Joe Ajdarodini &
Karla Bunge
Muscled Up Movers
JOSEPH
KARLA
Keisha Hammonds
Miss Black Rocket City
Scholarship Pageant
KEISHA is a proud Ohio native and graduate of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, where she earned her BFA in Electronic Media. She is the Founding Director of the Miss Black Rocket City Scholarship Pageant and a board member of the MBRC Scholarship Foundation, where she helps young women grow in confidence, leadership, and purpose through programs like Crowned for Success and Capped for Excellence.
Alongside her sons, she co-founded We Play for His Glory, a Christian apparel brand and social platform that empowers athletes to share their faith and stories of resilience on and off the field.
A devoted wide to Jeffrey and proud momma to Brycen and Myles, Keisha also serves as an educator, youth ministry leader, dance fitness instructor, pageant coach, and is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Her mission in life is simple: to honor God in all she does while encouraging others to lead boldly and live purposefully.
Amanda Hamner
Bayer Pharmaceuticals
AMANDA is a Pensacola, Florida native, is a proud graduate of the University of Alabama. After college, she relocated to Huntsville, Alabama, where she launched her career in pharmaceutical sales. Today, Amanda works with Amgen Biopharmaceuticals, focusing in cardiology sales, where she brings both expertise and compassion to her work in the healthcare space.
Amanda is a classically trained ballerina whose love for dance has taken her across the country, including summers spent training with the prestigious Joffrey Ballet School in New York. Her lifelong passion for ballet continues today through her role as a faculty member at Soles Dance Company, where she shares her knowledge and joy of dance with the next generation.
Beyond her professional and artistic endeavors, Amanda is the proud mother of two wonderful children and a dog mom to their playful three-year-old Cavapoo who adds a lot of love and laughter to their family.
Her faith is a central part of her life, guiding her values and daily actions. In her free time, you can find Amanda on the sidelines cheering on her son, watching her daughter dance or enjoying a competitive game of tennis.
Amanda is honored to be a part of Dancing for HEALS 2025, as the mission of HEALS closely aligns with her own commitment to serving children in North Alabama and ensuring they receive the quality healthcare they deserve.
Jessica Reidy Ivey, MD
Huntsville Hospital
JESSICA is a Board Certified Anesthesiologist with Comprehensive Anesthesia Services. She provides high quality anesthesia at Huntsville Hospital across many specialties. Whether you are getting a knee replacement or your child is getting her tonsils out, you may have Jessica there putting you to sleep!
Originally born in Cleveland, OH, Jessica moved to Huntsville at the age of 16. She graduated from Huntsville High before heading off to Buffalo, NY to earn a B.A. in Mathematics at Canisius College where she graduated with the highest honors- Summa Cum Laude. Jessica then went on to get her M.D. from UAB where she spent her 3rd and 4th years here in Huntsville rotating with local physicians. After a Residency program at Georgetown University in Washington, DC she came back to Huntsville in 2018 to settle here for good.
As her father said in her wedding toast, “Jessica is always taking care of others.” She has been on service trips to as far as Honduras, The Dominican Republic, and Guyana; and as near as the Bronx. She serves on the Madison County Medical Society Board of Trustees. She was also heavily involved in operations for the opening of the new Orthopedic & Spine Tower at Huntsville Hospital serving as Director of Orthopedic Anesthesia for many years and focusing on improving the patient experience. Jessica is currently serving as Chair of the Anesthesia Department for Huntsville Hospital. She also has mentored multiple young female medical students & residents. She is passionate about gender equality and raising other women up.
Jessica and her husband, David, have built a beautiful life and family here in Huntsville. They have two small children: Rose (4), and Ty (1). Jessica spends the majority of her free time playing with her kids. Their weekend routine involves Honest Coffee- where the whole family is known by name- and the playground. Jessica also loves to travel, is in two book clubs, and plays tennis.
Caroline Schreeder, MD
Huntsville Hospital
CAROLINE was born and raised in Houston, TX where she obtained a BA in Spanish and Biology with a minor in English from St. Thomas University. She then went on to obtain a Medical Doctorate from the University of Texas in Houston. She trained at a high intensity level 1 trauma facility in Shreveport, LA and obtained her residency certification from the Louisiana Health Sciences Center – Shreveport in General Surgery. While in Louisiana, she met and married Huntsville native Martin Schreeder, MD whose specialty is Emergency Medicine. After consideration of job options, she found her place in our community as a General Surgeon for five years before leaving to complete a Fellowship in Breast Oncology from the prestigious Georgetown University. She and her husband have two young boys, Jack and Teddy, and they spend almost all of their free time with the boys but occasionally go on a weekend dinner date.
