2005 National Indian Housing Summit Presenter Bio's

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Track Summaries

	Track 1 - Alternative Financing and Funding
	Track 2 - Integrating Housing into Tribal Strategic Planning
	Track 3 - Quality Housing Development
	Track 4 - Housing Organization of the Future
	Track 5 - Building Foundations for Wealth Creation
	Track 6 - Designing and Building Healthy Communities

Track 1 - Alternative Financing and Funding

Berry, Mark

Mark has 22 years of legal practice experience specializing in affordable housing and tax credits, private investment company purchasing and selling affordable housing projects. He served as counsel for the U.S. Department of HUD in multi-family housing. Currently in his own practice, Mr. Berry is committed to low-income housing tax credit and affordable housing projects, providing legal assistance to over 30 such projects in the Rocky Mountain area. Mr. Berry has served as counsel to numerous new construction and acquisition rehab tax credit projects involving the implementation, interpretation and drafting of many partnership documents, housing policies and agreements. Generally, Mr. Berry acts as counsel for the general partner/developer/owner in tax credit deals.

Bishop, Thomas A.

Tom Bishop joined the Housing Assistance Council staff in March of 1999, opening the new Midwest Regional Office in Kansas City, MO to provide services, including technical assistance, loan products, and training to 13 Midwestern states. Mr. Bishop shifted responsibilities to the HAC national office as Special Asset Manager in February of 2001, responsible for real estate disposition, resolution of troubled loans, and training and technical assistance in real estate development and finance. Mr. Bishop and other Kansas housing advocates incorporated Homestead Affordable Housing, Inc. in 1998 to develop rural housing in Kansas. Bishop serves as Executive Director and Homestead has 172 units of senior housing completed or under development and has provided down payment assistance to over 460 rural first time homebuyers, that have purchased new and existing homes in 114 rural Kansas communities. Prior to joining HAC Mr. Bishop was President/CEO of MHRS, Inc., a Kansas community development corporation, from 1986 to 1998 and led the growth of the organization from a home repair agency to a comprehensive single and multi-family housing developer with annual revenues in excess of $4 million, completing twelve multi-family developments valued in excess of $35 million. Tom Bishop served in the Kansas House of Representatives as State Representative of the 91st District from 1990-1994. He also served as Co-Chair of the Governors Commission on Housing and Homelessness (Kansas) and served on the Kansas Advisory.

Council on Aging. Bishop also served as a public interest director of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Topeka from 1999-2001 and from 1991-1998 he served on the Affordable Housing Advisory Council, as the Council Chair from 1994-98.

Duran, Tomasita

Tomasita is Executive Director of the Ohkay Owingeh Housing Authority located in San Juan Pueblo, NM. She has served in this position since 1997. She reports directly to the five-member Board of Commissioners. Ms. Duran manages five employees and works directly with the officials of Tribal Council, interacts with private, state and federal agencies and funding institutions to develop housing projects. Ms. Duran also manages the Mutual Help Housing Program and other housing programs in an effort to provide affordable housing to tribal members. Ms. Duran has managed the renovation of 146 units and currently manages 87 units of housing. As Executive Director, Ms. Duran oversaw the planning, development and lease up of Tsigo bugeh Village, a 4 million, 40-unit mixed income project using low-income housing tax credits and other financing. She currently is serving on the National Development Council's Tax Credit Advisory Board, the New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority's Advisory Board and the NPI Board.

Encinias, Iris

Iris is the Loan Processor for Housing Development and joined the New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority in 2002. She is responsible for processing all multifamily loans and is the primary contact for tribal development. Utilizing multi-family and single-family development programs, she works with developers, nonprofits and tribal entities to build, acquire, rehabilitate and preserve affordable housing in New Mexico. Iris attended college at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces. Prior to joining MFA she worked in the investment and real estate industry for 5 years, primarily in the areas of residential homeownership and real estate investments.

Garcia, Joe

Joe Garcia born and raised in San Juan Pueblo has served his community as a two-time Governor and Lt. Governor and lifetime councilman. Mr. Garcia has also held community service positions including School Board Chairman and President of TSAY Corporation, San Juan's tribally owned enterprise. Mr. Garcia is the current Governor of San Juan, serving a two-year term.

Mr. Garcia started his firm, MistyLake Consulting Services after he retired from Los Alamos National Lab in June of 2003 after 25 years of employment. He has taught courses in computers, electronics, lasers, and math at the Northern New Mexico Community College since 1979. In 2003 he was re-elected for a two-year term as the 1st Vice President of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), which represents over 250 member Tribal Nations throughout the United States. He has been involved actively with NCAI since 1995.

Mr. Garcia holds a Bachelors of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of New Mexico. Mr. Garcia is also a recipient of the New Mexico Distinguished Public Service Award in 1995 and the New Mexico Community Foundation Luminaries Award in 1998.

Mr. Garcia was a key contributor in developing NAHASDA rules and regulations and continues to be a strong supporter of Indian Housing initiatives. He and his wife Oneva have three children, Melissa, Nathan, and MorningStar and 3 grand daughters, Kaelynn Garcia, I-Rey Quintana, and Marcela Reyes.

