OUR STORY
Shelter House, Inc. is a community-based, non-profit organization that provides crisis intervention, safe housing, and supportive services to neighbors experiencing homelessness and victims of domestic violence in our community.
Our organization was formed in 1981, as a grassroots responder to the homelessness crisis in Fairfax County. Community volunteers from several ecumenical groups joined together to help address the needs of their homeless neighbors. They started by providing direct emergency assistance – items such as blankets, food, and warm clothing were distributed from the trunks of their cars.
The tragic hypothermia death of a homeless man on Christmas day in 1983 in the Bailey’s Crossroads area galvanized the community to do more. Churches opened winter shelters, and Shelter House volunteers and other advocated to Fairfax County Government to devote more public resources to the homeless.
As a result of this advocacy, Shelter House secured a County contract in 1985 to open one of the first charter shelters in Fairfax County. Since then, Shelter House has continued to grow as an organization in order to accommodate the growing needs in our community, by also expanding into Loudoun County. Today, Shelter House operates five shelter facilities and several housing programs.
Mission
To prevent and end homelessness and domestic violence by engaging the community, building effective relationships and providing crisis intervention, safe housing and supportive services.
Vision
We envision a community free of homelessness and domestic violence.
Values
Our Core Values Are: Inclusivity, Collaboration, Accountability, Respect, and Empowerment = iCARE
Board of Directors
Thomas G. Goodwin
Chair
Thomas G. Goodwin is Shelter House's Board Chair and also served as Board Chair for terms 2014-2017 and 2019-2020. He has represented our organization in numerous forums, most notably as an advocate for public policy initiatives and funding in the Human Services arena – especially Domestic Violence and homelessness. He was for seven years a member of the Council to End Domestic Violence. As a member of Chairman Jeff McKay’s Task Force on Equity and Opportunity and the Fairfax County Human Services Council, he advocates for equity in public policy development and implementation. Currently he is the citizen leader of a county initiative to launch a Guaranteed Basic Income test project in 2023. Tom is Chairman of the Board of Directors at Recovery Program Solutions of Virginia, a nonprofit serving the immediate needs of people with substance and mental health issues. Professionally Tom is a communications (public relations) strategist specializing in risk identification, issues management, and crisis communications, he helps organizations and individuals develop, fine-tune and deliver their messages effectively.
Ike Eichenbrenner
Vice Chair
Ike Eichenbrenner recently retired from Boeing, where he provided site engineering leadership for over 1000 engineering and technical employees across Boeing Defense and Security in the Potomac Region (VA, MD & DC.) In this role, he enhances career progression, advises employees on performance improvement, develops the local technical fellowship program and facilitates job rotation to promote cultural change. Ike has been with Boeing for 25 years after retiring as a major during an Air Force career in munitions development and systems acquisition. Ike providedoversight for Division Talent Management: chairs the Division Engineering Skills Management Team; leads pipeline management activities, enhances Technical Fellow development & utilization, provides training & career growth for Boeing employees, leads college & critical hiring efforts, and monitors the engineering force and staff for critical indicators via Adaptive Planning. He develops and provides a monthly summary metrics briefing to senior Boeing VP executives, develops engineering education waivers, leads mitigation of Reduction in Force boards; ensures robust engineering via talent management and develops/oversees National Engineers Week and other special Boeing Enterprise events. Ike has a passion for supporting charitable organizations and specifically for ones like Shelter House that help the homeless get back on their feet (champions supportive housing.) He started a monthly volunteer effort for Boeing employees in 2018 at the Katherine Hanley Family Shelter in Fairfax, VA. This program was recently re-initiated after Covid interrupted our in-person volunteer activity. As a part of this effort, over 120 Boeing employees have volunteered at the shelter and have logged thousands of volunteer hours displaying Boeing’s ongoing deep commitment to corporate citizenship. Though Ike has retired, Boeing remains an active partner with our organization.
Nancy Socher
Secretary
Nancy Socher has lived in the Vienna-Oakton community for 24 years and has been an active volunteer in the public school system. She most recently served as President of the Madison Athletic Booster Club where she led several successful fundraising events. She also spent many years at Thoreau and Madison as PTSA Chair of Parent Education, organizing and promoting seminars to educate parents on timely issues impacting children and their families. She is excited to turn her passion and energies to Shelter House and other local non-profits. Nancy graduated from Georgetown University with a BS in Finance and International Management. She worked for Arthur Andersen Real Estate Services Group and Freddie Mac Multifamily, before staying home to raise her children. Her experience at Freddie Mac sparked her interest in affordable housing issues. Nancy lives with her husband Larry in Vienna and has three grown children, Ben, Owen and Ellie. She loves to cook, read, and travel.
