Board of Directors
Daniela Antonilez ~ Valerie Calderon ~ Claire O’Kane ~ Rebecca Turner ~ Amy Wiechmann
Board of Directors
Daniela Antonilez ~ Valerie Calderon ~ Claire O’Kane ~ Rebecca Turner ~ Amy Wiechmann
Executive Director + Solidarity Partner
Pam’s dedication to international development began in the late ‘90s with a global NGO. Pam’s professional expertise lies in community-building, organizational leadership, program design, writing & social justice. After 15 years of advocacy/policy work with global populations (namely partnership-building with Latin American and African populations), Pam brought her talents to Omaha. Pam’s outreach and education expertise expanded to Omaha’s refugee populations thru local nonprofits and resettlement partners. Marrying her experiences of living and traveling in developing countries with relationship-based refugee knowledge, Pam founded Refugee Women Rising in 2021. Pam enjoys reading, traveling, board games anw lives with her husband/college sweetheart, 3 children and 3 cats in a 115 year-old home.
Communication & Executive Assistant
Boshra was born in Libya and as of fall 2022, calls Omaha home. She has worked for many years in the social media industry as a content creator and influencer manager in Indonesia. Her gift of languages includes classical Arabic, fluent English, conversational Indonesian and Spanish. Boshra's personal talents include painting, cooking, and executive collaboration. She finds purpose and a warm environment at RWR.
Driving Program Coordinator
Jamila’s tenure as RWR’s driving program coordinator began in March 2023. She has called Omaha home for only two years, as her journey began in Ghazni, Afghanistan. Jamila’s family (she being the 4th of 5 daughters) supported her throughout school and after graduation, she moved to Kabul, for further opportunity. Jamila worked and pursued studies in mathematics and English in the capital city. Her strong values drove Jamila to professional advocacy as a Community Awareness Officer in the Afghan Ministry of Women’s Affairs. In fall 2021, Jamila resettled in the U.S., bringing extensive experience in education gender justice, in addition to lived experience. Jamila’s dedication to Omaha’s Hazara Afghan community led her to Refugee Women Rising. In her leisure time, Jamila enjoys music, volleyball, and bike riding.
Women’s Wellness Program Coordinator
With extensive experience in organizations serving migrant, refugee and immigrant communities, Veronica has worked in program coordination and development, and as an educator, both locally and internationally. Veronica speaks English, French, Spanish and Afrikaans. She loves hiking, biking and the great outdoors. Veronica has a passion for connecting women to opportunities for personal and professional growth and mutual support.