Gleason, Jackie

Jackie J. Gleason is Deputy Administrator for Multi-Family Housing for USDA - Rural Development. As Deputy, he manages a portfolio of 17,000 rental housing properties with an asset value in the 15 billion dollar range. He administers an annual budget close to 900 million dollars. Prior to his current appointment, Gleason was the State Director of Washington Rural Development since April 2001. He has been with USDA in various capacities since 1976. His current appointment is in Washington DC. A Viet Nam Veteran and graduate of the University of California, Jack has been associated with affordable housing financing for nearly 30 years, and brings a wealth of ideas and experience.

Kinnear, John

John Kinnear joined ESIC in 1986 as ESIC's internal accountant and in December 1989 became its first Asset Manager. His responsibilities include working with the General Partners in the areas of compliance with the Tax Credits, partnership accounting, property management and site visits. This work has included training property managers in all aspects of Section (42) compliance. Mr. Kinnear moved to Denver, Colorado in January 2001 to oversee properties in Colorado and New Mexico. Prior to joining ESIC, Mr. Kinnear worked in the real estate environment for 15 years. Working with private developers, his accounting duties included development projections and construction accounting, as well as property management. He has a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting from the University of Baltimore and has taken Tax Credit Compliance classes sponsored by the States of Delaware, Colorado and Iowa. He has taken and passed the HCCP Certification examination.

Nie, Patrick

Patrick is Vice President, Community Development, Wells Fargo Bank. He manages the New Mexico Region for community development and Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) including administration of Federal Home Loan Bank Affordable Housing Program (AHP) grants. Previous positions with the bank include 1) Manager of regulatory compliance functions, including Foreign Assets Control, Regulation O, Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, Community Reinvestment Act and Fair Lending, 2) Manager of Credit Analysis, Loan Operations and Loan Documentation, and 3) Residential Real Estate Lender.

Ray, Patrick A.

Mr. Ray is the Managing Partner of the Scottsdale Office of Kutak Rock LLP and is a member of the Executive Committee of the firm's national Policy Board and the firm's Compensation Committee. He has nationally recognized expertise as bond counsel, underwriter's counsel and special tax counsel, representing clients throughout the United States. He has represented corporate and municipal bond issuers, tribal entities, nonprofit corporations and investment banks in connection with the structuring, issuance, sale and remarketing of taxable and tax-exempt multifamily and single-family housing bonds, health care bonds, tribal bonds, charter school bonds, collateralized mortgage obligations, small-issue industrial development obligations, traditional governmental obligations, large infrastructure financings and registered public offerings. Mr. Ray is admitted to practice in Arizona and Nebraska.

Sheline, Donna J.

Donna is a Senior Vice President of Chase Home Finance, a division of JPMorgan Chase, and Director of the Homeownership Preservation Office, headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. In the capacity of Director of the Homeownership Preservation Office, Ms. Sheline is responsible for providing leadership and management for the development and execution of strategies, programs and processes designed to maximize homeownership preservation opportunities for Chase Home Finance-serviced customers and minimize negative impact on neighborhoods due to foreclosures. Ms. Sheline's primary focus for the past 18 years has been on community lending. Her expertise in mortgage banking is a culmination of over 25 years in lending, which includes experience in management, sales, processing, underwriting and loan servicing. Prior to heading the Homeownership Preservation Office, Ms. Sheline managed strategic partnerships and initiatives for Bank One's Opportunity Segments Division. She served on the Advisory Council for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation WOW Campaign, the Indianapolis Fannie Mae Advisory Board and National Association of Real Estate Brokers Advisory Council.

Toll, Cyrus

Cyrus Toll is a Grants Management Specialist with the Department of Housing and Urban Development in the Southwest Office of Native American Programs' (SWONAP's) Albuquerque, New Mexico office. Mr. Toll works with the Pueblos and Tribes in New Mexico. Mr. Toll grew up in Colorado and New Mexico and received a degree in Urban Geography from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec. Mr. Toll has worked for nearly 25 years mostly in Indian and Native American programs. Mr. Toll worked in the HUD Headquarters office in Washington, D.C. for nine years before transferring to the Albuquerque Office of Native American Programs in 1989. While with the Office of Native American Programs, Mr. Toll has worked with a variety of programs including Traditional Indian Housing Development (TIHD), Comprehensive Grant Program (CGP), Indian Community Development Block Grant (ICDBG), Indian Housing Block Grant (IHBG), Indian HOME, Rural Housing and Economic Development (RH&ED), Resident Opportunities and Self-Sufficiency (ROSS), Tenant Opportunities Program (TOP), Drug Elimination Program (DEP), and HUD Section 184 Loan Guarantee Program.

Webster, Deborah

As director of The Enterprise Foundation's national Native American Program, Deborah Webster works with tribal governments and housing entities, federal and state agencies, and financial institutions to develop housing and economic projects in Indian Country. In her director capacity, Ms. Webster collaborates with other national intermediaries and partners to address housing policy issues, develop innovative programs and tools, and document "best practices." She is a founding board member of the Native American Lending Group (NALG), a Native-focused Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) serving the southwest tribes and a serves on the HOMEWISE (formerly Neighborhood Housing Services of Santa Fe) Board of Directors.

