaching Nashville’s refugee and immigrant community. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Science from Pitzer College in Claremont, California. Prior to her teaching career, she spent 30 years as a magazine writer and editor, and worked in marketing and public relations for non-profits and government agencies. Over the past eight years she has taught students with a wide range of English language ability, from basic Literacy to Business English clients. She and her husband love to travel. Lisa still plans to finish her novel some day.

Karawan comes to NICE with a deep background in community service and energetic work. Before joining the team at NICE, she worked at a photography studio, volunteered with Siloam Health, and served as a SNAP Outreach Coordinator. She enjoys studying ancient wisdom practices, and loves meeting people from different backgrounds to expand her knowledge and to share and grow with others.

Fatemeh is from Babol, a city in the north of Iran, and has also lived in Australia and Mexico before moving to the States. She has a B.A. in English Literature and an M.A. and Ph.D. in English Language Teaching. Fatemeh has been teaching ESL for about 15 years and loves her job. She is also interested in analyzing media discourse around refugees and migrants and has done a linguistic analysis of British media portrayal of Syrian refugees for her Ph.D. dissertation.

Carrie grew up in Nashville and received a BS in neuroscience and a BA in French from the University of Rochester. She previously lived in Rennes, France, where she taught English at the University of Rennes, and completed a master’s in French literature in the United Kingdom before returning to the United States. She currently serves as a development coordinator at NICE.

Elaina was born and raised in Ohio. She attended Bowling Green State University, where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders and her Master’s Degree in Public Administration. Before joining the NICE team, she volunteered with organizations that served migrants, immigrants, and refugees. Elaina also has professional experience working with children and adults with disabilities. She is currently serving as the Refugee Support Services Administrative Assistant.

Azadeh Najafian is from Shiraz, Iran. She moved to the United States in 2015 with her husband. She has a Ph.D. in Persian Literature and recently has graduated from Western Kentucky University with an MA in Folk Studies. Azadeh’s research interests include gender, immigration, community outreach, museums, and most importantly fiction and pop culture. Before joining NICE, she was helping victims of crimes, domestic violence, sexual assault, and sex trafficking find resources to support their needs. She currently serves as the Match Grant Specialist at NICE.

This is her 1st year with NICE and her 6th year teaching English as a second language. She has taught international students from Nashville, South America, and Asia! She is compassionate about teaching and majored in Education at Lipscomb University, where she also earned her Master of Education degree. In her spare time, she enjoys writing poetry and volunteering. Her favorite quote, " I don't teach you how to be perfect with the English language, I teach you how to improve."

Adili is originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo. She was raised in Nairobi, Kenya for 9 years then came to Greensboro, NC in 2009. She attended Liberty University and got her Bachelor's Degree in Accounting, and then relocated to Nashville in 2020. She am currently enrolled in an MBA in Human Resources at Liberty University, and serves as the Finance Manager at NICE.

Originally from Utah, Andalyn relocated to Nashville to pursue her Master's Degree in International Education Policy and Management at Vanderbilt's Peabody College. In her previous experience as an Educator, she has worked as a Grade School Teacher, Special Education Specialist, Department Lead, and Coordinator for Adaptive Learning and taught English in multiple foreign countries.
Andalyn is excited to transition her career out of the classroom to help provide resources to the refugee community in Nashville. She is passionate about working with children and fostering environments where they can grow and learn.

Marissa Moore grew up in Kansas City, Missouri and is a graduate of Pepperdine University, where she earned bachelor's degrees in psychology and sociology. Upon graduating in 2021, she moved to Chicago and worked as a teaching assistant at a preschool for children with disabilities. She recently moved to Nashville and is passionate about helping others. Her position at NICE allows her to work closely with sponsorship groups in the area and assist them in providing the best care possible for our clients.