Our Team

Sister Barbara Busch
S. Barbara Busch Executive Director

S. Barbara Busch,
Executive Director


S. Barbara Busch, SC, co-founded Working In Neighborhoods (WIN) in 1978 and continues as its Executive Director today. WIN provides financial education and homeownership opportunities to low and moderate income residents throughout greater Cincinnati. Originally started with a $14,000 budget, the organization now has an annual budget of $1.4 million and employs 21 staff members. A Cincinnati native, S. Barbara has worked for over 40 years to help low and moderate income residents shape their communities.

She is a member of the Sisters of Charity. S. Barbara has a Master of Social Work from University of Michigan and is a Licensed Independent Social Work Supervisor.

Under her direction, WIN has built or rehabilitated and sold 167 homes to first-time homeowners. WIN has developed relationships with local and national lenders, which has resulted in over 7,000 low-income families owning their homes. WIN developed the WIN Economic Learning Campus in the heart of S. Cumminsville. The Campus offers financial training and counseling for homebuyers, leadership training, enrichment programs for youth, and 18 apartments for senior citizens. In 2014 WIN began its effort to move 40% of S. Cumminsville out of Poverty in a generation through six targeted efforts and includes 50 near net zero energy homes.
Rigel Behrens
Rigel Behrens Community Development Planner

Rigel Behrens,
Community Development Planner

Before joining WIN’s staff, Rigel worked as a self-employed artist for 19 years. Rigel earned a BA in Political Science from Northern Kentucky University and a Masters of Community Planning from the University of Cincinnati. In 2011, Rigel joined WIN’s staff to manage data collection and analysis of Hamilton County foreclosure trends, and produced WIN’s foreclosure reports for several years. She has also provided outreach and technical support for resident-led community building and neighborhood revitalization. In addition to working with the community directly, her work also includes grant writing, action planning, mapping, developing and maintaining relationships with partner organizations and universities.

Contact: (513) 541-4109 x. 103 or email Rigel
Myra Boggs
Myra Boggs Financial Literacy Coordinator

Myra Boggs,
Financial Literacy Coordinator

For over 21 years as a HUD approved Housing Counselor, I worked with families preparing them for home ownership opportunities which included extensive budgeting and credit counseling. I also provided Financial Literacy workshops on a variety of topics that was of interest to families. In my current role as the Senior Financial Literacy counselor, I work with senior citizen homeowners to develop ways for them to be more comfortable in their homes.

Contact: (513) 541-4109 x. 125 or email Myra
Cozette Evans
Cozette Evans Administrative Assistant – Youth Programs Coordinator

Cozette Evans,
Administrative Assistant – Youth Programs Coordinator

Cozette Evans, Administration Assistant &Youth Coordinator, has been employed By Working In Neighborhoods for 19 yrs. Myself and my siblings have been volunteering at Working In Neighborhoods for over 30 years. I have been working with the youth program for over 20 years. Before joining the WIN Staff, I bought my first home from Working In Neighborhoods. I am a resident of the South Cumminsville Community for 23 years. I have three adult children and four grandchildren.

Contact: (513) 541-4109 x. 100 or email Cozette
Dennis Kinne
Dennis Kinne Housing Counselor

Dennis Kinne,
Housing Counselor

In December 2010 Dennis Kinne began his WIN career as a housing counselor, coach, educator. Prior to WIN, He worked in accounting, auditing, information technology, and network operations at Cincinnati Bell, Cincinnati Gas & Electric, and Arthur Andersen. He earned a Bachelor’s in Business Administration Degree from the University of Cincinnati, an MBA from Xavier University. He holds a Certified Public Accounting permit.

Contact: (513) 541-4109 x. 129 or email Dennis
Mary Metzmeier
Mary Metzmeier Community Organizer

Mary Metzmeier,
Community Organizer

Mary Metzmeier is our lead organizer. She helps low and moderate-income people build power by coming together and working strategically to change public policy and business practices. Mary has worked on housing, quality of life issues, environmental issues, and building neighborhood involvement. After 21 years in the field, Mary’s favorite part of organizing remains helping people who feel powerless begin to see that by working together, we can make real, sustainable change.

Contact: (513) 541-4109 x. 105 or email Mary
Whitney Schieltz
Whitney Schieltz Housing Development

Whitney Schieltz,
Housing Development

Whitney, a native of Dayton, Ohio, studied architecture at the University of Cincinnati and then received her master’s in historic preservation from the University of Kentucky. A few years after college, she entered the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati and spent two years in El Paso, Texas, ministering on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border. Since returning to Ohio in 2017, Whitney has volunteered and worked with various community development and social justice organizations and has served as WIN’s Housing and Volunteer Coordinator since 2018.

Contact Whitney: (513) 541-4109 x. 109 or email Whitney
Hope E. Wilson
Hope E. Wilson Operations Director/Housing Program Manager

Hope E. Wilson,
Operations Director/Housing Program Manager

Hope Wilson is the Director of Operations/Housing Program Manager for Working In Neighborhoods (WIN). Prior to her current role she worked as the Community & Housing Development Manager and was involved in the development process for 45 single family homeownership units and 18 senior rental units. Hope was involved in the acquisition, rehab, new construction, and sale of WIN’s homes that are sold to low-moderate income first time homebuyer’s. In addition she has been a Housing Counselor & Homebuyer Educator helping families attain and maintain homeownership in the Greater Cincinnati region. Hope joined WIN in 2000 as a Community Organizer focused on housing & lending issues. Hope has a Masters in Urban and Regional Studies from Minnesota State University, Mankato and a Bachelor’s in Political Science from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania.