Wright, Thomas

Thomas C. Wright is the Director of Loan Guarantee Programs for the Office of Native American Programs. Tom has seven years of experience in Indian Country in a variety of capacities. Mr. Wright has originated HUD Section 184 Mortgages and performed contract based project manager for more that $12 million in residential development on Tribal Trust Lands. Tom also has practical experience working within a tribal government as a consultant and Interim Housing Manager. He poses extensive knowledge of trust land lending issues and leverage financing. Prior to his involvement with Tribes, Tom had more than fourteen years of combined experience in the mortgage lending and financial services industries. Prior to joining HUD, Mr. Wright had been a regular contributor in NAIHC publications and is a former Fannie Mae/NAIHC Fellow on Native American lending issues.

Yazzie, Aneva

Aneva is Deputy Director of the Arizona Department of Housing (ADOH). Ms. Yazzie is from the Dine (or Navajo) Tribe and has over twenty years experience in the housing industry and holds an Industrial Engineering degree from New Mexico State University. Ms Yazzie has worked both in the public sector with the Department of Interior (BIA) and Department of HUD (both Indian and Public Housing Programs) and the private sector as an independent management consultant from 1996-2005. As a private consultant, she assisted White Mountain Apache Tribe in the design and development of the Apache Dawn Project. As a volunteer co-chairperson of the infrastructure committee for the Governors Tribal Housing Initiative, Ms Yazzie was instrumental in defining implementation strategies for increased tribal development.

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Track 2 - Integrating Housing into Tribal Strategic Planning

Danz, David

David Danz is the Planning Director for the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa in Northern Minnesota. As a Tribal Planner for over 25 years his involvement spans the early days of contracting, later self-governance compacting, Federal functions of the BIA and IHS; the testing of Tribal/State governing authority with high stakes gaming (bingo); Reservation housing development under the limits of early and current Federal legislation; and leveraging new found financial strength to hasten the Tribal community development experience.

Gauthier, Robert

Gauthier has worked for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes since 1981. He has served in various capacities including Tribal consumer credit counselor, 20 years as the Executive Director of the Tribe's nationally recognized housing authority, Tribal appellate Judge, Board Member of S & K Electronics, and currently as their Economic Development Advisor. In his current capacity Gauthier advises the CS &K Tribal Council on economic development matters, reviews business opportunities for the Tribes and monitors the Tribes various enterprises, reporting to the Tribal Council on a regular basis. Mr. Gauthier, an enrolled member of the Salish and Kootenai Tribes, is recognized as an expert on National Indian Housing and finance issues. In 1986, Gauthier served on the National American Indian Housing Council steering committee that created AMERIND Risk Management Services, and A tribally owned risk management company that currently insures over 60,000 units of Indian housing Nationwide. He has served on the Board continuously and was elected Chairman of the Board of Directors in 1998. He completed his term in 2004. Gauthier also served as Chairman of the National Commission on American Indian Alaska Native and Native Alaskan Housing, the Seattle Board of the Federal Home Loan Bank, Fannie Mae's Housing Impact Council, the NAHASDA Rules Making Committee and the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Advisory Board.

Johnson, Chuck

Chuck W. Johnson is president of the Johnson Strategy Group, Inc. He has 29 years of experience in Indian Country planning and is the author of the landmark Tribal Planning textbook prepared for the United Indian Planners Association, as well as guideline manuals on Tribal Integrated Resource Management Planning, entrepreneurship, and business due diligence. He has served as a planning consultant to 60 tribes, Canadian bands, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and was the lead facilitator for the six regional Affordable Housing Summits sponsored by ONAP in 2004. He holds a Masters Degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Southern California, and a certificate in International Community Development from the University of Oklahoma. His career ranges from serving as a Senior City Planner for the City of Los Angeles to a Community Development Specialist in Bolivia, and advisor to the United Nations and Agency for International Development.

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Track 3 - Quality Housing Development

Adams, Jason

Jason Adams is the Executive Director of the Salish and Kootenai Housing Authority. Mr. Adams has been the employed by the SKHA since July of 1992. The SKHA is the affordable housing provider for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. The SKHA operates and manages over 620 units of affordable housing on the Flathead Indian Reservation.

In 2001 Mr. Adams was asked to serve on the Montana HomeOwnership Network, Inc. Board of Directors. The Montana HomeOwnership Network is a partnership of Montana nonprofit and private corporations, government officials and residents working towards increasing home ownership among lower-income families across Montana.

Mr. Adams was the region V representative to the National American Indian Housing Council (NAIHC) Board of Directors from 1996 to 2000. Region V consists of fourteen tribes in the states of Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and Utah. On the NAIHC Board Mr. Adams was instrumental in the creation of the NAIHC Training Institute.

In 1995, Mr. Adams was appointed by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal Council to the Salish Kootenai College (SKC) Board of Directors. From 1998 to 2003 Mr. Adams served as the Board Chairman of SKC.

Mr. Adams was born and raised on the Flathead Nation of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. Mr. Adams has a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration from the University of Montana. Mr. Adams lives in Ronan, MT with his wife, Autumn, his two sons, Elliott and Payton, and daughter Josie.

