Joanne Kelsey, Legal Director:
Joanne brings over 30 years of experience working in immigration and refugee law and policy to the LSSNCA legal team. Prior to joining Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area (LSSNCA) in 2022, Joanne worked with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, where her work included advocating for the rights of stateless individuals living in the United States and collaborating with the U.S. government to improve conditions of immigration detention. Joanne has worked to increase protections for women and children seeking asylum in the United States and to end the practice of family detention and family separation. She has served as a staff attorney at the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) and a Fellow for Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS). She has been blessed to work with a team that puts the client first and makes all decisions with their best interests in mind.
Katarina Uhalova, Managing Attorney:
Katarina oversees a dedicated legal team serving immigrant communities across Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Maryland, providing representation in asylum, family-based petitions, naturalization, humanitarian relief, VAWA, T-visas, U-visas, and removal defense. With more than seven years of immigration law experience, Katarina has advocated for clients before the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), and federal appellate courts. Katarina has a deep specialization in resolving complicated cases within USCIS and reopening cases before the Immigration Judge. Katarina is committed to advancing immigrant rights and expanding access to justice through client advocacy, mentorship, and pro bono service. She treats every client with dignity and respect and is passionate about empowering immigrant families to build safe, stable, and hopeful futures. Katarina is fluent in Slovak, Czech, Polish, and English.
Jessica Soares, Senior Paralegal and Operations Manager:
Jessica has over eight years of experience in immigration law, serving as a senior paralegal and legal manager before joining LSSNCA. She has dedicated her career to supporting immigrants and refugees through compassionate, high-quality legal representation. With extensive experience handling family-based petitions, asylum, humanitarian visas, Special Immigrant Juveniles (SIJS) visas, removal defense, and naturalization cases, she combines deep expertise with a client-centered approach that makes complex processes more accessible. At LSSNCA, Jessica oversees the legal team’s casework, ensuring that each client receives timely, personalized, and effective support. She is passionate about expanding access to justice by offering affordable legal services and leveraging technology to serve clients across the United States and abroad. Jessica is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese.
Andrew Reisenaur, Immigration Attorney:
Andrew brings three years of experience in immigration and refugee law to the LSSNCA legal team. Prior to joining LSSNCA, Andrew worked as a Protection Associate with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. He has dedicated his legal career to working in international human rights law, with a special focus on addressing the obstacles faced by forcibly displaced individuals. At LSSNCA, Andrew represents clients as they navigate the immigration court system. He has assisted clients in applying for naturalization, Special Immigrant Juvenile (SIJS) visas, adjustments of status (green cards), asylum, and family-based petitions, among others. He is committed to ensuring that all his clients receive high-quality representation tailored to their individual needs.
Dunya Abassi, Paralegal:
Dunya is an accomplished immigration paralegal with five years of experience, recognized for her expertise in client advocacy and legal coordination within immigration law. She provides comprehensive support to attorneys and BIA-accredited representatives, managing USCIS and EOIR filings, conducting client intake, and preparing cases for legal proceedings. Adept at guiding newcomers through the intricacies of asylum applications, work authorization, and public benefits, Dunya ensures that immigrant and refugee families navigate complex legal systems with confidence and dignity. Dunya is proficient in English, Farsi, Urdu, and Pashto.
Noomylai Safi, Paralegal:
Noomyalai is an immigration paralegal with over four years of experience in legal and refugee services and more than eight years of overall professional expertise. He assists attorneys and BIA-accredited representatives with USCIS and EOIR filings, client intake, and database management, while also coordinating immigration clinics and ensuring compliance with program requirements. He is dedicated to delivering client-centered support to diverse immigrant and refugee communities. Noomyalai is fluent in English, Dari, Farsi, and Pashto.
