Our Team
Gaby Pacheco
President and CEO
Maria Gabriela (“Gaby”) Pacheco, an influential leader in immigrant rights and education from Miami, Florida, is the President and CEO of TheDream.US. As an immigrant with a mixed-status family, she intimately understands the complexities and challenges faced by immigrant families in the US. For two decades, Pacheco has played a pivotal role in advocating for immigration and immigrant rights. In 2010, alongside three undocumented students, she led the Trail of Dreams, a remarkable four-month walk from Miami to Washington, DC. Two years later, she spearheaded efforts to establish the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Pacheco made history as the first undocumented Latina to testify before Congress on April 22, 2013, addressing the Senate Judiciary Committee and highlighting the urgent need for immigration reform.
Pacheco’s exceptional contributions have garnered recognition and accolades. She was listed in Forbes magazine’s “30 Under 30: Education” and “40 Under 40: Latinos in American Politics.” She received an Honorary Doctoral Degree in Humanities from The New School in 2015 and was featured in Elle magazine’s 30th-anniversary issue, “This is 30,” alongside the world’s 30 most notable women. She also appeared on the June 2012 TIME Magazine cover along with 30 other immigrant leaders.
Pacheco is a highly sought-after national political analyst, regularly sharing her expertise on networks such as Univision, Telemundo, MSNBC, CNN, and CNN en Español. She has also contributed opinion pieces to newspapers such as the New York Times, Washington Post, and USA Today.
Despite being undocumented, Pacheco fought for higher education and earned multiple degrees in education from Miami Dade College.
On June 21, 2023, Pacheco achieved one of her biggest dreams and became a naturalized U.S. citizen. Gaby resides in Miami with her husband and their rescued animals.
Dr. Hyein Lee
Chief Operating Officer
Dr. Hyein Lee is driven by the power of research and evaluation to build evidence-based narratives for immigrant and higher education equity.
She first learned about the necessity of rigorous data collection and management in supporting programs serving marginalized populations while working at the YMCA in Flushing, Queens. There, she analyzed benchmarks of success for immigrant students. Since then, Hyein’s work has focused on leading quantitative and qualitative assessments of programs promoting college access and success, such as TheDream.US and the CUNY Start-ASAP Foster Care Initiative, at the City University of New York’s Office of Research, Evaluation & Program Support.
Hyein came to the United States at the age of 17 from South Korea. She received a B.A. in History from New York University and has a Ph.D. in Sociology from the Graduate Center at the City University of New York. Her highly regarded research focuses on undocumented students in higher education.
Dr. Lee is a highly sought-after speaker and expert on data and metrics concerning undocumented students. Most recently, in 2024, she won the Presidential Prize for Public Communication in the Dissertation Showcase at the Graduate Center. Her reports, findings, and research have been used in articles, amicus briefs, and congressional testimonies. Her work is among the most extensive in highlighting key data on DACA, TPS, and fully undocumented students.
Susan Collins
Chief of Staff and Government Affairs
Susan, the daughter of a single immigrant mother and the first in her family to graduate from college, is deeply dedicated to public service and helping others achieve their dreams. With over 20 years of experience in federal policy, advocacy, and management, she has built a distinguished career advancing solutions for underserved communities. Susan previously served as Senior Director of Legislative Affairs for UnidosUS and as Chief of Staff to U.S. Representative Luis V. Gutiérrez.
Throughout her career, Susan has developed significant expertise in immigration policy, with a particular focus on long-residing undocumented communities, including DACA recipients, Dreamers, and families of mixed immigration status. She is known for her earnest yet pragmatic approach, excelling in building strong relationships, leading effective teams, setting strategic goals, and advocating for transformative solutions.
Susan began her career managing nonprofit programs that served immigrant families and children in Texas, with an emphasis on health and education. She holds a master’s degree in social work from the University of Houston and a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University.
Sylvia Wong
Chief Development Officer
Sylvia is an educator at heart and a seasoned non-profit leader, passionate about bringing people and ideas together in partnership for social change. Her career has focused on increasing support and advancing equity for marginalized and underserved communities, both globally and within the United States.
Most recently, Sylvia served as the Senior Director of Development at America’s Promise Alliance where she led efforts to raise annual revenue goals for a new strategic chapter and helped to launch a reimagined Alliance community to support top youth-supporting organizations across the country. This included supporting recruitment efforts to bring in founding member organizations during launch year, forming and executing a new place-based strategy, and leading an organizational rebrand and redesigned website.
Prior to APA, Sylvia was the Managing Director of Mentor Community at iMentor, where she led the national strategy to deepen engagement of more than 10,000 matched mentors with first-generation college students through annual mentor recruitment, mentor giving and fundraising, and mentor training. Sylvia was also the Director of Development at The Adventure Project where she raised revenue to support social entrepreneurial programs in Africa. She also held various development and program roles at Concern Worldwide US, where she ran a global education program and helped to build and implement the individual giving strategy, a major gifts program, and corporate and community fundraising efforts.
