Kevin Piecuch
Executive Director and Principal Attorney
Kevin is an attorney, business leader, and ordained Presbyterian clergy. He began his professional career with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), where he served as a pastor, hospital chaplain, and with the General Assembly where he worked in mission interpretation and promotion.
While serving a local congregation, he began his journey to become a licensed attorney when he enrolled at the University of Michigan Law School, where he was the oldest member of the incoming class of 1999. His legal practice included stints at the National Labor Relations Board, AT&T, the Trowbridge Law Firm and with American Laser Centers (ALC), where he was the Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel. He got started in public interest law while working at ALC when he was invited to serve as a supervising attorney with U of M students who began the Iraqi Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP). This experience of working with immigrants led him to consider dedicating himself full time to this practice.
Before starting the Southwest Detroit Immigrant and Refugee Center in 2014, Kevin spent more than two years meeting and volunteering with people from the greater Detroit service and client community to understand the need for greater access to affordable, quality legal services. After learning from others already working with refugees, he was invited by the Ford Fund to open SWIRC’s first free-legal clinic, which opened in June 2015 with Kevin, his wife, and his college-aged son as staff. From this humble start, SWIRC has grown into an organization with four staff, more than 30 regular volunteers, and three weekly clinics that see 50 – 75 clients every week. We are easily the largest provider of free and low-cost legal services to our target community in Southeast Michigan.
Kevin and his wife of 30+ years Clarisa live in Grosse Pointe Farms. They have four adult children.
Veronica Beltran
Legal Director
Veronica is an attorney who began immigrant advocacy work at a young age in Holland, MI. Her father, an immigrant from Sinaloa, Mexico, would take Veronica to immigration reform marches & other progressive demonstrations since she was a child. This exposure to social justice issues, as well as witnessing how her own family had been affected by legal issues, motivated her to become an attorney to be a voice for her community. Veronica received her BA from Grand Valley State University and her Juris Doctor from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law.
At Detroit Mercy Law, Veronica was her class’ Vivere Ex Missione recipient which is presented each year during commencement exercises to graduating students who best exemplify Detroit Mercy’s mission. As a staff member at Detroit Mercy Law’s Immigration Law Clinic, Beltran supported the professors and students as they help people seeking asylum in the United States. She also represented immigrants in Detroit Immigration Court as a student attorney. Her work with immigrants continued as President of the Hispanic & Latino Law Student Association. She also volunteered and recruited other students to volunteer at immigrant and refugee legal clinics in Detroit. Beltran has a track record of challenging injustice in a number of different venues. She has also volunteered her time to help clients at the expungement clinic hosted at the Michigan Supreme Court and Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Court.
Adam Delezenne
Director of Operations and Outreach
Adam grew up in the Detroit area and is proud to be part of helping vulnerable communities find justice. Adam holds a Master of Nonprofit Administration degree from North Park University and a Master’s Degree in Theological Studies from McCormick Theological Seminary. He has served families in North Georgia as a Foster Care Case Manager, as Director of New Media Communications for McCormick Theological Seminary, and as site director of two ELCA Outdoor Ministry organizations. Just before coming to SWIRC, Adam started a communications consulting firm building websites and crafting a communication strategy for a variety of nonprofit organizations.
Please contact us if you would like to get in touch with any of our staff.
