Our Board

Brandee Dudzic, U.S. Army Veteran

Founder

Brandee Dudzic lives in Oregon and has a Masters Degree in Conflict Resolution from Portland State University. She is a bystander intervention expert who specializes in teen bullying. She also served as a combat medic in the Oregon ARMY National Guard and is the Founder of Repatriate Our Patriots. She works in a busy public defender's office during the day and is a law librarian in the evenings. Brandee is also the Board of Directors Vice President of a community-based mental health clinic in Oregon. 

Aurelia Lorena Murga, Ph.D.  

President 

Dr. Murga, it’s an associate professor of sociology, graduate advisor, and associate chair of the department of sociology and anthropology at the University Of Texas El Paso (UTEP).  As a sociologist, Dr. Murga has focused on social inequalities, particularly those that impact undocumented migrants and Latina/o/x populations in the United States. In this work, she documented how social processes connected to racialization, immigration status, and gender affect the marginality of these populations.  Dr. Murga has utilized both qualitative and quantitative methodologies - including content analysis, ethnography, and descriptive and multivariate analysis - to capture the social mechanisms that reproduce social inequalities and to document the significance of these disparities statistically. Her research has reflected UTEP’s mission of preparing students to create and disseminate knowledge, through engaged research and student mentorship, as they contribute to scholarship, their professions, and their communities.  Dr. Murga currently serves as the President for Repatriate our Patriots and has been actively engaged with case management, fundraising and community and strategic relations.

Jennifer Martinez-Medina

Treasure

Jennifer Martinez is the Treasurer of Repatriate Our Patriots. Jennifer is a PhD Student studying Public Policy at Portland State University. She has an extensive background in public finance systems in the U.S. and Mexico. Her dissertation explores the connection between remittances and civic participation in Mexico. As a daughter to farmworkers and sister of a deported veteran, Jennifer is motivated to connect her advocacy efforts to her scholarly work. She also enjoys writing prose/poetry in her downtime.

Noemi Dimuzio, M.A. U.S. Navy Veteran

Secretary

Noemi Dimuzio was born and raised on the border of El Paso Texas and Ciudad Juarez.  She served in the United States Navy and in 2003 as an Information Technician actively participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Upon leaving the military Noemi enrolled in college and obtained a Master Degree in Sociology and a Bachelor’s Degree in History focusing on Chicano Studies. Noemi’s thesis focused on working with the community, gender, and inequalities. Her training consist of grant writing, child abuse, special needs, family advocacy, interviewing, gathering data, recording, health disparities, and military training. Noemi’s volunteer work includes: Community programs such as Reynold home, Special Olympics, community events such as 5K run/walks for homeless shelters, and coaching and developing high school students’ fundamental fitness skills.

Danitza G. James, M.S.W; U.S. Army

Chief of Policy & Legislation

Dee is a U.S. Army Combat Veteran, a Military Spouse and a passionate Social Worker specializing in Military Programs, Policy & Legislation. Her extensive work with military communities makes her a well-rounded advocate and ally to all who have served our country.  Dee has over 15 years of experience working with servicemembers, military families, wounded veterans and families of the fallen in the non-profit and federal government sector. Dee is married to Retired Army First SergeantJade James. Dee currently works as a Program Analyst for the Department of the Air Force. In her spare time, she volunteers as the Chief of Policy & Legislation at Repatriate our Patriots, a 501c3 organization who focus on bringing Deported Veterans home. Dee is also the Co-Chair at Combined Arms, Wellness Committee and the Co-Chair for the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) Subcommittee on Military and Veterans Legislative Affairs.  Dee’s earlier career included roles as U.S. Army Military and Family Readiness Officer -Texas Public School Substitute Teacher- Outreach Coordinator at Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) - Seminars and Event Coordinator at Tragedy Assistance Program for Military Survivors (TAPS), Community Organizer and Chief Operations Officer at Invisible Combat.  Her Volunteer experience include: Associate Producer & Social Media Manager at Veterans Voices. Sexual Assault Victim Coordinator. Disaster Relief Support with Team Rubicon.  Community Support with The Mission Continues. Hurricane Relief Support with the Red Cross, Project Assistant with Habitat For Humanity, Army Family Advocacy Program  Coordinator with U.S. Army Europe, Senior Spouse Advisor with the Army Family Readiness Program in Mannheim Germany & Fort Eustis Virginia Dee’s passion lies within, Mental Health, Repatriation of Deported Veterans, Suicide Prevention, Sexual Assault & Harassment Advocacy. Her passion extends to the    development and advocacy for programs and policy that directly and indirectly affect the   military, military families, and military survivors.

John E.Schosser, Esq.

Attorney General

John Schlosser is the Co-Founder of Repatriate Our Patriots and served as the Board President. John is a criminal defense attorney, who has spent the better part of his career specializing in representing immigrants charged with crimes.  He is also a proud brother, and grandson to service members.

Diane M. Vega, M.A. U.S. Airforce Veteran

Chief Operations & Outreach Officer

Diane was born and raised on the border region of El Paso/Juarez and has lived there for most of her life. She served in the United States Air Force as an AGE Mechanic working on the flight line. She later cross trained with Security Forces and served the rest of her career.Upon leaving the military Diane enrolled in college and obtained a Masters in Sociology and a Bachelors in           Psychology/Sociology from the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). Her thesis project focused on the barriers                that non-citizen veterans face after they are deported from the United States. During and following her graduate career, Diane joined Repatriate Our Patriots to advocate for those same veterans she had done her research on. She is currently attending Villanova University to become a Department Of Justice accredited representative and assist veterans in legal deportation proceedings. Diane is currently serving as a Board Member with Repatriate Our Patriots and has actively been working on researching and consolidating data on Deported Veterans. She is an active member of the organization and her role expands to veteran case work, financial and medical aid coordination, evaluation and assessment of veteran housing and environmental living conditions.
Diane volunteer work includes;Sin Fronteras Migrant Farm Worker shelter in El Paso, TX. Executive Women's Lions Club, G.I.  Forum, United American Veteran Organization

Ivan Ocon, U.S. Army Veteran

Director of Community Engagement

US Army veteran born in Mexico and raised in Las Cruces, New Mexico.  He served in the military for close to seven years, including a stint in Jordan during the Iraq War. He has lived in Ciudad Juárez since being deported to Mexico in 2016, prohibited even from visiting his mother and daughter in Las Cruces. Repatriated in July of 2022, he continues to advocate for his fellow veterans who are still deported.

Edwin Salgado U.S. Marine Corps Veteran

Community Engagement Coordinator

Edwin Salgado served in the US Marine Corps from 1999-2003 as a 6226 Jet Mechanic on C130s and was deployed to Kuwait for Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Upon returning he worked in large scale digital printing, graphic design, and production in Orange County, CA. He is passionate about music and art and aspires to take over the world like Pinky and the Brain. In 2016 he was deported to Mexico and ever since has become an advocate to repatriate veterans, even though he has no intention of returning to the US.

Nick Paz, U.S. Army Veteran

Director Of Programs & Service

My Brothers’ Keeper