staff alumni

HUMAN RIGHTS INITIATIVE OF NORTH TEXAS, DISTINGUISHED STAFF ALUMNI

Ms. Elizabeth (Betsy) A. Healy

Executive Director, 2000-2005

Ms. Healy, co-founder of Human Rights Initiative in December 1999, along with Serena Simmons Connelly.  Ms. Healy served as Executive Director and Attorney for the organization until November 2005.  Prior to her years with HRI, she was an associate with Cowles & Thompson, PC.  She also completed a judicial clerkship at the Dallas Court of Appeals.  Ms. Healy’s undergraduate work was at the University Of Notre Dame, with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, 1991.  She graduated from the University Of Cincinnati College Of Law in 1994. Ms. Healy remains firmly committed to the agency's mission and currently serves as Interim Executive Director. She is also a Program Officer with the Harold Simmons Foundation, Dallas, TX.

Mr. Bruce Budner

Director, Legal Services 2001 - 2002

Mr. Budner served as HRI’s Legal Director and was responsible for representing asylum seekers, and overseeing and recruiting the HRI Pro Bono Attorney Program.  Prior to joining HRI, Mr. Budner was a trial lawyer in Dallas, Texas for 25 years and managing partner of his law firm.  Since leaving HRI in 2002, Bruce and his wife have lived in Berkeley, California, where Bruce spent several years working at a political think tank, the Rockridge Institute. He now spends his time mentoring students in Berkeley Law's asylum clinic. Mr. Budner is an honors graduate of both Tufts University and the University Of Texas School Of Law.

Ms. Lisa Normand

Legal Assistant, 2002-2004 

Ms. Normand began working at HRI as a legal intern in September 2002, then joined the staff as a legal assistant in January 2003.  She supported the legal department by assisting with client intakes, case preparation for asylum-seekers, victims of human trafficking, family reunification and permanent residency applications for asylees. Ms. Congleton graduated with honors from the University of North Texas with a B.A. in political science and the Southern Methodist University Dedman School Of Law.  

Mr. Gregory Barrett

Administrator, HRI Client Services, 2004 - 2005 

Mr. Barrett began working at HRI as a volunteer in 2002 and joined as a staff member in 2004; he was responsible for redesigning the Client Services programs at HRI to the current case management and referral model.  This model leverages the vast social services in the DFW area, so that these services do not have to be re-created at HRI.  Mr. Barrett graduated from the University of Southern California with a BA in International Relations; his senior year of the undergraduate program was spent at the London School of Economics. Mr. Barrett has returned to London, and is working on a masters program in International Relations at the London School of Economics.

Ms. Jara Carrington

Coordinator, Volunteer Attorney Program & Resident Anthropology Research Analyst, 2005-2007

Ms. Carrington joined HRI in February 2005 as an Administrative Assistant and later took responsibility as Coordinator of the Volunteer Attorney program; Ms. Carrington worked directly with the Director of the Volunteer Attorney program in recruiting and training volunteers.  Ms. Carrington graduated with honors from the University of North Texas with a B.A. in Psychology, and a Masters Degree in Applied Anthropology.  Ms. Carrington’s practical thesis focused on undocumented Latino minors. Ms. Carrington is continuing her studies and education at the University of New Mexico’s Ph.D. Program in Ethnology/Linguistics.

 Mr. Philip E. Mayor

Legal Assistant, 2005 - 2008 

Mr. Mayor graduated with honors from Rice University in 2003 with a degree in philosophy and economics. Mr. Mayor worked as a strategic consultant with the Boston Consulting Group prior to joining HRI.  Mr. Mayor served as HRI’s legal assistant supporting adult asylum cases, VAWA cases, and the Child Immigrant Project. In the fall of 2008 Mr. Mayor left HRI to begin law school at Harvard Law School where he plans to study human/civil rights in hopes of building a career in human rights and impact litigation both at home and abroad.  He considers his career to have been inspired by his work with HRI clients.

Ms. Chelle Valone

Client Services Administrator, 2006 - 2008 

Chelle joined Human Rights Initiative in March 2006 as our Client Services Administrator. Prior to joining HRI, Chelle spent more than four years providing case management services for the homeless populations served by the Presbyterian Night Shelter of Tarrant County. Chelle graduated cum laude from the University of North Texas with a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology in 2004. Her international experience includes field studies in West Africa and South America.

Ms. Kimberly Rafalski

Director, Human Resource Services & Volunteer Attorney Program, 1999-2008

Ms. Rafalski joined HRI in 1999, before the agency had an official address.  An experienced paralegal and accredited BIA representative, Ms. Rafalski was well-versed in immigration issues and was already working with the immigrant community in Dallas.  Over the next eight years, Ms. Rafalski's invaluable efforts were instrumental in shaping HRI's current policies and procedures.  She laid the foundation for the Volunteer Attorney Program and was honored in 2006 with HRI’s Pioneer of Freedom award. In the fall of 2008, Ms. Rafalski left HRI to pursue a career in teaching.

Ms. Sarah Rogerson

Legal Education and Asylum Attorney, 2007-2009

Sarah joined the agency in 2007 after graduating from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law with a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in International Law. She graduated from Hillsdale College in 2000 with a B.A. in Economics and French and then went on to pursue a law degree and Master of Arts in Diplomacy and International Relations from Seton Hall University School of Law. At Seton Hall, Sarah participated in the Immigration Law & Human Rights Clinic where she successfully handled her first asylum case. As the Asylum Program staff attorney, Sarah worked to increase the success rate of HRI’s asylum program and drafted the HRI Advocacy Plan, which included short and long term strategies for education and outreach. In May 2009, Sarah was invited to join the faculty of the University Of Baltimore School Of Law as a Clinical Fellow in the Immigrant Rights Clinic.

Mr. Jayson Valcik

Agency Administrator, 2007 - 2008

Mr. Valcik began volunteering for HRI on special events in 2004 and then joined as a staff member in 2007 as Agency Administrator.  He assisted with HRI’s ProLaw case management software implementation. Mr. Valcik assisted the staff with lower to mid-level IT issues on a daily basis and administered HRI’s computer and internal communications system upgrade.  Mr. Valcik moved to New York City and is working to further his education in Business Management and Leadership practices at New York University.