Our Team
Meet our people, from staff to volunteers!
Staff
"During my tenure in the VT General Assembly serving on the Commerce and Economic Development committee, we heard over and over again that the continued growth of Vermont’s economy depends on creating more housing. It is an honor to be working for an organization that not only supports the Vermont economy but also serves income-sensitive Vermonters."
Executive Director
Zachariah Watson
Zachariah was hired in October 2020 after moving to Montpelier from Hartland, Vermont. He is a lifelong Vermonter, coming to CVHFH with 10 years of non-profit experience. He was also a member of Vermont House of Representatives, having served on the House Commerce and Economic Development Committee before deciding not to run for re-election when he married and moved out of his legislative district.
Zach@CentralVermontHabitat.org
802-522-8611
"The CVHFH mission to help others by building strength, independence and stability through housing is such an important one. I'm grateful and happy to be part of making someone's dreams come true as an employee of CVHFH."
Administrative Assistant
Julia Goldstein
Julia brings a wide range of experience from both the non-profit and corporate sectors. In New York, she supported non-profits through event coordination, donor database management, newsletter writing, and public relations. She later spent 20 years in consultative sales across the tech, pharmaceutical, and conferencing industries.
After moving to Vermont from New Jersey 11 years ago, she returned to non-profit work, assisting individuals with mental health challenges and Medicaid recipients. Most recently, she worked in tourism, helping visitors plan Vermont vacations.
Now at CVHFH, she’s excited to support the mission of building communities and expanding access to housing.
Fun fact: She’s a former performer with experience in opera, jazz, musical theatre, and vintage music from the 1930s and ’40s.
Admin@CentralVermontHabitat.org
(802) 522-8611 Ext. 2
"I look forward to the next chapter in my life working with Habitat for Humanity and advancing their mission of building affordable housing for those in need."
Accounting Manager
Christian Nafziger
Christian joined Central Vermont Habitat for Humanity in June of 2024 shortly after moving to Waterbury. A Southern Colorado native, he grew up spending most of his time outdoors camping, angling, climbing, and hiking. Nowadays, he enjoys skiing during Vermont’s long snow-riddled winters and gardening during the lush, green summers. Christian strives to go above and beyond in everything that he does, and is committed to providing a quality experience to everyone he meets.
Christian earned a BS in economics and an MBA from Colorado State University Pueblo’s Hasan School of Business. He has experience in project management as well as working with other non-profit organizations focused on housing solutions, and is also a real estate agent based in Waterbury. Christian considers himself a "people person", and is involved with multiple clubs and organizations in the community.
Christian@CentralVermontHabitat.org
(802) 522-8611
"I look forward to the next chapter in my life working with Habitat for Humanity and advancing their mission of building affordable housing for those in need."
Waterbury ReStore Manager
Harold Blake
Harold was hired to be the manager of the ReStore in Waterbury in April of 2024. He currently resides in Barre Town. Harold is a lifelong entrepreneur, most recently he was the the owner of a Pet Wants national franchise.
Harold has been volunteering as a coach for the Central Vermont Special Olympics for Twenty plus years. Harold enjoys creating stained glass art!
Harold@CentralVermontHabitat.org
(802)-522-2323
"Vermont's shortage of affordable housing forces many families who want to build their lives here to look elsewhere. Central Vermont Habitat for Humanity is changing that by partnering with families to create safe, energy-efficient, permanently affordable homes where they can put down roots and thrive. I'm thrilled to be part of that mission. "
Director of Development
Diane DeBella
Diane has spent her career in both the nonprofit sector and academia. She has over twenty years of grant writing and development experience and enjoys the mission driven work of helping nonprofits fund community-based projects and initiatives. Diane moved back to Vermont ten years ago after spending twenty years in Colorado, and she loves capturing Vermont’s beauty through her camera lens.
"I am excited to meet the Employees, Vendors, Subcontractors, partners such as Youth Build and of course volunteers, see you around!"
Project Construction Manager
Nathan Donahue
Hello, I am Nathan Donahue, a lifelong resident of Central Vermont, graduate of Norwich University and longtime local contractor. I live up in the "highlands" of snow and beauty with my wife and two teenage daughters. I enjoy the outdoors in all its forms and seasons.
I have always believed in helping people out, whether pulling them out of the ditch or lending a helping hand on a project at home or within the community. As a business owner and resident I have always been concerned about the cost of living in Vermont. Will the regular person, including my daughter as they begin their journey in the adult world, be able to buy a house, and find a good paying job here. I believe I can help.
As I start my own journey working for a worldwide Non Profit such as Habitat for Humanity, I think it is a continuation and perhaps a raising of the bar, of the values that have been instilled in me by the Central Vermont Community I have lived in for so many years. Including but not of course limited to: Compassion/Empathy, Practicality, Resourcefulness, Grit, Gratitude, and of course hands on Hard Work!
