Peter Pedemonti, Director

  Jen Rock, Development Director

Jen Rock graduated from the University of Vermont in 2005 with a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies with a concentration in Community and International Development. She became active in Immigrant Rights by doing humanitarian aid along the U.S. Mexico border with a group called No Mas Muertes/ No More Deaths based in Tucson, AZ. She has lived in Phildelphia for 3 years and has been working with New Sanctuary Movement of Philadelphia for most of that time.

Contact Jen Rock at   This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Blanca Pacheco, Community Organizer

Blanca Pacheco is from Ecuador and has been living in the U.S. for over 10 years. She is a passionate community organizer and has been working with the immigrant community since 2006, first as the Program Coordinator at Open Borders Project, teaching computer classes. She helped create the Know Your Rights trainings for immigrants and the Storytelling Project. She was honored with the 2010 Bread and Roses Emerging Leader Award. In March 2012, Blanca graduated New Sanctuary Movement's New Leadership School. In June 2012, Blanca completed a Training for Social Action Trainers hosted by Training for Change

Contact Blanca Pacheco at  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 Nicole Scharf Kigerman, Community Organizer

Nicole Kligerman is a fourth-generation Philadelphian who has worked with immigrant communities since 2006. Nicole became passionate about immigrant justice  after volunteering on the U.S.-Mexico border and conducting research in Bolivia and Ecuador on social movements that oppose natural resource privatization. She has worked as an English teacher to immigrants and refugees, labor organizer, and Spanish interpreter and translator. In 2010-2011, Nicole served as the Philly Fellow and Refugee Housing Coordinator at HIAS Pennsylvania.  In 2013, she was honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award by the Interfaith Center of Greater Philadelphia's Walking the Walk program. Nicole graduated from Macalester College in 2010 with a Bachelor of Arts in Latin American Studies and Political Science.

 Contact Nicole Kligerman at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Jennifer Gutierrez, Know Your Rights Coordinator and MSW Intern

Jennifer Gutierrez graduated from Bucknell University with a degree in Sociology with a legal studies concentration and Political Science. She came to Philadelphia to pursue a Masters in Social Work at the University of Pennsylvania. Born and raised in Los Angeles, CA, as the daughter of two immigrant parents, her mother from Mexico and father from El Salvador, Jennifer knows the immigrant experience at a very personal level. Jennifer is dedicated to the work of immigrant rights due to watching the ongoing struggles faced by her parents and family.

Contact Jennifer Gutierrez at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  

You can also call 215-279-7060 to reach our staff.