Kate Kovarovic is a civilian attorney specializing in veterans law and a dedicated advocate for at-risk Afghan allies. Following the fall of Afghanistan in August 2021, she volunteered extensively in evacuation and resettlement efforts, working closely with some of the most vulnerable communities, including women protestors and unaccompanied or endangered children.

Kate served as the Director of Resilience Programming for the hashtaghashtag#AfghanEvac coalition, where she led mental health support for hundreds of volunteers. In this role, she launched the Resilience Duty Officer program, providing 24/7 crisis support to volunteers, created a comprehensive online resource bank for Afghans and volunteer teams, and developed ongoing peer-support groups in partnership with organizations such as Give an Hour.

Although she has stepped back from the intense pace of frontline volunteer work, Kate continues to run a daily information channel supporting those involved in Afghan evacuation, relocation, and resettlement efforts. She also serves on the boards of the Massachusetts Afghan Alliance and Our Culture Is Giving, organizations committed to helping Afghans rebuild their lives in safety.

Joan Hodges-Wu, MA, LGSW, is a licensed social worker who has dedicated her career to transforming how organizations work with refugees. Joan began her career serving asylum-seeking survivors of torture. It was in this capacity that Joan recognized her clients’ ability to obtain refugee status in the U.S. was closely linked to their capacity to remain healthy, safe, and self-sufficient. Joan founded AsylumWorks in 2016 with $4,000 raised from a GoFundMe campaign as the organization that could bridge this gap.

Today, AsylumWorks is a nationally recognized 501(c)3 nonprofit providing tailored services to empower asylum seekers and other people fleeing persecution, regardless of language, country of origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, or gender expression. We serve hundreds of individuals and families from over 50 countries every year. Our service model provides services to help clients protect and promote their health, prepare for, find, and keep living wage employment, and fully participate in immigration proceedings.

Joan’s work has been recognized by several prestigious institutions, including the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement and the American Immigration Lawyers Association. Joan holds a Bachelor’s from Skidmore College, a Master’s in Refugee Care from the University of Essex in England, and a Master’s in Social Work from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. She has lived and worked in Pakistan, Mexico, and England. She is a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer who served in Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia.