DeAndra J. Cullen

Deputy Assistant Secretary

Office of Policy, Legislative Initiatives, and Outreach, Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

DeAndra J. Cullen is the Deputy Assistant Secretary for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO). This office leads the federal efforts to end housing discrimination and promote equal access to opportunity by administering and enforcing civil rights laws and educating the public on fair housing rights and responsibilities. DeAndra has oversight of two divisions: 1) Policy and Legislative Initiatives, and 2) Education and Outreach. Her office also oversees the HUD-wide Limited English Proficiency (LEP) program.

As the Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Policy, Legislative Initiatives, and Outreach (OPLIO), DeAndra is responsible for fair housing policy development, education and outreach activities, and media and press coordination. She coordinates fair housing policy issues with the Assistant Secretary and, at the direction of the Assistant Secretary, formulates department-wide strategic plans, program objectives, policies, and standards in support of policy objectives. Under DeAndra’s leadership, OPLIO prepares the Assistant Secretary for fair housing policy planning guidance for HUD; serves as the Senior Executive on policy, legislative initiatives and national outreach; supports the Assistant Secretary and other Department Heads in the execution of their statutory civil rights responsibilities; acts as directed for the Assistant Secretary, other senior officials, and agencies of the United States Government, as well as conduct national outreach to civil rights allies and partners. Generally speaking, DeAndra’s office supports the Assistant Secretary on all mission-critical civil rights activities.

DeAndra has a law degree from Indiana University, Maurer School of Law in Bloomington, Indiana. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in economics from North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, North Carolina. She is the recipient of several honors including the Trumpet Awards Foundation High Heels in High Places Award for excellence in civil rights, the Secretary’s Exceptional Achievement Award from the U.S. Department of Labor, and the Assistant Secretary Distinguished Award in recognition of excellence, hard work, and commitment to the mission of HUD.

FHEO Table Talk Series Episodes:

• Examining Socioeconomic Structures to Improve Racial Economic Equality
• Public Policies and Racial Equality: The Impacts of Policy on the Lives of Formerly Incarcerated Individuals, in Housing and Employment
• Racial Disparities in Homeownership and Achieving Racial Equity and Fair Housing in Underserved Communities
• Exploring the Inequities in Accessing Healthcare and the Impact It Has on Housing Stability
• Advancing Fair Housing and Racial Equity: Why it Matters
• Who’s Keeping Score? The Impact of Credit Scoring in Underserved Communities
• Training the Next Generation of Civil Rights Leaders: the Role of Howard University's Fair Housing Clinic

Dedrick Asante-Muhammad

Chief of Race, Wealth and Community

National Community Reinvestment Coalition

Dedrick Asante-Muhammad joined the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) in January 2019 as the Chief of Race, Wealth, and Community. He oversees NCRC’s National Training Academy, Housing Counseling Network, DC Women’s Business Center, and the Racial Economic Equity Team. Dedrick is known for his racial economic inequality analysis, particularly as it relates to the racial wealth divide.

Dedrick comes from Prosperity Now where he was the Senior Fellow of the Racial Wealth Divide Initiative. Before Prosperity Now, Dedrick worked for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), where he was the Senior Director of the Economic Department and Executive Director of the Financial Freedom Center. Dedrick has also worked for Reverend Al Sharpton’s National Action Network and the Institute for Policy Studies.

FHEO Table Talk Series Episodes:

• Examining Socioeconomic Structures to Improve Racial Economic Equality

Dr. Reuben Jonathan Miller

Assistant Professor

University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice

Dr. Reuben Jonathan Miller serves as an Assistant Professor in the University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice. His research examines life at the intersections of race, poverty, crime control, and social welfare policy. As a chaplain at the Cook County Jail in Chicago, Illinois and as a sociologist studying mass incarceration, Dr. Miller has spent years alongside prisoners, formerly incarcerated people, their families, and their friends to understand the lifelong burden that even a single arrest can entail. His new book, Halfway Home: Race, Punishment, and the Afterlife of Mass Incarceration, is based on 15 years of research and practice with currently and formerly incarcerated men, women, their families, partners, and friends. His work simply reveals an overlooked truth: life after incarceration is its own form of prison.

