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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Capacity Building

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  Jenee Gaynor

  Capacity Building Senior Specialist

  Jenee Gaynor brings over 10 years of project and grant management experience from many sectors, including economic and community development. Jenee previously served as a Program Officer at Cornerstone Partnership, where she supported grantees to increase the scale and capacity of their long term affordable homeownership programs and to share their experiences with the field. In the past, Jenee’s projects and grants varied – ranging from green jobs training to transportation planning – most recently at the National Association of Regional Councils. Jenee received her BA from the George Washington University and her Masters in Community and Economic Development from Penn State University.

  Location: Washington, DC
  Email: jgaynor@groundedsolutions.org
  Phone: 503-493-1000 ext. 10

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  Lauren Siegmund

  Training Senior Specialist

  Lauren Siegmund oversees Grounded Solutions' annual conference in addition to planning and leading smaller in-person and virtual learning engagements. Prior to this role, Lauren supported organizations in countries across the world to measure their impact and strengthen their classroom instruction, while working at Teach For All. Lauren began her educational career teaching English in public schools in New York, during which time she completed her Masters of Science in Teaching at Fordham University. Lauren began her career at UNICEF USA, where she managed a nation-wide college volunteer program, supporting college students on campuses across the United States.

  Location: Detroit, MI
  Email: lsiegmund@groundedsolutions.org
  Phone: 503-493-1000 ext. 18

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  Beth Sorce

  Director of Capacity Building

  Beth Sorce oversees Grounded Solutions’ capacity building team, drawing upon 15 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 provided training and technical assistance to a wide range of communities including Reno, Albany, Houston, Detroit, and Portland. 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
  Email: bsorce@groundedsolutions.org
  Phone: 503-493-1000 ext. 6

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  Jason Webb

  Community & Capacity Building Senior Specialist

  Drawing on over 25 years’ experience in and community organizing and revitalization, specializing in housing in Roxbury Massachusetts, Jason oversees our membership strategy and capacity building of start-up groups. Before coming to Grounded Solutions,’ Jason worked 15 years for Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative (DSNI) and Network Member Dudley Neighbors Inc. (DNI), serving in several capacities such as Director of Real Estate and Technology, Director of DNI “The Community Land Trust,” and Director of Administration and Finance. He oversaw the development of several community land trust developments and created a youth development/youth jobs program called CommunityScapes.

  Location: Orlando, FL
  Email: jwebb@groundedsolutions.org
  Phone: 503-493-1000 ext. 7

Communications

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  Adam Abraham

  Member Communications Specialist

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

  Location: Miami, FL
  Email: aabraham@groundedsolutions.org
  Phone: 503-493-1000 ext. 20

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  Brandon Frazier

  Director of Communications

  Brandon Frazier has over 15 years of experience as a communications professional for non-profit organizations, municipal agencies and associations, providing media management and public affairs recommendations for outreach campaigns, branding, publications, digital operations, community engagement and programmatic support. His career began in New York City with ABC News and includes roles with The United Negro College Fund, District of Columbia Government, Baltimore City Public Schools, Capacity Building Center for States, International Fund for Animal Welfare, National Society of Black Engineers and Student Conservation Association. A Columbus, Ohio native and graduate of Kentucky State University, Brandon resides in Northeast Washington, D.C. 

  Location: Washington, DC
  Email: bfrazier@groundedsolutions.org
  Phone: 503-493-1000 ext. 4

HomeKeeper

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  Cheryl Curry

  HomeKeeper Training & Support Specialist

  Cheryl Curry brings over 10 years of experience in training and solution adoption, and is a certified Salesforce Administrator and Platform App Builder. A resourceful English major, Cheryl has worked at a variety of nonprofits, including Enterprise Community Partners and a Boys & Girls Club, where she taught digital literacy. She served as an AmeriCorps VISTA in her home state of New Jersey, which provided insight on community-based programs, mindful distribution of resources, and capacity-building work.  Cheryl has called Portland her home since 2012. She is a bookworm and a Toastmaster, who also enjoys biking, volunteering, and yoga.

  Location: Portland, OR
  Email: ccurry@groundedsolutions.org
  Phone: 503-493-1000 ext. 11

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  Tiffany Eng

  Director of HomeKeeper

  Tiffany Eng has been leading the HomeKeeper program since 2010 and currently oversees product development, marketing, and member outreach. She brings over 20 years of experience in community development, affordable housing, and asset-building. She has been a licensed California Realtor since 2007 and is a passionate advocate for first-time homebuyers and family-friendly cities. Tiffany has a masters in City and Regional Planning from UC Berkeley and an undergraduate degree from Carleton College.

  Location: Oakland, CA
  Email: teng@groundedsolutions.org
  Phone: 503-493-1000 ext. 9

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  Valerie Rogers

  HomeKeeper Marketing & Support Specialist

  Before joining Grounded Solutions Network, Valerie Rogers was the Stewardship Coordinator for Bay Area Consortium of Community Land Trusts, where she led the creation of shared stewardship systems including migrating of all program data to HomeKeeper. Valerie received her BA from University of California Santa Barbara. Having always had a passion for affordable housing, Valerie moved to New York City to get a Masters in Nonprofit Management from the New School. In her free time, Valerie likes to explore northern California. With a chef husband, Valerie enjoys all the different types of cuisines and restaurants that San Francisco has to offer.

