Fernando Garcia
Executive Director
Fernando Garcia is Founding Director of the Border Network for Human Rights (BNHR). The BNHR supports immigrant border communities in the promotion of their human rights and the demand of humane of immigration reform that is consistent with human rights. As Director, Fernando is responsible for facilitating the creation of Human Rights Community-Based Committees and the training of Human Rights Promoters in Southern New Mexico, West Texas, Arizona, Houston, Dallas, San Jose CA and New Jersey.  In 2001, he became the National Coordinator of the National Movement for Legalization and Human Rights – an alliance of community based immigrant groups and organizations in the U.S. Under Fernando’s coordination, the Border Network for Human Rights has also worked closely with local elected officials and community organizations to develop city council resolutions in El Paso, Texas to oppose the militarization of the border, a call for comprehensive immigration reform, and against the presence of racist groups in the border region such as the minutemen. At the present he is a member of the Independent Task Force of Immigration and America’s Future convened by the Migration Policy Institute.

Teresa Nevarez
Deputy Director/Assistant Director
Teresa Nevarez is from El Paso Texas, but for the last 25 years has lived in the New Mexico Region. Prior to BNHR, she attended University of Phoenix where her major would be Human services and Social work and was also working as a Consciousness Raising Coordinator with another organization. Teresa started as a volunteer office assistant at the Southern New Mexico BNHR Center. Her experience and office management skills led her to become Director for this center, engaging in all the BNHR activities and events in El Paso Texas and Southern New Mexico. On January 2013, Teresa was named Executive assistant and Staff director (Deputy Director) for the Organization.

Gabriela Castaneda

Communications Director/BNHR East El Paso Office Director

Gabriela Castaneda began as a volunteer for Border Network for Human Rights in 2004, after showing great leadership and commitment, she became BNHR East El Paso Office Director. Her great charisma, eloquence and conviction on justice led her to become one of the main press speakers for all Border Network’s events. Ms Castaneda recently became the organization’s Communications Director; she oversees all communications for Border Network for Human Rights. Ms. Castaneda commitment to bring justice to Immigrant communities is rooted in her own experience as a Mexican migrant. She strongly believes that every human being should be treated with dignity and rights.

Claudia Diaz
Organizing Director
Mrs. Diaz is the BNHR Southern New Mexico office Director. Mrs. Diaz has been part of the organization since 2001, she began her work in the communities as a volunteer Human Rights Promotor and after a very short time she became a Regional Coordinator for the SNM areas. Throughout the years, because of Mrs. Diaz’s leadership amongst the BNHR communities in El Paso and Southern NM, Mrs. Diaz was named Organizing Director in 2013.

Adriana Cadena
Alliance Director
Adriana Cadena is the Alliance Director for the Border Network for Human Rights and also serves as the State Coordinator for RITA (Reform Immigration for Texas Alliance). For over thirteen years, Ms. Cadena has been involved in projects that defend and promote the rights of immigrant families in the United States. Her vision and commitment to the immigrant community is rooted in her own experience as Mexican immigrant in Texas. Her passion has led her to work with respected organizations such as the NALEO Educational Fund and Service Employees International Union. Adriana holds a Bachelor’s in Foreign Service from Georgetown University in Washington, DC.

Marco Perez
Bookkeeper/ Accountant

Mr. Perez was hired as part of the new administration in 2015 as Bookkeeper/Accountant. Mr. Perez has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management and Applied Science from Southwest University in El Paso and is also a Certified Texas Notary Public with Tax Preparation experience. Mr. Perez has more than 20 years of experience in Human Resources management, team trainer, and floor supervision in the retail and food industry.

Robert Heyman
Policy Coordinator
Robert Heyman is BNHR’s Policy Coordinator and has been with the organization since July 2014. Mr. Heyman is responsible for coordinating BNHR’s diverse policy work locally, at the state level in both Texas and New Mexico, and federally. This includes both policy development, strategizing, and outreach, including work with the Reform Immigration for Texas Alliance. Mr. Heyman has a B.A. in Geography from Macalester College, and an M.A. in Geography from the Ohio State University.