NLIHC - Key Persons
Adelle Chenier is NLIHC's director of events. An expert in event operations, production, planning, project management, and VIP services, she has been centrally involved in events direction for more than 18 years, overseeing activations for professional and collegiate sports teams, serving as lead operator for a national conference, and planning events for 25,000-person audiences. Adelle plays a key role in advancing NLIHC's mission by increasing our visibility and expanding engagement through our events.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director / Alabama Housing Finance Authority
Alayna Calabro is a senior policy analyst on NLIHC's policy team. In this role, she identifies, analyzes, and advocates for federal policies and regulatory activities that advance the Coalition's mission.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President for Research
Andrew Aurand is senior vice president for research at NLIHC. He leads NLIHC's research team in documenting the housing needs of low-income renters in annual publications like The Gap and Out of Reach, conducts additional research that informs housing policy related to extremely low-income renters, and co-manages the National Housing Preservation Database.
Job Titles:
- Minnesota Housing Partnership
Job Titles:
- Development Specialist
- Development Specialist With
Benja Reilly is a development specialist with NLIHC, helping ensure the Coalition secures the necessary resources to support its mission. Before joining NLIHC, Benja served as Lead Caseworker and Burial Assistance Coordinator for Samaritan Ministry of Greater Washington, where he assisted clients with long-term support and self-help. He has also conducted research and planned events with Gallaudet University and the Central American Resource Center as a legal intern. He received his undergraduate degree in religion from Carleton College with a minor in Spanish.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Executive Director
- Executive Director of the Alaska Coalition
Brian Wilson, executive director of the Alaska Coalition on Housing and Homelessness, expressed concerns about a wave of evictions, since the state will not have the resources to prevent families and individuals from falling into homelessness. Read more about Alaska's distribution of emergency rental assistance and how the courts are handling eviction hearings.
Job Titles:
- Director of Field Organizing
As Director of Field Organizing, Brooke Schipporeit oversees NLIHC's field outreach, organizing, and advocate-mobilization efforts. Brooke previously spent several years in Pennsylvania, where she supported state and local coalitions in their efforts to achieve solutions to housing poverty. As an MSW intern with the Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania, she informed and mobilized coalition members to advance equitable housing policy. She also served as Philadelphia's regional housing coordinator for the Self-Determination Housing Project of Pennsylvania, where she focused on expanding affordable and accessible housing options for people with disabilities and older adults. Prior to beginning her career in affordable housing, Brooke worked in direct services in Nebraska for the Head Start program and a domestic violence shelter. She earned a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Pennsylvania and holds a BS in Social Work from Nebraska Wesleyan University.
Job Titles:
- CEO / Alaska Housing Finance Corporation
Job Titles:
- National Campaign Director, OSAH
Chantelle Wilkinson came to NLIHC from New York, where she worked as a budget analyst for the state legislature and helped enact housing and transportation policies. In 2016, she worked on the Breathing Lights Campaign with the Center for Women in Government and Civil Society. The campaign highlighted the problem of dilapidated vacant housing in the capital region of New York State and spurred collaboration between artists, community organizations, neighborhood ambassadors, project administrators, and government officials. Chantelle received a BA in political science, with minors in Latin American/ Caribbean studies and Spanish, and an MA in public administration from the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy at the University at Albany.
Job Titles:
- Project Manager of the Our Homes
- Project Manager, Our Homes, Our Votes
Courtney Cooperman is project manager of the Our Homes, Our Votes initiative, leading NLIHC's nonpartisan efforts to register, educate, and mobilize low-income renters to vote and to elevate housing as an election issue.
Job Titles:
- Senior Research Analyst
- Manager, Research
Dan Emmanuel is a senior research analyst at NLIHC. Before joining the organization in 2013, he worked in a range of housing and community development contexts, with a particular focus on program evaluation and community needs assessment. Dan earned his BA in philosophy and psychology from the College of William & Mary and his MSW with a concentration in community and organization practice from Saint Louis University.
