Officers & Board Members
Chair:
Ralph M. Perrey
Tennessee Housing Development Agency
Ralph M. Perrey is the executive director of the Tennessee Housing Development Agency. He assumed his position in November 2012 following nine yearsā service on THDAās Board of Directors.
His tenure as THDAās executive director has seen the agency revamp its mortgage products and down payment assistance program; establish its own loan servicing division; and base THDA staff regionally to better interact with partners across the state.
Mr. Perrey serves on the Board of Governors of the National Housing Conference. He is also a member of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnatiās Affordable Housing Advisory Council.
Vice Chair:
Jennifer Ho
Minnesota Housing
Jennifer Leimaile Ho is the 7th Commissioner of Minnesota Housing, appointed by Governor Tim Walz in December 2018. She has been working to end homelessness since 1999, first as executive director of Hearth Connection and later as deputy director at the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness. Her roles have focused on the intersection of health and housing, particularly health care financing and improving outcomes associated with supportive housing.
Jennifer served as the Senior Advisor for Housing and Services at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in the Obama Administration and worked with First Lady Michelle Obama to launch the Mayors Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness.
She currently serves on the board of the National Council of State Housing Agencies. She has served on the boards of the Corporation for Supportive Housing, the Melville Charitable Trust, and West Side Community Health Services in St. Paul. Jennifer received her bachelorās degree in philosophy from Bryn Mawr College.
Secretary/Treasurer:
Robin Wiessmann
Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency
As head of the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA), Executive Director and CEO Robin L. Wiessmann oversees a staff of more than 330 employees in 16 divisions that work to expand affordable housing across Pennsylvania. She manages the day-to-day operations of the agency and directs multiple initiatives that promote affordable rental housing, support homeownership, provide no-cost housing counseling, fund local housing efforts and reduce home foreclosures.
Under her leadership, PHFA is continuing its commitment to renters, homebuyers and homeowners while employing new strategies to operate the agency more efficiently and deliver housing in the most fiscally responsible manner. To preserve and expand affordable housing in todayās challenging marketplace, Wiessmann has emphasized her commitment to partnerships that add financial and strategic value. She also is prioritizing PHFAās efforts to leverage its funding, to attract additional investments for housing projects and multiplying the impact of the agencyās resources to achieve the most good.
Wiessmannās prior public service positions include Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities, Treasurer of Pennsylvania and Deputy Director of Finance for the City of Philadelphia. During her tenure as Secretary of Banking and Securities she succeeded in obtaining regulatory jurisdiction of mortgage servicers.
During her private career, Wiessmann was a founding Principal and President of Artemis Capital Group, the first women-owned investment banking firm on Wall Street, and served as a Vice President of Public Finance at Goldman Sachs and Director of Public Finance at Merrill Lynch. Wiessmann also served as Chairman of the board for Vantagepoint Funds Mutual Fund, an Act 40 company; chaired the Nominating Committee and served on the Steering Committee and Audit Committee of the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board, and was a Director of Met-Pro Corporation.
Prior to her position at PHFA, Wiessmann served as Chair of the Conference of State Bank Supervisors (CSBS) Non-Depository Supervisory Committee, and served as a member of eight other economic development, policy, and supervisory boards, including the Public School Employeesā Retirement System and State Employeesā Retirement System. She served as Secretary of CSBS, and a Trustee of the Investor Protection Trust. She continues to serve on the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency.
As past Chair of the Conference of State Bank Supervisors (CSBS) Non-Depository Supervisory Committee, Wiessmann was responsible for re-engineering non-bank supervision within the acceleration of financial services through technology (FinTech). She served on the CSBS Steering Committee responsible for planning a āfintechā forum involving industry participants, regulators and consumers.
June 2020
Throughout her career, Wiessmann has driven institutional excellence through the implementation of sound governance principles and operational best practices. As one example, under her leadership, the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities established a deputate devoted to consumer education, outreach, and protection.
In addition to other recognition, in 2019, she received a lifetime achievement award at the Philadelphia Inquirerās Influencer of Finance Awards. In 2017, she was recognized by City & State Pennsylvania as one of ā50 over 50ā for her leadership abilities, philanthropic efforts, and dedication to Pennsylvania. She is a recipient of the Arthur E. Armitage, Sr. Distinguished Alumni Award from Rutgers Law School, from which she earned a law degree, and is a graduate of Lafayette College. Wiessmann is a Qualified Financial Expert.
At-Large Executive Committee Member:
Maura Collins
Vermont Housing Finance Agency
Maura Collins became Executive Director of the Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) in January 2019. She has worked at VHFA since 2002 in many roles, including oversight of Homeownership lending, real estate development, asset management and compliance, information technology, human resources, research, communications, and political affairs.
Collins has her Masterās in Public Administration from the University of Vermont and has served on UVMās faculty, teaching graduate-level housing policy courses. In her spare time, Collins is Chair of the Board of Pathways Vermont, a homeless service agency pioneering a rural version of the Housing First model.
In her role at VHFA, Collins sits on the Vermont Housing and Conservation Boardās board, the Vermont Council on Homelessness and Vermont Housing Council.
In 2012, Maura was named as one of the top 40 professionals under 40 years old by Vermont Business Magazine. Prior to joining VHFA, Maura worked at the Technical Assistance Collaborative in Boston, MA, as a housing consultant focused on housing for people with disabilities and/or who did not have homes.
Immediate Past Chair:
Scott Spivey
Mississippi Home Corporation
Scott Spivey came to Mississippi Home Corporation (MHC) as a young college graduate. Since 1998, he has held various positions with the agency, eventually becoming executive director in January 2015. He provides executive leadership in the development and administration of all MHC programs and policies. Mr. Spivey works closely and actively with Mississippiās federal congressional delegation as well as state legislators to achieve positive outcomes for the affordable housing industry. He has participated in successful efforts to pass affordable housing legislation on both the state and federal levels.
He also serves as a member of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallasās Advisory Council. Mr. Spiveyās roles in crafting and implementing housing recovery plans post-Hurricane Katrina illuminated the effects of community development for places. Those lessons inform the policy and result-driven approach the agency employs today.
Mr. Spivey attended Belhaven University, where he was active in student government and the student newspaper, The Quarter Tone. He graduated with a bachelor of arts in English in 1998. While working at MHC, he earned his master of arts in English from Mississippi College, graduating summa cum laude. Mr. Spivey worked as a contributing writer for The Planet Weekly in Jackson and has served as an adjunct professor at Belhavan College teaching world literature in the evenings.
Directors:
Dan Brennan
MaineHousing
For nearly three decades, Dan Brennan has been a MaineHousing leader keeping its employees focused on the agencyās core mission to assist Maine people in obtaining and maintaining quality affordable housing and services suitable to their housing needs. The creation and preservation of safe, warm and affordable housing is critical for the people of Maine.
In 1993, Dan joined MaineHousing and created the agencyās first Internal Audit function. From 2000 – 2016, he served as a director of several of the agencyās key departments before being promoted to senior leadership. In 2018, Dan was confirmed by a unanimous vote of the State Senate to lead the agency as its Director.
He has done so since with dedication, innovation, and aplomb, leading the agency through some of the most challenging times for housing the state has ever seen.
Danās background, including serving as the agencyās Senior Director of Programs, Director of Energy and Housing Services, Director of Development, Director of Asset Management, and Internal Auditor has made him a well-suited leader.
Danās focus on the agencyās staff and its ongoing professional development has helped foster a culture of inclusiveness and transparency. In 2020, under his leadership, MaineHousing was named one of the stateās Best Places to Work.
Danās ongoing work to foster outgoing communications has also made him a trusted voice in the Maine media during a state and national housing crisis. National media have also sought Dan out for his expertise on a host of issues from rental assistance to energy costs and energy assistance.
Since March of 2022 alone, Dan has been in demand, conducting more than 100 media interviews; explaining clearly the vast array of housing challenges and accomplishments MaineHousing has seen throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dan has also been tapped to serve on several state commissions resulting in changes to state zoning laws aimed at the creation of new housing across the state.
Prior to joining MaineHousing, Dan was employed as an internal auditor for Maine National Bank and RECOLL Management Corporation, and shortly after joining MaineHousing, he earned the Certified Internal Auditor designation. Dan received his B.A. from the University of Maine, Orono, and his M.B.A. from Thomas College.
