Desiree Adaway
Senior Director, Volunteer Mobilization department
I came to Habitat four years ago and am excited to be leading the Volunteer Mobilization team after three years as director of the Youth Programs department. I value the work of the volunteers that further this mission each day and look forward to finding new and better ways to support their efforts and create awareness for the need to address affordable housing issues worldwide.

Alynn Woodson
Director, Youth Volunteer Engagement
I have worked with Habitat for Humanity for eight years, primarily focusing on promoting volunteerism to youth and involving youth in the work and mission of Habitat. I have led four Global Village trips (Fiji, Uganda, India and Guatemala), and prior to coming to HFHI, I volunteered for four years for Habitat’s Collegiate Challenge program. I am currently serving as the director of Youth Volunteer Engagement and am responsible for leading the HFHI youth programs team as we create positive and long-lasting relationships and interactions between HFHI, volunteers and Habitat organizations.

Maria Pyra
Service-Learning Supervisor
My Habitat experience began with a Global Village trip to Ghana in 2006. Soon after, I began working with Habitat in the Campus Chapters program. Currently, I work with the Campus Chapter and Youth United programs and develop general resources for youth. As a former teacher, I am excited to find ways to engage students and schools in Habitat’s mission and help them both serve and learn about their communities and the world around them. I have also been a Global Village team leader and have led trips to Argentina, Ecuador, Guatemala and El Salvador.

Larry Galante
Youth United Coordinator, Eastern United States – AmeriCorps
I have played an active role in Habitat for Humanity for over eight years now, beginning with my high school campus chapter and then as a founding member of Youth United for Morris County. I took on leadership roles and served as President of my campus chapter at the University of Virginia. Before graduating, I participated in two Collegiate Challenge trips, as well as “Habitat on the Hill,” which was a great experience and really got me excited about Habitat on the large scale of advocacy and policy. This past summer, I rode across the country with Bike & Build, where I helped raise over half a million dollars to be directly donated to youth-led Habitat projects throughout the nation. Having recently graduated in May 2009, I am currently serving as an AmeriCorps National Direct member here at HFHI. I work with Youth United groups, helping to start new chapters, support existing chapters and facilitate this year’s State Farm Matching Grant for Youth United groups.

Tina Galante
Collegiate Challenge Coordinator – AmeriCorps
I am currently serving as an AmeriCorps National Direct member, coordinating the Collegiate Challenge program with HFHI. While I am relatively new to Habitat for Humanity, I was involved in various community service programs while enrolled at Boston University. In addition to building with the BU Habitat for Humanity Campus Chapter, I served as an executive officer for BU’s Hug Don’t Hate peace-building organization. I also spent many hours volunteering throughout the Boston area at soup kitchens, schools, and youth programs. After graduating with a BA in Sociology in 2008, I spent seven months traveling around New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia, and Thailand. While abroad, I joined the WWOOF organization (Willing Workers On Organic Farms) and spent much of my time living with local families and assisting them with their farm work. In Thailand, I had the amazing opportunity to live with a family in a rural village and serve as an English tutor for three weeks. I am very excited to be back in my home country, working with the HFHI’s Youth Programs.

Nick Hericks
Collegiate Challenge Volunteer Engagement Specialist
I first became involved with Habitat in 2002, at the campus chapter level. My excitement to work towards the Habitat mission began while participating in my first (of four) Collegiate Challenge trips. Before graduating from the University of Wisconsin, where I studied Community Leadership, I had a summer position at Habitat for Humanity of Dane County as a grant writing intern. I was a corps member with AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps in 2005 and a team leader in 2008, where my team spent half the year leading volunteers on Habitat work sites in the U.S. Gulf region. 

Cody Logsdon
Campus Chapter Associate, Western United States
I became involved with Habitat for Humanity three years ago when I served as an AmeriCorps VISTA for a Habitat affiliate in Rochester, Minnesota. My job was to increase youth involvement, and I truly enjoyed every moment of it. It was my work in Rochester that led me to apply for a job at HFHI. I currently work with Habitat’s youth programs, specifically the Campus Chapters program. I charter and maintain chapters, develop new ways for youth too young to build to be involved in Habitat’s mission and support the Volunteer Mobilization department.

