MEET THE TEAM

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

JOSEPH L. SHERMAN

President

Joseph L. Sherman is the President and co-founder of The Reliant Group. He is the co-owner and founder of Reliant Group Management and Reliant Property Management. Mr. Sherman directs capital formation and acquisitions, employing a hands-on approach with each investment to ensure successful execution. He specializes

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in acquiring real estate assets with complicated, multifaceted issues, including remediation, repositioning, renovation, and new construction.

Mr. Sherman began his career as a real estate attorney in Washington, D.C., representing affordable and market rate multifamily housing developers nationwide. Mr. Sherman’s primary practice area was affordable housing, particularly in conjunction with HUD Section 8 rental assistance and FHA financing. He also developed an expertise in alternative energy and energy efficiency, representing utilities and entrepreneurs, as well as writing several publications on solar energy, alternative energy, and energy conservation for the U.S. Department of Energy.

In 1985, Mr. Sherman joined Oxford Development Company, the country’s second largest developer of multifamily housing, to develop bond-financed mixed-income properties. During Mr. Sherman’s tenure, Oxford was the single largest developer user of tax-exempt financing for affordable multifamily properties in the United States. While at Oxford, Mr. Sherman honed his skills in underwriting, finance, and placement of tax-exempt bonds, backed by multifamily assets.

Mr. Sherman founded The Reliant Group in 1992, to serve as a general partner in a partnership with The Resolution Trust Corporation, as part of a national effort to resolve the nation’s savings and loan crisis. Over the next five years, The Reliant Group acquired over $750 MM of sub performing and non-performing loans with the RTC, earning national recognition as one of the best performing partners in RTC’s joint venture programs. An additional $550 MM of distressed assets were acquired from private sellers. In 2001, Mr. Sherman shifted The Reliant Group’s focus to the acquisition and development of bond-financed affordable housing, launching the CAP series of investment funds. Since 2001, the CAP series of discretionary funds have invested over $500 MM of equity in over $2 billion of multifamily assets, including senior housing, student housing, market-rate housing, and affordable housing. Over 22,000 units of housing have been acquired and/or developed by Reliant Group Management, including over 50 LIHTC communities in a dozen states.

Mr. Sherman served as Chairman of the Real Estate Capital Recovery Association and as Executive Director and President of Equality Community Housing Corporation, a nonprofit owner of affordable housing. He currently serves as President of Rainbow Housing Assistance Corporation (Rainbow), a nonprofit owner of low- and moderate-income housing, which he founded in 2002. Rainbow currently serves over 100 low-income communities nationwide, meeting the needs of a diverse low-income tenant population with a variety of programs which stimulate neighborhood revitalization and help residents achieve self sufficiency. Mr. Sherman is also President of the Board of Texas Council of Foundation for Social Resources, a nonprofit owner of over 20 LIHTC communities. He was a founder and trustee of The Bay School, a science and technology high school, located in San Francisco, serving for over 10 years. He is currently on the Board of Trustees of San Francisco Jazz, the first free-standing jazz concert venue in the U.S. He has been a guest lecturer on housing issues at Harvard and UC Berkeley.

Mr. Sherman earned his BA from Bowdoin College magna cum laude and his JD from Georgetown University Law Center. He resides in San Francisco.

GARY SILVERSMITH

Secretary and Chief Financial Officer

Mr. Silversmith has served since 1991, as President and owner of P&L Investments, an asset management, investment, and advisory company based in Washington, D.C. Mr. Silversmith has been at the forefront of The Brownfield movement, by remediating environmentally challenged properties throughout the country. Mr.

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Silversmith serves on the boards of numerous nonprofits, including The Boy Scouts of America, (the largest youth organization in the United States) and he is a Trustee of both National Jewish Hospital in Denver and Washington University in St Louis. He is also on the Advisory Board of the Georgetown University Law Center, where he graduated with two degrees.

JOSHUA ALLEN SR.

Director

Mr. Allen is the President of J. Allen Management Company, a fully integrated management firm operating in Texas and New Mexico which specializes in affordable multifamily properties. He has over 40 years of experience in all types of multifamily apartment properties. As the President of J. Allen Management, he is

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extremely qualified to handle all phases of apartment management and development. His experience exemplifies integrity, performance excellence, and quality. These personal commitments have contributed to the success of J. Allen Management Co., Inc. Mr. Allen is a CAM (Certified Apartment Manager), CAPS (Certified Apartment Property Supervisor), CAMT II (Certified Apartment Maintenance Technician II), and NAHP (National Assisted Housing Professional) executive. He has served 38 years on the Board of Directors of the Texas Apartment Association, served 6 terms on the Executive Committee, and served in the capacity of State President in 2007-2008 where he was the first African American to hold that position. Currently, he serves on the Board of the Houston Apartment Association and was recently awarded the status of Director Emeritus. Locally, he has served 3 times as the President of the Apartment Association of Southeast Texas and for 38 years on the Board of Jefferson County Drainage District 6, of which, he served 5 years as President. Mr. Allen was awarded “President of the Year” by the National Apartment Association and “Contractor of the Year” by Triplex Minority Business Council. In honor of his far-reaching community service in Southeast Texas, a highway has been renamed in Beaumont to Joshua W. Allen Sr. Highway. At Lamar University, Mr. Allen established the Joshua Allen Scholarship in Criminal Justice to reflect his commitment not only to the Criminal Justice field, but to education itself. Mr. Allen continues to seek opportunities to serve and volunteer in his community and state.

K. NICOLE ASARCH

Director

After a 25-year career in the affordable housing industry, which encompassed both management, development, and ownership of a large, multi-state portfolio along with 15 years as a senior executive in commercial real estate debt and equity financing nationwide, Ms. Asarch retired in late 2017 from investment banking to

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pursue other opportunities. Now involved in work on the policy and advocacy side of housing and politics as well as overseeing companies in the developing world in both East Africa and South America via her newest company Staffable Uganda, Ms. Asarch continues to build on past success via her expansion of holdings for Rock Real Estate, LLC and Rock Real Estate SAS (Colombia) created in 2014 and 2018 respectively. Ms. Asarch remains civically engaged as the immediate Past President for the Texas Affiliation of Affordable Housing Providers (TAAHP), serves as an advisor to the Coalition Against Global Genocide based in Denver, and recently accepted a position on the Board for the Women’s Bakery based in Kigali, Rwanda and St. Louis, Missouri. She is also an early investor and sits on the Advisory Board for Bye Aerospace based on Denver. Ms. Asarch travels extensively to many parts of the world in support of her various businesses, causes, and political issues.