Asato , Sandra

Sandra "Sandy" Asato has been with the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands since 1983 and has held a variety of positions. She is currently the Planning and Development Coordinator, NAHASDA, and administers the Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant. Prior to this position, which she began in 2002, Sandy managed the construction of houses for in-fill lots and sale of these houses to native Hawaiian families. Sandy was instrumental in the implementation of the FHA 247 insured loan program on Hawaiian home lands in 1987. Before joining the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands in 1983, Sandy was a full-time realtor.

Nibbelink, Bill

Bill Nibbelink is the sole owner of Bill Nibbelink & Associates, a property management consulting firm specializing in the area of Indian housing management. Nibbelink has been actively involved in Indian Housing Management since 1980. He served as the Executive Director of the Flandreau Santee Sioux Housing Authority in Flandreau, SD for 15 years and served as the Chairman of the Board of Commissioners prior to becoming the Executive Director. Before becoming involved with Indian Housing, Nibbelink worked as a Service Representative for Senator Tom Daschle of South Dakota.

He has assisted several Tribally Designated Housing Entities throughout the country with the completion of their Indian Housing Plans and Annual Performance Reports. He has also provides on-site technical assistance and training for several Tribes regarding the implementation of the Native American Housing and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (NAHASDA) along with the Final Rule (CFR 1000) implementing NAHASDA.

Working with TDHE staff and Commissioners in the development of policies and procedures in compliance with NAHASDA is another one of Nibbelink s specialties along with developing internal controls.

Saffert, Dave

Rural Development is committed to helping improve the economy and quality of life in all of rural America. Through our programs, we touch rural America in many ways. Our financial programs support such essential public facilities and services as water and sewer systems, housing, health clinics, emergency service facilities, and electric and telephone service. We promote economic development by supporting loans to businesses through banks and community-managed lending pools. We offer technical assistance and information to help agricultural and other cooperatives get started and improve the effectiveness of their member services. And we provide technical assistance to help communities undertake community empowerment programs.

Walker, Ernie

Ernest Walker is an attorney with the law firm of Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP. Since November 2004, Mr. Walker has worked extensively with the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians and its housing authority. Significantly, Mr. Walker assisted in expanding the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe's Indian Service Area for purposes of Section 184 financing to include the entire State of Michigan. Mr. Walker is also lending his expertise to the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe's efforts as it begins what is anticipated to be a first of its kind, innovative approach to transform the methodology for providing housing to tribal members through partnering.

Prior to joining Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP, Mr. Walker served as Special Assistant to the General Counsel of the Department of the Army. Mr. Walker represented the Department of the Army as it partnered with several nationally recognized housing developers to provide quality housing communities for service members across the country in deals totaling over $10 Billion Dollars. Mr. Walker also worked on transferring federal government property to local governments and private entities as a result of the Army's continuing process of base realignment and closure (BRAC).

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Track 4 - Housing Organization of the Future

Borton, April L

April L. Borton, Housing Manager and a Tribal Member of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan has twelve years of Administrative experience with the Tribe, holding the position(s) of Tribal Clerk/Enrollment Director and currently the Housing Manager.

As a member of the Tribe, April knows all too well what it means to be told "no", when it came to services and chances that the kids outside of her community had access to. In 1998 she accepted the position of Housing Director and took a long hard look at housing opportunities available to the people of her community, the only available opportunities were inadequate low-income HUD rental units, thirty nine Mutual Help Units and approximately 40 outdated homes on Tribal Trust Lands.

As the Housing Director, she took a very aggressive approach to making new opportunities a reality for her community, with the support of Tribal Council, the Housing Board and recruiting qualified (awesome) housing staff, working together as a team. She has worked very hard to network with lenders, Fannie Mae and PMI to bring in new housing development to better meet the needs of the Tribal Community.

With a perceptive outlook, April realized the success of future housing development; new positions would have to be created to expand the Housing Program. A Tribal Recording Office and a Mortgage Program were established to meet the future Housing needs of her Tribal Community.

April's attitude of dedication, perseverance and commitment to her community, along with an excellent team oriented staff, developing new programs, such as the Tribal Recording Office and the Mortgage Program, ensures the future of a Sovereign Nation to be afforded the same rights and privileges, with no lending barriers to the Tribal Community.

Hester, Janet

Janet Hester, Credit & Homebuyer/Loan Specialist; has worked for the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan for over ten years. For over thirty years Jan has been involved in home financing, mortgages, and a Realtor with CRI designation. She has obtained numerous certifications from NAIHC, along with being a Dale Carniege Graduate. Jan is a Certified Homebuyer Counselor with designation from HUD and NAIHC, she has instructed over 250 individual homebuyer classes in the last four years. Jan was involved with the Congressional task forces regarding Barriers to Homeownership to Native Americans.

Jan has worn many hats over the years working for the Housing Department, to name a few; Certified Occupancy Specialist for eleven years, Acting Housing Manager, Credit & Homebuyer/Loan Specialist. She has been extremely instrumental in obtaining the thirty-year mortgage opportunity for Tribal Members over the past five years, working with lenders, Fannie Mae and PMI.

Jan's attitude of dedication, perseverance, and team work continues to expand the Mortgage Program for the members of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan.

