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.
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.
President
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.
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.
Vice President for Programs
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.
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.
Director for the Andes
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.
Director for Defense Oversight
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.
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.
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.
Director for Mexico
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.
Director for Central America
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.
Subscribe with your email to receive exclusive reports and expert research directly to your inbox every week.
(Your privacy is important to us; your information will be kept confidential and secure.)