Staff
As the Collaborative Applicant and Continuum of Care (CoC) Lead Agency, Institute for Community Alliances will be primarily responsible for providing professional support to the CoC Board and the CoC, as directed by the CoC Board through a written assignment of responsibilities.
“I was homeless, but I wasn’t hopeless. I knew a better day was coming.” – Chris Gardner
CoC Staff
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Courtney Guntly
CoC Director
Courtney has been with ICA since January 2018, entering as the Coordinated Entry Specialist for the Balance of State and transitioned to CoC Director in 2020. In addition to being deeply involved in the technical aspects and development of the Coordinated Entry process during her tenure, her experience includes extensive work in individual and family shelters throughout her career. Courtney holds an MSW from Washington University in St. Louis and a BA in Social Work from Luther College.
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Jason Smith
Youth Leadership Project Manager
Jason has been with ICA since April 2022, entering as a Coordinated Entry Specialist where he assisted in maintaining HMIS data quality, streamlining coordinated entry processes and educating stakeholders on Housing First and Coordinated Entry processes.
Prior to joining ICA and the CoC, Jason demonstrated his commitment to empowering individuals through various roles, including Employment & Training Specialist, Offender Workforce Development Specialist, Career Advisor, and College Admissions Counselor.
In these positions, Jason successfully implemented programs focused on career exploration, leadership development, and educational advancement, resulting in significant improvements in client and community outcomes.
As the Youth Leadership Project Manager, Jason is dedicated to empowering youth voices and fostering a supportive environment where young people can develop their leadership skills, explore their passions, and make a positive impact on their communities.
In his free time, Jason enjoys creative writing, spending time in nature with his family & friends, fishing, and cheering on the University of Georgia Football team. Are you interested in sharing a secret fishing spot?
Contact Jason to learn more or joining our youth leadership program!
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Jess Bleile
CoC Associate Director
Jess started with ICA as the CoC Associate Director in May 2020. Jess graduated with a BA in Social Work and has been working in the field since 2006. Previously, her work was primarily focused on family support work, working with homeless women and children, and community impact work.
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Mariah Breeze
Youth Initiatives Project Manager
Mariah joined ICA as the Youth Initiatives Project Manager in early October. Prior to this role, Mariah has multiple years of experience working in the homelessness prevention world. With a focus on keeping folks in their homes, Mariah is an avid advocate for the Housing First model. Along with this, she also has experience in grant management and looks forward to helping educate agencies and empowering youth by ensuring their voices are heard.
In her free time, Mariah enjoys traveling, being outside, and hanging out with her dogs, Bader and Juno.
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Rachel Falahpour
CoC Grantee Support Specialist
Rachel started with the ICA as the CoC Grantee Support Specialist in January 2022. During her time in this role, she has become passionate about helping housing providers and community partners advocate for the Housing First model in assisting people and families experiencing homelessness. In prior roles she focused on upskilling underserved populations through workforce development outreach and holistic career services training. Outside of work Rachel enjoys biking, gardening, reading, and watching her two kids do the activities that they love.
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Sydney Uhlman
Youth Homelessness Demonstration Project (YHDP) Specialist