Prior to joining Crown Family School, Dr. Miller was an Assistant Professor of Social Work at the University of Michigan, where he served as a Faculty Associate in the Population Studies Center and a Faculty Affiliate in the Department of Afro American and African Studies. He was selected as a Member in the School of Social Science at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey (2016-17), the world’s leading center for curiosity driven research, a visiting fellow at Dartmouth University (2018), and an Eric and Wendy Schmidt National Fellow at the New America Foundation (2018-19). His work has been published in journals of criminology, human rights, law, psychology, sociology, social work, and public health, and he is frequently called upon to give media commentary on issues of crime, punishment, race, and poverty. A native son of Chicago, Illinois, he lives with his wife and children on the city’s South Side.

FHEO Table Talk Series Episodes:

• Public Policies and Racial Equality: The Impacts of Policy on the Lives of Formerly Incarcerated Individuals in Housing and Employment

Lydia Pope

Speaker Pro-Tem and President-Elect

National Association of Real Estate Brokers, Inc.

Lydia Pope has been in the real estate industry since 1995. She is owner and president of E&D Realty & Investment Co, Inc., E&D Realty Property Management Division and E&D Construction Company.

Lydia is currently Branch Manager for NAREB-Investing Division – Housing Counseling Agency (NID-HCA), a HUD Approved Housing Counseling Agency and Certified Property Manager from the Real Estate Management Brokers Institute (REMBI). Some of her past and current accomplishments are: first Vice President of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers, Inc. (NAREB), Past President of the Women’s Council of NAREB, Mt. Pleasant Advisory Board, Ohio Housing Finance Agency Committee, Cleveland Realtist Association Past President & Chair, Cleveland/Akron Legislative Committee, NAACP Member, and more.

She holds a bachelor's degree in Communications and a master's degree in Business & Project Management. She is also Partner with “Man Talk Inc” which is a Non-Profit Mentoring Organization. Lydia is involved in church activities, and currently married to Pastor LeNard E. Pope, Sr. with 4 adult children.

FHEO Table Talk Series Episodes:

• Racial Disparities in Homeownership and Achieving Racial Equity and Fair Housing in Underserved Communities

Chang Chiu

Special Policy Advisor

Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Chang Chiu is the new Special Policy Advisor for the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Chang is from Harris County, Texas, where he served as a Senior Policy Advisor to Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo. (In Texas, the County Judge is a non-judicial position that functions as the county executive.) As a key member of Judge Hidalgo’s policy team, Chang led development and analysis of housing policies, as well as oversight of the Community Services Department, the entity which administers HUD grants for Harris County. Chang also led policy development on flood risk mitigation, democracy (elections, Census 2020, and civic engagement), immigration and refugee resettlement, worker protection, and COVID-19 recovery programs.

Chang has worked internationally and in the U.S. across a wide variety of issues. He formerly managed the National Endowment for Democracy’s grant portfolio for China and Indonesia, which supported democracy, civil society strengthening, and human rights programs. He also served as a Program Officer for the Tsunami Recovery Program at the American Red Cross, where he coordinated humanitarian relief and recovery projects in Indonesia.

Chang grew up in Houston and is a graduate of Princeton University. He holds a law degree from the University of Virginia and a Master's in International Relations from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

FHEO Table Talk Series Episodes:

• Shaping Housing Policies & Practices to Support AANHPI Communities
• AANHPI Communities: Examining Historical Barriers and Today's Housing Opportunities

Seema Agnani

Executive Director

National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development

Seema Agnani is the Executive Director for the National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (National CAPACD), a coalition of organizations that advocates for economic and social justice in AANHPI communities. Seema has nearly 20 years of experience working in the community development and immigrant rights sectors, focused primarily on the challenges of providing housing, economic opportunity, and support systems for new immigrants. Previously, she founded and led Chhaya CDC, a New York based member of the National CAPACD that focused on strengthening the economic well-being of New Yorkers of South Asian origin. She is also a featured presenter at HUD’s National Fair Housing Training Academy.

FHEO Table Talk Series Episodes:

• Shaping Housing Policies & Practices to Support AANHPI Communities

Gregg Orton

National Director

National Council of Asian Pacific Americans

Gregg Orton is the National Director of the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA). The Council is a coalition of 38 national Asian Pacific American organizations around the country. The mission of NCAPA is to strive for equity and justice by organizing the diverse strengths of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities to influence policy and shape public narratives. Gregg leads the coalition in developing policy and communications strategy, and advancing a joint agenda to address the needs of AANHPI communities. Previously, Gregg worked on Capitol Hill, serving as Chief of Staff, among other roles, for Representative Al Green from Texas, and was a legislative fellow with the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies.

