About VVHC

We seek to create a community where the most basic human needs are fulfilled.

case management for homeless people
Case Management

A case manager meets with individuals who desire assistance for achievable goals

counseling for homeless people
Counseling

VVHC offers a variety of counseling classes and life skills classes

essential supplies for homeless people
Essentials

Supplies such as flashlights, blankets, tents, sleeping bags, and backpacks are provided

assistance for homeless people
Employment Assistance

VVHC offers employment assistance to any who comes into the transition center.

shelter for homeless people
Shelter

VVHC operates a transition center for anyone needing assistance.

computer access for homeless people
Access to Computers

VVHC has computers available to use for employment, family & friends and housing.

Sponsors for VVHC

Our Board of Directors

These are people that do the work to help bring the services that are needed day in and day out.

Jordan Ricca - Treasurer

 

Jordan is a CPA with seven years of public accounting experience with Keegan Linscott & Kenon PC (Tucson) specializing in auditing not-for-profit organizations.  Jordan grew up in the Verde Valley but spent 10 years in Tucson and holds a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in accounting from the University of Arizona.  Jordan and his wife and two boys moved north to Prescott Valley in 2018 to be closer to family.  Prior to moving, he was active in the Tucson community and currently serves on the Audit Committee for Tucson Symphony Society and has previously volunteered for the Autism Society for Southern Arizona, Habitat for Humanity and Old Pueblo Community Services by participating in fundraising events and community projects. Jordan is passionate about being involved in the Northern Arizona community and in his spare time likes to play golf and spend time outdoors.

Laura Cox - Secretary

 

A native New Yorker, Laura Cox arrived in Arizona in 1972 and made her move to the Verde Valley after retiring from a thirty-year career at Wells Fargo Bank as a Senior Institutional Trust Administrator and Vice President. She went back to work almost immediately during the summers as the Director of the Outdoor Adventure Program at a girl’s camp in Vermont, and then returning to Arizona in the fall as the Home-Based Visitor for Sedona Head Start. Laura spent ten years on the Cave Creek, Arizona Town Council, serving terms as both Mayor and Vice Mayor. She was a founding director of the Desert Foothills Land Trust and served for eight years on the board of Family Service Agency in Phoenix. She is also an old kayaker and hiker, and still enjoys the out-of-doors.

Babette Cubitt - Board Member

 

Babette Cubitt is the publisher for Verde Valley Newspapers, covering the Verde Valley & Sedona. Prior to relocating to the Verde Valley she was the General Manager/Advertising Director of the Daily Courier in Prescott and Regional Advertising Director for Western News & Info. Babette served 18 years with the New York Times in various roles; she is member of the Verde Valley Rotary Club, a prior Paul Harris Fellow, and was recognized as a Women of Achievement by the S.C. House of Representatives. Prior non-profit boards & associations include the Boys & Girls Club, United Way , Arts Partnership and Girl Scouts and Rotary.  She has won numerous Press Associations awards in various states.

Ryan Bigelow - Board Member

 

Ryan is originally from Bend, Oregon but has called the Verde Valley home after being hired by
the City of Cottonwood's Parks and Recreation Department in 2007. Ryan continues to work for
the city as the Library Director, a position he began in 2018. He holds a B.S. in History from
Eastern Oregon University and an MLS - Organizational Leadership from Fort Hays State
University. He served seven years on the City of Cottonwood Historic Preservation Commission
and also is a volunteer coach for local youth sports organizations. Ryan enjoys all of the outdoor activities Arizona has to offer with his wife and three children.

Carol Quasula - President

 

Carol Quasula is President of the Verde Valley Homeless Coalition and Chairs the Fundraising Committee. Carol retired in 2014 after serving as Programs Director for Catholic Charities for 10 years. She was responsible for operations of the Supportive Services to Veteran Families; Permanent Supportive Housing and LOFT (Homeless Drop in Center). Prior to her work at Catholic Charities, she was the Assistant Program Manager in Northern Arizona for the Department of Child Safety. Ms. Quasula has a Bachelors from Arizona State University. She is very involved in her church, Mountain View United Methodist serving on Staff Parish Relations and Outreach Missions as well as helping to serve at risk youth. She volunteers for Rainbow Acres and the U of A Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners Help Desk. Ms. Quasula has lived in the Verde Valley for over 40 years. She has one adult son and two grandchildren.

Peter Flynn - Board Chair

 

Peter Flynn serves as Board Chair and has played a role in fundraising for VVHC. He is a “snowbird”, spending summers in Edmonton, Alberta, where he did graduate work and then spent 25 years in the Canadian energy industry. For the last 12 years of his career he was a professor at the University of Alberta, teaching business related subjects in the Faculty of Engineering. He has served on the boards of many non-profits, including ten years on the Board of an entity that managed 5500 units of low-income housing and added 400 additional new units during his time of service.

