Fernanda Sandoval, a proud DACA recipient born in Aguascalientes, Mexico, was brought to the U.S. as a child and raised in Romeoville, IL. As the youngest immigrant and the oldest daughter in her family, she grew up navigating the complexities of identity, responsibility, and belonging. Her lived experience as a DACA recipient fueled a lifelong commitment to advocacy, empowerment, and giving back—both to her hometown and to immigrant communities across Illinois.

Fernanda holds a B.A. in Psychology and is continuing her education to better serve her community. During her time at the University of St. Francis in Joliet, IL, she was deeply involved in campus leadership.

Professionally, Fernanda has a strong background in social services and immigrant advocacy. She began as a Sexual Assault Survivor Case Manager at Guardian Angel Community Services in Joliet, IL, where she supported survivors through crisis response and legal navigation. She later worked at SOS Children’s Villages in Lockport, IL, under DCFS.

Today, Fernanda serves as Lead Case Manager at NYAP La Jornada in Naperville, IL, where she has spent the last three years advocating for unaccompanied immigrant minors and their families within the federal foster care system.

As the founder of Sueño Monarca, Fernanda channels her journey and passion into building a platform that connects immigrants to resources, mentorship, and education—ensuring that others like her have the support and tools to pursue their own dreams.

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With over eight years of experience in government and nonprofit work, Julie Gilling is a dedicated policy and legislative advocate.  She holds a Master of Public Policy and Administration (MPPA) from Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Science from Warren Wilson College. Her early career included roles in urban forestry, natural resources, and working as a professional birth and postpartum doula.

Currently, as the Director of Policy and Advocacy for the City of Chicago, Julie focuses on assisting vulnerable populations, including immigrants in need of shelter services, legal assistance, and more.

A resident of Chicago's West Town neighborhood, Julie enjoys gardening, running, and spending time with her family.

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My name is Ariell Garcia, and I’m a proud son of immigrant parents. I was born in San Francisco, CA, in the heart of the predominantly Latino neighborhood of “La Mission,” and later raised in the suburbs of the Bay Area. From a young age, I was instilled with a strong work ethic—my parents often worked two or three jobs to make ends meet, and I helped by cleaning banks and offices as part of my father's janitorial contracts.

I was accepted into UC Berkeley, but soon realized I wasn't yet prepared for the challenges of the American university system. Over the next two years my journey led me to Mexico City, where I enrolled at the Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM) where I graduated with a BS in Economics. Living in Mexico helped me reconnect with my heritage, deepen my understanding of my cultural roots, and build a stronger bond with my Mexican family. During that time, I married and started a family. Over a decade ago, we moved to the Chicagoland area and have since made Naperville our home.

From those early days cleaning offices, I developed a passion for finance and banking—a field I’ve now worked in for over 25 years. Throughout my career, I’ve remained committed to giving back, staying active in mentoring, volunteering, and supporting employee resource groups dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

As a bilingual and bicultural professional, I’m more driven than ever to create meaningful impact within the immigrant community. At Sueño Monarca, I’m honored to contribute my financial expertise, business acumen, and entrepreneurial insight to help further the organization’s mission and strategic goals.

Kailey Mullins, LCSW, brings over a decade of experience in mental health and nonprofit leadership to her role as Secretary of the Board of Directors at Sueño Monarca. Currently serving as a Program Director at Thresholds, she leads a community-based program supporting adults with serious mental illnesses on the north side of Chicago, overseeing clinical staff, managing budgets, and driving systems-level improvements. Kailey is also the founder of The Catalyst Collaborative, where she offers individual therapy grounded in relational and trauma-informed practices to folks in Illinois and North Carolina, with a strong emphasis on serving individuals navigating systemic oppression.

Kailey is passionate about advancing equity, sustainability, and opportunity for all. She is excited to bring her clinical insight, operational expertise, and commitment to culturally responsive leadership to Sueño Monarca. As Board Secretary, she hopes to contribute to organizational transparency, strengthen governance, and help amplify the voices and dreams of immigrant communities.

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A French-Colombian professional working remotely from Spain, Maëlle Jayet brings a profound commitment to immigration advocacy and a consistent dedication to community engagement. She brings her extensive background as a Community Content Creator and Language Specialist, coupled with her experience in writing, translation, and community organizing, to extend Sueño Monarca's outreach efforts.

Maëlle was born in Bogotá, Colombia and began her process in cultivating her communication skills in France where she studied languages at La Rochelle Université. She later traveled to Mexico to get her B.A in ESL Education at Universidad de Guanajuato and lived in Guanajuato for fifteen years. Maëlle furthered her studies in interpersonal communicating by getting a Masters in Spiritual Psychology in the University of Santa Monica and has continued her studies in Community Connection.

Aside from previous experience volunteering within the Latine community, she has implemented empowerment workshops in Colombia and Mexico and dedicates her skills in effective communication and cultural cognizance to support diverse populations.

