Staff

Executive Leadership

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  Tony Pickett

  Chief Executive Officer

  Tony Pickett is a LEED accredited professional with over 30 years of real estate experience in planning, financing and implementation of large scale urban redevelopment initiatives.

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  Rachel Silver

  Chief Operating Officer

  Rachel Silver brings more than 15 years of experience working with public and private agencies to create new affordable housing opportunities.

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Operations and Finance

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  Tiffany Panganiban

  Director of Operations

  Tiffany has 9 years of experience in operations, administration, strategic planning, human resources, marketing, and improving internal infrastructures and policies from both the legal for-profit and non-profit sectors. Previously, she served as the Operations Manager for AAAJ – Asian Law Caucus for almost three years helping successfully launch internal systems across legal, human resources, finance, and other administrative functions. In the past, she has worked for an immigration law firm in Los Angeles, wearing numerous hats for operations and the executive team. She has also worked with other non-profit organizations and in academia by conducting qualitative and quantitative research on abuses on asylum and parole applications, by researching on the relationship between detention and immigration, and by identifying the role of arts and culture in community-building/advocacy and in developing a database of artists whose work impact housing justice, anti-displacement, and immigrant defense work. Her background has always centered on serving immigrant, low-income communities, and communities of color, starting with her experience and first job as an English as Second Language mentor for a city college in Los Angeles. Tiffany is an immigrant from the Philippines and is fluent in Tagalog. She obtained her A.A. in Liberal Arts from Los Angeles City College, pursued her B.A in Development Studies from UC Berkeley, and a Master’s in Public Policy with a special certificate on Public Policy Advocacy from the Sol Price School of Public Policy at the University of Southern California. Tiffany enjoys good books, drinks, and company.

  Location: San Francisco, CA
  Phone: 503-493-1000 ext. 13

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  Gabriela Ilabaca

  Operations and Finance Specialist

  Gaby brings with her the expertise of financial and operations experience from both profit and non-profit industries. She decided to make the switch into non-profit, because she was seeking meaningful work that made a lasting impact in the lives of those in her community. Her non-profit experience includes working for United Way Greater LA in the Business Finance department. At United Way, she helped organize and track revenue to aid in their mission to serve the LA area. Gaby received her two bachelor’s degrees in Political Science and Economics (2013) from California State University, San Bernardino. She’s new to the Bay Area; previously she resided in Southern California for most of her life after her and her family immigrated to the US in 2002 from Chile. In her spare time, she enjoys concerts, watching any type of sports, and finding new places to eat.

  Location: Oakland, Ca
  Phone: 503-493-1000 ext. 31

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  Devin Culbertson

  VP of Innovative Finance

  Devin strives to scale shared equity housing across the country by blending real estate and finance technical skills with patient, people-focused problem-solving. Before joining Grounded Solutions, Devin was a Director at Enterprise Community Partners, leading site coordination, community ownership, and capital strategy for the Strong Prosperous and Resilient Communities Challenge. While at Enterprise, he also created the $21M Regional Equitable Development Initiative Fund to finance the acquisition of transit-oriented development sites in Seattle. He also worked as an underwriter and analyst on the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Syndication team. Devin began his career developing affordable homeownership and multifamily projects in Oregon, building or preserving approximately 500 units across roughly 15 projects. Devin is a graduate of Willamette University (BA) and the University of Texas at Austin, with a Master of Science in Community and Regional Planning.

  Location: Austin, TX
  Phone: 503-493-1000 ext. 24

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  Stephen Schiavone

  Executive Assistant

  Stephen Schiavone has over eight years of experience providing administrative, executive, and programmatic support in the non-profit and public sectors. Stephen most recently worked as a Program Associate for the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities. Stephen provided administrative support for senior Office of Academic Affairs staff, such as planning, organizing, and managing meetings of the Council on Academic Affairs, the Council of Student Affairs, and the Committee for Faculty Affairs. Stephen has had the honor to earn an appointment in the U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s Presidential Management Fellows Program. As a Presidential Management Fellow, Stephen served as an Executive Assistant to the Director and Deputy Director of Voice of America; the largest U.S. funded international broadcaster and producer of digital, TV, and radio content in 48 languages. As part of this fellowship, Stephen also completed a rotation with the Broadcasting Board of Governors’ Office of Policy and Compliance where he served as a Policy Analyst. Stephen is a graduate of Emory University in Atlanta, GA where he earned a B.A. in Economics & History. In addition, he has earned a Master’s in Public Policy from American University in Washington, D.C.

