ICS Staff
Tireless Support for the Plight of Immigrants and Refugees
Administration
Frank Garcia
Executive Director
Frank is a change leader who has been championing immigrant rights and progressive public policies for over 20 years. In addition to several executive management positions with the State of Oregon, he served as a senior policy advisor to former Gov. John Kitzhaber where he advised on affirmative action and immigration issues and introduced diversity, equity, and inclusion frameworks to address the state service delivery system, decision-making about the state workforce, and policy-making. Frank is also credited for facilitating the 2013 passage of the Oregon Driver Card Bill and Tuition Equity for undocumented residents.
He also served as the Affirmative Action Director for the Oregon State Bar where he ushered in diversity, equity, and inclusion as a new policy framework for access to justice. Mr. Garcia left public service to form a consultancy focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion and has worked with businesses, government entities, and nonprofits. Mr. Garcia holds a BA in Sociology from PSU and a Master’s Degree in Higher Education Administration from NYU.
As the son of migrant workers who settled in Dayton, OR, where he was raised, Frank brings personal experience and passion to the work of ICS and is excited by the opportunity to support and strengthen the immigrant community through our important mission.
Arnie Delgado
Operations Manager
Prior to joining ICS in November of 2021 as the Operations Manager, Arnie worked as an Office Manager for five years at St. Peter’s Catholic Church. Arnie has an extensive operations/banking career in Tampa Florida, before moving to Portland in 2016.
Arnie is a Panamanian immigrant with a B.A. in Business Administration from Santa Maria La Antigua University.
Gina Vorderstrasse
Director of Development & Communications
Gina Vorderstrasse is a dedicated humanitarian professional with nearly 15 years of experience in international humanitarian assistance and refugee crises. Prior to joining ICS in May 2022, Gina served in a variety of leadership, policy, program management, and communications roles at the U.S. Agency for International Development. In these roles, Gina responded to complex humanitarian emergencies in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Sierra Leone, and South Sudan. Gina also previously supported programs analyzing conflict and promoting human rights at the U.S. Institute of Peace and through non-governmental organizations in Cambodia, Egypt, Nicaragua, and Rwanda. Gina holds a Master of Arts in Conflict Resolution from Georgetown University and a Bachelor of Arts in International and Comparative Policy Studies from Reed College.
General Legal Team
R a c h e l G a m e
Interim Managing Attorney
Rachel first started to represent clients in immigration matters in 2006. Since then, she has been an active a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA). Rachel began studying Spanish while in university she attended law school in Mexico and Ecuador. She is bilingual in Spanish and English. After completing her studies and passing the Oregon State Bar, Rachel moved to Zimbabwe, Africa, where she ran a group of businesses, mostly in the tourism industry, for about a decade. With the political climate in Zimbabwe deteriorating and her training in law calling her back, she returned to Oregon in 2006. She started her own law firm and has enjoyed the relationships she has formed with so many clients and their families. When she is not practicing law Rachel enjoys alpine skiing, sailing her 29′ C&C sailboat in the Puget Sound, and attending outdoor music festivals. She also coaches the long and triple jump at Grant High School.
Molly Franck
Supervising Attorney
Molly was born and raised in Denver, Colorado. She received her law degree from the University of California, College of the Law, San Francisco in 2012. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Molly is a member of the California State Bar, the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), and is admitted to practice before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Molly moved to Oregon with her husband and son in 2020 and joined ICS in September 2024. Molly’s husband is from Mexico City and she has other relatives and close friends who immigrated to the United States as refugees and immigrants. Molly is fluent in Spanish. Molly is very passionate about asylum, family-based immigration, and removal defense, and has focused her career in these areas.
Prior to joining ICS, Molly practiced immigration law for over 10 years in California and Oregon, working for private firms and volunteering with non-profit organizations serving low-income immigrant women and children – many of whom were indigenous. During law school, Molly spent a semester as a judicial student extern at the San Francisco Immigration Court and was also a Stronach Women’s Rights Fellow at the Center for Gender and Refugee Studies (CGRS). Before attending law school, Molly was a Fulbright Research Scholar in Granada, Spain and a volunteer with the Spanish Red Cross. Molly also worked for two years as a domestic violence victim’s advocate in Boulder, CO.
Francisco Juarez
Legal Operations Supervisor & Senior Program Analyst
Francisco grew up in Seaside, California, and moved to Oregon in 2012. Prior to joining ICS, he worked with several immigration attorneys and firms in the Portland area and has extensive experience with U visas, removal defense, asylum, VAWA, and family-based petitions. Francisco is a native Spanish speaker.
Francisco holds a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Portland State University, where he graduated with honors. Francisco is an active charter member of Alpha Phi Sigma Criminal Justice Honor Society and looks forward to becoming an Accredited Representative with ICS.
