David A. Strauss is the Executive Director of AFOP. He has actively advocated for America’s farmworkers and served AFOP member agencies in this capacity since 2001. In addition to his role as the Executive Director, David is also on the steering committees of the Child Labor Coalition and the National Farmworker Alliance, as well as a member of the Board of Directors of the East Coast Migrant Head Start Project. David has a master’s degree in public administration and a bachelor’s degree in political science. He and his family live in Rockville, Maryland.
Ayrianne Parks is the Director of Communications at AFOP. She develops and implements all communications strategies for AFOP, including its Job Training Program, Health & Safety Programs, the Children in the Fields Campaign, as well as providing assistance to the organization’s 52 member agencies. Ayrianne also produces the organization’s bimonthly newsletter, The Washington Newsline. Prior to joining AFOP in 2010, Ayrianne worked as a Public Affairs Manager at a public relations and event planning firm in D.C. She also served as the Midwest Coordinator for the Women’s Specialty Media Team at the Democratic National Convention in 2008, and as an intern for Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard in 2007. Ayrianne is a native of Northern Minnesota and received her bachelor’s degree in political science and Spanish from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN.
Jeanna Vaughn is the Director of Workforce Development at AFOP. In this capacity, she works with the Department of Labor funded National Farmworker Jobs Programs (NFJP) around the country, providing technical assistance and training. Jeanna has worked in the employment and training field for the past three years, primarily with youth and young adults facing serious barriers to employment. She served as the youth employment programs coordinator for northern Virginia as well as a Workforce Investment Act (WIA) case manager. Prior to this, she worked as an executive assistant at a national education association dedicated to furthering college opportunities for low-income and first-generation students. Jeanna obtained a bachelor’s degree in sociology from American University and a master’s degree in social work from George Mason University.
Meriel Shire is the Program Associate at AFOP. She works closely with the Executive Director and Finance Manager, managing the needs of AFOP’s office and staff, as well as the Board of Directors. Meriel is also responsible for the planning of AFOP’s annual National Conference and Board Meeting. Prior to joining AFOP in 2009, she was the Marketing and Development Associate at the Silvermine Guild Arts Center in New Canaan, CT. She holds a bachelor’s degree in social sciences and film from Bard College.
Health & Safety Programs
Levy Schroeder is the Director of the Health & Safety Programs at AFOP. She leads AFOP’s effort to bring farmworker health and safety programming to the AFOP membership agencies. Since joining AFOP in 2006, she has expanded the department with the additions of the OSHA heat stress and prevention project, Project LEAF, the SAFE AmeriCorps program, and the growth of the flagship pesticide safety education program, Project HOPE. Prior to working at AFOP, Levy obtained over 20 years experience in workforce development programs in Indiana and Kentucky. She also worked in the private sector, gaining valuable experience in human resources and workplace safety management. She holds a master’s degree from the School for International Training in sustainable development; focusing on food production, labor rights, and the environment.
Christopher Rivera is the Capacity Building Manager for the Health & Safety Programs at AFOP. In this role he will lead the building of AFOP’s capacity to develop a highly skilled, well-qualified network of occupational safety and health educators who will deliver training and related services to migrant and seasonal agricultural workers and their employers. Prior to his current role, Christopher led the Florida National Famrworker Jobs Program as the Interim Director, providing workforce development, and related services leadership and strategies to farmworker providers and partners. He also has several years of advocating for farmworkers rights as an educator, coordinator, and volunteer in Florida, Texas, and Mexico. He also worked in corporate America gaining valuable experience in program management. Christopher is fluent in both English and Spanish and holds a bachelor’s degree in science from Howard University.
