The Broetje Family Trust is building on a long history of being in community with and supporting immigrants in the Tri Cities area. The next step in this journey to listen to and accompany immigrants is the creation of a new position at the trust, Immigration Outreach Manager. Ivone Guillen joined the team this month in that role. Ivone’s experience and background include pastoral and social ministry, leadership formation, public policy development, legislative advocacy, and community organizing, among others.
Ivone is driven by her faith, her family, and her love of community. She is a native of Washington State where she has lived and worked among migrant families, including those in the Vista Hermosa community where she became acquainted with the Broetje family. She has dedicated herself to community building, paving the path forward, and supporting her peers to reach their God-given potential.
As a first-generation Latina immigrant, she was the first in her family to attend college. After completing her undergraduate studies at Gonzaga University with a bachelor’s degree in International Studies and Spanish, she moved to Washington, D.C. to work for Bread for the World as an Immigration Policy Fellow. She focused on education and raising awareness on the root causes of migration as well as shedding light on the socio-economic realities immigrants face in the United States. Ivone then served on the staff of Sojourners, where she directed the immigration campaign and related communications efforts. During her time with Sojourners, she brought together faith leaders and other people of good will to protect the life and dignity of immigrants through collective strategies that advanced shared values and immigration reform. Prior to joining The Broetje Family Trust, Ivone was the Catholic Social Teaching Education Coordinator for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Department of Justice, Peace, and Human Development. There she focused on leadership development among local leaders working for justice and peace in their communities.
Ivone also holds a Master of Public Administration with a concentration in public policy analysis from American University in D.C. We are excited to welcome Ivone back home and to have her share her amazing gifts as a part of the Broetje Family Trust. We believe that our communities will be richly blessed through her.