Board Chair Announcement: Gratitude to Abdi Soltani and Introducing Nicole Anand
As we begin a new year, Immigrants Rising is excited to welcome our newly elected Board Chair, Nicole Anand, while expressing deep gratitude to Abdi Soltani for his years of leadership and stewardship through transformative moments in our organization’s journey.
We are proud to celebrate Abdi Soltani and his many years of leadership and service to Immigrants Rising.
After four years as Immigrants Rising’s Board Chair, Abdi stepped down from his role in December 2025 and will continue to serve as a Board Member. Abdi’s leadership and partnership will have a lasting impact on our organization, and we are deeply grateful to him.
Abdi first began working with undocumented youth as a community organizer in the aftermath of Proposition 187. He was inspired when he met young adult leaders of what was then Educators for Fair Consideration at an event. After an early conversation with Katharine (Kathy) Gin, he joined Immigrants Rising’s inaugural Leadership Council in June of 2014 and quickly became a trusted leader during pivotal moments in the organization’s growth. Since then, he helped shape Immigrants Rising’s strategic direction and played a central role in guiding the organization through the discernment process that led to our transition to an independent 501(c)(3).
When Immigrants Rising filed paperwork to establish its own 501(c)(3) in August 2021, Abdi stepped in as Board Chair for our provisional and transition Board. He stewarded the spin-off, supported Immigrants Rising’s executive staff through a significant organizational change, guided the search for our next Executive Director, and provided steady leadership during Kathy’s transition.
As Iliana Perez stepped into the Executive Director role in August 2024, Abdi was a steady and generous partner, offering counsel during moments of uncertainty, supporting the establishment of a new Board, and guiding Immigrants Rising through complex internal transitions and challenging political moments. Most recently, Abdi helped to launch our strategic planning process to prepare for the coming years.
As we mark this new step in Immigrants Rising’s transitions, we thank Abdi for helping build the foundation that allows us to keep rising!
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“It has been a true pleasure to be part of Immigrants Rising over all these years and to do my part to help the organization thrive through these transitions.” — Abdi Soltani |
We are thrilled to welcome Nicole Anand as the new Board Chair of Immigrants Rising!
Nicole joined Immigrants Rising’s Board in May 2025 and quickly emerged as a trusted thought partner, offering insightful feedback and consistently helping us see new possibilities for growth, impact, and alignment.
She brings extensive experience in strategy, organizational leadership, and building initiatives that expand economic opportunity, with a professional background that spans cross-sector work at the intersection of innovation, systems change, and equity. Her leadership comes at a critical moment as Immigrants Rising continues to deepen its policy, programmatic, and organizational impact.
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“As a daughter of immigrants and granddaughter of refugees, Immigrants Rising’s work is near to my heart. This country wouldn’t be what it is without immigrants, and I am so honored to be a part of the organization’s impact — supporting the economic mobility journeys of undocumented immigrants from investing in their education, all the way through their careers.” — Nicole Anand |
We are excited to partner with Nicole as Board Chair and grateful for her commitment to guiding Immigrants Rising into its next chapter.
