Our Team

Board of Directors

David Hilman, President

David Hilman is the owner of Custom Design Renovations, a leading remodeling company. David has lived in the Gainesville area since 1989. David has been in the construction business for more than 30 years and has owned his own company for 22 years. He is extremely involved in the Gainesville community through the Builders Association of North Central Florida (BANCF). David has served BANCF for more than 5 years at various positions and became president of the association in December 2010. He has earned numerous accolades throughout the years, and is one of only a handful of Certified Master Builders in Florida, a Certified Graduate Remodeler (CGR), and a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS).

​Russell Scoates, Vice President

Russell Scoates is the owner of Small World Day Care in Gainesville, a business he has owned and operated for more than 40 years. Russell's support for the community goes beyond helping working families find care for their children. He has served on various non-profit Boards including on the Early Learning Coalition.

Sara Emmanuel, Treasurer

Sara has been a part of the construction industry for 20 years and has called Gainesville home for just as long. With over 15 years of experience serving on non-profit boards, she brings a deep commitment to community and industry leadership. Currently, she serves as the Executive Officer of the Builders Association of North Central Florida and leads as the Training Director for their Apprenticeship Program. Sara is passionate about helping the community by providing opportunities for people to grow and succeed. She also cares deeply about ensuring that everyone has the chance to live in a safe and healthy environment.

Jorge Zukoski, Secretary

Jorge Zukoski has been serving on Alachua Habitat Board of Directors since January 2024. Jorge was raised here in Gainesville and is currently the co-owner of Best Water Solutions with his wife, Courtney. Best Water Solutions was started by Jorge’s parents and remains a family owned and operated company based in Gainesville, Florida that has been serving the community’s water treatment needs since 1982. Jorge & his wife met in Ukraine when serving as Peace Corps business development volunteers after earning MBAs and wanting to work internationally to further their extensive love of travel and to continue to experience the wider world. After completing their Peace Corps obligations Jorge and Courtney remained in Ukraine living and working for a total of 17 years before returning to the United States to start a family and the next chapter of their adventure. Their time in Ukraine allowed them to travel extensively, broaden and strengthen their business skills, appreciate the importance of giving back into the communities in which they live and work and build a strong global network of business and political leaders. Jorge has managed and served on a variety of boards and looks forward to contributing to the success of Alachua Habitat for Humanity’s goals of providing affordable housing for deserving families in our area.

Tamelia Malcolm

Tamelia Malcolm is the Program Coordinator at the North Central Early Steps Program at the University of Florida. Her extensive involvement in supporting our community includes serving on the Boards of Directors of Family Promise of Gainesville and of The Child Advocacy Center. She also serves in leadership with the PTSA in Gainesville.

Ben Phillips

Ben Phillips has been a Realtor since 2002 and has been an agent with Focus Real Estate Group since 2006. Earlier in life, Ben served as a member of the US Air Force, with tours in Europe as well as the United State Air Force Academy, receiving two Air Force Commendation medals as well as numerous other achievement awards and recognition. Ben has been involved in community service since his early childhood and started serving with Habitat for Humanity in 2004, while living in South Florida. Ben first joined Alachua Habitat for Humanity back in 2014 and has been a constant supporter ever since donating his time, talent and resources to Habitat's ongoing mission of putting God’s love into action, bringing people together to build homes, communities and hope.

Cheryl Scott

Cheryl Scott is a Senior Compliance Specialist at The Norman Group. With 30 plus years of experience, she is fluent in banking consumer protection rules compliance and operations. Cheryl first began building with Alachua Habitat for Humanity in 2010 and has been a Women Build Steering Committee member for over 10 years.

Ashley Barnes

Ashley Barnes is the Business Development Coordinator at Oelrich Construction, Inc. Born and raised in Gainesville, she brings a passion for impact and a deeply rooted dedication to service. Ashley is an involved member of the community through many organizations such as the Builders’ Association of North Central Florida (BANCF) and Take Stock in Children.  

Gloria Lewis

Gloria Lewis has been the Executive Assistant and Bookkeeper at Westwood Middle School in Gainesville, Florida since August 2018. An expert in school administration and financial management, she handles payroll and provides crucial assistance to faculty, staff, parents, and students.

Gloria is actively involved in projects, the SAC Committee, and advisory roles for Student Government, Builder’s Club, and Yearbook Club. Holding a Bachelor of Arts in Broadcast Journalism from Bethune-Cookman University, she brings a diverse background as a reporter, student intern for WESH NBC TV, and Head Equipment Manager for the Wildcats Football Team.

In community service, Gloria assisted as a Girl Scout Troop Leader and served as President for Big Bend Pop Warner Woodville Jaguars Football Cheer & Dance in Tallahassee, Florida.

Her transformative experience as a homeowner through Alachua Habitat for Humanity fuels her desire to contribute further to the organization and help others through their program.

Gloria Lewis is not only a dedicated professional with extensive experience in education and customer service, but also an active community member, passionately making a positive impact. As a mother of two, Gloria brings a unique perspective, strong management skills, and a commitment to excellence in all of her endeavors.

Dr. Scot Smith

Dr. Scot Smith is a recently-retired Professor from the University of Florida School of Forestry, Fisheries, and Geomatic Sciences. The majority of his career has taken place in the academic space of major universities including, the University of Florida and Ohio State University. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Resource Development from Michigan State University, his Master’s in Environmental Health Sciences & Natural Resources from the University of Michigan, and his Doctorate in Environmental Health Sciences from the University of Michigan. Dr. Smith has completed extensive research and has also contributed to various publications throughout his career.

Taylor Rose

Taylor Rose is a Senior Counsel at the University of Florida, specializing in governance.  He advises university leaders concerning a variety of issues including federal and state laws, regulations, University policies and procedures, and other special matters.

Before joining the University of Florida, Taylor enjoyed a diverse career, presiding over a large government contracting and staffing firm, practicing law with a focus on litigation and business transactions, and entrepreneurship. Taylor is a past president of the Levin College of Law Alumni Counsel and received both his Bachelor’s degree in Economics, and Juris Doctor, with Honors, from the University of Florida.

Susan Mitnick

Susan Mitnick is a Project Manager for the University of Florida. Her previous roles included Training and Curriculum Development, Business Development, and Technical Consulting. Working in both government and private industry she leverages her expertise to foster collaboration, communicate complex technical concepts to diverse audiences, and drive results.

For over 30 years, she has volunteered and contributed to the community including literacy training programs for children and adults, English as a Second Language, and as a Museum Docent. Susan has been a member of the Women Build Steering Committee of Habitat for many years. Her passion for education, community engagement, and empowering individuals and families has informed her approach to leadership and service.

Cathy Aull

Bio coming soon