Our Team
Robert Ponichtera, Ph.D. Executive Director & Founder
rponichtera@libertyspromise.org
Dr. Robert Ponichtera oversees project management and day-to-day operations of Liberty’s Promise, in addition to fostering community partnerships. Before founding Liberty’s Promise, he worked for several Washington, DC- based nonprofits, including Freedom House and the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Dr. Ponichtera earned a Ph.D. in East European History from Yale University on 1995 and has taught at Yale, Quinnipiac College, Albertus Magnus College, and George Mason University.
Melissa Gelinas Director of Northern Virginia & Washington D.C. Programs
Melissa Guerrero Gelinas conducts the CE-BELL program Alexandria City High School in Alexandria, VA. She graduated from the University of Vermont with a bachelor’s in Linguistics, and later from Wake Forest University with a master’s in Spanish Interpreting and Translation. After graduating, she spent a year in Ecuador teaching English classes for middle and high school students, as well as for business professionals. She worked as an interpreter in the Forsyth County N.C. public schools, at Forsyth County Department of Social Services, and at World Relief.
Stephanie Meza-Gonzalez Director of Montgomery County and Prince George’s County Programs
smezagonzalez@libertyspromise.org
Stephanie Meza-Gonzalez conducts the CE-BELL programs at Montgomery Blair and John F. Kennedy High Schools, both of which are located in Montgomery County, MD. Stephanie graduated from Towson University with her bachelor’s degree in Spanish. As the daughter of two Venezuelan immigrants, she hopes to provide immigrant students with the same resources her family received to adjust to life in the United States.
Jacqueline Romero Senior Program Officer of Alumni Relations
Jacqueline Romero conducts Civics and Citizenship programs at Falls Church and Justice High Schools in Fairfax County, VA. She graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a double major in Political Science and Spanish. As a first-generation U.S. citizen who is Salvadorian and Nicaraguan, she hopes to impact and inspire immigrant youth to embrace their roots and culture while also being able to navigate their way through school and different career paths.
Melanie Cardenas Senior Program Officer
Melanie Cardenas conducts Civics & Citizenship programs at Patterson and Benjamin Franklin High Schools in Baltimore, MD. Originally from Houston Texas, Melanie has experience supporting students from underserved communities. She previously served as an academic program coordinator, where she provided intensive academic support, health and wellness programming, and enriching mentorship opportunities. With additional experience in data analysis and software development, Melanie brings a unique blend of technical and interpersonal skills to her new roles. She looks forwards to applying her expertise to help immigrant youth in the unlock their full potential.
Jennifer Vargas Senior Program Officer
Jennifer Vargas conducts the CE-BELL program at Theodore Roosevelt High School. Jennifer is from Colombia, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Finances at Autonomous University of Bucaramanga (UNAB). Before she came to the U.S., she advised students to apply for college through scholarships offered by their university. She guided these students to choose their area of study and find their real passion in life. Jennifer also worked as a volunteer in a public charter school with elementary youth. She loves working with students and believes that helping them make decisions about their futures and showing them the opportunities available in this country can inspire them to pursue college and a professional career.
Nicolle Serna Development Officer
Nicolle Serna conducts the Civics and Citizenship programs at West Potomac High School and John R. Lewis High School in Fairfax County, VA. Originally from Colombia, she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and International Affairs from Sergio Arboleda University in Bogota. Prior to her role at Liberty’s Promise, Nicolle worked at the Embassy of Switzerland in Colombia, where she focused on international cooperation projects that provided opportunities for access to education and socio-economic development for youth from vulnerable communities. As a Colombian living abroad, she understands that the path of immigrant youth can be particularly challenging. However, through education, guidance, and support, we can uncover our true potential and contribute to meaningful change in our communities.
Meliane Kapmeni Finance Officer
Meliane Kapmeni works in the main office of Liberty’s Promise, in Alexandria, VA, assisting in managing the finances for the organization. She is a current student at the University of Baltimore, majoring in Accounting. She is hopeful that her time at Liberty’s Promise will help her grow in both her professional and personal development.
Nicole Alvarez Trades Program Officer
Nicole Alvarez conducts the Trades Program for our Prince George’s County and Washington, D.C. schools. Nicole graduated from Towson University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Family Science and Human Services with a minor in Public Health. She is also a Certified Nursing Assistant.
Bryan Amaya Program Officer
Bryan Amaya conducts the Civics and Citizenship Jr. program at Seneca Ridge Middle School and the Civics and Citizenship program at Dominion High School, in Loudoun County. Bryan has his associate’s degree in General Studies from Virginia Community College. His passion for helping immigrant youth stems from his upbringing. He grew up in a restaurant owned by his grandparents and watching their hard work ethic planted a seed in him to dream bigger and want more. Bryan understands the importance of mentorship and how molding youth at an early age can set them up for a successful future in the United States. He believes diversity and representation for all is what gives life purpose.
Hazel Bonilla Program Officer
Hazel Bonilla conducts the Civics and Citizenship Programs at Wheaton and Northwood High Schools in Montgomery County, MD. She graduated from University of Maryland, Baltimore County with her Bachelors in Psychology. She is currently working towards her Masters Degree in Counseling Psychology at Bowie State University. With her experience working with the immigrant population before, specifically those who recently arrived to the United States, she wishes to continue working with the community to help them achieve what their American Dream is just as her parents did when they came from El Salvador.
Nydia Cruzado Program Officer
Nydia Cruzado conducts the Civics and Citizenship Program at Rockville High School and the Civics and Citizenship Jr. Program at Gaithersburg Middle School in Montgomery County, MD. Originally from Nicaragua, she earned her bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Keiser University in Carazo, Nicaragua. Nydia spent her college time volunteering with children and helping students build leadership skills and she now strives to use her experiences as a first-generation college graduate to motivate youth to achieve their goals and follow their dreams.
Ana Maria Gaston Program Officer
Ana Maria Gaston conducts the Civics and Citizenship programs at Bladensburg, High Point, Northwestern, and Parkdale High Schools. Originally from Indiana and of Brasilian descent, Ana Maria completed a dual degree in International Law and Institutions and French at Indiana University. Recognizing that persisting gaps in international law and policy resulted in improved macroeconomic outcomes but not increased well-being of individual communities, she pursued a master's degree in International Development at American University's School of International Service. With work experience helping immigrant families and low-income youth across 3 continents and 4 languages, Ana Maria aims to bring strong cultural awareness and care to her work, crediting authentic individual relationships, compassion, and humility as core tenets to uplifting immigrant youth.
Nan Jiang Program Officer
Nan Jiang conducts the Civics and Citizenship Jr. Program at Cardozo Middle School in Washington, D.C. He was born in Liaoning, China, but grew up in Los Angeles, California. As an immigrant, Nan has a lifetime's worth of experience in engaging with and finding success in American society by himself. Previous to his work at Liberty’s Promise, Nan has experience working at Yunus Centre in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and the Embassy of Mexico in Washington, D.C., amongst others roles. Currently, Nan is in the process of acquiring his bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from The George Washington University. Nan looks forward to using his experiences as an immigrant and first-generation college student to serve the community by helping the youth of today become the leaders of tomorrow.
Sandra Segura Program Officer
Sandra Segura conducts Civics and Citizenship Jr. programs at A. Mario Loiederman and Odessa Shannon Middle Schools in Montgomery County, MD. Sandra is from Medellin, Colombia, where she graduated from the Catholic University of Pereira with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. Her commitment to volunteering began in high school and has continued through her professional life. Sandra is passionate about supporting underserved communities, believing that every action can contribute to positive societal change.