Staff

Avaloy Haynes Lanning, MSWExecutive Director
Bio
Avaloy Lanning has served as the Executive Director of NewStory Center since March 2015. Avaloy comes to this work with many years experience in human rights advocacy. She has worked throughout her career to promote the welfare and dignity of those who are the most vulnerable. Avaloy has had the opportunity to work in many communities in the US and abroad, including a significant amount of time in Latvia and Belarus. Avaloy has been actively involved in the fight against human trafficking for many years and has a long history of legislative advocacy around this and other social justice issues. Prior to joining NewStory Center, Avaloy was the Senior Director of Safe Horizon’s Anti-Trafficking Program in New York City. Avaloy holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from Tarleton State University in her home state of Texas and a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the National Catholic School of Social Service at the Catholic University in Washington, DC.
Jennifer YakunovichDevelopment Director
Bio
Jennifer Yakunovich is the Development Director for NewStory Center and is responsible for fundraising and outreach, grant management and other administrative tasks. She graduated from Southern New Hampshire University with a B.A. in History and a M.Ed. in General Education. Prior to joining RCWNS, she spent 8 years as the Museum Educator at the Manchester Historic Association in Manchester, N.H.
Jessica EllisProgram Director
Bio
Jessica Ellis is the NewStory Center Program Director. She has lived in Rutland County her whole life. She went to Roger Williams University in Bristol, RI where she studied Psychology and Sociology. She has worked in the human services field since she returned in 2009. She loves giving back to her community and is dedicated to showing people there IS still good in the world. Her favorite pastimes include spending time with friends, being outside and watching her boys learn and grow.
Bianca Amira ZanellaSystems Advocate
Bio
Bianca Amira Zanella is the NewStory Center Systems Advocate. Bianca graduated from Green Mountain College with a BFA in Creative Writing and a BA in English Education, concentrating on sustainability skills. Bianca believes that everyone has the right to safe, healthy, and happy relationships. She is an experienced facilitator for Men’s Non-Violence groups and is certified in Achieving Change Through Value-Based Behavior (ACTV) and trained in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). She joins the staff of NewStory Center believing that she is doing good and making people’s lives better, two key elements in finding one’s calling. Bianca also finds her calling outside work in performance poetry, community arts, and adventures from the garden to the kitchen.
Jodi TrepanierHousing Equity Advocate
Bio
Jodi Trepanier is the NewStory Center Intake Specialist and Motel Liaison. Jodi began her education at the University of Vermont pursuing a degree in Political Science but changed her path and finished with a degree in Criminal Justice with a Juvenile Justice minor from Community College of Vermont. Before her current role, Jodi worked in the public school system in Special Education where she primarily worked with students that have both behavioral and emotional disabilities due to significant traumas. Jodi joined the staff of NewStory Center in October of 2017 and truly loves supporting the victims that she works with. She has a true passion for helping people and feels that anything she can do to make someone’s day just a little better goes a long way. Jodi lives in West Rutland with her husband and two children and spends any free time she has attending all the different school and University events that her children are a part of. Her favorite hobbies include cooking, gardening and spending time with friends.
Marissa ReedHousing Equity Advocate
Bio
Marissa Reed is the NewStory Center housing equity advocate. Over the past 6 years she has worked full-time for Rutland Regional Medical Center and during that time, she has also been working toward her educational goals. She began her education at the Community College of Vermont where she recieved a degree in Applied Science. Now Marissa is working toward completing her bachelor’s degree in Psychology through the Northern University of Vermont. In her spare time, Marissa enjoys spending time with her family and 5 pets. She also explores and experiments with her passion for photography which is something that has taught her the importance of perspective and the joyous feeling of bringing smiles to those she captures images of.
Sara GreenShelter Coordinator and Housing Equity Advocate
Bio
Sara Green is the NewStory Center Shelter Coordinator and Housing Equity Advocate . Sara moved to Rutland in 2006 from the greater Burlington area to pursue her college degree. She attended College of St. Joseph in Rutland, graduating with her degree in Child and Family Services. Prior to joining our team , Sara worked in childcare where she operated a Child Care Center for 7 years.