Leadership

Meet Our Team

Kathy Johnson

Kathy Johnson

Executive Director

For over 25 years, Kathy Johnson has worked to advocate on behalf of people who are marginalized and often misunderstood. She had a 20-year distinguished career at InterAct in Raleigh, where she served in multiple roles, including two stints as Interim Executive Director. Prior to joining Oak City Cares, she served as Executive Director for Pendleton Place, a foster care agency in Greenville, SC. In her experience at both InterAct and Pendleton Place, Kathy was involved with building and maintaining multi-service, multi-agency collaborative partnerships which is critical to the success of Oak City Cares.

Tosheria Brown

Tosheria Brown

Director of Programs and Services

Tosheria Brown, previously the Program Coordinator for the Oak City Outreach Center since its opening in 2014, is now the Director of Programs and Services at Oak City Cares. Prior to her current work in the non-profit field, Tosheria worked in the for-profit sector for over 15 years where she developed her skills in customer service, project management, and relationship building. Tosheria has a Master’s Degree in Social Work and a true desire for serving our friends experiencing homelessness and other levels of transition. She sees the humanity in each person she encounters and has a compassion that allows her to exemplify a caring, empathetic, and nonjudgmental spirit.

David Brashier

David Brashier

Director of Development and Communications

David joins Oak City Cares after two years working in university campus ministry. He attended Appalachian State University where he majored in cmmunication. Through his classes and volunteering with his campus ministry, Reformed University Fellowship, he was deeply engrained in learning about poverty from rural to urban contexts and meaningful, legitimately helpful ways to help neighbors who experience poverty. He is particularly indebted to the staff and patrons of HOPE for the Inner City in Chattanooga, TN for giving him the passion and experience which inspired him to come on staff with Oak City Cares. In this role David oversees fundraising and communication activities for the organization. In his free time, David enjoys reading, spending time outdoors, yoga, watching Durham Bulls games, interior design, and gardening.

Rick Godette

Rick Godette

Coordinated Care Support Specialist - Team Lead

Rick Godette lives his life by the motto, “One positive thought in the morning can change our whole day.” Rick has a heart for caring for people in need. Prior to joining the Oak City Cares team, Rick held many roles in fellowship and outreach at his church, St. John’s Metropolitan Community Church. Through St. John’s MCC, Rick currently provides a hot meal in Moore Square for Raleigh’s homeless population Tuesday through Thursday, and he previously started the food pantry for families in need. Rick is excited to continue caring for our friends experiencing homelessness at Oak City Cares and to remind everyone that there are brighter days ahead. In his spare time, you can find Rick working in the yard and tending to his plants.

Tamika Bunch

Tamika Bunch

Administrative Assistant

Tamika is a Raleigh Native and has more than 10 years of background and a Degree in Healthcare and Business Administration. Tamika has held leadership roles in various capacities such as Inpatient Mental Health & Community Engagement in the private sector. Tamika aims to inspire and encourage people to be their best version of themselves in any situation. Tamika brings to Oak City Cares Strong Administrative, Organization and Team building skills. In this role, she will work closely and support the Executive Director by assisting and carrying out the mission of the organization while providing operational support.  As a part of self care Tamika enjoys Travling,DIY projets, Zumba, and cooking.

Laura Martin

Laura Martin

Volunteer Coordinator

Laura Martin has spent the last decade learning and leading in the Triangle area non-profit sector. She most recently served as the Executive Director of Dress for Success Triangle, seeking to broaden the economic opportunities available to women seeking careers. Prior to joining DFST (Dress for Success Triangle), Laura spent eight years at Raleigh-based, StepUp Ministry. Laura has a strong commitment to local workforce development efforts and specifically to better economic access and opportunity for all.

Kenyetta Boone

Kenyetta Boone

SOAR Specialist

Kenyetta Boone joins the Oak City Cares team as a SOAR Specialist (SSI/SSDI, Outreach, Access, Recovery). In this role, she aims to remove the burden of navigating the disability benefits application process, from individuals who may be experiencing homelessness. Prior to joining Oak City Cares, Kenyetta worked as a Disability Examiner with Disability Determination Services. Having 12 years of experience processing disability claims for the State of North Carolina, she brings a wealth of knowledge about the Social Security Administration program and looks forward to helping others manage this complex application process. Understanding the detailed criteria required for someone to get approved for disability benefits, Kenyetta strives to do everything possible to help our guests, who meet that criteria, secure their benefits as quickly as possible. She is happy to serve as an advocate for our guests with chronic disabilities.

Casey Slock

Casey Slock

Development Assistant

Casey Slock shares great enthusiasm for serving those experiencing homelessness, especially those with severe and persistent mental illness.  That passion coupled with her varied marketing and program management experience brought her to Oak City Cares where she is excited to support the Resource Development Team.  Away from work, Casey is devoted to supporting her family and Wake County schools community.

