Dr. Selin Yildiz Nielsen, with a career in international education, refugee advocacy, and global engagement, serves as the Founder and President of the Human Migration Institute, and a Professor of Global Studies. Born in Ankara, Turkey, Dr. Nielsen and her family immigrated to California in 1987, where she later earned her undergraduate degree from UC Berkeley and a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of California, Riverside. She then co-founded Glocally Connected, that gave way to establishing Human Migration Institute.

With a career spanning three decades, Dr. Nielsen has held roles as a director, professor, coordinator, manager, instructor, and consultant in global education. She has shared her knowledge through teaching undergraduate and postgraduate courses, and gave numerous presentations and guest lectures throughout the world.

Dr. Nielsen's commitment to refugee causes commenced in Iowa in 2009, where she led a project for the Human Rights Commission for education of displaced people. Her impactful initiatives extended to providing trauma management to teachers in Syrian refugee camps in Southeast Turkey. As the leading figure of HMI, Dr. Nielsen has organized the establishment of numerous international aid programs, passionately advocating for refugees worldwide. Notably, she has contributed to the education of refugee girls both locally and internationally establishing scholarships for several disadvantaged girls. Dr. Nielsen is now serving as the chair of Scholars at Risk at University of California, Riverside.

A seasoned speaker and advocate, Dr. Nielsen has addressed the United Nations Headquarters twice, speaking on the critical issues surrounding the education of refugee women and girls. Currently, she plays a key role in overseeing both local and international operations and strategically planning the growth of HMI.

Dr. Nielsen's scholarly contributions include numerous articles, book chapters, and the co-authored book "Encounters in the Turkey-Syria Borderland." This work explores the touching stories of refugees at the onset of the Syrian crisis. In 2022, she published in Nature magazine with an article titled "Telemental health provides much-needed support for refugees" (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-022-01366-y), emphasizing the importance of immediate mental health support to prevent PTSD among displaced populations.

Allison Severns is the Communication Director at Human Migration Institute (HMI), where she leads the Communication Team in external outreach and also manages two critical programs: the Refugee Career Pathways (RCP) Grant and the Afghan Newcomer Support Program (ANSP). In her multifaceted leadership role, she directs team workflows, leads cross-functional teams, and ensures that all initiatives are mission-aligned and community-impact driven. She is responsible for strategic storytelling, cultivating key partnerships, elevating public understanding around refugee issues, and reporting on program outcomes to demonstrate real-world impact.

Allison holds an M.A. in Cognition and Communication from the University of Copenhagen, where she researched public perceptions of Syrian and Ukrainian refugees in Denmark. She also holds a B.A. in Public Relations with an emphasis in Nonprofit Organizational Studies and Communication from the University of Oklahoma. Her fieldwork includes direct engagement in Izmir, Turkey, where she participated in HMI’s Teddy Bear Project by delivering essential supplies to a Syrian refugee settlement.

Driven by a deep commitment to equity and justice, Allison brings creative insight, cultural fluency, and strategic leadership to her work. She enjoys international travel, thoughtful design, and building initiatives that empower and uplift vulnerable communities.

Sabahat Dawar is a graduate student at the University of Southern California (USC), pursuing her M.S. in Computer Science with a focus on Artificial Intelligence. She holds a B.S. in Computer Science from California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB). Sabahat serves as the Outreach & Data Coordinator at the Human Migration Institute, where she combines her technical background with a deep passion for community building and empowerment.

As a former refugee, Sabahat is driven by the desire to give back to the community in the same way she was supported when she first arrived in the United States. Through data, outreach, and heart, she works to uplift immigrant and refugee communities, ensuring others have the opportunities and encouragement that helped shape her own journey.

Born and raised in Odesa, Ukraine, I hold a Master's degree in Civil Engineering from Odesa Maritime University and am certified in Business Development and Internet Marketing.
I am passionate about technology, innovation, travel and international collaboration.
With my over a decade experience in working remotely across international teams, I'm excited to help to Ukrainians and the UNSP project of HMI.

Jenny is a Ukrainian-born community advocate and project professional with a Master’s degree in International Economic Relations and over 14 years of experience in English language education and interpretation. Since arriving in the United States under the Uniting for Ukraine program, Jenny has worked closely with refugee-serving organizations, including Church World Service (CWS), where she provided vital interpretation and support for resettlement services.

In 2025, she joined the Human Migration Institute (HMI) as the Ukrainian Community Liaison and Project Manager, leading the Ukrainian Newcomers Support Program in Riverside County. 

Deeply committed to community building and human dignity, Jenny brings empathy, lived experience, and strong leadership to her work. She is fluent in Ukrainian, Russian, and English, and passionate about helping others navigate their new lives with confidence and hope.

Tahira Safi, from Afghanistan, is a dedicated case manager at the Human Migration Institute in Riverside, CA, where she coordinates critical services for refugee and immigrant families, including housing, public benefits enrollment, employment support, cultural orientation, and ongoing family assistance.

Fluent in Pashto, Dari, and English, Tahira bridges language and cultural gaps, supporting clients through their integration journey and providing live interpretation as needed.

Her experience as an academic tutor and educational program assistant highlights her commitment to empowering individuals of all ages through education and mentorship.

Tahira holds a Bachelor's degree in Religion & Law from Salam University, Kabul, Afghanistan and is currently pursuing an A.A. in Registered Nursing at Riverside City College.

She has earned certifications including the Afghan Youth Mentorship Program from the International Rescue Committee, Youth Panelist Recognition from California Department of Social Services, Recognized by the UN International Organization for Migration with a Certificate of Appreciation, and Resilient Awad from Human Migration institute.

Tahira's expertise and passion make her a vital contributor to refugee support and community integration efforts.

Marcelino Peña is the Academic & Outreach Coordinator who supports leading the delivery of Math Literacy curriculum using a variety of modalities; surveys, Common Core Math skill proficiency assessments, project based instruction and tutoring; managing and training Academic & Outreach Assistants and program volunteers for refugee students enrolled in math literacy classes. He participates in Human Migration Institute with 20+ years of domestic and international logistics operations and supply chain management, an MA degree in Demographic and Social Analysis from the University of California, Irvine. Marcelino’s career in education includes 10+ years tutoring for private companies for middle and high school students in Los Angeles and has started their own math tutoring company in 2019 working with primarily adult learners returning to community college.  Currently he is also an Adjunct Instructor in data analysis and mathematics for a vocational college serving primary veterans across the country.  

He envisions a Math Literacy program that will empower students to become proficient math solvers as a stepping stone for their own personal development in pursuit of their success.

Leshan L Naisho is a graduate of Claremont Graduate University, where he completed his M.A. in International Political Economy and specialised in economic development in the developing world. He completed his B. A major in International Political Economy at the College of Idaho, and was actively involved in student leadership in both the international student and wider student community, having served as a student senator and part of the International Student Organisation's executive council. Leshan brings experience working across nonprofits and international institutions, including the International Rescue Committee and the United Nations. He is passionate about inclusive development. 

Valerie's role at HMI is to onboard volunteers and provide them with the resources they need to support our beneficiaries. She also matches what the volunteers have to offer, and what our beneficiaries need. Additionally, she helps our career navigators with finding classes and vocational training for those in our population who have recently arrived in the United States.

Valerie's career has been as an educator, and she holds a Master of Advanced Studies in French, as well as an MA in English. She has been an instructor of French and of foreign language pedagogy at California State University, San Bernardino for over twenty years, and she received the best lecturer award for the whole of CSUSB in 2022.

She has given workshops, written articles, designed new CSUSB courses, and completed additional certification, such as the rigorous ACUE course in effective college instruction.