Welcoming Noemí

At the Haas, Jr. Fund, we are big believers in identifying and supporting young leaders who can carry the torch of social justice into the future. This is why we are so pleased to announce the hiring of our first-ever Program Fellow, Noemí Gallardo.

We selected Noemí for the job after receiving more than 200 applications in a national search. She is the daughter of immigrants from Mexico who were undocumented until President Reagan’s signature of sweeping immigration reform legislation in 1986. Inspired to help her community, Noemí established a language services business in Ventura County, where she was raised. She now holds a master’s degree in public policy from USC and a law degree from U.C. Hastings College of the Law, where she served as president of the student body and co-chair of the La Raza Law Students Association.

After finishing her law degree, Noemí completed a one-year fellowship with the Greenlining Institute, which works to empower communities of color. She also has been an advocate for language-access issues and is a longtime volunteer mentor for Big Brothers Big Sisters. Most recently, Noemí worked as an independent consultant on legal and policy issues.

In her two-year fellowship with the Haas, Jr. Fund, Noemí will focus on supporting our Immigrant Rights program, as well as other philanthropic activities. We warmly welcome Noemí and look forward to the many ways that her talents and experience will enrich our work at the Fund.