About Us
Despierta is a non-profit agency founded in Charlotte, NC. It was birthed out of passion to help the Latina community thrive. Being that Latinas are a very underserved population in Charlotte, we aim to empower Latinas by providing support services that can help individuals thrive and strengthen families.
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The issue that was identified when working with Latina immigrants was primarily the lack of knowledge and access to community resources due to language barriers, low education levels, poverty, lack of social support, mistrust of the community, and other cultural barriers.
Our goal at Despierta is to be place where women can acquire the proper and effective tools to become self sufficient and resilient within the community. Immigrants suffer specific stressors and barriers related to establishing a new life in a foreign country. Despierta believes every Latina woman, regardless of her legal status, should have the support needed to thrive in our community.
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We must RISE.
Juliana Lozano, MSW, LCSWA
Founder & Executive Director
Colombian American
Master of Social Work from the University of South Carolina
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Jazmin Hermosillo-Aguilar, CHW
Mujer Despierta Program Director
Mexican American
Bachelor of Sociology from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro
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Heidy Argueta, BSW
Bonita Rising Youth Program Director
Salvadoran American
Bachelor of Social Work from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Chantal Coutu
Community Outreach Coordinator
Country of Origin: Venezuelan
Bachelor of Social Work from UNC Charlotte
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Maria Rodriguez
Program Coordinator
Country of Origin: Mexico
Bachelor of Psychology from UNC Charlotte
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Sheila Garcia-Garcia
Youth Program Facilitator
Mexican American
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Major: Communications
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Sadia Upright, PhD, LCMHC, CA, BCS, CSOT
Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor
Board Certified Clinical Sexologist
Certified Juvenile & Adult Sex Offender Therapist
Forensic Psychology Specialist
Sex Therapist
Traumatologist
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Melissa (Metcalf) Le Roy
Chief Financial Officer
Bachelor in Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies at Western Carolina University
Meet The Board Members
Meet Our team!
Ivette Ceballos MPH, BSN,RN
Board Chair
RN Program Coordinator
Levine Cancer Institute
Master of Public Health
Columbia Southern University
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Georgian Court University
Ivette was born and raised in Quito, Ecuador. Moved to the Queen city area back in 2018. Ivette's true passion lies in working with Hispanic/Latino communities and ensuring they have access to resources that empower them to lead healthy, fulfilling lives.
Collin E. Bailey
Board Treasurer
Chief Transformation Officer, Hudson Bay Company
Maryate Orduno
Board Member
Board Vice Chair
Master of Science- Family Practice Nursing from Frontier Nursing University
Specialties: Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB/GYN)
Mary Kate Finnigan, NP
Lissette Velez
Board Member
Chief Strategy Officer of Velez Strategies
Maryate Orduno
Board Member
Emily Chaskelson
Board Secretary
Support Services Committee
ELL Teacher-Myers Park High School
University of Kansas
Masters Degree from University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Emily was born and raised in Kansas City, spent some time in Chicago, and has resided in Charlotte since 2006. Her love of language and culture has driven her career, teaching English as a second language for nearly two decades. Emily ensures that her students have access to the tools and resources they need to succeed both in and out of the classroom.
Courtney Buggs, MSW, LCSWA
Board Member
Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) from Winthrop University
Master of Social Work (MSW) from University of South Carolina
Courtney was born and raised in Columbia, SC, and has lived in Charlotte since 2015. Her educational and professional background reflects her passion for working with diverse cultures. She currently serves as a Social Work Supervisor in the Atrium Health Women's Care Division, where she supports women on a daily basis.
Laura Parker Waits
Board Member
Immigration Attorney and Legal Consultant
Laura and her husband, Alex, have 5 children and are residents of Charlotte, North Carolina. Laura handles federal immigration cases across the entire United States.
She has more than 30 years of experience as an attorney and member of the Texas State Bar. Laura and her family spent 10 years living and working in Honduras, a country she considers her second home.
During Laura’s time in Honduras, she and her husband, Alex, collaborated with the indigenous Miskito people to open a middle and high school that currently serves over 450 students with a staff of over 45 Hondurans. Laura experienced first-hand the factors that cause individuals to leave everything behind and make the very dangerous journey across borders in search of a way to meet the basic needs of their families.
Laura’s passion for immigration law began as her family attempted to navigate the immigration system with their youngest daughter. Laura views each case from the perspective of her own daughter’s challenges. Her mission is to formulate compassionate, intelligent, creative solutions to each case she encounters.
Laura loves plants, speaking Spanish, making homemade sushi with her family and long walks.