LEADERS:
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| NANCY AT SEA |
Nancy DeVries
.....Nancy is excited to serve as co-leader of Everest Build III with James Vargo. Well experienced on international builds, they return to Nepal for the third Habitat Build, but this time as leaders.
.....She runs a graphics design business, Starboard Graphics, in NJ. She frequently works with the Paterson Habitat for Humanity affiliate producing their publications. She volunteers on jobsites locally with this affiliate and has traveled to Mississippi 7 times with their volunteers to build on the Gulf Coast. In 2009, when in Chiang Mai, Thailand, with the Carter Work Project, she met James. They have since teamed up to work on other international Habitat Builds.
.....Additionally, Nancy has a USCG Master 100-ton license, teaches sailing classes, and trains new boat owners, and delivers yachts coastwise. An avid sailor, she has owned four sailboats for cruising and racing, and has accumulated more than 50,000 blue-water miles including offshore racing to Bermuda, Cuba, and Mexico. Nancy sailed three times across the Atlantic and in 2013 sailed across most of the Pacific in three legs from Florida to New Zealand. From 2000-04 she was a part-time coach for NY Maritime College offshore sailing team.
.....She is a nationally certified EMT and married, with three children, 8 grandchildren and a couple of great-grands.
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| JAMES GOOFING AROUND |
James Vargo
.....Hi everyone! I’m honored to have the opportunity to co-lead a team with my special friend Nancy DeVries to the incredible country of Nepal. I’m from Indiana, but have lived in Ann Arbor, Chicago metro, Pittsburgh, Washington DC, Atlanta, Austin and presently Geneva, Illinois. I have a fantastic wife Ann and likewise daughter Jamie who just married in December.
.....I began with Habitat after an early retirement from the world of lumber and furniture retail. Right place, right time, and I’d like to believe hard work presented this opportunity. All of a sudden I had time on my hands, We parted with our dear Irish nanny and I was blessed to become a stay at home father. One day with my daughter in school, and my wife a rising star at Xerox I sat in our kitchen in Atlanta thinking I really should do something useful with my time. A small ad caught my eye, Habitat was looking for volunteers and voila, I became a week-day volunteer. We referred to ourselves as the most educated unskilled workforce you could assemble. In these 14 years since along with local HFH work I have attended many large scale US builds and experienced 8 other countries, many multiple times.
.....At this time I am a partner in a pool/spa supply store I started, assist my daughter’s ballroom dance studio also her organic juice smoothie shop and represent a line of health supplements. I’d like to open another business in the near future.
.....I am an adventure traveler and enjoy off the beaten path places. My Habitats trips have grown from 1-2 weeks for the build over the years to 1-2 months with pre and post travel.
TEAM MEMBERS:
(Listed by date of commitment to the Build. Bios as submitted.)
Ken Bardon
.....After retiring from a career in the High Frequency Electronics business, I have started to achieve my lifetime dream to sail around the world. I departed our Florida home in January 2013 and sailed through the Panama Canal and across the Pacific to New Zealand with stops in beautiful places such as Tahiti, Tonga, Fiji and a host of other islands. I flew home at the end of October and am returning in late March 2014 to continue from New Zealand to Australia, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand.
.....I will fly from Phuket, Thailand to Nepal for the Habitat Build in November before returning home for the Thanksgiving to New Year holiday period. Then back to Thailand in January 2015 to continue the circumnavigation. Our planned route then will be to cross the Indian Ocean with stops in Sri Lanka, India, Maldives and through the Suez Canal to the Med.
.....Other activities in my retirement include that I am a Major in the Air Force Civil Air Patrol as a Command Mission Pilot. I am also an avid skier and tennis player.
Jim Drinane
.....Jim has over 35 years of senior executive level experience in human resources, community services, proposal writing and program development, and property management in the public, not for profit, and private sectors. Since retiring from the NYC Housing Authority in 2000 he has maintained a small consulting practice with principal projects in human resources, strategic planning, and public housing management.
.....During his 22 year career at the NYC Housing Authority, the nation's largest public housing program providing housing to over 180,000 families throughout the five boroughs of NYC, he held various senior level positions in Community Services, Human Resources, and Asset Management. Prior to joining NYCHA he ran two settlement houses in Queens New York, including serving as founding executive of the Forest Hills Community House located on the grounds of the Forest Hills Cooperative, the first low income cooperative in public housing in the country.
.....Jim holds graduate degrees in Social Work from Columbia University and in Public Administration from the Wagner School of Public Service at NYU. He is an avid sailor, sailing in the U.S. northeast and on the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Jim has been married to Suleika Cabrera for 44 years and they have two daughters and seven grandchildren.
