Staff
Directors
Francisco Rico-Martínez (1958-2021)
Late Co-Director
Our beloved Co-Director Francisco Rico-Martínez passed away on August 13, 2021. He was a pacifist revolutionary who was a trained lawyer in El Salvador and had a Master’s in Economy from Costa Rica. He was forced to leave his beloved country in 1990 due to his work as a defender of Human Rights during the El Salvadorian Civil war. Francisco came to Canada with his pregnant wife and two children as refugees. As he established himself and his family in Canada, he became painfully aware of the plight of migrants in Canada. With great pride and with the help of the Sisters, Faithful Companions of Jesus (FCJ), as well as his adoring wife, they founded what is now known as the FCJ Refugee Centre almost 30 years ago. This gained him many accolades including being the first refugee to be President of the Canadian Council for Refugees, a recipient of the YMCA Peace Medallion and the William P. Hubbard Race Relations award. As a committed husband, loving father, and joyous grandfather, Francisco lived to better the lives of everyone he would encounter, specifically those who were marginalized. Francisco was steadfast in the face of injustice making sure that all who could hear him would be aware. An advocate for a just and fair immigration system, he would educate anyone who would hear him on the rights and the plight of migrants, not just in Canada but around the world. Francisco leaves a Legacy of love and hope.
Loly Rico
Executive Director
lolyrico@fcjrefugeecentre.org
416 469 9754 ext 224
Loly, formally trained as a physiotherapist, started working with Down Syndrome children in El Salvador, becoming aware of how their human rights were abused, and how the tremendous needs of these children were not addressed by the government. Later on, she became more deeply involved in social justice in El Salvador. Upon arrival in Canada, through her own experience as a refugee she became acutely aware of the situation of refugees in this part of the world. In 1991, she and Francisco founded the FCJ Hamilton House Refugee Project, with the invaluable support of the Sisters, Faithful Companions of Jesus. Loly has a deep understanding of what is involved in setting up a safe environment for a vulnerable group, one that invites them to rebuild a sense of self, and gives them tools to regain lost confidence. She is currently Co-Director of the Centre, and head of the settlement services programme. In 2004, the City of Toronto awarded her the Constance E. Hamilton Award, for her unflinching commitment and contribution to women’s rights and social justice. She also received the YMCA Peace Medallion.
Diana Gallego
Senior Director
dianagallego@fcjrefugeecentre.org
416 469 9754 ext 225
Diana Gallego is a Colombian-trained lawyer, with experience in advocacy, human rights and social justice. In 2002, Diana was forced to flee Colombia with her husband and son. This experience shaped a new commitment and led her into working with immigrants and refugees. Diana graduated in Community Work from George Brown College in Toronto. She is part of the Canadian Council for Refugees as an executive member and is a part time professor in the Centre for Community Services at George Brown College. Diana Joined the FCJ Refugee Centre in 2015 and now is the Senior Director.
Tsering Lhamo
Associate Director – Settlement
tseringl@fcjrefugeecentre.org
416 469 9754 ext 229
Tsering is a Tibetan Canadian, who came to Canada in early 2000’s as a Refugee. She completed her BScN from York University. She came to FCJ Refugee Centre as placement student, while pursuing a diploma in Social Service Work from Seneca College and later joined the FCJ Refugee Centre Staff team in March 2018 as Housing Worker, supporting precarious migrants in seeking shelter and secure housing options. She currently works as Associate Director overseeing the settlement areas at FCJ Refugee Centre, which includes Housing, Primary Care Clinic, Food Security, Women’s program, and Anti-Human Trafficking program.
Carolina Teves
Associate Director – Communications and Access to Education
cteves@fcjrefugeecentre.org
416 469 9754 ext 240
Carolina earned two bachelors’ degrees from Universidad Centro Americana Jose Simeon Canas (San Salvador) in Education and Journalism. She began work as a teacher of literature in high school. While teaching she began her Journalism degree and her involvement with the university radio station YSUCA. On completion of her degree in Journalism, Carolina committed herself to a career in that field and began work as a journalist with YSUCA. Her work focussed on human rights and Carolina worked at the radio station for over ten years. She continued working at the radio station and also took on a teaching position in 1999 at Universidad Centro Americana to teach radio production: writing, editing etc. In the fall of 2001, Carolina came to Canada from El Salvador with her husband and three children.
Managers
Edgar Valderrama Medina
Immigration and Refugee Protection
edgar.v.medina@fcjrefugeecentre.org
416 469 9754 ext 223
Jovana Blagovcanin
Anti-Human Trafficking
jovanab@fcjrefugeecentre.org
416 469 9754 ext 242
Alexandra García Hidalgo
Intake and Human Resources
info@fcjrefugeecentre.org
416 469 9754 ext 238
Kanishka Basnayake
Finance and Operations
kanishkab@fcjrefugeecentre.org
416 469 9754 ext 241
Coordinators
Cagla Azizoglu
Resource Development
cagla@fcjrefugeecentre.org
416 469 9754 ext 228
Laura Friesen
Immigration and Refugee Protection
laura.f@fcjrefugeecentre.org
416 469 9754 ext 246
Cumhur Erdikili
Anti-Human Trafficking
cumhure@fcjrefugeecentre.org
416 469 9754 ext 254
Chiara Andrea Rossi
Anti-Human Trafficking – Women
chiarar@fcjrefugeecentre.org
416 469 9754 ext 222
Tenzin Khentse
Anti-Human Trafficking – Youth
tenzink@fcjrefugeecentre.org
416 469 9754 ext 244
Stefan Enrique Joseph Kallikaden
Youth and Access to Education
stefanjk@fcjrefugeecentre.org
416 469 9754 ext 248
Jaqueline Cortés
Refugee and Housing
jacquelinec@fcjrefugeecentre.org
416 469 9754 ext 235
Belén Mosqueda
Refugee and Housing
belenm@fcjrefugeecentre.org
416 469 9754 ext 233
Luisa Moncada
Women’s and Transitional Housing
luisam@fcjrefugeecentre.org
416 469 9754 ext 232
Elisa Ibarra Juárez
Primary Care Clinic
eli.ibarra@fcjrefugeecentre.org
416 469 9754 ext 230
Tawfic Amandi
Case Management
tawfica@fcjrefugeecentre.org
416 469 9754 ext 257
Kelly Arévalo
Food Security
kellya@fcjrefugeecentre.org
416 4699754 ext 231
Miguel Máiquez
Web Editor and Communication
miguelmaiquez@fcjrefugeecentre.org
416 4699754 ext 264
Workers
Samuel Tetelepta
Anti-Human Trafficking – Migrant Case
samuelt@fcjrefugeecentre.org
416 469 9754 ext 226
Abigail González
Anti-Human Trafficking – Youth
abigailg@fcjrefugeecentre.org
416 469 9754 ext 260
Diana Caipa
Anti-Human Trafficking Support
dianac@fcjrefugeecentre.org
416 469 9754 ext 255
Ohad Eyal
Anti-Human Trafficking and Youth Support
ohade@fcjrefugeecentre.org
416 469 9754 ext 262
Eman Mohamed
Immigration and Refugee Support
emanm@fcjrefugeecentre.org
416 469 9754 ext 243
Joy Arumala
Refugee and Housing Support
joya@fcjrefugeecentre.org
416 4699754 ext 256
Judith Clavijo
Refugee and Housing Support
judithc@fcjrefugeecentre.org
416 4699754 ext 236
Emma Coulter
Refugee and Housing Support
emma.coulter@fcjrefugeecentre.org
416 4699754 ext 234
Paulina Zúñiga
Refugee and Housing Support
paulinaz@fcjrefugeecentre.org
416 4699754 ext 237
Natalia Mercado
Youth Support
nataliam@fcjrefugeecentre.org
416 4699754 ext 227
Alyaa Osman
Communication and Public Education
alyaao@fcjrefugeecentre.org
416 4699754 ext 263
Viktor Stembrock
Resources Development Assistant
viktors@fcjrefugeecentre.org
416 4699754 ext 259
Alma Ulob
Bookkeeper
almadsulob@fcjrefugeecentre.org
Diana Sánchez
Intake Support
diana.sanchez@fcjrefugeecentre.org
Melina Castro Caroprezo
ESL Program
esl@fcjrefugeecentre.org
416 4699754 ext 247
Alexandra Crespo
Receptionist
Joshua Eisen
In-House Lawyer
joshuae@fcjrefugeecentre.org
416 4699754 ext 261
Paula Origua, Centre for Refugee Children
Project Coordinator – A Roadmap to Justice
paulao@fcjrefugeecentre.org
416 4699754 ext 258
FCJ
Sr. Lois Anne Bordowitz
loisannefcj@fcjrefugeecentre.org
Sr. Lois Anne Bordowitz is a member of the Sisters, Faithful Companions of Jesus, a small international congregation (www.fcjsisters.org). She has had a variety of assignments in her life, including teaching, missionary in Sierra Leone for 10 years, social justice ministry including work with refugees in Calgary and in Toronto. In Sierra Leone, Lois Anne was a facilitator for a development education program used extensively in Africa. Sr. Lois Anne joined the FCJ Refugee Centre in 1996, working with Francisco in organizing workshops, producing manuals, updating website, etc. She volunteers at FCJ Refugee Centre in the office and one day a week at the Toronto Immigration Holding Centre.