Marina Peshterianu joined Bridge Refugee Services Chattanooga in 1999 transitioning from the career in education. Before joining Bridge, she taught in an inner-city magnet school focusing on environmental and global issues.
During her time at Bridge, Marina participated in resettlement of refugees from Vietnam, Bosnia, Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Liberia, Sudan, Burundi, Tanzania, Congo, Chad, Somalia, Iraq, Iran, Cuba and Colombia and performed a variety of job responsibilities such as case-manager, job developer, Early Employment (MG) program coordinator, sub-office coordinator, and became Associate Director in 2014.
“I am honored to have an opportunity to help refugees from all over the world to make a transition into their new life in our community and reclaim their freedom and independence. Their achievements are an everyday affirmation of human capacity to survive, rise and step forward”
(423) 954-1911
mpeshterianu@bridgerefugees.org
Jennifer Croxall has traveled extensively and has a passion for other cultures. She has been volunteering with Bridge Refugee Services in various capacities since 2000, when her church co-sponsored a refugee family. Jennifer became a Pre Arrival Specialist at Bridge in 2015. Her responsibilities include securing affordable housing for refugees, preparing apartments with community volunteers for newly arriving refugees, and providing them with housing orientation to assist them in their transition into their new home. Jennifer graduated from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga with a B.S. in Psychology.
(423) 355-5969
jcroxall@bridgerefugees.org
Angel Daugherty is our Tennessee Office for Refugees Liaison/Senior Case Manager. She is responsible for enrolling clients into appropriate TOR funded programs, managing cash and medical assistance eligibility, and timely reporting for all programs. TOR provides state administered refugee resettlement programs providing assistance (cash and medical) and social services to refugees with the purpose of increasing refugee prospects for early employment and self-sufficiency. She is responsible for providing Health Literacy Training (general health, nutrition, mental health, and other special topics) to all newly arriving clients, as well as assisting case managers with medical case management for clients with ongoing or more serious health concerns. Angel works closely with program staff to provide ongoing support and/or training as needed.
(423) 355-5969
adaugherty@bridgerefugees.org
Wies de Laat joined Bridge in August 2022 as a Programs Support Specialist. She was born and raised in The Netherlands where she graduated from Radboud University Nijmegen with a Bachelor’s degree in Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology and a Master’s degree in Human Geography: Globalization, Migration and Development. Her interest in topics related to migration started when she lived a year in Mexico, where she learned more about undocumented migrants and migrant caravans passing through the South American continent. Having studied migration, she is excited to put her knowledge into practice at Bridge and assist those who come to this country through the refugee program. Her responsibilities include locating appropriate and affordable housing for newly arriving refugees, managing in-kind donations, and coordinating apartment set up with volunteers and Bridge staff. She will also provide clerical and administrative support for all Bridge’s programs.
In her free time Wies enjoys traveling, ballet classes, and going for a hike with her dog Cindy.
Isabella Eklund, MSW is a Maryland native who moved to Chattanooga to pursue her education in social work. She obtained her Bachelor of Social Work in 2023 and her Master of Social Work, emphasis in Crisis and Emergency Management, in 2024. Isabella values advocacy and empowerment, spending the last three years in the intersection between community and systemic resources. This includes working with unhoused families navigating school systems, as a diversity officer and research assistant at Southern Adventist University, and volunteering in community efforts in Chattanooga.
Growing up with an immigrant parent taught Isabella the importance of supporting migrants from any walk of life. Isabella hopes to ensure that all people have a place to access dignity as part of the Chattanooga community. In her free time, Isabella spends much of her time with her friends and her dogs. She enjoys getting coffee, engaging in local arts, and spending time outdoors on the weekends.
ieklund@bridgerefugees.org
Cara Flowers joined Bridge in November 2025 as a Case Manager. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and studied abroad in Europe, focusing on persecution, displacement, and human rights. This experience sparked her interest in the US immigration system and the challenges immigrants face, leading her to further study the integration process and the social, cultural, and systemic barriers immigrants often encounter.
She is committed to creating a supportive and welcoming environment for clients as they navigate new and unfamiliar processes during integration, including learning a new language, accessing public benefits, securing employment, and pursuing long-term career goals. In her free time, Cara enjoys engaging with her community, crafting, spending time outdoors, exploring new cultures, and connecting with her loved ones.
cflowers@bridgerefugees.org
Marina Ghani moved to the US in 2017 from Brazil where she worked as an Occupational Therapist in the mental health field and has been assisting vulnerable populations since 2008. Her experience spreads through non-profit organizations and government institutions at municipal and federal levels. Before she joined Bridge, her work focused on community health programs, client-based interventions, and the National Professional Rehabilitation Program in Brazil. Since she moved to the US she has worked as a Medical Case Manager at Cempa and volunteered at several organizations – including Bridge Refugees Services – continuing to be actively involved in the improvement of people’s quality of life and empowering them to be independent.