HUGH COBB

Director

Mr. Cobb is a Principal at Asset Living and is responsible for overseeing the affordable division and assisting the multi-family division. In addition, he helps lead strategic new business initiatives. Hugh has over 30 years of real estate experience, spanning management, brokerage, lending, and investment. Throughout his career,

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he has completed lease-ups on over 28,000 new and renovated units, while also holding various executive positions at Capstone Real Estate Services, The Trammell Crow Company, Integrity Properties, and most recently, Alpha Barnes Real Estate Services.‍

Hugh earned a Bachelor of Business Administration (Dean’s List) from Texas Wesleyan University. After graduating, Hugh was appointed by President Reagan to serve as Congressional Liaison for The White House in Washington D.C. Hugh is the former President of the Apartment Association of Greater Dallas (AAGD) and serves on the Executive Committee of the Texas Apartment Association (TAA). He has been recognized by the Institute of Real Estate Management as a Certified Property Manager. On a federal level, Hugh lobbies on behalf of issues important to real estate investment, development, and housing affordability, in addition to serving several nonprofit organizations in board and advisory capacities.

DONNA JONES DALEY

Director

Ms. Daley is Managing Partner of Noble Resource Associates, LLC, a consulting firm, located in Washington, D.C. She provides leadership development, executive coaching, and strategic leadership consulting services to professionals across industries and business functions. Her global clients are responsible for building

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diverse teams of innovative thinkers, who achieve business outcomes in today’s complex business environments. Leveraging her corporate and international management consulting experience, Ms. Daley was State Tax Counsel for Turner Broadcasting System, where she implemented tax planning strategies for operations and facilities of more than 100 subsidiaries. She also previously worked in Legal Affairs, National Association of Home Builders Association. Ms. Daley holds a Juris Doctorate from Georgetown University Law Center.

RAYNOLD RICHARDSON

Director

Mr. Richardson formerly worked with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in several positions and is J. Allen Management’s multifamily expert. He was the Director, Fort Worth Asset Management Division, Southwest Multifamily Regional Center for HUD over a 5-state

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jurisdiction with 6 offices and managed an unpaid principle balance of $10 billion which consisted of 3,484 developments. Mr. Richardson was the Director, Multifamily Housing Program Center, Houston and managed both development and asset management programs including underwriting, asset management, and preservation activities for the assigned 35-county jurisdiction in east and southeast Texas. The Houston Program Center closed 374 insured loans (i.e., 221d4, 221d3, 223f, 241, 231, 232, 242, some inclusive of LIHTC, HOME, CDBG and Historical Tax Credit dollars), resulting in a total mortgage amount of $2,751,330,500 and 65,622 total units. The Program Center initially/finally endorsed 34 Section 202/811 developments totaling 1570 units in the amount of $111,751,880. He was also the Director, Office of Public and Indian Housing, Houston, managing all Public Housing programs including the Section 8 Housing Voucher, Certificate and Moderate Rehabilitation Programs; Capital Fund Programs (HOPE 6, development, modernization, and HQS compliance), Management Assessment Programs; Operating Fund programs; resident self-sufficiency and economic independence programs. In addition, as a former Chief of Asset Management, Multifamily Housing, Project Manager and Occupancy Specialist, his in-depth knowledge of HUD/FHA policy, production, asset management, public housing and community and planning development programs make him a key component of the J. Allen Management’s successful client and government relationships.

KEITH B. ROSENTHAL

Director

Mr. Rosenthal is the Co-Founder and President of Phoenix Realty Group (PRG), where he oversees strategic planning and implementation, and new business development. Prior to forming PRG, Mr. Rosenthal had extensive experience with tax credit syndication, and created a tax-exempt bond conduit program and formed

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significant joint venture relationships with community-based development organizations. Mr. Rosenthal has been an adjunct professor at the Real Estate Institute of New York University, a board member of the Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition, and the National Housing and Rehabilitation Association.

KIPLING S. SHEPPARD

Director

Kip Sheppard, President and CEO, Development and Construction Division of The Wasatch Group, is one of the affordable tax credit housing industries’ most respected leaders. Before joining The Wasatch Group, he served as Executive Vice President at Long Beach, California-based Simpson Housing Solutions LLC, then a

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division of Denver-based Simpson Housing Limited Partnership. Sheppard has overseen the acquisition and development of more than 3,100 units of affordable housing, over 3,300 units of market-rate housing, approximately 230,000 square feet of office, and over 500 stalls of structured parking. His geographical focus area includes most of the Western states: California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Idaho and Colorado. Mr. Sheppard directs all day-to-day activities and responsibilities. He is a frequently invited speaker at industry related conferences nationwide.

 

Sheppard started at SHS’ predecessor firm in 1995 as a project manager, helped build the firm’s tax credit development, acquisition and syndication business into a nationally known operation as well as a major profit center within the company. During his tenure, he was directly involved in more than 250 separate multifamily and senior housing developments representing some 23,850 units nationwide. He was responsible for the development, acquisition and resale of $1.475 billion in federal low-income housing tax credits and other types of federal and state tax credits, as well as, securing more than $500 million in both construction and permanent financing. His experience extends across the entire affordable housing development spectrum and includes land acquisition and entitlement; coordinating design and engineering consultants; obtaining project approvals; securing tax credit reservations and tax-exempt bond allocations; permitting; obtaining construction financing; supervising construction and construction management personnel; permanent financing; asset management; tax credit syndication; investor relations; and joint ventures. Sheppard served as director of tax credits for ARV Assisted Living, Inc., a Costa Mesa, California-based developer and syndicator of multifamily and senior housing projects. Prior to joining ARV, he was a senior staff tax accountant with Novogradac, Fortenbach & Co., specializing in tax credit financing. While there, he edited the second and third editions of the firm’s Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Handbook, and was managing editor of the LIHTC Monthly Report, a nationally distributed publication. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business with an emphasis in accounting from Colorado State University.

