FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Basma Alawee is a force for change in the refugee community through many means. She founded and leads WeaveTales, which has been recognized for its deep impact and strong partnership. As the National Campaign Director for We Are All America at National Partnership for New Americans, Basma oversees organizing efforts in 21 states to push for policy changes and support for refugee communities.

Basma’s passion for advocacy is rooted in her own experiences as a former refugee from Iraq. Her tireless work has earned her numerous accolades including the Jacksonville EVE Award in 2020, Athena40’s “40 Under 40” in 2021, and Grant Thornton’s Purple Paladin in 2022. She is also an Honorary Delegate with the Refugee Congress and serves on the US Refugee Advisory Board. Basma served as a refugee advisor on the US Government Delegation to UNHCR’s annual Executive Committee.

Basma is internationally recognized as a true champion for the rights of refugees and immigrants, using her own story to empower others and effect change on a national level.

ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP CONSULTANT, DIRECTOR OF DEIB

Laura Bennett, MSLOD, MSN, ACC, CYT (USN, APRN, CNM Ret) brings a wide variety of experiences to the WeaveTales team. She is a retired naval officer and healthcare provider, executive and leadership coach, organization development consultant, and public speaker focused on well-being, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in leadership and organizations. She has expertise in culture change, burnout, and applied neuroscience in leadership and organizational change. Laura has served in multiple leadership roles and has experience in external and internal consulting and advising in organizations across multiple industries. She is also a passionate arts advocate and community leader.

Laura is a leadership instructor and executive coach for the Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare System, an advisor for First Responder Project, a consultant for The Institute for Healthcare Excellence, and an alumna and active member of Leadership Jacksonville. She also owns a coaching and consulting business.

MEDIA & USER EXPERIENCE CONSULTANT

Sheridan Block is a writer, digital marketer, and world traveler. She worked with marginalized communities in China, Germany, France and South Africa. She believes stories connect people and have the power to change the world. That’s why she’s dedicated to helping refugees and immigrants tell their stories in a way that educates others and creates a more empathetic world. When she’s not writing stories or posting on social media, Sheridan enjoys hiking to waterfalls, trying new foods, and learning new skills (currently that includes speaking French and sewing).

GRAPHIC DESIGN INTERN

Gabriela Cano Uchofen is a Miami native and holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida (UF) in Philosophy. Over the past few years she has been involved/interned at UF Chispas, Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority Inc., WeaveTales, The Florida Museum of Natural History, UF’s Counseling and Wellness Center, 22Squared and is an alum from the 4A’s Foundation: Multicultural Advertising Intern Program (MAIP). For a more detailed biography of Gabi, please visit her website.

BOARD CHAIRPERSON

Dr. Leslie G. Kaplan, Director, Hicks Honors College at the University of North Florida, holds a Bachelor’s degree from Tufts University in English and Philosophy, a Master’s degree from Oxford University in Middle English Literature, and a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in Folklore and Folklife. She has been teaching on immigration and national identity and food and culture since 2010. In 2011, she created partnerships between the University of North Florida and Jacksonville’s refugee resettlement community to connect students and families who arrived in the US as refugees, a project that continues through the present. In this capacity, she has worked with Lutheran Social Services, Catholic Charities, the New American Welcome Center at the duPont YMCA, Kim’s Open Door and Beyond90 to make Jacksonville a more welcoming community for immigrants and refugees. She has also worked with the grassroots organizations Welcoming America and the Florida Immigrant Coalition. Her work has been recognized at the university, local and state levels. At the University of North Florida, she was recognized as a Community Scholar in 2014-5 and her program was honored for “Outstanding Purpose, Partnership, and Progress” in 2018. Locally, she was given the Community Impact Award at the Jacksonville World Refugee Day in 2019. At the state level, her work won the Florida Campus Compact’s Global Impact Category of the Campus Community Partnership Award in 2015. She is involved with several community organizations focused on education, culture and community, and diversity, including CISV and OneJax. She has given multiple presentations on the subject at both academic and professional conferences.

