Staff

Powers is a seasoned nonprofit professional with over 25 years of leadership experience and a background in nonprofit leadership, fund development, and strategic planning. Powers’ most recent experience came as the Executive Director of the Mesothelioma Research Foundation where she was responsible for leading, managing, and overseeing all aspects of the organization’s operations. Her experience creating fund development strategies and her grant and board management abilities will be integral to her placement as ED, but one of her main objectives is assuring that immigrant communities of Michigan are properly served and represented.As I step into my role as the new Executive Director of Immigration Law and Justice Michigan, I am honored and grateful for the opportunity to join this incredible organization. ILJ-MI is dedicated to fighting for justice and advocating for the rights of immigrants in Michigan, and I look forward to working with my colleagues, volunteers, stakeholders, and community leaders to create a more inclusive and compassionate society, where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. I am truly honored to embark on this journey with all of you, and I cannot wait to make a meaningful impact together.

Marcelo has been practicing Immigration Law with a family and humanitarian focus since 2014. He is a graduate of Vermont Law School, Grand Valley State University, and Northwestern Michigan College. Marcelo has been working at our Traverse City office since 2015. He speaks Portuguese and Spanish.As an immigrant myself, I find it fulfilling to help clients navigate a complex bureaucracy so that they can best contribute to our communities. I also firmly believe that immigrants are at the essence of what makes the United States special.

Kourtney first became captivated by immigration law as she learned about Dreamers and DACA in a high school history class. Since then, she has been committed to learning about and working within the field of immigration. Kourtney received her Bachelor of Science degree from Eastern Michigan University in 2016. She graduated from Detroit Mercy Law School in 2019 and then worked as an asylum officer in the Chicago Asylum Office. Now as a full-time attorney, Kourtney is immensely thankful for the opportunity to engage in meaningful work that directly serves Michigan’s immigrant community.Immigrants are such a vital component of our nation. The hard work, dedication, and tenacity that they often display truly allows us all to thrive. I do this work because I am passionate about positively uplifting and advocating for the immigrant community.

Mary Lou is a distinguished civil rights attorney, with a career marked by groundbreaking advocacy for marginalized communities and a steadfast commitment to protecting constitutional rights. She is an alumna of St. Mary’s College, and the University of Oregon School of Law.  Mary Lou spent her early career working in private practice and has worked in collaboration with the ACLU on a number of important issues, notably in 2013 when she partnered with the ACLU, GLAD and the NCLR to challenge Medicare's 30-year-old ban on coverage for gender-affirming care. The historic 2014 ruling by DHHS found that the exclusion was unreasonable and contrary to medical standards of care. This landmark victory solidified her position as a champion for social justice and individual rights. Now as an ILJMI attorney, Mary Lou specializes in complicated cases, serving clients in our Dearborn office.I work for ILJ Michigan to continue my work for people’s individual rights and to live out my commitment to social justice.

Lorena has a background in philosophy and legal studies. After receiving a master’s in legal studies from the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law, Lorena joined the staff at ILJ Michigan to work with immigrants as they maneuver the complicated and oftentimes hostile institution of U.S. Immigration. Lorena was approved as a Department of Justice Accredited Representative in August 2024 and sees clients in our Dearborn office.I work for ILJ Michigan because I believe in advocating for the rights of all individuals, regardless of where they come from or where they’re going.

Yuwiska Alcantara Tagliati has returned to ILJ Michigan as a fully accredited Department of Justice Representative. She joined ILJMI in 2021 as a legal assistant and quickly secured partial accreditation with the U.S. Department of Justice, transitioning to a legal role with an immigration law firm. She rejoined the team in February 2025 with full accreditation and the ability to represent clients in all aspects of immigration law. Yuwiska is an alumna of Universidad Nacional Pedro Henríquez Ureña and holds a masters degree from Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo. She is fluent in Spanish and English, and is learning Italian and Portuguese.

Carolina is an experienced client relations and management professional who joined ILJ Michigan after working with the team as a client. Fluent in Spanish and English, Carolina is a quiet advocate for immigrant rights, working collaboratively with community members, clients, and supporters to better understand the newcomer experience.

Prior to joining ILJ Michigan, Carmen worked as a teacher and as a medical records specialist. Now, she serves as a Bilingual Legal Assistant (Spanish), Central Intake Coordinator, and as the Unaccompanied Refugee Minor program coordinator.

Hector joined the ILJ Michigan team in early 2025 as a bilingual Legal Assistant, supporting our Dearborn office. He is an alumnus of Grand Valley State University, and has previous experience with a private immigration law firm, and with Migrant Legal Aid.