Noemi was born and raised in Managua, Nicaragua. At the age of 14, her family immigrated to the United States due to the unstable political climate in her country of origin. Her family applied for political asylum in 1982, and it was granted ten years later.

After earning her B.A. in Spanish and a B.S. in Psychology from the University of California at Davis in 1991, Noemi worked as a counselor at FamiliesFirst, a non-profit organization serving troubled youth in the Bay Area. 

In 1994 she joined the National Center for LGBTQ Rights (NCLR) and founded what would become their Immigration Project, Hogar {Home}, which she is the Director of today. 

As the Director of NCLR’s HOGAR {HOME}, Noemi has dedicated herself to assist and support the LGBT immigrant community. Under Noemi’s leadership, the project has grown to include a full time project associate, a staff attorney, and contract attorneys. Noemi continues to respond to LGBT immigrants seeking information and assistance from NCLR, represents NCLR at conferences and workshops nationwide, and acts as NCLR’s liaison to the broader immigration rights community. She has provided legal assistance to hundreds of immigrants in her time at NCLR, including many who she assisted from initially obtaining legal status all the way to becoming naturalized U.S. citizens. 

Noemi completed her Paralegal certification and graduated from San Francisco State University with High Honors.  She is currently working on becoming a Department of Justice Accredited Representative.

Languages spoken: Spanish