Prior to joining NIJC, Steph was a legal supervisor at Kempster, Corcoran, Quiceno & Lenz-Calvo, where she managed the removal defense, asylum, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, Temporary Protected States, and Deferred Action for Labor Enforcement teams. She was formerly a Department of Justice Accredited Representative at Catholic Charities of Chicago; she assisted noncitizens with family-based and humanitarian relief, including relief for Afghans resettled through Operations Allies Welcome. She obtained her bachelor of arts in comparative human development from The University of Chicago. She is the daughter of Peruvian immigrants.