Our Staff
HAMDI ABDULLE
Executive Director
Hamdi is a prominent leader in the Puget Sound region, and has over 20 years of experience working with the African Diaspora immigrant and refugee community. She a co-founder of ACHD, and is is a former educator who holds degrees from Lafoole University and George Mason University. She is a member of the Community Café Collaborative, the Communities of Concern Commission, WA Dept of Commerce Rental Assistance & Homeless System Performance Measures Steering Committee, and King County Parks Healthy Communities & Parks Fund Commission. Hamdi is a proud recipient of King County Council’s MLK Jr Distinguished Service Award, as well as Congressman Adam Smith's Champion of Justice Award in recognition of her contribution to the communities of the 9th Congressional District. Hamdi also received South King County Council's Human Services Equity and Social Justice award for exemplary community leadership and advocacy. Hamdi is polylingual (English, Somali, Arabic, and Italian), and a Somali-language poet.
BILAN ADEN
Associate Director
As ACHD's Associate Director, Bilan designs and leads programs, develops curriculum, manages budgets, and advances the mission of the organization in the community. Bilan is fluent in English and Somali, and she holds a BA in Marketing from Seattle University and an MA in Education (Curriculum and Instruction) from the University of Washington. In 2022, Bilan was included in the Puget Sound Business Journal's "40 Under 40" Award. She also holds a Family Engagement Certificate from Harvard University, a P-3 Executive Leadership Certificate from the University of Washington, and is a graduate of IslandWood’s Education for Community and Environment program in 2018. Bilan serves on the leadership team of the King County Play Equity Coalition, the People’s Economy Lab Steering Committee, the City of Seattle Sweetened Beverage Tax Community Advisory Board, the Communities of Opportunity Governance Group, and is a co-chair of the King County Immigrant and Refugee Commission.
ASAD ABDI
Case Manager - Seniors & Social Services
Asad participated in afterschool programs most of his childhood led by members of ACHD's leadership team, which had a profound effect on his growth as a young man. He is excited to be a part of the ACHD team so that he can contribute to the development of his community. He serves as a member of King County's Community Investment Budget Committee. Asad has an Associates Degree in Business from South Seattle College; in his free time, he enjoys playing basketball and Call of Duty.
MUSTAFE ABDI
Case Manager - Youth & Family Homelessness
Mustafe lives in Seattle Washington, where he enjoys playing basketball and reading in his free time. He enjoys that through his work at ACHD, he gets to help the community and put a smile on their faces.
SHIRWA ADEN
Case Manager - Housing
Shirwa has over 10 years of social service and advocacy experience. He lives in Des Moines, WA, where he enjoys hanging out with his lovely kids, composing music, writing scripts, and producing/directing live performances. His favorite thing about working at ACHD: Providing quality assistance that puts a smile on a client's face!
ETHIOPIA ALEMNEH
Case Manager - Employment
Ethiopia has a BA in Human Services and Management from the University of Phoenix . She has twenty-three years of experience working in different nonprofit organizations as an Executive Director, Program Director, Case Manager , Youth Program Coordinator, and Mission Coordinator. She has also served as a Liaison for the City of Seattle and for King County. Her life mission is to stand in the gap and help people. She is married and has two kids.
MARISA ALLISON
Communications Manager
Marisa’s background in philanthropy paired with a passion for community work led her to the ACHD team. She graduated in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington, where she discovered her drive for nonprofit work. Outside of work, Marisa loves spending time with her dog, bird watching, and solving the New York Times Crossword puzzle.
YUSSUF ARTAN
Case Manager - Eviction Prevention
Yusuf lives in SeaTac, and is proud to serve his community in his role at ACHD. In his free time, he enjoys reading.
CLAIRE CASEY
Lead Educator
Claire helps to develop exciting educational programs for ACHD. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in environmental science from the University of Washington in 2019, and has a love of outdoor education and welcoming students into the world of STEM. Outside of work, Claire loves to bake, take care of her house plants, and spend free time out in the sunshine.
MOHAMED ERE
Database & IT Administrator
Mohamed holds a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Computer Network Architecture. Outside of work, he enjoys hiking with friends and family, and playing soccer.
IFRAH FAISAL
Community Outreach Liaison
Ifrah lives in SeaTac, and loves to read and cook. She is passionate about bringing community together to work towards a common goal.
ABBY HINES
Education Manager
Abby develops meaningful experiential education programs for ACHD. She combines her experience as a research scientist, curriculum developer, and environmental educator to design innovative education programs for all ages. When she is not working with ACHD, you will find her in Washington’s forests, mountains, and streams exploring, camping, and foraging.
