Board of Directors
Catherine Farrell, PhD
Board President
Cathy is currently employed by Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) as a Director in US Medical Affairs. She has been a volunteer for Dawn’s Place and Laurel House, and is a long-time Board member of Lansdale AAUW. As a leader within her church, she promoted efforts to combat hunger and homelessness. Cathy feels that housing is a basic human right and she is excited to try the Tiny House village model in Philadelphia.
The Reverend Serena Sellers
Board Treasurer
Rev. Sellers serves as Pastor at Christ Lutheran Church in Harleysville. She has had a long interest creating a world where all people live with dignity. Pastor Sellers has worked with numerous organizations that attempt to provide for basic human needs, and build beloved community. She currently serves on the Southeastern Pennsylvania Lutheran Synod Anti-Racism Team, and works with the Shepherd’s Shelf community food pantry.
Mayva Donnon
Board Member
Mayva is a partner at KSS Architects. Mayva currently serves as Chair of the Building Committee at the Philadelphia School and is also a member of various professional organizations that involve volunteer efforts such as CREW Philadelphia, ULI Philadelphia, AIA Philadelphia and Penn Design Alumni Organization where I recently served as a mentor for the BIPOC Alumni Career Initiative. As an architect and a Philadelphia resident, Mayva is interested in solutions that expand the range of options to increase housing affordability as well as innovative solutions to house Philly's residents.
Hazelita Fauntroy Hayes
Board Member
Hazelita is an opera singer, actor, director, playwright, composer, and producer. She has worked with Dr Martin Luther King Jr, James Farmer, the families of Goodman Scherner Chaney, Pete Seeger, Peter, Paul & Mary, the opera composer Giancarlo Menotti, and Paul Robeson Jr, and Susan Robeson. She is currently finishing a bio opera that she and her late husband, Terry Hayes, wrote about Paul Robeson to be performed in South Africa in 2023. Hazelita has lived experience of homelessness in Philadelphia.
Marisa Albanese
Board Member
Marisa is a marketer, project manager, and product strategist currently working as a Lead Product Marketing Manager for DIRECTV. She's volunteered for Dawn's Place and served as a consultant with COMPASS for the past two years. As a Philadelphia native, Marisa strongly feels no person should be without a home and is committed to spread the mission of Sanctuary Village.
Norman Weinstein
Board Vice-President
Norman is an attorney who has practiced law in Philadelphia for 40 years with a concentration in disability law. He has also spent 40 years engaged in pro bono work to help the indigent, disabled, immigrant and others navigate the legal system. He has served on or been president of many non-profit boards. Norman feels a strong commitment to giving back especially in service to those living on the margins and the disenfranchised.
The Reverend Toneh Smyth, LSW
Board Secretary
Rev. Smyth has a master’s degree in Health Service Administration and Social Work. She is the Canon for Mission for the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania. Rev Smyth has over 16 years’ experience working in the non-profit industry, and has worked as a program director for residential programs for adults with mental disabilities, a case manager for homeless veterans, for a veteran’s transitional housing organization, and shelters throughout Philadelphia promoting the integration of mental health/addiction services into housing initiatives.
Staci Scott
Board Member
Staci has 25 years of experience in strategic planning, business and workforce development, philanthropy, and community/public relations. Most recently, Staci was the Chief Operating Officer at North10 Philadelphia. Staci has has years of non-profit and foundation experience, is an award-winning author, an inspirational speaker, and the CEO of the SJS Organization, a boutique consulting firm that inspires women and girls. Her personal mission is to work in support of individuals who believe themselves to be voiceless and who have been marginalized by mainstream society.
Reverend Schaunel Steinnagel
Board Member
Reverend Schaunel is Associate Pastor of The Welcome Church and is a minister of word and sacrament in the Presbyterian Church. She has served on the boards of the Philadelphia Unemployment Project and the Presbyterian Network to End Homelessness.
Sebastian Downs
Board Member
Sebastian is an engineer, contractor, Realtor, and co-founder of Greenest Homes, a sustainability-oriented housing redevelopment company. He has volunteered for housing projects with Habitat for Humanity, and served with AmeriCorps and Engineers Without Borders. Sebastian recognizes that all people deserve access to safe reliable housing and is glad to be able to provide that through Sanctuary Village.
Daniel Wolfson
Board Member
Daniel Wolfson was the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the ABIM Foundation, a
not-for-profit focused on advancing medical professionalism and physician leadership to improve the health care system. Daniel led the Foundation’s Building Trust agenda, which includes a variety of
activities designed to increase organizational trust, promote the imperative of trusting science and facts,
and increase equity and reduce systemic racism in the U.S. health care system. As a Philadelphia resident, Daniel is interested in fair and equitable housing for those Philadelphia residents who struggle daily with homelessness and meeting their basic needs.