Make The Road Nevada is a non-profit organization based in Las Vegas, Nevada. Our family of organizations hail from the east coast, where they have changed the face of community organizing in immigrant communities and become an immutable force for good. The states of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania all bear the fruits of our work, and it is time for Make The Road to make the difference in our communities in the west coast.

Our vision for Nevada begins with building a strong grassroots foundation in Las Vegas and it ends with elevating the power of working class immigrant communities in every community around the state.

We do this by informing, empowering, and mobilizing our community to take action on important issues that directly affect their families and loved ones.

Meet La Familia

Leo Murrieta

Make the Road Nevada Director

He/Him/Él

Arriving in the United States when he was seven-days old, Leo Murrieta grew up in Naked City—the community next to the Las Vegas Stratosphere.

Murrieta has dedicated much of his professional career to efforts that make our Latinx community a better place.

Having been involved with youth, Latinx, LGBTQ+, education equity, public policy, and advocacy for over a decade, Murrieta brings his experience to Make the Road Nevada.

He is the favorite uncle to his eight smart and wonderful nieces, the husband to an amazing human, and a proud dog dad.

Blanca Macias

Deputy Director

She/Her/Ella

Biography coming soon.

Jen Fleischmann Willoughby

Development Director

She/Her/Ella

Jen Fleischmann Willoughby joined the Make the Road Nevada team after more than a decade of running political and policy campaigns in Nevada and across the nation.

A long-time rabble rouser who’s been a part of the movement since her youth, she is passionate about building a world where all people have the resources they need to not just survive but thrive.

Fleischmann Willoughby is the mother of a young daughter, wife of a fellow activist, and guardian of many, many pets.

She enjoys spending her free time cooking, reading, and watching musicals. 

Jessica Padron

Civic Engagement Director

She/Her/Ella

Jessica Padron was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. Padron joins Make the Road Nevada with over a decade of experience in civic engagement work—which began with her campaign work at just 14 years old.

Padron believes the Latinx community is one of the most underserved communities and for the last three years, she has made advancing public policy for Latinx people her top priority.

Outside her activism, Padron enjoys creating art in all its forms; she uses movement and music as therapeutic outlets and enjoys spending time with loved ones—including her fur babies.

Audrey Peral

Director of Organizing

She/Her/Ella

Audrey Peral was born in Guerrero, Mexico and moved to California when she was only eight days old. Peral experienced the resource disparities working families face and is now dedicated to creating a better future for her son and her community.

Peral earned an associate of arts and associate of science at College of Southern Nevada, and a bachelors degree from the University of Nevada Las Vegas.

Driven by her passion to help others, Peral started with us as a volunteer in 2017. Her work in social justice is focused on intersectional issues like environmental and economic equity that negatively impact immigrant communities.

In her free time, she enjoys traveling and trying new foods around the world with her son.

Rico Ocampo

Immigrant Justice Organizer

He/Him/Él

Rico Ocampo was born in Zacateptl, Mexico and immigrated to the United States in 1992. Ocampo is an undocumented/DACAmented grassroots organizer who cares about advancing systematic change for immigrant communities and youth of color.

The loss of his younger brother prompted Ocampo to fight against the injustices undocumented families face in the healthcare system and fight for immigration reform. One of his life-long goals is to vote in a United States election.

When Ocampo is not working with immigrant communities, he spends time with his wife and two children. In addition, he also serves as the Director for Anytown Las Vegas, the longest running anti-racist youth program in Nevada.

Kathia Sotelo-Calderon

Youth Justice Organizer

She/Her/Ella

Born in Lazaro Cardenas, Michoacán, Mexico, Kathia Sotelo-Calderon is a DACAmented activist who deeply cares about immigrant justice and advocates for a pathway to citizenship.

Sotelo-Calderon is also passionate about the restorative justice movement and has been working closely with it for over five years.

She joins us with an Associate of Arts in English degree from the College of Southern Nevada and a Bachelors of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

In her free time, she enjoys cooking new recipes at home and making arts and crafts with her best friend.

