"I believe that human resilience knows no limits and knowledge gives us the ability to survive and thrive in the world."
-Slobodanka Hodzic, Program Director
-Slobodanka Hodzic, Program Director
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Slobodanka leads the agency to fulfill our mission and vision of supporting new Americans in Idaho. She is originally from Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina and she came to the U.S. as a refugee in September of 1996. Slobodanka has been with the agency for more than twenty years. She started her career with the agency in 2001 and has worked almost every position here: a case manager, cash assistance coordinator, immigration specialist, and assistant director. Slobodanka moved into the position of director in 2017. In her spare time, Slobodanka loves to read, watch PBS and spend time with her family and cute rat terrier/pug Kyle.
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Mark Homco was born in Whittier, California. He attended California State University, Fullerton and received a B.S in Kinesiology. After that he received his M.S. at the Joseph Korbel School of International Development with a focus in global health. Mark’s favorite achievements are his service with AmeriCorps and Peace Corps. Mark tries to improve his mental and physical health though regular exercise and engaging in community activities. He believes we need each other to test our ideas, to share what we are learning, to help other see new perspectives, to offer forgiveness when needed, and to listen to everyone's unique stories.
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Yasmin handles client immigration practices and oversees their outcomes. Originally born in Afghanistan, Yasmin has traveled all over the world. She earned a B.S. in Medicine in the Czech Republic, and M.D. Residency in Kabul, Afghanistan. After training medical staff at Mercy Corps International in Pakistan on health, diversity, and inclusion topics, Yasmin came to the United States and joined Agency for New Americans as a case manager in 2000. She briefly left the agency in 2020 but returned after she realized her new job did not feel like home. Yasmin loves to spend time with her husband, travel, and cook the most delicious food!
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Breanne was born in southern California and has lived in Colorado, Kansas, Washington, Albania, and now Idaho. She has a BA in psychology and sociology, and a master's degree in teaching English to speakers of other languages (MA-TESOL). Before joining the Agency as a case manager in 2019, she taught ESL for 14 years to adult immigrants and refugees at the community college level. Breanne is passionate about supporting, educating, and empowering refugees to live successfully in the Boise community. Breanne enjoys reading, yoga, baking, and spending time with her husband and three kids traveling and exploring new places.
Jodi was born in Emmett, Idaho where she enjoyed being raised on a farm. She started working at ANA in December of 2009, and loves providing educational support to newcomers through Youth Programming, Job Readiness Classes, Cultural Orientation Sessions, Women’s Empowerment Groups and Men’s Human Rights Discussion Groups. Jodi has a passion for working with refugees and believes that everyone has the right to live in peace and in safety and feels honored to be a part of their journey. Jodi is married with one son and three Grandchildren; two girls and a boy who are the center of her world. Jodi also has two Boxer boys who rule the roost!
Brenda joined the agency in July 2021 after earning a master’s in Social Work the spring prior. She is passionate about working with refugees, immigrants and farm workers. Previously, she worked with the aforementioned populations in a multitude of settings including child welfare, higher education and developmental disability services. She is inspired and motivated by social workers and other human service providers, who have had a calling to help those in need and provide individuals the opportunity to be their best selves. During her free time, Brenda enjoys playing soccer, listening to music and painting.
Nekane handles all donations and all match grant orientations with clients. She has worked at ANA for 2 years and about 8 years in the nonprofit world. She grew up both in the Basque Country and in the United States. She was always passionate about humanitarian work and volunteering in her community. Since working at the Agency, she has been able to meet some of the most kind-hearted and resilient people she has ever known. She admires the strength in the Agency’s refugee clients. When she is not working, she likes to spend her time doing aerial silks, gardening, painting and spending time with family outdoors.
Rose is originally from DR Congo and has lived in the US for about a decade. She always wanted to be a doctor but wasn't fond of blood. Her other passion was social services so, she pursued it. She graduated with a B.A. in social work from Boise State University in 2020. As challenging as this work can be, she believes letting people know that they are not alone is the most important thing. For fun, Rose is learning to roller skate, and it's a work in progress. She believes Ed Sheeran is the best singer and Titanic and Black Panthers are the best movies ever!
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Cathy works with families to find and retain housing in the Treasure Valley. Although new to ANA in 2022, Cathy has spent the last 4 years helping to house Veterans experiencing homelessness. She believes in the power of community organizing to effect change. Cathy grew up in Baltimore, Maryland but has lived in Idaho for most of her life. She received her BA from the University of Idaho. Cathy lives in Boise with her husband, 3 almost grown girls, 2 cats and a talkative hound dog.
"Every moment is an organizing opportunity, every person a potential activist, every minute a chance to change the world.” Delores Huerta Jan was originally born in Afghanistan but grew up living in Pakistan. While in Pakistan, he went to school to learn about hardware engineering. He moved back to Afghanistan and worked with the United Nations World Food Program as a Field Monitor and IT Assistant. He arrived in the U.S. as a refugee in 2018 and became a Case Manager at Agency for New Americans in 2019. For fun, Jan loves to play his favorite game Cricket! It was his dream to be a professional cricket player, but his refugee status in Pakistan prevented him from achieving this dream. Jan loves to spend time outside, whether its camping, hiking, or his favorite Idaho discovery: fishing!
Bitentu has been working at ANA for 12 years and finds joy working at ANA simply because he would like to serve his fellow refugees and uplift their spirits. He wants to help them discover new horizons and see the light at the end of the tunnel. He studied English Language and Literature, Latin and Philosophy (Lubumbashi University), and Political Science with emphasis in International Relations (BA) Boise State University, “Mutatis Mutandis". In his free time, Bitentu likes listening to classic music, walking, and following international current affairs. Fun fact: Tshibwabwa means pumpkin leaves!
Aurora believes that refugees belong in our community and add so much light and goodness. Boise is much better off with so many refugees a part of it. She is most excited to work at the Agency to be able to meet people from many diverse communities and hear how their experiences have shaped them. Aurora recently graduated from BYU-Idaho with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and a minor in Spanish. She lives here in Boise with her husband Dominic and dog Pepper. Some of Aurora’s favorite things to do are practice yoga and go on hikes in the mountains.
Olivia builds community connections and spreads awareness of refugee resettlement in Idaho. She graduated from Boise State University with a B.A. in Global Studies and has since returned to school to pursue a master's in public administration. Olivia believes that community collaboration is the most powerful way to enact change. She is inspired by the influence knowledge can have on individuals to become changemakers in their communities. Olivia was born and raised in Idaho. She loves to play piano, ski in the winter, kayak in the summer, and spend as much time as she can with her orange tabby George and her Husky/Lab mix Charles!
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