Outside the office, Francisco enjoys tinkering with appliances, playing soccer, and joining his wife and three daughters on various adventures in the Northwest.
Nora Cuevas
Accredited Representative / Hood River
Nora grew up in Yakima, Washington and moved to the beautiful Columbia Gorge in May of 2018.
Prior to joining ICS, Nora worked as a Certified/Registered Medical Assistant and Clinical Support Manager. Her passion is to help people as much as possible. As the daughter of migrant workers, she is seeking to build her career in immigration to help immigrant families and community.
On her free time, Nora enjoys attending live sporting events, concerts, hiking and spending time with her husband and family.
Jean Sheppard
Staff Attorney / Hood River
Jean Sheppard is a Staff Attorney in the Hood River Office specializing in general immigration law such as affirmative immigration applications, waivers of unlawful presence, deferred action, consular processing and visas for victims of crime or domestic violence. She is very active in the Hood River community, serving as President of the Hood River County Library District, and on the Board of Directors for the Hood River Rotary Club, and the United Way of the Columbia Gorge. Jean is a passionate advocate of foreign exchanges for young adults and currently serves as the Youth Exchange Coordinator for the Hood River Rotary Club. Jean lives with her husband on their 30-acre pear orchard in Hood River.
Kiara Talancha
Kiara Talancha joined ICS in October 2024. Kiara grew up in Lima, Peru, and then migrated to Florida when she was eight years old. She attended Florida State University and earned bachelor’s degrees in Sociology and International Affairs. After college, she decided she wanted to help others. She attended Barry University School of Law and graduated with a Juris Doctorate. While in law school, Kiara focused on learning about immigration law and worked in a local nonprofit supporting multiple attorneys and advocating for the immigrant community. In 2024, Kiara moved to Oregon to be closer to the mountains. Over the years, Kiara’s work has been guided by her passion to help other and her drive for justice for all. In her downtime, Kiara likes to go hiking, play board games, and cook food.
Lexie Alba
Legal Assistant
Alexis (Lexie) Alba is a passionate immigrant rights advocate with over four years of experience working with marginalized communities. Prior to joining ICS in September 2023, Lexie served in a leadership position at a seed preservation project in the Mayan Zone of Quintana Roo, Mexico, where she became bilingual in Spanish. She has volunteered with RAICES and as an English teacher for RefuNet. Her undergraduate studies were driven by her interest in serving the refugee and immigrant diasporas of the world as well as the intersection between refugee crises and global climate change. She completed two years of studies at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, before finishing her bachelor’s degree in International Relations and Ecological Agriculture at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA. Lexie is currently a master's student of International Migration at El Colegio de La Frontera Norte. She hopes to become an Accredited Representative with ICS to help increase the availability of legal representation for immigrants. Outside of work and school, she enjoys horseback riding, playing guitar, and cooking with her husband who is a chef. She is also a certified yoga instructor.
Sara Escobedo
Client Coordinator / Hood River
Sara Escobedo is a Mount Hood Parkdale, OR, native. She has worked in Early Childhood Education for many years and has been a Family Support Specialist. As a daughter of Mexican Immigrants, Sara knows firsthand how difficult this process can be. She decided to pursue a career at ICS to help families and individuals. Sara on her free time enjoys, soccer sporting events, hiking, going to concerts and spending time with her family.
Emily Fuentes
Paralegal
Emily joined ICS in September 2023. She is a first-generation college graduate who attended Franklin University and received a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice administration. Before joining ICS, Emily worked at Bridging Cultures/Puentes entre Culturas, a non-profit organization that focuses on serving the latino community primarily in Clackamas and Marion County. This is where she found a passion for helping people to know their rights and inform them of resources available to help them. Emily is looking forward to making a difference here at ICS to help clients feel comfortable and at ease during the legal process.
Brenda Macario
Paralegal
My name is Brenda Macario Cinto, I’m from Guatemala and I’m a first-generation student who graduated from Lewis & Clark College with a B.A in Political Science and minor in Hispanic studies. My dedication for immigrant rights has led me to intern for non-profit organizations that have helped me continue learning and advocating for my community. I previously intern for the Center for Gender and Refugee studies in San Francisco. In joining the ICS team, I hope to continue learning and advocating for my community. In my free time I like to watch TV shows, listen to music, and go to different coffee shops.
Laura Quintero
Client Coordinator
Hello! My name is Laura Quintero, and I was born in Bogota, Colombia. I moved to Oregon in 2006 and have been here ever since. I graduated from Oregon State University with a BA in Political Science. I hope to further my education in immigration law and continue to help people of all different backgrounds! In my free time, I love to travel and to hike with my German Shepherd Sasha.
