Board of Directors

Charles is President and CEO of Hokanson Consulting Group, a consultancy offering strategic management, public policy development and advocacy, community engagement, and fractional C-level services to nonprofits, foundations, and businesses. With over 25 years of pre K-16 education-reform experience (covering policy and advocacy, research and evaluation, grant making and grant management, communications and marketing, and finance and operations), he most recently served as Senior Vice President, Community Engagement and Strategic Partnerships at the Helios Education Foundation, an endowed public charity focused on education reform efforts in Arizona and Florida.

He also previously served as President or Executive Vice President of three national education policy nonprofits, as well as U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secretary Education and a professional staff member on Capitol Hill. Charles has served on numerous nonprofit, philanthropic, and business boards over the past three decades and currently sits on the boards of the Florida Education Foundation (audit chair and immediate past chair) and the Harvard Kennedy School Alumni Association, as well as on the advisory boards for the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations and Teach for America Miami-Dade. Charles holds an A.B. and A.M. from Stanford University, an M.P.P. from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.

Violet M. Apple is the Founder of Vee Apple Consulting, a firm specializing in nonprofit governance, strategic planning, and facilitation. With a robust background in nonprofit organization management, Violet brings a wealth of expertise in business development, coaching, government relations, conflict resolution, and event management. Her career has been dedicated to championing the issues faced by girls and women, leveraging her strong mentoring and coaching skills to guide many women in achieving their career goals.

As the former Chief Executive Officer of Girl Scouts of Central Maryland (GSCM), Violet led initiatives to empower girls, helping them to envision and achieve their potential. She has a deep-seated commitment to fostering diverse, fair, and inclusive environments, recognizing the critical role that equity plays in realizing our collective success. Her involvement with Girl Scouts of the USA’s (GSUSA) DEI/RJ Steerco highlighted her dedication to advancing equity and inclusion at a national level.

In addition to her leadership at GSCM, Violet serves on the Board of HI USA. Her role at HIUSA allows her to pursue her passion for promoting intercultural and cross-cultural experiences for college students, fostering global understanding.

Violet’s current board memberships include The Lyric of Baltimore. She is an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., the Executive Alliance, and is a graduate of Baltimore’s The LEADERship class of 2015. Her contributions have been recognized with prestigious awards, including the Enterprising Women Award in 2023 and the Women Leading Baltimore Award in 2024.

Violet’s academic credentials include a Master of Management in Business Administration from Penn State University, a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work from Millersville University of Pennsylvania, and a Non-Profit Management Certificate from Delaware University. Her keen business and fundraising acumen, combined with her dedication to empowering families and to those who are disenfranchised from basic services, continue to drive her impactful work in the nonprofit sector.

Dr. Berkita S. Bradford is the Department Chair of Hospitality & Tourism Administration at North Carolina Central University in the School of Business. With over 20 years of experience in higher education, Berkita is deeply passionate about holistic learning and believes that travel opens doors and minds, educating young adults in a manner that is unobtainable in the classroom setting. She has led numerous student study abroad programs, providing students with invaluable experiences.

Berkita holds a Bachelor of Science in Hotel Restaurant Management and a Master of Public Administration from Grambling State University. Additionally, she has earned a PhD in Hospitality Management from Kansas State University and holds a certification in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

Currently residing in North Carolina, Berkita enjoys working, living, and playing in the state. In her free time, she is the favorite auntie to many and loves to engage in activities such as bowling, traveling, bike riding, and jumping rope with her nieces and nephews.

Lisa Gurwitch leads global fundraising and marketing efforts and serves as a member of the global executive team of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), the leading global Jewish humanitarian organization.

Prior to her joining JDC, she was CEO and President of Delivering Good, a nonprofit that pairs major manufacturers and retailers with national and international aid efforts. Lisa also previously served as Senior Vice President of Institutional Advancement and External Relations for World Learning, which engages in leadership development, education, and civil society-building efforts in 60+ nations.