Scott Covino
Treasurer
Scott Covino is currently a founding partner of Red Rock Business Advisors (“Red Rock”). Red Rock is a business consulting firm that specializes in the areas of outsourced CFO, outsourced COO, strategy, operations and IT consulting and tax. Mr. Covino has assisted clients with acquisitions, strategic planning, process re-engineering, workflows and general business guidance. Directly prior to founding Red Rock, Scott served as the Director of Operations/Finance for a Reston-based IT outsourcing company focused on the small business market. His responsibilities included establishing the strategic vision, management of all service offerings and management of accounting, HR and operations functions. Scott is an entrepreneur who has founded several business enterprises over his career and worked within many capacities within those organizations. Scott started his career in public accounting, where he provided all aspects of tax, audit and advisory services to closely-held business owners.
Clyde "Sonny" Ellis
A native Richmonder, Clyde E. “Sonny” Ellis, Jr. and his wife Lee have lived in Fairfax County for 25 years. Sonny recently retired as the Senior Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary of Parsons Corporation. Prior to joining Parsons he spent eight years in the General Electric legal department, and before that was a partner in the international law firm of Bryan Cave LLP. Sonny also served on the Family PASS Board of Directors, where he was the Chair of the Board’s Nominating and Governance Committee and Corporate Secretary.
Nazanin “Naz” Hesselton
Naz Hesselton is a seasoned HR executive bringing over two decades of experience in human resources strategy and management to her role as Senior Director of Human Resources at rand*. Naz oversees key HR functions, including recruitment, benefits and compensation, performance and talent management and training, and development, while ensuring HR strategy aligns with the company's goals. Before joining rand*, Naz served as Vice President of Human Resources at HITT, where she was responsible for driving employee training, recruitment, and retention efforts for over 1,500 employees. Her career also includes over fifteen years in talent acquisition at General Dynamics Information Technology. An advocate for community and professional growth, Naz sits on the Board of Directors for Shelter House, a nonprofit supporting homeless families and victims of domestic violence. She was recognized as a 2022 Construction Champion: Mentor by Construction Dive. Her professional affiliations include membership in the Evanta Washington, DC CHRO Community, and she holds several prestigious certifications, including Strategic HR Business Partner (HCI), Certified Internet Recruiter, and Certified Social Sourcing Recruiter (AIRS). Naz’s leadership is marked by a commitment to fostering inclusive, productive workplaces and empowering others to excel.
Sopa Keo
Sopa joined Freedom Bank in July 2021, and currently serves as Senior Vice President of Deposit Services in the Commercial Banking Division. Ms. Keo brings over two decades of extensive experience in commercial and community banking. In her current role, she leads business development initiatives, focusing on providing tailored deposit, cash management and treasury solutions to a diverse range of clients, from small businesses to large corporations. Ms. Keo is known for her strategic approach to building and maintaining client relationships, with a focus on understanding the unique needs of each customer and delivering exceptional service. Ms. Keo has held leadership roles at United Bank and Cardinal Bank, where she excelled in managing complex client relationships, developing new business opportunities, and delivering customized treasury solutions to her clients. In addition to her professional achievements, Ms. Keo is committed to giving back and currently serves on the board of Shelter House Inc., where she uses her financial expertise to support the organization’s mission of providing housing and support services to families in need. She also serves as an advisory board member with the Children Science Center to inspire the love, learning and innovation of all things STEM. Her career reflects a deep passion for fostering meaningful connections within the community while delivering exceptional service and results.
Muneeb Maqsood
Muneeb brings 10 years of expertise in telecommunications, specializing in strategic sales and relationship-building with clients across diverse industries. Originally from New York, Muneeb has embraced Virginia as his home for the past 16 years, where he lives with his wife and two children. His personal journey—from being a tenant at Shelter House to building a successful career—fuels his passion for helping others and giving back to the community.
Kumkum Kunappareddy
As an emerging leader in Organizational Change Management at CGI Federal, Kumkum brings a unique ability to build strong client relationships and foster collaboration across diverse teams. Known for her talent in connecting people and aligning stakeholders, Kumkum has quickly established herself as a valuable partner in guiding federal clients through meaningful transitions. Her work emphasizes empathy, engagement, and clear communication, helping clients navigate change with confidence. In addition to her role in OCM, Kumkum serves as President of the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Resource Group at CGI, where she has expanded membership and strengthened a culture of inclusivity. She also leads numerous Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, establishing impactful partnerships with charities in the DMV area, including Volunteer Fairfax, Northern Virginia Family Service, and Special Olympics Virginia’s Dulles Plane Pull. Under her leadership, CGI was awarded the Corporate Impact Award for Excellence in Philanthropy by ShelterHouse, recognizing her commitment to community support and social impact. As a long-time resident of Virginia and a dedicated supporter of ShelterHouse, Kumkum has been committed to helping vulnerable communities. Her personal connection to ShelterHouse’s mission inspired her to take on a more active role in the organisation, and as a newly appointed board member of ShelterHouse, Kumkum is excited to bring her strategic vision and passion for service to further ShelterHouse’s mission, expanding outreach to underrepresented communities and strengthening support for those in need.
