An accomplished professional with a strong track record in affordable housing finance and development. Dan Adams is the executive director of Afforda FKA UCNS, and his critical achievements at Afforda include:
- Successfully maintained and managed the UETOD Fund, a $35 million public-private partnership between the State of Utah and five participating banks and managed by Afforda, ensuring it reached its full potential in providing acquisition and predevelopment financing for affordable multifamily housing.
- Developed a consulting arm of Afforda to support regional and national banks in Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) strategic planning and plan development.
- Leveraged Afforda assets to aid in the development of low-income housing tax credit projects including CROWN single-family units and most recently a partnership with Weber Housing Authority to build Meadowbrook, a 46-unit project in Ogden, Utah.
**Prior History and Accomplishments:**
Dan has led Afforda since April 2018 and previously served on the board of directors from 2015 to 2018. With over 26 years of banking experience, he worked for CIT Bank for over five years as their CRA Officer and spent 20 years with American Express. Although his expertise lies in community development finance his emphasis is on using low-income housing tax credit investments. Under Dan’s leadership, Afforda’s assets grew from $40.3 million to $60.3 million between 2018 and 2024, reflecting an impressive annual growth rate of approximately 7%. Dan holds an MBA from the University of Phoenix and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Utah.
Ashley Atkinson, Co-Director, Perpetual Housing Fund, Perpetual Housing Fund is a nonprofit housing developer dedicated to removing the barriers to equity-building that keep so many Utahns from building their own wealth. As a lean nonprofit with community-first capital sources, PHF shares the majority of its projects’ annual cashflow and long-term equity generation with the residents who live in them. Ashley co-founded PHF and leads the development of its projects.
Josh Bahn, Vice President, Goldman Sachs Urban Investment Group, Goldman Sachs Urban Investment Group is a mission-driven, multi-asset class investing and lending business deploying over $2 billion annually in community and economic development through real estate projects, renewable energy projects, social enterprises, and lending facilities for small businesses. Josh leads investment strategy and underwriting of equity and debt transactions to finance mixed-income, affordable and mixed-use development projects in markets including New York, Utah, Atlanta, and Washington D.C.
Shellie Barrus, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Summit and Wasatch Counties Shellie has committed the past twenty years to housing-related work in the Public, Private, and Social Sectors in Utah. Shellie’s management, operations expertise, and financial oversight, as well as Habitat mortgage underwriting background, have been instrumental in the organization's ability to have a greater social impact by serving more individuals and families than ever before in the affiliate’s history. During the last eight years as Habitat’s Executive Director, Shellie increased production capacity at the Utah affiliate from one single-family home annually to undertaking a 26-home build, which includes attached 3-story townhomes.
Tyler Bastian is an educator, filmmaker, father, and founder of Roots Charter High School. Tyler loves to teach and has a passion for discovering and developing potential in everything around him. For four years, Tyler taught Character Education at a local High School and believes positive character is the greatest indicator of success. In 2012 Tyler began to develop the concepts that have become Roots Charter High School. Roots Charter High School is Utah’s first farm-based charter high school. Roots work with students that come from risky environments, helping them find and reach their potential. Learn more at www.rootshigh.org.
Grant Beck is the Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at Next Step Network, a national social enterprise working to increase affordable homeownership opportunities through expanded use of factory-built homes. He oversees matters related to development and fundraising, strategic communication, and affordable housing policy and advocacy. Prior to this, Grant spent a decade in mission-driven marketing and communications, overseeing brand management, digital communications and messaging, social media strategy, and press relations for national nonprofit organizations.
Grant holds a BA in Media Arts and Design from James Madison University
Max Becker works to help ensure Utah leverages federal funding opportunities for clean energy, energy efficiency, and electric vehicle development. Through his role at Utah Clean Energy, he develops partnerships with local governments, businesses and other stakeholders to find avenues of collaboration in the expansion of clean energy in the West. Max Joined Utah Clean Energy from the University of Utah’s Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, where he specialized in tax policy, economic development, and affordable housing research.
Nicholas Berger, based in Salt Lake City, UT, is currently a Chief Lending Officer at Rocky Mountain CRC. Nicholas Berger brings experience from previous roles at Optum Bank and Brighton Bank. Nicholas Berger holds a 2012 - 2014 Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Business @ Utah State University - Jon M. Huntsman School of Business. With a robust skill set that includes Credit Analysis, Banking, Customer Service, Small Business Lending, Financial Analysis and more.
Al Bingham, is nationally recognized for his extensive research, insight and knowledge about purchasing power, credit reports and especially the FICO® credit score. Al has extensively researched the FICO® credit score starting in 2003 and has published two editions of the book, The Road to 850, Advanced Strategies for Increasing Your FICO Credit Scores. It outlines the dozens of factors in the FICO® scoring system and provides advance strategies to improve them.
He has discovered many unknown factors about the FICO credit score from his personal research. He knows because he has tracked the credit scores of over 3,000 consumers. His knowledge has been attained from first-hand research, instead of regurgitating someone else’s assessment. From his research, he can state unequivocally that there is much misinformation circulated from many so-called “credit experts” who have spent little time researching the FICO credit score. Al has been a big support of My Credit Plan. My Credit Plan is designed to educate a consumer and provide a correct personal roadmap to credit score improvement.
Al has provided commentary in over 200 television news stories for many media outlets including CNBC, US News and World Report, Fortune Magazine, CBS and ABC affiliated stations along with a host of other national and regional media. His work has had national implications as the lead credit expert in the Jabbari Wells Fargo case (the 3.5 million unauthorized-accounts opened), along with several other cases.
Al has also worked on the national SAFE Mortgage exam committee since 2003 and the State of Utah’s financial literacy program since 2009 – the only state to receive an A+ by the Center for Financial Literacy at Chaplain College for its high school financial literacy program.
Al is excited to help all improve their purchasing power by increasing their FICO credit scores – and ultimately purchase more for less!
