Meet our staff

Donald H Whitehead, Jr.

Donald Hugh Whitehead Jr. is recognized as a leading expert on homelessness, having served as the Executive Director of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless, Assistant Director at St. Vincent de Paul of Baltimore, Program Director at Ohio Valley Goodwill, Grant Manager at Goodwill of Greater Washington and Director of Communications at Greenpeace Ohio. Donald served two terms as President of the Board of Directors for the National Coalition for the Homeless, two terms on the Board of Directors for Faces and Voices of Recovery and two terms on the Georgetown Center for Cultural Competency.

Megan Hustings

Megan came to NCH as an AmeriCorps*VISTA volunteer in 2006. After her year of service she was hired as Development Director, moving on to be the Director of Operations before stepping into the director role. She has moved NCH into the 21st century, spearheading social media and website development, as well as membership development and base building activities. Megan grew up in Kansas, playing card games with nuns. She graduated from Grinnell College in Iowa and moved to Baltimore. She has worked for a variety of anti-poverty efforts since childhood. In previous employment, Megan provided case management and life-skills training for individuals with developmental disabilities, and managed electronic journal and database subscriptions for university libraries. She enjoys spending time with her daughters and crafting.

Francis Kalombo Ngoy

DeBorah Gilbert White

DeBorah Gilbert White is a social psychologist, diversity and inclusion specialist, social justice and community advocate for people experiencing homelessness, at risk of homelessness, or formerly homeless.  She experienced homelessness in late 2011 and, in early 2012, found herself in a shelter for women in Wilmington, DE.  The experience provided her with insights that pushed her toward the work of obtaining a homeless bill of rights for the State of Delaware and served as a call to action to address the issues of housing justice and homeless rights across the State.

Kenia Mazariegos

Kenia Mazariegos, an adept professional and Assistant Director of Communications, is the visionary force behind NCH’s impactful branding and social media strategies. With a profound commitment to ending homelessness, Kenia leverages her superior strategic expertise in digital marketing to position NCH as a trailblazer in the realm. Her relentless pursuit of excellence drives the expansion of brand initiatives, seamlessly enhancing NCH’s reach and influence. Kenia’s dynamic leadership, coupled with a keen understanding of the ever-evolving digital landscape, empowers her to craft compelling narratives that resonate with diverse audiences. A catalyst for positive change, Kenia Mazariegos exemplifies the fusion of passion and proficiency, driving NCH towards unprecedented heights in its mission to eradicate homelessness and create a more compassionate society.

Michele S. Williams

Michele is a Black woman who grew up in the Midwest and believes in using her voice for good. She is an expert in policy, program development and implementation with over twenty-five years of experience providing services to vulnerable populations including: persons with disabilities, individuals and families experiencing homelessness, low-income communities and populations affected by natural and public health disasters, and refugee resettlement.Michele holds a B.S.W in Social Work Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership and Administration from Western Michigan University and  Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Certification from Cornell University.  Michele is a Standards for Excellence^® Licensed Consultant and Board Source certified to work with nonprofit organizations across the country interested in learning about and implementing the Standards for Excellence code.  Michele is also a 2014 alumnus of the Masters Series for Distinguished Leaders in Washington, DC.

Kelvin Lassiter

Kelvin was raised in a middle class family in the suburbs of Washington, DC. Life challenged him early, lack of communication within the family, and home foreclosure. The death of his mother sent Kelvin into a very dark space. After nearly three years of homelessness, along with legal trouble had taken a toll.  Kelvin considered giving up,until a minister entered his life that believed in him and decided to help. There is no shortage of praise when Kelvin speaks about Reverend J.C. Melvin. He worked with Kelvin and shaped his focus to become a productive man in society. Now rightfully restored to humanity, Kelvin embraced several meaningful relationships that shaped the direction of his life. In 2010, Kelvin began his homeless advocacy as a member of the National Coalition for the Homeless Faces of Homelessness Speakers Bureau.  He is the author of three self-published self help books. Kelvin and his wife of 20 years currently reside in Washington, DC.

Adaora Onuora

Adaora is a policy professional with over 8 years of policy analyst, project management, and communications experience within nonprofit and government sectors. Adaora is a Policy Analyst with the National Coalition for the Homeless and in this position, she serves as the lead analyst for Housing and Children/Women’s policy. Adaora has also worked at the National Center of Housing and Child Welfare. She is passionate about implementing evidence-based programs with both social and economic benefits. Adaora is also dedicated to improving the quality of life for children, youth, families, and single adults who are at risk of homelessness through policy and law.

Doreatha Washington

After many years in administration, Doreatha became connected to NCH through a training placement in 2013, and was hired in 2016. Doreatha provides daily interaction with at-risk and homeless callers, giving her a more concerned heart for the overall assistance and advocacy to end homelessness. It gives her great joy being a good Listener and Encourager!

Tyler Richardson

Tyler Richardson is a bright and talented individual who has always made the most of every opportunity. She attended the prestigious Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Georgetown, Washington, DC where she was classically trained. She then graduated from Temple University’s esteemed Boyer College of Music & Dance in 2018. During her time at Temple, Tyler also worked as a receptionist for the Boyer College’s Dean’s office. There, she discovered her love for helping others. After graduating, Tyler excelled in hospitality, retail management & customer service positions until she was offered a position with NCH. Here, she has been able to support and uplift our diverse team of staff & leadership. As well as coordinate, communicate and engage with our prestigious Organizational and Individual Members. Although she does not have a strong policy and advocacy background, her compassion for the unhoused community has grown exponentially since being a part of a community of such motivated and inspiring advocates. As Membership Coordinator, she has utilized both her passion for helping others as well as her strong communicative and customer service skills to build & better the Membership department. She is always inspired by the courage of our Members, and encourages them to continue sharing their expertise & experiences to enhance the work we are doing to build the movement to end homelessness!

Roderick W. Woodruff

Roderick W. Woodruff, a seasoned professional with over five decades of business experience, currently serves as the Program Manager for the Lived Experience Training Academy. His background spans information technology, advertising, and marketing, with a deep expertise in information systems project management, cybersecurity, and IT skills training. His career is fueled by his twin passions: STEM Education and Emerging Digital Technologies.

Woodruff’s current endeavor involves supporting the National Coalition for Homelessness. Drawing from his own lived experience in IT project management, user support, and training, he is committed to fostering the growth and expansion of the coalition’s Lived Experience Training Academy (LETA). This initiative focuses on homelessness advocacy and prevention training programs.