OUR TEAM
WAYNE YOUNGER
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Wayne brings over 25 years of nonprofit service experience in the Pittsburgh region. He brings proficiency in organizational management, public speaking, strategic planning, fundraising and board development. His entrepreneurial and executive leadership has a focused mission to advocate for and improve the lives of economically marginalized persons. He does all this with a pastor’s heart, as a co-founding pastor of Cityview Church in East Allegheny.
Wayne is a native Pittsburgher, a graduate of Langley High School and also Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky. He has led and served in mentoring programs and churches, he was program coordinator at PULSE and most recently he served as the Executive Director of the Pittsburgh Project.
"I am who I am because of who we are”
-Leymah Gbowee, on the concept of Ubuntu
TAMIKA BARRETT
DIRECTOR, FAMILY DEVELOPMENT
Tamika joined the Open Hand Ministries team in September of 2018. In her role as Family Development Coordinator, Tamika designs and oversees Open Hand Ministries’ family development program, which includes weekly financial wellness workshops. She also provides monthly one-on-one financial coaching and homeownership counseling for Open Hand Ministries’ families. Tamika has over two decades of experience as an educator and in curriculum design. She is a licensed Realtor© and an Accredited Financial Counselor©. She specializes in first-time buyer education, credit building, and debt reduction. Tamika is passionate about educating individuals so that they are empowered to make informed decisions in achieving their financial goals. One of Tamika’s many gifts is her creativity, which ranges from jewelry making to a knack for interior design.
TIM RAUFER
DIRECTOR, CONSTRUCTION SERVICES
Tim Raufer has been OHM’s full time Construction Coordinator since 2016; the first time he crawled through the window of a boarded-up house with OHM founder Michael Stanton was just before Christmas, 2007. Tim is responsible for managing OHM’s construction and remodeling activities, ensuring that we deliver durable and elegant homes. Tim is in love with the lesson at the heart of OHM’s work: what gets built is secondary to the Community for whom and by whom the work is accomplished, and the spirit in which it is undertaken. Volunteers, subcontractors, building inspectors, and guests are always welcome to his stash of trailmix at the jobsite, especially if you can help him remember where he set down his coffee. Tim and his wife Steph bought their home in East Liberty in 2009, and it has since existed in a perpetual state of remodeling. His dog Jenny, and three sons Attison, Dennis and Matthias are his favorite students and his favorite teachers!
CHERYL A. LOWITZER
ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR
Cheryl joined the Open Hand Ministries team in September 2020, bringing a wealth of corporate, entrepreneurial and service experience to the role. A native of Buffalo, NY, she considers Pittsburgh her heart’s true home and was delighted to return this year after almost a decade in the Rocky Mountain region. Cheryl loves Pittsburgh’s neighborhoods, especially her beloved Northside. She’s happiest on her bicycle, doing CrossFit, gardening and learning something new. An avid traveler, Cheryl has a very long destination “bucket” list and can hardly wait to embark on her next adventure. Cheryl is studying to become a licensed Unity teacher and looks forward to connecting with Unity of Pittsburgh. She currently lives in Brighton Heights, participates in several book clubs and is studying Italian.
OUR BOARD
REV. PAUL ROBERTS - PRESIDENT
HEATHER LIST - VICE PRESIDENT
FRED MILLER - TREASURER
LYNNE CHADWICK
REV. CHAD COLLINS
JEFF DeNINNO
ROBERT FORLOINES
C. ANDREW McGHEE
JOANN MONROE
RHONDA RECTOR-RANKIN
PHILIP ROBERTS
QUIANA WASLER
PHILIP WASLER