Samantha Brand has spent the last ten years in social services working with the homeless, at-risk youth, and persons with disabilities populations. Currently, she is serving as the Supportive Housing Coordinator at the Housing Authority of the County of Salt Lake doing business as Housing Connect. The Supportive Housing department at Housing Connect provides housing assistance for those connected to behavioral health treatment providers, refugee resettlement agencies, persons who have HIV/AIDs, and the chronically homeless population. Prior to Housing Connect, Samantha worked at The Road Home with veterans experiencing homelessness as a SSVF Case Manager. Additionally, she has worked for DSPD and residential treatment service providers as a Group Home Manager, and Director of Staff and Client Relations, where she oversaw the daily operations and connected clients with various community partners. Samantha has a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology from Utah State University and is looking forward to earning her Masters of Public Administration in the future.
Mike Campbell has a passion for Real Estate. He has been in the Real Estate industry for almost 20 years. After being a Realtor for 8 years he moved into the Affordable Housing Industry. In the Affordable Housing Industry, Mike has been a property manager, compliance auditor and Asset Manager. Mike has been with Utah Housing Corporation for over 10 years and is the Housing Credit Compliance Manager, where he manages the monitoring of LIHTC compliance.
Kristy Chambers is the CEO of Columbus Community Center and the former CEO of the Fourth Street Clinic. She has dedicated the past 20 years of her career to the nonprofit social services sector, developing programs and overseeing large building projects.
Kristy's professional background is as a certified public accountant, including public accounting and top-level management positions in healthcare, real estate, retail, and hospitality.
She has served on several local and national nonprofit boards, including as the Board Chair for the Utah Nonprofit Association (UNA), Utah Health Policy Project (UHPP), South Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce (SSLC), Utah Housing Coalition (UHC), Living and Aging with Pride, and the Association of Utah Community Health (AUCH). As a prior instructor with the University of Utah Nonprofit Academy of Excellence and a current requested guest teacher, she continues to serve her community by developing future nonprofit leaders.
Kristy graduated from UCLA with a degree in Economics/Business, has a Master’s degree in Business Taxation from the Washington School of Law and is completing her Master’s in Public Policy from the University of Utah.
She is a happy empty nester enjoying her three adult daughters and new granddaughter, Iris.
Kelly Colopy, Human Services Director, Salt Lake County. Kelly has a wealth of experience in public health and social services. Previously, she served as the Director of the City of Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services where she spearheaded efforts to address homelessness and expand their Homeless Services Continuum of Care, including the opening of year-round bridge housing, purchasing shelters, and implementing innovative programs to reduce homelessness. From 2005 to 2012 Kelly worked in various roles within Salt Lake County government including as Acting Director of the Division of Mental Health, and Associate Director of the Human Services Department.
David Damschen is the President & CEO of Utah Housing Corporation (UHC), Utah’s Housing Finance Agency. UHC helps low- and moderate-income Utah families achieve and maintain home ownership by providing down payment assistance to aid in the purchase of decent, safe, and affordable homes – acquiring and servicing the mortgages originated from the purchase of these homes.
UHC also collaborates with investors and developers to finance thousands of affordable multi-family housing units by serving as conduit issuer of tax-exempt private activity bonds and allocator of federal and state Low-Income Housing Tax Credits.
David previously served as Utah’s 25th state treasurer, appointed to the office in 2015 and subsequently re-elected in 2016 and 2020.
Prior to his service in the Office of State Treasurer, David worked for 20 years in several institutional & retail segments of a national banking organization.
A veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard, David received his B.A. in Finance from the University of Washington.
Angela Dean, AIA, LEED AP, LFA, Angela founded AMD Architecture in 1997 with the goal of providing quality architecture that is equally responsible to her clients and the greater environment. Through professional experience, education outreach, and community involvement, she is dedicated to promoting all aspects of sustainable design.
As the author of Green by Design: Creating a Home for Sustainable Living, Angela shares the environmentally responsible design principles she holds dear. Her goal, in the book and professionally, is to make green building and healthy living accessible for everyone. She emphasizes the notion that green is not a menu of add-on options, but a design philosophy that integrates aesthetics, budget, function, health, and enjoyment.
Cameron Diehl became the Executive Director on October 16, 2017. Cameron studied political science at the University of Utah, was the Editor of the Hinckley Institute Journal of Politics, and later graduated from the University of Colorado School of Law. He started his career at ULCT as a legislative intern and returned to ULCT in 2010. During his time at ULCT, he has also been an administrative assistant, policy analyst, attorney, and Director of Government Relations. He previously worked for the Boys and Girls Club in Salt Lake City and coached basketball and football at Justice (CO), Fairview (CO), and Murray (UT) High Schools. He is an avid University of Utah fan; his paternal grandparents had their first date during the Utah State-Utah game on Thanksgiving Day in 1944 and Cameron and his family have been fixtures at Utah football games ever since. Meanwhile, his maternal grandparents met at BYU and his grandfather was later the mayor of Glenns Ferry, Idaho for 24 years. Cameron is a Murray native where he was a member of the Murray City Youth Council and attended ULCT Local Officials Day. Cameron and his wife Rachel are the proud parents of Annelise, who visited three national parks with her parents before she was four months old and Sierra, who was born during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ask Cam anything about local government, Utah history, Utah football, Jazz basketball, or politics
Elias Doty is a Vice President, Real Estate Commercial Loan Officer at Zions Bank concentrating on affordable housing. His specialties include construction and term financing under the 4% and 9% Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program as well as Naturally Occurring or Mission-Based Affordable Housing. He works with non-profit and for-profit housing developers and tax credit investors to ensure streamlined debt executions. He is engaged in housing related initiatives throughout Utah and Idaho and serves as the credit committee chair of the Utah Equitable TOD fund and is a member of the Rocky Mountain CRC credit committee.
Todd Fabian works as a Vice President, Regional Manager at National Equity Fund, Inc (NEF). NEF is a national non-profit syndicator of Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC). Created in 1987 as an affiliate of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) and headquartered in Chicago, NEF is one of the largest non-profit LIHTC syndicators in the United States of America. Todd is currently based in Los Angeles, United States.
