Our Staff
Laura Thompson Osuri
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Laura has been with Homes Not Borders since the start when it grew out of her involvement with National Community Church Refugee Care Mission. She insisted she was just going to help volunteer a few hours a week and nothing more…
Laura is also the co-founder of D.C.’s street newspaper, Street Sense, and was its Editor and Executive Director from 2004 to 2009 (and briefly in 2011). She helped grow it from a project of the National Coalition of the Homeless to its own thriving non-profit helping hundreds homeless individuals. She still advises the organization today.
Laura is passionate about welcoming new refugees because their culture and contributions so enrich the United States. (She also loves sampling all their new foods!)
Laura feels most at home exploring Rock Creek Park and playing board games with her husband and three kids.
Nicholas Grossmann
OPERATIONS DIRECTOR
Nick has a background in international security studies and global conflict, focused on the Middle East and North Africa and has worked in the nonprofit sector, and on media startups.
Nick got involved in Homes Not Borders through a friend of a friend when Homes Not Borders was still part of National Community Church, and often found himself as the only guy helping with set ups. He became the first Program Manager in February 2020.
Nick feels most at home spending time with loved ones and pushing for new adventures in life, by motorcycle or other means.
Manizha Azizi
FAMILY SERVICES DIRECTOR
Manizha is a successful entrepreneur who has founded and operated multiple businesses.
She was born in Afghanistan and immigrated to the United States as a refugee during the Afghan Soviet War. As an immigrant herself, Manizha understands the challenges and difficulties of starting a new life in a different country which is why she has decided to dedicate her time to helping refugee families transition and become productive members in their new communities.
After volunteering for many organizations, Manizha was introduced to Homes Not Borders and was immediately drawn to the organization’s mission and values.
Manizha feels most at home when she is spending quality time on the weekends with her family and cooking her mom’s delicious recipes.
Noah Klose
COMMUNITY OUTREACH DIRECTOR
Noah is a DC native who has worked on the volunteer and volunteer management side of refugee resettlement since 2018 in both Phoenix, AZ, and the DC Area. He graduated college with a background in Middle East Politics and Culture and then spent two years working as an AmeriCorps Volunteer, first with FEMA Corps responding to Hurricanes Irma and Maria in Puerto Rico and then as a VISTA Leader for the Arizona Refugee Resettlement Program.
After returning to DC in early 2020 he started volunteering at Homes Not Borders a few months later and never left.
Noah feels most at home sitting on a back porch or around a fire talking and laughing with friends.
Amy Hoang Wrona
DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
Amy is a development professional with more than 20 years experience in business development and management consulting. Previously, she concentrated on business development in the federal contracting space , helping small companies achieve substantial growth and large companies win contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars. She started her career in management consulting with KPMG and McKinsey.
Amy started volunteering at Homes Not Borders in August 2021 after the fall of Kabul when she realized she was now almost the exact same age as her mother when Saigon fell and she and her family had to flee. Her favorite activity as a volunteer was setting up bunk beds.
Amy feels most at home surrounded by family near and far, playing games or watching a good movie.
Linda Goldman
DIRECTOR OF WAREHOUSE OPERATIONS & IN-KIND DONATIONS
Linda Goldman is an award-winning documentary television producer with a passion for inspiring stories.
In August 2021, when she first saw the overflowing Homes Not Borders warehouse, she was instantly captivated by a new challenge: How quickly can we excavate and organize this mountain of donations to best help incoming refugees?
Within a week Linda and fellow volunteer Nancy Spoor had begun building a team to sort donations, organize the space, and build systems to support 8 to 10 setups every week. She says it’s been one of the most rewarding projects she’s ever undertaken.
Linda feels most at home trying new projects, exploring small towns, and sharing a laugh with her family and friends.
Amber Medero
REFUGEE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MANAGER, CAMPUS COMPACT/AMERICORP VISTA
Amber is a recent graduate of Wheaton College in Massachusetts, where her studies centered on Spanish and International relations with a concentration in Peace and Security.
Being born and raised in one of the most diverse cities in the world – Queens, New York and having family from Venezuela, Amber recognized from a young age the struggles that immigrant communities face and knew she had to find a way to help. She was first given an opportunity to persue her passion when she interned at US Together, a refugee resettlement agency in Cleveland, Ohio. Since then she knew she wanted to continue to work with and support refugees and immigrants.
Amber feel most at home making arepas with her mother on Sunday mornings con cafecito.
Nasser Haqparast
FAMILY SERVICES ASSISTANT
Nasser was an interpreter, translator and cultural advisor for the US Army in Afghanistan from 2010 to 2014. In 2015 he came to the United States through the SIV program and resettled in Maryland. He started working as cook and at hotel before joining Homes Not Borders.
Nasser enjoys giving back to his fellow Afghans and showing them all he learned during his resettlement period.
Nasser feels most at home spending time with friends and family including his three little ones) in the park as well as playing Buzkashi.
Atheer Abdulla
DONATIONS ASSISTANT
Atheer came to the US in 2016 on a special immigrant visa (SIV) after getting threats on his and his family’s lives because he worked for the US military as a driver. When Atheer and his family came here, they felt lucky to be in the US and are happy they are safe, but have faced so many ups and downs since his English is limited and both he and his wife were laid off from their jobs during the Covid pandemic.
Atheer started at Homes Not Borders in 2021, working as a driver and mover. In 2022, Atheer started working fulltime to help rehabilitate furniture so that it is ready to donate to our clients.
Atheer feels most at home spending time with his wife and two little boys.
Homes Not Borders
3610 East St.
Landover, MD 20785
FOLLOW US
© 2023
Join Our Community
Subscribe for news & updates