Johanna Calle, Director
Johanna Calle is the Director at the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice (NJAIJ). In her work with the NJIAJ, she has built the organization’s programmatic and administrative capacity, growing their membership and staff, while managing their advocacy campaigns. Johanna’s professional experience includes working as a Leadership Gifts Coordinator at the American Civil Liberties Union and participating in the ACLU of Northern California’s MiACLU campaign, visiting various affiliates fighting for immigrants’ rights. Johanna currently serves as a Trustee on the Hackensack Board of Education. She is also a Board Member at the Anti-Poverty Network and a member of the Latino Action Network. Johanna graduated from The College of New Jersey with a double major in Sociology and Political Science, and also holds a Masters in Criminal Justice from Rutgers University. Johanna started her advocacy as a high school student urging congress to pass the Dream Act as an undocumented student and has made several visits to Washington D.C. in support of Comprehensive Immigration Reform.
Katy Sastre, Outreach Coordinator
Katy Sastre is the Outreach Coordinator for the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice (NJAIJ), responsible for coordinating and supporting the NJAIJ’s campaign priorities, ensuring members and partners are actively engaged. Prior to joining the NJAIJ, Katy worked as the Program Coordinator for the Northern Manhattan Coalition for Immigrant Rights, providing programmatic support to both the legal services and education programs. Katy’s professional experience includes working for a legal recruitment firm in NYC and as a Program Coordinator for the Middle East North Africa region at the International Center for Transitional Justice. She has held various roles at the International Rescue Committee, including Program Manager for the CASAMENA Region and Syria Regional Response in NYC, Senior Grants Manager in Erbil, Iraq, and then Grants Coordinator for the Ebola Response Consortia Coordination Unit in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Katy is a graduate of Cornell University (BA, Sociology & Government) and SOAS, University of London (MA, Gender Studies, focus on migration and the intersections of gender, class, and race).
Hera Mir, Communications and Operations Associate
Hera Mir is the Communications and Operations Associate at the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice (NJAIJ), ensuring that the values and priorities of the NJAIJ are communicated with the public. Prior to this position, Hera has several years of experience as a Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault response advocate, specifically working with South Asian immigrant women in New Jersey at Manavi where she coordinated the Legal Services and Economic Empowerment programs. She completed the Seeding Change Fellowship working with Asian American Youth on civic engagement and community organizing in 2015 and organized with East Coast Solidarity Summer, to educate South Asian youth about social justice and community building in the diaspora. Hera holds a Masters of Public Policy from the Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy with a focus on social and migration policy, and a BA in Women and Gender Studies and Middle Eastern Studies, both from Rutgers University.
