Trainers

Cliff Kornegay

Director of the National Standards for Physical Inspection of Real Estate (NSPIRE) Standards Division, Real Estate Assessment Center (REAC) | U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Cliff Kornegay serves as Director of the National Standards for Physical Inspection of Real Estate (NSPIRE) Standards Division in the Real Estate Assessment Center (REAC). He joined the NSPIRE team as a subject matter expert in inspection standards and protocols to help millions of Americans live safely in their homes.

Since Mr. Kornegay began working for HUD in May 2020, he has supported the NSPIRE program with his extensive knowledge of property inspection standards.

George Lydford

Senior Program Analyst – LIHTC | Internal Revenue Service

George Lydford has worked for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for more than 39 years in various capacities. He has experience at IRS in Collection, SBSE Examination as a Revenue Agent and Group Manager, SBSE Taxpayer Education and Communications as a Stakeholder Liaison and Technical Support, and SBSE EQ&TS as a Program Analyst for the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC). He has been involved in LIHTC for more than eight years as the Program Analyst providing technical support to compliance personnel at IRS and informal technical and procedural guidance to state housing finance agency staff, updating training materials and informal guidance, requesting clarifications on technical guidance, providing technical support for form data digitization efforts, providing procedural support to the Philadelphia Campus Compliance Unit regarding LIHTC form submissions, and responding to GAO/TIGTA inquiries. Mr. Lydford has participated on panels at conferences and provided webinars regarding LIHTC form submissions and LIHTC compliance activities. He has a Bachelor of Science degree from the Rochester Institute of Technology in Finance and a Certificate in Accountancy from Arizona State University-West, and he is a CPA in the state of Arizona.

Wayne Michael

Principal, Senior Director of Education | Novogradac & Company LLP

Wayne Michael is a principal in the Portland, Oregon, office of Novogradac & Company LLP and is the firm’s senior director of education. He specializes in simplifying complex accounting concepts for audiences of varying levels of experience. Mr. Michael oversees creation and delivery of content for internal and external training for Novogradac. In his time with the firm, he has created and delivered hundreds of presentations on federal tax credit programs and other accounting and business concepts for conferences, workshops, webinars, and information sessions, as well as for on-site and online training sessions. Mr. Michael also launched Novogradac’s YouTube channel, whose tax credit explanation videos have been viewed more than 250,000 times. Additionally, he is a principal contributor to the Introduction to Low-Income Housing Tax Credits booklet that is published by Novogradac. Mr. Michael obtained his degree in accounting from Brigham Young University. He is licensed as a CPA in Oregon, is a designee of the Novogradac Property Compliance Certification, and is also a Housing Credit Certified Professional.

Stephanie Naquin

Director of Multifamily Property Compliance | Novogradac & Company LLP

Stephanie Naquin is a Director of Multifamily Property Compliance in Novogradac’s Austin, Texas, office. Ms. Naquin was previously the director of multifamily compliance with the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA), where her team oversaw all aspects of compliance monitoring, physical inspection, and compliance administration. Ms. Naquin began her career as a leasing agent in August 2002 with an owner-managed affordable housing organization where she had the opportunity to hold various positions in the private sector before joining TDHCA in 2007 as a compliance monitor. Her experience in both the private and regulatory sectors of the industry allows her to synthesize complicated federal and state regulations and present that information in a concise and easily digestible manner. Ms. Naquin is also a renowned public speaker and a nationally recognized expert in utility allowance regulations. In that light, Ms. Naquin writes a monthly column on property compliance for the Novogradac Journal of Tax Credits, is an instructor on Novogradac webinars, and is a member of the LIHTC Working Group. Her certifications include the National Center for Housing Management Certified Occupancy Specialist, the National Association of Home Builders Housing Credit Certified Professional, and the Novogradac Property Compliance Certification.

Manuel Peña, Jr.

Manager, Physical Inspections | Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs

Manuel has been working in the affordable housing industry for 20 years. He began his career working at a PHA (Public Housing Authority). During his time at the PHA, he managed four developments and oversaw the Housing Choice Voucher Program. He conducted annual reviews, recertifications, inspections, executed HAP contracts, accounts payable/receivable, and even payroll for staff. Manuel has been working for TDHCA for 15 years and now manages the Compliance Physical Inspection Division.

Cara Pollei

Team Leader of Compliance Monitoring | Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs

Cara Pollei is a Senior Compliance Monitor with the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. She began as a leasing agent at an affordable housing community in San Angelo, Texas, in 2003. She is an alumna of Angelo State University, graduating with a BBA in Management in 2004. She continued to work as a property manager for years until beginning her stint as a Compliance Monitor in 2017.

Jennifer Robinson

Vice President, Tax Credit Programs | National Center for Housing Management

Jennifer Robinson serves as Vice President of Tax Credit Programs for the National Center for Housing Management (NCHM). Ms. Robinson has worked in the affordable housing industry for more than 20 years, including roles in property management, compliance monitoring, consulting, education, and training. She has experience with HUD programs, USDA Rural Development, and HOME and specializes in the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program. Currently, Ms. Robinson teaches a variety of courses online for NCHM and is responsible for developing new course content for all LIHTC-related certification programs.

Thomas Stagg

Partner | Novogradac & Company LLP

Thomas Stagg is a partner in the metro Seattle office of Novogradac. He specializes in audit and tax services for real estate transactions. He is experienced in auditing affordable housing developments and specializes in the low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) and federal governmental auditing requirements, including U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Housing, and the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996. He has extensive experience with LIHTC deal structuring, including assisting developers and investors navigating acquisition/rehabilitation developments and Year 15 disposition issues. In addition, Mr. Stagg has assisted many clients in applying for and obtaining Housing Credits. He has extensive experience in performing LIHTC property compliance testing. Mr. Stagg regularly contributes articles to the Novogradac Journal of Tax Credits and serves as an editor on the Novogradac Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Handbook, Novogradac Tax- Exempt Bond Handbook, and Novogradac LIHTC Property Management Handbook. He frequently speaks at industry events as well as Novogradac’s affordable housing conferences and webinars. He is the chair of the Novogradac Income Limits Working Group.