About Switchboard

Switchboard is a one-stop resource hub for refugee service providers in the United States. Funded by the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR),  Switchboard offers a library of learning resources, an online evidence database, a range of self-paced e-learning courses, regular live learning opportunities, and on-demand technical assistance for ORR-funded organizations. Switchboard is implemented by the International Rescue Committee (IRC). IRC has partnered with Lutheran Immigrant Refugee Service (LIRS) to provide employment-related training and technical assistance. Our training and consultation are provided by a roster of subject matter experts in topic areas ranging from employment, education, and case management to monitoring and evaluation and health and wellness. Switchboard is guided by a national advisory panel of resettlement professionals.

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Looking to contact Switchboard? Please fill out the short form below and we will be in touch! Are you a refugee service provider in the U.S. interested in customized training or consultation? If so, submit a request for technical assistance →
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Toolkit

Employment Authorization Documents: Reference Guide for Refugee Service Providers

This toolkit was updated in April 2022 to reflect new guidance from the U.S. government. Refugees and asylees have the right to work. This reference…

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E-learning

Who are the Afghan Newcomers?

This self-paced course offers an introduction to cultural awareness for providers supporting Afghan newcomers to the U.S. It reviews the events that have led to…

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Video

Who are the Afghan Newcomers Part I: Key Events in Recent Afghan History

This video provides a brief overview of recent Afghan history and eras of migration to the U.S. It is part one in a three-part series…

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Video

Who are the Afghan Newcomers Part II: Social and Cultural Characteristics

This video provides an overview of Afghan social and cultural characteristics, including language, religions, ethnicities, and gender roles. It is part two in a three-part…

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Jason Crislip

Director of Training and Instructional Design (IRC)

Jason is an experienced educator, trainer, and program manager who has worked in the field of refugee resettlement since 2003. He comes to Switchboard from the Cultural Orientation Resource Exchange (CORE), where he directed a global CO technical assistance program for over three years. Prior to CORE, Jason worked abroad for 15 years at the Resettlement Support Center for East Asia, the Overseas Processing Entity in West Africa, and as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ghana. He holds a degree in Education from the University of Akron, Ohio.

Margaret (Meg) Gibbon

Deputy Director (IRC)

Meg comes to Switchboard from her role managing the Monitoring and Evaluation Technical Assistance (META) Project. Previously, she worked as a Program Manager for Resource Acquisition. Her work has focused on grant management, monitoring and evaluation, and instructional design. Meg holds an MA in French from Middlebury College, specializing in francophone societies, and a BA in Religion from Barnard College, specializing in Islam.

Farah El Hassan

Program Officer, Monitoring & Evaluation (IRC)

Farah began her career in the non-profit sector working with Mercy Corps in Lebanon as a skills-building coordinator for an economic development program. In her role, Farah oversaw the implementation of training sessions and worked with marginalized youth to help them increase their chances of employment. Prior to joining Switchboard, Farah served as a Program Manager at Amaanah Refugee Services in Houston, TX where she worked on developing and expanding programs that served immigrant and refugee youth and women. The programs she worked on focused on overcoming language barriers, isolation, and food insecurity. Farah holds an MA in International Affairs from the Lebanese American University and an MSc in Social Policy (Research) from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Tigest Coleman

Training Officer, Strength-Based Services (IRC)

Tigest is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 15 years of experience working with refugees, immigrants, and other forcibly displaced populations in direct service, supervisory, and management positions.  Prior to joining Switchboard, Tigest worked at Lutheran Community Services (Seattle, WA) in ORR’s Unaccompanied Refugee Minor Program, where she provided countless client-centered consultations, guidance, and recommended resources for clients, staff, and various community agencies. Her many years of on-the-job experience as a direct line worker have afforded her a well-rounded skillset including managing adverse situations, comprehensive service planning, strengths-based and trauma-informed case management, and collaborating with interdisciplinary care teams to deliver culturally and linguistically appropriate services. Tigest holds a Master of Social Work from University of Washington.

Rishan Habte

Program Officer, Economic Empowerment (LIRS)

Rishan has worked in adult education for nearly 10 years. She served as an English as a Second Language (ESL) instructor at Prince George’s Community College and Montgomery College under the Department of Labor-funded Workforce Development and Continuing Education Programs. While at Montgomery College, she worked at the Refugee Training Center, teaching contextualized classes such as ESOL for healthcare, ESOL for Customer Service, and ESOL for Childcare. In her last role, Rishan worked as an Intake and Assessment Specialist at the Literacy Council of Montgomery County.  Previously, Rishan was a consultant at the Welcome Back Center of Suburban Maryland in which she prepared foreign trained health professionals for board exams. Rishan holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English with a minor in International Studies from Wright State University. She is currently pursuing a Master’s degree from The University of Maryland Global Campus in Strategic Communications. Rishan also serves as a member of the State of Maryland’s Skilled Immigrant Taskforce.

Trieuvan 'Van' Nguyen

Program Coordinator, Economic Empowerment (LIRS)

Prior to coming to LIRS, Van worked and volunteered with diverse populations including youth, immigrants, and returned citizens from various organizations. She worked as an employment specialist and financial coach, connecting refugees to local employers, compiling consumer loans, and conducting financial literacy classes for refugees and other humanitarian migrants. Van holds a BS in Sociology and Anthropology from Towson University, concentrating in Criminal Justice.

Kimberly Mays

Sr. Program Officer, Learner Engagement (IRC)

Kimberly Mays is a digital technology enthusiast that has over 15 years of experience in marketing, training, design, and web development. Prior to joining Switchboard, sheworked for data-driven marketing technology corporations as a business analyst, project manager, and developer. She is passionate about using technology as a means to help people improve their lives, help service providers reach those who need them, and to work towards bridging the digital divide for a more equitable future for all. Kimberly holds an MBA from the Zicklin School of Business (CUNY Baruch) and a BS in Computer Information Systems from Fordham University.

Raluca Albu

Communications Manager (IRC)

Raluca Albu is a former refugee (sponsored by the IRC in 1989) who was born in Romania and raised in the Bronx. She most recently worked as the interim deputy editor for Doctors Without Borders and has held editorial positions at Guernica magazine, BOMB, and Columbia University. Prior to her work in communications, she was a history teacher in the New York City public school system and taught academic writing at NYU. Her own writing has been published in The Guardian, The Village Voice, Three Percent, and elsewhere. She lives in the Hudson Valley with her two sled-pulling Samoyed and her woodworking partner. 

Selina Máté

Digital Content Manager (IRC)
Selina is an experienced program manager with a background in refugee youth education and mentorship. Prior to joining IRC, she developed two refugee assistance and advocacy programs with World Relief and the City/County of Durham in North Carolina. In addition to her non-profit background, she has experience in journalism and juvenile education. She holds a BA in History with a concentration in pre-law and a minor in biology.