Lincoln Fillmore is a Republican Senator for Utah State's 17th Senate District and, prior to redistricting, its 10th Senate District. He was appointed by Governor Gary Herbert to fill a vacant seat caused by the resignation of Aaron Osmond.
Fillmore is the President of Charter Solutions, where he oversees a team of school business administrators that work on-site at various charter schools throughout the state. He is a 50 percent shareholder of Plexus Partners, a consulting firm, and a 25 percent shareholder of Endeavor Education, an organization that helps new and expanding groups establish charter schools. He is the owner and operator of a Nothing Bundt Cakes franchise retail bakery in Taylorsville.
Nick Fritz has been the Impact Investing Director at Intermountain Healthcare since July 2019. Since that time, Nick has enjoyed working with stakeholders from the many communities that Intermountain serves to develop an impact investing program to meet their needs. Although Intermountain’s impact investing effort is young, it has already made several high-impact investments to help address social determinants of health for Utah’s vulnerable populations. Prior to joining Intermountain, Nick was a Director of Data, Performance, and Policy Innovation at Sorenson Impact Center, a nonprofit consulting firm housed within the David Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah. Nick’s work at Sorenson was focused on providing nonprofit and government clients with the tools to implement outcomes-based funding. Nick has an MBA from the University of Utah, and a BS in Mechanical Engineering Technology from the University of Akron in Ohio, Nick’s home state. Nick served as an officer in the United States Marine Corps following completion of his undergraduate studies. This experience solidified a passion to serve others, and Nick is grateful to be able to continue to pursue that passion in his current work. Nick currently serves on the board of the Community Foundation of Utah, Housing Connect Fund, and the Utah Housing Coalition.
Mr. Gentry is a professional banker and is passionate about affordable housing. He is responsible for working with investors to form low-income tax credit funds and identifying and underwriting individual transactions to place into those funds. Since joining The Richman Group, Mr. Gentry has placed over $2 billion in tax credit equity in over 300 developments including over 85 communities in Utah with over 6,500 homes. He is a recognized authority with year 15 disposition matters utilizing best practices and remaining involved throughout the compliance period. Mr. Gentry has a master’s degree from Portland State University with specialization in sustainable development. He is a graduate of the Pacific Coast Banking School at the University of Washington and ABA National Commercial Lending School at the University of Oklahoma.
Christine Gianchetta Nguyen has worked for the State of Utah for 17 years. She began her service with the Department of Community and Culture where she spent four years working on homelessness across the State. She monitored programs provided to Utahans through homeless shelters, food pantries, domestic violence shelters and the Energy Assistance Program. Prior to her state employment, she was a Case Manager and Foster Parent Recruiter/Trainer for Southeast Asian Refugee Unaccompanied Minors, Pregnancy Counselor, and the Emergency Services Program Manager for Catholic Community Services of Utah. She spent three years working for the Housing Authority of Salt Lake City managing and leading the Self Sufficiency Program and Transitional Housing Program for women and children leaving violent living situations. At the Division of Services for People with Disabilities, she focused on housing issues and managing the Statewide Community Services Program team. During her time with the Division of Child and Family Services, she trained staff and community partners on trauma, secondary trauma, domestic abuse, and stress management.
Christine is now working with the Department of Health and Human Services as the Medicaid State-Level Housing Coordinator and the Housing Related Services and Supports Coordinator. She loves the excitement of working with individuals on their housing goals, connecting with community partners in efforts to increase the availability of safe, affordable housing across the State of Utah, and learning about Medicaid Programs.
In addition, Chris completely enjoys adventures, reading, learning, growing things, seeing new places, crocheting, camping and being outside when the sun comes up, goes down, and all times in between; if she is with her husband, children, grandchildren, and friends it is all the better.
Jason Glidden serves as the Executive Director of Mountainlands Community Housing Trust. Before Mountainlands, he worked for Park City Municipal Corporation as the Housing Development Manager, managing Park City’s affordable housing program. He led efforts to meet the City’s goal of creating 800 new units by 2026 through the creation of policies and land management codes that incentivize the development of affordable housing.
Jason holds a B.A. in Business Management and Marketing from the University of Evansville, and a M.B.A. in Strategic Management from the University of Montana. He sits on the Affordable/Workforce Housing Product Council for the Urban Land Institute, working with industry experts to find new innovative solutions to the current housing crisis.
He grew up in New Hampshire but has called Park City home since 2007. He enjoys being outdoors skiing, mountain biking, and fly fishing.
Dutch Haarsma is a seasoned community development finance professional with an expertise in capitalizing affordable housing projects, nonprofit community facilities and commercial real estate development in underserved communities. Mr. Haarsma is the President of NewWest Community Capital, a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and nonprofit loan fund serving low-income communities throughout the West. Prior to his current position, he was the Managing Director of community development lending and investment at Charles Schwab Bank where he managed the intermediary, CDFI and affordable housing lending and investment opportunities for the bank. Prior to joining the bank, Mr. Haarsma was Senior Vice President of Northern California Community Loan Fund, a regional CDFI were he led a team of professionals that worked extensively with nonprofit organizations to plan and finance community development projects. Mr. Haarsma has also worked in a business development and commercial lending capacity for several commercial banks.
Kathryn Halterman is a program manager in the Olene Walker Housing Loan Fund program. Her history includes the administration of multifamily and single family housing programs, assisting with Private Activity Bonds, and overseeing compliance with Environmental Review regulations.
Chris Hart is a native Utahn growing up in Logan and eventually attending high school and the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. After marrying his wife Sandy in 1972 they moved to Ammon, Idaho on the outskirts of Idaho Falls where they lived for the next twenty five years and raised four sons. There he launched Signature Enterprises Inc., a successful land development and home building business that operated across much of Eastern Idaho. Chris was active in the Bonneville County Home Builders Association and served as its President for a year.
