TIANNA HARRISON

Founder & Executive Director

Tianna Harrison, a North Carolina native, has been in the education and non-profit sector since 2012. For the last five years she has worked directly with college students. As an Academic Advisor, Tianna, came across many college students who are in academic turmoil. In her attempt to dissect some of these cases, she became aware that many of these students have inadequate housing. In other words, they are homeless. With the cost of living rate steadily increasing, it is no surprise that people have trouble with living expenses... but she was surprised to hear that more than 58,000 students across the U.S. are considered homeless. With an urge to address the issue, Housing One Student at a Time, Inc. (H.O.S.T) was born.

In her words, “H.O.S.T is not here to replace college housing. It is not here to tackle the cost of living. H.O.S.T is simply here to provide an equal housing opportunity for all—for students who believe in the dream of quality education but may not necessarily have all of the resources to get it.” Read more about Tianna’s journey here.





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MANISHA DASS

Board Director

Manisha is a long-time North Carolina resident and currently works as a Research Public Health Analyst with a local research nonprofit organization. She is a healthcare professional with 5+ years of experience in patient engagement and experience, project management, and supervisory work. She is a trilingual and driven individual, pursuing a master's in public administration.

​When she's not working or doing homework, you can find Manisha volunteering, frolicking around with her dog, or doing something related to Bollywood. She is excited to serve as a board member of HOST and give back to the community through her dedication and passion.

JOY EPPS

Board Member

“The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others.” – Albert Schweitzer.

Raised in North Carolina, Joy Epps was taught, by family, the importance of serving, giving, and the importance of getting a great education.  Joy attended Smithfield Selma Senior High School and received her Bachelors of Science Degree in Mathematics, with a minor in Business at the North Carolina Central University in 2007.  She is also currently working on her Masters of Education from Western Governors University. After college she continued to serve in local outreach ministries, soup kitchens, and other volunteer groups.
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Her work experience includes teaching mathematics to middle and high school students, leadership in the financial sector, and retail and sales management. Joy was looking to have a better impact in the community and to lead with a group people that had similar interests.  She joined HOST in February 2019 as a general board member. The vision of HOST is really important to her and she plans to continue to be an asset to the organization.

SHAQUITA BASEMORE

Board Member

Shaquita Basemore was born in Rocky Mount, NC and now currently resides in Raleigh, NC.  She is the Director of Human Resources at a nonprofit by the name of the Governor’s Institute on Substance Abuse located in Raleigh, NC. She officially began her work in Human Resources in 2015. In 2013, Shaquita graduated from North Carolina State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, concentrating in Human Resources. Shaquita is also a North Carolina certified notary public.

REGINA BOONE

Board Member

Regina is a native of North Carolina. She received her undergraduate degrees in Psychology & African American Studies and  Master of Social Work degree at University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Regina is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker by background and is currently working as a Clinical Care Manager at UNC Healthcare. Regina has over fourteen years of experience in social work and is no stranger to service and advocacy. Being an active participant in the community and volunteering has been a passion of hers since she was a young girl helping the elders in her neighborhood. In her spare time, Regina enjoys traveling the world and spending time with her family. She is excited about the opportunity to serve as a board member and aid in impacting the lives of college students dealing with housing insecurity.