MICHAEL A. COSTA

Director

Mr. Costa, President and Chief Executive Officer, is responsible for overseeing all activities at Highridge Costa Housing Companies, which include Highridge Costa Housing Partners LLC (“HCHP”) and Highridge Costa Investors LLC (“HCI”). The companies specialize in the development, financing, construction, and asset

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management of affordable and mixed-income housing for families and seniors throughout the U.S., utilizing low-income housing tax credits, as well as other types of public and private financing. The companies were created in 2010 as a joint venture between Mr. Costa, President and Chief Executive Officer and founder of the Companies’ predecessor firms, and Highridge Partners, a diversified, privately held investment firm that has acquired, developed and/or financed assets totaling more than $7 billion. Over the past 17 years, Mr. Costa and his team, under the companies’ various identities, have been responsible for developing and growing a portfolio of approximately 27,000 housing units in more than 275 communities throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico, all of which were financed using tax credits. Throughout a career spanning nearly 3 decades, Mr. Costa has supervised the development and financing of nearly 40,000 units of multifamily affordable and market-rate housing. Through his extensive utilization of both federal and various state tax credit programs over the years, Mr. Costa has gained a wealth of specialized knowledge of the intricacies of tax credit financing and syndication. He is considered an industry expert in tax credit-based asset management, including the myriad of compliance issues associated with managing tax credit properties. Mr. Costa was named the Freddie Mac Multifamily Builder of the Year in 2000 and the 1999 Builder of the Year by Multifamily Executive magazine. He is currently a member of the NAHB Multifamily Leadership Board, and also serves as Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Community Financial Resource Center for Los Angeles, one of California’s most active nonprofit CDFIs. He also holds the CAASH (Certified Active Adult Specialist in Housing) designation from the NAHB. Mr. Costa earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering from California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo, and also holds a general contractor’s license from the State of California.

ADVISORY BOARD

CYNTHIA L. BAST, ESQ

Advisor

Cynthia Bast is nationally recognized as a preeminent lawyer in the area of affordable housing and community development finance and leads the Firm’s Affordable Housing Section. She calls upon her vast experience, including experience in the areas described below, as a frequent speaker at conferences across the country.

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Ms. Bast has been named in The Best Lawyers in America for Real Estate Law and in Chambers USA for 2016-2021. She is also a member of the Firm’s Board of Directors and Managing Partner of the Firm’s Austin office.

Finance Transactions

Ms. Bast assists clients with complex affordable housing and community development transactions using a variety of financing tools, including housing tax credits (LIHTC), tax-exempt bonds, HUD programs, and other federal, state, and local resources. Throughout her career, she has worked on hundreds of transactions involving housing in Texas and other states. Her clients include for-profit and nonprofit developers, investors, and governmental agencies.

Governmental Advocacy

In addition to her transactional work, Cynthia Bast actively represents clients before relevant governmental authorities and advocates for affordable housing issues with the Texas Legislature. Much of her work in this area is devoted to helping clients with matters before the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. In that capacity, she guides clients through critical appeals to the TDHCA Board and other administrative or compliance matters.

Year 15/Preservation

Qualified contracts, rights of first refusal and options intersect as owners and investors try to determine the best scenario for refinancing and restructuring their housing tax credit properties. Ms. Bast has a particular interest in the issues associated with the end of the housing tax credit compliance period and the preservation of affordable housing.

Workouts and Troubled Assets

When affordable housing properties become troubled, Cynthia Bast advises clients on creative solutions. Such solutions may include employing tax exemptions, restructuring existing financing, finding new soft financing, changing an ownership structure, or pursuing foreclosure. Whether the clients are owners, investors, or lenders, she brings an understanding of the complex regulatory overlay that is necessary to work out an affordable housing finance transaction.

  • Negotiating debt and equity financing documents for hundreds of housing tax credit transactions nationwide
  • Structuring and documenting complex transactions with multiple layers of financing, including HOME funds, CDBG funds, RAD, HOPE VI money, and other federal, state, and local sources
  • Representing buyers and sellers of affordable housing properties, before and after their compliance periods
  • Financing workforce housing without federal subsidy
  • Advocating for clients before the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs on critical matters involving housing tax credit applications, underwriting issues, and compliance matters for particular properties
  • Assisting clients with formulating strategies for work outs, including revision of existing financing agreements, identification of new financing, deed-in-lieu of foreclosure, foreclosure, general partner removal, and various kinds of settlements and releases
  • Assisting with creation and structuring of tax-exempt organizations doing affordable housing and community development work, ad valorem tax exemption, sales tax exemption, and CHDO certification

TOM DIXON

Advisor

Mr. Dixon is a director at Lument working in affordable housing production. Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, he is responsible for originating affordable multifamily loans nationwide; however, specifically specializes in tax-advantaged investments for multifamily housing. Previously, Mr. Dixon was

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a Vice-President, Acquisitions at Boston Capital Corporation where he managed the origination and structuring of equity investments in multifamily, as well as low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) projects across the southwestern and mountain state regions. Before that, he was a Vice-President, Acquisitions at Boston Capital Partners where he analyzed real estate underwriting and Section 42 tax issues for LIHTC properties for the potential investment of equity funds.

 

Mr. Dixon graduated from The George Washington University with a B.A. in Political Science. He is currently a Board member of several organizations, including the Novogradac Journal of Tax Credit Developments, the California Housing Consortium, Rainbow Housing Assistance Corporation, and Lakeview Community Capital.

