Our Team

We’ve got a great team!

South Park Inn is operated by a driven and passionate team of professional who care about ending homelessness and making the world a better place. Please allow us to introduce ourselves. We can’t wait to meet you!

Executive Leadership

Theresa Nicholson is a longtime advocate for and manager of vital services for people experiencing homelessness.

A Master's-level clinician, Theresa came to South Park Inn in 2024 from the Center for Human Development in Western Massachusetts, where she was Director of Homeless Services for nearly six years.

Previously, Theresa was Chief Program Officer at Chrysalis Center in Hartford for three years and, before that, spent fifteen years at the Hartford-based Community Renewal Team where she was Vice President of Behavioral Health Services.

Theresa was also a former chair of the Greater Hartford Coordinated Access Network and represented the Greater Hartford Continuum of Care at the state level.

Kelly Gonzalez left the corporate world and entered the social service field in 2014 because she was looking for something more rewarding and impactful. She wanted to contribute to society in a positive way.

As a Hartford native, she wanted to help her hometown and the communities she was raised in and knew best. In 2016, Kelly began working with the homeless population. Her passion and drive to help people in need have created great strides in our community. She has contributed to many projects such as homeless outreach, warming center, community response services, and faith-based initiative sheltering.

kgonzalez@southparkinn.org

Brianna E. Dunlap

Director of Development and Community Relations

Brianna Dunlap is a results-oriented leader specializing in growing and maintaining the health of non-profits. She loves connecting people to what they are passionate about and is focused on building solid relationships with South Park Inn supporters, volunteers, and partners. She oversees South Park Inn’s fundraising, communications, grants, and volunteer corps.

Brianna joined South Park Inn in 2023. She earned her Master's in Public History at Central Connecticut State University (2016) and is the author of Connecticut Valley Tobacco, a History Press book on the history, culture, and people of cigar tobacco agriculture.

She both lives and works in Hartford, and loves to see what events are coming up next.

bdunlap@southparkinn.org

Jyreek Ellerbe started his non-profit career in 2015, working in the performing arts department of the administration. During this time, he gained skills in development, fundraising, and marketing. He holds a Master's in Entertainment, a Bachelor's in Theatre and Marketing, and an Associate's in Education. He first joined SPI in 2024 as the Volunteer and Development Manager, were he committed to establishing strong connections with volunteers and creating development materials to maintain and attract support.

Jyreek is known for his empathy, approachability, and well as his dynamic skill sets. He became the Operations Director in 2025 where he applies his advanced skills to human resources, organizational administration, and management of the shelter’s kitchen.

jellerbe@southparkinn.org

Adaisa Jusino Ramos began her journey in the Human Services field in 2010 at Latino Community Services (LCS), intending to increase engagement in care for racial and ethnic minority individuals with substance use disorder (SUD) and/or Co-Occurring Substance Use and Mental Health Disorders (COD) who are at risk for HIV or HIV positive. Ramos has developed a deep understanding of complicated issues faced by the LGBTQIA+ and HIV communities on various levels. She also dedicates her career and life to making a positive difference in the lives of people in the community she was born and raised in.

Ramos applies her skills in managing, coordinating, implementing, and marketing at SPI, and promotes self-sufficiency and initiative in the workplace.

aramos@southparkinn.org

Alicia Petit-Irizarry oversees three vital programs: the Medical and Behavioral Respite Program, the Veterans Transitional Housing Program, and the DMHAS Permanent Supportive Housing Program. She leads a team of Case Managers and works to ensure integrated, client-centered care across all program areas.

A nurse by training, Alicia brings over a decade of experience in community health to her work. Originally hired at South Park Inn as a Nurse Consultant, she quickly identified systemic barriers rooted in limited medical support within shelter settings. Transitioning into a Program Manager role allowed her to apply her clinical expertise on a broader scale, enhancing care delivery and outcomes for vulnerable populations.

Outside of work, Alicia spent 10 years coaching competitive cheerleading and proudly describes herself as a “perpetual hype woman to the masses.”

apetit@southparkinn.org