Ohio Housing Conference Featured Speakers

Ohio Economic Forecast Speakers, Tuesday, November 5, 9:00am – 10:30am

Housing Policy Plenary Speakers, Wednesday, November 6, 9:00am – 10:30am

Keynote Speaker, Wednesday, November 6, 12:00pm – 1:30pm

Women in the Affordable Housing Industry, Wednesday, November 6, 3:45pm – 5:00pm

2019 Ohio Housing Conference Keynote Speaker

Alton Fitzgerald White
Critically Acclaimed Actor

Alton Fitzgerald White captivates audiences whenever and wherever he performs. The triple talented singer, actor, dancer has starred in six smash Broadway hits! He made his Broadway starring debut as John in Miss Saigon with his powerful heart rending performance of the anthem “Bui Doi” bringing nightly ovations.

Demonstrating his vocal versatility Alton then moved on to the more aggressive role of The Hawker in The Who’s Tommy, the hit rock-opera.

Next was the popular Broadway show Smokey Joe’s Café where Alton dazzled theatergoers with dynamic renditions of Leiber and Stoller classics. His commanding performance reached new heights as he sang and danced the romantic pas de deux “Spanish Harlem,” to stunning applause. This performance lead to his West End debut in the original London company of the smash hit.

Not long after returning to the States, Alton landed the coveted starring role of Coalhouse Walker Jr. in Ragtime: The Musical. The journey began with the pre-Broadway original company in Toronto opposite 6 time Tony Award Winner Audra McDonald, the critically acclaimed national tour and ultimately Broadway, opposite Tony Award Winner LaChanze. His performance mesmerized audiences into consistent emotional standing ovations.

Alton’s next move took him on the road to originate the role of Mufasa in the 1st National Tour (The Gazelle Tour) of Disney’s The Lion King. After just over a year of touring, Alton was thankfully invited to take over the role in the Broadway company. Then, in the Fall of 2007, Alton was offered the amazing opportunity to play the role of Mister in Oprah Winfrey’s The Color Purple opposite American Idol winner Fantasia Barrino. For a phenomenal 3 weeks, Alton was blessed with the wonderful challenge of rehearsing the role of the troubled, tortured Mister during the day while performing the role of the iconic father Mufasa in the evenings. Being a part of 2 incredible Broadway shows at the same time is a thrilling honor that Alton will never ever forget.

After an exceptionally blessed 5 1/2 years of continuous 8 shows a week on Broadway, Alton took a year off for TV (episodes of “Law and Order”), Film (The Invention of Lying, directed by and starring the brilliant multi-award winning comedian, Ricky Gervais), concerts around the world, voice-overs and commercial work. In 2009, Disney invited Alton to re-create the role of Mufasa for a record breaking, sit-down company at The Mandalay Bay in Viva Las Vegas where he fell in love with the mountains, hiking and Bikram Yoga. After a phenomenal year in Vegas, he was again invited back into the Broadway company. October 2012 marked the release of his critically acclaimed and smash hit CD, Disney My Way, full of wonderful re-imagined Disney classics.

2019 Ohio Economic Forecast Speakers

Dr. Edward "Ned" Hill
Professor at the John Glenn College of Public Affairs, The Ohio State University

Edward (Ned) Hill is Professor of Public Affairs and City & Regional Planning at The Ohio State University where he teaches economic development, public economics, and state and local public policy in The John Glenn College of Public Affairs. He is also affiliated with the Ohio Manufacturing Institute and the College of Engineering's Discovery Theme in Materials and Manufacturing for a Sustainable World. Ned served as Dean of the Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University for eight years and was a member of the faculty for 30 years. He was a nonresident senior fellow of The Brookings Institution's Metropolitan Policy Program and of the Institute for Governmental Studies at the University of California at Berkeley. He was chair of the Advisory Board of the National Institute of Standards and Technology's (NIST) Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) from 2007 until 2010 and is a member of the program's research committee.

