Maricarmen currently serves as Chief of Programs for the Tahirih Justice Center, the only national, multi-city organization providing a broad range of direct legal services, policy advocacy, and training and education to protect immigrant women and girls fleeing gender-based violence.
Prior to joining Tahirih, Maricarmen worked with Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA). As a TRLA attorney Maricarmen, focused her legal practice on assisting survivors of gender-based violence with complex family law and victim privacy matters. Maricarmen initiated and managed one of TRLA’s most successful and longstanding projects of the organization, the Legal Alliance for Survivors of Abuse (LASA), a unique collaboration between TRLA and domestic violence shelters and rape crisis centers in the 68 Texas counties served by TRLA. Through the LASA Project partnership, Maricarmen ensured that victims received holistic, trauma-informed, and victim centered legal and social services critical to breaking the cycle of violence. Maricarmen also managed TRLA’s Victim Rights Group which included the Legal Aid for Survivors of Sexual Assault team and the Survivor Centered Economic Advocacy team, providing direction, mentorship, and supervision.