Greg Wangerin, Executive Director, has devoted more than 27 years to humanitarian work around the world, serving refugees directly in Asia, Africa, Europe, and now in North America.  He spent 21 years working as an international officer for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).  UNHCR appointed Greg to nine separate duty stations, including postings in Kenya where he was participated in site development for the Kakuma refugee camp for people fleeing The Sudan, Pakistan where he revamped repatriation programs leading to the voluntary return of 380,000 Afghanis, and the Philippines where he supervised screening of and assistance for “Boat People” asylum seekers from Vietnam and ensured resettlement processing and pre-resettlement training for Amerasian children.  Prior to joining UNHRC, Greg was a case manager for Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, the national resettlement arm of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

He joined Interchurch Refugee and Immigration Ministries in February 2002 and has been instrumental in leading the agency to its re-branding as Interfaith Refugee and Immigration Ministries and, finally, RefugeeOne.  The re-branding efforts made the agency more welcoming to clients, donors and volunteers of all religious beliefs and have improved the agency’s ability to gain support from corporate funding bodies.  Greg attended the University of Illinois at Chicago, and then graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Colorado State University.  He completed the Non-Profit Executive Management Program from Northwestern University’s J.L. Kellogg School of Management.

In addition to his passion for helping people who have fled war, terror and oppression, Greg is the proud husband of a professional artist and father of two adult sons.  He also spent the early part of his life involved in music.  His educational credits include a minor in music; he plays the trombone and piano and in the early 1970s worked tuning, constructing and repairing pipe organs.

Shravya Raghunand completed her Master of Social Work degree from University of Washington, Seattle. She has experience in community mental health research, clinical social work and community outreach, and is passionate about supporting oppressed communities and promoting social justice. Her interests in refugee work began as an intern at Asian Counseling and Referral Services. Now, she serves as a Primary Care Social Worker at Heartland International Health Center. In her spare time, Shravya supports RefugeeOne by facilitating our Women’s Groups for our African refugees.

Joanna Vergoth has been a practicing psychotherapist in private practice and contracting with agencies in the community for over 18 years. She has advanced training in psychoanalysis, Jungian dream exploration, and creative visualization coupled with gentle body awareness methods. Her areas of expertise include individuals traumatized by a variety of personal and cultural experiences: sexual and physical abuse, the events of 9/11 in New York, mutilation practices ritually preformed in other countries, childhood traumas produced by poverty and racism, as well as serious mental illness created by genetic environments. At RefugeeOne, Joanna will be using her expertise in culturally sensitive treatment to support our Somali, Ethiopian, and Eritrean women through individual and group therapy.

Matthew Lozano is a second-year graduate student at Loyola University Chicago, School of Social Work and holds the Evelyn Dyba scholarship at the university.  He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Santa Cruz and a Master’s degree from the University of Winchester, England. Additionally, Matt is a proud lymphoma survivor and has spoken on behalf of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. He is interested in both individual and group counseling with refugees, cancer fighters, and cancer survivors. At RefugeeOne, Matt uses his skills in working with survivors to facilitate a Burmese Men’s Group.

Caty Harris has a Master’s of Arts in Clinical Social Work from the University of Chicago with a specialization in counseling and mental health. She served in the United States Peace Corps from 2006 to 2008 in the Philippines, working with formerly imprisoned youth and with women in the sex industry. Her experience is in the areas family and social systems therapies, trauma recovery and resilience in different cultural environments, individual and group grief counseling for youth affected by domestic and gang violence, and humanistic psychology. Caty is interested in working with refugee populations, because of her experience and interest in working with trauma recovery and resilience in various cultural contexts. To put her experiences to great use, Caty facilitates a Burmese Women’s Group at RefugeeOne and mentors individual clients.

Hugh Cole is a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor who has worked with HIV impacted populations since 1988. Hugh attended University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and is currently a Master of Social Work candidate at Loyola University, Chicago.  He began his clinical career at Howard Brown Health Center in Chicago, first as an intern and is currently a member of the Senior Behavioral Health Team as a Substance Abuse Counselor in the Recovering with Pride Program. He has also worked with homeless and underserved populations in supportive housing as a Case Manager at Heartland Alliance. Hugh is particularly interested in working with Refugees as it seems that the stressors experienced by refugee populations may manifest in behaviors that are contradictory to the value systems of individuals within the population, and that group process can be an effective structure in which to validate individual experience and explore more empowering behaviors. Hugh facilitates a Bhutanese Men’s Group to support our refugee men in their adjustment to Chicago.

The CSWWS program operates under the direction of the CSWWS Coordinator and a dedicated team of Case Managers, Interpreters/Outreach Workers, and clinical social work interns from Loyola University Chicago. Together, this group is able to identify those refugee clients who present a variety of mental health needs. The CSWWS staff is trained to provide mental health screenings and, with the guidance of the Coordinator, they are able to implement culturally-appropriate interventions. The interventions range from individual therapy to psychoeducation seminars open to the entire community, and the CSWWS staff work closely to coordinate this wide array of services.

