Immigration Symposium 2024 Program Book

Ambassador Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley is a Presidential appointee to the National Security Education Board, Non-Resident Scholar of the Middle East Policy Council, Senior Advisor at the strategic advisory firm, WestExec Advisors, a BBC Contributor and a Senior Non-Resident Fellow at the Atlantic Council. Before her current appointments, she held a series of senior positions that included Ambassador to the Republic of Malta, Foreign Policy Advisor to the Commander of U.S. Cybercommand, and Deputy Coordinator for Counterterrorism for the Department of State. Ms. Abercrombie-Winstanley was the first woman to lead a diplomatic mission in Saudi Arabia as the Principal Officer in Jeddah after taking on the position of Special Assistant for Middle East and African Affairs to the Secretary of State.

Ms. Abercrombie-Winstanley is the recipient of numerous awards including the Maltese Order of Merit, Department of State Meritorious and Superior Honor Awards, including “For acts of courage during an attack on the U.S. Consulate General, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on December 6, 2004 by al-Qa’ida terrorists”.

Ms. Abercrombie-Winstanley, a Cleveland native, has degrees from The George Washington University and The Johns Hopkins University and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and Women of Color Advancing Peace And Security. She was a co-Founder of The Leadership Council for Women in National Security—LCWINS. In 2019, she was voted into the American Academy of Diplomacy.

Mark Naymik serves as the Signal Statewide Bureau Chief, where he leads a dedicated team of storytellers committed to uncovering original enterprise and investigative stories. In this role, Mark harnesses his decades of experience across print, digital, and broadcast media to guide and mentor his team. His leadership ensures that Signal’s journalists craft compelling stories that shed light on untold narratives surrounding people and policies that impact communities.

Mark’s rich background in journalism positions him to foster skill development within the team, empowering them to present stories in innovative and engaging ways. His commitment to impactful storytelling and deep understanding of multimedia platforms drives the Signal team’s pursuit of meaningful, thought-provoking journalism.

Elena Boop made her home in Northeast Ohio at age 16 after immigrating from [country].  She is an alumna of Denison University (’97) and Case Western Reserve University Law School (’00).  Ms. Boop serves as the Chief Trial Counsel for the City of Cleveland Department of Law and represents the city’s officials and departments in civil matters.  An immigrant herself, Ms. Boop has prior experience in immigration law, criminal law, and advocacy for abused, neglected, and dependent children.

Matt Carroll is Senior Advisor for Strategic Initiatives in the Cuyahoga County Department of Health and Human Services.  In addition to the Global Cleveland Board of Directors, Carroll serves on the boards of Say Yes to Education Cleveland and the Workforce Funders Group. Carroll previously served as Chief of Staff for County Executive Edward FitzGerald and Chief Economic Growth and Opportunity Officer for County Executive Armond Budish.

From 2002 to 2010, Matt was Director of the Cleveland Department of Public Health and before that was a senior manager at the Cuyahoga County Department of Human Services.  He began his career as an Associate at Baker and Hostetler and served in the Cleveland Law Department and at the non-profit organization, ParkWorks (now LAND studio).  Matt is a graduate of Brown University and Georgetown University Law Center.

Anne Hill is a founding member and president of AMIS, Americans Making Immigrants Safe, a 501c3 organization which raises and disburses funds to assist newcomers on the path to self-sufficiency and legal status.  AMIS’ focuses mostly but not exclusively on asylum seekers who don’t have their work permits and need assistance with rent, utilities, and basic necessities. Anne has been working with new immigrants since 2017 when Trump took office.

Anne worked for 25 years in the labor movement with the Service Employees International Union and served as Governor Strickland’s Northeast Ohio Regional Director from 2007-2011, and then as the Government and Community Director at The MetroHealth System from 2011-2015.  She retired in December, 2015.

Karen Gabriel Moss has practiced immigration law for more than thirty years, focusing on business and family-based immigration.  She represents the full spectrum of businesses from Fortune 500 companies to family businesses.  Her diverse practice includes large manufacturers, technology companies, health care employers, large law firms, engineering firms and family businesses.  Prior to joining Nicola, Gudbranson and Cooper, Karen was co-managing partner at Rosner, Ortman & Moss.

Karen has consistently achieved positive results for her clients over time through her deep knowledge of the immigration bureaucracy, relationships with its players, and an understanding of what will and won’t work within the system. Karen also has a robust family-based practice where she represents individuals applying for permanent residence for family members, applying for citizenship and maintaining permanent residence while abroad.

 She has also taught immigration and nationality law at Cleveland-Marshall College of Law.

Mr. Pat Espinosa, born in Germany to Colombian parents, has lived across the U.S. and internationally, gaining diverse experiences that shape his work today. An accomplished attorney with a B.B.A. in marketing (cum laude) and a JD/MBA from the University of Miami, Pat focused on contract law, business formation, and management to begin his career. He has experience working with the Colombian Consulate on immigration and trade issues and previously managed a successful sports agency. He moved to Ohio ten years ago and immediately saw the need to help underrepresented immigrants in northeast Ohio. In 2021 he launched Ohio’s first and still only Hispanic-branded and fully bilingual law firm.

As the managing partner of Sus Abogados Latinos, Pat specializes in immigration law, leveraging his bilingual abilities and immigrant background to represent clients all over the country. He is the president of the Ohio Hispanic Bar Association and serves on boards for Global Cleveland, the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, Greater Cleveland Partnership, the Northeast Ohio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and the Borderlight Festival of International and Fringe Theatre. Additionally, Pat is active on diversity committees at Case Western Reserve University School of Law and the Cleveland Metro Bar Association.