  Location: Silver Spring, MD
  Phone: 503-493-1000 ext. 30

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Sector Strategy

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  Aminata Cisse

  Program Coordinator

  Amina Has 3 years of experience in affordable housing, casework, and social services. Serving as a Housing Coordinator in NYC,  she assisted families that are experiencing homelessness get permanent housing prior joining Grounded Solutions . She is passionate about contributing her efforts to inclusive environments and underserved communities. She would like to further her work in affordable housing, because she believes it can help low-income families save, improve health and access to better jobs. In her free time, she enjoys reading, writing poetry and baking.

  Location: Bronx, NY
  Phone: 503-493-1000 ext. 19

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  Jerusha Daniels

  Affordable Housing Principal

  With a passion for inclusive, equitable community development, Jerusha Daniels brings more than 10 years of experience in the affordable housing development and finance sectors. She has allocated Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC’s) while at New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority, utilized LIHTC’s to develop supportive housing, preserved HUD-financed properties, and oversaw Community Development Block Grant rehabilitation programs. As a Community Development Finance Institution lender, Jerusha has also underwritten pre-development, new construction, and adaptive-reuse loans for affordable housing developments. She holds a Master’s in Community and Regional Planning from the University of New Mexico and a BS in Political Science from University of Wisconsin La Crosse.

  Location: Milwaukee, WI
  Phone: 503-493-1000 ext. 22

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  Tony Hernandez

  Affordable Housing Technical Assistance Director

  Tony has over 20 years of experience of project management overlooking affordable housing and community land trust portfolios. Tony spent 13 years managing projects for a national architectural firm tied to residential design in various and diversified communities. He spent over 7 years managing, stewarding and community organizing the portfolio for one of the oldest CLTs in the country, Dudley Neighbors Incorporated in Roxbury MA. Tony has also provided technical assistance to communities other than those in the United States including Puerto Rico, Israel, Germany, and Brazil. As the Affordable Housing Technical Assistance Director for the Grounded Solutions Network, Tony manages a team that gets deployed to provide oversight and proper training to communities focused on moving the affordable housing needle with a permanent lens of racial equity and inclusion.

  Location: Boston, MA
  Phone: 503-493-1000 ext. 29

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  Katie Sherman

  Program Coordinator - Training and Events

  Katie's passion for service began at a young age. She recognizes that it is both a choice and a privilege to serve the community, and she feels grateful that she is able to accomplish that by serving at Grounded Solutions Network. Katie received both her B.A. in Justice Studies and Master’s in Public Administration from James Madison University. Katie served as an AmeriCorps VISTA for one year after graduating with her B.A., where she focused her efforts on youth empowerment work. Her passion for affordable housing comes from serving for two years as the Program Coordinator for an organization that provided necessary home repairs for low-income homeowners. In that capacity, she witnessed the many obstacles that low-income individuals face when trying to attain affordable, quality housing. What drew Katie to Grounded Solutions Network was the multi-faceted approach to affordable housing, especially with the emphasis on advocacy, racial equity, community organizing and capacity-building. She believes that everyone deserves dignity and a place to call home.

  Location: Richmond, VA
  Phone: 503-493-1000 ext. 28

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  Beth Sorce

  VP of Sector Growth

  Beth Sorce oversees Grounded Solutions’ technical assistance, training and member services teams, drawing upon 18 years of affordable housing, shared-equity, and community land trust experience. Beth began her career in New York City with the Urban Homesteading Assistance Board before moving to New Orleans where she worked for Providence Community Housing. Since joining Grounded Solutions, Beth has overseen major initiatives like the Catalytic Land Cohort, BIPOC Homeowner Stabilization Initiative, annual housing conference and virtual training institute. She has also provided direct training and technical assistance to a wide range of communities including Albany (NY), Houston (TX), Detroit (MI), Portland (OR) and Omaha (NE). A Massachusetts native and graduate of Macalester College and the University of New Orleans (Master of Urban and Regional Planning), Beth resides in Lafayette, Colorado where she and her family build furniture out of their makeshift woodshop.

