Prior to joining NIJC, Jacqueline worked with unaccompanied children in custody under the Office of Refugee Resettlement as a youth care worker then as a family reunification specialist. In both these roles, Jacqueline provided care, support, reunified unaccompanied children with their family in the United States and assessed further placement options. She was a volunteer with Mujeres Latinas en Accion conducting intakes for new clients who suffered domestic violence. Jacqueline graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago with bachelor of arts in psychology and a minor in gender & women studies.