Notice

Department of Justice

Executive Office for Immigration Review

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

The Executive Office for Immigration Review
Announces New Office of Legislative and Public Affairs Staff

FALLS CHURCH, VA – The Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) today announced the hiring of two new personnel in the Office of Legislative and Public Affairs (OLPA). Nathan Berkeley joins the OLPA at Headquarters as the first outreach director and LaFondra Lynch will serve in Atlanta as the agency’s first regional public information officer (PIO). Both positions represent EOIR’s continued efforts to provide quality service to, and to learn from, Congress, news media and other agency stakeholders.

The outreach director will serve as a main point of contact for non-governmental organizations and other stakeholder groups interested in working with EOIR. The regional PIO position represents a pilot program to determine the magnitude to which the addition of regionally located OLPA staff increases responsiveness. Following training at Headquarters, the regional PIO will work from the Atlanta Immigration Court and will work with Headquarters staff on matters pertaining to Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.

Biographical information follows.

Nathan Berkeley, Outreach Director

Nathan Berkeley entered on duty as the outreach director in the Office of Legislative and Public Affairs, Executive Office for Immigration Review, in May 2015. Mr. Berkeley received bachelor of arts degrees in 2003 from Olivet Nazarene University and a master of arts degree in 2007 from the Catholic University of America. From June 2012 to May 2015, Mr. Berkeley served in the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations, Custody Programs Division in Washington, D.C., including time spent as the acting section chief for the Custody Programs Division from December 2014 to May 2015. From 2010 to 2012, Mr. Berkeley served in the ICE Office of the Chief Financial Officer. Previous to his time with ICE, Mr. Berkeley served from 2008 to 2009 as a police officer in Kentwood, Mich. From 2003 to 2006, he served as a congressional aide in the office of Rep. Donald Manzullo.

LaFondra Lynch, Regional Public Information Officer

LaFondra Lynch entered on duty as a regional public information officer in the Office of Legislative and Public Affairs, Executive Office for Immigration Review, in March 2015. Ms. Lynch received a bachelor of science degree in 2003 from Towson University and a master of arts degree from the Johns Hopkins University in 2006. From September 2013 to March 2015, Ms. Lynch served as the appropriations officer for the Administration Division, Executive Office for Immigration Review, in Falls Church, Va. From 2008 to 2013, she served at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Department of Justice (DOJ), in various capacities including DOJ liaison, chief of staff, congressional liaison, management analyst and senior advisor. From 2006 to 2008, Ms. Lynch served as human resources specialist for the Agricultural Research Service, Department of Agriculture, in Beltsville, Md. From 2005 to 2006, she served as Freedom of Information Act specialist for the Federal Trade Commission in Washington, D.C. From 2004 to 2005, Ms. Lynch served as paralegal specialist for the Environment and Natural Resources Division, DOJ, in Washington, D.C. From 2003 to 2004, she worked as a judicial intern for Judge Vicki Ballou Watts, Baltimore County Circuit Court. Ms. Lynch is a graduate of the DOJ Leadership Excellence and Achievement Program.

- EOIR -