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Maty Ortega Cruz (they/them/elle) serves as the Director of Community Engagement on the Board of Directors at Sueño Monarca, where they lead efforts to strengthen partnerships, expand outreach, and build capacity across programs. With over eight years of experience leading community-centered initiatives across education, nonprofit, and civic sectors. Their work is rooted in equity-driven practice and a belief that meaningful engagement begins with listening and shared vision.

As a first-generation college graduate, Maty understands the barriers many immigrant families face in accessing education and opportunity. Their lived experiences fuels their commitment to Sueño Monarca’s mission to empower immigrant youth and families through mentorship, resource access, and advocacy.

Maty earned a master’s in public policy and administration from Northwestern University, where they focused on education and environmental policy. They are also an alum of the Latino Policy Forum’s Multicultural Leadership Academy and the Rise Fellowship through the Institute for Nonprofit Practice.

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Garrett Wilkes is a strategic consultant and legal expert with over 18 years of experience navigating the complexities of immigration, international law, and business operations. His consulting career has taken him all over the globe, where he works with individuals, small businesses and large corporations in order to find the best solution possible, whatever the situation.  He has appeared on talk shows,CNN, and radio programs all across the globe as he focuses on the solution rather than the problem.  His career can be defined by a commitment to finding innovative solutions for complex legal challenges, making him a vital asset to the organization’s mission of empowerment and systemic change.

At his core, Garrett is a dedicated mentor who finds great fulfillment in teaching and inspiring others. This passion is reflected in his work as an adjunct professor at Grand Canyon University, where he instructs students in Business Law & Ethics. Garrett combines a competitive athletic spirit with a deep devotion to his family and the community he serves.  He uses this competitive spirit in both his personal life and professional life, as he believes there is a solution to every problem, and as long as there is unity, we can find a way together!

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Position is Open. Apply Here.

Position is Open. Apply Here.

My name is Katherine Cruz, and I am a dedicated professional with a background in international relations and extensive experience in community services. Currently, I serve on the Family Advocacy Center (FAC) team at the Spanish Community Center in Joliet, Illinois. My work focuses on strengthening the vital connections between families and service providersto promote stability and ensure equitable access to essential resources. As a General Board Member of Sueño Monarca, I am deeply passionate about empowering diverse communities and am honored to contribute my experience in community outreach to advance our shared mission of equity and empowerment.

Diego Duarte Caro holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Humanities from the Cooperative University of Colombia (UCC) and a specialization in Special Education Needs and Inclusion from the Autonomous University of Bucaramanga (Unab). With more than 15 years of experience transforming lives through social education, Diego has dedicated his life to working with vulnerable populations, designing and implementing programs that have brought about profound and lasting changes in the lives of hundreds of young people. His work is not measured in classrooms or theories, but in the real-life stories of young people who found in education a reason to believe in their own future. As Education Coordinator, he has led social projects that have broken down barriers, opened doors, and restored hope to communities that the system often overlooks.

By joining Sueño Monarca, Diego brings with him the strength of more than fifteen years of proven impact and a clear mission: to continue changing lives through education. His career in social education has led him to understand that true change does not happen at desks, but in communities, in families, and in the heart of every young person who needs to be heard, valued, and supported. With an inclusive, human, and transformative vision, Diego is committed to putting all his experience at the service of Sueño Monarca to build a program that not only educates but also inspires, empowers, and leaves an indelible mark on every young person who walks through our doors.

My name is Luz Aranda I was born in Ojuelos, Jalisco, Mexico, and I am the eldest of three siblings. My greatest source of strength and experience comes from my own journey as an immigrant learning to navigate complex systems filled with barriers while helping my family do the same. From a young age, I recognized that many of the supports our community needed were either unavailable or not designed with us in mind. As a proud DACA recipient, I returned to school after 20 years, determined to rewrite my story and create new opportunities. Since 2020, I have earned my Associate’s degree in Human Services from Joliet Junior College and am about to graduate with my Bachelor of Social Work from Aurora University. I have also been accepted into Aurora University’s Master of Social Work program. I pursue this path not only for myself, but to honor my ancestors and my mother, who dreamed of an education, and to show my children that despite any barrier, their possibilities are limitless.

Professionally, I have dedicated my work to advocacy, empowerment, and access. I previously served as a Bilingual Advocate for survivors of sexual assault at Guardian Angel Community Services in Joliet, where I supported Spanish-speaking individuals by ensuring language access, emotional care, and connection to critical resources. I am currently a Community Organizer at the Spanish Community Center in Joliet, Illinois, where I advocate for immigrant rights, provide community education on preparedness and civic engagement, and work to empower individuals through knowledge and collective action. My role also includes building partnerships, strengthening resource networks, and engaging in policy work to address systemic inequities. As a General Board Member of Sueño Monarca, I am honored to contribute to an organization whose mission deeply aligns with my purpose to help build the systems of support our community has always deserved, and to stand alongside others in creating lasting, meaningful change.