Marina loves working with people in a collaborative team-based environment. She likes art projects, painting, crocheting, meeting new people, and visiting new places. She is a volunteer who raises dogs for Smoky Mountain Service Dogs in Lenoir City, but most of all Marina enjoys spending time with her husband and two children.
mghani@bridgerefugees.org
Sarah Pedersen Hitchcock joined Bridge in January 2022 as a case manager and school liaison. She was born in New York and moved to Tennessee during high school. She attended the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and earned her degree in Early Childhood Education. After teaching second grade for several years, including teaching refugee students, she transitioned to working at Bridge. Sarah is now the Youth Services Coordinator, managing the Refugee School Impact (RSI) and Refugee Youth Mentoring programs.
She is passionate about helping others navigate the school system and welcoming refugees into their new communities. Sarah enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading, traveling to new places, and baking.
Kendra Hoogland joined Bridge in June of 2024. She was born and raised in Southern California before calling Chattanooga her home. Her love for culture, language, and travel was sparked by her first trip overseas when she was in high school. She went on to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies from California Baptist University. Kendra has enjoyed numerous trips abroad, including a year-long residency in Southeast Asia.
She is passionate about connecting with people and welcoming refugees into the community. She firmly believes that there is so much to learn from other cultures, experiences and worldviews. Outside of the office, Kendra’s favorite activities include spending time with friends, being outdoors, film photography, and
writing music.
khoogland@bridgerefugees.org
Gigi Maddux joined Bridge Refugee Services in December 2025 as a Case Manager. Originally from Cleveland, OH, she attended Calvin University in Grand Rapids, MI, where she earned a degree in Psychology and Recreational Leadership. Her academic background and relational approach shape the way she supports refugees as they navigate resettlement and build stability in their new community.
Gigi is deeply committed to the dignity of all people and believes that access to resources, community, and opportunity is essential for individuals and families to thrive. She brings a genuine love of people and culture to her work and values learning from the lived experiences of the clients she serves.
Outside of Bridge, Gigi enjoys rock climbing, biking around Chattanooga, and making music. She is often drawn to creative and outdoor spaces that bring people together and reflect her curiosity, energy, and care for community.
gmaddux@bridgerefugees.org
Megan Revis joined Bridge Refugee Services in February 2022 as a Case Manager. She graduated from Liberty University with her Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies and a Master of Public Health. Megan’s desire to work with refugees began when she had the opportunity to work with refugee and migrant centers in Europe during an internship. As a Case Manager, she is passionate about helping refugees resettle and integrate into Chattanooga. Megan enjoys a good book, a long walk, and kayaking in her free time.
Ramona Shelton joined Bridge in January 2026. She grew up in both Australia and Virginia, where she developed an early appreciation for cultural exchange. Ramona graduated from The College of William & Mary in 2023 with a degree in International Relations and Hispanic Studies, focusing on post-conflict transitions in Latin America.
Before coming to Bridge, Ramona worked as an ENL teacher for immigrant and refugee students in Hamilton County while earning her Master’s in Education from Lipscomb University. She also spent a semester teaching at a bilingual school in Honduras.
Through her work, Ramona has seen firsthand the importance of diversity in Chattanooga and is inspired by the resilience of refugees rebuilding their lives in the city. In her free time, Ramona enjoys reading, spending time with her dog, and being outdoors.
rshelton@bridgerefugees.org
Thomas Totherow joined Bridge in November of 2024 as a Tennessee Office for Refugees Case Manager. He graduated from Toccoa Falls College with a Bachelors in Cross-Cultural Studies and a Minor in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages in 2018, going on two internships to Bangkok, Thailand and Clarkston, GA. He later received his Masters in Ministry Leadership from Crown College. Thomas has been working with and serving refugee populations since 2017 through volunteer coordinating, teaching English, community integration, and case management. He served as a Reception and Placement Case Manager in Omaha, NE from 2022 to 2024. Thomas desires to empower refugees to thrive in their new communities through the support of Bridge and their partners. He is excited to help his new neighbors find “dignity, hope, and opportunity” through employment in Chattanooga. In his free time he enjoys hiking, trying new food, reading, learning about culture, and spending time with his family and friends.
Nathan Walker hails from Birmingham, AL but has gladly called Chattanooga home for a number of years. He joined Bridge in October 2022 as our new Volunteer and Co-Sponsorship Manager.
Nathan’s experience managing volunteers for nonprofits, undergraduate degree in Community Development from Covenant College (‘16), and drive to empower marginalized and at risk communities are all pieces that helped him find us. He enjoys the chance to facilitate our clients’ successful integration into Chattanooga through the invaluable aid of our volunteers.
Nathan’s passion to travel the world and see other ways of life developed his global perspective.
His travels took him to 15 different countries over the years; he hopes to see more in the future. “Everyone should practice being a minority in a different culture at least once in their life. When I intentionally invest time in this type of experience, it always positively changes the way I view the world and how I treat everyone around me.”
When Nathan is out of the office, you’ll most likely find him on the side of a cliff rock climbing or hugging his roommate’s dog Fozzie.