About IRIS
Board Of Directors
Gloria Garcia
Gloria Garcia is a dedicated community leader with a strong background in advocating for children and families. A graduate of Western Washington University, concentrating in Mathematics, Spanish and Latin American Studies, she currently works at the Whatcom County Superior Court, developing the Family and Juvenile Court Improvement Program. She worked with the Whatcom Children’s Advocacy Center, where she was the former Program Manager and Forensic Interviewer. Gloria’s career has spanned a variety of roles, including positions at the Whatcom Literacy Council, Western Washington University, MindPort Exhibits, and the Whatcom County Health Department, reflecting her passion for community engagement and education.
In addition to her professional work, Gloria is committed to addressing food insecurity and serves on the Board of Directors for the Bellingham Food Bank. Her career is defined by her leadership, strategic vision, and unwavering dedication to advocating for and supporting those in need.
Olivo Flores
Olivo immigrated to the US with his family at the age of 11. As a teenager, he spent summers doing field work alongside his parents and gained a valuable perspective on the difficulties of farm labor. He graduated from Mount Vernon High School, pursued a career, and is dedicated to giving back to the immigrant community.
Olivo is now a branch manager for North Coast Credit Union. During his seven years there he has repeatedly seen the importance of financial literacy and the impact it can have on a person’s well-being. This moved him to volunteer with the Financial People Project in Skagit County, where he gave workshops in Spanish to help adults achieve financial stability. Olivo lives in Mount Vernon with his partner and 3 children.
Guillermina Bazante
Board President
Guillermina Bazante is a native Mixtec speaker who worked diligently to learn English, earn her high school diploma and begin her studies in Human Services at Skagit Community College. Coming from a low-income, migrant farmworker family, gaining an education was her most important goal in life, and equally challenging. Guillermina draws motivation from her four children when circumstances seem daunting.
Guillermina also draws inspiration from her work in the community, including as an Outreach Coordinator at the Catholic Community Services Farmworkers’ Center in Mount Vernon, Washington. Her valuable skills and life experience allow her to uplift community members who do not speak English or Spanish.
Guillermina has a reputation for being a strong and efficient advocate, for understanding resources available within the community, and for her unwavering passion for helping those in need.
Advisory Board
Marta Martinez Olivera
Marta grew up in a Farmworker family, working side by side with her siblings and parents in the fields of Skagit Valley. She always dreamed of going to college. After graduating from high school, Marta could only afford her first quarter of community college because, at the time, she was not eligible for financial aid. Through the DACA program (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), Marta became eligible for financial aid and completed her Associate’s Degree in Human Services at Skagit Valley College.
Marta is the Program Coordinator at the Catholic Community Services Farmworker Center and oversees the Plaza Communitaria Adult Education programs.
Sister Susan Wells
Sister Susan belongs to the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary. For nearly five years she served as the Director of the Catholic Community Services Farmworker Center in Mount Vernon. She has worked in solidarity with Immigrant communities in Skagit Valley, Yakima Valley, Tacoma, and California for nearly 20 years.
She brings her passion for serving the Indigenous migrant community members to the Community Advisory Board of IRIS. She is currently serving on the Congregational Leadership Team of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary.
Leta Rae
Leta is an immigration attorney based in Bellingham, WA where she represents clients in a broad range of immigration matters. Before becoming an attorney, Leta volunteered at a non-profit organization in Nicaragua, attended the International Institute of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France, and worked on cases at the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in San Jose, Costa Rica. Leta is fluent in Spanish and is an active member of her community, frequently volunteering at legal clinics, engaging in advocacy and outreach efforts and providing pro bono services to those in need. Leta lives in Bellingham with her two daughters.
Staff
Norma
Norma, Executive Director and President
Norma has worked at local non-profit organizations for over 15 years, focusing specifically on serving the immigrant populations. She attended Western Washington University, where she helped undocumented students overcome barriers and access resources to help pay for their education. Later, at Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services of Whatcom County, she served survivors of violence by helping them to access much-needed services and protections. Norma later worked for the migrant summer program at Inspire Development Center and Sea Mar Community Health Centers. Most recently, Norma served as the center manager for the Whatcom County Goodwill Job Training & Education Center. Norma’s hobbies include growing lettuce and herbs for her rabbit and taking her nephew hiking.
Keeley
Program Assistant
Keeley works to reduce the inequities immigrants encounter by delivering services rooted in dignity and cultural understanding. She graduated WWU with a self-designed bachelor’s degree named, Latin@ Communities, Culture, and Advocacy. Her studies included on-the-ground research at the US-Mexico border, homestays and interviews with Indigenous Guatemalan and Mexican families, and Spanish language.
Before being hired as the first-ever staff person at IRIS in 2021, Keeley served on the original board of directors. She worked at the Whatcom Literacy Council, teaching English classes at worksites such as Trident Seafoods. Later she served as a case manager at the Skagit County Goodwill Job Training and Education Center. She supported local immigrants to identify sources of stress, build self-advocacy skills, and connect with trustworthy, immigrant-friendly agencies for services.
Sam
Resource Navigator
Sam’s parents immigrated to Mount Vernon from Oaxaca, Mexico, and their experiences have deepened his understanding of the challenges many immigrant families face. This personal connection has inspired him to actively support and uplift his community. Sam is trilingual, fluent in English, Spanish, and Mixtec. He has a deep personal understanding of the local Indigenous populations from Southern Mexico and the unique challenges they face that go beyond language barriers.
In Skagit and Whatcom counties, many Mixtec speakers don’t speak Spanish and encounter higher levels of discrimination and greater obstacles in getting their basic needs met. Sam is passionate about helping individuals navigate these challenges, connect with resources, and feel genuinely supported. Bringing about meaningful, positive change in someone’s life is deeply rewarding to him. He is currently a student at Skagit Valley College and runs a small local business. In his free time, Sam enjoys playing soccer, exploring new learning opportunities, and spending time outdoors.
Alex
Resource Navigator
Alex graduated from Western Washington University with a Bachelor’s degree in Multidisciplinary Studies in 2018. His career journey started with Ready to Rise, a Tacoma-based nonprofit organization where he guided first-generation immigrant students of color in navigating higher education at WWU.
His passion to help and support the Latino community in Whatcom County led him to start a position with Washington State University Whatcom Extension Office, where he has been working for over five years empowering Latino youth in grades 8-12 and their families through workshop and mentorship programs that highlight the value of higher education.
Kathe
Staff Member
Kathe dedicated nearly three decades to Bellingham Public Schools, serving in a variety of roles including Multilingual teacher, migrant recruiter, and—during the final fifteen years of her career—Multilingual family advocate and family liaison. Throughout her work, she was deeply committed to supporting multilingual students and their families, helping bridge cultural and educational connections within the community.
She has always had an advocate’s heart, with a strong commitment to reaching out to immigrant, refugee, and marginalized families and youth. Through collaboration with the school district, community organizations, nonprofits, and local leaders, she worked to increase equitable access to education and essential resources.
Kathe earned her Bachelor of Arts in Spanish, along with a TESOL certificate and Washington State teaching credentials from Western Washington University. She is the proud mother of two grown sons and finds great joy in the outdoors.