Rebecca Lightsey is Co-Executive Director of American Gateways. She is an experienced nonprofit leader and legal advocate for vulnerable populations. Rebecca has held positions as Executive Director of Texas Appleseed and SafePlace; most recently she was the Interim Executive Director at Volunteer Legal Services of Central Texas. She has also served in leadership positions in state government, including as an Assistant General Counsel to Gov. Ann Richards. Rebecca has worked with immigrant communities throughout her career. She holds a J.D. from the University of Texas at Austin and has won several public service awards including the J. Chrys Dougherty Legal Services Award and the TX Outstanding Public Servant Award. She is an avid traveller and particularly enjoys countries in the Global South.