FHEO Table Talk Series Episodes:

• Shaping Housing Policies & Practices to Support AANHPI Communities

Dr. Tollie Elliott, MD

Chief Medical Officer

Mary’s Center for Maternal and Child Care, Inc.

Dr. Tollie Elliott serves as the Chief Medical Officer in the Mary’s Center for Maternal and Child Care, Inc. He attended Howard University College of Medicine and obtained his Doctor of Medicine degree in 2000. He completed his residency in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Georgetown University in 2004 and was named Outstanding Senior Resident in Gynecology. Dr. Elliott is Board-certified.

Prior to rejoining Mary’s Center, Dr. Elliott worked at Providence Hospital in Washington, D.C., where he was a Staff Physician and Co-Chair of the Ob/Gyn Department in 2014. He also served as an Associate Professor at Howard University Hospital. Dr. Elliott was recognized as a Washingtonian Top Doctor in 2016.

FHEO Table Talk Series Episodes:

• Exploring the Inequities in Accessing Healthcare and the Impact It Has on Housing Stability

Dr. Eddie Miller, MD

Maternal-Fetal Medicine Physician

University of Louisville Physicians

Dr. Eddie Miller is a Maternal-Fetal Medicine Physician at the University of Louisville Physicians. He was born and raised in Southern California and attended New York University where he studied Anthropology. His desire to serve and make a difference led him to Wake Forest University School of Medicine where he earned his medical doctorate. At Wake Forest he fell in love with the field of Maternal Fetal Medicine and decided that caring for mothers and their families was his mission. He enrolled in residency at Howard University Hospital in Washington D.C. where he served as House Staff President and received the prestigious resident of the year award. He returned to California to complete fellowship at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) where he received training in ultrasounds and the management of high-risk pregnancies from leading experts in the field.

FHEO Table Talk Series Episodes:

• Exploring the Inequities in Accessing Healthcare and the Impact It Has on Housing Stability

Demetria McCain

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary

Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Demetria McCain serves as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). At FHEO, McCain assists HUD’s efforts to eliminate housing discrimination, promote economic opportunity, and achieve diverse, inclusive communities.

McCain joins HUD following 15 years of service, with five as president, at the Inclusive Communities Project (ICP), a Dallas, TX-based affordable fair housing nonprofit. Prior to becoming president, she oversaw operations, communications, and ICP’s Mobility Assistance Program, a housing mobility program that helps housing choice voucher holders exercise their fair housing rights. Conceived by Demetria, ICP’s “Voices for Opportunity” initiative has provided advocacy training to low-income renters and neighborhood groups of color.

Before joining ICP, McCain worked on USDA Section 515 rural multifamily housing matters at the National Housing Law Project. She was also a staff attorney for the Neighborhood Legal Services Program of Washington, D.C., assigned to the southeast office, where her portfolio primarily included landlord-tenant matters for low-income renters in private and public housing. She has taught, as an adjunct instructor, a Fair Housing and Homelessness course to undergraduate Coppin State University students.

McCain brings dual vantage points to FHEO after having spent years assisting both housing choice voucher holders who sought low-poverty well-resourced housing options and neighborhood groups in underserved communities of color who sought more equitable distribution of resources and services. McCain has sat on several local and national nonprofit boards and is a sought-after panelist and commentor on affordable fair housing and the impacts of residential segregation. She is a graduate of Howard University School of Law, New York University and Brooklyn College, and a member of the Dallas Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

FHEO Table Talk Series Episodes:

• Advancing Fair Housing and Racial Equity: Why it Matters

James M. Roberts

Director of Education and Outreach

Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

James M. Roberts serves as the Director of Education and Outreach for the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). In this position, James is responsible for leading the federal efforts to ending housing discrimination and promoting equal access by educating the public on fair housing rights and housing providers of their responsibilities. His office serves as the national information resource center for increasing fair housing awareness through education and outreach to the public, providing technical assistance to the housing industry, and ensuring HUD program delivery partners achieve sustained fair housing and civil rights compliance. Before joining HUD, he worked at U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. States Patent and Trademark Office, and several non-profit organizations. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Relations and a Master of Arts in Political Science.

