We are a non-profit organization that has been serving Windham County since 1995. In 2006 BAAH was recognized by the Vermont Agency of Human Services “for extraordinary contributions to the well-being of Vermonters.”
We have no paid full-time staff. Our programs are implemented by volunteers: members of the board as well as other organizations with complementary goals.
BOARD MEMBERS
Pat Burke
President
Pat has lived in Brattleboro area for the past 26 years, has a Master’s Degree in Counseling and has worked in SEVCA’s Family Services Program for 20 years – 5 providing crisis intervention and housing counseling services, and the last 15 as Program Director. Prior to coming to SEVCA, she worked as a Property Manager for Windham/Windsor Housing Trust. She is committed to working for social justice and has been a member of the BAAH board for the past 17 years.
Bill Morlock
Vice President
Bill has been the Executive Director of the Springfield Housing Authority since 1988. He holds a B.S. degree in Biology from Central Connecticut State University and is completing a Masters in Public Administration from St. Michael’s College in Winooski. He has worked as a science teacher at Kosciusko Junior High School in Enfield, CT; Guide at Dinosaur State Park in Rocky Hill, CT; and Nursing Home Administrator for two homes in Springfield, VT. Bill serves on two committees for the Housing Authority Insurance Group based in Cheshire, CT. In addition to BAAH, Bill has served on the Board of: Housing Vermont (Burlington), Leading Age Vermont (Burlington), Springfield on the Move (SOM), Brattleboro Community Land Trust, Southeastern Vermont Community Action (SEVCA), Youth Services, and the American College of Health Care Administrators, VT Chapter. He has also been involved in the Springfield Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials, Public Housing Authorities Directors Association, Springfield Rotary and Lions Clubs, Brattleboro Country Club, Springfield Downtown advisory group, and the Let’s Do Lunch program in Springfield.
Michele Wright
Secretary
Since 2009, Michele has been employed at Groundworks Collaborative, working to stabilize families who are experiencing homelessness. She brings with her over 20 years of experience working in Brattleboro Social Services. Michele has worked with families struggling with addiction, with youth aging out of the foster care system, and runaway and homeless youth. Michele enjoys the outdoors and everything it offers. Her enthusiasm lies in cycling. Michele enjoys late afternoon rides throughout Vermont and its neighbor States.
Timm Harris
Treasurer
Timm was born in Los Angeles; Timm lived there, in Greece, Texas, and Maryland. He earned his BA at Cal State Northridge and two Master’s degrees at UCLA. After three years in the Peace Corps (Nicaragua), Timm started working in development assistance overseas, with non-profits and USAID. He specialized in strategic planning, project design, monitoring and evaluation, and resource allocation – mainly in the areas of economic growth, education, and democratic governance. He raised his family (four children) in Kenya, Nepal, Nicaragua, Morocco, Mali and Ghana. Upon ‘retirement’ in 2005, Timm and his wife Ursula Nadolny, with sons Yuri and Alec, moved to Guilford. Timm continued to consult overseas on short assignments until he finally did retire in 2015. Timm is on the Boards of BAAH, Youth Services, and SEVCA.
Tim Callahan
Tim was born and raised in Brattleboro. He left town in the 70’s and returned in 2005 to assist in his parents lives and to reinvent his own. During his time away from town, he spent 32 years as a pharmaceutical biochemist and director of quality assurance for a number of organizations, including Tom’s of Maine, BioDesign International, Deltown Chemurgic, and New Chapter. He has created products for the food, nutritional, dietary supplement, fermentation and medical device industries. In 2012, Tim happily retired from industry and looked for new challenges that might capitalize on his experiences in his previous life. He has now taken up with Windham & Windsor Housing Trust. For 4.5 years, he has led the property management team at WWHT, has enjoyed every collaboration with colleagues within WWHT and at local associated agencies, and celebrates our joint successes in providing affordable housing in Brattleboro and surrounding areas.
Darah Kehnemuyi
Darah is the proud father of two daughters, on the BAAH Board of Directors, past President of BAAH, past President of Rescue Inc., past Director of Brattleboro Community Justice Center.