S. QUINN GORMLEY

Advisor

Mr. Gormley serves as Executive Vice-President of HTG America. The firm has appointed veteran developer Quinn Gormley to head its new national development division—HTG America. He most recently served as a partner in Tidwell Group’s Austin, TX office and has more than 20 years of commercial real estate

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development experience principally centered on affordable housing, tax-oriented investments, and economic development. Prior to joining Tidwell Group, Gormley was director of multifamily housing and real estate finance at Adolfson & Peterson Construction and also worked as VP with JP Morgan Chase, N.A., where he was responsible for community development lending and client relationships in southwestern states. Mr. Gormley has successfully provided multi-level oversight on the development and initial operation on more than 6,000 units of multifamily and single-family affordable housing. He holds a BA from the University of Phoenix and served in the United States Marine Corps. He is based in Austin, TX.

KERRY KIRBY

Advisor

Mr. Kirby is a renowned entrepreneur, speaker, and technology innovator. He is the founder and CEO of New Orleans-based 365 Connect (established 2003), a leading provider of award-winning marketing, leasing, and resident technology platforms for the multifamily housing industry. Mr. Kirby has propelled

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365 Connect from a scrappy bootstrapped startup to an internationally recognized company, which has won an array of highly acclaimed international, national, and, regional awards; including the Louisiana Governor’s Technology Award. He has been a guest lecturer, featured speaker, and panelist at numerous universities, national conferences, and events and has been featured on the BBC Digital Planet program, NPR News, and various media outlets. Mr. Kirby has written the forward to a nationally published book on real estate and technology, presented in over 100 industry webcasts reaching over 1-million listeners, and is often quoted as an expert in technology. He has been named to the Silicon Bayou 100 List of most influential entrepreneurs for eight consecutive years.

PETER NICHOL

Advisor

Mr. Nichol is currently a Managing Director at Grandbridge Real Estate Capital where he is a member of a multifamily finance practice with a focus on affordable and mixed-income housing. Prior to co-founding his current Agency-lending affordable housing division, he served in real estate development roles for The Reliant Group, Inc.,

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BRIDGE Housing Corporation, and The Community Builders, Inc. In addition to his primary work in housing finance, Mr. Nichol has active interests in housing policy and education. He is a member of the Affordable and Workforce Housing Council for the Urban Land Institute and serves as a member of the Policy Advisory Board for the Fisher Center for Real Estate and Urban Economics at U.C. Berkeley’s Hass School of Business.

CHRISTOPHER N. THOMAS

Advisor

Mr. Thomas is the Office Managing Partner at Tidwell Group’s Austin office. With over 20 years of public accounting experience, Chris is responsible for providing domestic tax, financial accounting, and tax consulting services to individuals, corporations, and partnerships in a multitude of industries.

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He is also responsible for federal and state compliance with partnership tax allocation requirements; tax planning and tax compliance for partnerships and corporations, with a focus on low-income housing tax credit projects and real estate developers. He has a strong focus and active role in FCTG’s tax-incentivized real estate and commercial real estate practice. Clients served include publicly-held Fortune 100 companies, nonprofit housing organizations and developers across the United States. Mr. Thomas leads the firm’s cost segregation study practice and also served as a member of the University of Texas McCombs School of Business Advisory Council for the Department of Accounting.

REGINA SMITH ADAMS

Advisor

Regina Smith Adams is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Adams Smith and Associates, LLC (DBA Smith and Associates, LLC), located in Pflugerville, Texas. She provides Administrative Management Services, General Management Consulting Services, and Construction Project Management Services to include

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Diversity and Inclusion of Minority Small Businesses as well as Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 30 Certified, regulation for the Construction Industry. She is a graduate of the United States Small Business Administration (SBA)/Emerging Leaders Program of the Texas Southwest Region. She is also a graduate from a Historically Black Colleges Universities (HBCU), Alcorn State University, located in Lorman, Mississippi; where she obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from the School of Business Administration. She is a retiree of the State of Texas and has over 30 years of extensive experience in Procurements and Contracts Management Services overseeing state, federal, and local governmental funds. In this capacity, she served critical leadership roles in facilitating procurement and contracting services which met the needs of an organization with more than 54,000 employees throughout the State of Texas. She presently serves as a volunteer with multiple nonprofit organizations with focus to help unfortunate families by assisting in a variety of areas such as: restoration of families impacted by domestic violence, emergency shelter, guidance on multifamily housing assistance, connection with local meal programs and medical assistance, adults and youth at risk with job-readiness training and employment opportunities, college preparation with scholarship opportunities, and summer internship opportunities.

EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP

FLYNANN JANISSE

Executive Director

Serving since 2007 as the Executive Director of Rainbow Housing Assistance Corporation (Rainbow), President and Executive Director of Equality Community Housing Corporation, and President and Chairman of the Board of Rainbow Housing Texas, Inc., Ms. Flynann Janisse (“Flyn”) supports the national operations of an

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award-winning Resident Services Division of Rainbow and the asset management for an extensive affordable housing portfolio. Before joining Rainbow, Ms. Janisse served as Director of Property Management at Community Services of Arizona, a fully integrated management company specializing in the management of multifamily, service-enriched affordable housing. Ms. Janisse has extensive experience in managing market rate (REIT), Section 42 Tax Credit, Project Section 8, and HUD and RD-financed housing communities. As an Advisory Board member for Novogradac’s Journal of Tax Credits, Ms. Janisse is honored to provide industry knowledge through publications reaching over 45,000 readers and to serve as a judge for their industry Development of Distinction Awards at the Tax Credit Developers Conference recognizing excellence and ingenuity in the development of tax credit projects across the country using the LIHTC program. With 30+ years of experience in asset management with an emphasis on the development and implementation of social service programs for service-enriched affordable housing, she has assembled a team of professionals to serve the mission of Rainbow with integrity and passion.

