Speakers
Plenary Speakers
Dawn Holden, Senior Vice President, Banner Bank
Dawn Holden is a senior mortgage banking executive with more than 30 years of experience leading sales, operations, strategy, and business development across the financial services industry. As SVP and Consumer Direct Director for Banner Bank, she oversees the consumer direct mortgage initiatives, driving growth through innovation, process improvement, analytics, and customer-focused solutions. Throughout her career, Dawn has built and led high-performing teams, developed successful lending channels, and consistently delivered exceptional business results for organizations including Banner Bank, Umpqua Bank, Sterling Bank, Countrywide Home Loans, and Washington Mutual.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Dawn is passionate about community service through Habitat for Humanity. She has volunteered with the organization for over 20 years, served nine years as a board member, including as board chair, currently a board member for Habitat for Humanity Oregon and continues to support strategic initiatives, fundraising efforts, and advocacy. In March, she will participate in her eighth Habitat Global Village build, reflecting her long-standing commitment to affordable housing and strengthening communities both locally and around the world.
Clive Rainey, Community Relations Ambassador
Clive Rainey joined Habitat for Humanity International on April 1, 1977, becoming Habitat’s first volunteer. Rainey introduced the concept of “sweat equity” to Habitat after learning of a housing development in Ohio where homeowners contributed labor in lieu of a down payment.
Clive Rainey’s impact quickly extended around the globe. In 1978, he helped establish the family selection process in Immokalee, Florida, before spending three years launching Habitat’s work in Kinshasa, Zaire. Rainey felt compelled to utilize his skills and knowledge to rebuild Uganda after the fall of dictator Idi Amin. He then returned to Americus in 1983 as Habitat’s first Africa area director.
Rainey helped form the Sumter County Initiative, addressing substandard housing in Sumter, in 1992, and later recommended that Habitat challenge each affiliate and its communities to eliminate or significantly reduce substandard housing within a 20-year period. This became known as Habitat for Humanity’s 21st Century Challenge, which officially launched March 1, 1999, with Rainey as its director. Although retired from full-time employment, Rainey continues to travel the world, sharing the Habitat story and influencing supporters to build more decent, simple, affordable homes for people who desperately need them.
More inspiring voices and changemakers will be announced soon.
Cohort Facilitators
Hope Eady, Learning and Development Director, Housing Opportunities and Mission Engagement, HFHI
Dr. Hope Eady serves as a strategic leader by monitoring external social trends, exploring innovative strategies, conducting benchmark studies, and driving actions that support Habitat for Humanity International’s HOME strategy and goals. She collaborates with regional and functional leaders and managers and other key stakeholders to advance mission-driven culture learning, and development strategy and initiatives within HFHI and our global affiliated network. She builds and executes learning and development programs, processes, and initiatives, centering people as an important element of our culture, mission, and operations.
Hope is a Learning and Organizational Development professional with over 25 years of experience leading global initiatives and high-impact training. Her expertise spans diversity, equity, and inclusion, employee engagement, performance management, and leadership development. Throughout her career, she has driven culture and talent strategies for major corporations. At The Home Depot, she designed "Leaders Edge," a two-hour broadcast delivered to over 55,000 enterprise leaders. She also served as the Program Manager of People and Culture Programs for NIKE Valiant Labs — Nike’s internal business incubator — and as a Global Learning and Organizational Development Consultant for Equifax.
David Heddy, Associate Director of Strategy and Impact, HFHI
David Heddy has spent the past 20 years with HFHI working in the areas of organizational development, community development, and affordable housing strategy. His current role is focused on supporting HFHI teams in aligning with the 10-year strategy to build livable, equitable and resilient communities.
Before working with HFHI, David worked internationally in sustainable agricultural development. His projects focused on small scale experimentation, increasing economic opportunities for agricultural workers, and expanding appropriate technologies. His passion lies in partnering with communities to unlock the power they hold to solve their own challenges.
Kevin Heibert, Owner and Principal, Resonate Consulting and Leadership Development
Kevin Hiebert is a facilitator, trainer, leadership coach and strategy consultant who helps nonprofits and housing organizations grow their capacity, strengthen their leadership and expand their impact.
Kevin brings deep experience in the affordable housing sector, including prior roles as an Innovation Manager and Organizational Development Consultant with Habitat for Humanity International and consulting work with Habitat affiliates across the country on strategic planning, board development, organizational development, and executive transitions. He is passionate about collaboration and participatory leadership, and believes organizations do their best work when collective wisdom turns into collective action. For the past 25 years, Kevin has been helping people, teams, and organizations take their next steps of growth.
Jonathan Jackson, Better Stories Therapy
Jonathan Jackson is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, author, educator, speaker, and founder of Better Stories Therapy. His work explores the stories that shape how people think, relate, lead, and make meaning of their lives. Drawing on nearly two decades of experience in nonprofit leadership, higher education, behavioral health, and community engagement, Jonathan partners with individuals, organizations, schools, and faith communities through therapy, workshops, speaking, facilitation, and strategic consulting. Whether leading a retreat, facilitating dialogue, teaching, or speaking from the stage, his work helps people move from greater awareness to intentional action. Because lasting transformation begins when we begin living better stories.