  Location: Boulder, CO
  Phone: 503-493-1000 ext. 6

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  Jason Webb

  Community and Technical Assistance Principal

  Jason has over 30 years of experience in community organizing and revitalization. He was instrumental in the revitalization of a community in Roxbury Massachusetts called “Dudley Street,” as highlighted in the awarding winning documentaries Holding Ground, Gaining Ground and in the book called Streets of Hope. As the Community and Technical Assistance Principal Jason oversees training and technical assistance for cities, nonprofit organizations, and community groups. He assists with exploring, adopting, and implementing housing policies and programs with lasting affordability that advance racial equity and inclusion. Jason has developed essential tools that have helped hundreds of groups learn about the community land trust model such as the “Community Land Trust Start-up Hub”. Jason served as Co-Chair of the staff committee for racial equity and inclusion from 2020 to present. Before coming to Grounded Solutions, Jason worked 15 years for Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative (DSNI) and Network Member Dudley Neighbors Inc. (DNI). He served in several capacities such as Director of Real Estate and Technology, Director of DNI “The Community Land Trust,” and Director of Administration and Finance. Jason oversaw the development of several community land trust developments and created a youth development/youth jobs program called CommunityScapes. A Massachusetts native, Jason attended Boston University School of Management. Jason currently resides in Clermont, Florida where he and his family enjoy amusement parks. He currently serves as a local resource for groups in and around the local Orlando area when it comes to advancing community engagement and decision making.

  Location: Orlando, FL
  Phone: 503-493-1000 ext. 7

Communications

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  Adam Abraham

  Communications Senior Specialist

  Before initially joining Grounded Solutions Network as Member Communications Specialist, Adam Abraham was an AmeriCorps VISTA member for two consecutive terms at Yellow Springs Home, Inc. Adam has a passion for permanently affordable housing, economic development, and urban planning, bringing over 10 years of communications experience to the Grounded Solutions Network. Prior to AmeriCorps, Adam studied Media Arts and Media Theory at Antioch College. He enjoys food, film, hobbyist electronics, and installation artwork.

  Location: Columbus, OH
  Phone: 503-493-1000 ext. 20

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  Nyasha Sprow

  Communications Specialist

  With a Bachelor of Arts in Communication & Information Sciences from the University of Alabama, Nyasha has over 5 years of experience in both for-profit and nonprofit communications, marketing and public relations. Prior to joining Grounded Solutions Network, Nyasha’s passion for developing inclusive communications to serve communities impacted by structural discrimination guided her work with the Human Rights Campaign and the World Environment Center. Outside of her work she enjoys traveling, reading and trying out new local restaurants.

  Location: Tampa, FL
  Phone: 503-493-1000 ext. 25

HomeKeeper

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  Lindsey Griggs

  Senior Training and Support Specialist

  Lindsey Griggs has over 6 years of experience in customer service and program administration, serving as Individual Development Account Program Administrator for the Portland (Oregon) Housing Center before her time with Grounded Solutions. She also served as an AmeriCorps service member at Habitat for Humanity Portland/Metro East, where she supported the Homeownership program in capacity building, homeowner education, and HomeKeeper implementation programs. Lindsey received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado; in her free time, you can find her reading, jogging, volunteering, or hiking Oregon trails.

  Location:Denver, CO
  Phone: 503-493-1000 ext. 26

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  Kathryne Lebell

  CRM Database Administrator

  Kathryne LeBell is a certified Salesforce Administrator with over 5 years of experience working in the nonprofit sector. Kathryne comes from a background of supporting administrative operations in organizations serving young people experiencing homelessness, at the National Runaway Safeline and Ignite Chicago. In these roles, she developed skills in CRM database management, data visualization, and project management. Working in the youth homelessness space, Kathryne found that a major barrier for young people achieving housing stability was a profound lack of affordable housing. She’s excited to work with Grounded Solutions Network to advance a mission of permanent, accessible, and equitable affordable housing options for all. Kathryne studied Economics and International Development at Tulane University. She has a pet rabbit named Cosmo and, in her free time, loves hiking and painting.

  Location: Chicago, IL
  Phone: 503-493-1000 ext. 11

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  Mike Mooney

  Product Management Associate

  Michael Mooney comes from a mostly technical background, having spent 4 years at Hulu moving up through different analyst and tech teams. His work touched everything from Campaign management, to Data analysis, and finally Product management. He brings a skillset that will be valuable in transforming some of Grounded Solutions offerings with features and visualizations to keep it moving forward. Michael received his bachelor’s degree in Political Science from UCLA and is eager to return to the principles of public service that led him down that path to begin with. After taking a year off to travel and accomplish some personal goals, Michael was looking for the chance to perform more mission driven work. This is his first opportunity to work at a nonprofit, so he is incredibly excited to leverage his technical skills in every way possible to help further Grounded Solutions vision!

