New Americans Museum

Linda Caballero Sotelo is the Executive Director of the New Americans Museum. A first generation immigrant born and raised in Tijuana, Mexico, Caballero Sotelo is deeply committed to the advancement of immigrants of all backgrounds, believing in the power of civic engagement as a catalyst for the integration, inclusion and celebration of immigrant contributions into the American experience.

Caballero Sotelo has over 20 years of professional experience as a senior level executive, advocate and activist for high profile national and international projects and organizations. She is fluent in Spanish, conversant in French and has led initiatives and high performing teams in a variety of corporate, public and non-profit settings in both the U.S. and abroad. She has led a successful strategic consulting business with local and national clients, and previously served in the following roles: president & chief executive officer of the San Diego County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; director of marketing & corporate communications for the San Diego Workforce Partnership, and as US director of projects overseeing exhibition logistics, budgets & residencies leading to the internationally acclaimed US/Mexico public art initiative INSITE '97 and again for InSite 2000 where Caballero Sotelo organized & collaborated in the development of over 80 original public art installations and exhibition-related commissions and works spearheading logistics, budgets, curatorial & artistic residencies and production teams; while overseeing the development and creation of a variety of works by both established and emerging international artists in two versions of the triennial of what art critic Leah Olman described as "...a [groundbreaking] series of bi national exhibitions of art in public places that operated at a high order of magnitude since its inception in 1992. Each incarnation of the project engaged the talents of up to 100 artists from around the world and occupied dozens of sites spread out across Tijuana and San Diego..."

Caballero Sotelo has been a contributing writer & editor, speaker, guest curator, and organized and produced a variety of large scale events, festivals and visual arts exhibitions most recently as curator for Jamex & Einar De la Torres' Whysydro - New Lenticular & Mixed Media Work (2014) at The Front in San Ysidro, CA

She has continued her community and civic involvement serving as one of the co-founders of the coalition San Diegan's United for Commonsense Immigration Reform. She is a current board member of the Balboa Park Trust, the SD Media Arts Center, the Institute for Mexicans Abroad, president emeritus of the National Latina Business Women Association-SD, and founder & chair of Latinas In Business Foundation, a 501c3 women's leadership, advocacy and education forum. Caballero Sotelo is a graduate of LEAD San Diego, a fellow of Leadership America, and of the US/Mexico Foundation's Scholars program. She has been honored with various recognitions throughout her career including NAWBO's Advocate of the Year, KPBS' Hispanic Heroes award, Women Who Move the City, 40 Under 40, San Diego Magazine's 50 People to Watch, and is featured in the City of Tijuana's Paseo de la Fama [Walk of Fame] corridor for her contributions to binational understanding and cooperation.

Caballero Sotelo received her Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations & History [UCLA, US International University] and Master of Arts degree in International Business & Economics, Marketing concentration [Webster-Regents College, UK & London School of Economics]. She holds additional executive training and certificates in organizational management, & leadership studies from the University of Chicago, Booth School of Business

Lisa Garcia
Director of Grants & Development Strategy
Lisa@namuseum.org

Lisa Garcia is the Director of Grants & Development Strategy for the New Americans Museum. She brings a wealth of experience and energy to the Museum. She has served in the nonprofit arena for nearly 25 years and has been a professional grant writer since 1999. Originally from Michigan and a graduate of Michigan State University, Garcia has lived in San Diego for nearly 20 years. She began her career in fundraising with Girl Scouts San Diego Council, one of the largest Girl Scout councils in the country. She launched her own fundraising and grant writing consulting practice in 1999.

Garcia's areas of specialty have include arts and culture, children & youth and social services. Working with clients including Pacific Arts Movement, San Diego History Center, Arrowhead Arts Association, and Children's Dental Health Association, she has successfully secured hundreds of thousands of grant dollars from such funders as the Parker Foundation, the Weingart Foundation, Kresge Foundation, the County of San Diego, the Commission for Arts & Culture, and the Institute for Museum and Library Services.