DAVID BURKLEY

Associate Director

As a native Houstonian, Mr. Burkley matriculated at the University of Houston where his major field of study was Political Science with a minor focus in Africana Studies. In conjunction with his position at Rainbow Housing Assistance Corporation (which began in 2015), for the last 10 years, he has served his community through spiritual

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leadership as a member of the clergy. He is a firm believer in, “exposure changes your perception and your perception creates your reality.” Coming from a community identical to those he serves, Mr. Burkley attributes his success in life to the exposure he received from caring individuals who, despite his surroundings, saw his potential. In January 2010, he founded the Fellowship of Faith Church where he currently serves as the Lead Pastor. Mr. Burkley has committed his life to serving others and creating the same opportunities he was afforded by supporting national program development within the organization and onsite resident services coordinator training.

SHERI GARCIA

Director of Operations

Ms. Garcia has been working in the multifamily industry since 1998. Her career includes the asset management of over 4,000 units in multiple states. Her experience with low-income Bond, Section 8, LIHTC assets, and market-rate housing communities provides her with the knowledge and skills necessary to

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understand the importance of service-enriched housing.  Before her tenure with Rainbow, which began in 2008, she supported the onsite regional training for property management teams for multifamily communities in the area of accounting and marketing. As the Director of Training and Compliance, she is responsible for creating and implementing training programs and overseeing the development of Resident Service Coordinators nationally. Additionally, Ms. Garcia establishes performance metrics, evaluates productivity, and ensures the organization  complies with all contractual obligations to the provision of resident services for the city, state, and federal agencies.

DARREN LIS

Director of Business Development and Public Relations

Building relationships on character, integrity, and trust is the cornerstone of Mr. Lis’ career progression.  He holds a degree in Finance and Accounting from Pace University in New York and is a member of the Alpha Chi Honor Society.

 

Mr. Lis’ successful career spans leadership roles in the areas of operations, finance, and sales.

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He began his career with Domino Sugar in Manhattan as an internal auditor, identifying gaps and recommending controls to reduce operational and financial risk. He later moved on to Proctor & Gamble, Playtex Products, and Robert Half International. At Proctor & Gamble and Playtex Products, Mr. Lis managed departments as large as 60+ employees and had P&L responsibility for over $60MM. Here he instituted operational efficiencies resulting in improved bottom-line results by reducing cycle time, carrying costs, and operating expenses. While at Robert Half International, Mr. Lis successfully developed a new market division, Management Resources, placing senior-level financial professionals in project, interim, and contract-to-hire positions. Through his leadership, he built a high-performing sales team which was recognized as one of the highest performing divisions on the East Coast.

 

In 2008, Mr. Lis was recruited to CohnReznick to lead the Business Development efforts for the Affordable Housing Industry. There, he worked with for-profit and nonprofit developers, investors, owners, and property managers of Affordable and Supportive Housing.  His advice is sought after as a valued resource in Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), Historic Tax Credits (HTC), and New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC). At Rainbow, Mr. Lis is a strategic member of the leadership team and is continually working within the same vertical where he has built his reputation.

 

In his spare time, you will find Mr. Lis working on classic cars and hiking/backpacking in our many state and national parks.

LEWIS LAMPTON

Corporate Operations Manager

Lewis Lampton has over 21 years of experience in the multifamily housing/real estate industry. He served as an Asset Manager with Rainbow and affiliate entities for several years, wherein he managed and sustained a portfolio of approximately 13,000 units across the country. Early on in his career, he was introduced

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to affordable housing where he identified the value, and the challenges, of managing and maintaining low-income multifamily housing. Mr. Lampton recognized that oftentimes these communities require a unique focus to achieve financial resiliency for the owners, investors, and tenant population. His motivation to improve processes and his passion to assist residents of these communities allowed him to create opportunities for all stakeholders.

 

Mr. Lampton is returning to Rainbow as the Corporate Operations Manager after advancing his career as a senior leadership member with two emerging companies over the past six years. He led and designed departmental teams which implemented processes to increase workflow efficiencies company-wide. Most recently, Mr. Lampton operated as the Senior Manager of Vendor and Contract Management for Zillow Offers, a start-up company within Zillow. In his role, he was tasked with building departments from the ground up. With experience and ingenuity, he created appropriate standard operating procedures necessary for the success of the organization, while also creating positions to support organizational advancements. Mr. Lampton ensured the success of these teams by concentrating on the scalability of the departments as they grew. His leadership certified constant and accurate communication between all departments, teams, and in collaboration with necessary stakeholders.

STEPHANIE J FOSTER

Executive Systems and Relations Director

Ms. Foster has led the administrative management of various multifamily real estate companies for over two decades.  Her growing expertise in the organizational development of general partnership interests and the procurement of welfare and tax exemptions is a key element to the continued

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growth of our nonprofit ownership interests. Joining the team in 2008, she spearheaded and continues to facilitate the responsibilities of our IT department to include the management of existing and new sites’ technological infrastructures. Ms. Foster further supports Rainbow’s Board of Directors and mission to preserve affordable housing by interfacing directly with city, county, state, and federal governments to ensure that Rainbow and its partners continually operate within the limits of the appropriate governing agency’s regulations.

SALLY ENTEMAN

Director of Administration

As a highly recognized judicial court clerk, Ms. Enteman is a 19-year veteran of the Maricopa County Superior Court (judicial branch) in and for the state of Arizona. She has served the criminal administration as a trainer and mentor to the judicial branch, courtroom clerks, the criminal bench, and collaboration of all justice

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agencies.  An Arizona native with a Bachelor of Arts in the Administration of Justice, she continues to pursue her law degree at Arizona State University.  Joining Rainbow in 2016, Ms. Enteman will complement the advancing administration needs of our organization and enhance the growing formalities of our compliance obligations.  She has served as a 911 operator and works to continue her civic duty and passion with local organizations benefiting autistic children and the elderly.

LYNN WALSH

National Director of Resident Services

Ms. Walsh holds a Bachelor’s in early childhood development and a Master’s in business management, both from Arizona State University. Before joining the team at Rainbow Housing Assistance Corporation in 2012, Ms. Walsh was Director of Operations and Facilities for the Children’s Museum of Phoenix. Her duties included the

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original design, planning, and reconstruction of the historic Monroe School building into what is now the Children’s Museum of Phoenix. After their grand opening, she continued her duties of staffing, training, and managing the day-to-day operations of the Museum for over two years. Ms. Walsh was also instrumental in the annual and ongoing fundraisers for the museum. With over 10 years working with low-income individuals and families, her experiences have proven invaluable to Rainbow, as her duties serve the area of resource center development and program delivery.

