TCC Disaster Recovery VISTA Members and Organizations
| Jaclyn Remick is serving as a VISTA Leader on the project to provide support and assistance to the VISTA members. She joined the project in August 2009 after completing a year of services as a VISTA in Burlington, Vermont where she served at an organization helping high school students successfully transition to life after high school. She has her Bachelor's degree in History and Russian Studies from the University of Michigan. |
| Mardie Paige joined the project in December 2008 as Community Resource Coordinator with Independence Heights Assistance Ministries in Houston. Mardie has previous service in healthcare, education, and as a business owner. |
| Donna Talmage-Gibson is a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner serving as Casework Manager of Faith Communities in Disaster Response, San Juan, Texas. Donna joined the project in December 2008 to assist in the response to Hurricane Dolly in The Valley. |
| Luke Blount joined the project in February 2009 after graduating with a Bachelor's Degree in Professional Writing from Baylor University. He is working as the Volunteer Coordinator for The Episcopal Diocese of Texas, Galveston. If you are interested in working with The Episcopal Diocese in their Hurricane Ike recovery, you can find Luke's contact information at www.epicenter.org. |
| Carolyn Gibbs joined the project in February 2009, and first served as Community Development and Volunteer Recruitment Liaison for the Brazoria County Long Term Recovery Committee. She is now working as Preparedness and Planning Coordinator at The Episcopal Diocese of Texas, Galveston. She has a BA in Philosophy/Business Administration from Adrian College, Michigan. |
| Gail Torosian is working with The Houston Food Bank to assist them in learning from their experience with Hurricane Ike. She will work with them and their member agencies to update their Continuity of Operations Plans as preparedness for any future disasters. Gail has a Bachelor's degree in Biology from University of California, San Diego, and an Associate's Degree in Nursing from Northern Maine Technical College. She was previously Site Director for World Hope International in the aftermath of the Iowa flooding. |
| Kate Lester is providing support for spiritual and mental health counseling to disaster survivors through the Houston Galveston Institute in Houston. She joined the project in July 2009 after receiving a Bachelor of Arts in History and a Bachelor of Science in Political Theory from Michigan State University. Kate has also studied abroad, in Cairo, and worked as an intern for the Lieutenant Governor of Virginia. |
| Lindsey Smith is serving as a statewide member specializing in grant writing, both for the project and providing technical assistance to the members at the sites. She joined the project in July 2009 after graduating from Southwestern University in Georgetown, TX with a Bachelor's degree in Theatre. |
| Selena Xie joins the project as a second member for Texas Impact, where she will specialize in disaster preparedness education, especially to the faith community. She graduated from Amherst College with a Bachelors Degree in Political Science and Economics in May 2009. Through a summer internship, she served with a Habitat for Humanity project in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. |
| Thao Vu joined the project in November 2009. She will work with a new site, VN TeamWork, Inc., in Houston, which serves the elderly and poor. About 75% of their clients are Vietnamese American, and Thao brings both experience and a cultural background to serve the community. She graduated from Saigon University with a Bachelor of Law degree. Thao has over 25 years' experience in the banking industry in Houston, where she settled after leaving Vietnam. |
| Pat Moore became our third VISTA Member for Highland Lakes Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (HLVOAD). Her goals are to continue to build and strengthen the VOAD, recruit additional volunteers and refine their Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP). Pat is a Certified Business Continuity Professional ( CBCP) and a Fellow of the Business Continuity Institute( FBCI), an inductee into the Contingency Planning & Management Hall of Fame, FEMA’s National Business Person of the Year 2000 Award, and is a member of many local and national disaster preparedness, recovery, continuity and humanitarian Boards. |