The 2025 Stars Dancing for HEALS lineup is here, and this year’s cast is stepping into the spotlight with heart, rhythm, and a passion for making a difference. From community leaders to local celebrities, each contestant is lacing up their dancing shoes to support HEALS, Inc. to bring health and hope to children in need. Meet the stars who are turning their moves into meaningful impact on the dance floor!
Joseph Ajdarodini & Karla Bunge- Muscled Up Movers & Charlottes Chi
Born and raised in Huntsville, Alabama, Joseph Ajdarodini has dedicated his life to building businesses, empowering others, and strengthening his community through hard work, faith, and service. A graduate of Challenger and Grissom schools, Joseph began his professional career immediately after high school, working in the mortgage and real estate industries from 2000 to 2016. Alongside his business pursuits, he passionately pursued fitness, working as a personal trainer at multiple gyms in the Huntsville area.
Karla was born and raised in Managua, Nicaragua, and has lived in the United States for 40 years. For the past two decades, she has been a resident of Huntsville, Alabama. An accomplished entrepreneur and certified aesthetician, massage therapist & personal trainer, Karla is also a wife & devoted mother and former licensed foster parent for the state of Alabama. Her passion for animals is evident in her love of dogs.
Keisha Hammonds- Miss Black Rocket City Scholarship Pageant
Keisha is a proud Ohio native and graduate of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, where she earned her BFA in Electronic Media. She is the Founding Director of the Miss Black Rocket City Scholarship Pageant and a board member of the MBRC Scholarship Foundation, where she helps young women grow in confidence, leadership, and purpose through programs like Crowned for Success and Capped for Excellence.
Alongside her sons, she co-founded We Play for His Glory, a Christian apparel brand and social platform that empowers athletes to share their faith and stories of resilience on and off the field.Keisha also serves as an educator, youth ministry leader, dance fitness instructor, pageant coach, and is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Amanda Hamner- Amgen Pharmaceuticals
Amanda is a Pensacola, Florida native, and a proud graduate of the University of Alabama. After college, she relocated to Huntsville, Alabama, where she launched her career in pharmaceutical sales. Amanda is a classically trained ballerina whose love for dance has taken her across the country, including summers spent training with the prestigious Joffrey Ballet School in New York. Her lifelong passion for ballet continues today through her role as a faculty member at Soles Dance Company, where she shares her knowledge and joy of dance with the next generation.
Jessica Reidy Ivey, MD- Huntsville Hospital
Jessica is a Board Certified Anesthesiologist with Comprehensive Anesthesia Services. She provides high quality anesthesia at Huntsville Hospital across many specialties. Whether you are getting a knee replacement or your child is getting her tonsils out, you may have Jessica there putting you to sleep! She and her husband, David, have built a beautiful life and family here in Huntsville. They have two small children: Rose (4), and Ty (1). Jessica spends the majority of her free time playing with her kids. Their weekend routine involves Honest Coffee- where the whole family is known by name- and the playground. Jessica also loves to travel, is in two book clubs, and plays tennis.
Carter McNeil- Grupo La Familia Restaurant Group
Carter is an entrepreneur in the Hospitality Industry. Currently, he is working to open three restaurants in the Huntsville area by the end of 2025 under Grupo La Familia as well as expanding his private catering business. Though he has a great deal of experience opening restaurants, it has always been a dream of his to open his own concept and play a large role in the overall design and menu creating process. Throughout all these new ventures, Carter has also found time to expand his private catering business, which he hopes to continue expanding with the help of his new restaurants.
Caroline Schreeder, MD- Breast Oncology Specialists
Dr. Schreeder has dedicated her life and career to treating patients with all types of breast ailments both malignant and benign. She lives in Huntsville and is a loving wife to her husband and caring mother for her two children. She loves to create new dishes in the kitchen and enjoys any discussion about healthy eating and nutrition. She is very active in the community, volunteering for the Junior League, AUM, and teaches medical students as an Associate Professor for UAB. Dr. Schreeder’s dedication to her patients speaks for itself, and every patient knows they are getting her full time and attention at every visit.
Chris & Shelbie Simpson- Yulista & Redstone Federal Credit Union
Chris is a Finance Executive for Yulista Holding LLC, where he directs enterprise-wide financial planning, budgeting, and systems integration to uphold transparency and strategic alignment across multiple business units. He serves as a volunteer youth soccer coach and sits on the Yulista Cares advisory board, helping to guide the company’s philanthropic outreach. Chris is honored to support HEALS – motivated by his role as a father of three and a belief that every child deserves access to quality healthcare.
Shelbie is the Manager of the Online Lending Department at Redstone Federal Credit Union, where she leads a dynamic, high-performing team responsible for overseeing a robust portfolio of digital loan services. In this role, she ensures operational efficiency, regulatory compliance, and an exceptional member experience in an increasingly digital financial environment. Shelbie has played a pivotal role in advancing Redstone’s online lending strategy, aligning technological innovation with evolving member needs. Her leadership is defined by a blend of strategic foresight and hands-on engagement, earning her a reputation as both a results driven leader and a trusted mentor.
David and Avy Wallender- Mazda Toyota Manufacturing
David is a General Manager at the MazdaToyota Manufacturing plant in Madison, Alabama. His focus is on Fostering trust and loyalty by creating meaningful experiences for his Team Members, customers and the community ensuring a brighter future for all. The satisfaction of developing the team members who are all still very new to building cars and supporting them daily to be productive and innovative is a self-fulfilling part of why David came to Huntsville. David is from Colorado originally and was raised by his single mother with his brother and sister. Even though they had very little, it was here with his mom that he learned to give and be generous, giving unconditionally to others in need and looking out for others.
Avy is an interior designer by trade and spent years with JC Penny Design and assisted customers in fulfilling their home design needs. For a few years she worked auto manufacturing for KIA motors to help her daughter get through college at Kennesaw State University. Avy now volunteers for the “His way” here in Huntsville and enjoys giving back to the community and the men who struggle with addiction. This hits close to home for both David and Avy who have lost family members that struggled with addiction and have some who continue to struggle. Avy also loves nature and animals and takes care of her 2 loveable labradoodles as well as over 100 plants in their Huntsville home. Avy finally convinced David to learn to dance Salsa and Bachata after almost 29 years and they are now recently students at the Baila Huntsville dance studio.
To learn more about the contestants or to get involved to support the HEALS cause visit https://www.healsinc.org/stars-dancing-for-heals-2/