Why is it called Visitation House?
‘The Visitation’ refers to Mary’s visit to her cousin Elizabeth’s home in the hillside. Mary had just discovered her pregnancy by the Holy Spirit and learned of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, who was considered too old to conceive. Mary and Elizabeth shared great joy over their pregnancies, despite the challenges they faced.
“When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” Luke 1:41-42
Visitation House vows to be part of the solution.
Visitation House Inc., a nonprofit organization in DeLand, FL, was founded in 2007 by members of St. Peters Catholic Church. In 2015, we became a free-standing 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that provides a safe, secure, and caring environment for pregnant women in crisis and prepares them for self-sufficiency.
We operate a small, private residential living facility in West Volusia County that can house eight women and five babies concurrently. We accept women without regard to race, nationality, or religion.
Our four-phased program attempts to break the cycle by allowing residents to continue their education, learn vital parenting and life skills, and pursue employment. Ninety-three percent of women leaving Visitation House are gainfully employed and become self-sufficient heads of households.
Our Leadership Board
An independent volunteer Board of Directors leads Visitation House, Inc. and employs a small staff in a private residential setting in western Volusia County. Our board members support Visitation House through governance, strategic planning, managing our annual budget, applicant screening, resident coaching, training, and mentoring, transportation to medical appointments and job interviews, coordinating volunteers, creating community awareness and outreach, grant writing, and fundraising.
We would love to tell you more about our program! Please let us know if we can speak with your organization.
Erin Kappiris, Board President
Erin Kappiris grew up in Queens, New York and moved to Florida as a teenager. She graduated from Florida Atlantic University with degree in Business Administration. Erin is married to Stan and they have 4 children and 9 grandchildren. She has held management and finance positions in the healthcare, education, and technology fields, and most recently served as the Finance Controller for the company that operates SunRail.
Erin is a member of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church and St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Daytona Beach and has volunteered for Visitation House since 2020.
Amy Wooley, Board Member
Amy Wooley grew up in Milton, Florida, and has spent her adult life in Central Florida. She has a Bachelor of Civil Engineering from Auburn University and an MBA from UCF. Amy, along with her husband Eric, are raising two boys. Prior to starting a family, Amy worked full-time as a transportation drainage engineer for a private consulting company. She now works part time at her own engineering consulting business allowing her the flexibility to volunteer. At St. Peter Catholic School, she serves as Junior Achievement Coordinator and PTA Treasurer. She served as treasurer for Helpers of People Enslaved (HOPE) spreading awareness of the dangers of human trafficking and raising money to support survivors for 10 years. Amy has volunteered for Visitation House for over ten years where she currently teaches residents about budgeting and finances.
Maryalice Hopkins, Board Member
Maryalice Hopkins was born and raised in Sayre, Pennsylvania. She attended Misericordia University and received her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing.
Following graduation, Maryalice moved to Baltimore, Maryland where her two girls were born and raised. Maryalice worked in Maternal-Child Nursing and Women’s Health for 39 years. Retiring in 2016, she and her husband Bob moved to Florida to be closer to family, including their grandson, James.
Maryalice is an active member of St. Peter’s Church and the Catholic Council of Women. She is also active in the Victoria Gardens community and the Victoria Gardens Women’s Club. Maryalice has been a volunteer at Visitation House since 2019 and a Board Member since 2021.
Jenn Dickel, Board Member
Jenn is a native Floridian with a degree in Humanities from the University of Central Florida. Married to her wonderful husband since 2002, she’s happily child-free. Her corporate career spanned medical device logistics, surgical trainings, trade show and event management, warehouse management, and rehab construction. Now an entrepreneur, she focuses on business management and operations for small businesses, building sustainable systems so they can scale and delegate. Jenn attends Arise Church of DeLand, where she volunteers in the nursery, and she has served with Visitation House since 2022.
Karen Doolittle, Board Member
Karen Doolittle has been a volunteer with Visitation House since the Fall of 2024 and a board member since fall of 2025. She helps with anything needed at the House such as organizing, folding baby clothes, helping with events, fundraising, helping the moms or snuggling babies.
