Selam Tesfai

Supervising Legal Services Coordinator, DOJ Partially Accredited

Selam Tesfai is the Legal Services Coordinator for Human Rights First’s Refugee Representation team.  As the Legal Services Coordinator in our Washington, D.C. office, Selam works closely with pro bono attorneys who represent indigent asylum seekers in their claims for protection.  She also oversees the screening, intake, and case placement for our asylum-seeking clients.

Prior to joining Human Rights First, Selam worked as a Pro Bono Coordinator for the Immigration Justice Campaign where she recruited, engaged, and retained volunteers in the Justice Campaign network and placed them with asylum volunteer opportunities. She also worked as a Faculty Advisor at Envision EMI, where she facilitated leadership skills training for middle school and high school students from across the United States.  Selam also worked as a legal assistant at a private law firm and served as an interpreter and documents translator at the Arlington Asylum Office, among other immigration agencies.

Selam received her BA in Archaeology from the University of Asmara in Eritrea and her Master’s in African Studies degree from Ohio University.  She also has an Associate’s degree in Paralegal Studies.  Selam speaks Tigrinya and Amharic fluently