Amber Sutton

Amber Sutton

Care Coordinator

Amber earned her BSW from the University of South Carolina and her MSW from North Carolina Central University.  Amber began her career working in Head Start as a Family Social Worker working for children and families in the program by creating and working on family goals, employment assistance and housing assistance.  She later transitioned in her career working with families experiencing homeless by working to find permanent housing.  Amber is passionate about working with people who face housing hardships in her community.

Lottie Anderson

Lottie Anderson

Coordinated Care Support Specialist

Before moving to North Carolina, Lottie Anderson spent over 20 years as an electrician in Brooklyn, NY, and a Peace Officer (law enforcement) for 12 years on Roosevelt Island. Lottie moved to NC and changed career paths and was a Residential Counselor at a group home and later worked at Passage Home as the Project Safe Neighborhood Coordinator. More recently, Lottie worked at the South Wilmington Street Center (right next door to OCC) serving as a Guest Service Technician seeing to the needs of the homeless men population in Wake County. Lottie wholeheartedly believes our society works best when we all work together to assist each other who are in need, that’s what it means to be human

Otis Whitaker

Otis Whitaker

Basic Needs Services Coordinator

Oak City Cares welcomes Otis Whitaker to the team as our Basic Needs Services Coordinator. Otis first became involved with Oak City Cares as a dedicated volunteer, and now is on the OCC team full-time. Otis finds joy in helping people and seeing them develop and achieve their goals, all while making someone smile or laugh. He will ensure a smooth and fair process is experienced by all and hopes to always be a lending hand to neighbors in need.

Marie Brady

Marie Brady

Finance and Operations Coordinator

Marie Brady joins the Oak City Cares team with a diverse skill set and over 30 years of professional experience. With prior roles in the retail, banking, pharmaceutical, and multi-family housing industry, Marie brings her expertise to the team as the Finance and Operations Coordinator. Marie is recently retired and is looking forward to giving back to the community through her role at Oak City Cares. Originally from Pittsburgh, Marie has called North Carolina home for 22 years.

Kitty Banks

Kitty Banks

Weekend Meals Coordinator

Kitty Banks has always seen food as a way to bring people together, or in her words, minister to people’s souls. Prior to joining the Oak City Cares team, Kitty worked at Inter-Faith Food Shuttle for over 17 years where she held several roles, including Catering Kitchen Manager. With over 19 years of nonprofit experience in the Triangle area and over 30 years of experience in the food industry, Kitty brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to Oak City Cares as the Weekend Meals Coordinator and Coordinated Entry Support Specialist.

Additional Team Members

Additional Team Members

Betsy Baker, Weekend Meals Assistant
Devan Grissom, Basic Needs Assistant
Greta Johnson, Weekend Meals Assistant
Alton Philyaw, Coordinated Care Support Specialist
Andrea Thompson, Weekend Meals Assistant
Stacie Patterson, Weekend Meals Assistant
Teresa Gaddy- Coordinated Care Support Specialist
Deborah Smith -Weekend Meal Program Assistant

Board of Directors

Mr. Rick Miller-Haraway

Chair

Mr. Michael Debender

Vice-Chair

Mr. Pablo Escobar

Treasurer

Ms. Michele Grant

Secretary

Mr. Brad Crone

Mr. Drew D’Arso

Ms. Amy Fraccola

Mr. Tom Gipson

Dr. Derrick Hoover

Ms. Kimberly Jones

Dr. Brian Klausner

Ms. Joyce Kohn

Mr. Tom Lindgren

Ms. Rebecca Meyer

Mr. Stephanie Poley

Mr. Barkley Sample

Ms. Roberta Smith

Mr. Joey Spencer

Rev. Frank White

Our Partners

Our Provider Partners

These organizations are part of the ever-growing list of those collaborating to provide medical assistance, behavioral health care, veterans’ services, outreach, employment services, and coordination of care and support to Oak City Cares guests. Visit our Providers Page for the full list of partners.

Salvation Army's Project CATCH
NC FIT
Advance Community Health - Primary Healthcare/Integrated Behavioral Health
Haven House Services - Homeless Youth Services, Street Outreach and Coordinated Entry Support
Interact - Domestic Violence Services and Coordinated Entry Support
Monarch Health - Behavioral Health
StepUp Ministry - Employment Training Program
The Durham Veterans Administration - Veteran's Services
The Raleigh/Wake Partnership to End Homelessness
Wake County Human Services - Public Health - Immunizations and Health Testing
Wake Network of Care - Resource Support
WakeMed HEART Team - Street outreach for unsheltered individuals with serious mental illness
Triangle Family Services - Street outreach for unsheltered individuals
SNAP Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
SouthLight Healthcare
FIGS of Wake County

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