Her career also included 18 years focused on charitable gift planning and grantmaking with the San Francisco-based Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund. Lisa serves or has served in various volunteer leadership positions for over 40 trusts, foundations, and other organizations, including the investment committee of Adas Israel Congregation in Washington D.C. and the GW Law Public Interest Advisory Council.

Lisa practiced law in San Francisco and Chicago. She holds a JD from George Washington University Law School, a BA in economics from Vanderbilt University, and is a graduate of the Wexner Heritage and Mandel Executive Development Programs.

Erin is the Senior Operations Analyst for the City of West Hollywood. She works principally on policy, budget, and infusing Local & State environmental sustainability goals into procurement, capital project development, and general operations of the City’s streets, sidewalks, facilities, parks, urban forest, and commercial and residential zones. She also serves as Co-Chair for the Westside steering committee of the U.S. Green Building Council-LA Chapter.

Audra Jones is the Head of Product for a luxury interior design brand in New York City, specializing in premium millwork. In this role, she works closely with U.S. and European suppliers to develop custom offerings, establish proper shop drawing and production procedures, and ultimately ensure that the final product upholds the quality standards of the organization. Prior to this role, she has held interior design and project management positions in Texas, Los Angeles, and New York City. Her experience has ranged from university residence halls and co-living accommodations to luxury residences and boutique hotels.

Audra has also traveled to 40+ countries, including two multi-month backpacking trips, and most recently spent a year working remotely and traveling Australia and Asia. Her extensive travel and hostelling experience drew her to HI USA, where she volunteered at the NYC hostel prior to the Covid-19 pandemic. She served as an external member of the Board Development Committee for two years before being appointed to full board membership in 2024.

After over 20 years with the World Bank leading global talent management, Wangari Kamau founded Soma Global Consulting in 2019. Her firm specializes in promoting inclusion, cultural awareness, and wellness in the global workplace.

Wangari is a recognized thought leader and public speaker on global workforce issues. Her extensive board experience includes utilizing Policy Governance. She was drawn to HI USA due to its mission to promote greater understanding of the world and its people through hosteling.

As an immigrant from Kenya who has worked in and traveled to numerous countries, Wangari deeply values experiencing new places and cultures, and meeting new people. She holds an MS in Business & Management from the University of Maryland Global Campus and several professional certifications, including Global Professional in Human Resources (GPHR). She is based in Rockville, MD.

Walt is a retired audit/assurance partner from the international CPA firm PricewaterhouseCoopers. During his career he was assigned three times to live and work in Asia – he met his wife in Indonesia and a son was born in Korea.  This international experience, living amidst other cultures, is what attracted Walt to HI USA’s mission. Walt served in various leadership capacities with the former HI Golden Gate Council, including as president and treasurer. He has served on the HI USA Board since before unification, in roles including Treasurer and Audit Committee Chair.

Bruce first stayed in youth hostels while traveling in Norway, having been introduced to hostels by fellow “deck class” travelers on the Lofoten Islands mail boat from Narvik to Bodo.  He knew to seek out hostels on a subsequent trip to New Zealand. Later, with his wife Leslie and their children, his family visited hostels in the U.S. and Europe. Everyone in the family are HI USA Lifetime Members.

Bruce joined the then Golden Gate Council Board of AYH (American Youth Hostels) in San Francisco in 1997.  He had an opportunity to join the National Board from 1999-2008 following a job transfer to the East Coast. Bruce was delighted to rejoin the HIUSA Board in 2018, where he serves again as a member of the Audit Committee.  Bruce’s current term ends in 2025.

After earning his BS and MBA degrees at the University of California, Berkeley, Bruce began his professional career as an auditor at Deloitte.  This was followed by service in a variety of Controllership and Financial roles, mostly in the financial services industry, and Bruce retired as Senior Vice President Finance of the U.S. Trust private banking division within Bank of America.  Bruce is a CPA and CFA Charterholder.