Growing weary of the long winters Chris and his siblings created a land development company in the St. George area after acquiring prime development property in Ivins City near Tuacahn. Chris became active in Ivins City government and in the Southern Utah Home Builders Association eventually becoming President of the Utah State Home Builders Association. After serving on various development ordinance review committees Chris was eventually appointed to the Ivins City Planning Commission and from there to the Ivins City Council. He was elected Ivins City Mayor in 2009 and has served in that capacity since. During that time his family has grown to include four wonderful daughters in law and eighteen grandchildren.
Daniel Herbert-Voss has served as the Multifamily Housing Program Specialist for a total of fifteen years at HCDD, underwriting over 200 affordable multifamily housing projects comprising over 15,000 units receiving over $130 million in OWHLF funds. Prior to that position he served as a Compliance Specialist/Auditor for HCDD performing file and property inspections for three years after coming from Utah Housing Corporation, where he oversaw compliance for all operating Utah LIHTC projects for five years. Daniel has a Master of Accountancy earned at Southern Utah University in 2000, and also holds bachelors’ degrees in Psychology, Business Administration, and Accounting. He also earned the Utah Certified Public Manager® designation in 2013.
Vy Ho supports refugee and new American farmers in the New Roots program at the International Rescue Committee (IRC). The IRC is a refugee resettlement agency that helps people affected by humanitarian crises to survive, recover, and rebuild their lives. New Roots works with refugee farmers to build a healthier community through the development of small scale, urban farms, farming businesses, community gardens, and youth programs in Salt Lake City. New Roots also provides the community with access to fresh, local, affordable, and culturally appropriate food.
Vy has a Bachelor of Social Work degree from the University of Utah and has worked within homelessness, refugee, and urban agriculture spaces.
Melissa Jensen has over 15 years of deep experience in housing development, finance, and social and economic policy. Her varied experience in corporate, public, and nonprofit sectors provides her a unique perspective in addressing the built and social environments. She is co-founder of Developed By Women a non-profit committed to elevating women in real estate development. This role is complimentary to her role as Lead Developer for GIV Communities. In both capacities she focuses on multi-family mixed use affordable development, permanent supportive housing, and master planning projects. She has most recently applied this knowledge in how to best redevelop an old, and beloved, elementary school into a community resource center and permanent supportive housing project. Melissa is the mama of 3, the partner of 1, and the best friend of a .05 terrier/chihuahua mix. Her family and work are her passion and her joy.
Daron ‘Farmer D’ Joffe founder and CEO, Farmer D Consulting, A nationally recognized Biodynamic farmer, educator, consultant, speaker and entrepreneur, Daron is the author of the acclaimed book “Citizen Farmers: The Biodynamic Way to Grow Healthy Food, Build Thriving Communities and Give Back to the Earth.” He has over 20 years experience designing and building community farms and gardens all over the country. Past clients include agrihood communities, resorts, retreat centers, spas, hospitals, non-profits, schools, cities and private landowners. Daron Founded Citizen Farmers Academy nonprofit in 2021. https://citizenfarmers.org/
Jeffrey B. Jones is a 25+ year veteran of economic/housing development, land planning and serves as the Economic Development and Housing Director for Summit County, Utah.
Prior to joining Summit County in 2014, Mr. Jones was the Executive Director of the Moscow Urban Renewal Agency in Idaho and worked as a Senior Consultant for Equity Advisors Consulting Group LLC, a national site selection and real estate consulting company based in Boise, Idaho.
Prior to joining Equity Advisors Group, Jones served as the Regional Manager for Russell /AD Development Group LLC and was employed as the Economic Development Manager for the city of Boise, Idaho for a period of ten years.
Jones received a BS degree in Travel & Tourism from Brigham Young University and is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma’s Economic Development Institute. Jones is also a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) and is currently pursuing the Housing Development Finance Professional (HDFP) professional certification through Grow America (National Development Council).
Jeremy Keele is a recognized leader in impact investing with a diverse range of professional experiences in the private and public sectors. Jeremy is a Co-founder and Partner at Sorenson Impact Funds, an institutional asset management platform focused on private and public investment management across a range of asset classes and impact themes. Jeremy is also Co-founder and Managing Partner of Catalyst Opportunity Funds, a real estate impact investment firm with ~$350 M under management and 20 commercial real estate assets addressing a variety of community needs in strategic secondary markets around the country.
Prior to co-founding Sorenson Impact and Catalyst, Jeremy was President & CEO of the Sorenson Impact Center, a university-based think-tank focused on impact investing, public-private partnerships, and other innovative strategies to address social and environmental challenges. During his time at Sorenson, Jeremy advised dozens of investors, government agencies, family offices, foundations and nonprofits on strategies to align their funding, activities and measurement with their values. In partnership with the Obama Administration and the Sundance Film Festival, Jeremy created one of the premier social impact and innovation events, the annual Winter Innovation Summit. Under Jeremy’s leadership, the Center grew from two employees in 2013 to nearly 40 in 2018 with ~100 student fellows annually.
Prior to Sorenson, Jeremy was senior advisor to the Mayor of his hometown of Salt Lake. Jeremy advised on the policy portfolio of Mayor Ben McAdams with a $1.2 billion annual budget, 4,000 + employees and 1.2 million residents. While in government, Jeremy helped launch the first social impact bond in the country focused on early childhood education for at-risk kids in the community.
Prior to his time in government, Jeremy was a corporate attorney with the law firms of Cleary Gottlieb and Latham & Watkins in New York, London and Los Angeles. During his 7 years of practice Jeremy led numerous multibillion dollar, cross-border mergers & acquisitions and corporate financing transactions for large corporate clients around the world.
Jeremy holds BS / BA degrees from Brigham Young University, a JD from New York University School of Law and an MPA from Harvard. Jeremy is married with four boys.
Janice Kimball leads Housing Connect with the core belief that housing is the great equalizer. Without a safe place to call home, nothing else can happen. Janice became CEO following 12 years overseeing property management, rent assistance and supportive services for Housing Connect. She holds a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Utah
Zoe LeBeau is the CEO of BeauxSimone Consulting, a women-owned, small business that specializes in assisting communities develop and manage high-quality supportive housing.