Gabriela Tiburcio
Paralegal
Before joining ICS, Gabriela volunteered at immigration organizations like CAUSA and PCUN. She is a first-generation college student and is graduating from Portland State University with a BA in Political Science and a minor in Spanish. She hopes to one day be an immigration attorney and continue to advocate for immigration reform.
Unaccompanied Children Team
Katrina Caldwell
Managing Attorney
Katrina has nearly 20 years of experience practicing immigration law. She’s an active member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association since 2005 and the Oregon State Bar. Her knowledge and experience in immigration includes: Family Immigration, Consular Processing, Fiancé(e) & Spouse Non-Immigrant Visas, I-212 and I-601 Waivers, Removal/Deportation Defense, Domestic Violence and Crime Victim Visas, and Naturalization.
Ricardo Campos
Legal Assistant Trainer & Data Analyst
Ricardo is originally from Yakima, WA, and has lived in Portland, OR, for 24 years. He graduated from Portland Community College in 2015, with a Paralegal certificate and Associate of Applied Science degree. He joined ICS in 2019, and currently serves as a legal assistant trainer and program analyst for our Unaccompanied Children’s program. Ricardo is responsible for data reporting, budget data review, and program case management. He really enjoys connecting with and empowering our minor clients. Ricardo is from a farm working family and learned at a young age the importance of working hard and in a group setting. Ricardo strives to treat all humans with dignity and respect.
Melissa Walton Hendricks
Staff Attorney
Originally from just south of the Bay Area in California, Melissa moved to Nevada in 2006 for undergrad, and then to Portland in 2010 to attend law school. She immediately fell in love with the lush Pacific Northwest and has called the Portland area her home ever since. In high school, Melissa volunteered with LULAC to tutor elementary-aged students who were learning English, and during law school she volunteered with SOAR to teach citizenship classes to immigrants who were preparing to take the naturalization exam. After law school, Melissa worked in a variety of public policy roles, but increasingly felt called to directly advocate for individuals. Ten years after graduating law school, Melissa took and passed the Oregon State Bar so that she could realize her dream of being an immigration attorney. After passing the bar, she began volunteering at two local immigration law clinics before joining the Unaccompanied Children program at ICS in April 2024. Melissa loves getting to work with kids every day and enjoys helping her clients identify and achieve their immigration goals. When she’s not at work, Melissa enjoys exploring the beauty of the PNW with her family, traveling to new places, and curling up with a good book. Melissa holds a J.D. with a certificate in Environmental and Natural Resources Law from Lewis & Clark (2013), and Bachelor of Arts degrees in English Writing and Political Science from the University of Nevada, Reno (2010).
Becky Hillstrom
Staff Attorney
Becky decided to attend law school after helping a friend from Sudan, who came to the U.S. as a refugee, petition for a visa for her husband. Becky graduated from Willamette Law School in May 2022 and joined ICS in July 2022. Becky has a deep love for the Hispanic/Latino and Arab cultures as she has lived in Chile, Spain, Bahrain, and Jordan. She is excited to help reunite more families and work with unaccompanied immigrant children.
Outside of work Becky loves spending time with her husband and three kids. Her family loves exploring the outdoors, traveling, and attending sporting events.
Jessie Ahmed
Legal Assistant
Jessica (Jessie) joined ICS in October 2022 after moving to Portland from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. She holds a master’s degree in Public Policy with a focus on immigration policy from Adler University in Vancouver, BC. Before joining ICS, she was a one-on-one instructor for students with learning disabilities and worked in education for several years prior, teaching both children and adults. She has a passion for empowering people through education while working to disrupt harmful systems. Jessie is excited to continue supporting youth through legal services and education in the Unaccompanied Children program and working toward a more open and equitable society.
Wendy Diaz
Administrative Assistant
Wendy Diaz was born in a small village in San Marcos, Guatemala. She came into the U.S. when she was 15 years old, she is a former client from ICS. She is currently studies at PCC, studying for bachelors’ degree on Social Work. She is honored and thankful to be part of ICS, she wants to help and give back to the community.
Kitsia Solis
Legal Assistant
Kitsia Solis joined ICS staff in December 2022. She is a Portland, Oregon native who has the ambition and drive to help people in need. Kitsia has a passion for social work, prior to ICS she worked at a domestic violence shelter advocating for families. As a daughter of Mexican Immigrants, Kitsia knows firsthand how difficult this process can be and just wants to strive to help families and individuals reach their immigration goals.
Henry Tracy
Legal Assistant
Henry joined ICS as a Paralegal in November of 2023 with previous experience in Denver, CO working as a Paralegal, Legal Assistant and Process Server. He has passion for working in immigration and has a desire to become an immigration attorney.
Henry has a BA in Liberal Arts from Portland State University and has been working in immigration since 2020. Henry enjoys hiking, running, reading and spending time with family.