Staff |

Claudia Alvarez – Community Organizer

Claudia (pronouns: ella/she/her) is the Community Organizer. She studied Computer Systems Engineering at the Technological University of Mexico and has twelve years of experience developing and directing systems projects for national companies in Mexico such as banks, hospitals, and cinemas. Claudia also has a Diploma in Project Planning and Management from the Universidad Tecnológica de Monterrey. She worked for several years as a project leader, and she and her team had several achievements in the systems area. In Mexico, apart from work and studies, she dedicated time to help people who needed to learn something or to help them find better opportunities. She is a mentor and leader and strengthens people she comes in contact through her empowerment and collective mindset.

Claudia came to the United States in 2017 for family reasons and got to know CIF first as a member. She really appreciated the organization for the interest they have to help immigrants succeed. Her first friends and colleagues were people from Guatemala she met in Centreville. As a program member, she soon took on a leadership role on the “directiva” an advisory committee of the Board of Directors representing the membership base, or clients served. She was also appointed to the Board of Directors in 2019. Claudia served on the board until hired April 2021 to continue to be an active voice of the community as a part-time women’s empowerment organizer. She has grown in her role and in November 2021 became CIF’s full time Community Organizer.

Claudia’s connection with the community informed by her lived experience as a program and board member making her an asset to CIF’s staff and represents the leadership of the community served. Claudia continues to learn in her role and has taken an active role in advocacy efforts and continues to learn English to improve her skills.

Claudia really likes to play basketball. She played on various teams and created new women’s teams to train and compete in basketball tournaments. Her favorite hobbies are spending time with family and friends, seeing new places, and traveling a lot.

Samantha Zaboli – Interim Executive Director

Samantha (pronouns: ella/she/her) is CIF’s Interim Executive Director. She graduated from Virginia Polytechnic and State University where she majored in International Studies with a focus on Global Development and Politics and Policies and minored in Spanish. She also took courses in Conflict Transformation and Restorative Justice. She is a child of immigrants from the middle east, representing Arabic and Persian cultures and grew up with a deep appreciation for diverse experiences. She has worked to promote a more inclusive and diverse workforce domestically and abroad. She has worked alongside individuals with distinct stories, experiences, and backgrounds and understands that including these perspectives and unique contributions are crucial in advancing equity. Samantha leads with her dedication to social justice; which informs her work and allows her to centralize powerbuilding within the community she serves through collaboration, empowerment and education.

Samantha began her affiliation with CIF in 2018 where she held the position of Labor Center Manager. She formed a strong connection with the community and continued through volunteering and contract work while working in a larger management role. She has business management and finance experience and enjoys building relationships to foster better communication, support and growth for communities and organizations. She returned to CIF in 2022 as Development Manager and has used her transferable skills to promote its great work. She now holds the position of Interim Executive Director, a unanimous appointment from the Board of Directors, with support from community members and staff.

Samantha is happily married and she and her partner have two boys. She loves to travel and learn new things, especially languages! She is currently learning American Sign Language (ASL). Her free time is spent with family and friends outdoors.

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Programs

Economic Justice

Centreville Labor Resource Center (CLRC) is CIF’s largest program that provides a safe place for workers and employers to meet to agree on terms for work. It’s an alternative to street-hiring and is open Monday – Saturday.
Wage Theft Prevention & Recovery seeks to empower members to better protect themselves on the job. We teach labor rights, how to make an agreement, track work, and take steps to recover unpaid wages.
Skills Training focuses on training members to make them more employable. Informal English classes are held daily during labor center hours, and formally at night. Trade, financial and technical literacy classes facilitate self-sufficiency.

Leadership Building

Worker Assemblies or “asambleas” are regular public forums where general membership can give voice to concerns, propose changes, and vote on updated programing.
Leadership Pipeline informs the programming that seeks to empower members by amplifying their voice and commitment to our work. It provides experiential learning by investing in personal growth and influence.
Directiva is a committee of the Board of Directors that is appointed by the workers in their general member meetings (asemblea). It is tasked with representing the membership and aligning work with goals.
Board of Directors is composed of community members and immigrants within the wider community. Its leadership is rooted in organizing and providing its members with training and support, while prioritizing language justice and equity.