ChangeMakers with Katie Goar

This week on ChangeMakers, Katie sits down with Mariah Hayden, the Executive Director of New Life Village. Mariah has been tirelessly dedicated to providing safety and stability for children affected by trauma and mental health challenges, drawing from her academic training and personal experiences to oversee the expansion of New Life Village's campus with more affordable housing and amenities. Be...

The conversation turns to the Tulsa Housing Authority's major recent accomplishment: being awarded two significant and highly competitive Choice Neighborhoods Implementation grants by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Katie congratulates Aaron, noting that these federal grants are extremely difficult to obtain, and asks him to discuss his innovative strategy that made THA's pro...

This week on ChangeMakers, Katie welcomes Aaron Darden, the President and CEO of the Tulsa Housing Authority. With nearly a decade of leadership experience at the Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency in Nashville, Darden has hit the ground running since taking the helm at THA, securing $80 million in Choice Neighborhoods Implementation grants and undergoing a portfolio conversion of its pub...

In the second half of this inspiring conversation, Mike Loftin dives deeper into the long-term impact and vision behind his pioneering work at Homewise. During part one, Mike discussed leveraging HUD and FHA programs to open up homeownership opportunities for underrepresented groups that have historically faced barriers to achieving this core aspect of the American dream. Katie presses Mike furthe...

Katie Goar sits down with ChangeMaker Mike Loftin, a true visionary in the affordable housing space. For over 30 years, Mike has served as the Chief Executive Officer of Homewise, a nonprofit organization dedicated to making homeownership accessible in New Mexico. Under Mike's steadfast leadership, Homewise has pioneered an innovative and comprehensive model to guide individuals and families throu...

In the second half of the episode, Jennifer reflects on her tenure as Deputy Executive Director at the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority during the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and the civil unrest following the murder of George Floyd. She opens up about the lessons learned from navigating those turbulent times while continuing to serve some of the community's most vulnerab...

This week, Katie is joined by ChangeMaker Jennifer Keogh, Vice President of Operations and Affordable Housing at Progress Residential. With over 20 years as a leader in the affordable housing space, Jennifer brings a wealth of experience to the conversation. She previously served as Deputy Executive Director at the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority and as Chair at NAHRO, the National Associatio...

After discussing how Bob.ai helped the Dallas Housing Authority launch a new artificial intelligence-based module for its Housing Choice Voucher program, Bejoy shares how Bob.ai plans to scale and impact more housing authorities around the country. Leveraging the success in Dallas, Bejoy has set his sights on rolling out Bob.ai's technology to housing authorities nationwide, helping streamline pro...

This week on ChangeMakers, Katie sits down with Bejoy Narayana, CEO, Chief Product Architect, and Founder of Bob.ai. Bob.ai is a company that leverages AI to automate cumbersome processes, share information, and improve outcomes for low-income families seeking housing. With his unique background in technology and business transformation, Bejoy leads the product vision at Bob.ai which is focused on...

In part two, Scott shares some advice for incorporating new developments within existing communities in a harmonious way. He discusses the importance of community engagement, transparent communication, and holistic planning when introducing new housing and amenities. Scott also shares more about RiseBoro’s innovative conversion of an empty hotel into affordable apartments for low-income and former...

This week's ChangeMaker is Scott Short, CEO of RiseBoro Community Partnership. As a visionary leader, Scott leads the charge to break down barriers and bridge divides, working tirelessly to ensure that one's zip code does not determine their access to healthcare, economic mobility, or housing security. Under Scott's leadership, RiseBoro has made instrumental strides, stewarding over $300 million t...

In the second part of this week's ChangeMakers podcast, Katie continues her inspiring conversation with La Shelle Dozier, Executive Director of the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency. Dozier talks about the importance of inviting her support staff to ceremonial events related to the agency's housing development projects. She believes these team members behind the scenes deserve recognitio...