Job Titles:
- Assistant
- Senior Executive
Danita Humphries is senior executive assistant at NLIHC. In this role, she ensures that the President and CEO as well as other staff have the proper support needed to reach the Coalition's goals and achieve its mission. Danita comes to NLIHC with an extensive background in executive support and office management. Prior to joining NLIHC, she served as an office manager and contract specialist for a hauling company, where she secured contracts and leads as well as implemented hazard material and go-green programs.
Job Titles:
- Multifamily Administrator
Diane Yentel is the President and CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, a membership organization dedicated to achieving racially and socially equitable public policy that ensures people with the lowest incomes have quality homes that are accessible and affordable in communities of their choice. With over twenty-five years of experience working on affordable housing, Diane is a leading national expert on housing insecurity and homelessness.
Ed Gramlich has been at NLIHC since 2005. During his first two years, Ed staffed the RegWatch Project, an endeavor to expand the Coalition's capacity to monitor federal regulatory and administrative actions, with a focus on preserving the affordable housing stock, both public and assisted. From 2007 to 2010, he was the Director of Outreach. Prior to joining the staff of the Coalition, he worked for 26 years at the Center for Community Change (CCC), where his primary function was to provide technical assistance about CDBG to low-income community-based groups. While at CCC, Ed also devoted considerable time to providing technical assistance to groups concerned about the negative impacts of UDAGs in their communities.
Job Titles:
- Project Manager
- Project Manager, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Gabby Ross is project manager of diversity, equity, and inclusion. In this role, she works to ensure that NLIHC centers equity in our research, policy, and advocacy priorities by weaving into the work the tenets of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Anti-racism, and Systems-thinking (IDEAS). In addition to researching the latest innovations in diversity, equity, and inclusion, she gathers data and makes recommendations regarding programs, initiatives, processes, and procedures and assists with the planning and implementation of NLIHC's IDEAS work plan.
Prior to joining NLIHC, Gabby was a housing stability specialist for a property management company in Washington D.C., where she helped residents apply for emergency rental assistance. Previously, Gabby worked as a housing specialist at N Street Village for the Patricia Handy Place for Women shelter in Washington D.C. During her time there, she worked alongside case managers and community partners to find safe and affordable housing for women at the shelter to help them exit homelessness successfully. Gabby graduated from Howard University in 2019 with a BA in political science and a minor in community development.
Job Titles:
- Creative Services Manager
As Creative Services Manager at NLIHC, Ikra Rafi is responsible for NLIHC's print and online graphic design efforts. She first joined NLIHC as a graphic design intern in 2015. Her interest in social justice stems from her freelancing work and internships she held at various nonprofits, including NLIHC. Ikra holds a BFA in arts and visual technology from George Mason University.
Job Titles:
- Coalition 's Vice President of External Affairs
- Vice President, External Affairs
Jen Butler is the Coalition's Vice President of External Affairs. Jen works with the NLIHC chief executive officer to lead all of the organization's departments and activities that are externally facing, including: communications, media relations, brand, public relations, fund development, and events.
Job Titles:
- National Campaign Coordinator
Julie Walker is the Opportunity Starts at Home (OSAH) campaign coordinator. Julie worked previously with Baltimore Regional Housing Partnership (BRHP), where she focused initially on rental assistance before shifting to staff and participant program training, managing the Client Advisory Board, and providing technical assistance to housing authorities developing housing mobility programs. Julie holds a master's degree in social work from The Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis and a bachelor's degree in social work from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
Governor Kay Ivey authorized the Alabama Housing Finance Authority (AHFA) to implement the state's new $263 million COVID-19 emergency rental assistance program. AHFA expects to accept applications from landlords and tenants beginning March 1.
After Governor Kay Ivey allowed the statewide eviction moratorium to expire on June 1, up to 48% of Alabama renters are in danger of losing their homes due to the pandemic's economic fallout.
Kayla Laywell serves on the policy team as a housing policy analyst. Before joining NLIHC, she worked in the office of Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), where she covered housing and homelessness. Prior to working for Senator Luján, Kayla was a field representative in the office of former Congresswoman Xochitl Torres Small (D-NM), where she advocated for the needs of rural communities and Tribal governments at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Kayla's legislative career started in the Texas Capitol as a health policy fellow in Representative Garnet Coleman's office.
