New York's Go-To Source for Immigration News

Our Team

Mazin Sidahmed

Co-Executive Director

Mazin Sidahmed previously worked for the Guardian US in New York during the 2016 US elections, where he covered a variety of issues including surveillance and criminal justice, as well as the rise of hate crimes following the election. Mazin left the news desk to join the award-winning Guardian Mobile Innovation Lab where he helped develop new mobile-specific story formats. He started his career writing for The Daily Star in Beirut. He reported on the Syrian refugee crisis, weapons transfers to Lebanon and the plight of migrant domestic workers. Upon moving to the U.S., Mazin also contributed to Politico New York where he covered real estate, with a focus on the New York City Housing Authority, and City politics.

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Max Siegelbaum

Co-Executive Director

Max Siegelbaum began his career in post-revolution Egypt, reporting on politics and culture. He is a graduate of the Stabile Center for Investigative Journalism at Columbia University and has written for local newspapers in Denver and Pittsburgh, The Guardian, Foreign Policy, and STAT, among others. His reporting for Documented led to the divestment of millions of public dollars from private prisons and contributed to policy changes in New York State. He has won awards from the Deadline Club, the Edward R. Murrow awards and was nominated for a Livingston Award. He oversees the editorial content at Documented.

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Ethar El-Katatney

Editor-in-Chief

Ethar El-Katatney brings extensive news product experience to elevate Documented''s growing range of products aimed at serving immigrant communities with news and information. Most recently, at Bloomberg, Ethar served as News Product Strategy Lead for the Americas. Previously, she was the former Young Audiences Editor at the WSJ and the executive producer overseeing the AJ+ newsroom, the digital video arm of Al-Jazeera she helped pilot, launch and lead. Ethar has received a CNN African Journalist of the Year Award, a Samir Kassir Freedom of the Press Award, and an Anna Lindh Euro-Mediterranean Journalist Award. She is an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at The Brown Institute for Media Innovation, and sits on the board of the Online News Association.

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Rebecca Neuwirth

Chief Strategy Officer

Rebecca Neuwirth has spent her career in nonprofits, focused on building volunteer communities, raising funds, communications and strategic partnerships. She has held leadership roles at Define American, Upwardly Global, and AJC; senior development positions at the Center for Popular Democracy and JDC; and ran a small foundation, Thanks To Scandinavia, where she currently serves on the Board. Rebecca is on the Advisory Board of the Jewish Studies Center at Baruch College and is helping to build a community garden in her neighborhood. She received an MA in Education from the Free University in Berlin, and a BA from Yale University.

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Nicolás Ríos

Chief Product, Education and Research Officer

Nicolás Ríos is an Emmy-nominated multilingual Chilean journalist, who holds a Master in Digital Media Innovation from New York University and a B.S. in Social Communication from the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. He worked as a reporter and a documentary fixer for Vice Media; as an international news reporter, senior editor and broadcaster for CNN Chile, and as a freelance reporter for BBC World Service (UK), El Mercurio (Chile) and Daily Trust (Nigeria). After moving to New York City in 2018, he worked with Documented, Axios and Quartz on projects that involved making audiences central to content creation and product development. He has also worked as a consultant for five Chilean newsrooms as they planned to launch membership revenue efforts.

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Khadija Collins

Operations Manager

Khadija is originally from the metropolitan area of Washington, D.C. She has spent two years living in Madrid, Spain and some time living in Guadalajara, Mexico where she has been able to study Spanish in different cultural environments. While completing her degree in Business Administration and then in Leadership and Management, Khadija also studied residential real estate and became a licensed Realtor. This is where her passion for business and operations really began. She has since worked within varied team structures from small family-owned businesses to global corporate firms managing residential properties as well as managing small real estate offices. With this background, Khadija has proceeded to offer her skills in operations and management to other industries and small business owners including interior designers, authors/speakers, finance specialists and more. As Documented’s Operations Manager, Khadija ensures solid processes are in place, helps to improve workflows, builds and introduces new systems as needed, and more.