Diane Lim
Diane Lim is an economist who has spent her 40-year career in a variety of prominent roles in the federal government, nonprofit, and academic sectors, and she specializes in studying the distributional effects of public policies and programs. In her most recent roles she served as Director of the Equity Hub at the U.S. Treasury Department (2023-25) and as Policy Director for the U.S. House Select Committee on Economic Disparity & Fairness in Growth during the 117th Congress (2021-23). Diane started a blog called EconomistMom on Mother’s Day 2008, and after her first year of prolific blogging caught the attention of the Wall Street Journal who named her website one of the top 10 economics blogs for its readability and originality. Diane is a founding advisory board member of the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia, and she is a past president of the National Tax Association. She received her degrees in Economics from the University of Michigan (BA), Brown University (MA), and the University of Virginia (PhD). She is mom to four adult children, grandma to one granddaughter (and counting!), and lives in Fairfax, VA with her husband and her rescued dogs and cats. She’s been a part-time yoga teacher for more than 20 years.
Charlie Loomis
As a native to Loudoun County, Virginia and having lived in Asheville, NC and Chattanooga, TN for 15 years, Charlie brings a wealth of knowledge, inspired creativity, and true passion for good food and hospitality. The same passion and creativity that Beat Bobby Flay with his amazing take on the Classic dish, Eggs Benedict. Charlie’s other passion lies in solving hunger issues and homelessness. Charlie has served on multiple boards including the Chattanooga homeless coalition, the Hamilton County schools board of nutrition and the Chattanooga food bank. Additional accolades include features on multiple Food Network shows including winning the season 1 finale of “cooks vs cons”, and “The best thing I ever ate”. He has been invited to cook at the James Beard house and has had multiple features in food and wine magazine, Local Palette and Bon appetite. Charlie was voted best chef in the city for 2019 and 2020 by Chattanooga times free press and held the title of best restaurant for 3 years before leaving to move to Dubai, UAE and then back home to Loudoun County. Charlie has lived all over the world and is happy to be back home again. On his days off, he enjoys cookouts with his wife Tanya and his two dogs Stella and Frank, yoga, hiking and pickleball. Charlie is currently the Director of Food and Beverage for the Washington Dulles Airport Marriott.
Management Team
Joe Meyer
Executive Director & CEO
Dani Colón
Chief Executive Strategist
Megan Goffney
Chief Program Officer
David Maloney
Controller
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Nurjan Maksutova
Director of Development
Judy Chang
Senior Director of Homeless Services - Fairfax
Mindi Merriam
Senior Director of Domestic Violence Services
Megan Hansen
Senior Director of Homeless Services - Loudoun
Jessamyn Ayers
Director of Data Analytics and Insight
Sheree Fryar
Director of Programs and Services - Region IV
Vivian Boakye
Director of Family Pass and
Permanent Supportive Housing
Jennifer Sandova
Director of Loudoun Homeless Services Center
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Elisabeth Tropea
Director of Artemis House Region I
Charlotte Clark-Rowe
Director of Artemis House Region 3
Edwina Bates
Operations Manager
Sahar Awad
People & Culture Manager
A Message From
Our Executive Director & CEO
As I look at the growth of Shelter House since our inception in 1981, I am extremely proud of what we have been able to achieve. I am even more excited about our outlook for an equally promising future. We have successfully managed full operation of six major shelters in Northern Virginia. We have transitioned from managing critical housing issues to gathering the support of our community and establishing strategies to END homelessness and domestic violence.
It is satisfying to know that we have the support of our local government, our staff, and our community in acquiring the necessary resources to reach our goals. This collective support enables us to continue to launch new strategies and establish new partnerships. As a result, we are able to ensure the families in our community have a safe and stable place to call home.
Talented Staff: Among our most important assets is the well qualified and passionate staff. They empower the families and children to become independent citizens of our community. From our Executive staff to our Leadership Team and front line Service Delivery Team, Shelter House is committed to delivering unparalleled service to our clients.
Community Focus: Shelter House is committed to the community in which we do business. We are dedicated to the Blueprint for Success in preventing and ending homelessness in Fairfax and Loudoun Counties. Through our work with the State, County, large businesses, small business and individuals; we are vested both professionally and fiscally as we continue to assess the needs and work hard to identify solutions.
Collaboration: As our community strengthens, each new day offers a chance for us to work together, pursue new opportunities and improve upon the past. We establish in-depth relationships with our clients by learning their environments and the challenges they face. In doing so, we are better equipped to offer tangible solutions. We continue to manage our business around the evolving needs of our community– and that puts us at the forefront of CHANGING LIVES.
Sincerely,
Joe Meyer, Executive Director and CEO
Join Our Team
We have several job openings throughout Fairfax and Loudoun Counties across all of our programs.
From Program Direction, Housing Services, Case Management, Community Coordination and more, you could help us be one step closer to achieving our vision of a community free of homelessness and domestic violence.
For more information regarding our internship opportunities, please contact our Department of People and Culture: peopleandculture@shelterhouse.org.
Shelter House participates in E-Verify and will provide the Federal Government with your Form I-9 information to confirm you are authorized to work in the U.S.