Sylvia started her career as an elementary and middle school teacher in Canada and New York City. She holds a Masters of Arts degree from Teachers College, Columbia University and a Bachelor of Education and Bachelor of Arts from Queen’s University in Canada. Sylvia was born in Hong Kong, raised in Canada, and lived in New York for 17 years before making a recent move to Seattle, Washington where she currently resides with her husband and two children.
Maria Vanegas
Chief Financial Officer
Originally from Bogotá, Colombia, Maria immigrated to the United States with her family in search of a better future and education. Maria has devoted her career to working in the higher education sector, with experience in the operations and management areas, beginning with her work in college bookstores in both Florida and New York, and most recently as Associate Director of Finance and Operations in the Division of Student Affairs at Hunter College.
In her previous role, she was responsible for managing budgets and financial operations of multiple departments and programs, and collaborating with college staff and administrators to ensure that Operations obtained the necessary funds and resources to be able to meet the students’ and college’s needs.
Throughout her career in higher education, she has obtained first-hand knowledge about the difficulties that undocumented, immigrant, and underrepresented students experience traversing the system, giving her a firm grasp on the day-to-day obstacles they have to overcome to succeed in their academic and professional goals.
Maria holds a Master of Public Administration degree from Baruch College – City University of New York, and a Bachelor of Political Science from the University of Florida.
Michael Earls
Chief Communications and Impact Officer
The son of two teachers, Michael recognizes how education can transform lives and is deeply committed to policies and programs supporting Dreamers and other first-generation college students. As Chief Communications and Impact Officer, he helps ensure the organization’s communications advance programmatic, policy, development, and broader strategic priorities and meet the evolving needs of Scholars, Alumni, Partner Colleges, and multiple external audiences.
Previously, Michael was proud to call TheDream.US a client while a partner at the public affairs firm NP Agency. During his more than 15 years as a consultant, he built strategic communications, legislative advocacy, and brand positioning efforts on behalf of a wide array of causes and companies. Immigration policy has been a substantial focus of Michael’s work for nearly two decades and he has a detailed understanding of the unique challenges facing Dreamers – and how smart policies and increased opportunities for Dreamers strengthen the nation.
Earlier in his career, Michael served in policy and communications roles for several organizations and campaigns, including as a Policy Advisor at the think tank Third Way and as a press spokesperson and policy report author for the Trust for America’s Health. Michael is a Boston-area native with degrees from Wake Forest University and Johns Hopkins University. He lives in Washington, DC with his wife and two sons.
Elena Salorio
Director of Scholarship Programs
For over a decade, Elena has dedicated her career to helping low-income, first-generation students go to college – managing over 35 local, regional, national, and international scholarship programs. Elena has worked collaboratively with scholarship providers and colleges and universities to design and implement scholarship programs that meet the needs of the students they serve. She has provided the full panoply of management services from program design through application management, selection of finalists, award payment, and student and parent outreach. Her wealth of knowledge makes her a leading expert in scholarship management.
Before working as a scholarship management services provider, Elena spent over twenty years in the hospitality and retail management industries. It was her experience in these industries that enabled her to hone her servant leader mentality.
Elena is an ardent and active voice for our Scholars – and doing all that we can to support them in a successful college journey. While her talents are vast, it is her attention to detail, calmness under pressure, and an incredible ability to retain and recall vast amounts of information that make Elena stand out.
Elena holds an Associate of Arts Degree from Brevard Community College (now Eastern Florida State College) and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration – Music Business from Belmont University.
Camila Salkov
Risk Data and Reporting Manager
Originally from Chile, Camila Salkov immigrated to the US at the age of 16 for the sole purpose of gaining a better education. She is a TheDream.US scholar, completing her Bachelor of Science in Accounting with a minor in Business Administration at Trinity Washington University, graduating Magna Cum Laude. She continued her education at Fitchburg State University where she earned her Masters of Business Administration in Management.
Camila has experience working for large financial firms where she learned the importance of financial oversight and identifying potential areas of improvement in operations. A passion for data analysis and interpretation has provided her with the ability to embrace her leadership skills. As a Dreamer, an experienced financial consultant and an investment banking expert, she brings a diverse background to her professional endeavors.
Yajaira Gonzalez
Scholarships Program Manager
Originally from Monterrey, Mexico, Yajaira immigrated to the United States at age 8 and has lived in Nebraska for over 20 years. As the first in her family to graduate from high school, she earned a full-ride scholarship to the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO), where she obtained a Bachelor’s in International Studies and Political Science. She later completed her Master of Public Administration with a concentration in Public Policy.
Yajaira has dedicated her career to public service, focusing on community organizing, advocacy, and higher education. She led two statewide legislative efforts that granted access to driver’s licenses and professional licenses for DREAMers and immigrant students in Nebraska. In recognition of her leadership, Yajaira received the “2016 Public Service Award”, “2016 Nonprofit of the Year Award”, and “2023 Emerging Leader Award”.
