Yanelli Flores, Paralegal
Mariel Perez, Administrative Assistant
Mariel Perez, Administrative Assistant
Yanelli Flores is a student at the University of California, Berkeley, studying Sociology with a focus on Law. Previously, at Ohlone College, she was a Mental Health Advocate to reduce the stigma associated with seeking help and facilitated two workshops. She was also President of MEChA (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán) at Ohlone, a Latinx student club that seeks to foster an academically enriching space promoting culture and college success. Yanelli is also a member of the IIBA and assists in translating documents to Spanish-speaking clients. Her passion for social justice stems from her own background and viewing how the education and employment systems perpetuate social inequalities that already exist. "My mission is to help underprivileged communities break the social barriers that they may feel constrained by." She aspires to attend law school to help her community and pave the way for generations to come.
Mariel Perez, Administrative Assistant
Mariel Perez, Administrative Assistant
Mariel Perez, Administrative Assistant
Mariel Perez was born in Chicago, Illinois but has lived in the Bay Area since she was 2. She is married and has two beautiful children whom she enjoys creating special memories with. She is also a first generation Mexican-American, and as such, has understood from a very young age the importance of being the "head of household" for one's family, serving as accountant, translator, and go-to customer service representative for all things American culture. Mariel worked for the City of San Pablo for 8 years and throughout those years built a strong connection with the community. The City of San Pablo has a primarily large Hispanic population, so being able to see her parents through her community and watching their same struggles whenever anyone came in asking for help motivated her more. Mariel's passion in life has always been helping others, even if it's the most minimal task. She knows it means the world to a person who has had to make a new life in an entirely different world than the one they were used to. She hopes to continue helping others pursue their goal of the American Dream.
Claudia Sandoval, Contract Attorney
Claudia is a first generation Mexican American, born and raised in Southern California, and is fluent in Spanish. She has worked in the immigration field since 2004 and has been practicing Immigration Law as a licensed attorney since 2012. Throughout this time, she has provided legal assistance to immigrant families, migrant workers, victims of crime, asylees, and foreign students and scientists from around the world across various immigration practice areas. She previously worked at a well-regarded law firm in North County San Diego, where she obtained her litigation skills and gained experience in a wide-breadth of complex immigration matters. She honed her research and writing skills during a judicial internship with the Executive Office for Immigration Review, San Francisco Immigration Court, where she drafted decisions for Immigration Judges. She was also trained by a national expert in U visas at a leading nonprofit organization in San Francisco, where she worked as a Staff Attorney and Bridge fellow.