Contact: (513) 541-4109 x. 132 or email Hope
Barb Woelfel
Barb Woelfel Accounting Director

Barb Woelfel,
Accounting Director

I began working at WIN in 1992 a few years after graduating from Mount St. Joseph with a BA in Accounting. I have watched WIN grow and change in many ways during my time here. But the foundation of WIN’s mission and work has always remained focused on our neighbors. I also have grown with WIN, from a staff accountant to a senior staff member, Accounting Director and part of the management team. In my early days I was focused on maintaining WIN’s financial records and learning about WIN. Now I am involved in some manner in almost everything WIN does. One of my main focuses these days is on grants, from budgets to reporting and compliance.

Contact: (513) 541-4109 x. 123 or email Barb

Our Board of Directors

  • Robert Alexander

  • Matt Buddenberg

  • David Dirr

  • Marilyn Evans

  • Ena Fletcher

  • Ellen Frankenberg

  • Joy Gazaway

  • Glen Glenn

  • Blake Johnson
  • Randy S. Kuvin

  • Kathy Lutz

  • Greg Ossege

  • Steve Schaefer

  • Thelma Walker
  • Wilma Wilson

  • S. Pat Wittberg

  • Pamela Woods

  • Michael Yeazell

  • S. Barbara Busch

Our History

In 1978, as the nation faced high unemployment, spiraling interest rates, inflation and an energy crisis, Working In Neighborhoods (WIN) was born to help Cincinnati’s low and moderate-income residents.

WIN joined with local residents to create an organization that would help them gain a voice in issues affecting them. By working side-by-side with residents and training them to become leaders, WIN helped residents impact issues including utility reform, quality, affordable housing, and quality-of-life issues, such as decreasing crime.

Led by resident’s desire to live in decent homes and to physically improve their neighborhoods, WIN began developing homes in 1981. In order to educate residents about purchasing a home, WIN began offering home ownership classes and counseling. WIN also developed partnerships with local banks which have yielded over $300 million in investments for WIN’s neighborhoods.

In 1986, WIN collaborated with Cincinnati Gas & Electric to ensure that low and moderate-income residents could afford their utility bills. Through this partnership, WIN developed a program so that low-income residents pay no more that 30% of their income for utilities. By working with CG&E, WIN’s energy program has become an effective resource for helping people manage their energy usage in an efficient and cost-effective way. WIN currently serves low-income utility customers in an 11-county radius.

Over the years, WIN has offered leadership training to organizations in 16 low and moderate-income neighborhoods from West McMicken to Mt. Healthy. We have sold over 160 homes to low and moderate income working families and educated thousands of first-time home buyers about how to purchase a home.

In 1999, WIN began developing the WIN Economic Learning Campus in South Cumminsville. The 5-building property on the site of the former St. Pius Church, is home to a community computer lab, financial literacy seminars and counseling programs, as well as youth enrichment programs including the South Cumminsville Youth Summer Camp and after-school tutoring. In the fall of 2006, WIN developed 18 units of housing for senior citizens in the former St. Pius School.

Visit Working In Neighborhoods Guidestar Profile, including recent 990s and Annual Reports.

WIN in the News

Join Our Team

Working In Neighborhoods is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants must be able to pass a drug screen and background check.

Fund Development Director – Full Time

Position: The Fund Development Director is responsible for planning, organizing and implementing fund development strategies for WIN, especially the cultivation and stewardship of our donor base. The director directs and coordinates all fund development initiatives, including planned giving, annual giving, donor development and recognition, and special events. In coordination with other team members identify and develop targeted grant proposals.

Responsibilities:

  • On-going communication and relationship building with current and past donors.
  • Ensure accuracy and timeliness of Sales Force data base, including gift receipting, acknowledgements, and pledge reminders.
  • Write and edit quarterly e-newsletter for donors and friends of WIN.
  • Responsible for Annual Giving Campaigns and development of a strategy to increase the number of annual donors.
  • Develop new sponsorships for WIN’s special events.
  • Grant/foundation research, proposal writing, and outcome reporting in collaboration with other WIN staff.
  • Provide presentations about WIN to potential supporters.
  • Develop donor recognition programs.
  • Commitment to collaborate with the Executive Director to fulfill fund development strategies that advance WIN’s mission and values.
  • Maintain a working knowledge of current fundraising trends

Qualifications:

  • Commitment to advance the mission and vision of WIN.
  • Bachelor’s degree with 2 years’ experience in fund development or related field.
  • Strong interpersonal communication and writing skills.
  • Capacity to utilize appropriate technology to reach fund development goals.
  • Focus on team-building and motivating our diverse staff, board members and other volunteers to be ambassadors for WIN and expand our philanthropic opportunities.

Application process: Applicants should email a letter of interest, resume, and salary requirements to winfo@wincincy.org or submit to:
Working In Neighborhoods, Personnel Committee
1814 Dreman Avenue
Cincinnati, Ohio 45223