Meet the RISE AmeriCorps Staff

Meet the RISE AmeriCorps Staff

HENNY
​OHR

Co-Founder and Executive Director
henny@embarciowa.org

Ohr is the co-founder and executive director of RISE AmeriCorps' parent organization, EMBARC. Prior to joining EMBARC, she was the executive officer for the Office of Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs and the Status of Women at the Dept. of Human Rights, where she advocated for equitable access to resources for marginalized communities. Ohr immigrated to the U.S. from Korea as a child, and has been committed to working for immigrant and refugee rights throughout her career. Ohr received her J.D. from the City University of New York School of Law.

LIVVY
​SU

Program Manager
livvy@embarciowa.org

Originally from South Korea, Livvy studied aircraft cabin services management in college and worked as an executive secretary. After moving to the U.S., she worked as a healthcare insurance administrator. Now as the RISE AmeriCorps Program Manager, Livvy is responsible for RISE Member management/development, supervising the RISE communications team and mentoring program and supporting RISE advocacy and public relations.  In Livvy’s free time, she enjoys spending time with family, watching K-dramas and serving as a youth Sunday school director at a local Korean church.

“The RISE AmeriCorps Program opened up a new learning opportunity to serve the immigrant population I also come from. The issues our target population go through are also my own barriers and the success they achieve throughout the program is also what I have achieved with support from others.”

MY
​NHAN

Program Coordinator
my@embarciowa.org

My graduated from Drake University with a B.A. in international relations and minors in East Asian studies and Japanese. She worked as a legal intern at the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants and as a George Washington Carver intern for the youth program at the World Food Prize Foundation. After her internships, she worked as an independent contractor at the World Food Prize Foundation, assisting with archives and events. My was drawn to the grassroots model of EMBARC and joined the RISE AmeriCorps team in 2021. In her free time, My loves to read and listen to music.

BRETT
​BURK

Learning & Development Manager
brett@embarciowa.org

Brett is a community engagement professional with a background in developing, designing, and implementing culturally informed programs alongside new Iowans. He has experience within the areas of grassroots organizing and curriculum design among marginalized population groups, such as English language learners, refugee communities, and LGBTQ communities. Burk received his B.A. from the University of Iowa in Linguistics and Teaching English as a Second Language and completed a Master of Public Administration degree at Drake University in 2022. He is a Benjamin A. Gilman Scholar and Fulbright U.S. Teaching Fellow Alumnus.

ALLISON
​PLEASANT

Education Manager
allison@embarciowa.org

Allison is a Des Moines native, helper and life-long learner. Her passion for refugees and immigrants started by volunteering as a co-teacher for Lutheran Services in Iowa’s Community-Based English as a Second Language (CBESL) program. After that, she had the opportunity to live in Peru and teach ESL to adults and volunteer with adolescents in special education. Allison graduated with her Master’s in Education and Human Resources Studies from Colorado State University in 2021. In her free time, she loves to spend time with her husband, crochet blankets, sing and take long walks with her dogs.
“Never stop learning, because life never stops teaching.”

CESAR
​MARQUEZ

Member Support Coordinator
cesar.marquez@embarciowa.org

Originally from Chihuahua, Mexico, Cesar moved to Iowa and graduated from the University of Northern Iowa.

​Cesar has now spent years working as a  member support coordinator for RISE AmeriCorps. He supports RISE AmeriCorps Members from many host sites,  including ArtForce Iowa, EMBARC Waterloo, Centro Latino of Iowa, City of Columbus Junction, La Luz Centro Cultural, Community Youth Concepts and Iowa Spanish Helpline. 

NOLAN
​WRIGHT

Education Coordinator 
nolan@embarciowa.org

Nolan is a lifelong Iowan who has been part of the RISE AmeriCorps team since 2019. Nolan currently serves as an education coordinator, assisting with Community-Based English as a Second Language (CBESL) classes and workforce trainings for new Iowans. Nolan is currently pursuing a master's in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) from the University of Northern Iowa. In his free time, he enjoys hiking & reading.

Meet the Macro RISE AmeriCorps Members

AUTUMN
DIESBURG

Volunteer
​Coordinator
autumn@embarciowa.org

Autumn specializes in coordinating RISE AmeriCorps volunteers, the mentorship program and training and development projects.

JULIA
DIGIACOMO

Communications Coordinator
julia.rise@embarciowa.org

Julia specializes in storytelling and communications content for RISE AmeriCorps, such as the website, blog, social media and branding.

DESTINY
LUONG

Impact
​Specialist
​destiny@embarciowa.org

Destiny specializes in managing the data and information regarding RISE AmeriCorps' impacts as well as cybersecurity.

AMANDA
MCVANN

Communications Coordinator
amandap@embarciowa.org

Amanda specializes in impact data, DEI initiatives and  communications content for RISE AmeriCorps.