Our Team

Rufus Friday

Executive Director

Rufus is the Executive Director of the Hope Center in Lexington, Kentucky. He previously served as president and publisher of The Lexington (KY) Herald-Leader and Kentucky.com news media organization from 2011 to 2018. Friday had been in the news business for more than 30 years, including 15 with the McClatchy publishing company. His local community service includes serving as a board of director for the Muhammad Ali Center, Kentucky Historical Society Foundation, board of regent for the University of the Cumberlands, the advisory council for the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky and University of Kentucky Communication and Information Dean’s advisory council. Friday is a North Carolina native and graduate from North Carolina State University.

Rufus’ ultimate vision and goal is to ensure that every single client that comes to the Hope Center and One Parent Scholar House has a means to achieve self-sufficiency and a happier, productive life.

To contact Rufus Friday: please reach out to executive assistant, Melissa Meatyard, at mmeatyard@hopectr.org or at 859-721-0144 x 222.

Jeff Crook

Chief Operating Officer

Jeff is the Chief Operating Officer of the Hope Center in Lexington, Kentucky. He served as the Chief Financial Officer of the Hope Center since 1998 until 2022 when he was promoted to Chief Operating Officer. Jeff has resided in Kentucky his entire life. He attended the University of Kentucky where he received his bachelor’s degree in accounting. He also received a master’s degree from Liberty University. Jeff is passionate about his faith, family and friends, and the organization that he has been honored to be a part of for the last twenty-four years.

Jeff believes strongly in the work and vision of the Hope Center and strives to ensure the longevity of this organization. Jeff also believes Hope Center’s ability to continue to provide life-sustaining and life-rebuilding services for our clients has tremendous impact that reaches beyond the individual receiving services.

Contact Jeff Crook at jcrook@hopectr.org.

Janice James, LCSW

Chief Programs Officer

Janice James is the Chief Programs Officer for the Hope Center. Janice has been practicing social work since 1978 and received her license to practice clinical social work in 1991.  She worked 23 years as a social worker with the Commonwealth of Ky. including 15 years at Eastern State Hospital. She co-led the development of the first co-occurring program at ESH to address mental health and substance use disorders concurrently. She has been actively involved in the regulation of social work practice by serving 16 years on the Kentucky Board of Social work including serving as Chairperson. She participated in social work regulation on a national level by serving in a variety of positions with the Association of Social work Boards (ASWB), including serving as co-chair of the examination committee and President.

Janice began working with the Hope Center in August 2001 and has worked 21 years in providing services to persons who are homeless or at-risk of being homeless. She served as the director of the opening of the Hope Center Recovery Program for Women in 2002. She has served and continues to serve as project director for multiple SAMSHA grants that Hope Center has received. She served on the Mayor’s Commission on Homelessness in 2012 and currently serves on the Lexington Homelessness Prevention and Intervention Board.  Janice is proud to be part of the Hope Center’s many program options to meet client’s where they are and assist them in attaining housing, stability and self-sufficiency at their highest level.

Contact Janice James at jjames@hopectr.org.

Jennifer Hertweck

Chief Financial Officer

Jennifer is the Chief Financial Officer of the Hope Center/One Parent Scholar House in Lexington, Kentucky. She previously served as Director of Accounting for the Hope Center. Her local community service includes serving as board Treasurer for the Hope Spay Neuter Clinic in Versailles, Kentucky, and volunteers at her local Humane Society. Jennifer was born in Fort Knox (Radcliffe) Kentucky to her military father and moved to Lexington as a young girl and now resides in Anderson County, Kentucky. Jennifer’s vision and goal is to oversee the financial activities of the Hope Center and to ensure we are good stewards of the funds that are given to our organization.

Contact Jennifer Hertweck at jhertweck@hopectr.org.

Lauren Moore

Director of Human Resources

 Lauren Moore is the Director of Human Resources at the Hope Center/One Parent Scholar House.  She has served in this role since 2017, but has worked in human resources for the organization since 2011.  Before joining the Hope Center, she held roles at IMG Associations as the Event Services Manager and at Lexmark as a Meeting & Event Planner.  She is a member of the Bluegrass Chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management (BGSHRM) and, the national Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).

Her local community service includes being a sustainer with the Junior League of Lexington, and a partner to the Alzheimer’s Association.  She is also an active volunteer at her children’s school and her church.

Lauren is a native of Hardinsburg, Kentucky and a graduate from the University of Kentucky (magna cum laude).  She lives in Lexington with her husband Bryan and two young girls.

Contact Lauren Moore at lmoore@hopectr.org.

Katie Vogel

Director of Development

Katie Vogel is the Director of Development of the Hope Center/One Parent Scholar House in Lexington, Kentucky. She was born and raised in Lexington. She earned her bachelor’s degree at Georgetown College and her master’s at the Martin School of Public Policy & Administration at the University of Kentucky. She has previously held roles at the Kentucky United Methodist Home for Children & Youth, Ampersand Sexual Violence Resource Center (formerly Bluegrass Rape Crisis Center), and the University of Kentucky Philanthropy and HealthCare Philanthropy offices. Katie serves on the board for the Bluegrass Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals as well as the board of directors for Blue Grass Christian Camp. She enjoys dancing and eating Mexican food with friends in her free time. Katie’s vision is to build bridges that connect engaged community members and donors with the client needs our staff encounter in the Hope Center programs each and every day.

Contact Katie Vogel at kvogel@hopectr.org.

Troy Townsend

Director of Operations

Troy Townsend is the Director of Operations of the Hope Center. is a native of Lexington, graduated Bryan Station High School and attended Kentucky State University (1984). He has been employed by the Hope Center since 2005. He first came into contact with the Hope Center in 2003 as a detox client, entered the Hope Center Recovery Program in March of that year and completed it in September of the same year. Once he completed the program he became what is now called a peer mentor, worked in that capacity until October 15, 2004 when he began working as a caseworker within the Hope Center’s Recovery Program at the Fayette County Detention Center. Troy worked in this position until March of 2011 when he was hired as the Assistant Director of Plant Operations. After ten (10) years as the Assistant Director of Plant Operations, Troy is now the Director of Operations for the Emergency Shelter & Jacobs Cafeteria a position that he was promoted to late 2021.

Contact Troy Townsend at ttownsend@hopectr.org.