Ashley Murray
Campus Chapter Associate, Eastern United States
My involvement with Habitat for Humanity began five years ago, when I served as a member of my local affiliate’s Youth United steering committee. I continued working with Habitat during the summer after my college graduation; I worked as a Summer Youth Blitz Advisor for HFHI. After a three and a half year hiatus from HFHI, I have returned as a Campus Chapter associate in the Volunteer Mobilization department. I value the opportunity to work with campus chapters and support them in fulfilling Habitat’s mission.

Hilary Trudell

Youth United Coordinator, Western United States - AmeriCorps

My passion for Habitat for Humanity began last year as a Team Leader with AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps. During our service year, my team and I were lucky enough to get two Habitat projects: one in Mississippi and one in Portland, Oregon. We served alongside many young people on the work site who were there through  Collegiate Challenge. This first sparked my interest in the youth programs offered by HFHI. Prior to joining AmeriCorps, I worked in DC at The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and Arena Stage coordinating productions and teaching playwriting. I graduated from the College of Charleston in 2004 with a degree in Theater and French. A native of Tennessee, I am happy to be back in the Southeast serving as an AmeriCorps National Direct member with HFHI in Americus, Georgia. I currently support Youth United groups in the Western Region of the United States and manage the Youth United Urban Grant.

Keldra Green
Administrative Assistant
I became involved with Habitat for Humanity International in April 2007, when I began volunteering at the front reception desk. I began working for Habitat as a mail clerk in June 2007, delivering mail and providing the best customer service to staff and visitors. I enjoyed meeting new people while working in the mail room. Currently, I am an administrative assistant for the Volunteer Mobilization department, where I continue to provide excellent customer service to volunteers and staff.

Ashley Haynes
Administrative Assistant
I began working with Habitat in June 2007. I worked in a temporary position as administrative assistant for the Thrivent Builds Worldwide program in the Global Village department. After my position with Thrivent ended, I worked with the Flint Area Housing Authority as an occupancy clerk. I returned to Habitat in August and am excited to be a part of the new Volunteer Mobilization team. I am motivated and look forward to providing the highest level of customer service possible to each and every volunteer!

Allyson Drinnon
Volunteer Training Specialist
I serve as a training specialist for the Volunteer Mobilization department, working to manage the Global Village team leader application and training process and to enhance and broaden training opportunities for volunteers. I have worked in several capacities at Habitat for Humanity since 2001, including the AmeriCorps federal grant program and the Global Village program.

Tamara Foglio
Volunteer Program Evaluation Specialist
I have worked for Habitat for Humanity for eight years, spending the first five working for Habitat Metro Denver. I then moved to Belfast to accept a position with Habitat Northern Ireland. It was in doing so that I became both engaged and inspired by the global mission and the global impact Habitat has. This ultimately brought me to Americus to work for Habitat for Humanity International. For the past two years, I have served as the Africa and Middle East coordinator for Global Village and love having the opportunity to witness the unique ways in which Habitat is able to inspire hope and serve as a catalyst for change in the region. In the transition into Volunteer Mobilization, I will work to ensure that advocacy and education are key components to all of our programs and that we are serving the needs of our volunteers by engaging them in new opportunities.

Jo Ounalli
Volunteer Support Services Administrator
I have been at Habitat for Humanity International since February 2002. I began in the Human Resources department as a staffing officer. I handle all staffing for the Washington office and actively recruited candidates and coordinated interviews for Habitat for Humanity International’s available positions. In November 2005, I had the opportunity to work with David Minich in the Global Village department as the office manager. I have appreciated the opportunity to be involved in Habitat for Humanity’s international and domestic efforts to eliminate poverty housing and be part of a fantastic team, and I am excited about continuing to serve Habitat’s mission in the Volunteer Mobilization department. In my role, I work with the Volunteer Engagement team to create positive and long-lasting relationships between HFHI, volunteers and Habitat organizations.