People

Zach Szmara is the National Executive Director of Immigrant Connection.  He has been a Department of Justice accredited legal representative since 2014 and has served over 2200 immigrants from 100+ nations in the 7 years he has led his local Immigrant Connection site.  He also serves as the pastor of The Bridge Community Church – a multilingual, multicultural, multiethnic church in Logansport, Indiana.  He has spoken nationally on the topic of immigration, diaspora, multi-cultural/multi-ethnic diversity, and holistic outreach to immigrants and refugees.  He is married to Lyndy, a special education administrator, and they have one son, Isaac.

Courtney Peñaranda serves as the National Director of Site Launch for Immigrant Connection. She has worked with international students through both collegiate student affairs and ESL programs. Courtney has also worked as a legal assistant in a local Immigrant Connection office as well as an immigration law firm. She is married to Luigi Peñaranda and they have 3 children, Mateo, Sofia, and Elena.

Courtney graduated from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law and is licensed to practice law in the State of Colorado. She previously worked with the African Community Center in Denver as a pro bono attorney where she assisted refugees with issues related to lawful permanent residency and TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) benefits. Courtney also worked at United States Citizenship and Immigration Services in Washington, D.C. Before joining Immigrant Connection, Courtney led the ILS Technical Unit of World Relief. She is married to Troy McClymonds and they have two daughters.

Adam Lipscomb is the National Director of Development for Immigrant Connection. He has spoken and written about immigration, anti-racism, racial and ethnic diversity and urban ministry. His has served on the boards of three nonprofits, all in the arena of housing and homelessness. He started City Life Church, a multi-cultural/multi-ethnic, core-neighborhood church, in Grand Rapids, MI. He was a co-lead pastor there, alongside his wife, Christy, for 15 years. They have two sons, Jude and Elijah.

Sera Han provides communications support to the National Immigrant Connection team. Her background is in social work, and she was previously the Director of Aftercare for Sari Bari in Calcutta, India. Sera has experience in teaching ESL in Seoul, Korea as well as in leading outreach and ministry programs in NYC. She is married to Kyle Scott.

Autumn Gale provides sustainability support to the National Immigrant Connection team. She received her Bachelor of Arts from Taylor University and has experience working in the church and nonprofit sector. For 12 years she has provided support to better coordinate the network of social services for individuals and families at risk of or experiencing homelessness in Indiana through HUD’s Homeless Management Information System (HMIS). She is married to Andrew Gale, executive director of Global Strategy, and they have two children Eleanor and Elias.