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Kay Dervishi

Development Manager

Kay Dervishi is a Development Manager with Documented, focused on grant writing and fundraising. She previously reported on philanthropic trends and impact as a staff writer at the Chronicle of Philanthropy, where much of her work was republished by the Associated Press. She started her career as a reporter at City & State New York and its sister publication, New York Nonprofit Media. While there, she covered local and state politics in New York, produced a daily newsletter for nonprofits, and wrote and edited the magazine’s power lists. A New York City native, Kay holds a bachelor''s degree in political science and journalism from the University of Richmond.

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Madeline Faber

Deputy Director of Communities

Madeline Faber is an engagement journalist dedicated to building relationships with underserved audiences in New York City. She is the Deputy Director of Communities at Documented and a graduate of the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism's Engagement Journalism M.A. Previously, she was executive editor of High Ground News, a publication that created embedded reporting in Memphis neighborhoods. She has also worked in audience development with the Philadelphia Inquirer and Memphis-based MLK50. She is an award-winning reporter with experience covering economic justice and development at the Memphis Business Journal and the Memphis Daily News.

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Amir Khafagy

Report for America Member, Labor Reporter

Amir Khafagy is an award-winning New York City-based journalist. He is currently a Report for America corps member with Documented. Much of Amir's beat explores the intersections of labor, race, class, and immigration. His writing has been featured in The Guardian, Vice, The New Republic, Bloomberg, Prism, The City, The Appeal, Dame, The American Prospect, Jacobin, and In These Times. Additionally, Amir has worked as a researcher for the critically acclaimed podcast Serial. He has been awarded Type Investigations 2021 Ida B. Wells Fellowship, The Newmark J-School 2021 Education Reporting Scholarship, The International Center for Journalists COVID-19 Reporting Award, The New Economics Reporting Fellowship, The Economic Hardship Reporting Grant, The Talk Poverty Writer Workshop Fellowship, The Asian American Writers Workshop Open City Fellowship, and The AARP Freelance Fellowship. He also was a finalist for the Institute for Nonprofit News 2022 Breaking Barriers Award. Amir holds a BA in Urban Studies and an MA in Urban Affairs from Queens College. A lifelong New Yorker, Amir was born and raised in Jackson Heights, Queens into a working-class, Muslim, immigrant family. His mother is Puerto Rican and his father is an immigrant from Egypt.

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Clarissa A. León

Deputy Editor

Clarissa A. León is a Colombian American journalist, editor and educator originally from Reno, Nevada, and now based in New Jersey. Most recently, she acted as editorial director for the Pittsburgh-based PaydayReport.com, a nationally recognized labor publication. Following years of writing and reporting, with work appearing in Newsweek & The Daily Beast, The Nation and Salon among many others, she received her Master of Fine Arts in nonfiction writing from the University of Pittsburgh. While there, in addition to teaching and writing, she acted as the managing editor of the award-winning literary arts journal, Aster(ix) Journal.

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Rommel H. Ojeda

Community Correspondent, Spanish-Speaking Communities

Rommel H. Ojeda is an award-winning bilingual journalist and Filmmaker based in New York City. He is the Community Correspondent at Documented, focusing on topics affecting the Spanish-speaking Latinx immigrant communities in New York. His works can be seen in Univision, Telemundo, The City, and others. He holds a master’s degree in Bilingual Journalism, with a specialization in Documentary Filmmaking from Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY. Rommel is the author of several powerful investigations that Documented has published lately.

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Fisayo Okare

Newsletter Writer

Fisayo is a Newsletter Writer for Documented, with 5+ years of journalism experience. She writes Documented’s Early Arrival, which many immigration professionals read. Fisayo is a master’s graduate of Columbia Journalism School, and began her career in Nigeria, West Africa. In 2020, she worked as a Financial Journalist for Stears, a leading publication in Africa. In 2019, she worked with Yiaga Africa and co-authored a book about young legislators who overcame threats to win elections. Her first writing job was at the Native Magazine, rising through the ranks from an intern, to a journalist, and sub-editor. Fisayo has won awards including a scholarship from the Association of Foreign Press Correspondents. She earned a Bachelor’s in Mass Communication from Pan-Atlantic University, where she graduated with first class honors.