Bruce and Leslie reside in New Hope, PA where he collects eggs from the chickens, as well as stamps and postal history artifacts relating to travel, tourism, and youth hostels.

Leah Moschella is a strategic innovator focused on transforming education ecosystems to meet the needs of today’s economies. Her expertise draws from 18 years of leadership at national organizations focused on education innovation and supporting learner-centered strategies. In her current role at the National Center on Education and the Economy, she supports education leaders and policy makers across the globe to respond to evolving needs of learners in the future of work.

For 12 years, Leah served as the founder and executive director of Girls’ Leadership, Organized Woman, a nonprofit organization that fosters leadership, entrepreneurship, and civic engagement training reaching thousands of women and girls.  

Leah is passionate about global impact and community, inspired initially through her experience with the connections built through her hostel experiences. In 2007 Leah participated in HI USA’s IOU Respect program in Tunisia and has remained connected to the organization ever since as a scholarship reviewer, workshop facilitator, and USA Team leader for IOU Respect. Her experience in Tunisia with HI USA sparked a life-long interest in the region leading her to serve as a Shafik Gabr Fellow in Egypt, and an Entrepreneurial Diplomacy Fellow in Tunisia with Network 20/20. 

Leah has been recognized by the White House United State of Women as a Changemaker, awarded by the city of Boston for social impact and innovation, and honored as a part of the 2023 Women in Power cohort with the 92nd Street Y of New York City.  Leah holds a Master’s Degree from Northeastern University and a Bachelor’s Degree from Fordham University. When she’s not focused on ecosystems and systems-change, she is likely buying cheap plane tickets, dressing her cats up in bow-ties, or cheering for women’s soccer.

Dean Papademetriou is General Counsel of the Boston Housing Authority, where he has extensive experience in real estate development, affordable housing, tax credit and bond financing, public procurement, construction, and energy sustainability. Previously, he was in private practice as a real estate and corporate attorney. He is trustee of a large condominium trust and manages properties for a family business. He attended the University of Pennsylvania and Boston College Law School. He lives in Boston, MA.

Dean is a firm believer in HI USA’s charitable mission to promote inter-cultural understanding. He has participated in local and international civic leadership programs and has traveled in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia. He has had meaningful and life-changing personal, educational, and professional experiences meeting and working with people from different backgrounds, lifepaths, and geographic areas. He is proud of how HI USA provides space for many others to have meaningful and life-changing experiences as well.

Nicole has over 20 years of experience in internal audit, risk assessments, consulting, and project management in multiple industries. She is a former Certified Internal Auditor, Certified Financial Services Auditor, and also held a Certification in Risk Management Assurance and the Institute of Internal Auditors’ Internal Quality Assessment/Validation Accreditation. Nicole has a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance and an MBA in Strategy and International Business, both from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management.

Nicole was drawn to hostelling in her early 20s as a way to travel on a budget and meet people during a study abroad trip. Since then, she has developed a passion for the mission of HI USA, especially the programs that help promote cultural understanding and encourage young people to have the opportunity to travel and experience the world.

Previously, Nicole served as the President of the Minnesota Council of Hostelling International USA. Nicole is also currently serving as a Trustee for the International Youth Hostelling Federation, which is the global organization supporting national associations of Hostelling International around the world.

Nicole lives with her husband and two daughters in Plymouth, Minnesota.

Joel Yaffe joined the Board of HI USA in 2024. He first became involved with HI USA as a volunteer in NYC, where he led tours of Gotham’s hidden foodie destinations to provide HI’s guests with a flavor of the “real” New York.

Joel has over two decades of international experience in strategy development, financial analysis, and organizational transformation as an executive at IBM and Verizon. When he’s not at work, he enjoys cooking and traveling, and has visited over 45 countries on six continents. He has also lived on three continents, and speaks English, Spanish, and French.