Since her return from Fellowship, Dr. Schreeder has dedicated her life and career to treating patients with all types of breast ailments both malignant and benign. She lives in Huntsville and is a loving wife to her husband and caring mother for her two children. She loves to create new dishes in the kitchen and enjoys any discussion about healthy eating and nutrition. She is very active in the community, volunteering for the Junior League, AUM, and teaches medical students as an Associate Professor for UAB. Dr. Schreeder’s dedication to her patients speaks for itself, and every patient knows they are getting her full time and attention at every visit.
Christopher & Shelbie Simpson
Yulista & Redstone Federal Credit Union
CHRIS is a Finance Executive for Yulista Holding LLC, where he directs enterprise-wide financial planning, budgeting, and systems integration to uphold transparency and strategic alignment across multiple business units. With over a decade of experience in government contracting and corporate finance, he champions process improvements and delivers actionable insights that drive organizational growth.
A native of Pensacola, Florida, Chris graduated from the University of West Florida School of Business and holds a Certificate in Corporate Financial Strategy from the University of Chicago. He relocated to Huntsville in 2013 with his wife, Shelbie, and is a graduate of Leadership Greater Huntsville’s L-38 program (the best class ever!).
He serves as a volunteer youth soccer coach with AYSO Region 498 (Madison/Huntsville area) and sits on the Yulista Cares advisory board, helping to guide the company’s philanthropic outreach. Chris is honored to support HEALS – motivated by his role as a father of three and a belief that every child deserves access to quality healthcare – and contributes to advisory committees focused on strengthening financial stewardship and expanding community programs.
SHELBIE is the Manager of the Online Lending Department at Redstone Federal Credit Union, where she leads a dynamic, high-performing team responsible for overseeing a robust portfolio of digital loan services. In this role, she ensures operational eƯiciency, regulatory compliance, and an exceptional member experience in an increasingly digital financial environment. Shelbie has played a pivotal role in advancing Redstone’s online lending strategy, aligning technological innovation with evolving member needs. Her leadership is defined by a blend of strategic foresight and hands-on engagement, earning her a reputation as both a results driven leader and a trusted mentor.
Originally from Pensacola, Florida, Shelbie relocated to Huntsville, Alabama in 2013 with her husband, Chris. Outside of work, Shelbie is a devoted mother who finds joy in balancing a demanding career with the responsibilities and rewards of raising a young family. Her experience as a parent shapes her views on resilience, service, and community, and fuels her commitment to leading with empathy, both professionally and personally. A dedicated supporter of nonprofit and community organizations throughout North Alabama, Shelbie is especially proud to support HEALS. She believes every child deserves the opportunity to grow up healthy and cared for, and her passion for service is deeply rooted in her own journey as a mother and leader.
Chris and Shelbie reside in Hazel Green with their three children – Christian (7), Sawyer (5), and baby Sutton (turning one this July) – and balance their professional commitments with family time, youth sports, and dedicated service to the Greater Huntsville community.
David & Avy Wallender
Mazda Toyota Manufacturing
DAVID is a General Manager at the
MazdaToyota Manufacturing plant in Madison, Alabama. He started in the Weld
department while the plant was still being constructed with focus on hiring the
best workforce in automotive and setting up a plant that could build Corolla
Cross and Mazda CX50 vehicles here in Huntsville. David’s focus is on Fostering trust and
loyalty by creating meaningful experiences for our Team Members, customers and
the community ensuring a brighter future for all. The satisfaction of developing
the team members who are all still very new to building cars and supporting
them daily to be productive and innovative is a self-fulfilling part of why David
came to Huntsville. David started in the automotive industry in 1990 and has
worked at multiple plants and all levels from Team Member to General Manager.
David is from Colorado originally and
was raised by his single mother with his brother and sister. Even though they
had very little, it was here with his mom that he learned to give and be
generous, giving unconditionally to others in need and looking out for others.