Robert Vogt
Partner, Vogt Strategic Insights

Robert Vogt is a principal and partner with the real estate market analyst firm of Vogt Strategic Insights, a firm specializing in providing real estate market feasibility studies and project consulting located in Columbus, Ohio. Mr. Vogt has conducted market feasibility studies for the past thirty years. In this time, he has conducted, written and reviewed over 7,000 market analyses for market-rate and affordable Tax Credit apartments, as well as studies for single-family, condominiums, golf course/residential developments, office, retail, and elderly housing throughout the U.S. Mr. Vogt is a founding member of the National Council of Housing Market Analysts, an association formed to bring standards and professional practices to real estate market feasibility. He is a past chairman of this association. Mr. Vogt is a member of the Columbus Board of Commission Appeals and a member of the Urban Land Institute. Mr. Vogt has a degree in Finance, Real Estate, and Urban Land Economics from The Ohio State University.

Danushka Nanayakkara-Skillington
Assistant Vice President for Forecasting and Analysis, National Association of Home Builders

Danushka Nanayakkara is the NAHB Assistant Vice President for Forecasting and Analysis. She oversees the activities of the Forecasting & Analysis section of the Economics group which includes developing and maintaining national, regional, long-term, and remodeling expenditures forecasts. Before being promoted to Assistant Vice President, she worked at NAHB as a Senior Economist. Prior to joining NAHB, Danushka worked at J.D. Power as a Senior Economic Analyst in the automotive industry. She holds a M.A. degree in Applied Economics from Johns Hopkins University.

2019 Housing Policy Plenary Speakers

Michael Novogradac
Managing Partner, Novogradac & Company LLP

Michael Novogradac is the managing partner of Novogradac & Company LLP. He has more than 30 years of experience specializing in affordable housing, community development, historic preservation and renewable energy. Mr. Novogradac's focus is in real estate taxation and accounting. He is the author of numerous real estate-related tax and accounting articles and books, including the New Markets Tax Credit Handbook and the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Handbook. A frequent speaker at tax credit conferences and forums throughout the country, Mr. Novogradac is very active in advocating for the inclusion of affordable housing, historic, new markets and renewable energy tax credits in federal and state policy and broadcasts a weekly podcast that focuses on tax credit issues. In addition, he serves as advisor on industry and governmental affairs for the NMTC Working Group, LIHTC Working Group and the Opportunity Zones Working Group. Mr. Novogradac also serves on the executive committee of the Housing Advisory Group and the boards of directors of the Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition, the National Housing Conference, the NMTC Coalition and Historic Tax Credit Coalition, as well as being an original member of the National Multifamily Housing Council's Affordable Housing Committee. Mr. Novogradac graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles, with a bachelor's degree in economics. He received an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley. He is licensed in California, Oregon, Maryland and Texas as a certified public accountant. You can follow Michael on twitter @novogradac and his blog at www.novoco.com/blog.

William (Bill) Faith
Executive Director, Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio

Bill Faith has served as Executive Director of the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing since 1994. Throughout his career, he has worked to advance housing solutions for people with disabilities, led organizations fighting homelessness on the frontlines, and advocated for affordable housing at both the state and federal levels. Bill serves as Chairman of the Ohio Housing Trust Fund Advisory Committee, Chairman Emeritus of the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) and was previously President of the Board of Directors for the National Coalition for the Homeless.

