Filiz Odabas-Geldiay
Executive Director
As Executive Director, Filiz supports IAHV’s governance, strategic partnerships and public relations. Filiz is a member of the Secretary’s Subcommittee for Women in the US Department of State, and was selected as one of the Nation’s Top 90 Women Mentoring Leaders at the Global Women Mentoring and Philanthropy Summit in 2011. Formerly the executive director of World Children’s Day Foundation, Filiz received MA in Communications and Conflict Management and BA in International Relations from American University. She teaches stress-management in Washington DC.
Madhu Kadari
Treasurer
Treasurer of IAHV since 2002, Madhu manages the organization’s financial and legal matters, and operations. He has also driven fundraising initiatives for IAHV’s disaster relief projects, including a global Walk-a-thon and Serve-a-thon. Madhu Kadari has M.S. from University of Maryland, College Park, and works as a Chief Engineer at NASA.
program DIRECTORS
Bill Herman
Director of YES! for Schools
As Director of YES! for Schools, Bill integrates YES! into public schools and develops new YES! teachers. Bill received his BFA and teaching credentials in 1975, and his MFA from the Art Institute of Chicago. For more than twenty years, Bill taught photography and art in high schools and colleges across the United States. Bill initiated IAHV’s Youth Leadership Training Program (YLTP) in Mexico, Belize, Haiti, India and Pakistan, and the United States. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Bill spearheaded trauma and stress relief programs and YLTP for the people of New Orleans.
Emily Peck
Development Director for YES! for Schools
As Development Director for YES! for Schools, Emily is implementing a development, scaling, and sustainability plan for the program. Teaching YES! since 2007, Emily also teaches stress management, leadership and life-skills programs to university students and adults. With a BA in Geography from the University of Maryland and a MPhil in International Peace Studies from Trinity College Dublin, Emily worked for the World Wildlife Fund and EarthSat Corporation.
Gabriella Savelli
Director of Prison Smart
Gabriella has been Director of PrisonSMART since 2009. Conducting IAHV’s trauma relief workshops for youth and adults in New Orleans, she began teaching prisoners in 2008 as part of IAHV’s Katrina Relief effort. She now conducts courses in correctional facilities nationwide. Prior to working with IAHV, Gabriella served as a Department of Public Welfare Caseworker for 10 years. She earned BA in Speech Communications and Education.
John Osborne
Director of Project Welcome Home Troops
Program Director, trainer, and teacher trainer of Project Welcome Home Troops, John is also a corporate and leadership trainer with TLEX. He has presented at the UN, The World Bank, World Health Organization, the Wharton Business School, UCLA’s Anderson Business School at UCLA, Clairmont College at the Drucker Business School. A graduate of Hamilton College and Yale University, John recently retired as founder and CEO of Starboard Venture Partners, a venture capital firm based in Santa Monica, CA.