Elder Homer Trecartin, Director

Elder Homer Trecartin was a student missionary in Brazil many years ago. He and Barbara and their children served for eight months as volunteers in Zambia and Lesotho and later worked with ADRA South Sudan while living in Kenya. Recently Homer and Barbara spent several years in Cyprus where Homer was the Secretary-Treasurer for the Middle East Union. Homer now comes to us from the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission where he has been the Planning Director for the last three years.

The Trecartins have three grown children and six grandchildren. In their spare time they enjoy hiking and bird watching. Their great longing is to see the gospel go to every man, woman, and child on earth so that Jesus can come.

Candace Renk, Volunteer Coordinator

Candace had her first taste of the volunteer program while she was attending Walla Walla College. She decided to take a year out of her studies to be a volunteer at a local conference. During that year, she had the opportunity to go on a conference-led mission trip to build a church in Kenya, Africa. During this amazing mission experience, she felt impressed that someday she would be a missionary somewhere in the world.

After graduating from college, she had a second encounter with the volunteer program. She began working through the GC application process to be a volunteer in Cambodia for two years. This experience changed her life tremendously and she highly recommends volunteer work. If a person accepts the challenge to be a volunteer, there are two things she advises: Expect to be molded by God and flexibility is key!

Candace returned home to the States after completing her mission service and began working in a local conference, all the while praying that she could somehow be involved with the volunteer program. She had the opportunity to work in the NAD Volunteer Department in April 2001 as the International Volunteers Coordinator, during which time she had a close working relationship with the GC AVC team. Because of this, it seemed like a natural fit to join the AVC team on April 30, 2007, and she continues to enjoy assisting others in their vision of serving Christ as a volunteer in another part of the world.

Jill Walker Gonzalez, Administrative Assistant/Associate Volunteer Coordinator/Editorial Assistant

Jill has always loved traveling and learning about other cultures. It wasn't until after teaching conversational English in Poland for a year, however, that she knew she wanted to dedicate her life, in one way or another, to furthering the Gospel by working with and for other cultures. According to her, if she cannot be overseas on the mission field, then working from home to get other volunteers to places they want to go is the next best thing. Therefore, as can be expected, she felt it was a blessing when a position became available for her in AVC in December 2006.

In 2006, Jill earned her Master's degree in English from La Sierra University, and recently, she was hired as Adjunct Faculty to teach evening classes at her alma mater, Washington Adventist University (formerly Columbia Union College). She loves being married to and spending time with her husband, Javier Gonzalez. She also enjoys writing and plans to one day record all of her experiences abroad.

Joanne Stango, Associate Volunteer Coordinator

Joanne joined the Adventist Volunteer Center in September, 2003. Her first position at the General Conference was coordinating evangelistic teams going to Russia. She's excited to be working with volunteers again having been in the Ministerial Association for almost 8 years. It's a privilege to be part of the team at the AVC assisting those willing to serve Jesus.

She is enjoying being married to Michael and loves spending time with her son Daniel. She enjoys going home to Vermont to visit family and friends as often as possible and likes to scrapbook, playing the guitar and reading.

Ana Faigao, Assistant Volunteer Coordinator

Ana was born and raised in the Philippines. She and Howard, her husband, and their two children had lived as missionaries to Singapore before coming to the the US in 2001. Her first job here in the GC office was as an appointee coordinator where she helped process long term missionaries. 

She is excited to witness how God can bring together an organization in need of workers and volunteers with the desire to serve. With all the unknowns in the equation, she thinks it is a miracle and a joy to see these matches  succeed.

She enjoys reading, writing, traveling, snorkeling and dreams of one day walking the scenic parts of the Appalachian trail!

Donna Rodill, Senior Editorial Assistant/Web Maintenance

Donna joined the Adventist Volunteer Center in January, 2001. She serves the AVC as editorial production manager of the Mission Post magazine and maintains the website. She has worked at the General Conference since 1988.

She enjoys hiking, camping, singing, playing the guitar and doing various arts and crafts. She has two daughters, Jennifer and Amanda.