Zoe brings over 25 years of hands-on and direct experience in all aspects of housing, service development and implementation. Zoe has been integral in developing over 5,000 units of Supportive Housing nationally including re-entry, tribal, family, youth and behavioral health and plays a national role in public policy work to secure more funding for supportive housing and is also a nationally recognized trainer and expert on supportive housing and is regularly asked to speak at national conferences and events.
Hassan A. Latif, founded Second Chance Center (2012), a community re-entry agency dedicated to the successful transition of people returning from incarceration, serving as executive Director for 10 years. SCC has grown to become the preeminent reentry agency in Colorado, maintaining a recidivism rate of under 5 % for participants involved in SCC programs. Hassan conducts mentoring and reentry trainings for government and non-profit service providers nationally, facilitates transition planning sessions in Colorado Department of Corrections facilities statewide and authored the book “Never Going Back: 7 Steps to Staying Out of Prison” (PAPatterson Press 2012) and the curriculum based on same.
Hassan has served on Governor Polis’s Community Corrections Advisory Council and the Clemency Advisory Board. He also serves as the Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition’s (CCJRC) Board of Directors President.
Heather Lester currently serves as the Landlord Tenant Mediation Program Coordinator through Utah Community Action. This longstanding program became a Utah statewide expanded service program as of January 2022. She has worked in this capacity as a mediator over the past 5 years.
The mediation team primarily assists with landlord/tenant de-escalations and negotiations relating to housing instability issues, including but not limited to rental assistance, deposit negotiations, payment arrangements, fee disputes, Utah Fit Premise issues, resource referrals and nuisance matters. This fab while also actively engaging in downstream court assisted mediation for eviction and debt collection with the emphasis to assist with rehousing needs and stabilization. Heather dedicates a large portion of time to the increasing need of tenant and landlord education, support and outreach to clients, community members and community partner agency training support.
Heather is very passionate about the practice and need for mediation, advocacy and facilitation in correlation with all housing related matters in the State of Utah. Heather graduated from Creighton University School of Law, Werner Institute for Negotiation and Dispute Resolution with an emphasis in Organizational Development. During her time at Creighton, she gravitated and focused her efforts to the areas of social service, access to justice and online dispute resolution. In 2021, Heather was the recipient of the Excellence in Community Action Individual award and in 2022 Heather was chosen as the Regional 8 Community Action Champion. In addition, she serves as the presiding Chair of the Online Dispute
Resolution Section with the Association of Conflict Resolution. With her many years in the legal community, her background and her many volunteer efforts, she dedicates time to focus groups and legislative initiatives to promote the housing market’s growth, education and the sustainability in relation to the need for affordable housing.
Claudia Loayza is a professional in government and community relations, with a strong background in planning and the built environment. She is dedicated to fostering communities that thrive in place. Claudia earned her Bachelor of Science from Brigham Young University and completed her Master's in City and Metropolitan Planning at the University of Utah in 2022. In 2021, she was recognized as one of Utah Business' 20 in Their 20s for her impactful work with the Utah Division of Multicultural Affairs. She now works as an associate developer at Developed. By Women., a nonprofit and sister organization to Giv Group, which creates opportunities for women and underrepresented groups to learn about, own, and invest in real estate development in sustainable and collaborative ways. She is also the principal curator for Magnify Utah, a learning and resource hub under the Division of Multicultural Affairs that streamlines statewide information and resources to support individuals looking to establish connections to their statewide community, as well as those starting a new chapter.
As a proud first-generation Utahn, Claudia values the importance of bridging differences and pursuing common goals to drive innovative solutions that connect people and places. She is passionately committed to creating opportunities that uplift all communities in Utah.
Dr. Jess Lucero is the Department Head of the Department of Social Work at Utah State University where she also serves as Associate Professor of Social Work, Graduate Director for their Full-Time MSW Program and Director of the Transforming Communities Institute. Prior to joining the faculty at USU, she completed her doctoral studies at Wayne State University in Detroit and her MSW and BSW at the University of Wyoming. Lucero’s research orientation is very interdisciplinary, and she enjoys exchanging ideas and working to improve social systems with other interdisciplinary scholars, practitioners, and students who are committed to social justice. Dr. Lucero is a nationally recognized scholar in community-based participatory research – she is particularly interested in research that produces real-world recommendations for solving the complex challenges that communities face. Specifically, her community-based research centers on violence prevention and intervention, challenges facing refugees in the U.S., and housing justice issues. Her work in the community does the same. She is a member of the Local Homeless Coordinating Council and board member on Utah’s Balance of State Continuum of Care board. In addition, she is a commissioner for the Logan City Planning Commission and the Board President for Cache Refugee and Immigrant Connection, a nonprofit that she helped found in 2014. She actively involves her students in housing justice work at the local and state level, and she finds great joy in teaching community practice and research methods from a community-engaged perspective in which her students get out in their communities and meet community-identified needs.
Rachelle Macur MA, LEED+ is the Director of Sustainable Design and Social Impact at Shopworks Architecture and helps lead their research in Dignified Design. As a social scientist with a deep background in ecological and social sustainability, her focus is on the cross-section of humans, nature, and the built environment. Rachelle works with evidence-based research in trauma, health, neuroscience, and biophilia to further the industry's knowledge and impact in designing spaces that are healing, people-centered, and dignified.
Mr. Ravi Malhotra, an accomplished engineer and social entrepreneur, has founded numerous ventures in India, Africa, and the US, specializing in sustainable technologies. His current focus with ICAST and TBL Fund is on developing financially viable solutions to address the affordable housing crisis in the US while combatting climate change. Ravi holds a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology and a Master’s degree in Engineering and Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin.
McKenna Marchant is the Private Activity Bond program manager. Her experience includes the administration of the Private Activity Bond program, assisting with Olene Walker Single Family programs, contract administration, Commission on Housing Affordability administration, and planning within the Community Development Office. Her specialty is creating program efficiencies and clarifying policy.
Tony Milner is the Director of the Housing Stability Division of Salt Lake City. Previously, he was the Director of Housing and Case Management at Utah Community Action, and the Executive Director of Family Promise - Salt Lake homeless shelter. Tony graduated from the University of Utah with a Master of Public Administration. Tony volunteers with a range of affordable housing planning and development organizations. He is a Utah native, married, and a father of three teenagers.
