Gatluak Ter Thach, PhD is the founder and current president and CEO of Nashville International Center for Empowerment (NICE). NICE ensures refugees and immigrants achieve their full potential now and for generations to come. In 2010, NICE became an affiliate of ECDC, in partnership with the State Department in Washington, DC’s Refugee Resettlement Program to resettle refugees here in the United States.  Dr. Thach is a refugee and immigrant rights activist who serves on board of directors for several organizations, include Sudanese Human Rights Organization, Advisory Council of Tennessee Department of Children’s Services, Mayor’s New American Council, Tennessee for All of Us, Nashville Area Habitat for Humanity, Sudanese Presbyterian Church, Alliance for South Sudanese in Diaspora, Relief Organization for South Sudan – USA, Volar Collegiate Academy, and others.

Dr. Thach received numerous awards, including White House Champion of Change Award from President Obama, CEO of the Year Award, Distinguished Service Award, Human Right Rising Advocate Award, Power of Inclusion Award, Community Empowering Award, New Immigrant Leadership Award, Peace Ambassadors USA Award, among others. He is also the author of My New American Dream.  His upcoming books include “The Life of the Leader: A loving Memory of Deng Ter Thach (William); The Sustainable Integration for the New  Hope” and “Why My People Continuing to Suffer in South Sudan.“

Dr. Thach’s work focuses on providing leadership and supervision to his organizational team and their subordinates. He is an expert in community and organizational development, program and budget planning and management, strategic planning, collaboration and partnership building, resource development, advocacy, and executive coaching.

Dr. Thach earned a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science with a minor in mathematics from Tennessee State University in Nashville, Tennessee in 2003. He went on to pursue a master’s degree in public service from Cumberland University in Lebanon, Tennessee, and graduated as a member of Pi Gamma Mu International Honor Society in social science. In 2014, Dr. Thach earned a PhD in Organizational Leadership with an emphasis on Strategic Planning from Argosy University in Nashville, TN.

He is married to his beloved wife, Nyakuma Ter Thach, and they are blessed with four beautiful children: Duang, Ter Jr., Selena, and Pel Thach.

Parvez is a nonprofit industry leader with a unique combination of management skills on organizational development, education, grant writing, and community outreach programs. He has extensive experience leading and collaborating with diverse international teams in Brazil, Turkey, and Vietnam among other locations. His international development field management experience specifically focused on education and empowerment of underserved populations.

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 Philosophy and also 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”.

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 managing the RCA Eligibility Program at NICE. 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.

Emma grew up in Oak Ridge, Tennessee and received a bachelor’s degree in Politics with a minor in Women’s and Gender Studies from Sewanee, The University of the South. She worked as the Cultural Orientation Intern for Bridge Refugee Services in 2017, where she helped to integrate new refugees into the Knoxville community. Emma spent a semester studying politics and international relations in Chiang Mai, Thailand, where she also volunteered as an English instructor to Shan migrants from Myanmar. Emma has spent time living and working in Kampala, Uganda, serving as the Public Policy Intern for the Center for Domestic Violence Prevention (CEDOVIP) and conducting her undergraduate research on reproductive health policy in Uganda. As the Development and Outreach Manager, Emma works within NICE’s Development team with a focus on grant writing, fundraising and event planning.

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 and is working as the RSS coordinator helping find sustainable employment for refugees. Koang speaks Arabic, English and Nuer.

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 STEAM based afterschool and summer program.

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. As the program liaison of PEACE, Nadia is the lead on fostering community networks to enhance meaningful cultural exchange, inclusivity, and unity.

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 Specialist helping fill out and submit immigration applications and follow-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! 

Caroline settled in the Middle Tennessee area in 2008 and has considered it home ever since. In 2012, she had the opportunity to volunteer abroad in Nicaragua, the Philippines, and Malawi. This sparked her interest and love for cultural diversity. She returned to Nashville to pursue a degree in Social Work at Middle Tennessee State University. Caroline served as the Youth Education intern for World Relief Nashville, and was quickly promoted to site coordinator for the after-school program. She realized that working with refugees, she could experience multiple cultures in a day in her own backyard. Her desire to work with refugees and immigrants led her to Atlanta, where she served as a lead teacher, case worker, and senior program coordinator at New American Pathways. This experience gave her the skills and tools to be successful empowering refugee and immigrant youth to reach their full potential. Caroline joined the NICE team as the Youth Education Assistant Manager.

Aubrea is originally from Western North Carolina, and moved to Nashville to study Social Work at Lipscomb University. She began her time at NICE as a Youth Education Intern and quickly fell in love with the work that let her engage with the students and clients. She now works as the RSIG Coordinator for the Community Empowerment Team. With interests in culture and diversity, she plans to earn her Master’s in Social Work.

Ryan is a native Nashvillian with a Graduate Certificate in Non Profit Management from Tennessee State University and a Bachelors degree in Business Administration from Belmont University. Ryan began his tenure with NICE as a volunteer, and since has transitioned into the role of Employment Program Specialist.

Sophiya was born and raised in Nepal. She received her bachelors of Arts in Social Work from Tribhuvan University, Nepal. In Nepal, she 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 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.

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 works with R&P and employment clients. He also works as an Employment Specialist with the employment program. 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 Liaison, Fozia connects Nashville’s adult English learners to NICE’s Adult Ed 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.  

Hikmat was born in Iraq. He arrived in the United States in 2013 as a refugee with his family. While in Iraq, Hikmat was an interpreter for the U.S Army and the U.S Department of Justice for 6 years. He graduated from Central Teacher’s Institute in 2002 and earned a degree in English. He was hired at NICE as a Case Worker to work with the R&P and Employment Programs.

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

Kabita was born in Bhutan but had to flee the country with her family when she was just a baby. Her family moved to Nepal where she lived as a refugee for 20 years. She was trained in the healthcare system and received her CMA (Certified Medical Assistant) in Nepal where she worked as a Community Nutrition Specialist. She provided daily and emergency medical assistance, nutrition and health education. Kabita responded to the medical and nutritional needs of the community. Her family arrived in Tennessee in 2012 and were resettled by NICE. Kabita was employed at Saint Thomas Midtown Hospital and joined the NICE staff in October 2015. She serves as a Health Case Worker and is also responsible for the intensive case management in our Elders program. She speaks English and Nepali.

Claude is from Congo, Kinshasa, but spent many years in Rwanda. He worked as an interpreter assisting American development agencies and United Nations worker. He also taught English to refugees that were preparing to come to the United States. Claude started college in North Carolina and worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant. He is now attending Nashville State pursuing a science degree. Claude speaks English, French, Kinyarwanda, Swahili, Kirundi, and other African languages and is currently working as a Health Case Worker.

Claude is very thankful to be in the US and feels his life was shaped by the many kind people that have helped him along the way. He has dedicated his life to helping others and lives by this quote:  I learned to give not because I have much…But because I know exactly how it feels to have nothing.

Originally from Eugene, Oregon, Patrick received his BA from the University of Hawaii in 2005 with a degree in Religious Studies. He recently earned a Master’s Degree from Lipscomb University in Leadership and Public Service. His graduate research focused on policy programs aimed at increasing rates of naturalization for local communities. Patrick has worked with the immigrant and refugee community for a number of years as both a volunteer with the Adult Literacy Council and previously as an ESL teacher for the Tennessee Language Center. As a Resettlement Case Worker, Patrick’s goal is to help empower new arriving refugees with the necessary tools for long term success here in Nashville.