MEET US
ABOUT US
The mission at Haven of Hope is to provide food, shelter, clothing, counseling, rehabilitation, and hygienic services to the less fortunate.
Staff
After the Franciscans purchased the property, they began using it to provide showers, wash clothing, give haircuts, and feed hot breakfast 5 days a week to the homeless population of Denver. The meals were served outside in tents and even on the coldest of mornings and afternoons.
Tawnya Trahan - Executive Director
Tawnya Trahan serves as the Executive Director of Business & Development at Father Woody’s Haven of Hope. She is a Kentucky native that came to live in Colorado with her family as a 4th grader. While attending Bible College, Tawnya worked as a bookkeeper gaining extensive knowledge in business and accounting. After completing Bible College, Tawnya served 17 years in ministry where she was a public speaker, counselor, worship leader, and children’s ministry leader.
Following her years of ministry, Tawnya embarked on a career in Human Resources where she specialized in Organizational Development and Strategic Planning. Rolling all her past experience together, Tawnya has been successful going into businesses and building out their Human Resources department, providing Reality Based Leadership Training, and facilitating Strategic Planning. A purpose driven person at heart, Tawnya brings passion, empathy, and vision to her service for the homeless.
303-339-8325 | ttrahan@thoh.org
Derrick Vaughns - Facility Manager
Derrick is a Colorado native & retired veteran. Derrick served in the US Navy as a Lead Antiterrorism Assessor/Trainer, Chief Military Police Investigator and High Risk Instructor. Once retired Derrick held the position of Program Administrator of a 24 hr., homeless shelter, a US Vets Initiative in Waianae, HI for 2 years. Upon returning to Colorado, Derrick took a contract position as Emergency Management, UASI Logistics Coordinator with the Denver Office of Emergency Management.
OSHA and CPI trained and certified, Derrick brings an element to Father Woody’s Haven of Hope we have never had. Safety protocols, written policies, and emergency plans that increase the level of safety and allows us to provide a more peaceful environment for our guests. Derrick could have gone the route of private security and high income, but as a licensed minister his heart is in service and his passion is for the homeless, marginalized and struggling.
303-339-9916 | dvaughns@thoh.org
Ondrea Trahan - Business Manager
Ondrea, a Colorado native, comes to Father Woody’s hoping to fulfill her career goal of a life in service. After attending the University of Wyoming in Laramie, Ondrea became the business manager of a highly ranked Charter School in Laramie. There she has perfected her accounting skills, business acumen and added grant experience and fund raising. Ondrea has been active in monitoring legislation that affects charter schools and collaborated with board and district employees at all levels. She has chaired many of their committees including the Finance Committee.
The position of Business Coordinator is new to Father Woody’s and provides a level of excellence and focus on the important task of managing our finances. Ondrea will work directly with the Treasurer of the Board to provide information necessary to strategically plan the future growth of Father Woody’s. While Ondrea is very qualified in accounting and administrative tasks, her passion has been studying other organizations that work with marginalized populations to bring self-sustainability through creative and innovative means. She has traveled to both Mexico and Uganda to study this process with organizations such as Urban Mosaic and Musana.
303-339-8323 | otrahan@thoh.org
Josie Jimenez - Security Supervisor
Josie was born in San Diego California and was raised in a military home with four siblings. She began serving the elderly in 2003 as a Resident Assistant and moved up to be a Medication Aide Supervisor, at Northglenn Heights Assisted Living. Through her time working with the elderly, Josie discovered her passion for helping people and so she went to school to become a Medical Assistant and went on to be employed with an OB/GYN clinic in Louisville Colorado. After taking a few years off to take care of her four beautiful children, she chose to pursue a career in security starting out as a patient sitter. Josie worked with high-risk patients, in various hospitals with HSS for 5 years. Josie’s passion for serving was reignited following an HSS assignment to Haven of Hope where she worked to provide health and safety for the homeless. Josie is now an employee with Haven of Hope as the Armed Safety and Security Supervisor, holding a Taser instructor certificate, handgun training, 30 hours of OSHA certified training, CPI (Crisis Prevention Intervention), and CPR/First aid training.
303-339-9916 | jjimenez@thoh.org