Job Titles:
- Finance
- Vice President of Operations
Khara Norris is a seasoned professional with extensive experience in operations and finance, currently serving as the Vice President of Operations and Finance. Prior to this role, she held the position of Senior Director of Administration, where she successfully oversaw the operations, finance, and various administrative functions. With a strong focus on efficiency and effectiveness, she is dedicated to ensuring the smooth operation of all aspects of the organization.
As a manager of public policy, Kim is responsible for identifying and analyzing federal policy and regulatory activities related to NLIHC's priorities, advocating around those policies and activities on Capitol Hill, and working with NLIHC's field team to engage NLIHC's members and network in field advocacy. Kim focuses especially on the housing protections in the "Violence Against Women Act," criminal justice reform, and evictions.
Lakesha Dawson is NLIHC's director of operations. Working closely with the vice president of finance and operations, Lakesha draws on her deep expertise and broad range of experience to implement and enhance the financial, human resources, and administrative processes that enable the Coalition to effectively fulfill its mission.
As the web/graphic design specialist on NLIHC's communications team, Lauren is responsible for managing NLIHC's websites and electronic communications, designing print and digital publications, and developing and maintaining the NLIHC brand in all external materials. She also assists with the development and execution of communications and marketing strategies.
Job Titles:
- Senior Neighborhood Planner
Job Titles:
- Housing Advocacy Organizer
- Senior Housing Advocacy Organizer
Lindsay Duvall is a senior housing advocacy organizer at NLIHC. In this position, Lindsay helps the field team engage advocates on federal policy priorities to advance the Coalition's mission and expand NLIHC membership. She has an extensive background in emergency and affordable housing programs, having worked for eight years with NLIHC member Hudson River Housing in Poughkeepsie, New York. As manager of advocacy and community engagement, she crafted outreach strategies, developed partnerships, managed resident leadership initiatives, supported communications projects, and expanded the agency's advocacy work.
Job Titles:
- Legal Services of Eastern Missouri
Mackenzie Pish is a research analyst at NLIHC, where she documents the housing needs of low-income community members across the U.S.
Prior to joining the Coalition, she worked with Innovation for Justice (i4J) - a social justice-focused legal innovation lab jointly housed at the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law and the University of Utah David Eccles School of Business.
Job Titles:
- Director of Communications
Matthew Clarke is director of communications at NLIHC. Previously, he was the Coalition's writer/editor, advancing NLIHC's mission by providing writing and editing support to staff on major publications, external and internal communications, and development efforts.
Job Titles:
- Senior Communications Specialist
May Louis-Juste is NLIHC's Senior Communications Specialist. Before joining NLIHC, May worked at DKC, a public relations agency, where she was a media relations coordinator, engaging with media and securing placements in local and national publications for an array of clients. Previously, she was a graduate intern at Edelman, where she assisted in digital communications for CEOs in the health technology and global corporate social responsibility sectors. A graduate of Howard University, May holds a bachelor's degree in strategic, legal, and management communication with a concentration in public relations and marketing.
Governor Mike Dunleavy issued the State of Alaska's COVID-19 Health Mandate 014 on Non-Congregate Sheltering. Alaska state officials announced a plan to use hotel rooms, university dorms, and other buildings to temporarily quarantine health care workers and homeless families with at least one member who tested positive for COVID-19 or require quarantine.
Millen Asfaha is operations coordinator at NLIHC. She works closely with the vice president of operations and finance and the director of operations to ensure efficient operations in support of NLIHC's mission to achieve racially and socially equitable public policy for those with the lowest incomes. Her responsibilities include assisting with financial management, organizational record-keeping, HR and IT support, and assisting with logistics for vital meetings and events.
Job Titles:
- ERASE Project Coordinator
- Project Coordinator With the End Rental Arrears to Stop Evictions ( ERASE ) Team
Nada Hussein is project coordinator with the End Rental Arrears to Stop Evictions (ERASE) team. In this role, Nada works to advance the Coalition's mission and ensure that the historic emergency rental assistance appropriated by Congress reaches the lowest-income and most marginalized renters.