Clay Monroe is the Director of Customer Solutions for Rocky Mountain Power. Day to day he oversees all customer-facing programs across the utility’s Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming service territories. These include Demand Response, Demand Side Management, Electrification, Education, Low Income and Behavioral programs. He is responsible for all strategy, implementation, budgets, and regulation efforts while managing a staff of hundreds of individuals and firms delivering programs across the three Rocky Mountain Power States. He regularly represents the utility to regulators, customers, stakeholders, and other interested parties.
Brent Mower has been with the Housing Authority of Salt Lake City (HASLC) for 5 years. He started as the TANF Case Manager in 2018 and was promoted to the Rapid Re-Housing Program Manager in 2022. In this position, he manages the Landlord Outreach Team and oversees a family housing grant of approximately $2.5 million. Brent has over 20 years of experience working in social services. This includes supervising programs for youth drug-prevention, employment skills training, technology access, and local food pantries. Additionally, he has case managed low-income families through Head Start and homeless diversion services.
Kaitlin Myers is the Executive Director of the Moab Area Community Land Trust (MACLT) and oversees the development of the Arroyo Crossing subdivision. Her passion for the organization stemmed from four years of volunteer service on the MACLT board from 2017-2021. Kaitlin has worked on affordable housing, economic development, and community development projects for Grand County and Moab City for five years before transitioning into her current role with MACLT. Kaitlin serves on the board of the Utah Housing Coalition and is active with the Moab Area Housing Task Force and the Grand County Homelessness Council. Kaitlin holds a Bachelor of Design in Architecture from the University of Florida and a Certificate in Economic Development from Utah Valley University, and she is currently pursuing a Master’s in Real Estate from Georgetown University. In her free time, Kaitlin enjoys rafting rivers, hiking canyons, and skiing slopes across the beautiful Colorado Plateau.
Wayne Niederhauser is a former state legislator serving in the the Utah State Senate for twelve and a half years, six of those years as Senate President. His administration was marked by a measured and collaborative approach to policy. He helped lead the State out of the Great Recession into an era of great prosperity. The focus of his efforts and leadership was centered around the need to address the challenges of Utah’s amazing growth and the need to modernize tax policy. Senator Niederhauser sponsored the very successful tax reform effort in 2007. He also led major advances in government transparency and accountability.
Outside of public service, Wayne is a Certified Public Accountant and Real Estate Broker. He received his education from Utah State University where he earned a Masters Degree in Accounting. While attending the University, he met and married his wife Melissa Barrett. They have been married for thirty nine years and have five children and two grandchildren.
His public service now consists of serving full-time as the Utah Homeless Coordinator and on the boards of several non-profit organizations. He is a member of The Board of Trustees at Utah State University and is a board member on the Olympic Legacy Foundation, Shelter the Homeless, The Utah Sports Commission, the Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games (Olympics) and is the co-chair of the Utah Debate Commission.
Jed Nilson is the Owner and President of Nilson Homes, a leading homebuilder in Northern Utah. With over 25 years of experience in the homebuilding and real estate industry, Jed began his career in 1999 as a New Home Sales Representative for Nilson Homes. After taking on various roles, including Sales and Marketing Director, he purchased the company in January 2020.
Under Jed's leadership, Nilson Homes has become one of the top 10 homebuilders in the state. The company has contributed significantly to the community, including completing over 15 “Have a Heart” homes, a charity initiative that provides affordable housing for families with special needs and veterans. In 2022, Nilson Homes also began construction on an Encircle Home in Ogden, Utah, to support LGBTQ+ youth.
Jed is deeply involved in the real estate community and has held several leadership positions, including serving as President of the Northern Wasatch Association of Realtors in 2016 and President of the Utah Association of Realtors in 2023. His dedication to leadership is further demonstrated by his completion of the UAR Leadership Academy and earning his MBA from Pepperdine University’s Graziadio Business School.
Jed and his wife Heather reside in South Ogden. He is the proud father of three girls, Paislee, Sloane, Reign, and one boy, Xave. As a family they enjoy outdoor recreation of all sorts and take advantage of the wide range of recreational opportunities that their home state of Utah provides throughout all four seasons.
Claudia O’Grady, Ms. O’Grady currently serves as Vice President, Multifamily Finance & Development at Utah Housing Corporation, overseeing its multifamily endeavors. She has worked in various capacities around the affordable multifamily industry for over 25 years, including as a developer, syndicator, and presently at UHC, the Housing Finance Agency for Utah. She has served on many boards and committees to help advance community development efforts, including Rural Community Assistance Corporation, the Utah Housing Coalition, the Salt Lake City Redevelopment Advisory Committee, and others. Ms. O’Grady was given a Key to the City by Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski in 2019.
Christina Oliver is the director of the housing and community development division of the Department of Workforce Services, overseeing dozens of federal and state programs, including the Olene Walker housing loan fund and the permanent community impact fund. Previously, Oliver served as the community development director for Draper City, in addition to former roles she held at Salt Lake County as the regional economic and business development director and as the associate director of the parks and recreation department. While at Draper City, Oliver led the charge to rewrite the city’s 15-year-old general plan and land use municipal code to align with state statute. During her tenure at Salt Lake County she drafted numerous legislative documents and grant proposals including the convention center hotel bill. Oliver earned her M.B.A. and finance graduate certificate from Westminster College and B.S. from the University of Utah.
With over 25 years of professional experience, Tom Otteson, AIA has worked on a range of different project types including single- and multi-family residential, commercial, industrial, hospitality, K-12 and museums in a range of roles including designer, project manager and construction contract administration leader with a focus on building science and building enclosure design. Tom combines his technical knowledge with a strong design sensibility to create solutions that are thoughtful, functional, and elegant.
Chris Parker has an abiding passion for helping places renew. This interest has gradually progressed from buildings to blocks to neighborhoods throughout Utah. As director of Giv Group, he’s overseen dozens of impact-oriented development projects and has a soft spot for buildings and towns with a story to tell.
