Our Team
Joana Lwin, BSW
Youth Development Director
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Re Moe, BSW
Youth Program Coordinator AmeriCorps Member
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Stella Lwin
Youth Navigator Program Coordinator AmeriCorps Member
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Andres Lomeli
Youth Navigator AmeriCorps Member
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Mawlia Meh
Lead Future Focus Coach AmeriCorps Member
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David Niyogushima
Youth Development Specialist AmeriCorps Member
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Sie Se
Youth Development Specialist AmeriCorps Member
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Aliza Fones, PhD.
University of Northern Iowa TESOL
Paw Hope
Highland Elementary School
Sheila Houston, MA
West High School
Program Advisors
Sarah VanderZanden, Ph.D
University of Northern Iowa Literacy Department
Board of Directors
Paw Hope
Board President
Mallory Petsche, MAE, EdD
Board Vice President
Breanna Stainbrook, MA
Board Secretary
Janine Baeza, MA
Director
Ngun Lang
Director
Ashley Sanchez, MSW
Director
Our Partners
RIYO partners with schools, universities, and community organizations to empower refugee and immigrant youth. Collaborations with the University of Northern Iowa’s Arts, Literacy, and TESOL departments, along with student organizations, provide youth with innovative teaching practices, literacy support, and leadership opportunities. Through our focus on experiential learning for teachers, RIYO equips educators and student-teachers with real-world experience while building a hub of youth leadership and educational excellence.
You can make a difference today!
Your impact matters! Help us create a brighter future for refugee youth in Waterloo.
Applications opening soon!
Make a Donation
Your impact matters! Help us create a brighter future for refugee youth in Waterloo.
Impactful Change
Community Collaboration
Grassroots Leadership
Cultural Understanding
Sustainable Change
Impactful Change
Community Collaboration
Grassroots Leadership
Cultural Understanding
Sustainable Change
Impactful Change
Community Collaboration
Grassroots Leadership
Cultural Understanding
Sustainable Change
Impactful Change
Community Collaboration
Grassroots Leadership
Cultural Understanding
Sustainable Change
Impactful Change
Community Collaboration
Grassroots Leadership
Cultural Understanding
Sustainable Change
Copyright 2024 - Refugee and Immigrant Youth Organization
Joana Lwin, BSW
Youth Development Director
Joana is a co-founding board member of RIYO. For more than a decade she has served in critical community organizing and leadership roles in Waterloo, Iowa, with a focus of increasing access to services for refugee youth and families from Burma. She earned her BSW from University of Northern Iowa, and prior to co-founding RIYO, Joana completed three AmeriCorps national service terms, all with organizations serving underserved youth on their path of accessing higher education. She served with EMBARC, a refugee-led organization as well as Hawkeye Community College where she served in key leadership roles in the development of refugee family service programming, mentorship and college access programming for youth from underserved communities. Ms. Lwin is originally from Burma, and resettled to the US as a refugee in 2009, graduating from Waterloo West High School where RIYO now serves high school ELL youth. She also currently serves in several leadership roles within the Karenni Community in Waterloo, Iowa.
Re Moe, BSW
Youth Program Coordinator
Re Moe is a co-founder and current Youth Program Coordinator of RIYO. Prior to founding RIYO, Re has spent more than 10 years in organizing, leadership and service roles within the Karenni refugee community in Iowa, assisting families to access critical services and leading efforts to create systemic change within the healthcare, workforce, and education systems. Re has completed three national service AmeriCorps terms dedicated to empowering youth from refugee communities to strengthen their confidence in their ability to pursue their goals and ability to access resources. She is also one of the founding “Youth Navigators” of EMBARC’s Youth Navigator program in 2015. Re is also a member of the Karenni Catholic Sacred Heart Parish. She holds a BSW from University of Northern Iowa.
Stella Lwin
Youth Navigator Program Coordinator
Stella Lwin is a co-founder of RIYO and currently serves as a third term RISE AmeriCorps member with RIYO. Stella was born in a refugee camp in Thailand and immigrated to Chicago, Illinois in 2009. Upon arrival to Iowa more than 7 years ago, Stella was one of the founding youth individuals who joined the youth program and began volunteering with EMBARC as a middle school student. Stella is also a two time alumni of the national service program, RISE AmeriCorps, with a placement at EMBARC in 2018 and RIYO in 2022. Stella is currently attending University of Northern Iowa and is pursuing a degree in Human Resources. She is interested in working with immigrants and refugees so she can provide them the resources they need to be successful. Stella volunteers her free time to help the Karenni Youth in Waterloo develop their volleyball skills, make connections, have fun and learn new skills. She is a graduate of West High School.
Andres Lomeli
Youth Navigator and Volunteer Coordinator
Andres Lomeli Cervantes, a freshman at the University of Northern Iowa (UNI), is majoring in social work with a minor in mental health. Originally from Marshalltown, Iowa, he currently resides in Cedar Falls. Before joining RIYO, Andres served as the Marshalltown Program Coordinator for Al Éxito, a nonprofit serving Latino youth in Iowa. He was previously a participant in the program for approximately three years and later became a Middle School program facilitator during his final two years of high school. At Al Éxito, Andres focused on enhancing the program by encouraging college readiness, community involvement, and cultural exploration among students. During his first semester at UNI, Andres extended his commitment by leading the High School Éxito group. Noticing a need for stronger student leadership, he took initiative to establish student leadership groups and initiated community outreach projects such as fundraising and networking with local professionals. Andres recently joined RIYO, where he looks forward to fostering new leadership experiences for youth.
Mawlia Meh
AmeriCorps Member
Mawlia Meh is a co-founder of RIYO and currently serves as an AmeriCorps member with RIYO. Pe was born and raised in a Thailand refugee camp until 2012, when her family resettled to Buffalo NY, where she lived for 3 years. Her family then decided to move to Waterloo, IA to seek better job opportunities where there is no requirement to speak English. She is the first in her family to graduate from high school and to attend university. She is currently studying social work and psychology at the University of Northern Iowa - with a research focus on youth mental health barriers and systems of support. Some of her interests are learning about nonprofit organizations, painting, dancing and playing soccer.
David Niyogushima
Youth Development Specialist
David Niyogushima, is a Junior at the University of Northern Iowa. I'm pursuing a Physical Education degree with a Health and Wellness minor. I was born in Tanzania but moved to the United States with my family when I was nine. I'm the oldest of six siblings: five brothers and one sister. I enjoy learning and connecting with people from diverse cultures and backgrounds. I am a two term RISE AmeriCorps alumni 2020-2023 where I enjoyed positively impacting students and the community, which led me to apply again for my third time to work with the youth in the Waterloo community with RIYO as they navigate life after high school. I'm thrilled to serve with RIYO and look forward to getting to know the youth involved in the program.
Sie Se
Youth Development Specialist
My name is Sie Se Lia. I am currently a student at the University of Northern Iowa majoring in Elementary Education and minoring in TESOL. I graduated from Waterloo West High School and I am the first in my family to pursue a higher education. Before joining RIYO as an AmeriCorps member, I served as an AmeriCorps VISTA for the World Grace Project as a Refugee Outreach Coordinator. I enjoy working with students and during my free time, I like to go for walks or get lost in a good book.