Meet our 2023–2024 Members
Name: Gil Bohm
Host Site: The Literacy Center Location: Attleboro
Bio: Gil Bohm (they/them) graduated from Brandeis in 2022 with a BA in Anthropology, specializing in Latin American Studies. With more people immigrating to the U.S. than ever, working with NAIP seemed the best avenue by which they could use their skills, passion, and education.
Name: Kyle Burzycki
Host Site: MIRA Coalition’s Citizenship Program Location: Boston
Bio: Kyle (he/him) graduated from Suffolk University in 2022 with a degree in International Relations and Political Science. During his time at Suffolk, he had the opportunity to work with the Center for Community Engagement’s Suffolk Votes program, where he focused on ensuring that students were engaged in the civic process in Boston as voters, constituents, and neighbors. Before moving to Boston, he lived in CT and organized for progressive candidates and issues across the state. Kyle is a transit enthusiast who loves to travel and explore the great city. Finding joy in serving community members most in need is something he’s passionate about, which is why he’s so excited to be a part of NAIP this year.
Name: Cameron Casey
Host Site: Mujeres Unidas Avanzando (MUA) Location: Dorchester
Bio: Cameron (she/her) recently graduated from UConn with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Anthropology. During her last semester, she enrolled in an anthropology course focused on migration into the United States. This experience convinced her that simply studying the issues facing migrants in the US was insufficient; she wanted to actively contribute to making a difference. She applying to graduate programs for the upcoming year to continue her pursuit of service.
Name: Lauren Davis
Host Site: The Right to Immigration Institute (TRII) Location: Waltham
Bio: Lauren (she/her) is a recent graduate of Brandeis University with a major in Politics and a minor in Hispanic Studies. She began working with The Right to Immigration Institute four years ago at the beginning of her undergraduate schooling and has become more and more involved over the years. Although her family’s immigration history is not recent, she loves the work and the opportunity to meet new people from such different backgrounds and diverse experiences! She plans on going to law school in the future to continue exploring how she can have a positive effect on the lives of others.
Name: John Foley
Host Site: Jewish Vocational Services Location: Boston
Bio: John (he/him) graduated from Kenyon College with a BA in Women and Gender studies in 2015. They have since worked in the non-profit, digital media and campaign sectors. They have a passion for social justice, local democracy and community engagement.
Name: Marissa Leeman
Host Site: Jewish Vocational Services Location: Boston
Bio: Marissa (she/her) graduated from Boston University in 2022 with a major in Sociology and minor in Spanish. She has always been passionate about using Spanish as a tool to communicate with folks from various backgrounds and temporarily lived in Granada, Spain after graduating college to continue progressing toward Spanish fluency. She decided to pursue a year of service offering assistance to individuals going through the immigration process at JVS, where she is able to merge her interest in serving disadvantaged communities in the Boston area with her love of speaking Spanish. Ask her about her bunny, Princess Poppy Seed!
Name: Grant Olick-Sutphen
Host Site: MIRA Coalition’s Citizenship Program Location: Boston
Bio: Grant (he/him) recently graduated from Northeastern University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He will be serving with MIRA for the next year because he wants to help them serve an immigrant population that here in the United States has long been overlooked or persecuted. He hopes that at MIRA he can assist as many people as possible in applying for and obtaining citizenship, and that he can carry this experience with him into law school.
Name: Matthew Phelan
Host Site: The Right to Immigration Institute (TRII) Location: Waltham
Bio: Matthew (he/him) is an experienced attorney who has worked in private practice in Massachusetts as well as having served as a Special Assistant to the Director of the Office of Budget and Management in St. Thomas, an Assistant Attorney General for the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Justice, and as a staff attorney in various roles for the Federated States of Micronesia. He received his Bachelors of Science degree from Boston University and his J.D. from New England School of Law. Matthew joined The Right to Immigration Institute team in September 2021 as an Immigration Attorney through the AmeriCorps New American Integration Program.
Name: Caleb Ruiz
Host Site: JFS of Metrowest Location: Framingham
Bio: Caleb (he/him) is a Framingham native looking to serve his community. He is very excited to serve and help other immigrants gain citizenship in Massachusetts.
Name: Emily Shumsky
Host Site: Jewish Vocational Services Location: Boston
Bio: Emily (she/her) is excited to join NAIP’s AmeriCorps community, where she will work at Jewish Vocational Services (JVS), helping refugees obtain needed job skills and move forward with their careers. Most recently, she volunteered in JVS classes, assisting English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) students. Emily has worked as a nonprofit management consultant, grants researcher, writer, and state budget analyst. She started out studying health and social welfare policy. Emily has a Master’s in Public Policy. She is married and has two children in high school.
Name: Neha Sistu
Host Site: English At Large Location: Woburn
Bio: Neha (she/her) is serving at English At Large in Woburn, MA where she helps run job readiness services. She is originally from Acton, MA, and graduated from the University of Connecticut in May 2023 with a BA in Global Health and a BS in Molecular Biology. She is excited to spend the year giving back to her community and gaining experience in immigration advocacy before entering law school.
Name: David Wilson
Host Site: Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center Location: Boston
Bio: David (he/him was) born and raised in East Boston, where he’s been surrounded by immigrants his entire life. Feeling that immigrants are underappreciated, he jumped at the opportunity to serve in AmeriCorps’ NAIP program. This is his 2nd year with NAIP, last year he served at Project Citizenship, this year he is serving at Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center.