Executive Board

Michelle Javian, Co-Director

Michelle Javian is Co-Founder of Harboring Hearts Housing and carries this mission in honor of her father. She was awarded the 2009 Maurice Gurin Memorial Scholarship by the Association of Fundraising Professionals and was a semi-finalist in SELF Magazine’s 2009 “Women Doing Good” contest. Her father suffered a major heart attack during her senior year in college, and she moved back to New York to be close to him. After months of waiting in the hospital, he finally received a heart transplant, but fought with complications in long-term care facilities until he passed away in March 2008. Her father had a big heart and big personality, and Michelle realized that one way to honor her father was to reach out to others in a similar situation. Though she spent many hours commuting to the hospital, she was so grateful to be able to be there for him, and many others she knew weren’t so fortunate—they had to stay in expensive housing in order to be close to their loved ones. She realized the critical need to take care of both patients and caregivers.

Yuki Kotani, Co-Director

Yuki Kotani is the Co-founder of Harboring Hearts Housing and an American Heart Association Go Red For Women national spokesperson. She is a congenital heart defect survivor and comes from a family history of heart disease. Her main inspiration for starting Harboring Hearts Housing comes from her father; a heart attack survivor, LVAD recipient and a heart transplant recipient. As one of his primary caretakers, she experienced first-hand the emotional strain that can be placed on families and loved ones throughout this life changing procedure. During this trying time, she met Michelle Javian who helped her realize the importance of emotional support through a network of people that can empathize with the struggles that patients and caregivers face. She hopes that Harboring Hearts Housing will not only provide patients and caregivers with temporary housing but a temporary home.

Jessica Melore, Vice President

Jessica Melore is a founding member of Harboring Hearts Housing and a heart transplant recipient of over 10 years. She suffered a massive heart attack at age 16 and lived on the LVAD (a battery-operated mechanical heart assist device) for nine months before receiving a life-saving heart transplant. As a motivational speaker, she speaks to audiences both nationally and internationally. An advocate for heart disease, organ donation, cancer, and disability awareness, she was named one of Glamour Magazine's Top 10 college women of 2002 and has appeared on Dateline, Good Morning America, ABC Nightly News, Extra!, and Telemundo, as well as in magazines including Woman's Day, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, and National Geographic Explorer for Kids. Jessica was so grateful to be close to her family and friends during her wait for a transplant. She believes Harboring Hearts Housing’s mission is vital because a support system can make all the difference in the recovery process. She has dedicated her life to promoting life-saving education and prevention and helping those in need.

Hadley Mongell, Treasurer

Hadley Mongell is a founding member of Harboring Hearts Housing. She and Michelle Javian became close friends during high school while attending Friends Academy in Locust Valley, New York. In addition to supporting her friend’s dream of launching the Harboring Hearts Housing Foundation, Hadley’s family has had a history of heart disease. Her father has suffered two massive heart attacks in the past five years, and both her grandfather and uncle passed away from congestive heart failure. On the basis of this experience, she understands the burden that hospitalization places on a family, and is dedicated to helping those who are in this difficult position.