Staff

Our dynamic team of professionals brings extensive experience in the field of refugee employment. Our staff consultants provide both a front line and national perspective when addressing employment-related issues with partners. We enjoy working with diverse groups and always tailor our services accordingly. Contact a staff member today to learn how we can support you.


Jonathan Lucus
National Coordinator and Senior Consultant
jlucus@refugeeworks.org

Jonathan Lucus is the Senior Consultant and National Coordinator for RefugeeWorks at Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS). RefugeeWorks provides training and technical assistance to the national refugee employment network on strategies to enhance refugee self-sufficiency and is the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement's technical assistance provider for refugee employment activities. In his role, Jonathan manages all program activities, including trainings, research and publications. Prior to joining RefugeeWorks, Jonathan was the Assistant Director for Community Integration at LIRS. He has also worked as a Consultant for the North Carolina State Refugee Office and as the Employment Services Supervisor for Lutheran Family Services of the Carolinas. He holds a Master's degree in Public Affairs from UNCG and is a Rotarian with the Columbia Rotary Club in Columbia, Maryland.


Rebecca Armstrong
Staff Consultant
rarmstrong@refugeeworks.org

Rebecca Armstrong has been with RefugeeWorks since 2002 and worked in refugee resettlement for ten years. Her interests include capacity-building, program development, and promoting immigrant integration.  She has worked nationally on a variety of initiatives to promote self-sufficiency and family stability. For example, Ms. Armstrong led a 2-year California Refugee Youth Initiative and completed a year long research study and report entitled “Financial Literacy for Newcomers.” She has also been instrumental in developing RefugeeWorks’ website, which was launched in the summer of 2006 and is the only website specifically devoted to workforce development for refugee employment providers. Before joining RefugeeWorks, Ms. Armstrong served as the Children’s Resource and Community Services Administrator for the Lutheran Family Services Refugee Program in Denver, Colorado. A graduate of Coe College, Ms. Armstrong has also taught at the high school and elementary school levels.


Daniel Sturm
Staff Consultant and Newsletter Managing Editor
dsturm@refugeeworks.org

Daniel Sturm is a Staff Consultant and Newsletter Managing Editor for RefugeeWorks at Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, the National Center for Refugee Employment and Self-Sufficiency. He manages the production of RefugeeWorks' nationally circulated publications, including a quarterly newsletter, occasional research reports, and monthly electronic newsletters. Prior to joining RefugeeWorks, Daniel worked as a full-time journalist covering under-reported social and political topics. Originally from Germany, since moving to the United States, Daniel has worked as a reporter, professor and social justice advocate. Daniel writes on social justice issues for regional and national media and is the co-founder of prisonersolidarity.org. Recent articles of his have appeared in Z Magazine, In These Times, The Athens News, The Cincinnati City Beat, The Cleveland Free Times, and Anthropology News. An archive of his articles can be found at www.sturmstories.com. He holds a Master's degree in Comparative Literature and the Anthropology of Religion from the University of T�bingen.


Linda Rabben
Staff Consultant
lrabben@refugeeworks.org

Linda Rabben has more than a decade of experience working on social justice and immigration issues. She has published books and articles on human rights and is working on a book about the history of asylum. Linda will be working on RefugeeWorks' recertification program for skilled refugees and asylees. For more than a decade she has worked on human rights, international development and immigration issues for organizations such as Amnesty International and the U.S. Institute of Peace. She is also a freelance editor for the International Center for Transitional Justice and other clients. She holds a Ph.D. from Cornell University, in anthropology and Latin American studies.

Advisory Board