top of page
SE February_-17.jpg

 MEET THE TEAM 

From engineering to global health to data-driven advocacy, we work together to improve living conditions and find community-led solutions grounded in health, dignity, and safety.

 

With a variety of backgrounds, we work to ensure that every project is designed to meet the real and urgent needs of the communities we work with.​​

WhatsApp Image 2022-11-09 at 3.54.52 PM.jpeg

Board Member - USA

Christina Martin Kenny

Christina brings lived experience and a deep belief in dignity for families navigating displacement, shaped by her family’s journey from Cuba through Mexico. She is the Founder of Guava Tree Strategies, where she partners with nonprofits to strengthen strategy and deepen community impact. On the board, she supports organizational vision and growth.

WhatsApp Image 2022-11-09 at 3.54.52 PM.jpeg

Project Manager - Mexico

Dison Valladares Zepeda

Dison leads Solidarity Engineering’s operations in Tapachula, coordinating hygiene distributions, assessing infrastructure needs, and implementing WASH repair projects. With a background in construction and civil topography, he brings strong technical expertise and works closely with shelter teams to deliver practical, community-driven solutions.

WhatsApp Image 2022-11-09 at 3.54.52 PM.jpeg

Program Coordinator - Canada

Emaan Alam

Emaan is a Master of Global Health practicum student at McMaster University with a background in health and environmental studies. She supports outreach, partnership development, and student engagement initiatives across Solidarity Engineering’s humanitarian programs. Her work focuses on expanding student involvement in community-centered global health initiatives.

WhatsApp Image 2022-11-09 at 3.54.52 PM.jpeg

Executive Director, Co-Founder, Board Member - USA

Erin Hughes

Erin is a Licensed Professional Engineer and co-founder of Solidarity Engineering, leading the organization’s vision and programs. With a background in environmental engineering and stormwater management, she guides the development of sustainable, community-driven infrastructure for displaced communities. Her leadership bridges technical rigor with responsive, on-the-ground action.

WhatsApp Image 2022-11-09 at 3.54.52 PM.jpeg

Board Member - USA

Estuardo Cifuentes

Estuardo is a Guatemalan asylee and LGBTQ+ advocate who brings lived experience and frontline insight to the board. After fleeing persecution, he founded a shelter in Mexico supporting LGBTQ+ migrants and continues to advocate for asylum seekers in the United States. He advises on programs serving people on the move and organizational development.

WhatsApp Image 2022-11-09 at 3.54.52 PM.jpeg

Campus Chapter Coordinator - Canada

Iffah Shaikh

Iffah leads Solidarity Engineering’s campus chapter program, supporting students in launching and growing SE-affiliated clubs. She helped establish the first chapter at McMaster University, where she studied Health Sciences and Global Health. Through this work, she mobilizes students to build awareness, fundraise, and contribute to the mission.

WhatsApp Image 2022-11-09 at 3.54.52 PM.jpeg

Program Manager (Ukraine) - USA

Jona Block

Jona manages Solidarity Engineering’s Ukraine programming across projects and coordination. With a background in crisis management, refugee resettlement, and photography, he contributes to storytelling, grant writing, volunteer coordination, and field operations. His work helps connect on-the-ground impact with broader visibility and support.

WhatsApp Image 2022-11-09 at 3.54.52 PM.jpeg

Field Engineer - Mexico

José Alvarez Cuevas

José serves as Lead Field Engineer, overseeing the design, implementation, and maintenance of infrastructure across Northern Mexico. With training in mechanical and electrical engineering, he ensures systems are functional, durable, and responsive to community needs.

WhatsApp Image 2022-11-09 at 3.54.52 PM.jpeg

Program Manager - Mexico

Karely Chavez

Karely leads programs focused on hygiene, health, and psycho-emotional support for displaced communities. With a background in education and psychopedagogy, she designs and facilitates workshops that promote the rights and wellbeing of children, adolescents, and adults. Her work centers access to critical health information and care.

WhatsApp Image 2022-11-09 at 3.54.52 PM.jpeg

Country Director - Jordan

Lara Barbarawi

Lara leads Solidarity Engineering’s work in Jordan, managing partnerships, logistics, and program strategy. With a background in biomedical engineering and global health, she brings an evidence-based and community-centered approach to program design and implementation.

WhatsApp Image 2022-11-09 at 3.54.52 PM.jpeg

Programs Director, Board Member - USA

Miranda Mello

Miranda leads programs, development, and marketing at Solidarity Engineering, ensuring the work is both impactful and sustainable. With expertise in WASH and GIS, she helps design and scale systems across water, emergency response, and global engineering initiatives. Her work connects program quality with the funding, strategy, and storytelling needed for long-term growth.

WhatsApp Image 2022-11-09 at 3.54.52 PM.jpeg

Social Media Manager - Canada

Noor Natheir

Noor is a Master of Global Health practicum student at McMaster University with a background in Arts and Science. She supports communications and media initiatives that highlight Solidarity Engineering’s work in WASH, STEM, and women’s health. Her work focuses on strengthening community engagement and expanding visibility through digital storytelling.

IMG_0673.JPG

How we began - It all started with a podcast

In November 2019, an episode of This American Life aired, highlighting an informal refugee camp that had formed in Matamoros, Mexico. The conditions in the camp were stark, and home to thousands of asylum-seeking families. Here they faced severe shortages of essential resources like clean water and sanitation.​​

Three engineers—Erin Hughes, Christa Cook, and Chloe Rastatter—each heard the episode, and though they were strangers at the time, they felt a shared calling to learn more.

​​

After reaching out to the on-the-ground humanitarian organization featured in the podcast, they learned that the camp had no technical or engineering support. The organization connected the three women, inviting them to the border to see how they might be able to support their work.

In June 2020, Erin, Christa, and Chloe met for the first time at the U.S.-Mexico border. Over the next few months, they worked together to complete critical projects alongside asylum-seekers, Global Response Management (GRM), the Resource Center of Matamoros (RCM), and other local NGOs. Driven by a shared vision of dignity and health for all, they used their engineering backgrounds to address the camp’s most pressing needs, from clean water access to safe sanitation.

Solidarity Engineering was inaugurated in November 2020, one year after the podcast aired that inspired them to change their lives. Solidarity Engineering was born—a response not only to the humanitarian crisis at the border but also to the urgent need for sustainable, community-centered solutions for communities affected by displacement.

bottom of page