Staff Directory
Executive Office:
Executive Director
swilliams@ncsha.org
Stockton Williams
Executive Director swilliams@ncsha.org
Stockton Williams was appointed Executive Director in March 2018. He leads NCSHAās wide-ranging efforts to advocate and strengthen the central role of state housing finance agencies in the nationās housing system.
Stockton has held senior leadership positions in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors throughout a career dedicated to expanding housing opportunity. He has been an advisor to local communities across the U.S., an author of original research, and a commentator in the media on real estate and economic development issues.
Stockton was previously Executive Vice President of Content and Executive Director of the Terwilliger Center for Housing at the Urban Land Institute (ULI). Before that he was Managing Principal of HR&A Advisorsā Washington, D.C., office. Stockton previously served as Senior Advisor in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Department of Energy. He has also held senior leadership positions at Enterprise Community Partners, Living Cities, and with an affordable housing developer.
Stockton earned a masterās degree in real estate development from Columbia University and a bachelorās degree in religion from Princeton University.
Executive Office Administrator/Board Secretariat
knox@ncsha.org
Cary D. Knox
Executive Office Administrator/Board Secretariat knox@ncsha.org
Cary joined the NCSHA staff in 2000. He is responsible for governance of both the NCSHA and NCSHB Board of Directors, as well as the day-to-day operations of the Executive Office. Cary has worked in various Washington trade associations for nearly 30 years in board governance, member relations, speaker coordination, and meeting planning. Prior to joining NCSHA, he worked for four years at the Illinois Housing Development Authority in Chicago.
Cary graduated from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale with a bachelorās degree in Journalism.
Policy and Government Affairs:
Director of Housing Advocacy and Strategic Initiatives
grieman@ncsha.org
Garth B. Rieman
Director of Housing Advocacy and Strategic Initiatives grieman@ncsha.org
Since 1993, Garth Rieman has helped NCSHA formulate and execute its policy on the Housing Credit, Housing Bonds, housing finance reform, appropriations, and other affordable housing issues. He leads NCSHAās advocacy efforts.
Garth previously held positions with the U.S. Senate Housing Subcommittee, National Association of Realtors, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and U.S. Office of Management and Budget.
He is a graduate of Pomona College and Harvard Universityās John F. Kennedy School of Government.
Legislative and Policy Associate
ggallo@ncsha.org
Glenn Gallo
Legislative and Policy Associate ggallo@ncsha.org
Since joining NCSHA in 2014, Glenn Gallo has held a variety of positions in the Policy and Government Affairs department, focusing on homeownership and affordable rural housing issues.
Prior to joining NCSHA, Glenn was a Fellow at the Department of Veterans Affairs, helping prepare Department officials for Congressional hearings in its Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs.
He earned a bachelorās degree from the University of St. Andrews studying history and international relations.
Senior Housing Policy Specialist
rhenson@ncsha.org
Robert Henson
Senior Housing Policy Specialist rhenson@ncsha.org
Robert Henson joined NCSHA as Senior Housing Policy Specialist in 2022, focused on leading the HOME Coalition and other related multifamily advocacy efforts.
Most recently, Robert served as an economic policy advisor in the U.S. Senate, responsible for a variety of policy areas including housing, as well as small business, banking, and tax issues. Previously, he has held roles as director of advocacy for the Credit Union National Association, legislative assistant in the U.S. Senate, and presidential management fellow at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Robert holds a juris doctorate from the Indiana University Maurer School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Tulane University.
Senior Advisor/Consultant
tkaufman@ncsha.org
Tracy Kaufman
Senior Advisor/Consultant tkaufman@ncsha.org
Tracy Kaufman is a Senior Advisor/Consultant with NCSHA, supporting the development of housing finance agency partnerships with hospitals, health systems, and other health organizations to expand financing for affordable housing development and preservation through the Healthy Housing, Healthy Community (H3C) Partnerships Program.
Tracy worked at the National Housing Trust in various leadership capacities over 18 years. As the Director of the National Preservation Initiative and, most recently, as the Chief Operating Officer, Tracy was a vital member of a senior leadership team that drove the high impact, award-winning organization. Tracy led the pivot from a primary focus on federal policy to growing state policy, building and guiding a powerful policy department of nationally recognized performers. She directed a host of high-impact strategic, operational, and public policy activities and successfully launched and directed groundbreaking nationwide state and local policy initiatives.
Before joining NHT, Tracy worked for the Aspen Systems Corporation and the National Low-Income Housing Coalition.
Tracy earned a bachelorās degree from Tufts University and a masterās in public policy from the Public Policy Institute at Georgetown University.
Senior Homeownership Policy Specialist
rsabatino@ncsha.org
Rosemarie Sabatino
Senior Homeownership Policy Specialist rsabatino@ncsha.org
Rosemarie Sabatino serves as a senior homeownership policy specialist. Her responsibilities include legislative, regulatory, and related work on FHA mortgage insurance, housing finance, MRBs and MCCs, government-sponsored enterprises, and CRA. Rosemarie is another NCSHA alumna who returned for a second tour.