George Myers, Nonprofit Consultant, Gmar Consulting
George Myers began volunteering with Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity over 30 years ago. In 1995, he left his sales and marketing job and moved to Habitat’s headquarters in Americus, Georgia, as a volunteer. In 1997, he became a full-time field staff member of Habitat for Humanity International, first as an Affiliate Support Manager, and then an Organizational Development Consultant supporting Neighborhood Revitalization and other programs.
In 2013, George transitioned from Habitat to establish his own nonprofit consulting company. His expertise lies in building organizational capacity, with a particular emphasis on strategic planning, leadership and board development, and fundraising. Many of his clients are involved in homelessness, affordable housing, environmental initiatives, and programs aimed at families and children. George’s passion for working with small to mid-sized, or rural organizations that aspire to grow is evident in his approach. He enjoys training and facilitation, making him a valuable asset to his clients.
Tami Page, Associate Director, Section 4 Capacity Building, HFHI
Tami began her work with Habitat for Humanity over 30 years ago with Wiregrass Habitat for Humanity in Dothan, Alabama. As their Executive Director, she led the affiliate’s growth from 1 to 22 houses a year. The Family Support Program that she developed brought about 87% post-purchase homeowner engagement and was featured as best practice at HFHI. Her dedication to the mission followed her into her position with HFHI as an Organizational Development Consultant working primarily with Capacity Building Grant affiliates and now as the Associate Director, Section 4 Capacity Building. Ms. Page is a high energy experienced facilitator and presenter who specializes in leadership development, federal grant programs and fundraising.
Maria Sepúlveda, Program Director, Global HOME Team, HFHI
María Sepúlveda is program director of HFHI’s global Housing Opportunities and Mission Engagement strategy for Latin America and the Caribbean, the United States and Canada. Before joining HFHI, María was SVP of Community and Government Partnerships at Habitat Metro Denver, leading advocacy, community development, government grants, community land trust, homeowner and mortgage service teams. Prior to this role, María was VP for Wells Fargo Bank’s Commercial Real Estate and Community Relations divisions, Enforcement Attorney for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and Associate Attorney at Sherman & Howard, LLC. María’s bachelor’s degree is from the University of Colorado in International Affairs with emphasis on Latin America and her law degree is from Catholic University, Columbus School of Law. María loves dancing Bomba in Puerto Rico and hiking through the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.
Russell W. West, The Emergence Group
Russell W. West, Ph.D., works daily as an executive coach, organizational advisor and results-based facilitator specializing in board development, executive decision support, and culture shift. More than a decade ago, West saluted a satisfying career as a dean and professor in graduate leadership education and devoted his attention toward nonprofit impact. Since then, he has worked alongside hundreds of executives, boards and leadership teams navigating consequential decisions and change initiatives in pursuit of mission impact. Russ serves as a faculty coach with the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust and Kellogg's Center for Non-Profit Management. He is the co-author of The Culturally Conscious Board: Setting the Table for Impact. Learn more at RussellWest.Info.
Workshop Facilitators and Speakers
Maile Alau, Alau Consulting
Maile Alau is a Native Hawaiian leadership and organizational development practitioner who grounds her work in the Hawaiian values of pilina (relationship), pono (integrity and alignment), and kuleana (shared responsibility). With extensive experience across nonprofit and corporate environments, she designs leadership, learning, and culture-building strategies that strengthen people and the organizations they serve. Maile has contributed to organizational development initiatives at American Savings Bank and Kaiser Permanente Hawaiʻi, coaching emerging leaders, facilitating team development, and designing enterprise-wide learning programs. A Certified Master Virtual Trainer, she creates engaging in-person and virtual experiences centered on connection, trust, and relevance. Her work spans employee engagement, leadership development, nonprofit board development, strategic planning, and talent development.
Known for translating strategy into meaningful, human-centered action, Maile helps leaders strengthen pilina, lead with pono, and embrace their kuleana to others and their organizations. Maile holds a B.A. in English from St. Mary’s College of California and serves on the boards of Holding Space Hawaiʻi and the Association for Talent Development Hawaiʻi.
Jack Bridges, Vice President, U.S. Office Administration and Operations, HFHI
Jack Bridges drives the strategic frameworks that guide how Habitat for Humanity affiliates in the U.S. operate, scale and remain mission-aligned, ensuring that risks are proactively managed, that resources are effectively deployed and that our U.S. network is positioned for long-term sustainability. He oversees several teams in Habitat for Humanity International’s U.S. Office, including procurement and contracts, program and grants management, policy and operations, safety programs, operational excellence, strategic restructuring, and compliance solutions. Jack has more than 30 years of nonprofit leadership experience, with a proven track record of aligning operational strategies with mission priorities, managing program portfolios exceeding $137 million and leading enterprisewide transformations across geographically dispersed teams. He is recognized for his expertise in governance, risk management and compliance, and for building impactful partnerships with federal agencies and affiliates to advance affordable housing and community development. Jack’s connection to Habitat runs deep, beginning as an AmeriCorps member at a local affiliate in 1994. He was honored by the White House in 1998 with a community strengthening award for his AmeriCorps service and has held progressive leadership roles across the organization, most recently serving as interim vice president of U.S. Operations and senior director of U.S. Office Administration.
