STAFF

Avril Roberts, Legal Director

Avril Roberts is the Legal Director at Open Hands Legal Services. Avril has extensive experience in the area of immigration law and originally joined Open Hands as a Staff Attorney in June 2023. She began her career at a firm specializing in immigrant and nonimmigrant petitions for professionals in the biomedical field. Subsequently, Avril worked as a solo practitioner and of counsel specializing in employment and family-based immigration. In her recent role at My Sisters’ Place, she filed humanitarian visa and asylum applications on behalf of survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking. In addition to her work in immigration, Avril represented claimants in hearings appealing the denial of social security disability benefits.

Avril has an undergraduate degree in English/History from the College of Mount Saint Vincent and her law degree from Pace University.

Throughout her career, Avril has been committed to pro bono work through a variety of organizations including Grace Baptist Church and Access to Justice.  An avid runner, Avril is a board member of We Run Mt. Vernon, a non-profit organization that hosts weekly walks in the local community as well as an annual Thanksgiving 5K. Avril’s position at Open Hands is aligned with her desire to aid those who are most vulnerable.

Sandy Stefanski, Program Coordinator

Sandy Stefanski joined Open Hands Legal Services as Program Coordinator in June 2010. She brings over 45 years of experience serving a variety of populations, including seniors, physically disabled persons, and incarcerated women.

Sandy has previously served as a program coordinator for a transportation service for seniors and handicapped persons; a volunteer coordinator, grading center supervisor, and ladies' ministry director at Luzerne County Prison in Pennsylvania; and a preschool teacher at Center for Early Learning in New York. As the wife of a pastor, Sandy also serves churches in various ways, including leading women's Bible study, counseling, developing and leading children ministries, leading workshops, speaking at women’s events, and writing and directing dramas. She has also participated in three short-term missions to Moscow, Russia, where she taught at New Life Bible College and has taught at The Korean Seminary in Flushing, New York.

Sandy attended Philadelphia Biblical University with a major in education. She lives in York, PA with her husband and has 2 grown children and 5 grandchildren.