Bryan Butcher
Alaska Housing Finance Corporation
Bryan Butcher was hired as the Chief Executive Officer/Executive Director of the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) on August 7, 2013. Bryan came to the position from the Alaska Department of Revenue, where he served as commissioner from 2010 until his hiring at AHFC. At Revenue, he was the sole fiduciary of over $25 billion of state funds.
Previously, Bryan was the Director of Governmental Relations and Public Affairs for the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation for eight years and, in a dual role, was Vice President of the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation (AGDC) from 2010 to 2011.
Bryan also served as a member of former Governor Sarah Palinās gasline team through the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act (AGIA) process. Before joining AHFC in 2003, Bryan worked for the Alaska Legislature as a senior aide to the House and Senate Finance Committees for 12 years.
Bryan has served on many boards, including the Alaska Energy Authority, the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA), Chairman of the Board for the Foraker Group, and as a trustee of the Alaska Permanent Fund, Alaskaās $60 billion sovereign wealth fund.
He currently chairs the Alaska Council on the Homeless and is the President of the Alaska Corporation on Affordable Housing, the Alaska Housing Capital Corporation and the Northern Tobacco Securitization Corporation.
A lifelong Alaskan born and raised in Anchorage, Bryan holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Oregon. He is married to his wife Beth with two teenage children.
North Carolina Housing Finance Agency
Scott Farmer
North Carolina Housing Finance Agency
Scott Farmer is the executive director of the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency, a self-supporting public agency with the mission to create affordable housing opportunities for North Carolinians whose needs are not met by the market. Mr. Farmer has been with the Housing Finance Agency since 1999, serving as executive director since January 2017 and as director of rental investment from 2005 to 2016. Prior to joining the Agency, he worked in residential and commercial loan servicing for more than 6 years.
Mr. Farmer currently serves on the board of Centrant Community Capital, an affordable housing lending consortium serving the Southeast, and was appointed by Governor Roy Cooper to serve on the Inter-Agency Council for Coordinating Homeless Programs. He was previously a member of the National Association of Home Builders Housing Credit Work Group and the N.C. Sustainable Communities Task Force. Mr. Farmer is a graduate of N.C. State University.
Kristin Faust
Illinois Housing Development Authority
Effective November 12, 2019, Director Faust was appointed Executive Director of the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA), bringing more than 30 years of affordable housing industry experience to the Authority. As the stateās chief affordable housing official, Executive Director Faust provides leadership in state housing policy to advance IHDAās mission of financing the creation and preservation of affordable housing throughout Illinois. She is also a member of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago Community Investment Advisory Council where she advises the FHLBC on ways in which it can better carry out its housing finance and community investment missions in Illinois.
Prior to joining IHDA, Executive Director Faust served as President of Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago (NHS), a community development organization committed to helping homeowners and strengthening neighborhoods. As President, Ms. Faustās strong leadership and holistic vision helped spur community revitalization by creating homeownership opportunities for those most vulnerable, improving not only their lives, but their neighborhoods as well.
Before joining NHS, Executive Director Faust was Chief Credit Officer and Director of Lending & Network Services at Partners for the Common Good. In that role, she was responsible for the growth and oversight of the domestic and international loan portfolio. In addition, Executive Director Faust served as president of the Enterprise Community Loan Fund, one of the largest non-depository community development financial institutions in the country.
Earlier in her career, Executive Director Faust spent fifteen years in community development banking in Chicago, primarily with LaSalle National Bank, where she started the Community Development Lending Department. Her work in Chicago earned her distinction in Crainās Chicago Business āForty Under 40ā list.
Ms. Faust is a graduate of Harvard University, where she obtained a Master in City and Regional Planning and Brown University, where she holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Philosophy.
Tiena Johnson Hall
California Housing Finance Agency
Tiena Johnson Hall was appointed as Executive Director of the California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA), the stateās affordable housing lender, by California Governor Gavin Newsom in July 2021. In this role, she works to further the Agencyās mission to invest in diverse communities with financing programs that help more Californians have a place to call home. Through her leadership of CalHFA, Ms. Johnson Hall engages mortgage lenders; affordable housing developers; federal, state and local government agencies; advocacy organizations; public officials and representatives from the private financing markets to work collaboratively to create housing options that are in reach and accessible for more low- and moderate-income Californians.