Valentina Stackl is a Program Associate for the Health and Safety Programs at AFOP. In this capacity, she focuses on outreach, publications, and communications, including writing, editing, and designing Health and Safety Programs’ quarterly newsletter Salud, as well as its annual publication. Additionally, she manages the Health & Safety Programs’ social media presence on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. Valentina also works conducting outreach and assisting in designing trainings for Project Sol, Project HOPE, Project LEAF, and SAFE AmeriCorps. Prior to joining AFOP in 2011, Valentina worked creating a health and nutrition program for underserved children in Washington, D.C. at a bilingual non-profit and in the communications department at the University of Michigan’s School of Public Health. She holds a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and political science and a master’s degree in public health from the University of Michigan with an focus on Latino health, health disparities, and how migration affects health.
Justin Feldman is a Program Associate for the Health & Safety Program at AFOP. In this role he will develop, deliver, and evaluate occupational health and safety trainings for farmworkers. Prior to joining AFOP, Justin worked as an advocate for stronger worker health and safety policies at the national watchdog group Public Citizen. Justin has worked with immigrants and low-wage workers at several community organizations both in the United States and in Mexico. He is bilingual in Spanish and English and holds master’s degrees in public health and social work from Boston University.
Melanie Forti is the Program Coordinator for the Health & Safety Programs at AFOP. Relocating from Puerto Rico to D.C., she supports the Health & Safety team with all of the administrative tasks for the SAFE AmeriCorps program, as well as the projects funded by OSHA and the EPA. Melanie also uses her creative eye to design many of the invitations, flyers and even logos for AFOP’s Health & Safety Programs. Melanie came to AFOP with seven years experience in administration and office management.
The Children In The Fields Campaign
Norma Flores López is the Director of the Children in the Fields Campaign at AFOP. She has long been an active advocate for migrant farmworker children’s rights and continues to raise awareness of migrant farmworker issues across the country in her current role. Norma has also had the opportunity to testify before Congress and has appeared on national news outlets on issues related to child labor in agriculture. In addition to her years of experience as an advocate, Norma has invaluable firsthand experience with farmworker issues. Growing up as a child of a migrant farmworker family from South Texas, she began working in the fields at the age of 12, where she continued working until she graduated from high school. Prior to joining at AFOP in 2009, Norma worked managing national and local clients at public relations firms. Norma graduated from the University of Texas Pan-American in Edinburg, Texas, with a bachelor’s degree in communications and studied abroad at the Universidad de Salamanca in Spain.
Vashti Kelly is the Engagement Manager for the Children in the Fields Campaign at AFOP. In this capacity she acts as the manager for the campaign’s four regional coordinators and directs the Children in the Fields Campaign’s social media efforts. Prior to joining the AFOP in 2010, she served as a Public Ally (branch of Americorps) in Miami-Dade County. She later went on to work for a non-profit dedicated to assisting migrant and seasonal farmworkers in Southern Florida. Vashti graduated from Florida International University in Miami, Florida with a master’s degree in international relations and University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida with a bachelor’s degree in international studies and Spanish.
Emily Drakage is the North Carolina Regional Coordinator for the Children in the Fields Campaign at AFOP. Prior to joining the AFOP in 2009, Emily served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Bolivia and the Dominican Republic. She has also worked as an outreach worker and interpreter for the migrant and seasonal farmworking communities in Western North Carolina. She is a certified ESL and Spanish instructor and lived 4 years in South America teaching, volunteering, and studying. Emily holds a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and Latin American Studies from UNC-Wilmington.
Noemi Ochoa is the Texas Regional Coordinator for the Children in the Fields Campaign at AFOP. Ms. She conducts strategic informative sessions throughout the state of Texas on the goals and objectives of the Children in the Fields Campaign. Additionally, Noemi presently serves as the President of the Association for Migrant Educators of Texas (AMET). Prior to joining AFOP in 2009, she was an educator, including a high school language arts teacher, a migrant high school counselor, a national migrant specialist/presenter, a migrant graduation enhancement specialist, as well as serving as a Migrant Director for Region One Education Service Center. Noemi is no stranger to the plight of migrant children as she is a former migrant child farmworker, beginning her work in the fields at the age of nine.
