top of page
Courtney Penaranda_edited_edited.jpg

Zach Szmara

Founder & Executive Director

As the Founder and Executive Director of Immigrant Connection, Zach provides oversight for the Immigrant Connection National team as well as the Immigrant Connection Legal Network. He himself has been a Local Immigrant Connection Site Director and Department of Justice accredited Legal Representative since 2014. Zach has served thousands of immigrant families from 120+ nations.

"I believe that providing immigration legal services is the most tangible, transformative act of welcome a community can offer. But the reality is, it doesn’t just transform immigrant families; it actually transforms the community itself because immigrant families make neighborhoods and communities stronger, richer, and more vibrant. My own life, my family, and my local community have all been changed for the better due to loving and welcoming immigrants."

Zach is an ordained Wesleyan minister and pastors The Bridge Community Church - a multilingual, multicultural, and multiethnic church in Logansport, Indiana. Prior to this, he served overseas in Papua New Guinea and Mozambique.

Zach earned his BA in Intercultural Studies and Biblical Studies from Indiana Wesleyan University and his MA in Intercultural Studies, Anthropology, and Ethics from Asbury Theological Seminary. He is married to Lyndy, a special education administrator, and they have one son, Isaac.

bottom of page