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
Anthony Girard
President
Anthony has lived in the Brattleboro area since 1998 with a brief foray to North Carolina. With a passion for sustainability, he co-founded Higley Hill Farm in Wilmington while serving as Carpenter, Daily Operations Manger and Director of Facilities at the Brattleboro Retreat from 2008-2015. His focus was on providing local organic food year-round, selling greens and other vegetables at the Brattleboro Winter and Summer Farmers Markets, and creating safe, healing, and holistic built environments for patients at the Retreat. Anthony moved on to Vice President at GPI Construction where he focuses on Social Services, Education, and Healthcare construction, managing the Great River Terrace project for the WWHT, the new Groundworks Collaborative Drop In Center, and managing work at the Brattleboro Retreat and Southwestern Vermont Health Care facilities in addition to many others. He enjoys sailing, cross country skiing, and all things outdoors.
Pat Burke
Vice 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.
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.
Nancy Detra
Secretary
Nancy comes from Guilford, Connecticut and has lived in Guilford, Vermont for 40 years. She retired from elementary school teaching in 2010. For the past 8 years she has worked as an artist-teacher with Art in the Neighborhood, a program that brings art classes to children in low-income housing communities in Brattleboro. Serving as chair of the Guilford Energy Committee, she brought a new community project to the Brattleboro area last year in which volunteers joined clients to build inexpensive insulating window inserts for their drafty homes. The project will continue in 2022. She is committed to providing children with warm homes and an opportunity to learn to problem-solve through creating art and making things. She is also a dedicated environmental activist.
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.
Ruben Garza
Ruben believes that a healthy community is one that delivers on its promise to support, enrich, and provide opportunity to the lives of all its members, regardless of race, gender identity or sexual orientation. He believes that active participation is required by all community members to uphold and protect its shared values. Ruben strives to lead by example; he employs his use of free time volunteering and engaging the community as a board member and supporting local arts and artists.
Ruben moved to Brattleboro, Vermont from Laredo, Texas in 2015. Ruben’s favorite Vermont past times are swimming in the Summer, generally being terrified of winter driving, and leaf peeping in the Autumn. You may catch Ruben walking around the downtown area shopping at his favorite record store, playing basketball in the Parks and Rec league, and attending theatre performances throughout the year.
Candace Kao
Joe Wiah
Jake Bursky
Shawna Jones
Jerry Freeman
Betsy Hall
ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
Annette Cappy
Gary Goodemote
Allen Myrick
Melissa Snow
Byron Stookey
Dave Weaver, in memoriam
