Americana Community Center Staff

Edgardo Mansilla, Executive Director:  Edgardo, a native of Buenos Aires, Argentina, came to Louisville in 1990 on a scholarship to study social work.  He has a Master in Social Work degree from the Carver School of Social Work, as well as a master's in Theology.  Edgardo is a part-time professor at the University of Louisville Kent School of Social Work.  He has extensive experience providing programs in Louisville to benefit refugee, immigrant, and low-income families. edgardo@americanacc.org

Maria Blough, Grant Manager:  Maria has been with Americana Community Center since September 2005 serving in a variety of roles, starting off as a full-time volunteer in the Louisville Urban Corps program.  Maria is from Hilliard, Ohio and received her undergraduate degree from Bluffton University.  She is a recent graduate of the Kent School of Social Work at the University of Louisville, completing a Master of Science in Social Work. maria@americanacc.org

Patricia Gould, Finance Manager:  Pat joined the Americana staff in October 2009 and brings 20+ years accounting, human resources, and business management experience to the Center.  She has previously worked in the non-profit sector, as well as volunteered with a number of non-profit agencies in Louisville. 

Jason Wadowski, Youth Program Coordinator:  Jason has worked with Americana since September 2006 and started off as an Americorps volunteer.  He was hired onto a full-time position in September 2007.  Jason is originally from Michigan where he studied communication and social work at Cornerstone University.  Prior to joining ACC, Jason spent three months in South Africa and Mozambique serving populations affected by HIV/AIDS.  He has made subsequent trips following up with individual and organizational connections.  He has also gained experience with different cultures from traveling to various countries in the Carribbean, Central America, and Europe. jason@americanacc.org

Nermina Nuredin, Senior Office Assistant/Facility Manager:  Nermina is originally from Bosnia and moved to Louisville in 2002.  She has worked at Americana since May 2005 and is currently working on her Bachelor's Degree in Accounting at the University of Louisville. nermina@americanacc.org

Roberto Guerra, Office/Facility Assistant: Originally from Havana, Cuba, Roberto was fortunate enough to move to the United States on Christmas Eve of 1997.  Roberto manages the main office and maintains supervision over the Americana Community Center facility in the afternoons. He will soon begin the Speed School Computer Engineering Program at the University of Louisville. roberto@americanacc.org

Lauren Sawayer, Community Garden Manager: began working at the Americana Center as an Americorps volunteer in 2009 and then was hired on as staff the summer of 2010 working as the community garden manager.  She is a graduate from the College of Charleston in South Carolina with degrees in Spanish Language and Latin American and Caribbean Studies.  After graduating, she focused on learning organic agriculture by working on farms in the U.S. and Latin America. lauren@americanacc.org

Michael Poindexter, Youth Program Staff and Boy Scout Program Director:  Michael is a current Sociology student at the University of Louisville. He started working at Americana in June 2008 as an Americorps* VISTA Summer Associate, and was then hired for a part-time position.  Michael just started working with the Boy Scouts program and has enjoyed two camping trips with the youth in the program. michael@americanacc.org

Jason Crigler, Youth Program Staff:  Jason has been at Americana Community Center since February of 2007.  In addition to his work as a youth program staff member, he helps plan and implement the Family Bridges Initiative, a program that supports and encourages both parents and students in school, at home and in the community. Additionally, he helps implement the Right to Read program.  Prior to joining the staff at ACC, Jason taught in secondary schools for a year in Grenada, W.I. He has also spent time working on various community, water, and public health projects throughout the developing world including East Africa, Central America and the Caribbean. He is currently finishing up a degree in cultural anthropology at the University of Louisville. jasonc@americanacc.org

Heather Collins, Art Program Coordinator: Heather has been working at ACC since 2007 when she began as an Art Intern. She graduated from the University of Louisville with an undergraduate degree in Psychology and Studio Art in 2008. Currently, Heather is in her last year of graduate school at U of L's School of Public Health. Heather brings a holistic approach to ACC's Art program by using art as an intervention for helping to improve the health of ACC's children and community. heather@americanacc.org

Elizabeth Perkins, AmeriCorps*VISTA Member: Elizabeth graduated from the University of Dayton in May of 2009 with a BA in Spanish and Women's and Gender Studies and minors in Human Rights Studies and Sociology. She is currently working a one-year term at Americana through the Americorps VISTA program, serving as the Adult and Community Program Coordinator. She learned Spanish while studying in the Dominican Republic and grew to love language and culture through this experience. In the future Elizabeth would like to work for an NGO in Latin America. elizabeth@americanacc.org

Lara Miramontes, AmeriCorps*VISTA Member: Lara is from California, and lived for many years in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. She graduated in Spring 2010 from the University of Victoria in Hispanic Studies with a minor in Women's Studies. Lara is currently serving a one-year term at Americana through the Americorps VISTA program, as the Center's first Community Liaison. During the course of her studies, Lara spent a year living in Mexico and traveled to Honduras twice for global community development initiatives, with focuses on health and clean water. In the future, Lara hopes to attend medical school and eke out a living in some way that allows her to pursue social and health justice. lara@americanacc.org

Rebecka Bloomer, AmeriCorps*VISTA Member: Rebecka graduated from the Kent School of Social Work with her Master's of Science in Social Work in 2010.  Prior to this, she received her undergraduate degrees in French and History from Eastern Kentucky University, spending a brief amount of time in France at the conclusion of her studies.  Currently, Rebecka works in Youth and Family Education Programming at Americana through a one-year term with Americorps.  rebecka@americanacc.org

Nakia Harris, Teen Staff: Nakia is currently a student at the University of Louisville and will be graduating with a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and a minor in Sociology this upcoming May.  She is native of Louisville and begin working at the Americana Community Center in December of 2009 and works specifically with the Teens in the After School Program.