Tyler Maas
Tyler was born in Ravenna, Ohio and after stints in Connecticut, Massachusetts and California, he settled down in Brattleboro, Vermont in the summer of 1999. He worked in the construction trades including project management and product development until 2010 when he decided to change directions and enrolled in a Master’s program at SIT Graduate Institute. After obtaining a degree in Intercultural Service, Leadership and Management, Tyler worked as a Disaster Recovery Case Manager at Southeastern Vermont Community Action for the two years following Tropical Storm Irene. For the past 3 years Tyler has worked as the Windham County Field Representative for Vermont State Housing Authority and continues to have mixed feelings about being a bureaucrat. This is Tyler’s fourth year with BAAH and his third year as Chair of the Apartments In Homes committee, a program that he is passionate about growing. When not entrenched in the local housing scene, Tyler finds solace in his devoted practice as a Foodist Monk.
Danielle Southwell
Danielle has been working with youth from difficult circumstances in the Brattleboro area since 2007. She was instrumental in creating the area’s first youth shelter, which expanded to a second location in Bellows Falls. She has volunteered through AmeriCorps and Volunteers for Peace abroad, also with a similar population. She is an energetic, optimistic person striving to spread hope and encouragement as she moves through the world. She has traveled to over 20 countries, loves costumes and enjoys laughing at cheesy, harmless jokes.
Pete Rasanen
Pete was born in Chichester, New Hampshire. Pete moved to Brattleboro January of 2011 after spending 2 years in Chicago, IL. Pete worked in special education for the Windham Central Supervisory Union before accepting a position with Pathways Vermont, a housing first organization. Pete is currently the ACT Team Leader for Pathways Vermont in Windham County and also works with Families First VT. Pete enjoys spending his time with family and friends, going to concerts, and traveling.
Mel Motel
Mel became involved in housing issues as an organizer in Madison, Wis., campaigning with homeless community members and college students for a city-wide warming shelter. Since moving to Brattleboro in 2006, she has been an educator, organizer, and restorative justice advocate. In 2013, she founded the Just Schools Project, where she worked with more than a dozen schools in New England to implement restorative practices as an alternative to detentions and suspensions. Since 2017, Mel has been the Executive Director of the Brattleboro Community Justice Center, where community volunteers support those involved in conflict and harm to repair relationships and make things as right as possible using restorative practices. Mel loves living in Brattleboro with her partner and dog. She believes that housing is a human right.
Robin Sweetapple
Robin Sweetapple started RR Sweetapple Redevelopment Consulting almost five years ago, where she works on industrial design and redevelopment, focusing on economic development and community resources. Her interests extend to historic preservation, green building, and analyzing buildings and building systems. Robin serves on a variety of boards and committees including the Brownfield Steering Committee for the Windham Regional Commission and the Brattleboro Design Review Committee. Currently, she is President of the Board of Directors for the Bellows Falls Area Development Corporation, a board member for Brattleboro Area Affordable Housing, and a board member for the River Valley Credit Union. Robin has been a member of Rotary for over five years. In addition to her architecture, Robin also holds a BS in Broadcast Journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School and a BA in English Literature from Syracuse University. A lifelong passion for the arts combined with her love for design has produced LP and CD covers for bands including Witch, Dinosaur Jr., and the folk band Feathers.
Emma Stewart
Emma joined Windham & Windsor Housing Trust in 2018 for a new position of Housing Support Coordinator with a focus on the start-up and coordination of supportive services at the first Permanent Supportive Housing model in the area, Great River Terrace. Prior to this, she worked for SEVCA in Westminster, VT, providing crisis assistance and advocating for low-income community members in Windham County. During her time at SEVCA, she joined the Greater Falls Warming Shelter Board and worked alongside local community and faith-based organizations in the start-up of a monthly community meal, an area social service team “super group”, The BF Team, and Vermont’s first diaper bank. Prior to moving to Vermont, she worked in NH as a counselor for a residential adolescent substance use treatment center. Emma is a native New Englander with a degree in psychology and art. A recent graduate of Leadership Southeast Vermont, Emma is excited to continue serving in Windham County focusing on building community and providing housing retention support with WWHT. Outside of social services, Emma finds center in riding her motorcycle, writing, painting, and creating music.
ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
Annette Cappy
Gary Goodemote
Allen Myrick
Melissa Snow
Byron Stookey
Dave Weaver, in memoriam
