Our Team

As Executive Director, Azade is responsible for driving the operational, programmatic, and strategic vision of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Providence. She was born in the United States, but was raised in Santa Cruz de Sierra, Bolivia, her mother’s homeland. Her family represents a blend of cultures, ethnicities, and religions that have shaped her vision of the world, our societal shared culture, and her understanding of human interactions, diversity, and collective power to drive purpose into action, and challenges into opportunities. She is fluent in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

Azade brings more than 20 years of professional experience in project management, program development, data collection, outreach & community engagement, awareness campaign design and management, strategic planning, and financial management. Previous to her work at Habitat for Humanity of Greater Providence, Azade was the CEO of APM Consulting Group, a certified MBE & WBE company. APM Consulting directed the Team Nutrition Training Grant and the USDA Nutrition program for the State of Rhode Island. Previous to that, Azade managed the City of Providence’s food access, health care access, and tobacco & substance abuse prevention and intervention initiatives. Azade is also the Co-founder and President of Meryem Ana Missionaries Foundation, which provides evangelization, education, partnership building capacity, and direct services to promote individuals’ self-sufficiency, build sustainable communities and transform our world.

Azade received a Master of Public Administration and Graduate Certificate in Gender and Women Studies from the University of Rhode Island (2013) and a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology (2010) from Rhode Island College. She also received an Associate Degree from the Community College of Rhode Island in Literature (2008) and a Diploma in Accounting and International Relations from Escuela de Negocios Cumbre (1996) in Santa Cruz, Bolivia.

Ms. Perin-Monterroso has been recognized nationally for the innovation and success of the projects and programs she has managed and led. Perin’s ability to foster partnership-building capacity, community knowledge and innovative approach led to the recognition of Rhode Island as the state with the lowest number of uninsured children (2016). Also, because of her work leading the expansion of food access in the State of Rhode Island through the USDA nutrition programs, there has been a significant increase in participation in the Summer Food Service Program. Rhode Island’s ranking among the states moved from 22nd in the country in 2014 to 9th in 2016, with an overall increase of 52% in meals served. And in the last three years, during the pandemic, we have increased an additional 65% meal participation in 2021. Her work to promote health insurance access through a National League of Cities grant managed by the City of Providence’ Healthy Communities Office, led the State of Rhode Island to become the state with the lowest number of uninsured children, stablishing new best practices and allowing Azade to become a mentor for other states.

She was a appointed to the State of Rhode Island Health, Advocacy, and Equity Commision were she served from 2013-2018. Azade also was a Steering Committee Member of the Rhode Island Anti-Hunger Task Force until 2018. In 2016, she received the Award for Exemplary City Services and Innovation in Process Improvement from Mayor Elorza and the City of Providence and several other recognitions for closing the gap in food access in our state. She has been recognized by the Catholic Press Association of the U.S & Canada for as an inspirational columnist for the “El Catolico de Rhode Island” newspaper in 2014, 2016, 2018 & 2020, work she started in 2009.

Building on the success of her career, Azade sees her work at Habitat as an opportunity to build and repair affordable homes for families and build inclusive communities that support the creation of generational wealth and positively improve the well-being of families and the communities they live.