Natasha Pfeiffer is a Loan Officer with Rocky Mountain Community Reinvestment Corporation, a Utah non-profit organization that provides permanent financing to preserve affordable housing to underserved communities throughout the Rocky Mountain region. Natasha has been with the organization for 10 years and has underwritten over 100 loans involving various sources of funding, primarily 4% and 9% low-income housing tax credits. Her primary focus is providing permanent debt to both non-profit and for-profit housing developers and working closely with other capital providers to ensure a streamlined execution.
Christian Pritchett - Shareholder/Director of Development - Christian has been working in affordable housing for 15 years and with BlueLine Development, Inc. for nine years. As Director of Development, Christian works with a team of developers to accomplish the overall goals of the organization.
Todd Reeder is the Director of CDCU as the Director of Real Estate Development. In this capacity, he will assist the organization in expanding the spectrum of housing products and programs offered. Through acquisition, preservation and development of real properties, Todd will utilize his extensive background in finance, operations, project management, and development to guide CDCU in this new direction. Previously Todd worked at Salt Lake City Corporation for five years as the Capital Asset Development Manager. In this role Todd led a collaborative effort to develop the City’s capital assets, which included managing the capital improvement program, the disposition of city owned real estate and the financing of affordable housing citywide. Other previous experience includes hospitality development where he managed all aspects of the development – entitlements, financing, design, construction, operations and real estate marketing. Todd is a graduate of Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts where he received a Bachelor of Science in both Finance and American Studies. Away from work, Todd enjoys a balanced life with a love for the great outdoors, music and riding his bike.
Linda Robinson has worked for Medicaid for 28 years. Linda is the Program Manager for the Housing Related Services and Supports Program (HRSS). She works closely with HRSS Program service providers. Her days are focused on training, enrollment, billing, data and provider support. Prior to her service with the HRSS Program Linda managed the Aging Waiver program focused on serving individuals over 65 years living in their own homes. Her first experience with Medicaid was with provider enrollment and claims. Linda's vast knowledge of the Medicaid system benefits all those accessing the HRSS Program for the people they serve.
Her hobbies include traveling, cooking/baking and making salsa in the summertime.
Amy Rowland has more than 35 years of experience in community, economic and affordable housing development, with extensive experience raising tax credit equity and securing financing for a variety of affordable housing and community development projects. Amy joined Community Development Finance Alliance (CDFA) in 2018 as President and CEO. CDFA is a nonprofit organization that provides New Markets Tax Credit financing, flexible short term loans and consulting services to community facilities, mixed-use and affordable housing projects. Prior to joining CDFA, she served as Field Director for the National Development Council (NDC), leading NDC’s lending, investment and technical assistance work in Utah. Rowland was also VP of Originations for the National Affordable Housing Trust (NAHT), where she provided development services to NAHT’s five national nonprofit member organizations on affordable housing projects throughout the United States. Prior to that, she worked in a variety of housing development roles at Mercy Housing for over ten years. Her experience also includes four years as a Community Lending Officer for Bank of America, and eight years as the founding Executive Director of a nonprofit housing group in San Diego. Amy has an M.A. in Architecture and Urban Planning from UCLA
Robert Singleton is a partner in the tax-credit finance practice at Winthrop & Weinstine, P.A. in Minneapolis. Rob has been with Winthrop since 2014. Prior to joining Winthrop, Rob spent two years in the tax practice at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. Rob has significant experience representing for-profit and non-profit developers, housing authorities, investors, and lenders in tax credit real estate transactions across the United States involving 4% and 9% Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and Historic Tax Credits. Rob is a native of Utah, having grown up in Sandy and graduating from the University of Utah in 2005. Rob is licensed in both Utah and Minnesota.
Noella Sudbury, J.D., Founder & CEO, Rasa Legal. Noella is a licensed Utah attorney with over a decade of experience in criminal law, policy, and data-driven justice reform. While serving as a Senior Policy Advisor to Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams, Noella led the successful campaign to pass Utah’s Clean Slate law, which automates the expungement process for more than 450,000 Utahns. Noella has served on the National Clean Slate Initiative Steering Committee and has provided technical assistance to other state campaigns to pass automatic clearance. Noella has received several honors and awards for her public service, including being selected as Utah Business Magazine’s 2019 Woman of the Year and being honored with the 2022 Distinguished Service Award from the Utah State Bar. In her spare time, Noella enjoys the outdoors and spending time with her two girls. In 2023, she was named by Inc. Magazine as one of the Top 200 most dynamic female founders in America.
Anna Sullivan is the Housing Credit Allocation Manager for Utah Housing Corporation, where she manages the allocation of the 9 percent and 4 percent housing credits, makes annual updates to the Qualified Allocation Plan, and serves as a main point of contact for developers throughout the allocation process. Prior to this role, Anna worked as the Housing Credit Analyst, where she evaluated LIHTC applications and reviewed final cost certification packages. Anna has a background in market research and journalism, and in her spare time enjoys crafting, playing soccer, and reading. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Utah.
Katie Symons has over 20 years of experience working in various industries, from non-profit and for-profit to K-12 and higher education. She has spent most of her time working in human services, specifically in homelessness and affordable housing. Katie currently serves as a supportive housing consultant with LeBeau Development LLC, a small, women-owned consulting company located in Colorado. The mission of LeBeau Development is to work with Native, rural and non-profit communities across the country to assist them in providing a range of housing opportunities for individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Katie assists with grant-writing, technical assistance and capacity building for communities in Colorado, New Mexico and Utah, working to develop permanent supportive housing. Previously, Katie served as the program manager for Denver’s Road Home, overseeing emergency shelter and street outreach efforts; conducted an analysis of homelessness in 22 counties in Colorado through Governor Hickenlooper’s Office; and served as project manager for numerous Project Homeless Connect events.
