Our Team & Board of Directors
At Treetops Collective, our team and board of directors come from diverse backgrounds, professions, and personalities. Our members include educators, lawyers, students, creative thinkers, and faithful neighbors from Michigan, East Africa, and many places in between. No matter the role, we bring our whole selves to this work.
What unites us is our shared belief that the world can do a better job of welcoming refugees who have been forced to leave their homes. We've experienced hospitality in a foreign place and understand the importance of feeling welcomed. We also believe that everyone has unique gifts to share and that our community can become a place where all can flourish and no one feels alone.
Join us in our mission to create a more welcoming world for refugees. Whether you have 5 hours or 40 to contribute, we welcome you to bring your whole self to this work. Let's build a more inclusive community together.

Alaina Hoekwater
Building and Events Manager
she/her

Katya Manion
Product Development & Markets Manager
she/her

Marla Hoekwater
Special Projects Manager
she/her

Sadia Nurow
Collective Care Specialist
she/her
Board of Directors

Aldina Babic
Board Secretary
Community Relations Manager
Lake Michigan Credit Union

Brooke Aernouts
Board Member
Trauma and Resilience Coordinator
Family Futures

Chrisfa Pierrant
Board Member
LLPC
GVSU Counseling Center

Joanna Boer
Board Member

Mandy Sharp Eizinger
Board President
Program Manager
Johnson Center for Philanthropy

MatĂas Martinez
Board Member
Owner and Realtor
Give Back Realty

Munira Mohamed
Board Member

Olayinka Ope
Board Vice President
Attorney
Meijer

Raul Herrera-Pina
Board Treasurer
Branch Manager
Huntington National Bank

Samir Bayan
Board Member
Case Manager
Bethany Christian Services

Scott Zylstra
Board Member
VP of Finance
Automatic SpringÂ

Xuesi Li Gurney
Board Member
Senior Manager - Consulting
GEP Worldwide