  Location: Culver City, CA
  Phone: 503-493-1000 ext. 11

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  Pahniti (Tom) Tosuksri

  Director of Product Management, HomeKeeper

  Pahniti (Tom) Tosuksri previously worked at CHN Housing Partners (formerly Cleveland Housing Network) for 13 years, initially to support the Community Training Center's foreclosure prevention program. Over the years, Pahniti has provided counseling and education in the areas of Homeownership Counseling, Foreclosure Prevention Counseling, Financial Literacy, Adult Basic Education, Tax Preparation, and Digital Literacy. He was most recently Director of Service Integration, providing a combination of front-line experience with an analytical background to transform CHN’s delivery model to maximize the impact the programs have on families served. Tom received his BA in Political Science with minors in Mathematics, Electronics and Japanese in 2005 from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland Ohio, where he has called home for 20 years. He is passionate about inclusion and bringing people together and can often be found riding his bike around town or walking the dogs in Cleveland’s metro parks.

  Location: Cleveland, OH
  Phone: 503-493-1000 ext. 9

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  Haley Wotzka

  Senior Marketing and Outreach Specialist

  Haley Wotzka has worked in the nonprofit sector, primarily affordable housing, for over 13 years. Along with a Master of Public Policy from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs and an undergraduate degree from the University of Minnesota, Haley has experience with outreach, cross-sector collaboration, community engagement and strengthening networks in diverse communities. Since 2013, she has traveled annually with teams of volunteers to build homes in other countries through the Habitat for Humanity Global Village program.

  Location: Minneapolis, MN
  Phone: 503-493-1000 ext. 8

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Research & National Strategy

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  Amanda Bennett

  National Strategy Associate

  Amanda Bennett earned her BA in Politics and Environmental Studies at UC Santa Cruz. Inspired by her interest in sustainable agriculture and urban food systems, she began her career working in the organic foods industry. Over the years, Amanda’s interest and concern for social inequality inspired her to depart from the for-profit food industry and become involved in community development within the nonprofit sector. In 2016, she returned to her hometown in Oakland to join the Grounded Solutions Network Operations team where she has provided finance and operations support for nearly six years. In 2022, Amanda was pleased to join Grounded Solutions’ National Strategy team, shifting her focus towards national policy, advocacy, and research. In her free time, Amanda enjoys hiking, riding her bike, and traveling as much as possible.

  Location: Oakland, CA
  Phone: 503-493-1000 ext. 16

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  Brian Stromberg

  National Policy Director

  Brian Stromberg joined Grounded Solutions Network in October 2022. Prior to taking on the role of National Policy Director, he worked in the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Policy Development and Research, where he had a wide variety of responsibilities. These ranged from policy analysis to project management to intra-government initiatives. At the time he left, he was co-leading the Data and Research Working Group for the Property Valuation and Equity (PAVE) Task Force. He has a Master’s in Geography and a Ph.D. in Planning and Public Policy from Rutgers University. Community land trusts were at the core of his graduate studies and he has been involved with shared equity in some form or another for over a decade. He enjoys making and admiring maps, is a bit picky with the coffee he drinks, and spends as much time outdoors as he can. He lives just outside Washington DC with his family.

  Location: Washington, D.C.
  Phone: 503-493-1000 ext. 12

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  Emily Thaden

  Vice President of National Strategy

  Emily Thaden has been with the organization since 2011. She currently leads the organization’s work to increase access to financing and funding for shared equity homeowners and programs as well as develops innovative financial models aiming to expand the supply of permanently affordable housing. She received her masters and doctorate in applied community research from Vanderbilt University and her bachelors from New York University. Her relevant research has been published in Housing Studies, Urban Geography, Journal of Architectural and Planning Research, Social Science Quarterly, Shelterforce, and numerous reports published by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy.  Prior to joining the organization, Emily developed a shared equity homeownership program in Nashville, TN. She is currently on the board of commissioners for Nashville’s housing authority, the Metropolitan Development & Housing Agency.

  Location: Nashville, TN
  Phone: 503-493-1000 ext. 3

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  Ruoniu (Vince) Wang

  Research Fellow

  Vince Wang is a research fellow at Grounded Solutions Network and assistant professor in the Runstad Department of Real Estate at the University of Washington. Wang studies spatial justice and inclusive communities, including their impacts reflected in the built environment, human behaviors, and policy interventions. Wang joined the University of Washington after serving as the research manager and director of Grounded Solutions Network from 2016 to 2022. He has designed and conducted a U.S. Census of inclusionary housing policies, a North American census of community land trusts and shard equity homeownership programs, and a national performance evaluation of shared equity homeownership programs, rendering him a leading national expert on shared equity homeownership and inclusionary housing. His relevant work has been published in the Journal of the American Planning Association, Urban Studies, Journal of Planning Education and Research, Urban Affairs Review, Housing Studies, and Housing Policy Debate, and by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy. He holds a Masters and doctorate in urban and regional planning from the University of Florida.