Our Mission
The Power of Hope unleashes the positive potential of youth through arts-centered intergenerational and multicultural learning programs that value self-awareness,
leadership, community and social change.

The Power of Hope has offices in Victoria, BC and in Bellingham and Seattle, WA.
We are 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in the USA and a registered charity in Canada.
Contributions to Power of Hope are tax-deductible in the US and in Canada.

In the USA:

1337 Lincoln Street, #2
Bellingham, WA 98229 USA
phone: 360-671-7390
fax: 360-671-7580
poh[at]powerofhope[dot]org

In British Columbia,Canada
#7 - 1921 Fernwood Road
Victoria, BC V8T 2Y6
phone: 250-381-4673
pohvic[at]powerofhope[dot]org

Power of Hope Trustees
USA:
Becky Guzak, President
Bill Carroll, Jeanne Carroll, Linda Henderson, Jonathan Keith, Kelly Smith, Mark Smith, James Sutter, Billie Taylor

CANADA:
Gloria Hansen, Chair
Diana Cawood, Diana Smith, Soasis Sukeweh, Mark Vonesch, Ian Watson, Bill Weaver

Power of Hope Staff
The Power of Hope is coordinated by a talented and diverse staff of artists, musicians, writers, actors, naturalists, community activists, and more. We have staff in Washington state and British Columbia with offices in Seattle, Victoria, BC, and Bellingham, WA.  

Staff in the Seattle, WA office:

Michael Harris, Executive Director, joined the Power of Hope team in November, 2005. Over the past thirty years he has led non-profit organizations to success in the Pacific Northwest, working in the performing arts, youth work and advocacy, health and human services, low income housing development and the natural foods industry. In his youth he worked professionally as an actor / director/ writer for theater - at age 16 he made his Broadway debut in the original cast of HAIR. Over the years Michael has worked for Microsoft, served on many non-profit boards and on the faculty of the University of Washington, Graduate School of Public Affairs. In his spare time he leads sing-alongs for groups of all kinds in Seattle, where he lives.

Alan Wong, Program Manager, leads the Seattle-based Youth Voices team and Gear Up programs in the Yakima and Skagit Valleys - and serves as a lead facilitator at Power of Hope camps and trainings. Alan is a poet and musician who trusts deeply in the creative process as a means of personal and community transformation. Alan’s given Chinese name, “Peng”, means, “peace, balance, and equilibrium” – qualities he strives to bring to his work and to the world around him.

Kat Vellos, Program Manager and GEAR UP coordinator, is a native of Belize, and a recently naturalized U.S. citizen. She wakes up each morning to manifest creativity in service of the greater good. She has a rich background in visual art and spoken word/poetry, and received her B.A. in Graphic Design at Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida. Kat has served youth from K-12 as an AmeriCorps member and committed youth work volunteer. In fact, she started off with Power of Hope as an energetic volunteer for Hip Hop Hope! In all her endeavors, Kat strives to create environments that value positive and authentic community as well as individual evolution through courageous self-expression. In her spare time she's creating vegetarian masterpieces in the kitchen, sending snail mail, and thinking in ink, rockin' them spoken words.

Devon Little, Youth Voices Coordinator/Americorps, grew up exploring dance, theatre, nature and different cultures. In college, she studied Sociology and Peace & Conflict Studies. In general, she has focused her time working with transformative communication models in dynamic, cross-community settings, including a race relations group, process work in Northern Ireland, a nonviolence youth organization, a half-way home, and a dialogue-project across religious and political divides in Colorado Springs. She continues her education by studying Nonviolent Communication, Spanish, educative movement and dance, and permaculture, as well as offering experiences in the performing arts and dialogue.