Volunteer Clinicians

Hugh Cole, CADC

Caty Harris, MSW

Matt Lozano

Shravya Raghunand, MSW

Joanna Vergoth, LCSW

Loyola University Chicago, Clinical Social Work Interns:

Amanda Blowers, 1^st year intern

Leah Sennett, 1^st year intern

Alison Korte, 2^nd year intern

Dr. Karlene Goodman, M.D. is the resident psychiatrist for RefugeeOne’s CSWWS program.  She will be providing psychiatric evaluations and on-going clinical support for those clients who need this level of service.  Dr. Goodman is a graduate of University of Illinois at Chicago Medical School and also holds degrees in English and Law.  She has worked with refugee and immigrant populations since 1990 and continues to devote her practice to the same groups.

Dr. Aimee Hilado, PhD, LSW is the Coordinator of the CSWWS program. She has a Ph.D. in Social Work with Distinction and a Master of Science in Applied Child Development. In the CSWWS program, Dr. Hilado overseas daily operations for screening and referrals, provides direct therapeutic services to clients of all ages, and hosts the monthly health and wellness Orientation. In addition, she represents RefugeeOne in the various refugee health and mental health task forces, and provides clinical supervision to all student interns.

Dr. Hilado also serves as adjunct faculty at both Loyola University, Chicago in the School of Social Work. She teaches foundation coursework in clinical social work, courses in early development, and screening/assessment in early childhood. Dr. Hilado’s research and practice efforts have emphasized the importance of early development, social support, mental health, and culturally-sensitive practice with immigrants and refugees.

In June 2011, RefugeeOne established the Clinical Social Work and Wellness Services (CSWWS) program in order to address the mental health needs of RefugeeOne clients. RefugeeOne recognizes the challenging circumstances refugees have endured prior to arriving in the United States. We understand the ways in which experiences of fear, trauma, and loss can impact a client’s ability live full and productive lives. Many clients come through our doors exhibiting symptoms of depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), adjustment disorders, and sometimes symptoms of severe mental illnesses. Thus, the purpose of CSWWS is to identify any mental health needs present, implement the appropriate behavioral support services, and provide on-going resources to support good mental health.

The CSWWS provides a range of services including prevention, early intervention, and treatment services to support clients with mental health needs.  The descriptions below provide details on the specific services currently offered. All clients, from young children to older adults, can access CSWWS services at no cost.

If you are a RefugeeOne client and are interested in services, please contact your Case Manager. If you have questions about the program, call the main line or email us at:

p: (773) 989-5647 | e: info@refugeeone.org

The CSWWS program provides (click link for full description):

• Universal Mental Health Screening of All Arriving Refugees
• Individual & Group Therapy Sessions (adolescent & adult clients)
• Monthly Psychoeducation Seminars (open to all refugee-serving organizations)

About the CSWWS Coordinator: Dr. Aimee Hilado, PhD, LSW

About our CSWWS Psychiatrist: Dr. Karlene Goodman, M.D.

About the CSWWS Staff:

Universal Mental Health Screening of All Arriving Refugees back to top

After the initial adjustment period (approximately 30-60 days), all newly arriving refugee adults will complete a mental health screening. The screening tool was designed to capture the most prevalent mental health needs among refugee clients including symptoms of trauma, depression, and anxiety. Based on screening results, clients can be referred for a variety of clinical services through the CSWWS program or referred to medical centers for more intensive interventions. Young children and adolescents in need of clinical services can be referred to the CSWWS program by staff and parents at any time.

Individual and Group Therapy Sessions (adolescent and adult clients) back to top

Based on the client’s needs and level of comfort, a client may be referred to individual, couples, or group therapy sessions. A consent form, executed by parents/guardians, must be completed for all adolescents under the age of 18 who are seeking CSWWS services. The number of sessions allotted to each client will be based on need and periodic evaluations with the clinician. These services are provided to RefugeeOne clients at no cost. Referrals from other refugee-resettlement agencies will not be accepted at this time but please contact us if you have further inquiries.

Monthly Psychoeducation Seminars (open to all refugee-serving organizations) back to top

Education and awareness are effective prevention strategies to support good mental health. Each month, the CSWWS Coordinator will host a psychoeducation seminar that will address various mental health topics. These sessions are open to all staff and clients. The following are examples of seminar topics:

• How to support good mental health
• Identifying the signs of depression
• Understanding your medications and immunizations
• Managing panic attacks with relaxation techniques
• Combating domestic violence and family violence
• Bullying: How to support your child in school
• Positive parenting and the importance of early development
• Bridging the gap: Managing inter-generational conflict
• Female Genital Cutting: Clinical and supportive services for women who have been cut

Bryan Lee, Board Fellow, Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University

Murray Johnson, Director, Charter Bankshares, Inc.

Ty Olson, Retired Professor and Lawyer

Karen Hunt-Ahmed is Assistant Professor of Finance and Management at DePaul University.  She received a BA and MBA from Washington University in St. Louis and an MA and Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. She has worked in the banking sector in Chicago and in private equity in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.  She is currently teaching Islamic Finance, Microfinance and Business Ethics at DePaul University’s College of Commerce.  Her research interests include culture and identity, Islamic finance, microfinance, globalization, and the sociocultural implications of business practice; she is working on an edited volume entitled Contemporary Islamic Finance.