Board of Directors
Edward McDonough
President
Ed holds a Ph.D. in the fields of organizational behavior, as well as an MBA with a concentration in organization development and design. Before his retirement in 2021, he was a Professor at Northeastern for 42 years. Prior to that, he was an administrator in two start-up-companies and has consulted with numerous companies on organizing and managing their new product development and innovation efforts. His non-profit work includes being a founding member and former Chair of the Board of Trustees of The Phoenix Charter Academy in Chelsea, MA, and he has also served as the President of the Mad River Valley Rotary Club.
Matthew Kahn
Treasurer
Matthew worked in finance and banking for over 15 years before becoming Executive Director of a social services nonprofit in New York City. He has volunteered with CVHFH since 2021.
Charles Kahle
Secretary & Development Committee Chair
Charles holds a BSEE from Lehigh University and an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. His career includes eight years in sales and product marketing at Microsoft, followed by ten years supporting Seattle-area nonprofits with IT systems, databases, and Salesforce. He later spent seven years as CIO at Washington Trails Association, leading technology strategy and organizational modernization. In the Mad River Valley, Charles is active in community service as a member of the Mad River Valley Rotary and Secretary of the Valley Rotary Foundation and volunteers his IT expertise with the Central Vermont Council on Aging (CVCOA).
Karen Winchell
Stephanie Boucher
Soren Pfeffer
Building Committee Chair
Karen Helmboldt-Winchell is a graduate of Smith College and has an MPA from the Kennedy School at Harvard. She has over 30 years professional experience in affordable housing, community economic development and project management. She has worked in state governments in Connecticut and Massachusetts. In addition, she has worked for a for-profit developer and a regional not-for-profit housing development organization in Vermont., and has served as a consultant to non-profits in the state.
Stephanie Boucher became a Partner Homeowner with Central Vermont Habitat for Humanity in 2017 and now sits on the board as Chair of the Homeowner Selection Committee. She is currently owner and operator of a small bookkeeping business, Bud to Bloom, and credits her Habitat homeownership as a major reason she has been able to successfully pursue self-employment.
Soren has been the owner and principal broker of Central Vermont Real Estate in East Montpelier for 15 years. In addition to his real estate experience, Soren has a master’s degree in architectural design as well as over 20 years experience as a builder in the Central Vermont region.
Kent Hansen
Kent is a retired Financial Consultant. He and his wife Cathy have lived year-round in Greensboro since 2016.
Christopher Caldwell
Patrick Shattuck
Christopher is the president and CEO of Community National Bank, a $1.2B bank in northern Vermont. He also is a member of the Board of Directors for the bank. Previously, he was the Senior Vice President and Senior Lender for Mutual Bank in Muncie, Indiana. He spent the last 20 years working primarily in commercial lending before becoming senior lender in his most recent position prior to his move to Vermont.
Patrick is the Executive Director of RuralEdge, the Housing Development Corporation serving Vermont's Northeast Kingdom. Born and raised in Burlington, Patrick returned to Vermont to take the helm of RuralEdge in 2019. Patrick has over 30 years in the affordable housing and community development field at all levels with different perspectives. Patrick has served on boards, been a community organizer for a NeighborWorks organization, worked for the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board for a decade, spent 12 years working on housing development in former steel towns in municipalities around Pittsburgh, PA, while simultaneously serving as Council President for one of the most distressed municipalities in PA.
Julie Frailey
Julie has a Masters in Early Childhood Education from James Madison University. Much of her education was put to work in the ski industry as a children’s ski training specialist and program manager. ulie moved to Vermont in 1983 to work at Bolton Valley Resort as the Children’s Program Manager and later as the Human Resource and Public Relations Manager. Julie then worked at Stowe Mountain Resort where she was the Director of Human Resources for 25 years. Julie was a resident of Waterbury Center for 26 years and now living in Waterbury for the past 10 years, and has served as board member and previous President of the Board (3 years) for Discover Waterbury and Chair for the Discovery Waterbury Design Committee.
Wendy Moran
Wendy is Director of Homeownership at RuralEdge, where she advances innovative strategies to expand affordable homeownership, strengthen financial capability, and close information gaps that hinder prospective buyers. With deep experience as a Mortgage Loan Officer and HUD-certified counselor, Wendy blends financial expertise with community-centered support to improve access to sustainable housing. She has led operations, admissions, and lending initiatives that enhance service delivery and client outcomes. Wendy’s work builds meaningful partnerships and scalable solutions that drive measurable impact, helping individuals and families navigate barriers to homeownership and build long-term economic stability.
Joseph Mueller
Joseph received his MA in Psychology from the Vermont College of Norwich University in 1993. He spent his career in sales while also running a building maintenance business. He has been an active volunteer in the community since retiring in 2018.