Dr. Tim Tingey has worked for over twenty-five years in education, government, and non-profit organizations as a public administrator. He is currently a full-time faculty member in the Division of Public Affairs and serves as Chief Administrative Officer at NeighborWorks Salt Lake. He recently served for six years as the City Manager and Chief Executive Officer for Cottonwood Heights City, overseeing all executive and administrative functions of the community. He previously worked as the Director of Administrative and Development Services for Murray City Corporation managing seven divisions for the city and was the Executive Director for the Redevelopment Agency of Murray. He also worked for the City of Pocatello for eleven years in housing, planning, grant administration and economic development.
Dr. Tingey holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business (Management/Human Resources) from Utah State University and has a Master of Public Administration and Doctorate in Political Science from Idaho State University. He was an adjunct faculty member at Idaho State University teaching graduate and undergraduate courses in public administration and political science. He worked as an adjunct faculty member for The University of Utah since 2014 and in 2023 received an appointment as a core faculty member for the program.
Tony Tyler is a local real estate developer with an office in Park City, with a past portfolio that exceeds $1B in construction value across multiple sectors – commercial/retail, multi-family and single-family residential and industrial projects. Recent notable projects include the Pendry Hotel & Residences and Slopeside Village (a 1,204-bed employee housing project), both in Park City. He believes that innovation in new social norms, environmental sustainability and affordability drive the creation of unique places where people live, work and play. Tony also serves on multiple boards, including the Canyons Village Management Association and PC Tots (a non-profit focused on early childhood education). As an 18-year resident of Utah, Tony lives in Park City with his wife, Dawn and son, Karsten (8). In his free time, Tony prefers spending time with his family outdoors, camping, hiking and fishing in the summers and snowshoeing, skiing and playing hockey in the winter.
Utah Gov. Spencer J. Cox has named Steve Waldrip as his Senior Advisor for Housing Strategy and Innovation, a new position dedicated to developing a statewide strategic housing plan and leading efforts to increase housing stock and housing innovation in the state.
“Today’s shortage of housing puts homeownership out of reach for too many Utahns and presents an existential threat to Utah’s future,” said Gov. Cox. “Steve has a passion for housing and deep experience in housing attainability, housing development, and the legislative process. He’s respected across the board and I’m so grateful he’s willing to join our administration to work on these important issues.”
Waldrip has extensive experience in real estate development, law and government operations in public and private partnerships. For the past 11 years, he’s been a partner and co-founder of the Rocky Mountain Homes Fund, which focuses on providing working professionals in the middle class with homeownership opportunities. Waldrip also serves on the boards of United Way Northern Utah and Ogden Valley Land Trust. He served as chair of the Utah Commission on Housing Affordability and continues to serve on that commission. A former state legislator, Waldrip served in the Utah House representing District 8 from 2019 to 2022
Dr. Jayme Walters is an Assistant Professor and Director of the Transforming Communities Institute (TCI) in the Department of Social Work at Utah State University. She was awarded her PhD from the University of Tennessee, College of Social Work. She earned her MSW and a certificate in Non-profit Organizations: Development and Management from the University of Georgia and a BSW from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. Dr. Walters also received a certificate in Fundraising Management from Indiana University, Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. Walters worked in nonprofits for nearly ten years prior to shifting into academia, focusing on administration, fundraising, and program development. At USU, Walters is focused on community-engaged research and solution-building to address pressing social issues in Utah. Connecting her research with teaching, students are involved in all aspects of research projects, providing immersive experiences to prepare them for practice. In service, among other roles, Walters is a member of the USU Institutional Review Board and a founding board member and Board President of the William A. Burnard Warming Center in Logan. In 2023, she received USU’s Community-Engaged Presidential Faculty Award.
Sharlene Wilde has served as the Executive Director of NeighborWorks Mountain Country Home Solutions for the past 20 years where she has led the organization from rehabbing one house per year to currently having several housing projects currently under development and/or construction. Under her direction, the organization has built and sold or rented over 200 units with an additional 65 scheduled during the next two years. NeighborWorks also provides housing and financial counseling to approximately 1300 families each year across the State of Utah.
Previously, she worked in municipal government for 19 years serving as Finance and Administrative Services Director for South Jordan City, Draper City and Provo City. She has extensive experience in budget administration, policy development, training and staff development, working with community and civic groups, capital project financing and construction. For the past 33 years, she has also served as the contract accountant for the South Utah Valley Solid Waste District in Springville, UT.
Sharlene has lead the local group that has established the Southwest Utah Community Land Trust as part of the Housing Attainability Coalition in Southern Utah. She is also on the board of directors of Rocky Mountain CRC, and the Utah Housing Coalition. She also serves on the Ivins City Affordable Housing Committee. She has served as Board President of the Mountainland Community Health Center, Chair of the various City Board of Adjustments, Board Member of Tabitha’s Way Food Pantry and Accounting Advisory Board for Utah Valley Community College.
She has a master degree in business administration, accounting and finance from the University of Phoenix. She was married for 40 years to her recently deceased husband and has 2 children and 5 grandchildren. She currently lives in St. George, Utah but manages both the Orem and St. George office each week. She enjoys traveling, and spending time with family and friends.
David Wilkins, Place Based Investments Associate, Intermountain Health, supports the health system's Place Based Investments (PBI) program, which is a multi-asset class investment program focused on addressing the social determinants of health and achieving double-bottom-line returns. Intermountain has deployed over $126 million to support affordable housing, employment, and inclusive financial products throughout the system’s service area. David supports the PBI program through pipeline development, investment underwriting, and ongoing operational support.
Dave Wittwer has 30 years experience as an insurance and risk advisor; Dave’s practice includes a targeted focus on insurance and risk solutions for non-profit entities providing housing solutions to underserved populations. Dave is an Executive Vice President with Brown & Brown, Inc. Brown & Brown, Inc. is a publicly traded, nationally ranked insurance broker and risk advisor.
Hector Zuniga is a 25+ year real estate professional whose work experience includes capital origination, asset management, funds management, project management, construction management, land development, acquisitions/dispositions, and real estate finance in all commercial real estate asset classes. Over his career Hector has been directly involved in nearly $3 Billion