Gareth Braxton-Johnson - Board Member

 

Gareth Braxton-Johnson began his law enforcement career in 1999 with the Scottsdale Police Department before joining the Cottonwood Police department in 2005. Over the past 20 years he has worked in numerous assignments such as patrol, gangs, bicycle patrol, school resource officer, investigations, internal affairs, narcotics and SWAT. He is a graduate of the 254th session of the FBI National Academy as well as the DEA/Arizona HIDTA Drug Unit Commander Leadership Academy.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice from Lindenwood University in Missouri, and a Master's degree in Educational Leadership from Northern Arizona University. He has served as an adjunct instructor there in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. Along with teaching, he also enjoys outdoor activities, all athletic competition, and reading.

Rob Biggs - Board Member

 

Rob Biggs is a licensed minister and currently Sr. Pastor at Living Water Foursquare Church. He grew up and went to school, graduating from college in Arizona. He spent 21 years in banking as a Branch Manager at First Interstate Bank (merged with Wells Fargo) and ITT Finance Corp before going into full time ministry 29 years ago. He has a heart for the Verde Valley by currently serving as a chaplain at Verde Valley Medical Center, a certificate holder with NA Health Foundation and a member of a network of pastors/churches in Cottonwood. Living Water supports several community impact organizations such as House of Ruth, Old Town Mission, Cottonwood Community Garden, Mingus High School, as well as VVHC.

Chip Norton - Board Member

 

Chip Norton retired from the private sector in 2009 and began an encore career as a community volunteer in the Verde Valley of central Arizona. Since that time, Chip has served on more than ten governmental and nonprofit boards and commissions. His focus has been sustainable land and water use, with an emphasis on river and stream conservation. He also served as an officer for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (Sedona Chapter) and as an instructor of their twelve-week Family-to-Family course. He is currently a Director of the Forever our Rivers Foundation (Colorado) and Chair of the Verde Natural Resource Conservation District. He is also President of Sinagua Malt, Inc., a Public Benefit Corporation.

Tim Elinski - Board Member

 

Tim Elinski was born and raised in Arizona, and spent his childhood along the banks of the East Verde River north of Payson. After spending time in the Pacific Northwest and Eastern Europe, Elinski moved to the Verde Valley and purchased his home in Old Town Cottonwood where he now lives with his wife Ruth Ellen. Elinski is a licensed contractor who specializes in historic restoration. His hobbies include constantly working on his old home with his patient wife, pulling a vintage trailer along forgotten-about dirt roads in distant corners of our state, and learning by doing. Elinski has formed the Cottonwood Historic Preservation Commission and formerly served on Cottonwood's Planning and Zoning Commission.  Currently, Tim is the Mayor of the City of Cottonwood.

Christian Oliva del Rio - Board Member

 

Christian Oliva del Rio has been with the Cottonwood Chamber of Commerce for the past 14 years. During those years he has held various positions for the Chamber and has been promoted to President/CEO. Through his training and years of experience, he has been able to bring a variety of resources to enhance the membership’s ability to utilize current industry technologies. These skills have also allowed him the pleasure of promoting the community he loves, while providing workforce development and economic growth.

A native of California, Christian moved to the Verde Valley over 25 years ago. He has seen many changes, most of which have been for the good of the area. Thankfully, there are things that never change like the community camaraderie and the many wonderful things to do around Cottonwood and the Verde Valley.

Christian is a graduate of Verde Valley Leadership, Class II and served on that Board for two terms. He is a graduate of W.A.C.E. Academy, and US Chamber Institute program. He has served as Board Treasurer for Buena Vista Children’s Services, as well as for the Cottonwood Economic Development Council. He has also served on the Verde Valley Advisory Committee for Yavapai Big Brothers, Big Sisters.

 

Rhonda Bishop - Executive Director

 

Rhonda Bishop spent the early part of her working life in different areas of health care with the ultimate goal of finishing her BSN.  An offer of training in business management altered the course she had been following and led her to various positions in management and human resources which have given her a large cache of information to draw on in the execution of her duties.  Having spent the past 7 years working in treatment facilities has given Rhonda a working knowledge of addiction, as well as mental health concerns which often accompany addiction. 

Rhonda is a member of the Cocopah Nation in Southwestern Arizona though her maternal family settled in the Verde Valley in the early 1950’s and except for briefly living in Washington State, the Verde Valley has always been home.  She and her husband are local business owners and enjoy spending time with their children and grandchildren and taking advantage of the extensive outdoor recreational opportunities in Northern Arizona. 

Former Homeless Person

Success Stories

“I was in a living hell… I cried out to God to deliver me.”

Anne was living in a homeless encampment by the railroad tracks, desperate, wondering how her life had come to this. “I was in a living hell,” she says.

Ask About Resources

Cottonwood is a city with many resources for its people and especially the homeless. However, if you don’t know how to find them, it’s hard to take advantage of these resources. We can help you find the resources you need to succeed. Ask any of our volunteers to get you a resource list to help send you to the appropriate agencies in the area for that can assist you.

Resources for Homeless People

Our Community

Some of the images we took of the transition center. We have some good moments because of the people that donate their time and money.

Contact Us

If you have questions about VVHC or just want to send a message to our administration feel free to e-mail us at [email protected] or contact our Executive Director at [email protected]