Marietta Rodriguez
President & Chief Executive Officer, NeighborWorks

Marietta Rodriguez knows what it’s like to be a new homebuyer because she was one. "I was 25 and living in a high-cost area," she says. "There was absolutely no way I could buy a home without someone holding my hand and walking me through it." The folks holding her hand were from a NeighborWorks network organization that provided counseling and financial assistance to first-time homebuyers. Soon, Rodriguez went to work for the organization that assisted her so that she could help more people in her hometown. She led the national homeownership effort for the NeighborWorks network, which included a suite of pre-purchase, mortgage lending, and post-purchase programs and services. Today, as president and chief executive officer, Rodriguez works with senior executives and nationally renowned experts to leverage the power of public-private partnerships. She has a proven record of leadership and accomplishment, creating and executing strategic initiatives that address some of the toughest challenges facing low-income families: homeownership, foreclosure prevention, community building and engagement. Rodriguez is responsible for leading NeighborWorks America’s programmatic support to its 245 member organizations and nonprofit partners. Whether capacity building, technical assistance, grant management or relationship management, she has met or exceeded metrics for success while developing and mentoring her staff at all levels. Her notable accomplishments include: Managing a national down payment assistance program totaling more than $300 million to support 17,800 new homebuyers since 2012; Creating an innovative business practice as a NeighborWorks Achieving Excellence graduate that enables member organizations to operate their homeownership programs sustainably, with a supporting, shared infrastructure for marketing, technology and financial management. Participating member organizations increased homeowners by 64 percent while decreasing service delivery costs 43 percent, and increasing revenue by 101 percent over their own baseline; Positioned NeighborWorks America as a leader in executing timely housing solutions by anticipating and identifying the biggest foreclosure crisis in American history; Launched the NeighborWorks Center for Foreclosure Solutions, forming new industry partnerships focused on building capacity for housing counselors, working with servicers and government agencies on systemic changes in loan modification execution and building consumer awareness .Rodriguez was named an expert witness by the Federal Trade Commission in three areas of specialty: mortgage finance, credit repair and loan modification. Rodriguez is an established national spokesperson whose media credentials include CNN Money, Fox Business, CBS Evening News, ABC Nightly News, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, National Mortgage News, Market Watch- National Public Radio, American Banker and Stanford Social Innovation Review.

Women in the Affordable Housing Industry Speakers

Peg Moertl
President & CEO, Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing (OCCH)

Ms. Moertl joined Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing (OCCH) as President and CEO this year. Ms. Moertl came to OCCH from HCDC, a 35 year-old non-profit economic development agency that grows jobs and the economy through innovation incubation, small business lending, and development services. Prior to her work with HCDC, Ms. Moertl served as Senior Vice President of Community Development Banking at PNC Bank for nearly 15 years, leading teams responsible for community development and affordable housing loans/investments, grant-making and sponsorships, along with increasing impact in low-to-moderate income neighborhoods using creative bank-community partnerships.

She also served as the Director of Development at the City of Cincinnati, Executive Director of Women Entrepreneurs Inc., and helped develop the region’s first microloan program. She has served on boards and committees of numerous housing, community, economic development and human service agencies including Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), the Greater Ohio Policy Center, Urban League of Southwest Ohio, Cincinnati Development Fund, Urban Land Institute, Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation, Catalytic Development Funding Corporation of Northern Kentucky, Cincinnati Equity Fund (3CDC) and Strategies to End Homelessness. Ms. Moertl has been recognized as one of Columbus Business First’s 2019 Power 100, Cincinnati Magazine’s 2019 Most Powerful Business Leaders, a YWCA Career Woman of Achievement, among the Top 15 Ohio Women Business Leaders by the Ohio Women’s Conference, along with honors from Cincinnati Development Fund, the Talbert House, the Cincinnati-Hamilton County Community Action Agency, the CDC Association of Greater Cincinnati, Avondale Comprehensive Development Corporation, Cincinnati Human Relations Commission and the Center for Holocaust & Humanity Education. She is a graduate of Leadership Cincinnati Class XXIII.

Burgundi Allison
Program Associate of Center for Civic Sites and Community Change, Annie E. Casey Foundation