Jones, Marvin

Mr. Jones, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation (whose jurisdictional boundaries are located in northeastern Oklahoma), has been involved in Indian housing since 1983 in various capacities from development to management at numerous Indian tribes and housing authorities both as an employee and as a consultant. He served as the joint representative of the Cherokee Nation and Muscogee (Creek) Nation, the second and third largest recipients of Indian Housing Block Grant funds in the nation, at the last NAHASDA negotiated rulemaking session. He has written Indian Housing Plans since the beginning of NAHASDA in both a tribal and housing authority capacity. He currently serves as the Group Leader, i.e. Executive Director, of Community Services of Nation, overseeing a $50 million budget and over 100 employees in areas that include infrastructure programs (roads, sanitation facilities, and self-help housing), community programs (training, technical assistance, and community/volunteer projects), and IHP development and compliance.

He developed the "Cherokee Nation Housing Program Policy" through community meetings, housing authority discussions, governmental input (through both the executive and legislative branches), needs assessments, and review of the law and regulations. The "Policy" represents the fundamental principles by which Indian Housing Plans and housing activities are developed and implemented. He will serve in the role of coordinating the performance measurement of housing activities and the development of any new housing processes and management/administrative structures necessary to implement the policy and plans.

Morrow, Debra K

Debra K. Morrow, Tribal Recording Title Search Specialist; is an employee of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan. Debra is a 2004 Delta College graduate, with an Associate of Applied Science in Paralegal Studies degree. Debra accepted an appointment by her peers, in 2005 for the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe's Human Resources Fair Treatment Hearing Team. She also received Pathways Home Certification in 2005 from NAIHC.

Debra began her career with the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan in 1994; working in the Education Department. In 1997 she transferred to the Housing Department as an Executive Secretary, where she soon took on the additional role of the Register of Deeds for the Tribe. Debra learned the Title Recording process from the ground up, never accepting the idea that this could not be done for answer.

Debra recently traveled to the Bureau of Indian Affairs Aberdeen South Dakota Office to obtain the Tribes Title Status Reports. She conducted an audit of the BIA records with the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribal records. This set precedent in Indian Country in respect to Title Status Reports and Tract History Reports issued by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Debra works with dedication; perseverance, team effort, and the idea to never listen to an attitude of "that is impossible." Seven years ago, obtaining a mortgage on tribal trust land was an impossible dream for the membership. Today the Tribal Recording Office is a reality for the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribal Community; ensuring the future of mortgage lending on Tribal Trust Lands.

Greendeer, Michelle M

As the Ho-Chunk Nation Tribal Attorney, Michelle performs contracts review, drafts proposed legislation, assists Gaming Compact negotiations. She reviews all contracts over $5,000 by and between the Ho-Chunk and other entities. She is actively involved in real Estate Transactions, Property Taxation issues, draft legislation and codes, Fee To Trust projects, As member of the Land Development Team, she drafts Historical Documents for Nation and provides Legal Advice for Ho-Chunk Nation Land Development Team, She Oversees Review of: Rights of Ways, Leases, Legal Descriptions, Deed Drafting, federal Contract Review, Michelle has served on Various Bureau of Indian Affairs Development liaisons for the Nation, Land Acquisition Reviews and Correspondence.

Pierson, Brian L

Brian is a shareholder with the Milwaukee law firm von Briesen & Roper, s.c., where he focuses his practice on the representation of Indian tribes and chairs the firm's Indian law section. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin Law School, cum laude, in 1983. He served as law clerk to Federal District Judge Myron L. Gordon, Eastern District Wisconsin, from 1983-85. He is past chair (2000-2002) and Board member, of the State Bar's Indian Law Section. He is a member of the bars of the United States Supreme Court, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, local state and federal courts, and several tribal courts. Mr. Pierson has represented tribes in a broad range of matters, including economic development, tribal law development, business and finance, affordable housing and treaty rights. Mr. Pierson won ACLU-Wisconsin's Civil Libertarian of the Year award for his representation of the Lac du Flambeau Chippewa Tribe in a federal lawsuit to prevent interference with tribal members' off-reservation, treaty-reserved fishing rights.

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Track 5 - Building Foundations for Wealth Creation

Aaron-Seymour, Varnessa

Varnessa is a Sr. Affordable Housing Business Manager in Fannie Mae's Western Regional Office. She is responsible for the roll out of the Section 8 homeownership initiative, Fannie Mae's Case Management Software Home Counselor Online and products targeted to persons with special needs, as well as the business conducted in Northern California. She also routinely provides training to lenders and realtors on Fannie Mae's Community Lending products.

Prior to coming to Fannie Mae in 1997, Ms. Aaron-Seymour was BankAmerica Mortgage's Regional Community Responsibility Manager. She was responsible for promoting Bank of America's Affordable Housing program in California. She also provided on-going training on affordable lending products to the sales force. Before the Security Pacific National Bank - Bank of America merger, she was employed by Security Pacific's Employee Loan Division, where she was responsible for training branch personnel at Security Pacific on residential and consumer lending, as well as providing financial counseling to bank personnel. She also managed a commercial loan portfolio as a SBA Servicing Officer.