Job Titles:
- Manager, Disaster Recovery
Born and raised in the DC area, Noah came to NLIHC from Baltimore, MD, where he worked at the Homeless Persons Representation Project, Inc. (HPRP), helping to advocate for policies to expand public benefit programs and protecting Housing Choice Voucher holders. After working as a campaign and state house staffer in Maryland, Noah received a JD from the University of Baltimore School of Law. While in law school, Noah was heavily involved in coordinating Legal Observers of the National Lawyers Guild to protect the legal rights of Baltimore-area political protestors and served as a Kellogg's Law Fellow at the NAACP Office of the General Counsel working on transit equity and educational policy. Noah received his BA in political science from McDaniel College in Westminster, MD. He has been a member of the Maryland bar since 2018.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President for Racial Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Renee M. Willis is NLIHC's Senior Vice President for Racial Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. In this role, Renee works to ensure that NLIHC's commitment to racial equity, diversity, and inclusion is woven through its culture, policies, programs, and practices. She also leads NLIHC's intensified engagement of renters with low-incomes and people with lived-experience with homelessness and housing instability. From 2015 to 2021, Renee served as NLIHC's Vice President for Field and Communications. In 2020, she served as a fellow with the Shriver Center's Racial Justice Institute and joined a network of advocates working on race equity issues across the country.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director / Alabama Housing Finance Authority
Sarah previously served as a research associate with Legal Services Corporation (LSC), the nation's largest funder of civil legal services for low-income individuals. As part of the team behind LSC's congressionally funded Eviction Study, Sarah led the development of the Eviction Laws Database in partnership with the Center for Public Health Law Research at Temple University.
Job Titles:
- Vice President
- Vice President, State and Local Innovation
Sarah Gallagher is vice president of state and local innovation, with overall strategic and operational responsibility for NLIHC's efforts to support local partners in advancing state and local tenant protections and other innovations to end homelessness and ensure housing stability for low-income renters.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President of Public Policy and Field Organizing
As Senior Vice President of Public Policy and Field Organizing, Sarah Saadian oversees NLIHC's broad policy portfolio and field mobilization efforts. With over a decade of experience successfully advancing affordable housing policies on Capitol Hill, Sarah has testified before Congress and has been quoted in major media outlets on a wide range of issues. Prior to joining NLIHC in 2016, Sarah worked as a senior analyst at Enterprise Community Partners and as policy counsel at Rapoza Associates. She graduated from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 2009 after receiving her bachelor's degree from the University of Virginia in 2005, and she has been a member of the Virginia State Bar since 2009.
Job Titles:
- Project Manager
- Housing Advocacy Organizer
- Project Manager, Inclusive Community Engagement
Sidney Betancourt is project manager of inclusive community engagement on the NLIHC racial equity team. They are responsible for building and maintaining a network of individuals with lived experience of housing instability and homelessness and engaging them in federal housing advocacy efforts. Additionally, Sidney works to increase NLIHC's awareness of and responsiveness to pressing issues in frontline communities. They also help manage NLIHC's Tenant Talk publication and "Tenant Talk Live" webinar.
As a development coordinator at NLIHC, Steve Moore Sanchez draws on his extensive background in fundraising and public policy to ensure the Coalition secures the necessary resources to support its mission. Prior to joining NLIHC, he served as a writer for development at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, where he crafted proposals, reports, donor communications, and other materials on the organization's work to strengthen housing, health, nutrition, and other essential programs. Steve also has experience planning and coordinating fundraising efforts at Prosperity Now, Farmworker Justice, and the Washington Office on Latin America.
Job Titles:
- Project Manager
- Project Manager, State and Local Innovation
Victoria (Tori) Bourret is project manager of state and local innovation. In her previous role, as ERASE senior project coordinator, Tori worked with NLIHC's ERASE team to advance the Coalition's mission and ensure that the emergency rental assistance appropriated by Congress reached the lowest-income and most marginalized renters. Before joining the ERASE team, Tori was a housing advocacy organizer, mobilizing and activating the field around the Coalition's policy priorities, supervising interns, and managing the state partner network, among other activities.