Burgundi serves as the program associate in the Center for Civic Sites and Community Change. In this role, she leads local Baltimore investments in youth organizing, youth policy and advocacy, community safety and participatory grantmaking, and supports national community change investments in place-based, two-generation supports for families in New York, Texas and Ohio. Before joining the Foundation, Burgundi was the director of the youth opportunity program at the Historic East Baltimore Community Action Coalition, where she oversaw services to Baltimore City youth ages 18–24, including case management; GED and adult basic education classes; job preparation, placement and retention; and clinical services. Prior to that, she held several positions with AIRS/Empire Homes of Maryland a comprehensive supportive housing provider for low-income and homeless individuals and families living with HIV/AIDS and other disabilities, eventually becoming director of City Steps Youth Services, AIRS’ housing continuum for homeless youth ages 18-24. Burgundi oversaw six youth transitional and permanent supportive housing programs and was co-chair of the Baltimore Homeless Youth Initiative. Burgundi previously worked at New Pathways as a life-skills counselor responsible for the on-site supervision of 20 youths in foster care, as part of an independent living program. She also was a social studies teacher with Baltimore City Public Schools, where she taught sixth- and seventh-grade students. Raised in Wilmington, Delaware, Baltimore has been her home for 20 years. Burgundi is the proud mother of two. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Morgan State University and a Masters in Nonprofit Management from College of Notre Dame of Maryland.

Emily Cadik
Executive Director, Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition (AHTCC)

Emily Cadik is the Executive Director of the Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition (AHTCC), where she leads advocacy to support affordable rental housing financed using the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (Housing Credit). Prior to joining the AHTCC, she was a Senior Director of Public Policy at Enterprise Community Partners, where she led policy and advocacy related to the Housing Credit and other affordable housing and community development issues. While at Enterprise she served on the board of the AHTCC, chairing the Legislative Committee, co-chairing the Marketing Committee, and serving on the Executive Committee since 2016. She also helped to lead the A Call To Invest in Our Neighborhoods (ACTION) Campaign, the nationwide coalition of more than 2,000 organizations and businesses advocating on behalf of the Housing Credit, and remains active in this nationwide advocacy effort. In 2017 she received the NHP Foundation’s inaugural Advocacy Award, and in 2016 was named one of Affordable Housing Finance’s Young Leaders. Before joining Enterprise she was a Presidential Management Fellow at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, where she served as a program coordinator for the Moving to Work demonstration and in the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. She earned a master’s degree in public policy from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin.

Byna Elliott
Senior Vice President and Chief Corporate Community and Economic Development Officer, Fifth Third Bank

Byna Elliott serves as the senior vice president and chief corporate community and economic development officer at Fifth Third Bank.She is in the perfect position to do what she does best and loves the most helping people find a better quality of life, build wealth, and strengthen communities through inclusive lending, investments, education, and services. Its about doing whats right for the people who entrust their dreams to us. A graduate of Eastern Michigan University, Elliott oversees Fifth Third Banks $32 billion, five-year Community Commitment Initiative, helping rebuild communities in its 10-city, 14-market footprint. Shes leading the bank in serving low- and moderate-income communities by focusing on homeownership, small business investment, workforce readiness, and community development. As a member of the senior leadership team, Elliott sits on the banks management committee. Growing up in Detroit with a single mother, grandmother and three siblings, Elliott understands the plight of an underserved community. She shares her gift for problem-solving and building partnerships to give underserved communities a voice in the room. The more individuals, families and small businesses feel empowered and financially healthy, the more our communities thrive.

Kathleen Ison-Lind
Vice President of Affordable Living and In-Home Services, Episcopal Retirement Services

Kathy joined Episcopal Retirement Services (ERS) in May 2002. She is Vice President of Affordable Living and In-Home Services which serves over 1,800 residents in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. With over thirty years of health care management experience, Kathy provides strategic leadership and management oversight for owned and managed affordable housing communities, in-home services, parish health ministries and Affordable Living’s Wellness Program. She came to ERS from the Mercy Health System where she served as the Executive Director, Health and Wellness. Prior to that, she served as Vice President of Rehabilitation and Long Term Care with the Franciscan Health System of Cincinnati. Kathy received her Bachelor of Science Degree from The Ohio State University in Physical Therapy. Kathy is a Guild Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner and received her certification as a Specialist in Housing Credit Management in 2011. She is active on the Leading Age Ohio Affordable Housing Special Interest Group. Kathy served for six years each on the Hyde Park Center for Older Adults and Tri-State Parkinson's Wellness Board as program chair. She served on the board for Healthy Moms & Babes for 10 years and was elected board chair.