Manny Martinez
.....My name is Manuel Martinez and I am a construction guy who takes pride in using my skills to help people find a better life
.....I was born in Mexico, and moved to the United States when I was 6. I did not become a US citizen right away because my father wanted his children to choose for themselves what nationality they would hold. So, 12 years ago I proudly became a United States citizen.
.....I have been in construction all my working life. I love construction work and it gives me a feeling of accomplishment to create a structure, whether it is a house or an apartment or a factory.
.....I first got involved with Habitat For Humanity after the tsunami in Southeast Asia just after Christmas in 2005. My son, who was then 13, was campaigning on behalf of Habitat for aid for tsunami victims. He came to me and I said that I would write a check. He said to me -"Anyone can write a check.". So, I contacted Habitat and offered to come to Sri Lanka to help rebuild the country.
.....I was told that only first responders were being allowed in Sri Lanka at that time, since it was still a disaster area. A few months later I was given the chance to travel to Sri Lanka as part of a skilled construction team - or so I was told. When I got there, I was made the head of a small team - consisting of 4 women, none of whom had any previous construction experience! At the end of the first day of the build, our team leader called us together and asked for any comments on the first day. .....I raised my hand and said I had a complaint. Everyone looked uncomfortable, thinking what is this guy going to say about us. My complaint was that I couldn't keep up with the women on my team! And I meant it! That was the first of many Habitat builds where I have had the same experience. I have always been impressed with the women in Habitat and how hard they work on whatever build they are on. The guys are good workers too.
.....I have continued to work on Habitat builds, both in the US and internationally. I have worked on 4 Katrina reconstruction builds in Mississippi and Louisiana. My other international builds (besides Sri Lanka) were in India, Thailand and now Nepal.
.....When I was young, I wanted to be either a bull fighter or a missionary. Working with Habitat brings me close to one of my ambitions.
Doug Layden
.....Hi everyone, my name is Doug and I am proud to join the Habitat Nepal team. My life mottos are “Sempre Paratus” (always prepared) and “Fait Lux” (let there be light). My mission for this trip is to bring light to others through genuine and dedicated service.
.....I come from a family with a strong tradition of volunteerism and service. In my youth, I served as an Eagle Scout and after discovering the world of travel during my college years; I decided to join the Peace Corps in Gabon, Africa. From 1990-1993, I served as a carpenter in Oyem, Gabon, rebuilding schools and discovering a country that came to be my home.
.....I currently serve as a volunteer EMT in Ramsey, New Jersey and in Midland Park, New Jersey. I am always a student; constantly seeking to learn new skills that I can use to contribute to the benefit of others. I am also a lifelong traveler and my wandering spirit has led me to discover many, many new places, always while re-discovering myself.
.....I enjoy biking, history, mountaineering, kayaking, reading, and good, light-hearted company. I may have few words, but my heart is big and always open to new experiences. I look forward to serving with my fellow Habitat volunteers in Nepal this November.
David Bernstein
.....Born and raised in New Orleans, David has lived in the New York area for the past 45 years with his wife Toni. They have one child, Gideon, who lives near San Francisco area with his wife and three daughters.
.....As an undergraduate Gideon was the first in the family to build houses with Habitat, going to West Virginia on two Spring Breaks. And, more recently Gideon and his 11 year-old daughter worked on a similar volunteer program in Nicaragua.
.....Most of David’s adult life has been in academia. After studies at Brandeis and Harvard, he taught European history, religion, and art history at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu and Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York. He also taught in and directed the Sarah Lawrence-University of Michigan Summer Program in London for seven summers.
.....After 44 years of gratifying teaching at Sarah Lawrence College David retired in the spring of 2013.
.....He is the author of a book on one of the most celebrated works of medieval art, the Bayeux Tapestry, and he has lectured on medieval art and history at museums and universities in the United States and Canada and on cruise ships in Europe.
.....In the summer, David likes to sail his Sunfish around Wellfleet harbor. He is looking forward to working and living in Nepal with Habitat volunteers.
Jason Ribik
.....Born and raised in Little Ferry N.J. I always said I wanted to be a carpenter. My father was an artist by trade, but always a handy man. So I attended the University of Virginia to be an architect, left with a degree in environmental science and became an airline pilot for JetBlue Airways. Go figure!
.....Over the years I've developed a wide variety of construction skills through either projects with my father as a youth, various construction jobs or most recently on my own fixer upper home. I've had a taste of almost every aspect of construction through these experiences. My aviation career has afforded me the ability to travel many parts of the world and I never intend to stop seeking out new destinations. Every new place has enriched my life in some way and given me a certain perspective on the way the world works. Not always happy with what I've seen I'm forever on a quest to find alternative and sustainable ways to improve upon how we function as a society on planet earth.