David started his career in Fremont,
California and it was here that he met his beautiful wife Avy and they started
their current 29 year journey together while raising their daughter. He enjoys
spending time with his wife Avy and their 2 dogs here in Huntsville. Together they
enjoy hiking, long walks & hanging out in nature. He likes to golf, fish and spend time with
friends and his daughter who now lives in Atlanta. He loves music, concerts,
new food, playing poker and just hanging out with family. He is a lover of Rock
n Roll, Heavy Metal and many other genre’s but had never really danced. David
& Avy just recently started to enjoy learning to dance Salsa and Bachata
(took 28-1/2 Years to get David moving on this one). David and Avy love to
travel and Mexico is usually the destination but venture to other places when
possible. No matter destination they enjoy as long as they are together.
AVY is an interior designer by trade and spent years with JC Penny Design and assisted customers in fulfilling their home design needs. For a few years Avy worked auto manufacturing for KIA motors to help her daughter get through college at Kennesaw State University. Avy now volunteers for the “His way” here in Huntsville and enjoys giving back to the community and the men who struggle with addiction. This hits close to home for both David and Avy who have lost family members that struggled with addiction and have some who continue to struggle. Avy also loves nature and animals and takes care of her 2 crazy but loveable labradoodles as well as over 100 plants in their Huntsville home.
Avy enjoys gardening and spending time with her fur-babies Cooper and Maya!! Avy is originally from Jalisco, Mexico and comes from a family of 10 siblings. Avy bravely left the family and moved to California in 1995. Avy enjoys dancing and grew up listening to music of all types from Mexico and the US. Avy also loves to travel and spend time with family (especially her daughter Leana who lives in Atlanta). Avy walks miles daily behind the house on the Indian Creek greenway with her dogs and spends lots of time in the yard gardening. She enjoys trying new foods, music and concerts as well as spending time with family & friends. Avy finally convinced her husband David to learn to dance Salsa and Bachata after almost 29 years and they are now recently students at the Baila Huntsville dance studio.
Roberto Dextre
Independent Instructor
Christopher Dawson
Independent Instructor
Gabriela Gonzalez
Baila Huntsville
Aaron Greer
Fred Astaire Dance Studios
Arsen Havryshcuk
Fred Astaire Dance Studios
Roderick Lawrence
Independent Instructor
Hal Reid
Independent Instructor
Sofia Ward
Fred Astaire Dance Studios
Mike Wright
Vice President & General Manager
WAAY-31 TV
MIKE is VP/General Manager of ABC Affiliate WAAY-31 TV in Huntsville, joining the local station after many years at CBS Affiliates KBTX and KWTX in Bryan-College Station and Waco. For many years, Wright served as radio play–by–play for Texas A&M Women’s Basketball and later for ESPN’s SEC+ network. Prior to his move to Huntsville, Wright was the “Voice At Kyle Field” for Texas A&M Football.
He has served local communities through hundreds of civic events and fundraisers,
and was recently honored to be named as one of four “Educators of the Year”
from the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum for his work with Former
First Lady Barbara Bush’s “Reading Literacy” initiative. While General Manager
of KBTX, Wright was named Texas Broadcaster of the Year. WAAY-TV was
honored to be named the Alabama Station of the Year by the Alabama Broadcasters
Association in back to back years of ’22 and ‘23, a first by any television
station in Alabama.
Mike and his wife Bethany have been married 29 years and are proud parents of 24-year old twins Macy, Texas A&M graduate class of ‘22, and Mason, class of ’23 at
Stephen F. Austin University and a Master’s Student at the University of Texas.
A native of Mexia, Texas, Mike holds an Associate of Arts from Blinn College and a Bachelor of Arts in Telecommunications from Baylor University.
Demetria Green
Journalist
WAAY-31 TV
DEMETRIA anchors WAAY 31 News Mornings weekdays starting at 4:30a.m. Demetria was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago, where she was inspired by award-winning journalists and their desire to tell compelling stories. She hopes to continue that legacy by pursuing the truth, while shining a light on our community’s successes and challenges. Her work has received several honors, including an Associated Press award for Best Series on “Alabama’s Immigration Debate.” Prior to joining WAAY 31, Demetria was the morning news anchor at PHL17 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. While there, she played a vital role in expanding the morning news coverage. Demetria is a proud alumna of both Florida A&M University and Governor’s State University.
In her spare time, she serves as an adjunct instructor at Calhoun Community College. Demetria lives in Huntsville with her husband and two children.
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