Stella Ndauwa: Case Manager

Stella is our Preferred Communities Case Manager - her role focuses on serving especially vulnerable populations and those who require intensive services. She helps our new neighbors as they face especially difficult barriers to integration and provides additional supports they may need. These barriers may include serious medical concerns, significant language or mental heath barriers, single motherhood, and more. Stella also coordinates our celebrate wellness programming, enhanced cultural orientations, and continued education based on individual need. Stella speaks Swahili and works with many of our Swahili-speaking neighbors.

Her family emigrated from Kenya to Joplin, Missouri when she was 8 years old. She holds a degree in International Studies and was planning to go to Rwanda with the Peace Corps in 2020 when COVID shut down the program. She pivoted to an internship with the UN working in policy, but desired a role where she could work more directly with people. She moved to NWA last year to work with the Center for Sexual Assault as a victim advocate. Her experience in her previous positions, both her international experience and her experience working with vulnerable populations, provided her with a valuable background to step into her current role.

Stella loves exploring all that NWA has to offer. Her goal is to try out something new every week and she says she's found some fantastic spots! She loves going to book stores, coffee shops, hikes, and concerts. Her faith plays an important role in her life and she loves to travel - her time in South Korea, Mexico City, Japan, and Kenya have all had a significant impact.

We are so happy to have Stella on the team and so grateful for the ways she makes NWA a welcoming place for all.