MATT CURTIS

National Director of Education and Economic Workforce Development

A native to southwest Michigan, Mr. Curtis holds a Bachelor of Secondary Education in Economics, History, and Geography from Western Michigan University. He has taught elementary, middle, and high school grades in public schools for over 10 years between Michigan and Arizona. While holding these

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teaching positions, Mr. Curtis became heavily involved in community outreach projects. He has worked with Tumbleweed Youth Shelters, Maricopa County Justice Department, Junior Achievement, MicroSociety, and Kids-at-Hope organizations to enhance the lives of his students and their families. For his efforts, Mr. Curtis was nominated twice for the Gilder-Lehrman Arizona State History Teacher of the Year. Due to his impact in and outside of the classroom, he joined the team at Rainbow in 2018 as a content developer for the web-based adult education program and facilitated the national General Education Degree program. From these successes, Mr. Curtis has strategically focused this same innovative and passionate approach to leading the education and economic workforce development departments.

RESIDENT SERVICES OPERATIONS TEAM

TYLER JACKSON

Regional Resident Services Manager

Before joining the Rainbow Resident Programs and Services Division as the Senior Resident Services Coordinator in 2008, Mr. Jackson served in the United States Marine Corps for seven years from which he was honorably discharged.  Upon his release from the armed forces, Mr. Jackson went into the private sector where his talents

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could be best utilized.  In a previous position at the City of Houston Parks, Mr. Jackson served in the Recreation Assistance Department assisting community centers with afterschool programs and sports activities.   While employed at Ujima, Inc., Mr. Jackson served as the Site Coordinator for the Yvette W. Scales Neighborhood Network Center. Duties there included the development of onsite programs and activities and long-term case management for residents striving for greater social and economic self-sufficiency.  Mr. Jackson holds a degree in Communication from Houston Community College.

BARBARA JOHNSON

Regional Resident Services Manager

Ms. Johnson a true native, born and raised in Georgia. Over 40 years she has volunteered and worked in the Georgia counties of Cobb, Fulton, DeKalb, and the city of Atlanta, as well in the state of Maryland serving in an outreach capacity in communities. Before to being a member of the Rainbow family in 2012, she worked with two

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management companies as a Resident Services Coordinator and at DeKalb County District Attorney’s office in child support, administration, and victim-witness assistant. Ms. Johnson has been associated with several organizations for many years, such as Nesting Place (Executive Director – home for teen mothers under the care of DFCS), DeKalb Fatherhood Program (public relations and advocate), Smyrna Neighborhood Collaborative (Director), Jackson Memorial Family Outreach and Food Co-op (organizer), Eagle’s Nest Homeless Program (Board Member), Fisherman’s Net Family Life Center (Assistant Executive Director), Granny’s House in The Bowens Homes Housing Project (Board Member – program for abandoned children), Fortis College (Community Outreach Board), and Cobb County Youth Council Advisory Board.

SABRINA HALSEY

Resident Services Portfolio Manager

Ms. Halsey grew up living in Long Beach, Santa Ana, and San Diego, California. She graduated from George Dewey High School at the U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay in the Philippines, where her dad worked for the Navy as a Department of Defense Civilian. After graduating, she served our country in the United States

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Air Force in Lakenheath, England as a Security Specialist, after which she was honorably discharged and moved to Houston, Texas where she has worked for over 20 years with agencies which make a difference in the lives of children, adults, and seniors. Ms. Halsey worked for three years as a Client Service Specialist Team Lead for the largest Houston Community Action Agency, Gulf Coast Community Services. She also worked for the Humble ISD Early Head Start program for 10 years as a Family/Homebase Service Specialist. Ms. Halsey is a former Early Head Start parent. She has a special needs child, herself, and understands the difficulties in raising a family and maintaining a professional and personal balance in her life. Ms. Halsey’s passion has always been to give back to the community and help others to identify their goals and to mentor them to become self-sufficient in life. She believes given the chance, and with hard work, you can make your dreams come true. Ms. Halsey joined the Rainbow Leadership Team in 2011 and has been providing guidance and direction for sites in Texas and Missouri. She also coordinates the Rainbow Senior Circle Facebook page, helping to engage seniors during the trying times of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. In 2014, Ms. Halsey had the honor of receiving the Rainbow Achievement Award as the Resident Services Coordinator of the Year. In 2020, she was very proud to earn her Associate’s Degree in Business.

TONITTA TOTTRESS

Resident Services Portfolio Manager

Ms. Tottress worked in a Tulsa community as a Rehabilitation Coach aiding senior citizens with various healthcare needs as well as providing entertainment for seniors which helped them to stay engaged in society, boosted their social interactions, and created an active lifestyle for their overall well-being. She has

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a passion for volunteering and has done so in several areas. For example, she worked in an Oklahoma state group home for fostering youth, operated campgrounds for women of domestic violence, held a position with Houston Parks and Recreation during their annual senior expos, and assisted in various regions with disaster relief organizations during Hurricane Harvey. Ms. Tottress joined Rainbow in 2012 as a Resident Services Coordinator. She excelled at serving the residents at her community and was soon promoted to the Resident Services Leadership Team overseeing the services provided in several communities. Being a part of the leadership team with Rainbow, Ms. Tottress provides onsite and remote support in the Houston and Austin communities, ensuring exceptional delivery of educational and service-enriched programming.

SARAH SKEEN

Resident Services Portfolio Manager

As a competitive volleyball enthusiast, coach, make-up artist, owner of a local health supplement company, and mother of two boys, Ms. Skeen enjoys a very active lifestyle. She found her passion in Rainbow through volunteering in 2008 and then relocated to Michigan. She relocated back to Arizona and joined the Rainbow team

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in 2015 to support the remote delivery of programs and services. Her career as a physical therapist technician fostered a strong desire to help people strive for more from themselves even in the most difficult of circumstances. As part of the resident services leadership team with Rainbow, Ms. Skeen supports the delivery of programs and services to Texas, New Mexico, Florida, and Missouri. Her responsibilities include a variety of duties to assisting in developing, implementing, and providing a framework for the residents to work toward self-sufficiency to the greatest possible extent, recognizing the strengths and limitations of each resident.

