Staff

2019 Hancock County Chamber of Commerce Business & Industry Awards Gala
From left to right - Top Row: Kelli Billups, Rosa Almerico, Paige Lundgren, Jeannie McKnight, Linda Davis, Victoria Mathias, Kelly Kowalski, Lisa Campbell, Jane Stock, Darrian Sutherlin, Amy Bush. Bottom Row: Cathy Pitalo, Bobbi Jo Gilbert, Mickey Gaudin, Rhonda Rhodes, Bryan Taylor, Amy Marquar.

Hancock Resource Center Staff

Rhonda Rhodes has served as the President of the Hancock Resource Center since it incorporated as a non-profit in November of 2008. She holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing and a Master’s of Arts in Management. She is nationally certified in home ownership counseling, homebuyer and post-purchase education, and is a Housing Counseling Executive with a professional certificate in home ownership and community lending. Rhonda is a registered nurse with a background in healthcare administration. After Katrina, Rhonda went to work for the Hancock Chamber of Commerce. Under the direction of the Chamber, she created and managed the Hancock Community Development Foundation. She currently serves on the Boards for the Hancock Community Development Foundation, St. Stanislaus Booster Club and the American Red Cross of Southeast Mississippi Advisory Board. Rhonda is a 2006 graduate of Leadership Hancock County and a 2014 graduate of Leadership Mississippi. Rhonda lives in Bay St. Louis, is married to Rocky Rhodes and has three children. Rhonda enjoys cooking, reading, painting and watching her youngest son play baseball and football.

Bryan Taylor has been our Finance and Office Manager since 2008. He has a business degree and 35 years of accounting experience in financial institutions, non-profit organizations and manufacturing. He has lived in Mississippi for the past 23 years. Bryan has been married to a photographer for thirty years and has three daughters and five grandchildren. Bryan enjoys many sports, such as basketball, golf and tennis.

Kelly Kowalski is the Program Manager and has been employed with the Hancock Resource Center since 2008. She has completed training through NeighborWorks in Public Speaking, Human Resource, Foreclosure Intervention and Default Counseling, Home Ownership Counseling, Financial Counseling/Coaching and Credit Counseling. She is NCHEC certified in Home Ownership Counseling for Program Managers and Executive Directors, Foreclosure Intervention and Default Counseling and Financial Capability. She has also received training in domestic violence, suicide prevention and Critical Time Intervention. Kelly is a graduate of the 2013-2014 Hancock County Leadership Class through the Hancock Chamber. Her background is in finance. She has lived in Hancock County for 22 years and has two daughters and a grand-daughter.

Jane Stock is Hancock Resource Center’s Construction Coordinator, which includes involves overseeing the Rehab program and is our Volunteer Coordinator. She holds NCHEC Certification in Housing Counseling and is also a BPI Certified Building Analyst and Envelope and Infiltration and Duct leakage professional. Before coming to the Hancock Resource Center, she worked 10 years at 84 Lumber and was a project coordinator for a general contractor for 2 years. Jane is married to her husband, Eric, with whom she shares two children. Jane enjoys reading, crafts, and camping whenever she can get away.

Amy Bush is the Veterans Employment Coordinator for the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program. She works closely with housing providers to stabilize homeless Veterans, or those who are at imminent risk of losing their housing, and provides case management to Veterans seeking employment by addressing their employment barriers and providing critical linkages for a variety of supportive services available throughout the community. Amy attended the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans Conference in Washington, DC in 2018. She also received training on Rights and Responsibilities of Tenancy, NeighborWorks training in Foreclosure Basics and Foreclosure Intervention and obtained NCHEC Certification in Financial Capability. Amy worked with those affected by the BP Oil Spill prior to serving Veterans at the Hancock Resource Center. She was also a credit counselor for 8 years. She and her husband of 26 years enjoy boating, traveling and visiting with family and friends in New Orleans.

Cathy Pitalo, a lifetime resident of Hancock County, is employed as The Drug Free Community Project Coordinator. Before joining the Hancock Resource Center team, she was an educator in the Hancock County and Bay-Waveland School Districts and retired after 26 years. Cathy is married to David Pitalo and has three children. She enjoys traveling and fishing.

Kelli Billups has served as our Administrative Assistant since November of 2010. She holds a Bachelor Degree in History and a Master Degree in Education. She came to the Hancock Resource Center after teaching History and Religion at Our Lady Academy. She was born and raised in Bay St. Louis and is a mother to one son.