JD Gildemeister, Associate Principal, Operations, Solutions for Changemakers
JD Gildemeister works with nonprofit organizations on operations, strategy implementation, organizational development, leadership development, and succession planning. He brings more than 20 years of experience leading complex operations, developing teams, and improving organizational systems across the private and nonprofit sectors. As Director of Operations for a large Habitat for Humanity affiliate, JD oversaw the ReStore, the Deconstruction Program, volunteer engagement, corporate donations, the safety program, and other key operational functions. He was responsible for developing and executing departmental budgets aligned with strategic priorities and led leadership development and succession planning that supported leadership continuity. That work gives him firsthand insight into the staffing, volunteer, retail, donor, financial, and safety realities Habitat affiliates manage every day.
As a consultant, JD has worked with nonprofits and Habitat affiliates on strategic planning, operational alignment, leadership development, succession planning, governance, and implementation support. He has also served as a board member, board president, executive leader, and facilitator. At Solutions for Changemakers, he helps organizations strengthen operations, develop leadership capacity, and build the internal systems that sustain their missions.
Josh Kilgas, Founder and Principal, Solutions for Changemakers
Josh Kilgas helps nonprofit leaders and boards strengthen governance, set strategic direction, and prepare for leadership transitions. He spent more than a decade at United Way, serving in leadership roles that culminated as Vice President of Resource Development and later as interim Executive Director for a local United Way. That experience gave him an inside view of how local affiliates work within a national network, an understanding he now brings to Habitat for Humanity affiliates.
Across his career, Josh has served as a board member, board chair, staff leader, interim executive director, consultant, and facilitator. That range gives him a firsthand understanding of nonprofit leadership from the boardroom to the front line. Josh is a BoardSource Member Consultant, teaches nonprofit governance to new executive directors, and holds a Master of Public Administration with an emphasis in nonprofit leadership and management. He founded Solutions for Changemakers after seeing how many nonprofit leaders were expected to navigate governance, strategy, leadership transitions, and organizational challenges without enough time, support, or practical resources.
April Lawton, Senior Specialist, Affiliate Learning, HFHI
April Lawton is a Senior Specialist, Affiliate Learning, with Habitat for Humanity International, where she develops and supports learning initiatives that strengthen affiliate capacity and advance organizational effectiveness across the United States. With more than 15 years of experience in adult education, she is passionate about creating engaging, learner-centered experiences that help individuals and organizations grow and succeed. April holds a Master of Science in Education and a Nebraska teaching certificate. Since 2009, she has worked in education, training, and professional development, specializing in adult learning and workforce development. In her current role, she partners with colleagues and affiliates to foster continuous learning, build organizational capability, and support Habitat for Humanity's mission.
A Nebraska resident, April enjoys spending time with her family, supporting community initiatives, and continuing her lifelong learning journey through art, music, and reading. If she can learn something new while also snuggling with her two dachshunds, Leia and Broadway, she’s happy.
Tia McCrackin, Director–Network Quality, Expertise Hubs, HFHI
Tia McCrackin is a seasoned Learning and Development leader with extensive experience designing and leading strategies that strengthen people, teams, and organizational performance. Known for turning complex challenges into practical, sustainable solutions, Tia brings a strong focus on leadership development, adult learning, process improvement, and organizational effectiveness.
Throughout her career, Tia has successfully led cross-functional initiatives that connect learning and development with broader organizational goals and create meaningful, measurable impact. Her experience spans both nonprofit and corporate environments, giving her a unique perspective on navigating change, building collaborative partnerships, and developing systems that support long-term growth. A strategic thinker and people-centered leader, Tia is passionate about creating learning experiences that go beyond training — building capability, strengthening leadership, and helping individuals and organizations turn ideas into lasting impact.
Carmen Smith, Vice President, U.S. Affiliate Services, HFHI
Carmen Smith joined Habitat for Humanity International as Vice President, United States Affiliate Services in June 2024. Carmen served as the executive director of the Chipola Area Habitat for Humanity in Marianna, Florida, since 2014 and is a well-respected leader within the affiliate network. She has been a member of the U.S. Council since 2021, serving as chair of the U.S. Council’s policy committee. As executive director of Chipola Area Habitat, Carmen has — with excellence — overseen every aspect of program operations for the affiliate, ranging from residential construction, mortgage origination and servicing, advocacy, faith relations and retails sales. She also led the affiliate's efforts in strategic and financial planning, grant writing and administration, resource development, homeowner support, community engagement and volunteer programs.
As vice president of U.S. Affiliate Services, Carmen leads the work to maximize the effectiveness of the U.S. network and HFHI operations in support of affiliates across the U.S. An important part of her new role is to establish and foster relationships with affiliate and HFHI leaders to create synergy, maximize success in attaining Habitat’s goals in the U.S. — including the Collaborative Operating Model — and in co-creating a shared vision of success for strategic projects and shared goals.
