TENNESSEE JUSTICE FOR OUR NEIGHBORS ANNOUNCES CO-DIRECTORSHIP

Non-Profit Immigration Law Office adds Melinda Noblitt to leadership team

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, March 6, 2026 — Nashville-based nonprofit immigration law firm Tennessee Justice for Our Neighbors (TNJFON) announced today the adoption of a co-directorship model, marking a significant milestone in the organization’s continued growth and commitment to sustainable, mission-driven leadership.

Under this new structure, Melinda Noblitt joins Tessa Lemos Del Pino at the helm of the organization.

This leadership transition follows several years of exponential growth, intentional planning, and close partnership with TNJFON’s board of directors. It also builds on the successful period of shared stewardship demonstrated last year when Lemos Del Pino embarked on a much-deserved sabbatical and Noblitt was named as Interim Executive Director. In her role, Noblitt ensured continuity, stability, and forward momentum across the organization.

“Melinda brings a unique skillset to our organization and has been an incredible thought partner since joining,” said Lemos Del Pino. “I’m confident this new leadership model reflects both sector best practices and the evolving needs of our organization and the communities we serve.”

Co-directorship models have been increasingly embraced by peer organizations locally and nationally as a best practice to strengthen leadership capacity, support long-term sustainability, and reduce overreliance on a single executive. This model is currently used by the Immigration Law & Justice Network (ILJ Network), of which TNJFON is an affiliate, and it has also been successfully employed by a number of Nashville-based nonprofits during pivotal periods of organizational development.

This shift comes at an especially challenging moment for immigrant-serving organizations. Rapidly changing immigration policies, heightened enforcement activity, increased demand for legal services, and growing uncertainty around funding and compliance have created immense operational and strategic pressures across the sector.

“The move to a co-directorship model is a thoughtful and strategic step that will strengthen our leadership capacity and position TNJFON to endure and grow in the years ahead. Melinda and Tessa bring complementary strengths, shared values, and a deep commitment to our immigrant neighbors that will ensure our mission remains strong, especially in moments that call for resilience and clarity,” said TNJFON Board President Alvaro Manrique Barrenechea.

Since 2020, under Lemos Del Pino’s leadership, TNJFON has experienced remarkable growth in response to community needs. The organization’s legal department has grown fourfold, and its education and advocacy efforts have expanded significantly.

Under the new model, Lemos Del Pino and Noblitt will share overall leadership responsibility while maintaining clearly defined roles and areas of authority. This structure is designed to leverage their complementary skill sets, strengthen decision-making, and ensure continuity across programs, operations, and long-term strategy. The Board of Directors will remain actively engaged in governance and oversight to ensure clarity, accountability, and organizational health.

“As the granddaughter of immigrants and a lifelong champion of equity, I feel particularly connected to TNJFON’s mission of serving our community’s most vulnerable neighbors,“ Noblitt said. “I’m grateful to join such an incredible organization, and I look forward to deepening our impact through collaboration and relationship-building with partners across the state.”

###

About Tennessee Justice for Our Neighbors

Tennessee Justice for Our Neighbors (TNJFON) is a non-profit immigration law firm providing free and low cost, compassionate legal services for individuals seeking humanitarian relief. In addition to direct representation, TNJFON educates the community about issues related to immigration and advocates for immigrant rights and dignity. Since its inception in 2008, TNJFON has provided high-quality, compassionate legal services in more than 7,500 cases, primarily to individuals earning below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level or who face other financial barriers to accessing representation. With offices in Nashville and Memphis (where immigration court is held) TNJFON is focused on helping the most vulnerable immigrants in Tennessee.

For more information, visit www.tnjfon.org and find us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.

About Melinda Noblitt

Melinda Noblitt is an award-winning leader with a proven track record and a deep commitment to advancing equity and justice. Prior to joining TNJFON, Noblitt led corporate social responsibility for a multibillion-dollar, global tech company, overseeing philanthropic initiatives across the U.S. and Philippines. She has also held key leadership roles in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and talent attraction and outreach, driving programs that foster diversity and belonging through partnerships, employee resource groups (ERGs), and educational initiatives.

As co-founder and co-host of the Lipstick Economy Podcast, Noblitt explores all aspects of marketing to women and features leaders who are making a difference. She serves as secretary for Nashville PBS board of directors and is on the executive board of FUTURO. Noblitt is a 2025 Mosaic Changemakers Fellow and recipient of the 2024 Nashville Business Journal 40 Under 40 Award and 2020 Nashville Emerging Leaders Award (NELA).

About Tessa Lemos Del Pino

Since joining Tennessee Justice for Our Neighbors (TNJFON) as Executive Director in 2020, Tessa Lemos Del Pino, JD, has grown the organization from its humble beginnings to the largest nonprofit immigration law office in Nashville. She grew staff, secured multi-year funding, and stabilized the organization's financial reserves resulting in a healthy, thriving organization.

The child of migrant farmworkers, Lemos Del Pino pursued law school with the mission to be an advocate for migrants, earning her undergraduate degree from the University of Washington Foster School of Business and a juris doctorate at the University of Washington School of Law.

She has practiced law in Washington and subsequently held administrative roles at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, and the Tennessee Lawyers' Association for Women.

Lemos Del Pino is a board member for the Tennessee Alliance for Legal Service (TALS) and Small World Yoga. She is also a member of Leadership Nashville 2025 and a 2024 Mosaic Changemakers Fellow, In 2022, Lemos Del Pino received the TALS B. Riney Green Access to Justice Award and the Salute to Excellence Teambuilding Award from the Center for Nonprofit Management of Middle Tennessee (CNEMT).