Prior to re-joining NCSHA, Rosemarie worked for the Montgomery County Green Bank, the Mortgage Resolution Fund, Global Communities, PMI Capital Corporation, and Fannie Mae.
Rosemarie earned her MBA from Columbia University and an AB cum laude from Harvard University.
Director of Tax and Housing Advocacy
jschwartz@ncsha.org
Jennifer Schwartz
Director of Tax and Housing Advocacy jschwartz@ncsha.org
Jennifer Schwartz serves as the Director of Tax and Housing Advocacy at the National Council of State Housing Agencies (NCSHA). She rejoined NCSHA in 2014 after previously holding the role of Senior Legislative and Policy Associate at the organization from 2001-2005.Ā Jennifer leads NCSHAās multifamily and tax policy team and oversees the organizationās federal legislative advocacy efforts, with particular focus on the Low Income Housing Tax Credit and tax-exempt private activity Housing Bonds.
Prior to returning to NCSHA, Jennifer was the Director of Policy and Programs for the Southern Governorsā Association, where she focused on facilitating bipartisan collaboration between governors in various policy areas. Earlier in her career, she worked as a counselor and case manager at Womenās Protective Services, a domestic violence shelter and rape crisis counseling center in Massachusetts, and as a project consultant for the Massachusetts Advocacy Center (now Massachusetts Advocates for Children).
Jennifer earned a masterās degree in Public Administration and Public Policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a bachelorās degree from Brandeis University, where she was a double major in psychology and sociology.
Deputy Director of Tax Policy and Strategic Initiatives
jtassos@ncsha.org
James Tassos
Deputy Director of Tax Policy and Strategic Initiatives jtassos@ncsha.org
James Tassos represents the interests of state housing finance agencies with the U.S. Congress, the Department of the Treasury, and the affordable housing industry.Ā His primary focus is developing best practices, regulatory policy, and legislative initiatives to strengthen the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program.
Earlier in his career, he worked for an urban planning and development firm in North Carolina and as an affordable housing consultant focusing on green building and sustainable development issues.
James holds a masterās degree in city and regional planning from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a bachelorās degree in architecture and building science from Clemson University.
Legislative and Policy Coordinator
DYi@ncsha.org
Deborah Yi
Legislative and Policy Coordinator DYi@ncsha.org
Deborah Yi joined NCSHA in February 2022. As Legislative and Policy Coordinator, she supports the Director of Tax and Housing Advocacy and the Policy and Government Affairs department with monitoring policy, regulatory, legislative issues, and other various tasks. Prior to joining NCSHA, Deborah worked at the Credit Union National Association, where she worked in the Regulatory Affairs department, managing the many advocacy subcommittees, including the Housing Subcommittee.
Deborah earned a bachelorās degree from American University in Political Communications.
Senior Homeownership Policy Specialist
gzagorski@ncsha.org
Greg Zagorski
Senior Homeownership Policy Specialist gzagorski@ncsha.org
Greg Zagorski focuses on issues related to affordable homeownership and housing finance.
Prior to joining NCSHA in 2012, Greg worked as a legislative assistant for Senator Joe Lieberman (I-CT), advising the Senator on housing and other economic issues.
He holds a bachelorās degree in political science and history from the University of Connecticut and a masterās degree from George Washington University.
Marketing and Communications:
Director of Marketing and Communications
lbowman@ncsha.org
Lisa S. Bowman
Director of Marketing and Communications lbowman@ncsha.org
Lisa Bowman joined the NCSHA staff in 2016 as Director of Marketing and Communications. She previously held senior management and communications positions with the National Cooperative Business Association, the Society for Marketing Professional Services, and APICS. She began her career as an editor and writer for a hospitality management consultancy.
Lisa is a graduate of the University of Maryland at College Park and a member of the American Society of Association Executives.
Sponsorship and Tradeshow Coordinator
kcarr@ncsha.org
Kimberly Carr
Sponsorship and Tradeshow Coordinator kcarr@ncsha.org
Kimberly Carr has been with NCSHA since 2016 as part of the Marketing and Communications team and works closely the Meetings Department.
Upon leaving Ohio in 2016 sheās moved from the corporate to the non-profit sector, planning and executing NCSHAās tradeshows and sponsorship programs.Ā Kimberly uses her insider knowledge of corporate culture, and her expansive background in sales and business development to create meaningful and mutually lucrative relationships with members of the Affordable Housing Industry.
Kimberly holds a BA in History, a BA in International Studies from Miami University of Ohio.Ā She also studied at the John E. Dolibois European Center in Luxembourg and the UniversitĆ© de Bourgogne.
Senior Digital Associate
sromanoff@ncsha.org
Stephanie Romanoff
Senior Digital Associate sromanoff@ncsha.org
Stephanie Romanoff is part of the National Council of State Housing Agencies’ (NCSHA) Marketing and Communications team. Her responsibilities include managing the NCSHA website and online communities and providing strategic digital production support. She also serves as the session manager for the NCSHA Information Technology and Data & Analytics communities.
Stephanie’s professional background includes working with various nonprofits, including serving as the Communications Director for the Academy of Integrative Health & Medicine and the American Board of Holistic Integrative Medicine. She has a passion for community-based work that supports children’s development and is enthusiastic about all things related to Washington, DC. At NCSHA, she is honored to serve the missions of state Housing Finance Agencies, entities that have played a central role in the nation’s affordable housing system for over 50 years.
Stephanie holds a BA in Economics from St. Mary’s College of Maryland, where her senior thesis focused on the affordable housing crisis in Lexington Park, MD, and the potential of inclusionary zoning. Additionally, she is a member of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), NTEN, and a PMI-certified project manager.
Marketing and Communications Associate
ctownley@ncsha.org
Chris Townley-Owens
Marketing and Communications Associate ctownley@ncsha.org
Chris Townley-Owens has been a part of NCSHAās Marketing and Communications team since 2018. Her responsibilities include the NCSHA website, email production and distribution, conference branding, and supporting the Marketing and Communications Director. She also manages NCSHAās Annual Awards for Program Excellence.
Earlier in her career, she worked alongside the international team at the Association for Talent Development in Alexandria, Virginia.
Chris holds a BSBA degree in Marketing from Christopher Newport Universityās AACSB accredited Joseph W. Luter, III School of Business.
Meetings:
Director of Meetings
medwards@ncsha.org
Maury L. Edwards
Director of Meetings medwards@ncsha.org
Maury L. Edwards is the Director of MeetingsĀ at NCSHA. Prior to assuming this role Maury served 12 years at The Nature Conservancy where he was director of meeting management services. He oversaw the execution of the international annual conference, all Board-related meetings, and specialized meetings executed by the home office. In addition, he managed corporate travel for the organization.
After receiving a bachelor of science in zoology from North Carolina State University in 1986, Maury joined the Peace Corps and served two years as a science teacher in The Gambia, West Africa.
Meetings Coordinator/Registrar
mjacoby@ncsha.org
Michelle Jacoby
Meetings Coordinator/Registrar mjacoby@ncsha.org
Michelle Jacoby joined the staff in 2020 as a member of the Meetings Team. Her duties include overseeing registration for all NCSHA meetings, assisting with conference logistics, and managing hotel reservations.
Michelle previously worked in grassroots fundraising and advocacy for The Public Interest Network. There, she raised political capital for environmental initiatives in Maryland and Virginia before moving to Boston to organize and manage a statewide fundraising operation dedicated to pushing forward environmental policy in Massachusetts.
Michelle earned a bachelorās degree in environmental science and international relations from Iowa State University.
Meeting Planner
mventresca@ncsha.org
Melissa Ventresca, CMP
Meeting Planner mventresca@ncsha.org
Melissa VentrescaĀ has been a member ofĀ NCSHAās Meetings TeamĀ since 2019.Ā Her responsibilities include assisting in all logistical aspects of planning and executing NCSHAās conferences, trade shows, and events.
Melissa previously held positions as a banquet manager and a trainer with the Fairmont Washington, DC, Georgetown. She participated in the brandās SUMMIT Leadership Development Program and served on task forces at the Fairmont Kea Lani and Sofitel Washington, DC, Lafayette Square. Melissa began her hospitality career as a wedding planner at HollyHedge Estates in Pennsylvania.
MelissaĀ is a Certified Meeting Professional andĀ earned a bachelorās degree, cum laude, from Fairleigh Dickinson University where she studied hospitality management. She is also a graduate of Wroxton College in Oxfordshire, England.
Finance and Operations:
Director of Finance and Operations
kburke@ncsha.org
Kevin B. Burke, CPA
Director of Finance and Operations kburke@ncsha.org
Kevin Burke joined the NCSHA staff in 1999. He served as NCSHAās controller for seven years before advancing to his current position as Director of Finance in January 2006.
Prior to coming to NCSHA, Kevin worked as an auditor for a public accounting firm in the Washington, DC, area.
Kevin is a certified public accountant (CPA) and graduated from Penn State University with a degree in accounting.
Senior Operations Associate / Finance
lpadua-hare@ncsha.org
Lovely Padua-Hare
Senior Operations Associate / Finance lpadua-hare@ncsha.org
In 2010, Lovely began working at NCSHA as part of the Operations Team. She is currently a Senior Operations Associate with a focus in finance. Prior to joining NCSHA, she worked in the banking sector in Manila, Philippines and then in the international maritime hospitality industry.
Lovely is a certified nonprofit accounting professional.Ā She earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration at Colegio de San Juan de Letran in Manila, Philippines, where she majored in Computer Management.
Senior Operations Associate / Membership
pstoger@ncsha.org
Phaedra Stoger
Senior Operations Associate / Membership pstoger@ncsha.org
Phaedra Stoger joined NCSHA in 2006 as the Operations Coordinator. During her time at NCSHA she has developed new responsibilities that lead her into her current role as the Senior Operations Associate/Membership. Prior to joining NCSHA, Phaedra worked in a retail clothing store as an Assistant Store Manager where she cultivated her customer service skills.
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