DANIEL HORST
Farmers Market & Food Access Manager
Daniel loves food in all its forms – from seed to table and all the steps in between. Born and raised in the Seattle area, he studied Sustainable Practices at Cascadia College and has worked on farms and eateries across the country as a farmer, educator, and manager. If he’s not playing in the garden, Daniel can usually be found riding a bike, strumming a guitar, or cooking up a storm. Daniel strives to create deep, lasting connections around what and how we choose to eat. He is excited to build upon ACHD’s programming to bring more affordable, culturally relevant foods to the Delridge community in support of producers and eaters alike.
ADEN HUSSEIN
Chief Housing Specialist
Aden lives in SeaTac, and is passionate about serving his community and advocating for fair housing. He is well known for his problem-solving abilities, and his knack for finding solutions.
ABOKOR ISAAK
Small Business Program Manager
Abokor moved to King County from Ohio in 2018. He spends his free time enjoying the Pacific Northwest outdoors by going on bike rides, hiking, swimming, and playing soccer. Abokor is passionate about community building, volunteering in youth sports programs, and mentorship.
FREGENET KEBEDE
Project Coordinator - Phoenix Program
Fregenet Kebede has three years of experience working as a researcher, data analyst, and legal assistant. She graduated from the University of Washington School of Law with master’s degree in Sustainable International Development. Previously, Fregenet worked for Stole Rives LLP. Her hobbies include reading books, going to the gym, and traveling. with her friends. She lives in Renton, and her favorite thing about working at ACHD is collaboration - everyone shares the same vision and is dedicated to the mission.
JORDAN LAGER
Project Coordinator - Outdoor Education
Jordan grew up exploring and camping in the coastal redwoods of northern California. He studied U.S. History at UC Davis and earned his bachelor's degree in 2015. Over the past several years Jordan has been an educator for various park agencies across the country. In his free time you can find Jordan hiking in the forest or wading through tide pools.
AMAL MOHAMED
Workforce Development Manager
Amal grew up in Kent, Washington. She has 6+ years of experience working with diverse communities in South King County. Her passions include providing mindful equitable and diverse social services. In her role as Workforce Development Case Manager, she is most excited about building community with stakeholders and helping individuals reach their economic goals.
BREE NICOLELLO
Director of Community Development
Bree is an urban planner and project manager with 10+ years of experience working with diverse communities throughout the Pacific Northwest. Her passions include developing affordable housing and economic development projects, policies, and programs rooted in equity and collaboration.
JULIA NUÑEZ
Operations Manager
bio coming soon!
RACHEL PERLOT
Director of Fund Development
Rachel writes grants and raises funds for ACHD, and she also manages the talented Economic Development department. She has a bachelors degree from the University of Washington, is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, and serves on the board of the Washington State Farmers Market Association. When she's not working with ACHD, Rachel runs Bad Weather Farm in North Seattle, and is also a freelance wedding and event planner.
TERI REID
Director of Finance & Operations
Teri joined ACHD in October of 2020 to build the agency's capacity to manage its finances as it grows in size and complexity. Teri brings with her thirty years of non-profit experience; she has extensive knowledge in non-profit leadership, business finance, budgeting, and project management. Teri is excited to provide support and leadership to the amazing team at ACHD as they impact the community in so many ways. Outside of work Teri enjoys spending time with her beautiful teenage daughters.
AKRAM SHEIKH
Information Technology Manager
Akram joined ACHD in July 2020 as the Information Technology Manager, providing strategic oversight of facility-wide IT activities, sponsoring IT committees, and working with IT service units across the organization. Akram obtained his Bachelors of Information Technology from Bunkelhand University, Jhansi. In his spare time, Akram enjoys spending time with his family, road trips, and traveling abroad.
NAFISO SAMATAR
Youth Mentorship Coordinator
Nafiso has fifteen years of experience with human services at the city and county level, as well as at school districts and various nonprofits. She earned her Associate of Applied Sciences in Human Services at Highline Community College. Nafiso hopes to nurture young people so that they can become future leaders. She lives in southeast Seattle, and she loves to dance and swim.
NICOLAS TAMBORREL
Finance Associate
Nicolas moved from Miami to Seattle to help support ACHD's Finance Team. He graduated in 2020 with a degree in Economics from Northwestern University. When not at work, Nicolas is excited to explore the Pacific Northwest!
KEVIN VARGAS
Social Services Manager
Kevin grew up in Paterson, New Jersey and earned a BA in Sociology from Montclair State University. He joins ACHD with more than 6 years of experience providing social services to children and families, along with specialized care for the unhoused population in New York City. In his free time, he enjoys playing soccer, watching professional wrestling, and snowboarding.
Our Board