.....So a few years ago while feeling sorry for myself after the end of a relationship. my best friend gave me a swift kick in the pants and suggested I go do some charity work. It resonated with me and I spent some time looking into different ways to give back to those less fortunate than myself. Finally, Habitat for Humanity seemed to be the perfect fit. I linked up with the Paterson Habitat in the spring of 2012 and when I got the email describing this build I knew I had to sign up. I'm really looking forward to meeting and working along side these people and I'm confident helping them, learning who they are, how they live and how they build will be a lasting and fulfilling experience that I will have the privilege to draw upon for the rest of my life.
.....See you all in Nepal!
Mary Gore
Stephanie Gore
Rich Edelman .....Rich retired in 2010 after 37 years in the power plant design and construction business, where he led the company's domestic and international consulting projects. The work involved extensive travel in the former Soviet Union and southeast Asia. Prior to his civilian job, Rich spent five years on active duty in the US Navy's nuclear power program, where he worked on the headquarters engineering staff of Admiral Rickover.
.....Rich's initial involvement with Habitat for Humanity began in August 2010 for Bergen County's project in Waldwick. Following its completion in Sept. 2011, Rich moved over to Paterson Habitat where he has worked every Wednesday since (except when traveling). He is a member of Hobbyists Unlimited, a large retired men's club, where he Chairs the Habitat for Humanity club. In addition he participates in the hiking, golf, photography, computer and military history club of this organization.
.....Rich is active with the Barnert Temple and serves on its Board of Trustees. He and his wife Vicki have been married for 45 years and have two children and five grandchildren.
Donna Brightman
.....I am looking forward to building in Nepal; hopefully, a house made with bamboo and meeting the rest of the team.
.....My involvement with Habitat began 30 years ago in Paterson. I currently serve as a Board member. In 2011, I became a Global Village Leader and had the honor of leading a trip to Kenya where we built the 500,000 Habitat house in the village of Maai Mahiu. It was truly a life changing experience which I will tell you more about when I meet you. In 2012, I led a trip to Buenos Aries, Argentina.
.....I am employed as an Executive Director and I manage the Woodbridge Housing Authority (2000) and the Highland Park Housing Authority (2012.) I have also initiated several non-profit housing corporations.
.....The quest to provide shelter as well as a hand-up has encompassed my career and volunteer life.
.....Counting down to November 17th!
Shenelle Sriwardena
Susan Cicero
.....My name is Sue Cicero and since turning 50 in 2006, I have participated in eight Global Village builds with Habitat for Humanity. I am working towards a goal of helping to build a home on every continent. I also have participated in four service trips in Haiti, one of which was a build with the Fuller Center in March 2014. I work in Human Resources at a law firm in downtown Chicago, and in my spare time I work to find office supplies (mostly branded) that companies can no longer use due to mergers, moves, closings, etc., and I pass those supplies along to Chicago public schools, non-profit organizations, and schools and orphanages in Haiti.
.....I have met the most wonderful friends on every one of my volunteer trips. That, along with meeting the families, experiencing other cultures, and working with volunteers who leave their comfortable lives to sweat in the hot sun so that someone else can have an affordable place to call home, keeps me coming back for more. I will share a favorite quote, a Greek proverb: “A civilization flourishes when people plant trees under which they will never sit”. I am so happy to be a part of this team, and I cannot wait to meet all of you in Nepal and “plant trees” together.
Norma Grove
.....I love living within walking distance to the beach (Manhattan Beach, CA) and I enjoy a fitness lifestyle that includes dance, Pilates, weight lifting, hiking and lots of walking. My favorite times are going to the movies and hanging out with friends.
.....I learned how to hammer, saw, drill and paint from my dad when I was young, often helping him with his many construction projects around the house. I can rough it as long as I have a bed to sleep in and shower! I’m looking forward to not having to plan what to wear every morning—I’m thinking jeans and a t-shirt is fashionable HFH attire.
.....In the past I’ve been on one-day builds to Mexico with my church and I like being of service and making a difference in the world, even if it’s one family or one home at a time.
.....In the past three years I made a career change from corporate Creative Advertising to head of Marketing & Communications Manager for a small Southern California non-profit that helps pregnant women and I love it. I’m grateful to use my personal experience to serve women, who are facing emotional challenges, with love and compassion.
.....As the mother of a grown, married daughter, I’m very much looking forward to having grandbabies someday soon, who might be potential HFH volunteers.
Jean Kowalski
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