About UAB AmeriCorps
The UAB AmeriCorps program is a year-long service and leadership program that provides the opportunity to create and sustain effective and mutually beneficial collaborations with the Birmingham area and rural communities in the Black Belt region of Alabama. Our VISTA program aligns primarily with education, food security, public health, and healthy futures focus areas. The VISTA program also develops programs designed to address educational inequity, environmental sustainability, and economic initiatives in collaboration with community-based organizations.
Our Staff
Amy Hutson Chatham, PhD UAB AmeriCorps Executive Program Director
Dr. Amy Hutson Chatham, Executive Director for the UAB AmeriCorps Program also serves as an Assistant Professor in the Environmental Health Sciences Department in the School of Public Health and the Executive Director of the UAB Center for Teaching and Learning. Amy’s commitment to national service began in 1990 when she served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Philippines. Her work with the UAB AmeriCorps Program for the last eight years has felt like a natural continuation as it has supported UAB’s community partnerships and has fostered her 30+ year relationship with communities in the Black Belt region focused primarily on access to clean water and adequate wastewater systems and associated improvement of the public’s health.
Keyana Boglin MPA UAB AmeriCorps Program Director
Keyana Boglin is the UAB AmeriCorps Program Director and a two-time AmeriCorps Alum. She has served as a FEMA Corps Assistant Team Leader and a UAB VISTA Leader, during which she honed her grant and program management skills. Her service experiences have allowed her to forge meaningful connections and grow significantly. With a background in public administration and social work, she plays a key role in developing and supporting community engagement and service initiatives. She hopes to continue highlighting the importance of the VISTA program as members and site supervisors build the capacity of the communities they serve.
Kierra Jackson UAB AmeriCorps Southern Alabama Program Coordinator
Kierra Jackson serves as the Southern Alabama Program Coordinator for the UAB AmeriCorps program. Before entering this role, she served as a VISTA Member with BAMA Kids, Inc. in 2019. At first, she wasn’t sure what AmeriCorps VISTA was all about, but she was excited for the opportunities ahead—then COVID hit. Even though much of her service was behind a screen and masked up, the journey was still amazing. She expressed that she “gained lifelong connections, developed valuable skills, and, most importantly, made an impact on my community from a virtual perspective.” After her VISTA year, she transitioned to UAB AmeriCorps Staff where she continues building relationships with community partners supporting VISTA members and site supervisors, and identifying new areas for growth across all of Southern Alabama. With the mission in mind, she’s proud to keep working toward these goals and making a difference in her community.
Giorgia Ellard UAB AmeriCorps Central/Northern Program Coordinator
Giorgia Ellard serves as the Program Coordinator for our AmeriCorps sites in North and Central Alabama. She’s a two-time AmeriCorps Alum and a proud UAB graduate. After completing her degree in Music Performance in 2018, she began my AmeriCorps journey with Literacy First in Austin, Texas, focusing on early literacy intervention for kindergarten through 2nd-grade students. Following that, she returned to Birmingham to serve as the VISTA Leader for the UAB AmeriCorps Program. After finishing her term as VISTA Leader, she transitioned into the Program Coordinator role, first working with our Food Security Sites and now overseeing all of our sites in North and Central Alabama. As a firm believer that AmeriCorps members are truly #GettingThingsDone, she’s here to support members throughout their journey and ensure their service year is both impactful and fulfilling.