Her family of three moved to Deland in 2018. She enjoys community and church events, the active downtown sector, and volunteering. Her business, Do A Little More, LLC, provides local transportation, gerontology (eldercare) assistance, in-home computer repair, pet care, notary services, and help with just about anything. If she can’t help someone, she will direct them to someone who can. She loves helping people make connections.
Sheena Smith, Resident Director
Sheena Smith comes to Visitation House as Resident Manager after a diverse career. Born and raised in Tampa, she brings over a decade of dedicated human service, leadership, and specialized care to her community. A U.S. Army veteran, Sheena holds a Master’s Degree in Applied Behavior Analysis and an Associate Degree in Chaplaincy. Her professional journey spans eight years as a behavioral therapist specializing in individualized support for children and adults on the autism spectrum. Complementing her clinical behavioral work, she dedicated six years to community social services, leading outreach initiatives, case management, and crisis counseling for unhoused individuals navigating challenges related to HIV, Hepatitis C, and IV drug use.
Outside of her professional practice, Sheena is the mother of a 15-year-old daughter. A passionate athlete and creative, her personal interests include competitive long-distance running, dirt bike racing, writing poetry, and reading novels.
Jacquelyn Mosness, Board Treasurer
Jacquelyn (Jackie) Mosness was born in Lowell Massachusetts into an Air Force family and lived in several US cities. She graduated from Daytona State with an A.S. degree in Radio and Television Communications and Journalism. Jackie married early but raised two children as a single parent. Jackie ran a successful home daycare program and taught preschool for many years, earning an Early Childhood Education certificate. She also worked in office administration for a local OB-GYN office.
Jackie and her husband Brook are active members of St. Peter Catholic church and have three beautiful granddaughters.
Jackie has volunteered for Visitation House since 2014, starting as a mentor and joining the board of directors. Jackie served as President from 2019-2023 and has been Treasurer since 2024.
Maribeth Embras, Board Member
Maribeth Embras is the oldest of seven children and grew up in several states including Delaware, where she lived for 45 years. She earned a dual Bachelor’s degree in Special Education and Early Childhood Education and taught Kindergarten for 25 years. Maribeth and her husband Joe adopted a child from Catholic Charities. Maribeth is an active member of St. Peter Catholic Church and has been volunteering with Visitation House since 2018.
Martha Andrews, Board Member
Martha Andrews grew up in Orlando, Florida. She met and married her husband John in metropolitan Atlanta where she attended Clayton State University for Dental Hygiene. She worked in Deltona for Jim Kornegay for 36 years of her 42-year Dental Hygiene career.
She and John have been married since 1984 and currently reside in DeLand. They have four adult children and four grandchildren. With a love of volunteering she has volunteered as the “Bingo lady” at Brookdale Assisted Living facility for over 10 years, Campus Ministry at Stetson for 19 years, and Good Samaritan Clinic for 17 years. Upon retirement Martha added Visitation House to her volunteer list as of 2025.
Loretta Wilary, Volunteer Coordinator
Loretta Wilary comes to the Visitation House as Volunteer Coordinator after a diverse career. Loretta held the position of Vice President of Community Resources for United Way of Volusia-Flagler Counties, Inc. (UWVFC). Previously she was a Grants Coordinator for Daytona State College.
Prior to moving to Florida with her family in 2003, Loretta was employed by General Electric Company in upstate New York where she held various positions in GE Corporate Marketing Communications and GE Power Systems Manufacturing & Quality Improvement. She continues to serve as Board President for Volusia-Flagler County Coalition for the Homeless. Loretta holds a BS in Business Management from SUNY, Empire State College in Saratoga Springs, NY and is currently residing in New Smyrna Beach.
Our Supporters
Visitation House Inc.
PO Box 25 | DeLand, FL 32721
(386) 822-6014
admin@VisitationHouseDeLand.org
A copy of the official registration and financial information may be obtained from the Division of Consumer Services by calling toll free (800-435-7352) within the state. Registration does not imply endorsement, approval, or recommendation by the State. Registration Number: CH49431