"Act as if what you do makes a difference.  It does. "

-William James

Athens County Habitat Board of Directors

Barbara Brown – Board President

Barbara Brown, Ph.D. is currently a consultant and retired from the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction where she served as warden at two institutions and ended her career as a deputy director responsible for services for offenders with developmental disabilities.

She has her doctorate in education with emphasis in criminology from Ohio State University

Her interest in developmental disabilities stems from her daughter, an adult who successfully lives in the community with support from her local county board.  Her daughter is very active in Special Olympics.

She also has a daughter who is married and teaches math at Hocking Community College.  This daughter has given Barb 3 beautiful grandchildren.

She remains active by serving on the boards for Partners in Justice, The Athens County Board of Developmental Disabilities and Athens County Habitat for Humanity.  She is also a docent for the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium and works part-time teaching scouts about the animals.  She also volunteers as an usher at all home OSU football games.

May Kay Eastman – Vice-President

Pat Merriell – Past President/Secretary

Pat Merriell has served Athens County Habitat in many different capacities since 1999. An original member of Women Raise the Roof, Pat served as its Treasurer and has participated in the six WRTR builds. Pat has served on the Board of Directors as Secretary, Vice-President and President. Pat is currently the immediate Past-President and Acting Secretary.

Pat grew up in Boston, Massachusetts and has called the Athens area home since 1980. A stay-at-home mom while her sons David and Alex were growing up, Pat is the Broker/Owner of Athens Realty.

Scott Lee – Treasurer

Mike Finney – Finance Committee Chair

Carol Kirk – ReStore Committee

Athens County Habitat for Humanity welcomes Carol Kirk.  Carol has lived in Athens for 33 years and just joined the board this fall.  Carol taught with the Athens City Schools for 30 years, and is now retired.  She's been involved with WRTR and has helped with three of the women's builds. Carol has also been on the ReStore committee since it began too many years ago.  She's very excited that they finally found a site, an amazing manager, and are doing so well.  She helps out there a little each week.  She lives in New Marshfield with her youngest daughter Jessie who is a Sr. at Athens High School and her two cats Addie and Heidi.  Her second daughter Casie is an art teacher in Fairfax Co. Virginia and her stepdaughter Avis lives in State College Pa. with her husband Brian where they are both very busy.   Carol also volunteers at the Athens County Food Pantry, babysits for two little girls two days a week,  and serves on the Youth Committee at Christ Lutheran Church.  In her free time she enjoys hiking, camping, gardening, reading, working outside, and spending time with her friends.  "I joined the board because I truly believe in the mission of Habitat for Humanity and I love working side by side with the families who will live in the finished home". 

Judy Maxson – Family Selection Committee Co-Chair

Judith A. Maxson holds bachelor’s and masters degrees in nursing from The Ohio State University and a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from Ohio University. She worked as a Registered Nurse for several years before joining the nursing faculty at OSU.

 Following the family’s move to Athens, Judy taught practical nursing then was one of the first instructors in associate degree nursing at Hocking College. She later became Director of Health Careers then Dean of Technical Education and finally Vice-President of Academic Affairs and Provost. Judy served Hocking’s students and faculty for thirty-eight years before retiring in 2009. During her professional career Judy also served as member then president of the Ohio Board of Nursing.

Judy loves dance and was a nationally certified group aerobics instructor teaching dance aerobics for fifteen years. For the last two years she has enjoyed senior line dancing and began teaching beginning and advanced classes a year ago.

Judy is an active member of Christ Community Wesleyan Church. She also serves as a board member and treasurer of both the Athens Senior Club and Athens Friends and Newcomers.  Bridge has become one of her new passions since retiring.

George Bain – Faith Build Coalition

George Bain serves as head of the Faith Build Coalition and also as chair of the Cardboard City Committee. He became active in the county affiliate in 1999 and has enjoyed his activity with Habitat for Humanity immensely.

Before retirement in 2007 he worked for 30 years as a archivist, first with the Ohio Historical Society, and then with the Ohio University Libraries where he served as Head of the Mahn Center for Archives and Special Collections. He and his wife Nancy are parents to three children and grandparents for one.

Claudia Hale – Women Raise The Roof Coalition

Claudia Hale is chair of the Women Raise the Roof coalition with Athens County Habitat for Humanity. Claudia began volunteering with WRTR as of WRTR's second build. Along with Anita James, Claudia served as the "Just-In-Time" co-trainer for that build. She enjoys all aspects of the build process, but especially raising the walls, being up on the roof, and installing wood floors. In her other life, Claudia is a professor in the School of Communication Studies at Ohio University where she teaches classes in interpersonal communication, organizational communication, and conflict management.

Mike Carpenter – Finance Committee

Michael Carpenter has been a member of the Board since 2007.  Since joining the Board, he has been a member of the Finance Committee and the Development Committee.  He helped the chapter establish an endowment fund for long term legacy giving.  In addition to his work with Athens County Habitat, Michael is also a member of the Athens Foundation Board, the Ohio University Marching Band Society of Alumni and Friends Board, and a member of the Athens Estate Planning Council.  Michael is a Certified Financial Planner^Ò and is the owner of Carpenter & Associates, a full service investment and financial planning firm.  He and his wife Jo have three children and have lived in Athens since graduation from Ohio University.

Laura Endick

Laura Endick is the Banking Center Manager of Century National Bank in Athens, Ohio.   Laura was born and raised in Athens and attended Athens High School, Hocking College and Ohio University.  She has an associate degree in Business Management and Entrepreneurship and is working towards her Bachelor’s in Economics.  Century National Bank encourages their employees to give back to their local community and she thought Habitat for Humanity would be the perfect opportunity.  Laura is also a member of the Athens AM Rotary and a member of the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce.  Laura joined the board for Habitat in Spring of 2012.  In her free time, Laura loves exercising, going to the movies, traveling, boating, swimming, the beach  and spending time with her boyfriend, friends and family.

Jim Raeder

Carol Martin

Rebecca Fischer – Ohio University Student Chapter President