Ms. Aaron-Seymour is committed to affordable housing and actively participates on the board of several non-profits. She has been affiliated with the Pasadena NHS for 12 years and an active board member since 2003. In addition to PNHS, Varnessa serves on the boards of Easter Seals of Southern California, Department of Developmental Services Area Board X and Home Ownership Made Easy.

Buelow, Tedd

Tedd Buelow is a Financial and Program Analyst with the Native American Team at the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund in Washington, DC. Formerly, Mr. Buelow served as Desk Officer of the Northwest Region for USDA Rural Development's - Community Development Programs. Tedd began his federal career in Morocco were he served as a Rural Socio-Economic planner in the Eastern High Atlas National Park for the U.S. Peace Corps. He was born and raised in Minneapolis, MN and received a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology, from the University of Minnesota. He also holds a Masters of Science Degree in Anthropology from the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee.

Castro, Beth

Beth Castro is a part of the Community and External Affairs Division of Washington Mutual Bank and serves as First Vice President and manager of Community Performance Business and Program Development. She has worked in mortgage and banking field for 20 years. She began working for Washington Mutual in 1995 and has focused her professional career in community development since 1996. She manages the development of single family community lending programs, FHLB affordable housing program access, community development deposit products such as IDA's and financial education programs in support of Washington Mutual's $375 billion corporate commitment and its community reinvestment activities. She is also the program manager for the Washington Mutual's Tribal Lending Initiative.

She is one of the founding members of NAIHC mortgage partnership committee and represents Washington Mutual as a member of the Native Financial Education Coalition.

Her department works very closely with internal business line departments, Tribes and tribal housing entities and industry partners to establish and support the relationships necessary to meet the financial services and credit needs of Native American reservation communities in the bank's service area.

Davis, Virginia

Virginia Davis is Associate Counsel at the National Congress of American Indians. At NCAI Virginia handles issues related to tribal economic development and civil rights. Prior to joining the National Congress of American Indians, she clerked for the Honorable Ronald L. Gilman on the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals and completed the Women's Law and Public Policy Program at Georgetown Law School, where she was placed at the National Women's Law Center. Virginia, who is originally from Indiana, graduated from Yale University and Harvard Law School. While a student at Harvard, she worked with the Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development and the National American Indian Housing Council.

DePerry, Ray

Ray DePerry has served Red Cliff as a Tribal Council member and two terms as it Tribal Chair. He is serving his second four year term as a Commissioner on the Red Cliff Housing Authority Board of Commissioners. His past job experiences include Tribal Manager for Red Cliff, County Administrator for Menominee County, Administrator for the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, President of Great Lakes Inter Tribal Council, and many other tribal administrative positions. Ray is a member of the Red Cliff Tribe.

Garvey, LaVonne

LaVonne Garvey is the grant writer/administrator at Tlingit-Haida Regional Housing Authority in Juneau, Alaska. She has over 15 years experience managing programs for tribal organizations throughout Southeast Alaska. During her career, LaVonne's expertise has been applied to housing, employment, education, fiscal and tribal operations activities. Born in Wrangell, Alaska, she is of Aleut descent and a life-long resident of Southeast Alaska.

Donohoe, Joanna

Joanna Donohoe is the owner of Donohoe Consulting, a firm that provides program development, grant writing and other community development services to clients in Native communities. She serves as the facilitator of the Native Financial Education Coalition on behalf of First Nations Oweesta Corporation and works with Native nonprofits and TDHEs to help them develop mortgage-based homeownership and asset building programs. Formerly, she was a Community Builder Fellow from 1998-2000 in HUD's Southwest Office of Native American Programs in New Mexico. She served from 1993-1998 with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), a bureau of the U.S. Department of the Treasury in Washington, DC and from 1990-1993 as a legislative representative for the Independent Bankers Association of America in Washington, DC. Joanna earned a B.A. in American Government from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA in 1989 and a Juris Doctor from The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC in 1995. She is married, has a four-year-old son and a one-year-old daughter, and resides in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

Garvey, LaVonne

LaVonne is the grant writer/administrator at Tlingit-Haida Regional Housing Authority in Juneau, Alaska. She has over 15 years experience managing programs for tribal organizations throughout Southeast Alaska. During her career, LaVonne's expertise has been applied to housing, employment, education, fiscal and tribal operations activities. Born in Wrangell, Alaska, she is of Aleut descent and a life-long resident of Southeast Alaska.

Hammond, Susan

Susan Hammond is the Executive Director of Four Directions Development Corporation (FDDC). FDDC is a non-profit community development corporation and community development financial institution (CDC/CDFI). Ms. Hammond has been involved with FDDC since the earliest planning stages. She was part of the Interim Board and was instrumental in obtaining start-up capital from the CDFI Fund, Fannie Mae, Maine State Housing, USDA, and local banks. Prior to joining Four Directions, Ms. Hammond was the Director of the Penobscot Nation Housing Department. Ms. Hammond graduated from the University of Maine at Orono with a BS in Business Administration.

Redheart, Anna

Anna Redheart is a member of the Nez Perce Tribe. After receiving her degree from Lewis and Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho, Ms. Redheart began working for a local bank in Lewiston. Although she desired a career in the banking industry, Ms. Redheart desired to share her skills with the Nez Perce community.

