Staff

Human Rights Advocates and Social Justice Leaders

At WOLA, our team is made up of dedicated human rights advocates, social activists, and leaders committed to advancing social justice throughout the Americas.

Carolina Jiménez Sandoval

President

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Carolina Jiménez Sandoval is the President of the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA). She brings to WOLA over 20 years of experience in research and advocacy for human rights in the Americas and throughout the world. As a leader in the field who has worked extensively throughout the region and in Washington, she is poised to guide WOLA’s team to a new era of strategic impact for social justice and human rights.

Lauren Kimball, CFRE

Vice President for Development

Lauren Kimball, CFRE is WOLA’s Vice President for External Relations, overseeing WOLA’s entire fundraising program and developing and implementing strategies for organizational growth. She manages WOLA’s relationships with philanthropic foundations and works closely with the board of directors on fundraising outreach. Ms. Kimball also directs fundraising efforts with individuals as well as WOLA’s annual gala, which honors defenders of human rights in Latin America.

Maureen Meyer

Vice President for Programs

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Maureen Meyer serves as WOLA’s Vice President for Programs, working with senior staff to develop policy priorities and strategies to advance human rights and social justice in Latin America.

Melissa Golladay

Vice President for Finance and Operations

Melissa Golladay is WOLA’s Vice President for Finance and Operations and oversees all aspects of WOLA’s operations, including finance and human resources. She has over 15 years of professional experience working in Latin America with community-based and volunteer organizations.

Gimena Sánchez-Garzoli

Director for the Andes

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Gimena Sánchez-Garzoli is the leading Colombia human rights advocate at the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA). Ms. Sánchez is an expert on peace and illegal armed groups, internally displaced persons, human rights and ethnic minority rights. Her work has shed light on the situation of Colombia’s more than seven million internally displaced persons—as well as help expose the links between Colombia’s government and drug-funded paramilitaries.

Adam Isacson

Director for Defense Oversight

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Adam Isacson has worked on defense, security, and peacebuilding in Latin America since 1994. He now directs WOLA’s Defense Oversight program, which monitors U.S. cooperation with Latin America’s security forces, as well as other security trends.

John Walsh

Director for Drug Policy and the Andes

John Walsh has coordinated WOLA’s Drug Policy program since 2003, in support of more humane and effective drug policies in the Americas. Respected for his combination of careful policy analysis and effective advocacy, Mr. Walsh has helped establish WOLA as a key voice in the growing movement to make human rights, public health, and harm reduction central concerns of drug policy.

Corie Welch

Assistant Director of Communications

Corie Welch is WOLA’s Assistant Director for Communications, where she coordinates external communications, media outreach, and engagement to support WOLA’s advocacy work. With 10 years of experience in human rights work in Central America, Corie has worked extensively on migration and human rights issues, supporting human rights defenders and advocating for policy change at the international level.

Stephanie Brewer

Director for Mexico

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Stephanie Brewer is the Director for Mexico at WOLA. She advocates for policy improvements on both sides of the border to protect human rights and support the rule of law in Mexico, with a focus on public security, criminal justice, protection of migrant rights, and the prevention and punishment of torture, enforced disappearance, and other serious human rights violations. She monitors the impact of U.S. policy toward Mexico in these areas and advocates for the U.S.-Mexico relationship to place human rights at its center and to prioritize the well-being of the population.

Ana María Méndez Dardón

Director for Central America

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Ana María Méndez Dardón is the Director for Central America at the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA). At WOLA, she leads the program’s research and advocacy efforts on issues of rule of law, democratic strengthening, judicial independence, and civil and political rights.