Dr. Hunt-Ahmed is a Faculty Fellow of DePaul’s Egan Urban Center and serves on the advisory committee of DePaul’s Center for Financial Services.  She is very involved in the not-for-profit sector in Chicago.  In addition to serving as Treasurer of the Board of Refugee One, she is a member of the Board of Haven Youth Services in Wilmette, IL. She is the President of Chicago Islamic Microfinance Project, a not for profit economic development organization providing Shari’a compliant microcredit to entrepreneurs in Chicago.

Karen lives in Wilmette with her daughters and enjoys karate.  She lived in Dubai for many years and has traveled extensively in the Middle East, Pakistan, Africa and Europe.

RefugeeOne provides immigration services for immigrants and refugees, who, once established in the U.S., need help maintaining their legal residency status, reuniting with family members, and achieving U.S. citizenship status. RefugeeOne employs four certified Immigration Specialists, all of whom are accredited by the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA). Together these specialists provide services in RefugeeOne’s Chicago and Waukegan offices.

Our Immigration Specialists provide various direct services for clients including (but not limited to) the following:
•Temporary Protected Status (TPS)
•Asylum applications
•Employment Authorization
•Visa processing
•Consulate processing
•Alien petitions
•Travel documents
•VAWA petitions

RefugeeOne’s Immigration Services are provided to immigrants and refugees on a “sliding scale” basis, depending on the client’s income.

Contact us:

p: (773) 989-5647 | e: info@refugeeone.org

Hartwig Zakin is the Operations Manager for Circo Vino, a national importer of fine wines from Austria. Prior to his tenure at Circo Vino, Mr. Zakin was the Operations Manager for the Illinois Medical District; a commercial banking research assistant at DeutscheBank; a sales representative at Vin Divino; and a case specialist in the Better Business Bureau’s consumer arbitration division. Mr. Zakin is a member of the Evanston Citizens Police Academy and has mediated juvenile victim-offender cases with the Neighborhood Restorative Justice Institute. As an immigrant who came to the United States when he was 11, Mr. Zakin has long been passionate about refugee issues and joined the Board of RefugeeOne in October 2009. Mr. Zakin holds a Masters degree in Foreign Service from Georgetown University and a Bachelors degree in International Relations from the University of Southern California.

To learn more about RefugeeOne’s Employment Program, please contact:

p: (773) 989-5647 | e: info@refugeeone.org

RefugeeOne resettles hundreds of refugees from around the world who are fleeing war, persecution, violence, or genocide. Resettlement is often difficult and stressful. To assist, RefugeeOne provides a comprehensive and multi-faceted range of programs that empower newly-arrived refugees with the support and the skills necessary for successfully rebuilding their new lives.

Under the caring guidance of RefugeeOne’s Case Workers, refugees are relocated into new homes, receive days of Group Orientation, as well as comprehensive Family Adjustment Services. They also learn English skills, and receive vocational training and counseling in a compassionate, non-threatening environment. All services are provided with a single goal in mind: to provide refugees with happy, self-sufficient new lives within the United States.

RefugeeOne coordinates the reception and placement of newly-arrived refugees through the sponsorship of local congregations, community groups, and individual sponsors.

If you are interested in sponsoring a refugee or refugee family please contact us:

p: (773) 989-5647 | e: info@refugeeone.org

RefugeeOne’s Immigration Assistance Program
Serving Chicago’s Newcomers with Dignity

As refugees and immigrants remain in the United States, their status may be adjusted to permanent resident and later, citizen. Others need assistance with travel documents or petitions to bring other relatives to the United Sates.

Unfortunately, dealing with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS, formerly the INS) can be a daunting experience that means long lines, and even longer forms. To assist newcomers through this bureaucratic maze, RefugeeOne’s Immigration Services Program provides clients with high quality, personal attention at a reasonable, often-negligible cost.

The Immigration Program provides:

Free Citizenship Classes-These classes are taught throughout the city and suburbs to provide students with the information they need to pass the citizenship exam, and learn what is involved in the citizenship interview process.

Our experienced staff also provides assistance in the following areas:

* Temporary Protected Status (TPS)
* Visa processing
* Counselor processing
* Work authorization
* Travel documents
* Immediate relative petitions
* VAWA petitions for women who need to self-petition for immigration relief without relying on an abusive spouse
* Asylum applications

Recently, our efforts to assist immigrants have extended to the Chicago suburb, Waukegan, where our goal is to provide quality immigration service through our community outreach program. In Waukegan, as in other communities with a large immigrant population, RefugeeOne is able to provide “Know Your Rights” seminars through the assistance of local congregations and community social service providers thus educating the public of their rights in the United States.

Donate now to help refugees and immigrants to attain their US Citizenship.

For more information about RefugeeOne’s Immigration Program, please contact:

p: (773) 989-5647 | e: info@refugeeone.org