FHEO Table Talk Series Episodes:

• Changing Perceptions to Change Lives: Disability Rights and the Barriers that Still Exist
• HIV, Housing, and Healthcare: Ending the Epidemic in the LGBTQ+ Community
• Advancing LGBTQIA+ Fair Housing and Equity

Jennifer Mathis

Director of Policy and Legal Advocacy

Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law

Jennifer Mathis is Director of Policy and Legal Advocacy at the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law. The Center is a national non-profit legal advocacy organization that advances the rights of people with mental disabilities. Jennifer's work focuses primarily on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Medicaid rights of adults and children with disabilities. Jennifer uses litigation as well as legislative and administrative policy advocacy to promote equal opportunity for people with disabilities in all areas of life, including community living, health care, housing, employment, education, parental and family rights, voting, and other areas. Jennifer played a key role in coordinating strategy and briefing when the Olmstead case was heard by the Supreme Court and has litigated numerous community integration cases before and after. She also served on the disability community negotiating team that worked with representatives of the business community to craft language that became the ADA Amendments Act and played a lead role in securing passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA).

Jennifer has been at the Bazelon Center since 1999, with the exception of one year during which she left to work as a Special Assistant to Commissioner Chai Feldblum at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, helping to draft regulations implementing the ADA Amendments Act and the Genetic Information Non discrimination Act.

FHEO Table Talk Series Episodes:

• Changing Perceptions to Change Lives: Disability Rights and the Barriers that Still Exist

Dr. Sachin Pavithran

Executive Director

U.S. Access Board

Dr. Sachin Pavithran was born in India but grew up in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Sachin came to the U.S. at the age of 17 to start his undergraduate degree at Utah State University. Sachin is currently the Executive Director of the U.S. Access Board. Sachin enjoys being an advocate for people with disabilities. He keeps up with the research and development of various assistive technologies and is involved nationally in working with legislators in the federal and state government to bring change in policies that have a direct impact on individuals with disabilities. He has reached out to the international community on Disability Policy and Infrastructure Development based on the requirements set forth by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD). He has trained and presented in several countries such as the United Arab Emirates, India, Egypt, Syria, Philippines, Thailand, Turkey, and Mexico.

Sachin has over 20 years of direct involvement in development, testing, and training for accessibility for assistive technology, extensive experience in lecturing, and training others in accessible technology. Sachin provides technical assistance on accessible information technology for individuals and groups. He helps in the evaluation of products related to web accessibility and design. Sachin has had extensive experience working with the higher education community dealing with access to instructional materials and the transition from K – 12 to post-secondary education and on to the workforce. He is strongly engaged in the dialogue about cultural diversity, inclusion of people with disabilities and people of color to promote equality on a state and national level.

He has served on various boards nationally such as the Research and Development Committee for the National Federation of the Blind, the Assistive Technology Act Programs national board, and Association of University Centers on Disabilities National Board where he was the President of the board. He was appointed by President Obama to the U.S. Access Board where he chaired several rule making committees in this capacity. He was appointed to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights where he served as a strong advocate for civil rights for all nationally. He was also appointed to the U.S. Elections Assistance Commission where he was engaged in conversation around inclusive election process for all Americans. Sachin aspires to be in the fore front of establishing and implementing national and international policy that impacts people with disabilities around the world.

FHEO Table Talk Series Episodes:

• Changing Perceptions to Change Lives: Disability Rights and the Barriers that Still Exist

Lisa Rice

President and CEO

National Fair Housing Alliance

As President and CEO, Lisa Rice leads the National Fair Housing Alliance’s (NFHA) efforts to advance fair housing principles, preserve and broaden fair housing protections, and expand equal housing opportunities for millions of Americans. NFHA is the trade association for over 200 member organizations throughout the country and is the nation’s only national civil rights agency solely dedicated to eliminating all forms of housing discrimination.

Ms. Rice is a published author contributing to several books and journals addressing a range of fair housing issues including - The Fight for Fair Housing: Causes, Consequences, and Future Implications of the 1968 Federal Fair Housing Act; Designed for the Future: 80 Practical Ideas for a Sustainable World; Discriminatory Effects of Credit Scoring on Communities of Color; and From Foreclosure to Fair Lending: Advocacy, Organizing, Occupancy, and the Pursuit of Equitable Credit.

She played a major role in crafting sections of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, and in establishing the Office of Fair Lending within the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. She also helped lead the investigation and resolution of precedent-setting fair housing cases which have resulted in providing remedies for millions of people as well as the elimination of systemic discriminatory practices involving lending, insurance, rental and zoning matters. Ms. Rice also serves on various Boards and Advisory Councils.

FHEO Table Talk Series Episodes:

• Who’s Keeping Score? The Impact of Credit Scoring in Underserved Communities

Hope Atuel

Executive Director

Asian Real Estate Association of America

Hope Atuel has served as Executive Director of the Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA) since 2012. Her professional experience spans from the private sector to nonprofit association management for over two decades. In addition to her experience in association management, Hope has worked with companies such as the Appraisal Institute, Harland Financial Solutions, Crane Company, and the Westfield Corporation. Throughout her career, Hope has been involved in launching successful business-to-business (B2B) marketing campaigns with a strong focus on customer growth and retention. Hope graduated from Olivet Nazarene University in Illinois and attended De Paul University in Chicago for her graduate studies in multi-cultural communications.

FHEO Table Talks Series Episodes:

• AANHPI Communities: Examining Historical Barriers and Today's Housing Opportunities

Imani Rupert-Gordon

Executive Director

National Center for Lesbian Rights

Imani Rupert-Gordon is the Executive Director for the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR). NCLR is a national legal organization committed to advancing the civil and human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and their families through litigation, legislation, policy, and public education.

Previously, Imani served as the Executive Director for Affinity Community Services. Affinity is a social justice organization that works with the entire LGBTQ community with a focus on Black women. She also served as the Director of the Broadway Youth Center, part of Howard Brown Health in Chicago, serving LGBTQ youth experiencing housing instability.

Imani is known for her visionary leadership. In 2021, Imani was included in The Root 100 list, recognizing her as one of the most influential Black leaders in the country. This year, Imani was also included in a resolution introduced by Congresswoman Barbara Lee honoring Black LGBTQ individuals throughout history. Imani was recently awarded the Judith Butler Award by The Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy and Practice (formally the School of Social Service Administration) for her exceptional promise in the field of social work.

Imani received a master’s degree from the University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work and a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

FHEO Table Talk Series Episodes:

• HIV, Housing, and Healthcare: Ending the Epidemic in the LGBTQ+ Community
• Advancing LGBTQIA+ Fair Housing and Equity

Okianer Christian Dark, Esq.

Associate Provost for Faculty Development and Professor of Law

Office of the Provost, Howard University

Okianer Christian Dark, Esq., is currently Associate Provost for Faculty Development in the Office of the Provost for Howard University and Professor of Law. In her role as Associate Provost, she established the Office of Faculty Development (OFD) in 2015 to provide oversight of and programming for the ongoing professional development of faculty at all ranks throughout the University and in all 13 Schools and Colleges.

Prior to her appointment as Associate Provost, she served as Interim Dean for the Howard University School of Law, 2012-2014, and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs also for Howard University School of Law, 2005-2012. As Interim Dean and Associate Dean, she supported the expansion of the live clinical programs and externship opportunities for law students, expanded the environmental law and health law course offerings, instituted Securities and Exchange (SEC) course and externship offerings to prepare students for practice in financial markets, created a mini-course program to expose law students to cutting-edge contemporary topics, created a mentor program for all non-tenured faculty, promoted the adoption of more varied skills courses to prepare students for practice, as well as provided ongoing professional development for staff and adjunct faculty.

Associate Provost Dark is also well known within the Fair Housing community and is featured in an award-winning video titled Housing Discrimination: Who Should Have to Get Use to It which is used nationally by federal and state governmental agencies, housing advocates, and law schools. She served as a Commissioner on the National Commission on Fair Housing and Opportunity that issued a report to the Obama Administration with a set of recommendations addressing housing discrimination with attention on the housing foreclosure crisis.

FHEO Table Talks Series Episodes:

• Training the Next Generation of Civil Rights Leaders: the Role of Howard University's Fair Housing Clinic

Valerie Schneider

Professor of Law

Director, Clinical Law Center

Howard University School of Law

Valerie Schneider is a professor of Law at Howard University School of Law, where she supervises the Fair Housing Clinic, and teaches doctrinal courses including Property, Sexuality, Marriage and the Supreme Court and Legal Methods. Under her supervision, the Fair Housing Clinic assists low-income DC residents with housing discrimination and landlord-tenant matters. She also serves as Director of the Clinical Law Center.

Prior to joining the Howard University School of Law faculty in 2012, Professor Schneider was an associate at Goulston & Storrs, p.c. in Boston, MA, where she practiced in the areas of commercial real estate transactions and affordable housing development. In private practice, Professor Schneider maintained an extensive pro bono practice through which she counseled non-profits, community development corporations, and affordable housing cooperatives on a variety of issues related to maintaining and developing affordable housing.

Prior to her work at Goulston & Storrs, p.c., Professor Schneider served as a law clerk to Judge Deborah Eyler on the Maryland Court of Special Appeals. Before becoming an attorney, Professor Schneider worked extensively in the field of education.

Professor Schneider received a J.D. (with honors) from the George Washington University Law School and a B.A. (magna cum laude) from the University of Pennsylvania.

FHEO Table Talks Series Episodes:

• Training the Next Generation of Civil Rights Leaders: the Role of Howard University's Fair Housing Clinic

Asiyahola Sankara

Former Student Attorney (Fair Housing Clinic)

Howard University School of Law

Asiyahola Sankara is a former Student Attorney of the Howard University Fair Housing Clinic and J.D. candidate at the Howard University School of Law.

FHEO Table Talks Series Episodes:

• Training the Next Generation of Civil Rights Leaders: the Role of Howard University's Fair Housing Clinic

Kim L. Hunt

Executive Director of the Pride Action Tank

Senior Director, Policy and Advocacy Operations, AIDS Foundation Chicago

Kim L. Hunt has used her platforms in storytelling, public speaking and civic engagement to curate brave and inclusive spaces for social change for over 25 years. She is currently the Executive Director of Pride Action Tank (PAT), a project of AIDS Foundation Chicago, where she also serves as the Senior Director of Policy & Advocacy Operations. She drives the innovation, collaboration and learning necessary to make PAT a leader in improving the health, safety and progress of individuals and groups within the LGBTQ+ community.

Ms. Hunt was previously the Executive Director of Affinity Community Services, a nearly 30-year-old social justice organization that focuses on Black LGBTQ+ people. Prior to her work in LGBTQ+ communities, she focused on urban planning and community and economic development. Ms. Hunt is the recipient of numerous honors and awards, including induction into the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame, Equality Illinois’ Freedom Award, and a Crain’s Chicago Notable LGBTQ Executive. She serves on the Victory Campaign Board and the boards of Brave Space Alliance, the Reader Institute for Community Journalism, and One Roof Chicago, as well as the advisory boards of OTV and Wille’s Warriors. She is a highly sought-after public speaker, a co-facilitator of the Chicago cohort for the Aspen Young Leaders Fellowship program, and a founding co-host of UTSpoken LGBTQ Storytelling, a monthly show in Chicago.

FHEO Table Talks Series Episodes:

• Advancing LGBTQIA+ Fair Housing and Equity

Karina Leake

Special Assistant to the Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Policy, Legislative Initiatives and Outreach, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Karina Leake serves as Special Assistant to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Office of Policy, Legislative Initiatives, and Outreach (OPLIO) at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO). Karina’s current responsibilities include providing guidance on OPLIO’s effort in eliminating housing discrimination and achieving diverse, inclusive communities through the development of fair housing policies and outreach work. Karina’s 20-year career has been focused on fair housing enforcement, compliance, policy, and outreach. Through her career, Karina was selected as a President’s Management Council (PMC) and Excellence In Government (EIG) fellow. As a PMC fellow, Karina instituted and launched operational procedures for the White House Leadership Development Program’s (WHLDP) Enterprise leadership development sessions. As EIG fellow, Karina established an online toolkit with innovate resources on maintaining high performing teams in a virtual environment.

Karina holds a Bachelor of Science in criminal justice from Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, an Associate’s degree in mortuary science from the University of the District of Columbia, and is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

FHEO Table Talks Series Episodes:

• The Impact of Inequitable Property Valuation: Understanding the Interagency Task Force on Property Appraisal and Valuation Equity (PAVE)

Melody Taylor

Executive Director, PAVE Task Force
Acting Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary for Enforcement Compliance, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Melody Taylor was appointed by HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge and Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy Susan Rice to serve as the Executive Director of the Interagency Task Force on Property Appraisal and Valuation Equity (PAVE). Concurrently, Melody also serves as the HUD FHEO Acting Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary of Enforcement and Program Compliance. She serves the Department in implementing programs and policies in all matters relating to fair housing, economic opportunity, civil rights, and nondiscrimination in the implementation of HUD programs.

Melody’s training, contributions and commitment to fair housing span a period of 20 years. Melody has an expansive civil rights career working with non-profit, human rights state and federal agencies including her work in program and policy development, and strategic planning for private and government entities.

FHEO Table Talk Series Episodes:

• The Impact of Inequitable Property Valuation: Understanding the Interagency Task Force on Property Appraisal and Valuation Equity (PAVE)

Tiffany Johnson

Director of the Policy & Legislative Initiatives Division for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Housing Equal Opportunity, Office of Policy, Legislative Initiatives & Outreach

Tiffany M. Johnson is the Director of the Policy & Legislative Initiatives Division (PLID) for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Housing Equal Opportunity (FHEO), Office of Policy, Legislative Initiatives & Outreach (OPLIO). She brings to this role a plethora of experience within FHEO and the Department.

Tiffany has 10 years of experience working at the local and Federal levels in low-income housing. She began her career at the D.C. Housing Authority (DCHA), where she worked in the Office of the General Counsel and the Housing Choice Voucher Program. At HUD, Tiffany has worked on the Rental Assistance Demonstration program, Project-based Housing Voucher Program, Section 3 Regulatory Task Force, Economic Opportunities Initiatives, FHEO’s Professional Development Institute, Procurement, Data Analytics, and more.

Tiffany has bought an array of fresh ideas and approaches to PLID and has sought to create workstreams that better align the work of PLID to the policy and legislative objectives of FHEO and the Department. PLID is the office responsible for ensuring accessibility for inclusivity for all communities through the administration and oversight of Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH).

Tiffany has an undergraduate degree in International Studies and Management from Pepperdine University. She has a law degree from the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law, where she currently serves as an alumni board member.

FHEO Table Talk Series Episodes:

• The Promise of Data for Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing
• Race, Geography, and Opportunity

Dr. Michael Akinwumi

Chief Tech Equity Officer, National Fair Housing Alliance

Michael Akinwumi leads the National Fair Housing Alliance’s (NFHA) Tech Equity Initiative. The Tech Equity Initiative (TEI) is a multi-faceted effort launched by NFHA to increase the fairness of and re-shape the design of algorithmic systems in the housing and financial services industries. Conducting research to advance the AI fairness field is a cornerstone of the TEI. Dr. Akinwumi coordinates stakeholder activities involving identifying, testing, validating, and publicizing AI-centric underwriting and pricing methodologies which responsibly advance fair lending and fair housing. He is responsible for acquiring and managing data and technologies for the Initiative while managing cross-functional relationships to ensure that solutions that result from the Initiative meet needs across NFHA and of other stakeholders.

FHEO Table Talks Series Episodes:

• The Promise of Data for Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing

Heidi Aggeler

Managing Director and Co-Founder, Root Policy Research

Heidi Aggeler co-founded Root Policy Research to further the role of applied research in community planning. She enjoys thinking about how markets respond to public policy, and is committed to helping clients address ever-changing economic, housing, and community development needs. Heidi started her research and consulting career as an economic analyst at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis after graduating from the Humphrey Institute at the University of Minnesota. She is a former member of the Denver Planning Board and is a frequent presenter on housing policy. She has been an invited speaker for the American Planning Association (APA), Rocky Mountain Land Use Institute (RMLUI), National Association for County Community and Economic Development (NACCED), and National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO).

FHEO Table Talks Series Episodes:

• The Promise of Data for Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing

Jordan Ghasemi

Team Lead, Program Standards and Compliance Division, Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

After graduating from the University at Buffalo Law School in 2014, Jordan joined HUD where he worked for the Real Estate Assessment Center (REAC) for two years, before moving to the Program Standards and Compliance Division in FHEO. Jordan focuses on business process improvement and serves as the Program Standards and Compliance Division Program Team Lead, where he trains field staff to do front-end civil rights reviews.