  Location: San Francisco, CA
  Email: vrogers@groundedsolutions.org
  Phone: 503-493-1000 ext. 8

Research & National Policy

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  Emily Thaden

  Director of National Policy & Sector 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
  Email: ethaden@groundedsolutions.org
  Phone: 503-493-1000 ext. 3

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  Ruoniu (Vince) Wang

  Research Manager

  Vince Wang’s research focuses on evaluating affordable housing policies and programs, geography of inequality, and residential mobility. He had experience in planning and community development from non-profit, local government, and consulting perspectives. His commitment to serving people and communities is anchored with a blend of professional experience: a designer appreciating aesthetics and creativity, a planner longing for understanding various forces that drive the built environment, and an advocate of promoting inclusive communities. Vince received his MA and PhD both in urban and regional planning from the University of Florida.

  Location: Camas, WA
  Email: vwang@groundedsolutions.org
  Phone: 503-493-1000 ext. 21

Operations

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  Amanda Bennett

  Operations & Finance 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. She is excited to be back home in Oakland where she is now providing operations support for Grounded Solutions Network. In her free time, Amanda enjoys riding her bike, following political news, and traveling as much as possible.

  Location: Oakland, CA
  Email: abennett@groundedsolutions.org
  Phone: 503-493-1000 ext. 16

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  Jessica Grant

  Operations Manager

  Jessica Grant brings over 20 years of experience in nonprofit administration, joining this organization in 2008.
  Prior to serving as Operations Manager at Grounded Solutions Network, Jessica was at the National Community Land Trust Network. Before that she worked for Outside In, where she managed a day program for homeless youth in downtown Portland. Before to moving to Portland, Oregon, Jessica lived in California where she worked for Yosemite Institute, Berkeley Unified School District, and Global Routes.

  Location: Portland, OR
  Email: jgrant@groundedsolutions.org
  Phone: 503-493-1000 ext. 1

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  Hong Ly

  Director of Operations

  Hong Ly brings over 15 years experience in the housing and community development field. She previously worked at Cornerstone Partnership overseeing technical assistance and community engagement activities to support the shared-equity sector. Hong started her career as an Americorps’ VISTA in Lowell, MA before joining Abt Associates as an evaluation consultant. She later served as a real estate project manager at Urban Edge CDC in Boston, MA. Hong received her BA from Carleton College and MBA from Boston University. Hong was born in Vietnam, grew up in St. Paul, Minnesota and currently lives with her family in San Francisco, CA.

  Location: Oakland, CA
  Email: hly@groundedsolutions.org
  Phone: 503-493-1000 ext. 13

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  Larry Rose

  Technology Solutions Specialist

  Larry has extensive experience in technology operations, specifically with implementing and managing business-critical systems, and is a certified Salesforce Administrator. He lives in San Francisco with his family of four and in his free time, enjoys experiencing the world through the eyes of his two little ones. He also loves watching European soccer and playing sports.

  Location: Oakland, CA
  Email: lrose@groundedsolutions.org
  Phone: 503-493-1000 ext. 15

State & Local Policy

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  Namon Freeman

  State & Local Policy Senior Specialist

  Namon supports municipalities and community organizations across the country in implementing affordable housing policy. Prior to joining Grounded Solutions Namon, coordinated the outreach of inclusionary housing policies and managed the pre-certification application process for private and city sponsored development initiatives at the New York City Department of City Planning. He also spent time with the Urban Planning and Design Branch at UN-HABITAT where he designed city extensions and provided technical assistance for planning institutions. He holds a Master of Urban Planning Degree from New York University and a Master of Architecture from Hampton University.

  Location: Brooklyn, NY
  Email: nfreeman@groundedsolutions.org
  Phone: 503-493-1000 ext. 19

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  Sasha Hauswald

  Director of State & Local Policy

  Sasha Hauswald has over 10 years of experience designing and implementing housing policies and programs. Her expertise spans the housing and planning fields, from inclusionary zoning to affordable housing preservation and beyond. As Director of State and Local Policy, she has helped dozens of municipalities chart a path to more inclusive growth, including Detroit, New York, Minneapolis, New Orleans, and Pittsburgh. Prior to joining Grounded Solutions Network, Sasha spent 6 years with the San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development where she oversaw legislative affairs, strategic planning, and program evaluation projects as Public Policy manager. Sasha received her BA from Wesleyan University and her Master of Public Policy Degree from the Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley.

  Location: Oakland, CA
  Email: shauswald@groundedsolutions.org
  Phone: 503-493-1000 ext. 12

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  Stephanie Reyes

  State & Local Policy Manager

  Stephanie Reyes brings over 10 years of experience in policy research, program design and advocacy in the housing and environmental fields. Prior to joining Grounded Solutions, Stephanie held multiple roles at Greenbelt Alliance, where she led the organization’s efforts to ensure that San Francisco Bay Area jurisdictions provide sufficient homes at all income levels in sustainable locations. Before that, she held positions in communications and advocacy at HomeFirst, an affordable housing and homeless services provider in Santa Clara County, California. Stephanie received her BS from Brown University.

  Location: Oakland, CA
  Email: sreyes@groundedsolutions.org
  Phone: 503-493-1000 ext. 23

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  Matt Weber

  State & Local Policy Senior Specialist

  Matt Weber is a municipal lawyer, urban planner and policy analyst with over 15 years of experience helping communities craft practical solutions to their housing and community development challenges. Prior to joining Grounded Solutions, Matt counseled municipalities in Wisconsin on land use, brownfields and redevelopment issues, helped community development corporations in Detroit build affordable housing, and researched land tenure and title security issues in legacy cities (places like Detroit, Cleveland, St. Louis, etc.). Matt has also taught university courses in land use law, neighborhood planning, and affordable housing development, among others. Matt earned his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan, and his juris doctorate and Master’s of Public Policy from the University of Wisconsin.

  Location: Ann Arbor, MI
  Email: mweber@groundedsolutions.org
  Phone: 503-493-1000 ext. 17