Tom Tortorici has over 13 years of diverse experience supporting the wellbeing and integration of immigrants, asylum seekers, and refugees in the U.S. and abroad through direct service, program design & implementation, and policy advocacy. Most recently, Tom joined Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) to lead and manage all aspects of a large complex federal services contract with the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) providing trauma-informed legal services for unaccompanied child migrants nationwide. Previously, as Executive Director of Legal & Support Initiatives at the NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA), Tom led the design and implementation of innovative programs including the Ukrainian Response Initiative, Haitian Response Initiative, Asylum Seeker Legal Assistance Network, and Asylum Seeker Resource Navigation Center. He engaged with city leadership and other stakeholder groups on immigration policy matters, and directed a broad portfolio of immigration legal service programs in partnership with local non-profits, community- and faith-based organizations, and public institutions. Prior to working at MOIA, Tom served as a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer in northern Peru, and held a series of operations and strategy roles supporting the effectiveness of people, projects, and organizations across multiple disciplines. Tom holds a BA from New York University, an MA from Columbia University Teacher’s College, and a JD from the City University of New York School of Law. He is a trained mediator and fluent in Spanish.