This week's episode of ChangeMakers profiles La Shelle Dozier, the Executive Director of the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency since 2009. In her role, Dozier oversees strategies to uplift and empower low-income communities across Sacramento County. She ensures affordable, safe, and decent housing for over 14,000 families through various programs run by the agency. Under Dozier's leaders...

In the second part of their conversation, Katie and Andrea delve deeper into the ultimate mission of Stewards of Affordable Housing for the Future (SAHF)—to advance and preserve affordable rental housing. Andrea sheds light on some of the specific goals and projects her organization is undertaking, particularly in the realm of financing tools and policy initiatives. With a notable recent surge of...

This week's ChangeMaker is Andrea Ponsor, a leader dedicated to creating sustainable and affordable housing communities. As President and CEO of Stewards of Affordable Housing for the Future (SAHF), she works tirelessly to identify key strategic issues, advocate for nonprofit housing providers, and amplify the organization's impact. With over 15 years of experience championing housing and communit...

In part two of their discussion, Joseph Diehl shares his optimistic outlook for the new year. As the Interim Executive Director at the National American Indian Housing Council (NAIHC), Joe sheds light on the organization's remarkable success stories, triumphing over funding obstacles and navigating complex land challenges. Through his engaging conversation with Katie Goar, Joe illustrates how NAIH...

Katie kicks off 2024 with ChangeMaker Joseph Diehl, the Interim Executive Director at the National American Indian Housing Council (NAIHC). With over 25 years of experience working closely with NAIHC, Joe offers invaluable insights into the organization's mission of providing quality, affordable, and culturally relevant housing for American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians. Known for...

Katie revisits her inspiring conversation with Marietta Rodriguez, a champion for affordable housing and community development. As President and CEO of NeighborWorks America, Marietta leads the organization's efforts to provide access to safe, affordable housing across the country. With over two decades of experience, Marietta is an insightful leader dedicated to empowering individuals, families,...

In part two, Grace provides an in-depth look at some of the most pressing housing issues facing Anaheim right now. Given her over 20 years of experience managing housing programs in LA County, Grace has a unique perspective on the "silver tsunami"—the coming wave of aging Baby Boomers who will require accessible, affordable senior housing options. Grace discusses whether she is observing similar h...

This week's ChangeMaker podcast features Grace Ruiz-Stepter, Director of the Housing and Community Development Department for the City of Anaheim. Katie welcomes Grace, a highly accomplished housing program manager with over 20 years of experience overseeing federal and local initiatives to provide affordable housing and spur community development. Before joining Anaheim, Grace held leadership rol...

In part two of their conversation, Shaundra discusses the significance of being named the second African-American woman in the nation to be designated as a NAHRO Fellow. This distinguished honor from the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials recognizes excellence and leadership in the affordable housing industry. Shaundra also shares some of the pivotal events that happened d...

This week's ChangeMaker is Shaundra Clark. Shaundra is the visionary Executive Director of the Tifton Housing Authority in Georgia. With 30 years of experience in public housing, she oversees operations and drives initiatives to expand affordable housing. Under her leadership, Tifton developed the nation's first mobile app for public housing residents. In 2019, she became one of only two African-A...

In this episode from April, Lindsey Reames, Executive Director of the Grand Rapids Housing Commission, joins Katie to discuss her 30-year career in affordable and public housing. Lindsey shares how she went from housing management to leading advocacy efforts for low-income families. She emphasizes the importance of community engagement, collaboration, and innovation in tackling affordable housing...

Katie revisits one of her most popular episodes of 2023 with ChangeMaker, Kimberly Black King, a trailblazer in affordable housing development. As Chief of Real Estate Development at Volunteers of America, Kimberly has spent over two decades transforming communities by creating vibrant, sustainable, and affordable housing. From overcoming obstacles to forging powerful partnerships, she shares her...

In this second part of Katie's conversation with ChangeMaker, Alexandria Lafci, they explore how her firm, Hometeam Ventures, is investing in innovative construction technology that will transform affordable housing development. They'll discuss how Hometeam Ventures is using data and software to reduce housing costs, improve quality of life, and increase access to homeownership for low-income fami...