Everything You Need To Know About HabitatNRV's Women Leaders

In honor of International Women’s Day, we’d like to introduce you to a few of the women leaders at the HabitatNRV ReStore & Affiliate Office.

Brenda Sternfeld, Volunteer Coordinator I am the Volunteer Coordinator for HabitatNRV. I sign up and recruit volunteers for the ReStore and construction sites. I have been with Habitat for 5 months. The woman that inspires me is Mikaela Shiffrin. She’s an alpine skier that competes in the slalom races. She’s fearless and doesn’t let defeat keep her from working toward her goals. She had a terrible Olympics last year but came back. With 83 wins, she passed Lindsey Vonn with the most World Cup victories in history. She’s had injuries, surgeries, and many setbacks, but has persisted. I think she’s an inspiration for all of us. My proudest achievements so far have been getting the VolunteerUP software program running to help us sign-up and track our volunteers. I have also recruited 8 Care-A-Vanners to volunteer at our Newtown Road site in Floyd for 3 weeks beginning April 10th. Care-A-Vanners are retired folks that travel in their RVs to various Habitat sites around the country. We are excited to welcome our group to Floyd! I believe HabitatNRV is a welcoming and affirming workplace for women. The women that work here are professional, smart, and self-confident.

Hope McCormick, Buyer & Procurement Specialist I am the Buyer/Procurement Specialist and Key Holder at the HabitatNRV ReStore. I've been here for 2 ½ years now. I purchase inventory to sell, assist in outreach about who we are and what we do to increase donations, and lead the front-end of the ReStore. My mother and sister inspire me the most. My proudest achievement while working at HabitatNRV is purchasing the new items for the ReStore that customers then buy, to enjoy in their homes, while also helping provide affordable homeownership within the community. To women who want to work or volunteer for HabitatNRV: be proud of what you do, what you can do, and what you are contributing to the world.

Julie Tipton, Warehouse Associate & Keyholder I am a warehouse associate and keyholder at the HabitatNRV ReStore. I help with receiving and processing donations to sell in the store. I have been with Habitat for a little over a year.

The women in my family; my mom, aunts, and grandmother, have always been my biggest inspirations. My biggest achievement to date was providing the hospitality area for the Home Builder Expo in 2022. To other women looking to do more with their retail experience, working at the HabitatNRV ReStore allows you to apply your knowledge while raising money for affordable housing for families in your community.

Keidel Harroff, Assistant Project Manager I am the Assistant Project Manager. I lead our dedicated volunteer groups when we have them at the jobsite. I've been with the organization since the summer of 2019. I started off working part-time at the Restore, moved to managing the warehouse, and now I'm helping build Habitat homes. I've done a little of everything.

The woman who inspires me the most is my mother. My proudest achievement working at HabitatNRV is finishing 2 complete rebuilds in Floyd. Those were the 1st houses I'd ever had the pleasure of being a part of building from the foundation up. I believe working and volunteering at HabitatNRV is a rewarding experience.

Tori Dunagan, Marketing & Event Coordinator I am the Marketing & Event Coordinator for HabitatNRV. I generate and implement marketing campaigns, manage social media, and coordinate events for our affiliate. I’ve been with HabitatNRV for about 8 months.

The woman who inspires me the most is former first lady, Edith Wilson (1915-1921). After President Woodrow Wilson suffered a severe stroke in office, Edith stepped up and ran the Executive branch of the US government for the remainder of his second term. This was an incredible feat and one she managed with dexterity and grace. She is an inspiration to women everywhere. My proudest achievement while working at HabitatNRV so far is coordinating the Church Street Dedication Ceremony. Any woman looking to be a part of HabitatNRV; we are grateful for you and anyone who believes in our mission enough to become a part of it.

Valerie Young, Office Manager/HR I am the Office Manager at Habitat for Humanity of the New River Valley and have been here since January 2023. I do everything from bookkeeping, and payroll/timekeeping, to Human Resources. The woman who inspires me the most is Mary Magdalene: “Within the Church, she does have tremendous power, and there are lots of women who look… to Mary Magdalene as a foundation for women’s leadership within the Church.” Mary overcame a lot of obstacles and is a reminder that all women can do great things no matter what. I have only been here for two months, but I’m glad to be able to use my experience in Nonprofits and HR to serve in that capacity. I hope to continue bringing my area of expertise to HFH for many years. If you have a heart that serves others and the community, working for Nonprofits is a great place to start! I’ve had many other career opportunities, and my passion keeps leading me back to serve my community. I believe in Habitat’s Mission and love what I do every day (even behind the scenes). I wouldn’t want to work anywhere else.

At Habitat for Humanity of the New River Valley, we embrace a history rooted in creating equity – we take our principles seriously by courageously committing to a culture and workplace where all staff feel safe, welcome, visible, respected, supported, and valued.

As an equal opportunity employer, we encourage people of varied races, ethnicities, national origins, tribes, religions, ages, gender identities and expressions, genders, sexual orientations, marital statuses, disabilities, veteran/reserve national guard statuses, socio-economic statuses, thinking and communication styles to work with us.

Across Habitat’s many networks, we’re working together to support the life-changing mission of connecting families and communities with the transformational impact of decent, affordable shelter.