In her previous role, Yajaira led the Dreamer’s Pathway Scholars Program at UNO, providing full-ride scholarships to Dreamers and DACA recipients in Nebraska, and fostering a sense of belonging on campus through tailored immigrant student support initiatives. Yajaira is also a Certified Clifton Strengths Coach and a Certified Personal Finance Counselor teaching scholars about their personal strengths and personal finance management.
Outside of work, she serves as chair of the Futuro Latino Fund at the Omaha Community Foundation which helps to ensure access, equity, and opportunity for Latino organizations in Nebraska. She enjoys spending time with her three “fur-babies”, reading, and exploring nature trails.
Vernisa Donaldson
Senior Research Analyst of Measurement and Evaluation
Vernisa Donaldson is committed to helping college programs best serve students with the power of data-driven decision-making. She believes that good data practices and program evaluation are integral tools for creating opportunities to access and succeed in higher education for marginalized students. She is also interested in promoting student voices and perspectives in her work.
Vernisa has dedicated the last seven years to working in partnership with college success programs at the City University of New York (CUNY) that support STEM students in middle and high school (CUNY Tutor Corps), students in foster care (CUNY Foster Care Initiative), and formerly incarcerated college students (John Jay’s College Initiative) to conduct multi-year evaluations and provide data collection, management, and analysis support to inform day-to-day decision-making. Her work on these projects has also contributed to the field of higher education research and practice for marginalized students through reporting about programmatic practices, outcomes, and lessons learned.
She holds a B.A. in Psychology and an M.S. in Applied Social Research with a focus on public policy research from Hunter College.
Dr. Angela “Ru” Chen
Director of Higher Education Strategy and Partnerships
Dr. Chen (also known as Ru) grew up in a mixed-status family and is a higher education leader and systems change strategist with nearly twenty years of experience advancing equity and institutional transformation for immigrant and underserved students. She most recently served as Director of the DREAM Center at the University of California, Irvine, where she led strategic planning, institutional policy, and program development for one of the largest undocumented student populations in the UC system.
Throughout her career, Ru has consulted with colleges and universities across the country, helping institutions strengthen their support for undocumented students. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of Immigrants Rising.
Ru holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Higher Education and Organizational Change from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a B.A. in Cognitive Psychology from the University of California, Irvine. Outside of work, Ru enjoys long walks with her dog and exploring national and state parks.
Nicole Wesley
Senior Program Manager of Career Supports
Nicole Wesley has over 13 years of professional experience in higher education and has spent the past 8 years focusing on career education and development. In her past role as the Director of Career Services at Nevada State College, Nicole focused on scaling and democratizing career education and services for all students while helping build students’ career confidence and social capital. Nicole is passionate about assisting undocumented students with their career advising needs and has created career development resources and opportunities specifically for undocumented students. Nicole also served as a Career Services Liaison to TheDream.US Scholars and sits on the National Association of Colleges & Employers’ Serving Undocumented Students subcommittee.
Nicole received her Master of Education degree from Arizona State University and her Bachelor of Arts degree from Concordia College – Moorhead.
Chris Aviles
Senior Program Manager of Partner College and Scholar Supports
Chris Aviles was born and raised in the Mott Haven area of the South Bronx. Growing up in a marginalized and underserved community, he grew a passion for empowering disadvantaged youth get access to higher learning. He believes education provides a pathway to increase the quality of life of our minority communities.
Before joining TheDream.US team, Chris spent 20 years working in higher education, within the City University of New York (CUNY). Throughout his years in CUNY, he supported students in the Department of Latin American and Latinx Studies at John Jay College, which has been designate both a Minority Serving (MSI) and Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). After several years serving the students and faculty at John Jay, he took a position working in the Office of the Vice President of Academic Affairs at Guttman Community College – CUNY. In this role, he was able to use his years of experience to create a foundation for the newly established college, and helped usher in the first incoming class ever at Guttman. His final tenure at CUNY was spent at Hunter College, where he managed programs supporting vulnerable students in need and served as the Scholar Advisor for TheDream.US Scholarship Program.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Forensic Psychology from John Jay College – City University of New York.
Nicole Mejia
Communications and Operations Manager
Nicole is passionate about encouraging young people to dream big when it comes to their future. She is determined to make education more accessible and equitable for diverse students because she sees it as an important tool for upward mobility. Nicole’s commitment to education stems from her personal experiences navigating the education system as a first-generation college student and child from a mixed-status Mexican family.
Nicole has devoted her career to supporting diverse students, including immigrant students, English Language Learners, and students from low-income backgrounds. Her previous roles with ACLAMO and Summer Search Philadelphia enabled her to coach and mentor various high school, post-secondary students, and early careers professionals. Her favorite part of her previous roles was connecting with and celebrating participants. She is excited to grow with TheDream.US and support the various logistical and administrative processes to make the Scholar, Alumni and Partner College experiences extraordinary.
Nicole graduated from the University of Delaware with an Honors B.S. in Elementary Education and teaching English as a Second Language (ESL), and a Master’s in Childhood Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Cultures through the university’s 4+1 Program. She is a proud alumnus of the McNair Scholars Program.