JESSICA GUTIERREZ VERDUZCO

Resident Services Portfolio Manager and Benefits Coordinator

Before joining Rainbow as a National Call Center associate in 2018, Ms. Gutierrez Verduzco worked as an Instructional Assistant and Parent Volunteer Coordinator for an elementary school. Her duties included translating conversations during teachers’ conferences; helping her community with planning and

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organizing events, programs, and meetings; and helping support teachers in achieving educational objectives. With Rainbow, she excelled at helping individuals and families in communities all over the United States and was promoted to Call Center Manager and Benefits Coordinator. She led the management of the team’s inbound and outbound calls and oversaw data collection in the call center. This is where they identify residents’ needs, clarify information, research every issue, and provide resources, solutions, and/or alternatives to overcome barriers to self-sufficiency. Under her leadership in the National Call center, residents were met with a compassionate team who were dedicated to ensuring confidentiality, support, encouragement, and a pathway to opportunities to advance life skills, education, employment and share our mission to deliver value-based programs and services while building relationships and engaging residents. Ms. Gutierrez Verduzco further supported the management of benefit coordination which supported and assisted residents with enrollment in benefit programs such as health insurance and retirement savings. She served as a liaison with insurance and savings providers on behalf of residents. Ms. Gutierrez Verduzco has since accepted the position to expand our National Referral division.

MYOSHIA ``MIMI`` JACKSON

Social Services Manager

Ms. Jackson is the only daughter born to a young, single mother from Chicago, Illinois and was raised and spent most of her life in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. During her childhood in Milwaukee, she found her passion for competitive swimming, mentorship, human rights, childbirth education, and birth work.

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Learning to overcome her adversities, she attended the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh to become a birthing midwife. In her journey to become a midwife, she became a professional swimmer and a birthing doula. As she continued her work as a birthing doula, she quickly realized the disproportionate birth rate between black mothers and other mothers. Upon further research, she was quickly faced with the realization that black mothers suffer from a lack of stability, resources, economic funding, and, most importantly, intersectionality, especially in her community. Ms. Jackson realized that to help her community effectively, she had to address several issues requiring more education. She earned various degrees during her time at the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh, including Women and Gender Studies, Social Justice, Social Advocacy, Business Management, African-American Studies, Spanish, and LGBTQ Studies. With Ms. Jackson’s passion and strong advocacy skills, she quickly found herself in a social work career as a two-term AmeriCorps VISTA. After she served her AmeriCorps terms, she spent the next six years in her home community serving in various social work positions which include Case Manager, Crisis Stabilizer, Apartment Social Worker, Peer Support Specialist, and Group Home Manager. After which, she decided to take her talents to Arizona where she currently serves as a Social Services Manager with Rainbow Housing Association Corporation.

GARRETT SKEEN

Training Manager

Garrett M. Skeen has been a member of the Rainbow team since 2018 supporting the advancements of the National Call Center and now as an emerging leader in resident services. With over nine years of experience in customer service and marketing within for-profit and not-for-profit organizations, he is a natural fit for our growing

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organization. Mr. Skeen is perusing a bachelor’s degree in marketing and advertising from Grand Canyon University and holds certifications as a master trainer, strengths coach, and change management professional. He has directed collaborative initiatives with diverse key stakeholders to deepen culture and develop talent across large and complex organizations.

 

Mr. Skeen has designed and delivered leadership workshops, presentations, and programs to optimize human performance and leverage world-class outcomes. Throughout his early career and academic focus, he has directed organizational effectiveness initiatives, including talent management, training and development, workforce engagement, diversity and inclusion, and performance development. He is passionate about building interdependent teams to deliver outstanding results.

Mr. Skeen has also served as a life coach to young leaders. He enjoys collaborative working relationships and empowering people to fulfill their personal mission and life goals. He resides in Arizona with his family and enjoys traveling, reading, sports, history, volunteering, photography, and powerlifting.

PATRICIA VILLEGAS

National Call Center Manager

Patricia Villegas is the daughter of Mexican immigrant parents who came to this country for a better future. Growing up was challenging, especially as the middle child of seven siblings. Her parents’ dream was for their children to reach a better education and a lifestyle than what they had. After high school,

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continuing education was not a possibility due to financial constraints. At a young age, Ms. Villegas started working in a middle school which consisted of 80% refugees and where poverty ruled. She saw the daily struggles and challenges of young and foster parents. Keeping in mind she has always found a passion in helping others, she decided to go back to school where she earned her Associates Degree in Medical Assistance. She continued to work in the same middle school for over 18 years where she helped in the registration and attendance offices. She also helped as a Nurse Assistant where she aided children with long-term illnesses consume their daily medications and cared for minor injuries. Additionally, she organized regular monthly events, served as a Teacher Assistant, and in the Volunteer Department as a Conference Translator. Ms. Villegas decided on a career change and joined the Rainbow team where she could continue to serve others. As a member of the national call center, she reached out to residents with compassion and was dedicated to ensuring confidentiality, support, encouragement, and a pathway to opportunities to advance life skills, education, employment, and share the Rainbow mission to deliver value-based programs and services while building relationships and engaging residents. Ms. Villegas was promoted to Call Center Manager where she leads a growing team who has built strong, trust-based relationships with staff, peers, upper management, vendors, and partners across the country.

MIEBI ESERIFA

Senior Business and Data Analyst

While Miebi Eserifa was in the Navy, his on-the-job training sparked an interest in data analytics. After being honorably discharged, he continued his formal education in data analytics, and now data cloud engineering. Before joining Rainbow, Mr. Eserifa had over seven years of broad-based experience in data analytics in

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business operations and client relations for both the business and medical industries. Currently, as Rainbow’s Senior Business Analyst, he is managing several accounts, where he is further developing and expanding business strategies and solutions by analyzing community needs and outcomes. His experience in the medical field has shaped his understanding of cultural diversity and community needs, allowing him to depict these communities for Rainbow through accurate data collection and outlining opportunities and solutions.