In 1998 she was hired as one of the first Housing Counselors with the Nez Perce Tribal Housing Authority. Her business administration degree and banking experience proved ideal for her position. As a Housing Counselor, Ms. Redheart conducts homebuyer education classes, one-on-one counseling, and assists homebuyers in completing the loan application process. As part of the Nez Perce Housing Counseling team, she has been directly involved in assisting 45 Nez Perce families become homeowners. After seven years as a Housing Counselor, Ms. Redheart has emerged as a skilled trainer and counselor who can adapt housing counseling material and training techniques to a variety of housing needs. Her experience in the housing counseling field also launched Ms. Redheart into the Lewiston Community as a respected member of the Lewiston Clarkston Credit Association.

Schramm, Patricia

Patsy has been with IRS since 1975. When the IRS reorganized in 2000 to place more emphasis on taxpayer education and outreach, Patsy became a senior manager in SPEC (Stakeholder Partnerships, Education & Communication). SPEC's mission is "to assist taxpayers in satisfying their tax responsibilities by building and maintaining partnerships with key stakeholders, seeking to create and share value by informing, educating and communicating with our shared customers." A major emphasis is facilitating the creation or modification of community coalitions to assist low-to-middle income working families learn about and file for the Earned Income Tax and the Child Tax Credits. When coupled with asset building strategies, these credits can provide the opportunity to move out of poverty to self-sufficiency through a model combining awareness & education, free tax preparation and asset building, thus benefiting individuals, families and entire communities. Many of Patsy's efforts focus on trying to bring this powerful model to Native communities.

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Track 6 - Designing and Building Healthy Communities

Allen, Paula

Paula Allen (Karuk/Yurok) works at United Indian Health Services, Inc. as their Traditional Resources Specialist where she works to integrate cultural traditions and values into services provided to the community. She has her BA in Native American Studies from Humboldt State University, and has worked in the area of American Indian Health and Education for the past ten years. She is very involved in the culture of her Karuk and Yurok communities, and is a singer, dancer and mentor for Karuk women at the Brushdance and Ihuk ceremonies. She, along with her husband Alme, are also the parents of their eight year old daughter, Ty'ithreeha.

Brown, Kate M

The Building Research Council (BRC) is the research unit of the School of Architecture at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Its mission is to help improve the quality of the built environment in the United States, particularly housing, through research, public service, education, and publications. For over 50 years, BRC has maintained programs designed to help all participants in the building industry who are interested in improved house design and construction: architects, engineers, planners, contractors, builders, manufacturers, and housing consumers. BRC has provided a high level of technical expertise at the service of housing and residential construction. In addition, BRC staff has extensive expertise in many areas related to ONAP's mission.

BRC has experience working with HUD, Congress, other federal agencies, local housing authorities, community based organizations and state and local governments to provide technical assistance in such areas as technical assistance on mold and moisture conditions impacting Native American housing, indoor air quality, policy analysis, program evaluation, assessments of housing needs and programs, training on key housing programs such as the house as a system, community development, mold and moisture conditions, and technical assistance to troubled low-income housing programs. In addition, members of our staff serve on local housing development corporations, state and local housing boards and commissions.

Davis, Matt A

Matt A. Davis, P.E. is a Project Engineer with Wightman & Associates, in Benton Harbor, MI. Matt grew up in Chicago working in the family real estate development company and has more than 20 years of engineering experience including site design, public and private planning, utility, and roadway projects. His education also includes timber frame construction, passive solar, constructed wetlands, and advanced septic system design. Matt has worked with the Pokagon Band on multiple projects including Phase II of Pokagonek Édawat, as well as road and bridge design projects. His involvement in watershed planning includes presentations on soil erosion and sedimentation control measures, as well as on watershed-based stormwater management practices. Matt is a licensed professional engineer in Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana, a Michigan Construction Site Certified Stormwater Operator, and a licensed real estate broker in Michigan. He holds a B.S. in Architectural Engineering from the University of Colorado, Boulder. Wightman & Associates, Inc. is a 59-year-old, employee-owned engineering, surveying and architecture firm serving diverse clients in southwest Michigan and northern Indiana. Over the past six decades of services, the Company has developed a reputation for high-quality, effective and economical consulting services and has a proven track record for development and implementation of real and useable projects.

Diehl, Joseph B

Joseph B. Diehl serves as the Executive Director of the Northwest Indian Housing Association (NWIHA), a position he's held for 7 years. NWIHA serves 34 Tribes, Tribal Housing Authorities or TDHEs in the states of Idaho, Oregon, Washington - and one housing authority in Alaska. Joe currently provides similar services to two statewide associations, the Affordable Housing Management Association (HUD, Tax Credit managers) and the Council for Affordable & Rural Housing (USDA/RD owners/managers). Prior to entering the non-profit sector, Joe held a variety of CFO and controller positions for commercial real estate organizations. Diehl started his career in 1971 as a Senior Accountant at KPMG Peat Marwick and earned his CPA in 1974. Joe earned a JD from John Marshall Law School in Chicago and a BS in Accountancy from Northern Illinois University.

