Our Team
CEF is a volunteer-driven nonprofit organization led by CEF staff and volunteer leadership teams
CEF Co-Directors
Donna Carrington, She/Her
Co-Director Full-Time
Donna leads our Durham geography team, working with staff, student leaders, and Members in our Durham office. She stewards organizational vision health and vision for all of CEF and is engaged actively in Durham’s partnership building activities toward housing stability. Donna’s passions are music, Jeopardy, Mahjong, and cooking shows.
Jon Youngpenn, He/Him
Co-Director : Full-Time
Jon, part of the team of UNC students who founded CEF in 2009, works across Orange and Durham County developing tech systems in and out of Connect, CEF’s database and volunteer platform. He additionally leads CEF’s communications and evaluation efforts. Based out of the Chapel Hill office, Jon works as an advocate directly with Members in Chapel Hill as an Advocate and in support of Chapel Hill Advocates and Leadership Team. Jon’s passions include Spotify playlists, keeping rss feeds alive, people watching, and making pretty things. He eats a bag of broccoli, nuts and snap-peas on the daily.
Janet Xiao, She/Her
Co-Director : Full-Time
Janet planted CEF’s Durham office in 2011 and supports organzation-wide fundraising and administration efforts. She supports service delivery to Members in Durham, and also represnts CEF in community meetings and efforts toward system-wide change in Durham. Janet enjoys marine animals, scifi/fantasy, PC gaming, eating, reflecting on decoloniality, and the Internet.
Durham County Team
Rosa Green, She/Her
Office Services Coordinator – Part-Time
Rosa is CEF Durham Front Office Coordinator also known as the “Office Queen” proud member turned employee. She supports the Durham office staff, Advocates and Members with anything administrative. Rosa is passionate about helping CEF Members in the same way ” as I would want to be helped,” and strives to represent the organization in her community. Rosa enjoys music, eating, dance, meaningful conversations, and self-reflection!
Jess McDonald, They/Them
Advocate Program Coordinator Full-Time
Jess coordinates the Advocate program in our Durham office, overseeing training and management of volunteers. They support CEF’s partnerships with Duke University, including the Advocate training house course. Jess is also the Durham site manager of internal and external communications. Their background includes work in intergroup dialogue and social justice education. They are passionate about building community across difference and centering self-awareness and reflection as a part of transformative learning. Their favorite pastimes include scouting local swimming holes and fine-tuning their amateur dog whispering skills.
Kevin Atkins, He/Him
Housing Access Coordinator – Durham – Full-Time
Kevin is working to create a better housing system in Durham County by increasing access to affordable units available through private landlords and developing tools to navigate barriers and locate housing.
Orange County Team
Kristina Smith, She/Her
Advocate Program Coordinator – Full-Time
Kristina supports the Advocate program in our Chapel Hill office where she oversees recruitment, training, and ongoing support for our volunteer Advocates. She also provides training and assistance for the Chapel Hill student leadership team, and works closely with this team to best support Members and Advocates in their work together and ensure our Advocates receive top quality training. Kristina love to dance and watch anything that Shonda Rhimes has created. Just not at the same time. She is in the process of learning to cook and welcomes any and all friendly advice and delicious recipes.
Michael Wood, He/Him
Opportunity Class Leader Part Time
Mike leads the Saturday morning Opportunity Class. CEF’s Opportunity Class meets weekly and covers topics from personal finance to job readiness to health, as well as teaching self-sufficiency and how to obtain permanent housing.
Diiv Sternman, They/Them
Member Services Coordinator Full-Time
Diiv oversees service delivery to all of the Members in the Chapel Hill office, ensuring that Members receive the services they seek working with CEF Advocates. Diiv supports and coordinates with Advocates to help them find the right resources to assist Members in reaching their goals and to identify helpful strategies for working together and building effective Member-Advocate relationships. Diiv also oversees the OC Hub in the Chapel Hill office, coordinating partner agencies to co-locate services and provide coordinated care across systems countywide. Diiv is passionate about Social Justice (think globally/build locally!), cooperativity and interdependence (food coops, farming coops, housing coops, consensus building, coordinated care, etc.), post-colonial literature, growing edible things, eating edible things (especially sweets), and building strong relationships with their (big, messy, complicated, blended) family, friends, and community.
Leah Whitehead, She/Her
Housing Access Coordinator – Chapel Hill – Full Time
Leah is working to create a better housing system in Orange County by increasing access to affordable units available through private landlords and developing tools to navigate barriers and locate housing. She partners with over 50 social services provider and housing-focused agencies, to
support housing seekers and collect data on the unmet housing needs in Orange County. She is passionate about working collectively to support the resiliency of her community and believes wholeheartedly that ALL people are creative, resourceful, and whole. In her free time, Leah enjoys being in nature with her given and chosen family (especially her dog, Sandy), participating in dance parties, being creative, riding motorcycles, and reading books that remind her that the world is full of possibility.
Yvette Mathews, She/Her
Office and Community Organizer Full-Time
Yvette is the captain of the ship in the Chapel Hill office, leading the front of the house including reception, welcoming, and administration. Yvette also leads community advocacy efforts in Chapel Hill and is the creator and director of the CEF Advocacy Choir! Yvette is the first face many Members and Advocates see when they enter the office, and effectively ensures that everyone who walks through the door is cared for and leaves happy (and keeps CEF’s Office Agreements!).
Zach Meredith, He/Him
Workforce Development Fellow Full Time
Zach serves as CEF’s Workforce Development Fellow, an AmeriCorps VISTA position facilitated through CEF’s partnership with the IDA and Asset Building Collaborative of North Carolina. He will oversee efforts to expand employment access in Orange County through the development of resources and programs drawing together businesses, CEF, and other social agencies. In his free time, Zach likes to run, spend time with friends, learn about history (particularly local, social, architectural), and listen to music (all genres but especially pop).
Kyle Compton, He/Him
Social Work Intern
Kyle is placed at CEF through the UNC School of Social Work. He is excited to learn from Members, Advocates, and staff. He will support several aspects of CEF programming and bring an empathetic perspective to all of his work. Kyle enjoys movies, concerts, and anything outdoors.