GABRIELA RODRIGUEZ

Economic Workforce Development Manager

Gabriela “Gaby” Rodriguez is the daughter of Mexican migrant farmworkers who, from an early age, would accompany her parents to work in the fields, janitorial, or food service jobs. She began her career in early education as a pre-school teacher which allowed her to educate and empower both the child and the family unit.

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She taught the children to love learning and encouraged the adults to enroll in training programs and use the resources available to ensure the entire family would thrive, not just survive. Ms. Rodriguez then spent 10 years working with youth in Section 8 multifamily housing communities where she was instrumental in developing a college tour program making it possible for the youth to visit 6 different college campuses. All but five of the youth who participated have since graduated from a college or university. The other five own their businesses. She transitioned her work to hybrid higher education and career training programs. Her work is always directly related to maximizing people’s strengths, developing community programs, and supporting the social and emotional well-being of survivors of abuse. Ms. Rodriguez gifts her free time as a Program Facilitator for ACCESS ASU-American Dream Academy Program where she educates families about the education system in America and how they can empower their children to follow a path which best suits their talents. She has earned an Associate of Arts in Educational Studies in Early Childhood and a Bachelor’s Degree in Fashion Design and Merchandising with an emphasis in Entrepreneurship.

LALITA DIXON

National Employment and Vocational Skills Coordinator

Ms. Dixon has been a resident of Texas for over two decades where she has been an active leader in the community volunteering with local organizations. She is a Certified Peer Mentor and Recovery Coach with the Texas Certification Board of Addiction Professionals and a Board-Certified Counselor. Her experience as a

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project manager with one of the largest national communication companies allowed her to travel as a corporate trainer. She changed careers finding herself in higher education in workforce management. Ms. Dixon has had a successful career at accredited trade and vocational schools assisting post-graduation individuals to gain employment in fields ranging from labor to healthcare. She has been a member of the Rainbow team since 2016. Upon her arrival, she demonstrated passion to assist residents to overcome challenges in employment and she has successfully overseen onsite job training, workforce job readiness classes, and assisted clients to identify their career paths. Her dedication has been rewarded with two promotions to her current position as the National Employment and Vocational Skills Coordinator where she implements best practices which assist over 40,000 individuals with stability through gainful employment.

VANESSA MURILLO

Education Services Coordinator

Ms. Murillo obtained her Bachelor’s in Social Work from Trinity Christian College and her Master’s from University of Illinois Chicago (UIC). She had an internship and was employed at New Moms, a nonprofit organization in Chicago, where she worked as a Support Employment Specialist Intern

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providing case management and coaching young moms in acquiring professional employment. She also worked as a temp Outreach Specialist in charge of inbound calls and online intakes where she referred participants to family support, job training, and housing programs. While completing her Master’s, Ms. Murillo interned at UIC – Hospital Pediatric Department where she managed patients’ medical care, scheduled appointments, performed assessments, evaluated progress, and provided community resources. She later worked for Head Start as a Mental Health Consultant for children in daycare where she conducted staff/parent workshops, made referrals for IEPs, and ensured safety and proper development of children by class observations. Since joining Rainbow as a Resident Services Coordinator, Ms. Murillo continues to have an impact in all served communities by working with the National Call Center and the Education Services Department. She became the coordinator of the ESL and citizenship programs where she manages residents’ individual needs, troubleshoots barriers to success, and oversees participation. Ms. Murillo works closely with Rainbow’s Education Services Department to expand the English as a Second Language and Citizenship Preparation programs. Additionally, she administers Rainbow’s three-times weekly online live Spanish webinars. Ms. Murillo believes in the importance of equipping residents with the resources and necessary skillsets to be successful in life. Rainbow has served as a platform where she has grown professionally in her career and continues her passion serving individuals in need.

CARISSA MARTINEZ

Project Manager

Carissa Martinez, originally from Southern California with over 20 years of experience as a manager and customer service professional, has been a member of the Rainbow team since 2017. With experience managing in various different fields of work such as real estate appraisal, home building and construction supply companies,

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and even the car and motorcycle industries, she is seasoned with professional diversity. Ms. Martinez is a Project Manager with responsibilities of creating, maintaining, and organizing various project pieces through many different areas of need within Rainbow. She intensely seeks continuous learning and experiences which improve her career path. Outside of work, Ms. Martinez is heavily involved with her passion for cars, off-roading, music, travel, and spending time with her kids and family.

ALISON BRADLEY

Project Manager

Alison Bradley is a seasoned Project Manager in the multifamily industry with a track record of success in generating repeat business through effective account management and exceptional customer service. With over 20 years of experience in resident-centered community and team development, she

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supports the organization with her award-winning leadership aligned with developing and preserving inclusive and diverse communities. Ms. Bradley’s tenure in the industry allows her to share her vast experience in administering all aspects of management, from real estate services to building infrastructure and construction management, from the initial design to completion. Supporting our affiliated organization Rainbow Housing Texas, Inc. her experience working in all phases of property development, including acquisition, construction, and redevelopment, supports our CHDO certification compliance. Ms. Bradley is responsible for hiring and retaining mission-minded individuals focused on creating opportunities which enhance the lives of those to which Rainbow provides services across the country. She is proud to be a part of lifting lives of individuals of diverse ethnic, social, and economic backgrounds. As a member of our Senior Circle Services Team, she thoroughly enjoys her interactions with our elder populations promoting safe spaces for those served to age gracefully and with dignity. Further, she inspires and is responsible for creating content which promotes financial literacy and resilience as a certified Freddie Mac CreditSmart facilitator. When Ms. Bradley is not at work, she is either at the baseball field with her son or at the dance studio with her daughters. She attended Northern Arizona University for Sociology, focusing on Early Childhood and Family Studies.