Ministry and Administrative Staff
Bethany Bell
Refugee Program Assistant
bethany@buildinghopeinthecity.org
Bethany supports ministry and programs at The Hope Center, focusing on refugee employment. For the last three years, she served as Beulah on the Road Camp Director & Outdoor Education Director for Beulah Beach. She is a member of the Christian & Missionary Alliance (C&MA).
Penny Bucaro
Business Manager
penny@buildinghopeinthecity.org
Penny manages accounts payable, financial and business systems. She is a CPA, licensed in FL, and has 20+ years of professional experience in accounting, auditing, financial reporting and budgeting for churches, non-profits, financial consultant firms and more. Penny and her family attend Rocky River United Methodist Church.
Anthony Giambroni
Community Development & Communications Coordinator
anthony@buildinghopeinthecity.org
https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-giambroni-92b23561/
https://www.instagram.com/a_giambroni/
Anthony joined the Building Hope team in 2019 as the Community Development & Communications Coordinator. He brings 6 years of dynamic local church and nonprofit leadership experience to the team as well as an energy and a passion to see the Cleveland neighborhoods renewed. As the Community Development and Communications Coordinator, Anthony spends much of his time building relationships with residents and local stakeholders in the Stockyards & Clark/Fulton communities.
Lesa Hess
Executive Assistant
lesa@buildinghopeinthecity.org
Lesa supports Leadership Staff in ministry management, manages receipts for donations and serves as office manager.
Sue Ott
Common Threads Store Manager
sue@commonthreadsthrift.com
Sue serves as the Store Manager for Common Threads, BHITC’s first-ever thrift store and social enterprise. She and her husband attend Journey Church..
Corrie Purdum
Executive Assistant, Social Enterprise (HopeWorks LLC)
corrie@buildinghopeinthecity.org
Corrie Purdum serves as Executive Assistant, Social Enterprise (HopeWorks LLC), where she assists with administrative duties for the organization’s growing social enterprise initiatives. In her spare time, she’s an avid knitter and weaver and also sings on the worship team at Crossroads Church in Brook Park, where she attends. Her cats are Griffin and George.
Heather Thacker
Operations Assistant, The Hope Center
heather@buildinghopeinthecity.org
Heather, a social worker by background, serves as The Hope Center Operations Assistant. Heather is a member at St. Agnes – Our Lady of Fatima in Cleveland’s Hough neighborhood and lives in West Park.
Nick Tribuzzo
Manager of Legal Services, The Hope Center
nick@buildinghopeinthecity.org
Nick is a licensed attorney and expands legal services for refugees and immigrants at The Hope Center. He and his wife are members of Cove City Church (supported by BHITC’s Transform 216 ministry) and live on the east side.
Reena Trushel
Child Care Coordinator, The Hope Center
reena@buildinghopeinthecity.org
Reena previously worked as an ESL teacher at an area resettlement agency and holds degrees in psychology and special education. She and her husband, Brian, live in Lakewood with their young daughter. They attend NEO Church.
