Senior Staff

Wendy Weckler, Executive Director

Wendy Weckler has more than seventeen years of experience in program development, project management, and administration—fifteen of those years being at Hope House. Wendy brings the ideal mix of collaborative leadership, personal initiative, and genuine empathy for the at-risk populations that Hope House serves. She has worked as a Community Coordinator and Projects Manager at Hope House, and in 2014, took over for Ken Schmidt as Executive Director, following his retirement. Previously, Wendy worked as a community organizer, campaign consultant and fundraiser. Her work with economically-disadvantaged groups has given her direct and hands-on experience with the real strengths, needs, and impacts of poverty. This has helped to make Wendy a great leader in oversight of programming for those facing homelessness. Wendy holds a B.A. in Political Science and Communications from Marquette University. She lives with her husband and two children in the Milwaukee area.

 

 

Jim Farrell, Development Director

Jim is happy to be working at Hope House, helping to end homelessness in Milwaukee. Previously, in New York City he served as the Development Director at Abingdon Theatre and The Pearl Theatre. Here in Milwaukee, he has been the Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations at Milwaukee Repertory Theater and the Skylight Music Theatre. He is currently the Artistic Director at Splinter Group. Jim holds a BA degree from the University of West Florida and an MFA in performing arts management from the North Carolina School of the Arts.






 

Xuyen Vo, Accountant

After the collapse of South Viet Nam and its takeover by the Government of Hanoi, for safety and good future, Xuyen's family fled the country in 1975 by South Vietnamese navy ship.   Out at sea,  they were led by an American Navy ship and were situated in an American military base that was temporarily set up for Vietnamese Refugee Camps waiting for sponsors for four months.  A couple from a church assembly sponsored her family.  They arrived in Whitewater, WI on August 16, 1975.  Whitewater is a second home where Xuyen grew up and went through school.  She graduated and got her Bachelors of Business Administration at the University of Wisconsin - Whitewater.  With her degree, she was able to work as a Case Manager, Job Developer and Accountant in nonprofit agencies for 15 years, helping southeast Asians during that time.  When the funding for the project ended, fortunately she came to Hope House and continued her nonprofit accounting experience.  She believes in the mission of helping people in need.