TREASURER

Born in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Fuada Velic came to the U.S. as a refugee in 2000. She loves to run and growing up, she wanted to become an Olympic medalist for running that her family and her country could be proud of. Even though the war in her country took away her ultimate dream, she persevered and made it as the first long distance running in the female division in her home country. She is now the Founder and CEO of multiple companies in Jacksonville including AccountingAtAllCost, Inc and 904 Bookkeeping. Her love for learning, passion for community service, and compassion for friends and neighbors earned her various civic awards that recognized her dedication to the communities of Jacksonville.

Originally from Iraq, Marwah Alobaidi came to the U.S. as a refugee in 2015. She has a strong background in human resources and has been working for USAHello (formerly, Refugee Center Online) as the Community Programs Manager and an Arabic translator. Her goal is to help people adjust to the new life in America. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Physics from the University of Baghdad.

Colin Thakkar, an Indiana native, moved to Jacksonville in 2005 and has been practicing labor and employment law for over 15 years. Colin obtained his B.A. from Denison University in Ohio and his law degree from the College of William and Mary School of Law. After representing management in labor and employment matters for most of his professional career, he now advocates for employees as a Partner at Henrichsen Law Group, PLLC. In this role, Colin represents employees in a broad range of employment matters, including discrimination claims, whistle-blower actions, unpaid wage claims, non-compete and trade secret disputes, and employment contract negotiations. He also provides pro bono legal assistance to refugees and other immigrants. In addition to his professional work, Colin has served the community in a number of ways, including as a member of the Finance Committee and Refugee Outreach Committee for Saint John’s Cathedral – Episcopal Diocese of Florida; as a member of the Board of Directors for Girls Inc. of Jacksonville; and as President of the local Denison University and College of William and Mary alumni clubs.

Dr. Laura Gonzales is an Assistant Professor of Digital Writing and Cultural Rhetorics in the Department of English at the University of Florida. She conducts research on the importance of language diversity in professional, classroom, and community contexts. As a Spanish-speaking immigrant from Santa Cruz, Bolivia, Dr. Gonzales is invested in collaborating with multilingual immigrant communities to make information accessible for multiple audiences. Dr.Gonzales is an award-winning author of multiple books and articles, including Sites of Translation: What Multilinguals Can Teach Us About Digital Writing and Rhetoric (University of Michigan Press, 2018) and Designing Multilingual Experiences in Technical Communication (forthcoming by Utah State University Press). Dr.Gonzales is currently working on several research projects related to fostering language access in North Central Florida. She has contributed to the Florida Immigrant Inclusion Blueprint and is a board member of the Gainesville Immigrant Neighbor Initiative (GINI).

Alexandra Cenatus, Director of Programs at Maryland Humanities, is an interdisciplinary scholar focusing on the interaction between gender, race, religion, and class. Alexandra works on creating equitable spaces for communities and expanding capacity through collaboration. She published an online exhibit entitled The Haitian American Dream Timeline with her collaborators, Margarita Vargas-Betancourt and Ivanna Moreno, in 2021. The project highlights the history of Haitian migration in the U.S. In 2019, Alexandra became the Assistant Director of the Center for the Humanities and the Public Sphere at the University of Florida where she connected students, faculty, and community members to the humanities. In 2015, she received a UF-Duke National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) grant to explore the social role of priestesses in Haitian Vodou. Her master’s thesis builds on this research and analyzes the ways in which Haiti’s social changes affect the economic livelihood of Haitian Vodou priestesses.

Ciara Earrey is an award-winning photojournalist living Jacksonville Florida who is committed to bridging the gap between the media and the community. A Jacksonville native, Ciara is dedicated to making sure members of this community never go unheard.