Maureen Nelson, Administrative and Program Assistant, joined the POH staff after spending two years as an AmeriCorps with the Youth Voices program.  She trains and guides the new Americorps team in the Bellingham office as well as, handling administrative duties and staffing youth events.  Originally from Seattle, she graduated from Western Washington University in 2003 with a B.A. in Theatre Education.  She has worked with youth in local schools and in-patient facilities, supporting her passion for the arts, conscious youth work, community change and more well-rounded school curriculums and environments.

Jamie-Rose Rothenberg, Youth Voices Coordinator/Americorps, first encountered Power of Hope as a youth, when she attended a summer program in 2000. She has since returned to the organization as a mentor and a summer camp manager. She is thrilled to enrich her Power of Hope education and experience through this year of service as a youth voices coordinator. Throughout her youth education career, she has coordinated programs in a variety of subjects, such as: mural-arts, creative writing, literary magazine production, and reading literacy. As a graduate in Peace and Global Studies and a recipient of a “Grant for Peace” from Davis Foundation, Jamie-Rose believes that the arts are a powerful medium through which constructive social change may be inspired.   

Staff at the Victoria, BC office:

Gita John,Program Manager, comes to Power of Hope with several years experience with Community Development agencies in India and Canada. She is passionate about working with and for children and youth. She was raised in a Gandhian Christian center begun by her parents during India's freedom movement, and her life has been deeply influenced by this experience. Her work background and interests include food security, environmental protection, natural healing and simple living.

Annie Banks,Program Assistant, started out as an enthusiastic volunteer with Power of Hope. Annie is passionate about working with and learning from people of all ages and she is active in Victoria's community as a outreach youth worker, volunteer, activist, artist, and bicycle enthusiast. Annie plans to continue her education as a student of life in many different capacities!

 

Staff at the Bellingham, WA office:

Sharon Akers serves as Power of Hope's Senior Program Manager, handling outreach and coordination for all Power of Hope programs. Sharon came to POH as a volunteer/workshop leader in 1999, having worked with youth at risk since 1985 in shelters, group homes, and alternative high schools, utilizing music & play therapy.

Jen Dickenson is a Youth Voices Coordinator/Americorps member. Her road to The Power of Hope has been a long and winding one.  Originally from South Dakota, Jen graduated from the University of Minnesota with a double major in Theatre Arts and Global Studies in 2006.  While in college, Jen conducted a research project on how street theatre can and has been used as a catalyst for social change in India.  Jen also collaborated with Central Touring Theatre In St. Paul, MN where she worked with youth to develop a touring play focusing on issues of race, cultural acceptance and Identity.  Jen is excited to spend her second AmeriCorps year as the Youth Voices coordinator with The Power of Hope to continue combining her passions of theatre and social justice. 

Rebecca White, Youth Voices Coordinator/Americorps, arrived on Power of Hope’s scene after spending a year working in Esteli, Nicaragua with the Mural Arts Organization, FUNARTE (Foundation to Support Children’s Creative Art). She serves as an Americorps Youth Voices Coordinator with Power of Hope. She received a bachelor’s degree in Peace and Global Studies from Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana. She speaks Spanish and has experience working with refugees and mentoring international students. She hails from the Empire State (NY) and loves many things, including art as a means of community development and social empowerment; and her 50-year-old cat, Clarissa.

Co-Founders of The Power of Hope:

Charlie Murphy is an accomplished recording artist and former director of training for the YMCA Earth Service Corps, a national youth environmental organization.  For his work with Power of Hope, Charlie recently an Ashoka Fellowship in 2005.  This prestigious award honors “leading social entrepreneurs recognized to have innovative solutions and the potential to change patterns across society.”

Peggy Taylor, MA, brings a rich experience in holistic education, the arts, nonprofit management, and publishing to her creative work with youth.  She is co-author of Chop Wood, Carry Water: A Guide to Finding Spiritual Fulfillment in Everyday Life and was co-founder of New Age Journal, where she served as editor-in-chief for fourteen years.  Peggy is a creative development specialist with a Masters of Education in Creative Arts in Learning and is actively involved in designing and leading Power of Hope trainings.