Prior to her appointment, Ms. Johnson Hall served on the CalHFA Board of Directors from 2014 and was the Senior Vice President and Manager of Community Development Finance for BBVA now a member of PNC Bank. She held various leadership positions for financial, banking and housing organizations such as Vice President and Community Development Manager, Bank of the West (2014); Senior VP and Relationship Manager, U.S. Bank (2005-2013); Director of Housing, Major Projects Division of the Los Angeles Housing and Investment Department (2004-2005); Senior VP and Regional Manager, Bank of America Community Lending (1997-2003); Finance Development Officer, Major Projects Division of the Los Angeles Housing and Investment Department (1995-1997); Project Manager, Abode Communities (1991-1994). She also served on various housing and financial boards and councils.
Ms. Johnson Hall received her Bachelorās Degree in Economics from Howard University and Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Redlands.
Scott Hoversland
Wyoming Community Development Authority
Scott Hoversland is Executive Director for the Wyoming Community Development Authority (WCDA). Scott has been a part of the WCDA team for 15 years, previously serving as the Director of Finance and Administration. Before 2005, Scott held the Accounting and Finance
Manager position for the Montana Board of Housing where he managed the bond and investment programs. Graduating from Montana State University – Billings, Scott holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting.
Scott formerly served of the St. Anthony Tri-Parish Catholic School Foundation, St. Anthony Tri-Parish Catholic School Board of Trustees, and St. Peterās Hospital Foundation. He is a member of the Leadership Wyoming class of 2015, Leadership Wyoming āEmergeā Class of 2020, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Knights of Columbus, and Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Scott is currently a Certified Public Accountant, and presently sits on the Habitat for Humanity (Heart of Wyoming) Board of Directors, and is a Smithās Research and Gradings Affordable Housing Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient.
In addition to being Executive Director, Scott and his wife, Janet, have four wonderful children. They enjoy all the outdoor adventures that come with living in beautiful Casper, Wyoming.
Chrystal Kornegay
MassHousing
Chrystal Kornegay became MassHousingās executive director in February 2018, bringing with her extensive experience and expertise in affordable housing, community development, and government.
Immediately before joining MassHousing, Ms. Kornegay served as the Undersecretary of Housing and Community Development for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Prior to that, she was the president and chief executive officer of the community development corporation Urban Edge and a project manager for The Community Builders.
Ms. Kornegay is a graduate of the Achieving Excellence Program at Harvard Universityās Kennedy School of Government. She holds a masterās degree in city planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a bachelor of arts from Hunter College.
Elmer Moore, Jr.
Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority
Elmer Moore, Jr. was appointed by Governor Tony Evers in April 2022. Mr. Moore previously served as the executive director of Scale Up Milwaukee for the Greater Milwaukee Committee. He has a proven track record in creating public-private partnerships and innovative programs that support business development and job creation resulting in over 1,400 jobs created for more than 200 Wisconsin organizations and securing more than $60 million in new capital investments. He has also secured national foundation funding that provides programming for entrepreneurship growth and resources to address the racial wealth gap.
Advancing innovative solutions and resources that provide equity for all has been the foundation of his career. Mr. Moore will leverage his background in business development, job creation, strategic partnerships, and community engagement to support WHEDAās commitment to growing housing equity and economic opportunity.
Mr. Moore has a bachelorās degree from Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and a masterās degree in business administration from Columbia Business School in New York, New York. Mr. Moore also serves as chairman of the board for the WHEDA Foundation, member of the Community Investment Advisory Council of the FHLBank of Chicago, chairman of the board for the Social Development Commission, board member for the Harbor District, and adjunct instructor for Marquette University and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, instructing students on entrepreneurship.
Nandini Natarajan
Connecticut Housing Finance Authority
Nandini Natarajan is Chief Executive Officer ā Executive Director of the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority, the state level housing finance agency in the State of Connecticut. CHFAās mission is to alleviate the shortage of housing for low- and moderate-income families and persons in the State and, when appropriate, to promote or maintain the economic development of the State through employer-assisted housing efforts. CHFA is a venerable financial institution in Connecticut, and celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2019.
