Meet Our Amazing Team
Meet our staff and board members, the dedicated team helping to guide Project Neighbors forward. But we are just one part of a much larger community—volunteers, partners, donors, residents, and so many others—who make our mission a reality.
Carmen Vincent
Executive Director
Carmen Vincent is an Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker, a Valparaiso University graduate and Christ College scholar, and a plant and cat lover with firsthand experience of housing insecurity. She is passionate about community building and empathetic storytelling.
Cody Wilson
Housing Director
Cody Wilson is a Valparaiso University theology alumnus and Christ College Scholar. He is a member of the Bach Choir, a We Make Indiana community partner, and a cooperative housing advocate. He is also a handyman, outdoorsman, and musician.
Greg Jones
Community Partner
Greg Jones is a professor of theology at Valparaiso University, founder of Union Community Church, host of Morning BLACK on WVLP, and an officer of the Northwest Indiana African American Alliance. He has been working with Project Neighbors for over 10 years.
Kate Gong
Administrator
Kate Gong is the mother of two boys and a breast cancer survivor. She is a VU law school graduate with 22 years of experience working in Porter County non-profit organizations, including over 10 years with Project Neighbors.
Richard Sévère
Board President
Richard Sévère is a professor of English and associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Valparaiso University. He serves as a board member and secretary of the Family Valparaiso YMCA, in addition to serving on the board of Neighbors Educational Opportunities (NEO).
Pat Terrell
Board Vice President
Pat Terrell is a retired national health care consultant and former deputy chief of Cook County Health and Hospitals (Chicago). She has been a participant in Project Neighbors since 1969 and is a doting grandmother.
Matt Puffer
Board Treasurer
Matt Puffer is the father of three. He is a professor of humanities and ethics at Valparaiso University, a board member of the International Bonhoeffer Society, and a former high school physics and moral philosophy teacher, YoungLife staff member, engineer, and runner.
Ken Luther
Board Secretary
Ken Luther is a professor emeritus of mathematics at Valparaiso University, host of Mostly Metal on WVLP, and an all-around swell guy.
Tina Allen-Abulhassan
Board Member
Tina Allen-Abulhassan is the mother of three. She is a supplemental instructor at Ivy Tech, an online English as a Second Language instructor, and a member of the Northwest Indiana African American Alliance. She holds an MALS from Valparaiso University and an EdD from the American College of Education.
Mike Alonzo
Board Member
Mike Alonzo is a solutions-focused neighbor, self-tasked with building community one house at a time. He is an engineer, educator, landlord, volunteer, and doer.
Larry Baas
Board Member
Larry Baas is married to Ann Baas and has two adult children and three grandchildren. He is the director of the Community Research and Services Center and a senior research professor at Valparaiso University. He is also co-host of Conversations and ABC (Agenda for a Better Community) at Noon on WVLP.
Patrick Dalton
Board Member
Patrick Dalton is married to Cassie Dalton and is the father of two beautiful kids. A Valpo native, he currently works as an account manager at Eli Lilly. He has prior involvement with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and YoungLife, driven by his passion to display his faith through loving his neighbors.
Jan Jones
Board Member
Jan Jones has been a Porter County resident since 2003. She is married with two grown children and three grandchildren, an animal lover with two dogs and a cat, a marginally successful (but determined) vegetable gardener, an aspiring whole grain sourdough baker, and is working toward reducing her carbon footprint.
Susannah Larson
Board Member
Susannah Larson is a Valpo native, VU MBA alumna, financial projects manager at Porter-Starke/Marram Health Center (where she has held past roles), board member of the Valparaiso Creative Council, wife, mother, handywoman, and dog lover.
Lois Reiner
Co-Founder Board Member
Lois Reiner is a resident of Valparaiso for more than 70 years, co-founder of Project Neighbors and its first iteration in 1969, a community connector, honorary doctorate recipient and faculty member at Valparaiso University, and former advocate for prisoners and their families.
George Terrell
Board Member
George Terrell is a past president of Project Neighbors, co-founder of Caminos de Agua, board member of the Northwest Indiana African American Alliance and Asset Based Community Development Institute, and co-founder of Allies Against Racism.
Willow Walsh
Board Member
Willow Walsh is a graphic designer, co-host of Welcome Project Radio, former Human Relations Council member, affordable housing enthusiast, oral history lover, and avid crafter.
Jamal Watkins
Board Member
Jamal Watkins is the executive director of Watkins Pentecost Ministries, Inc. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in mass media arts with a concentration in radio, TV, and film from Morris Brown College in Atlanta, Georgia.
Liz Wuerffel
Board Member
Liz Wuerffel is the director of communications at Capital Region ESD 113 in Washington State, former associate professor of communication and visual arts at Valparaiso University, and founder of the Welcome Project.