Paige Lundgren has been with the Hancock Resource Center since April of 2012 and has worked as the Program Coordinator of the Hancock Youth Leadership Academy for the past five years. She is a native of New Orleans and earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Finance at the University of New Orleans. She has spent the past two decades in Hancock County where she and her husband, David, have raised their three children.

Bobbi Jo Gilbert is our Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) Housing Counselor. She was an Administrative Assistant for 8 years at The Better Communication Clinic before coming to us in 2012 as a receptionist. Bobbi Jo graduated from South University in October of 2014 with an Associate’s Degree in Business Administration. Bobbi Jo completed the Homeownership Counseling Certification by Neighborhood Works in August of 2015. She was also a Certified Occupational Hearing Conservationist (CAOHC) and conducted hearing tests for the military. Bobbi Jo has lived in Mississippi most of her life and now lives in Diamondhead with her husband, Tom. They have a son who attends Hancock High School. She enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, reading, fishing and hunting.

Rosa Almerico is a Veteran Employment Counselor for the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program. She works closely with housing providers to stabilize homeless Veterans, or those who are at imminent risk of losing their housing, and provides case management to Veterans seeking employment by addressing their employment barriers and providing critical linkages for a variety of supportive services available throughout the community. Rosa came to the United States from Honduras as a student in 1988, later moving to Hancock County where she found her permanent home. For the past 20 years, Rosa has been a homemaker and is very excited to join the workforce in service to Veterans and a country that has given her so much. Rosa lives in Diamondhead and enjoys spending time with her husband Vincent R. of 24 years and her son, Vincent S., who is currently attending Brown University.

Linda Davis returned to the Hancock Resource Center in the role of Housing Counselor at the beginning of 2018. Linda graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi with a degree in Elementary Education. She has worked in the local school systems since July of 1990. Throughout her career, Linda has received Employee of the Month and Teacher of the Month recognitions numerous times. She has also received the Parent of the Year award for her many years of service to the school and various booster clubs. Linda is a lifelong resident of Hancock County and she enjoys spending time with her husband of 32 years, Scott, and her 3 children, Kayleigh, Rainee and Dustin.

Mickey Gaudin “Mister Mickey” is employed in the Veteran Service department supporting the Homeless Veteran Reintegration and the Supportive Services for Veteran Families programs. A Veteran himself, Mickey came out of retirement after working 32 years at Stennis Space Center to assist fellow Veterans. He is a graduate of De La Salle High School and attended the University of New Orleans. Mickey is married with 2 children and 2 grandchildren.

Victoria Mathias is one of Hancock Resource Center's HUD Certified Housing Counselors and works with the HUD Counseling Programs in Foreclosure Prevention, Pre-Purchase counseling and education, and Financial Management for Homeowners. Since joining HRC in June 2018, Victoria has earned national certifications from NeighborWorks in Homeownership Counseling and Pre-Purchase Counseling. Her counseling services emphasize budgeting, credit counseling, and debt reduction, as well as teaching the Adult Education classes. Victoria graduated from the University of Mississippi with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing and Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. She currently resides in Long Beach with her significant other and two dogs. She enjoys cooking, reading, and attending arts and craft fairs around the Gulf Coast.

Jeannie McKnight is Hancock Resource Center's Program Support and Intake Coordinator. Originally from Poplarville, Jeannie moved to Hancock County where she has been a resident since 2009. She enjoys spending time with her Children and Grandchildren, reading and giving back to her community.

Charles J. Gilliam Jr. “CJ” is the Veteran Workforce Coordinator for the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program. He works closely with the Veteran Employment Counselor, Disabled Veteran Outreach Specialist (WIN Job Center) and VA programs to identify potential resources and employment opportunities for Veterans. Charles graduated from the University of Tulane with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Science and Associates of Arts in Digital Illustration, along with a Tulane Certification in Management and New Venture. Charles has lived in Mississippi most of his life and now lives in Diamondhead with his wife Akemi and two children, Alan and Jordan who both attend school in Hancock County. Charles enjoys all sports: basketball, football, baseball, tennis and golf. Charles created a youth travel basketball club here on the Gulf Coast which he coaches and oversees as the Director. He is the head Director of his small business “Sir Charles Basketball Academy” and the President of the East Hancock Youth Basketball League.