Involvement in the community has included board service on the North County Philanthropy Council as well as The Bravo Foundation. Garcia lives in San Marcos, California with her three children, and in her free time is an avid Zumbera. She can be reached at Lisa@namuseum.org

ARDALAN JIRJEES

Ardalan Jirjees is the Gallery Attendant providing educational tours and administrative support for the New Americans Museum. He is a first generation immigrant from Iraq and has lived in Dubai and Iraq. Ardalan has a background in project management, human rights, media and journalism. Before relocating to the United States in 2015 under the refugee resettlement act, he served as education program manager in Erbil (North of Iraq), where he oversaw three projects serving Syrian refugees in the Kurdistan region.

Ardalan holds a Diploma in human rights, BA degree in Sociology and a Masters Degree in International Education Management from Ludwigsburg University in Germany.

He speaks Arabic, Aramaic (Chaldean), Kurdish & English. He is a proud member of San Diego's

Chaldean community and enjoys hiking and reading. He can be reached at ardalan@namuseum.org

JERRY WEST

Jerry West is the Museum’s financial manager. In this role she provides bookkeeping, payroll, and related financial compliance services for the organization. She is an accounting industry veteran with over 40 years experience in financial and administrative support for private accounting firms, small businesses, and non profit organizations.

COLLEGE INTERNSHIP FELLOWS

MARCELA MIRANDA-CABALLERO

Marcela Miranda-Caballero is a Special Projects Assistant student fellow to the Executive Director at the New Americans Museum. In that capacity, she is responsible for communications and media related to elected officials and coordinating the Children’s Citizenship Ceremony. Marcela has undergone specialized interview training under the award winning program, Voice of Witness, in order to conduct interviews at the New Americans Museum oral histories recording studio. In addition, she is liaison to the NAM community engagement council [CEC], composed of more than 35 community based organization’s leadership.

Marcela is a first generation college student born in Mexico. At a very young age, her family immigrated to the United States where she currently resides. As a single parent, Marcela’s mother has always been a fierce advocate for her daughter’s pursuit of a higher education. Her inspiration is the reason for Marcela’s ambition and intellectual curiosity. After qualifying for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), and with the help of mentors, Marcela is now a junior at San Diego State University pursuing a major in business administration and management with a minor in political science. Throughout her college experience, Marcela has had the opportunity to intern for elected officials such as Congressman Juan Vargas (51^st Congressional District) through the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute [CHCI], the Office of Mayor Kevin L. Faulconer - City of San Diego, and the American Civil Liberties Union [ACLU] of San Diego and Imperial Counties.

With her most recent fellowship assignment at the New Americans Museum, Marcela is focusing on building and broadening her understanding of the arts and culture sector as a catalyst to best support and uplift diverse communities, and society as a whole. Upon graduating, she plans on pursuing a law degree, MBA, or a Master’s in public policy. On her free time, Marcela enjoys reading, hiking, and amateur photography. One of her favorite quotes by Freedom Rider John Lewis, “If not us, then who? If not now, then when?” Marcela can be reached at marcela@namuseum.org

JOSELYN RODRIGUEZ

Joselyn Rodriguez is an archives and research student fellow at the New Americans Museum, she is responsible for researching and coordinating the Immigration Policy Timeline installation. In her work at the New Americans Museum, she has been instrumental to researching, coordinating, and being involved in the design process of this key semi-permanent exhibition. Joselyn has undergone specialized interview training under the award winning Voice of Witness program in order to conduct interviews at the New Americans Museum oral histories recording studio.

Rodriguez is a first generation college student in her second year at San Diego State University where she is double majoring in Comparative International Studies and Anthropology, and minoring in Italian and acting as president of the Italian Club on campus. As the child of immigrant parents, Joselyn was raised along the border living in San Diego but visiting Tijuana more often than not. As business owners, her parents have inspired her to pursue a higher education, and to above all, be resilient and proud of her Mexican heritage while embracing her identity as a new American. Frida Kahlo has always inspired her to become a strong individual and taught her to persevere by her quote, “At the end of the day, we can endure much more than we think we can.” In her free time, she likes to read and explore both cities she calls home. Joselyn can be reached at joselyn@namuseum.org.