NC HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Director of Strategic Partnerships
Adrienne Spinner joined the NCHC team in 2020 as the State Organizing Director. She resides outside of Greensboro, NC, where she has lived since graduating from NC A&T State University. Adrienne mainly focused on community volunteering until she ran for public office in 2018. Even though she did not win her race, she leveraged the political connections she made to continue growing in community organizing and advocacy, with particular focus on fighting housing and food insecurity, advocating for public education, and promoting equitable policies that uplift women and people of color. Adrienne's volunteer work includes working with Equality NC and Carolina Federation, serving on the NC Council for Women and Board of Directors for the ERA Alliance, and staying involved in local activism around public education and criminal justice reform. She is a work-at-home mom of 2, and strongly believes in raising her children to be future activists and social justice leaders. Contact Adrienne at 919.827.4493 or aspinner (at) nchousing dot org.
Alex has worked at the Coalition since 2022 as the Housing Fellow. Alex brings 8 years of experience working in affordable housing, community development, and behavioral health. Alex has worked in the affordable housing arena with nonprofits, state agencies, behavioral health providers, as well as real estate developers and property management firms. Originally from Washington DC, Alex graduated from Bard College in 2006 and earned a Masters of Social Work from Washington University in St. Louis. Alex and his wife have been living in Durham since 2015. Contact Alex at 984.253.4498 or arubenstein (at) nchousing dot org.
Anna joined the Coalition in January 2022 as the Policy Analyst. She enjoys bridging research and practice to promote equitable housing policies and resources. Previously, Anna led efforts in local government to expand the supply of privately owned affordable rental housing through partnerships with private landlords. Anna completed her graduate training in public health (MPH) and affordable housing (MCRP) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her academic and professional experiences in the fields of affordable housing and public health equip her with a broad understanding of affordable housing policy, communicating with a variety of audiences, and using data to tell stories. Contact Anna at 919.827.4491 or apatterson (at) nchousing dot org.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Vice Chair / Capitol Broadcasting Company
Haley began working for the Coalition in February 2019 as the Membership and Communications Officer, where she enjoys connecting with member organizations across the state. Through her background in Americorps VISTA and nonprofit administration, she is experienced in capacity building and community relations. She has a BA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Contact Haley at 919.827.4492 or hsolomon (at) nchousing dot org.
Job Titles:
- Development Director
- NCHC in 2021 As the Development Director
Jessica Griffin joined NCHC in 2021 as the Development Director. She grew up in Wake County and brings more than 13 years of nonprofit and fundraising experience. She is passionate about providing people the opportunity to invest and build community, building authentic relationships with stakeholders, and strategic system level planning. Jessica has worked at state level and multistate regional organizations, including membership and network based nonprofits. Most recently she served as Development Manager at the NC Partnership for Children.
Job Titles:
- Buyout Coordinator
- the Buyout Coordinator
Jessika McNeill joined the Coalition in May 2022 as the Buyout Coordinator. She has a passion for homelessness, community development, housing policy and affordable housing issues. She has 7 years of experience working with various nonprofits such as Habitat for Humanity, Susan G. Komen, the National MS Society, Florence Crittenton Services, and many more. She is a licensed NC Real Estate agent and has a Master's degree in Community Development from Kansas State University. Contact Jessika at jmcneill (at) nchousing dot org.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Chairman / NC a & T Real Estate Foundation
Job Titles:
- Local Organizing Director
- NCHC in 2020 As the Director
Nick MacLeod joined NCHC in 2020 as the Director of Local Organizing. Nick brings more than ten years of community and housing organizing experience to the Coalition. In New York, Nick ran Housing Organizing on Staten Island for Make the Road NY. There he worked with leaders from tenant associations, faith institutions, immigrant rights groups & community development corporations to build The Staten Island Housing Dignity Coalition. After moving to North Carolina, Nick worked for The Center for Popular Democracy supporting organizations across the country to run effective campaigns, build powerful organization and implement sustainable organizing infrastructure. For the past two years, Nick has worked on campaigns in North Carolina for Medicaid Expansion and expanded economic opportunity as the State Director for the Impact Project. Contact Nick at 919.827.4494 or at nmacleod (at) nchousing dot org.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Samuel has worked at the NC Housing Coalition since 2015. He currently chairs the Housing Recovery Support Function of the NC State Disaster Recovery Taskforce, is appointed to the NC Interagency Council On Coordinating Homeless Programs, and sits on the Board of Directors of the Council of Independent State Housing Associations. Samuel has a background in community development and public policy from his time at Habitat for Humanity of Wake County, AmeriCorps VISTA, and the Peace Corps. He is a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin (B.A.) and Duke Divinity School (M.Div), and is also a Baptist minister who has served churches in North Carolina and Texas. Contact Samuel at 919.827.4496 or sgunter (at) nchousing dot org.
Job Titles:
- Housing Programs Director
Stacie began working for the Coalition in January of 2011 through Accountemps as the bookkeeper. In August of 2011, she was hired as the Staff Accountant for the CHIN program. In 2015, her position title changed to Housing Programs Manager where she managed the Coalition's housing programs and worked closely with local housing counseling agencies (LHCA) and counselors throughout North and South Carolina. In June 2019, she transitioned to an operations role with a promotion to Director of Operations and Programs. Her current role allows her to return to her first love of accounting and operations while still working with LHCAs across the state. Stacie has an MBA and BA in Bus. Admin/HR from Saint Leo University in Florida and has worked in nonprofit accounting since 2008. Contact Stacie at 919.800.0878 or sdarden (at) nchousing dot org.
Job Titles:
- Director of Housing Policy
Stephanie Watkins-Cruz joined NCHC in August 2022 as the Director of Housing Policy. Stephanie is passionate about affordable housing, community engagement, and creating bridges for effective and creative collaboration to address community needs. Prior to joining NCHC Stephanie worked as a Policy Analyst for Chatham County where she was responsible for developing and implementing affordable housing policies and programs, facilitating strategic planning efforts, and providing support to organization leaders, officials, and community partners. She also worked as a Fellow with the Development Finance Institute at the UNC School of Government, and as a Collaborative database Project Manager for the Chatham County Council on Aging. She has a master's degree in City & Regional Planning and Public Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a BA in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Asheville. Contact Stephanie at 919.442.8265 or swatkinscruz (at) nchousing dot org.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors