Training Institute Online Fall Series

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.

Drawing on over 25 years’ experience in and community organizing and revitalization, specializing in housing in Roxbury Massachusetts, Jason oversees 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.

Julie Brunner has worked as a Housing Consultant specializing in Community Land Trusts while also serving as the Housing Director for OPAL Community Land Trust on Orcas Island, Washington since 2002. In her capacity as a Consultant, Julie’s work has focused on community land trusts and homeownership both regionally and nationally and includes housing and community needs assessments, organizational and board development, program design, project feasibility, project work-outs and project implementation.  Julie works regularly with Grounded Solutions Network as both a technical assistance provider and faculty member.  As OPAL’s Housing Director, Julie has worked on multiple housing development projects creating permanently affordable owner occupied housing as well as rental units and is responsible policy development, lender relations and works one on one with OPAL homebuyers to navigate the home buying process. Prior to moving to Orcas Island, Julie served as the Director of Human and Economic Development for Athens-Clarke County in Georgia and as the Housing Director for a rural housing non-profit in West Virginia.  Julie has a Master of City and Regional Planning from Rutgers University, a B.A. in International Studies and Economics from Virginia Tech and lives with her husband and kids on Orcas Island.