Wassmuth Center Staff
“UNLESS SOMEONE LIKE YOU CARES A WHOLE AWFUL LOT, NOTHING IS GOING TO GET BETTER. IT’S NOT.”
Christina Bruce-Bennion
Executive Director
Email: christina@wassmuthcenter.org
Phone: office 208.345.0304; direct line 208.506.2386
Christina Bruce-Bennion joined the Wassmuth Center for Human Rights as Executive Director in November 2022. Prior to joining the Wassmuth Center, Christina worked in various leadership capacities in refugee resettlement in the Valley for over 24 years, taught at BSU, led and participated in various multi-sector collaborations, and has served on various boards. She received her BA in Political science from Willamette University and her master’s in education from Boston University. She is originally from Fairbanks Alaska but has lived in the Treasure Valley for 25 years with her husband Paul and three kids.
Debbie Sager
Office Manager
Email: debbie@wassmuthcenter.org
Phone: office 208.345.0304; direct line 208.506.2372
Debbie has a Bachelor of Science Degree with a Minor in Business and comes to the WCHR having spent 20 years in bookkeeping and accounting. Throughout her career, Debbie has gained valuable experience in fundraising, event planning and working with volunteers. Joining Center staff in 2014, Debbie provides technical support to the Center related to financial accounting, member communication, event planning, fundraising, database and website management.
Bavani Sathasivam
Outreach & Development Specialist
Email: bavani@wassmuthcenter.org
Phone: office 208.345.0304; direct line 208.506.2388
Bavani is a former Mathematics educator and lifelong advocate for diversity and inclusion. She strongly believes that the end of education is character, and this begins in the classroom and community. With her experiences living in Singapore, New Zealand, and now, Boise, Bavani has a natural awareness of and sensitivity to culturally diverse backgrounds. Her gifts and passion lie in volunteering, event management, and bringing people together. Bavani hopes to leave this world a kinder place than she found it.
Alyssa Bell
Community Programs Specialist
Email: alyssa@wassmuthcenter.org
Phone: office 208.345.0304; direct line 208.506.2387
Alyssa comes to the Wassmuth Center bringing knowledge from a minor in Business Management and her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychological Sciences at Northern Arizona University, as well as her current participation in Boise State University’s Masters in Social Work program. Alyssa’s journey with the Wassmuth Center began in the fall of 2021 as Intern from Boise State University, where she has worked on further programming surrounding a human rights framework. She is excited to contribute to the work of the Center through the lens of human and social services. As a lover of the outdoors, Alyssa looks forward to graduating in May 2023 so she can enjoy experiencing all life and the world has to offer.
Dan Prinzing, Ph.D.
Capital Campaign / Construction
Email: dan@wassmuthcenter.org
Dr. Prinzing has a BA in History Secondary Education, an MA in Curriculum and Instruction, an MA in History and Government, and a Ph.D. in Educational Administration. Prior to joining Center staff in 2007, he was the Idaho State Department of Education’s coordinator of civic and international education, the former SDE coordinator of social studies and curricular materials, and a language arts and history teacher in the Boise School District.
Jess Westhoff
Education Programs Manager
Email: jess@wassmuthcenter.org
Phone: office 208.345.0304, direct line 208.506.2385
Jess Westhoff is an educator committed to creating inclusive and joyful spaces for people to share their stories, learn together, and engage in the challenging work of building community. With a Bachelor of Arts in American Studies and English from the University of Idaho and a Master of Arts in Education from Stanford University, Jess brings twenty years of experience teaching students of all ages. After work you can find Jess hiking in the foothills with her family, running along the Greenbelt, or immersed in a great book.
