Our Team
"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
Leadership
Slobodanka Hodzic
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: as 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
Mark 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 through 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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Case Management
Breanne Fraley
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.
Aurora Broderson
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Jan Salehi
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 a the Agency 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!
Agathe Debourse
Agathe provides initial services to clients to help them start their new lives in Idaho. Prior to working with ANA, Agathe worked with senior citizens for 6 years in Portland, afterwards working at a homeless shelter for 2 years in the Seattle area. Agathe believes that every single human being deserves the necessary tools and environment to be able to build a successful future. Agathe was born in Switzerland and moved to the United States when she was 6. Currently, she loves spending time with her two-year-old named Kameron. Agathe loves to binge watch crime shows.
Brittany ZandersPreferred Communities (PC) Intensive Case ManagerBrittany works with individuals that have arrived through refugee resettlement that require extra support and services. She has been in the nonprofit sector for over ten years with a B.A. in Nonprofit Administration and a M.S. in Intercultural Studies. She has work experience in Tanzania, Sierra Leone, Haiti and Mexico. She helped start and run an orphanage in North Baja for two years and then moved to Boise in 2020. She loves working with and learning from people that come from all over the world and is passionate about providing sustainable solutions for people facing some of life's greatest challenges. She loves to be outdoors, travel, and go on adventures with her husband and dog they rescued from Mexico, Osito.
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Employment Services
Bitentu Tshibwabwa
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 an 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!
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Rosette Yanda
Rose is originally from Democratic Republic of Congo and has lived in the US for about a decade. She always wanted to be a doctor but quickly discovered she 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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Immigration Services
Yasmin Aguilar
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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Hashmat Nabeel
Hashmat works on Afghan Placement & Assistance. Handling asylum cases for Afghan clients. He was born and raised in Afghanistan. He went to Beijing, China to attend the University of International Business & Economics. After his time in Beijing, he moved to Kabul to work in the Citizen Charter National Priority Program in the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation & Development. He believes that many countries have immensely benefited from immigrants’ talent and contributions for enriching and strengthening the foundations of governments around the world. He’s an avid reader of books, enjoys spending time in nature – likes jogging and hikes.
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Community Services
Jodi Larson-Farrow
Jodi oversees cultural orientations and integrations services for new Americans. 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 Discussions. Jodi has a passion for working with refugees and believes that everyone has the right to live in peace and in safety. 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!
Olivia Wargo
Olivia builds community connections and spreads awareness of refugee resettlement in Idaho, as well as manages all volunteer coordination. She graduated from Boise State University with both a B.A. in Global Studies and an MPA emphasizing in nonprofit management. 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, her Husky/Lab mix Charles, and her Aussie/German Shephard Aries!
Samuel Crawford
Sam grew up in Boise, Idaho and has lived in Washington, Louisiana, and Montana since. He graduated from The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington with a B.S. in Environmental Sciences and a B.A. in Visual Arts. After spending a decade away from Idaho, he is very happy to be back in his hometown supporting aspects of diversity and livability that make the community stronger. Sam is a believer in, and advocate for, fair housing for all of our community members, and he values the opportunity to aid new residents' pathway to self-sufficiency. While his work focuses on the necessity of a safe and affordable place to live, Sam likes to spend his free time outdoors hiking, camping, and exploring the many natural wonders Idaho has to offer.
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Nekane Arrubarrena
Nekane handles all donations and all match grant orientations with new Americans. She has worked at ANA for over 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, dancing, and spending time with family.
Alexis Jones
Alexis coordinates with community advisors that have refugee experiences unlike many others, and pairs them with clients they can help the most. She graduated from Brigham Young University of Idaho with a B.A. in Public Health with an emphasis in health promotion and education. Alexis believes that serving those in need is one of the greatest things a person can do on this Earth. She believes the world could use a little more love and compassion and makes this a priority each day. She is motivated by her constant desire to bring about positive changes in the lives of those in need. Alexis was born and raised in Idaho. She loves to go camping and hiking no matter the weather outside, dancing with her husband, and cuddling with her two furry family members, Scout and Raider.
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