Dainelis Rodriguez is a Cuban Immigrant. She was born in Isla de la Juventud, Cuba and came to the United States when she was four years old. She grew up in Florida alongside her mom, dad, and younger sister. Growing up in a Cuban household while in the U.S. was challenging but came with a lot of laughter and love.

Having a passion for storytelling, content creation and helping others, Dainelis utilizes her knowledge, resources, and Cuban culture to help others who face struggles with language barriers and legal battles. She is a published contributing author of Hispanic Rising Start Volume III and Today’s Inspiring Young Latina Volume IV and an entrepreneur. She opened her small business a with her sister called Brilla, a graphic design and writing space that aims to help bring others’ ideas to life.

¡Siempre positiva y con una sonrisa brillante! (Always positive with a brilliant smile).

IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIRPERSON
Julia, a Jacksonville native, has had a varied career in both the private and non-profit sectors. She has a B.A. degree in Political Science from Mary Washington College, Fredericksburg VA. (now UMW), and took graduate courses in Political Science and Education at the UF. Her professional experience includes Assistant Vice President for Institutional Advancement at UNF; State Director of Development, PACE Center for Girls, Inc.; and Director, Boutique and Agenda, Stein Mart, Inc. She is a Trustee of The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida, Co-chair of Jacksonville Women's Leadership Coalition, and serves on the Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center Leadership Council. She was named a "Woman of Distinction" by the Girl Scouts ; received the Florida Times-Union’s EVE Award for Community Service; and the Tillie K. Fowler Award for Community Service, as well as a recipient of the OneJax 2019 Humanitarian Award and the Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser for National Philanthropy Day. Julia was honored by Leadership Jacksonville, Inc in 2022 as one of three community leaders recognized for their leadership and community service.

Jen Jones Murray is a long time professional in both the Arts and Community Engagement sectors in Northeast Florida. With twenty-four years’ experience in the business of art including leading art and culture companies, designing and project managing public and private art solutions for healthcare, government, aviation, banking, and residential clients, and appraising fine works, she currently serves as manager of the Arts and Culture Program for the Jacksonville Aviation Authority and owns her own consulting firm, JJM Creative. Jen is a dedicated and passionate community volunteer and has helped attend to the tangible and fundraising needs of dozens of critical nonprofit organizations throughout our region ranging from universities, business, downtown Jacksonville development, the arts, and children’s initiatives. In addition to serving WeaveTales, she is currently on the boards of the University of North Florida Thomas G. Carpenter Library, Guardian ad Litem of Florida’s First Coast Foundation, and Baptist Health's Patrons of the HeARTs. Notably, she is the inaugural Visual Arts Chair for the JAXChamber Board of Directors and served as president of the Avondale Merchant Association for whom she won funding for and helped oversee the restoration of this historic business district with the City of Jacksonville from 2002-2007. Jen is the proud mother of four children and resides in Atlantic Beach, Florida.

Hayley Ross has a passion for teaching English as a second language to refugees and is the original teacher of the New American Speaker Program cohorts 1-3. Hayley is a graduate of the University of North Florida with a major in Secondary English Education and a minor in Teaching English as a Second Language. Her thoughtful contribution to WeaveTales’ work and her dedication to education has been a huge encouragement for students to share their stories of migration. Currently, Hayley is an English teacher in Alachua County, Florida

Tina Is a Vietnamese immigrant and owner of Golden Pen Realty. Tina has served as the Vice President for the Vietnamese Association of Jacksonville and she serves on the council of the Northeast Florida Association of Realtor Global Council and the Asian American Real Estate of America. She is a past member of the Jacksonville Diversity Council, the Treasurer for the Mayor’s Asian American Advisory Board, and a Board member of the Night of Asia. In 2019, Tina and her family founded the non-profit Phamily Pantry Inc. with a focus on helping underserved students in Jacksonville and the surrounding area’s public schools to provide access to food during holiday breaks as well as to school supplies.

Gregory is an entrepreneurship educator, strategist, and practitioner who has helped thousands of business owners create and maintain stability, sustainability, and scalability of their business concepts.