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Ralph Thomassaint Joseph

Community Correspondent, Caribbean Communities

Ralph Thomassaint Joseph is an award-winning multimedia journalist. Born in Haiti, he started reporting life in the camps after the terrible 2010 earthquake that killed over 200 000 in Haiti. He also covered the cholera outbreak, hurricane Matthew and the Petrocaribe corruption scandal. Ralph Thomassaint co-created the news section of the current most competitive Haitian digital news media, Ayibopost. He studied Law and Sociology in Haiti and holds a master’s degree in Digital Journalism from New York University. As Documented’s Caribbean Communities Correspondent, Ralph conducts audience research and develops a News vertical dedicated to the Caribbean immigrants living in New York.

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April Xu

Senior Reporter, Chinese Community

April Xu is an award-winning journalist with more than nine years of experience covering the Chinese community in New York City. Before becoming Documented's Chinese Community Correspondent, she worked at the New York Bureau of Sing Tao Daily, one of the largest Chinese-language newspapers, covering breaking news, health, immigration, education, politics, business, social justice issues and court news. She has been a journalism fellow at USC Annenberg, CUNY, Montclair State University and Asian American Writers’ Workshop. She endeavors to use her bilingual reporting skills to bridge the gap between the Chinese community and mainstream society.

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Fred Almonte

Media Sales Development Lead

Fred Almonte is a dynamic and versatile media professional based in Brooklyn, NY. With a diverse background spanning radio, print, television, and digital media, Fred is no stranger to the ever-evolving world of communication. Passionate about tackling challenges head-on, he thrives on forging and nurturing lasting relationships with current and future partners. Fred's journey with Documented began when he joined our growing ad-sales team, bringing with him a rich tapestry of experience and an unwavering commitment to excellence. His expertise in various media platforms has been instrumental in driving the growth and success of our advertising initiatives. As an immigrant and a native Spanish speaker, Fred has a unique perspective on New York City's vibrant immigrant community. He sees its members as the lifeblood of the city, contributing to the rich tapestry of cultures and experiences that make NYC such an extraordinary place to live and work. With his finger on the pulse of industry trends, Fred's innovative thinking and exceptional relationship-building skills have established him as a valuable asset to our team. Whether he's creating new connections or strengthening existing ones, Fred's genuine passion for his work is evident in all that he does. As a true media maven and a champion of diversity, Fred continues to make waves in the world of advertising and beyond.

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Melissa Noel

Caribbean Community Editor

Melissa Noel is an award-winning journalist, editor, and media entrepreneur. She has built a distinguished career in television and digital media with work that centers on storytelling about the global Black diaspora and developing and managing strategic content partnerships. She has over a decade of experience as a Caribbean correspondent and entrepreneur. Through her work with network news outlets, legacy magazine brands and community news organizations, she has had an impact at the intersection of media, entrepreneurship and social impact.

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Lam Thuy Vo

Contributing Investigative Reporter

Lam Thuy Vo is expanding Documented's work investigating sources of digitally distributed misinformation and the harm it creates, as well as our business accountability journalism. Lam first began working with Documented in 2021, helping to make sense of the first tranche of data we received from the New York State Department of Labor after filing a Freedom of Information Law request with them for data on their wage theft investigations. She will be working with Max Siegelbaum, co-founder and Special Projects Editor of Documented. As a journalist who marries data analysis with on-the-ground reporting, Lam examines how systems and policies affect individuals. She is currently an associate professor of data journalism at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism. Previously, she was a journalist at The Markup, BuzzFeed News, The Wall Street Journal, Al Jazeera America and NPR''s Planet Money.