Itzel Hernandez

Health Equity Organizer

She/Her/Ella

Itzel Hernandez was born in Michoacán, Mexico and immigrated to the United States when she was one. Hernandez is DACAmented and has been fighting for immigration reform since she was 13.

Hernandez firmly believes in a world where COVID-19 doesn’t impact undocumented and Latinx community and strives daily within her campaign to make that a reality.

When Hernandez isn’t busy with school or working with us, she enjoys spending her free time with her friends and family.

Abraham Lugo

Economic Justice Organizer

He/Him/Él

Born in Caracas, Venezuela, Abraham Lugo immigrated to the United States at two years old.

Starting his journey with Make the Road Nevada as a founding member of the Youth Power Project, Lugo continues his engagement with advocacy work as a political science and public policy undergraduate student at the University of Las Vegas, Nevada. Lugo’s top priorities are immigrant justice, financial equity, and higher education.

When he isn’t working or managing his responsibilities of Student Body Vice President at UNLV, he can be found taking pictures, bingeing a new television series, or spending time with family and friends.

Andy Romero

Housing Justice Organizer

He/Him/Él

Biography coming soon.

Josie Rivera

Environmental Justice Organizer

He/Him/Él

Biography coming soon.

Janette Mata

Communications Director

She/Her/Ella

Janette Mata was born and raised in sunny California to immigrant parents. After earning her journalism degree from California State University Northridge, she moved to Las Vegas, Nevada to pursue her first journalism job with Entravision-Univision.

Dedication to storytelling and investigative reporting would later earn her two Emmy awards.

Growing up, she saw firsthand the injustice immigrants face as her parents struggled to find their place in society. Today, Mata leads the small but mighty communications team and aspires to make a difference through her work every day.

In her free time, you can find Mata traveling or playing with her little baby boy, Aaron.

Salma Garcia-Hernandez

Digital Organizer

She/Her/Ella

Salma Garcia-Hernandez was born in Tijuana, Mexico and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. She first joined Make the Road Nevada in 2019 as a canvasser before joining staff in 2020.

She first started working with us to get involved with her community and help Latinx people prosper in the United States.

Garcia-Hernandez cares deeply about immigrant, environmental, and education justice and communicates her passions through videography and graphic design for us.

When she isn’t creating for us, she’s busy creating fun videos, taking street photography, or attending cultural events with friends. 

Crystal Lugo

Digital Organizer

She/Her/Ella

Crystal Lugo was born in Northern California and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. She later earned a degree in journalism from the University of Nevada, Reno with a minor in English writing.

As the first American-born person in her family, she watched her family struggle with identity, assimilation, and their limited rights. She hopes to make a difference through Make the Road Nevada and help people like her family in every way she can.

When she isn’t working on the website or snapping pictures for us, you can find her writing in her journal, shooting film, or analyzing birth charts for fun. She’s a Sagittarius sun, Virgo rising, and Leo moon—for those curious.  

Leslie Medina

Communications Intern

She/Her/Ella

Biography coming soon.

Questions?

If you have any questions about Make the Road Nevada or are looking to get involved, please contact us at amigxs@maketheroadnv.org today!

[social_icons type=”circle_social” icon=”fa-facebook-official” use_custom_size=”no” size=”fa-3x” link=”https://www.facebook.com/MakeTheRoadNV” target=”_blank”]
[social_icons type=”circle_social” icon=”fa-instagram” use_custom_size=”no” size=”fa-3x” link=”https://www.instagram.com/maketheroadnv/” target=”_blank”]
[social_icons type=”circle_social” icon=”fa-twitter” use_custom_size=”no” size=”fa-3x” link=”https://twitter.com/maketheroadnv” target=”_blank”]
[social_icons type=”circle_social” icon=”fa-youtube” use_custom_size=”no” size=”fa-3x” link=”https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC18lLj8uJWphEgVTp47CzZA” target=”_blank”]
[social_icons type=”circle_social” icon=”fa-tumblr” use_custom_size=”no” size=”fa-3x” link=”https://www.tiktok.com/@maketheroadnv?” target=”_blank”]