​Our Team - Nuestro Equipo

Meet the team!

Yanira Vanegas Scott

Executive Director 

Sandra Ruiz

My name is Sandra Ruiz. I am Puerto Rican. I have been living in Sanford NC since August 2017.  My first challenge was to learn English. I have been a student at El Refugio since I arrived. I was a member of El Refugio's Board of Directors. I currently work at Lee County Schools in the Migrant Education Program. I joined the staff team as the Resource Coordinator to help provide orientation of community resources and COVID-19 information to the immigrant community in Lee County. 

Instructors and Staff - Instructores y Personal

Iris Nazario
ESL Level 1 Instructor

Jessica Smith
​ESL Level 2 Instructor

Felix Gomez 
ESL Level 3 Instructor 

Civics Class Instructor TBA
Citizenship Instructor 

TBA
Spanish Instructor 

Oscar Hernandez
ESL & Career Pathways Coordinator
Central Carolina Community College
Liaison

Carmen Helena Torres
ESL& Office Support Assistant 
Central Carolina Community College

Adelina Arias
​Childcare 
4-8 year olds

Isabela Escobar
​Childcare
4-8 year olds

Melanie Yarborough
​Childcare
1-3 year olds 
​

Martha Hernandez 
Childcare 
​1-3 year olds