Two MVSers among MEDA’s top 10 women

​Jacob Kraybill

​Jacob Kraybill

​Wil LaVeist is a writer and managing editor for multimedia at Mennonite Mission Network.

ELKHART, Indiana (Mennonite Mission Network) — It is common for Mennonite Voluntary Service participants to move on to do great things with their lives. Two former participants are well on their way.

Audra Miller and Kelly Shenk Koontz were recently recognized by the Mennonite Economic Development Association as exceptional young women who are under age 35. They were honored at the organization’s national convention Oct. 27-30 in San Antonio, Texas, for their commitment to faith values and service, and for their entrepreneurial spirits.

Originally from Hesston, Kansas, Miller began serving with MVS in 2014 as a project associate for Delivering Innovation in Supportive Housing in San Francisco (DISH). Her term ended in August 2016. The nonprofit provides quality permanent housing to people who have serious health issues. Miller designed the organization’s digital and print marketing, organized staff trainings, helped with fundraising, led its events branding team, and managed its donation tracking system.

Audra Miller

"My MVS experience has shown me that the most important jobs in this world are usually not the ones with large paychecks," Miller said. "Some of the most genuine people out there help others without looking for anything in return. They help people even if they don’t have the resources to help themselves."

MVS is a program of Mennonite Mission Network, where volunteers age 20 and older serve one- to two-year terms, live in intentional community, and work in a wide range of fields. 

Miller, a 25-year-old Bethel College alum, is known for her creative photography. She used that gift in collaboration with others at DISH to put together the "Everyone Deserves a Home" project that featured portraits of formerly homeless residents. This exhibit, which will be shown at the San Francisco Public Library’s main branch beginning in December, includes large prints of about 40 tenants, and audio tracks of tenants explaining how it felt to be homeless. The photos of the tenants were hung in the community rooms of their buildings to give people a sense of ownership and pride. Many of the residents were deeply touched by their own photos, and displayed them prominently on the walls in their rooms, said Miller.

"It was incredible to see all of the tenants talking with one another and complimenting each other on their photo," Miller said. "People were so proud of themselves and their neighbors. It was incredible to witness that newfound self-confidence each tenant had and their supportive community."

The entrepreneur founded
Miller Studios where she specializes in a variety of photos, such as weddings and model shots. She recently launched UpDate, a company that provides photos for online dating profiles.

"There are so many young women out there doing incredible work, and it is humbling to be chosen as one of the top 10 young women changing the world," Miller said.

"I want women to know that our gender and sex is not what defines us or what determines how we live our lives.
Everyone has the power to make a difference, and that difference does not have to be on a global scale. In fact, making a difference in your own backyard is sometimes more powerful than anything else."

Originally from Goshen, Indiana, Kelly Shenk Koontz, 31, served with MVS from 2008 to 2009 in New York City as a program associate at World Vision International. She now works for Isaacson, Miller, a Boston-based executive search firm that serves nonprofit organizations.

Kelly Shenk Koontz

"One of the most significant values that MVS emphasized for me was the value of community," Shenk Koontz said. "Sharing meals together and experiencing life together with others at Menno House (the MVS house in NYC) was an important part of my MVS experience."

The Goshen College graduate served at the United Nations Liaison Office. World Vision does a range of advocacy work at the UN and in conjunction with other nongovernmental organizations. She said that advocacy work is extremely important, but it can also be challenging to feel that you’re making a real impact.

"Working alongside other NGOs and seeing everyone’s passion and commitment to their work was inspiring," Shenk Koontz said. "In particular, I appreciated when representatives from the countries where World Vision works were able to come and advocate for their own communities and bring their voices to the table."

After college, Shenk Koontz worked for three years with Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) in Kabul, Afghanistan, where she helped establish a peacebuilding program with an MCC partner. She also spent time working with PowerMyLearning, a nonprofit that helps low-income students work with their teachers and families to use technology to transform their education. In May, she graduated from Boston University with an MBA in public and nonprofit management.

"Obtaining an MBA was perhaps an unconventional step for me, but my focus in public and nonprofit management confirmed my desire to work in a mission-driven context, which aligned with many of my faith values."

"I’m honored to have been recognized with this award," she continued. "I’m thankful for all the many amazing women I’ve met that also deserve recognition for their work. This experience is humbling for me."

MEDA is an economic development organization founded in 1953 that targets poverty through business solutions. MEDA "partners with the poor to start or grow small and medium-sized businesses in developing regions around the world."