FHEO Table Talks Series Episodes:

• Enhancing the Wealth-Building Potential of Manufactured Housing

Paul Bradley

President, ROC USA

Paul Bradley, with 16 years of direct experience in community organizing, training, project management, and financing in the resident-owned community market niche, founded ROC USA in 2008. Prior to ROC USA, Paul served as Vice President for Manufactured Housing at NH Community Loan Fund where he managed the growth of its manufactured housing loan portfolio for nine years. In 2001, he also led the design, capitalization and implementation of the Loan Fund’s entrance into retail single-family lending in resident-owned communities, a program which won the 2009 Wachovia NEXT Award for Innovation in Community Development Finance.

As President of ROC USA, Paul plays a key role in implementing strategic goals and objectives and gives direction and leadership towards the achievement of the organization’s philosophy, mission and strategy. In 2018, Paul was inducted into the Cooperative Hall of Fame, one of the highest honors in the cooperative sector. Paul holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of New Hampshire. In 2007, he graduated from Achieving Excellence in Community Development, a joint 18-month Executive Education program with NeighborWorks® America and Harvard University. Paul was selected as an Ashoka Fellow in 2011 and the Carsey Institute Social Innovator of the Year in 2013. In 2014, he was awarded the Jerry Voorhis Memorial Award by the National Association of Housing Cooperatives.

FHEO Table Talks Series Episodes:

• Enhancing the Wealth-Building Potential of Manufactured Housing

Doug Ryan

Vice President of Policy and Applied Research, Prosperity Now

Doug has spent his career in the affordable housing, community development, and human services fields, with more than 20 years of experience working in federal and local programs. Prior to joining Prosperity Now, Doug served as Assistant Director of Federal Programs at the Housing Opportunities Commission of Montgomery County, Maryland, a multifaceted housing provider, developer, and lender.

Doug has extensive experience connecting research, data, and program evaluation to policy development. Earlier in his career, he worked as a legislative assistant in the U.S. Senate and as a program analyst with the Federal Housing Finance Board, working to expand the lending programs of the Federal Home Loan Banks. He also was project manager for the Housing Development Institute, the housing development arm of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York. He holds a B.A. from Fordham University and an M.P.A. from New York University, and is a graduate of Achieving Excellence, a joint program of the Harvard Kennedy School and NeighborWorks America.

Doug served for five years on the Montgomery County Commission on Human Rights. He is an adjunct instructor at American University’s School of Public Affairs and a graduate advisor/instructor at the Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies.

FHEO Table Talks Series Episodes:

• Enhancing the Wealth-Building Potential of Manufactured Housing

Sheryll Cashin

Carmack Waterhouse Professor of Law, Civil Rights and Social Justice, Georgetown University

Sheryll Cashin is an author and the Carmack Waterhouse Professor of Law, Civil Rights and Social Justice at Georgetown University. Currently she teaches Constitutional Law, Race and American Law, and a writing seminar about American segregation, education, and opportunity. Her new book, White Space, Black ‘Hood: Opportunity Hoarding and Segregation in the Age of Inequality, is about the role of residential segregation in producing racial inequality. Her book, Loving: Interracial Intimacy in America and the Threat to White Supremacy, explores the history and future of interracial intimacy, how white supremacy was constructed, and how “culturally dexterous” allies undermine it. Her book, Place Not Race, which recommended radical reforms of selective college admissions in order to promote robust diversity, was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Non-Fiction in 2015. Her book, The Failures of Integration, explored the persistence and consequences of race and class segregation.

Professor Cashin serves as Board member of the Poverty and Race Research Action Council. She is former Vice Chair of the board of Building One America, a network of local, multiracial coalitions that promote social inclusion, racial justice, and sustainable economic opportunity, especially in distressed places. She served for a decade on the trustee boards of Vanderbilt University, The Duke Ellington School of the Arts, and the National Portrait Gallery. Previously, Professor Cashin worked in the Clinton White House as an advisor on urban and economic policy, particularly concerning community development in inner-city neighborhoods.

FHEO Table Talks Series Episodes:

• Race, Geography, and Opportunity