Rehwald, Mary

Mary is co-founder of the Alliance for Sustainability in the Chequamegon Bay on Lake Superior in northern Wisconsin. An Ashland, Wisconsin resident, Rehwald has been a community educator for her entire adult life. She recently learned about the "eco-municipality movement" in Sweden, so she took a tour of their sustainable communities last year.

While there, she learned that seventy local government bodies (including Stockholm) have been working for twenty years to train their city workers and community members to begin reducing their dependency on fossil fuels from 85% to 25% (and in one case, 0%) , that they have developed hundreds of new jobs in communities using new sustainable principles, that they have had positive experiences organizing study circles, and that they developed the local initiative model that was adopted by the United Nations in 1992.

Upon her return, she organized an international conference in Ashland with representatives from Sweden, and met with tribal and city council members to invite them to send delegates to the conference. 200 participants attended, and local initiatives to become eco-municipalities are moving forward. She is a member of the Ashland City Council (population 8,000), a community educator for Northland College, and an active participant in her region's sustainable agriculture council (F.E.A.S.T.) "Homegrown Affordable Housing" council.

Piccirilli, Mark A

Mark Piccirilli is president of FirstPic, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in a variety of national, state and local, youth program development initiatives.

With more than 15 years of Federal contracts management experience, Mr. Piccalilli has developed substantial skills in the areas of youth development and prevention programming, program management, needs assessment, technical assistance and training, meeting and conference planning and management, and project design and oversight. Specifically, Mr. Piccirilli's efforts are notable in the design, development, and implementation of a proactive national education, training, and technical assistance initiative to build on successful youth prevention programming in Indian Country; design of national, and regional trainings to aid in the establishment of Native American youth prevention activities; and provision of training and technical assistance focusing on issues such as board, development, fundraising, grant writing, fiscal management, use of volunteers, and marketing.

Additionally, his expertise includes youth program development and support services; public and Indian housing; curriculum and, youth program development n the areas of diabetes, mentoring, substance abuse and after school science-based programs; crime prevention; program and needs assessment; research; and, database development and maintenance.

Mr. Piccirilli and FirstPic, Inc. have partnered with a number of federal agencies such as the U.S. Departments of Health, and Hum an Services, Housing and Urban Development, Justice, and Interior, and national organizations including Boys & Girls Clubs of America, the National Congress of American Indians, National Native American Law Enforcement Association, Nike. Inc., and Sea Research Foundation.

Mr. Piccirilli received his B.A. in Political. Science from the University of Maryland and his M.S. in Criminal Justice from American University.

Waite, Wayne W

Wayne Waite currently serves as the Regional Energy Representative for the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Pacific Hawaii region. In addition, Mr. Waite He serves as the regional liaison to the Regional Director on HUD's America's Affordable Communities Initiative. Mr. Waite brings to the position over 20 years of experience in community and strategic planning, housing, transportation, land use, and public finance in various senior level management and policy positions.

At the Department of Housing and Urban Development, he has held several senior management positions in the Federal Government including Field Office Director, Senior Budget Analyst, and Senior Policy Advisor to HUD's Deputy Secretary Alfred DelliBovi and Secretary Jack Kemp. In this position, Mr. Waite served as an advisor on programmatic and regulatory matters, managed a wide array of Secretarial housing initiatives, and was responsible for overseeing many aspects of HUD's Departmental management operations.

While at he Department of Transportation, Mr. Waite served held positions as a transportation planner, Special Assistant to the Executive Director of the Federal Transportation Administration, and Senior Policy Analyst, where Mr. Waite played significant roles in developing the U.S Department of Transportation's National Strategic Plan contributing to the first ISTEA legislation and performing a National Study on airline deregulation and the competitiveness of the airline industry.

Mr. Waite recently completed an executive exchange program with the Nevada Housing Division where he developed the Qualified Allocation Plan and guidance for the State's Low Income Housing Tax Credit program and assisted in expanding Nevada's energy efficiency programs.

Mr. Waite has contributed to many studies, articles, and publications on transportation planning and housing policies and Federal management issues.

Walters, Liz

Liz Walters started working for the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe as a temporary employee in the Housing department in May of 2004 after relocating to Michigan from Southern California. She joined the Housing team as a permanent, full time employee in August of 2004 as the Deputy Tribal Recording/Title Search Specialist.

Liz recently celebrated her one year anniversary of employment with the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe. Liz says she has had the pleasure of working with a wonderful group of people in the Housing department this past year and has learned a great deal with regard to housing issues and the need for affordable home ownership for the tribal community.

Wojciechowski, Tom

Tom works as a Project Manager for the sustainable design and construction of three facilities, and a wind energy monitoring study for the Bad River Tribe of Chippewa Indians. He also is engaged in Tribal planning, grant writing and energy efficiency efforts. He previously served Northland College as Director of Student Development for 16 years and was deeply engaged in the college planning and sustainability efforts. A residential facility, for which he served as project manager, received national recognition for its green design. Current volunteer activities include efforts to move his home area, a northern Wisconsin bioregion, in a sustainable direction. These activities include a sustainable agriculture coalition, an environmental leadership school, and a Habitat for Humanity green home project.