Prior to joining CHFA, Nandini was the Chief Financial Officer of the Illinois Housing Development Authority for six years. Nandini was instrumental in reviving the multifamily program at IHDA, returning the agency to its lending heyday through a variety of loan programs targeted at maximizing proceeds for affordable developments. Under her leadership, IHDA participated in the Federal Financing Bank loan purchase program, which resulted in the refinancing and stabilization of several portfolio properties. During Nandiniās tenure, IHDA rolled out several well-received down payment assistance programs for single family borrowers, and on the back end, created execution flexibility for the loan pipeline through a well-managed in-house TBA program. With Nandini at the helm of IHDAās financial operation, IHDAās single family production tripled to $1 billion in a few short years.
Nandini began her career at Caine Mitter & Associates, and its predecessor firm, CGMS, as a financial analyst and computer programmer.
She worked her way from creating and managing computer programs for housing cash flow analysis to serving as financial advisor for State HFAs and their bond programs.
Nandini is originally from India, but has made the United States her home since 1989. She attended Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, where she earned a Bachelorās degree in Computer Science and Mathematics. Nandini holds a Masterās in Computer Science from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
Christopher Nunn
Georgia Department of Community Affairs/Georgia Housing and Finance Authority
Since 2017, Christopher Nunn has served as Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA). In this role, he also oversees the Georgia Housing Finance Authority and the One Georgia Authority. Collectively, DCA is the community development arm of the state’s executive branch, responsible for housing, infrastructure, economic development, historic preservation, and comprehensive planning.
Christopher joined state government from the private sector, where he most recently ran a 150-person accounting firm in Atlanta. In that role, he expanded the firm’s professional service offerings and developed a team that championed the firm’s growth following a 2011 merger. Previously, Christopher spent 15 years as a management consultant with two global firms, Arthur Andersen and Russell Reynolds Associates. At both firms, he advised clients on matters of strategy, growth, leadership, and performance management.
A native of Perry, Georgia, Christopher graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Emory University in Atlanta. He earned his master’s degree in international relations at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland as a Bobby Jones Scholar.
Christopher and his wife, Nancy, live in Atlanta with their two children. In addition to coaching his kids’ baseball and basketball teams, Christopher is active in his church, where he recently completed a 3-year term as Chairperson of Staff-Parish Relations. He has also served as Board Chairman of Wesley Woods, a not-for-profit ministry for older adults, as well as an advisor to the Kennesaw State University Center for Family Business. Christopher also remains active on the Board of Advisors for the Robert T. Jones, Jr. Scholarship Trust at Emory University as well as Emory University EMS.
Ryan Vincent
Kansas Housing Resources Corporation
Ryan Vincent is Executive Director of Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC), the public corporation that serves as the state finance agency. A 15-year veteran of the corporation, he previously served as Staff Attorney, General Counsel, and Deputy Director. Ryan is a graduate of Washburn University and Washburn University School of Law, serving with the Law Clinic and on the Washburn Law Journal. He has been a licensed attorney since 2005. In his free time, he enjoys serving on several nonprofit boards, including two terms as President of Topeka Habitat for Humanity and as Committee Chair for a local Cub Scout Pack. Ryan also enjoys traveling with his family, gardening, and Nerf Gun battles and board games with his two boys.
Steve Walker
Washington State Housing Finance Commission
Steve Walker is the executive director of the Washington State Housing Finance Commission (WSHFC), a self-supporting public agency that creates and supports high-quality, affordable housing and community facilities for Washingtonians of low and moderate incomes.
Steve has worked in affordable housing policy, planning and finance for nearly 35 years. First starting at the WSHFC in 1996, from 2002 to 2013 Steve served as director of Multifamily Housing and Community Facilities and of the Housing Tax Credit Division. He then joined the Seattle Mayorās administration as the director of the city Office of Housing (OH), where he oversaw the strategic development and administration of OH programs, including the allocation of approximately $200 million in resources annually for affordable multifamily development, homeownership assistance, and home repair and weatherization. In 2019, Steve returned to the Commission as executive director.
Earlier in his career, Steve worked at the City of Seattleās Department of Housing and Human Services, the Family Emergency Shelter Coalition in the San Francisco Bay Area, and New York Cityās Department of Housing, Preservation and Development. Much of Steveās work has involved legislative and advocacy efforts at the federal, state, and regional levels.
Steve earned his Master of Urban Planning (MUP) from the University of Washington and his B.A. in Urban Studies from Columbia University.
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