Natalia Espina Talamilla

Natalia joined LSP’s staff in May 2021. Natalia is a Chilean born immigrant who, after a long battle within the immigration system, received her work permit in 2007 and became a naturalized U.S. Citizen in 2015. Her first job as a documented worker was as specialties clerk at New Pioneer Co-op in Iowa City, Iowa, where she first made a connection between public health and food systems. With the desire to utilize her bilingual skills and work more closely with immigrants and low-wage workers, she worked at Proteus, Inc., where she facilitated mobile health clinics for migrant farmworkers employed by Monsanto and Bells Melon. In 2012, Natalia shifted her focus to families and youth and spent over five years as a clinic coordinator and manager for the Healthy Kids school-based health clinic. This is where she began to find joy and strength in organizational systems-buildings, compliance, and equity initiatives.

In 2017, Natalia co-founded an abolitionist-principled project and immigration bond fund called the Prairielands Freedom Fund. In late 2018, Natalia moved to Milwaukee, Wis., where she took a role as operations director for the immigrant-rights based organization Voces de la Frontera/Voces de la Frontera Action. She oversaw all human resources functions, compliance, and finance, and helped to streamline operational systems. In late August 2021, Natalia took a position with Wisconsin Voices as Poll Worker Recruitment Coordinator and managed an election protection program in partnership with Power the Polls. Natalia finds joy in collaboration around organizational sustainability, people operations and culture, financial health, transparency, and supporting staff from all walks of life. She thrives in race-forward organizations. She enjoys biking, yoga, reading, gardening, cooking, and spending time with family and friends.