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Board Directors

Christiana Mbakwe-Medina

Christiana Mbakwe Medina is an Emmy-nominated TV writer, journalist and cultural commentator. A South London native and graduate of Columbia Journalism School, she has spent the past decade living in the U.S.. Her credits include The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, and the White House Correspondents Dinner. She is currently a writer for season 4 of The Morning Show, and co-host on the Spotify podcast ‘What Now?’ with Trevor Noah.

Dr. Wilneida Negrón

Dr. Wilneida Negrón specializes in developing and scaling new models for people-centered structural and systemic change in the technology sector, capital markets/finance, and labor markets. She most recently worked at the Ford Foundation, where she led cross-thematic area strategy development between the Gender, Race, Ethnic Justice, Technology and Society, Mission Investing, Future of Work(ers), and Civic Engagement Thematic areas. She is currently the Director of Policy and Research at Coworker.org and consultant with Transform Finance, an NGO working at the intersections of finance and social justice. She is a Data & Society Research Institute Fellow and Senior Atlantic Fellow for Racial Equity.

Michael J. Hirschhorn

Michael J. Hirschhorn is founder & CEO of mebl | Transforming Furniture. mebl develops educational resources for decision-makers in the furniture industry -- with the aim of accelerating its transition toward environmentally sustainable and circular design practices. Previously, from 2008 - 14, Michael served as Executive Director of the International Human Rights Funders Group, a global network of donors and grantmakers committed to advancing human rights. From 2003-08, Michael was Executive Director of the Coro New York Leadership Center in New York City; from 1995-2001, he served as Executive Director of the Literacy Assistance Center, also in NYC; and, prior, he was as an Assistant to the Chancellor of the NYC Public Schools and a Visiting Non-Profit Executive at the Yale School of Management. Michael plays leadership roles on the boards of a number of non-profit education, immigration, arts/design and human rights organizations and grantmaking institutions. He received his BA from Yale University and his MBA & MSW from Columbia University. Michael lives in Brooklyn, with his wife Jimena Martinez in a recently ¨empty nest¨ of their 19-year-old twins.

Josh Benson

Josh Benson is a partner at Old Town Media, a firm that works with publishers, news-related tech companies and journalism funders to maximize impact. At Old Town, he helped launch and incubate some of the most successful independent local publications in America, and he co-manages a fund that invests in news infrastructure. Previously, Josh reported and edited at the Peter Kaplan-era New York Observer and The New York Times before co-founding a publication called Capital New York, which was eventually acquired by Politico. He and his partners subsequently spearheaded Politico's successful, large-scale expansion into state and local coverage.

Nazanin Rafsanjani

Nazanin Rafsanjani has spent her career as a radio, television and podcast producer and media executive. She is the former VP of New Show Development at Gimlet Media and Spotify where she launched many podcasts including the investigative journalism series, Conviction, and news shows like The Journal, Gimlet's daily news podcast with The Wall Street Journal. Prior to that, Nazanin founded Gimlet's in-house advertising studio, Gimlet Creative, where she ran major campaigns for brands like Gatorade, Microsoft, Tinder, Virgin Atlantic and many more. Nazanin has also been a public radio producer at New York Public Radio and a contributor to This American Life, Morning Edition, All Things Considered and On the Media, and a senior producer at The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC. Nazanin is now a law student at Brooklyn Law School where she co-authored an investigative report about why the New York Asylum Office consistently grants asylum at the lowest rate in the country. As an asylum seeker herself, Nazanin has always been committed to telling stories that humanize immigrants and their experiences.

Rachel Strom

Rachel Strom is a leading media lawyer with Davis Wright Tremaine with extensive experience in the application of First Amendment law. As an early friend to Documented, she has helped to arrange pro bono legal review and provided invaluable advice, counsel and support. In her business, Rachel has represented media companies in defamation, invasion of privacy and copyright matters, including researching and writing dispositive motions, taking and defending depositions, questioning trial witnesses, drafting appellate and post-trial briefs, and presenting oral argument in trial and appellate courts. In addition to helping lead high-stakes litigation matters for traditional media clients as described above, Rachel has carved out a distinct position as a digital media specialist, providing pre-publication review for a host of important new media upstarts.