He has more than 20 years of experience and uses his in-depth knowledge to help businesses start, grow, and succeed.

Vetnah ‘Yemen’ Monessar is the Executive Director of the eMgage Florida chapter. She has been a community leader in Florida for over 14 years, guiding electoral and legislative efforts throughout all levels of government. Yemen’s hard work has earned her the position as the first Muslim-woman State Director for a presidential campaign, in the history of the United States, when she worked on the Hillary Clinton campaign. She is focused on organizing the Muslim Community in the state of Florida, collaborating on various philanthropic boards and serving as a Senior Advisor for Middle Eastern and Asian embassies.

Lisé is a retired Vice President of Human Resources and a member of the Board of Directors of Life Care Services LLC. Her volunteer work includes: past President of Women’s Center of Jacksonville Board of Directors; VP/BOD Jacksonville Humane Society; Leadership Advisory Council, Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center; Governing Body of LSF Health Services; Grants Decision Team, Women’s Giving Alliance.

André Lubacha Asende is a refugee from Democratic Republic of Congo in Africa. He lived in the Nyarugusu refugee camp in Tanzania for 20 years where he was a teacher of languages. He speaks English, French, Swahili, Ebembe, and Lingala and currently lives in Jacksonville, Florida and leads the Congolese community in the city.

Sarmad is a painter, sculptor, and ceramic artist from Iraq. Now based in Michigan, he has been continuing his artistic endeavors that embody his experience as an immigrant through his company, Sarmad Arts. His work has been critically acclaimed and featured in the media. For a more detailed biography of Sarmad, please visit his website.

Ekram Hanna is a former refugee, community leader, and refugee women’s advocate experienced in community development with a demonstrated history of working in the non-profit organization management industry. She is passionate about empowering women, making awareness about mental health among the refugee community, and offering support for groups among underserved communities. Ekram is skilled and licensed in teaching leadership and mental health first aid training. Ekram currently serves as the Director of Development with the Middle Eastern Immigrant & Refugee Alliance (MIRA) in the Chicago area.

Alec Kissoondyal is an undergraduate at the University of Florida pursuing a bachelor’s degree

in English. He is an editorial intern at Weavetales and an avid fiction writer. His work has appeared in places including The Los Angeles Review and Bacopa Literary Review.

A testament to enduring courage and resilience, The Diversity Trust Builder, Drocella MugoreWera, is #1 International bestselling author, award winning speaker and Founder of the Diversity in Action movement, a global movement that coaches decision makers who are committed to championing Diversity in Action.

Raised on a farm in Rwanda, Africa, Drocella won a scholarship to study at the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences in Kyiv, Ukraine. Already a leader at heart, she returned to Rwanda to work as the country’s Director of Agriculture and went on to hold several high-level government positions, making significant environmental changes, including a land reform system that gave women the right for the first time to inherit land. Becoming a member of Parliament and Government brought new opportunities to promote the causes closest to her heart: human rights, environmental protection, and gender equality, and in time, Drocella started her own business consulting with both non-profits and corporations.

Her safety in jeopardy, Drocella later fled Rwanda alone, bravely beginning life anew in Knoxville, Tennessee-USA. There the unstoppable leader received acclaim as the executive director of Bridge Refugee Services, recognized as one of Knoxville’s Difference Makers and a champion for change by Church World Service.

Now a business coach, and international speaker, Drocella enhances events with her powerful story of perseverance, optimizing adversity and cultivating diversity in action.

Reunited with her family, she continues to thrive, a firm believer in the miracle mindset. A formidable role model for the refugees and immigrants she empowers, Drocella herself is representative of the incredible contributions these newcomers bring to our communities.

The only thing keeping you from living that ideal life you have imagined is you. One of Drocella’s favorite personal quotes is: “If you don’t invest, you don’t harvest” -Drocella MugoreWera.