Speakers

Featured Speakers

Adolfo Carrión, Jr. Regional Director, US Dept of Housing & Urban Development
Adolfo Carrión, Jr. joined the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in June, 2010 when he was appointed Regional Administrator for New York and New Jersey by Secretary Shaun Donovan. In this position, Mr. Carrión is responsible for overseeing nearly $6 billion in HUD programs and activities serving the region, as well working with mayors, city managers, and congress to ensure that the Department’s policies and programs are creating more economically competitive, environmentally sustainable, and socially inclusive communities.

Prior to serving at HUD, President Obama appointed him as the nation’s first Director of the White House Office of Urban Affairs and Deputy Assistant to the President in February 2009.  In that role, Mr. Carrión coordinated the policies of cabinet agencies into an effective agenda for urban America.

Mr. Carrión is a true believer in public service and the positive impact government can play in improving peoples’ lives and strengthening communities.  As such, he was District Manager of a New York City Community Board, New York City Council member and, most importantly, Bronx Borough President from 2002 to 2009.  Under his leadership, total investment in the borough increased from $361 million in 2002 to almost $1 billion annually, including the development of 40,000 new housing units, 50 new schools, and two million square feet of additional office space.
Mr. Carrión is married and is the proud father of three daughters and one son.

Miriam Axel-Lute, Editor, Shelterforce magazine and Associate Director, National Housing Institute
Miriam has worked in journalism/writing/editing in one form or another for nearly 15 years. Currently she is the editor of Shelterforce magazine, an independent national nonprofit magazine covering issues of concern for those who work to improve low-income communities and support those who live in them. She also has an ongoing biweekly column, Looking Up, which won first place for best column in the national 2006 AltWeekly Awards.

Including her time as a freelancer, blogger, and alt-weekly news editor, Miriam has written everything from policy reports and briefing papers to breaking news, political opinion, humor, and service-oriented pieces. She has particular interest in urban issues, housing, political activism, sustainability, parenting, and sex/sexuality, but she has covered a wide spectrum of topics.

Miriam was also honored with a special recognition award from the Capital District Center for Independence in Albany, NY, and a first-place award for health coverage from the New York Press Association for her article "Breaking the Trust," which was widely credited with helping to change a county policy that would have cut poor disabled people off from their health coverage. During her time as news editor of Metroland, the alternative newsweekly of New York's Capital Region, the paper won over a dozen coverage awards from the New York Press Association. 

Rebecca Morley, Executive Director, National Center for Healthy Housing                                                              Rebecca Morley is the executive director of the National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH), where she leads a multi-disciplinary staff in the mission of creating healthy and safe housing for children. Ms. Morley led the development of the National Healthy Homes Training Center now active in 40 states and spearheaded NCHH's work in the Gulf Coast region following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. She launched and is the Chair of the National Safe and Healthy Housing Coalition—a multidisciplinary collaborative of non-profits advocating for better quality housing and neighborhoods for the nation’s families. She is also a consultant to the New York State Governor’s Task Force on the Prevention of Childhood Lead Poisoning.  

Before joining NCHH in 2002, Ms. Morley was a senior associate with ICF Consulting in Washington, DC, where she served as an environmental health, affordable housing, and communications consultant to state and federal agency clients. 

From 1996 to 2001, Ms. Morley worked with HUD as a Presidential Management Fellow in a variety of posts, including the Offices of the Secretary, Public Affairs, General Counsel, and Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control. During her tenure at HUD, she wrote regulations, managed grants, assisted with events and communications, served on the President's Task Force for Children's Environmental Health Safety and contributed to major Departmental reports. Ms. Morley also served as a legislative fellow to U.S. Senator Jack Reed. 

Ms. Morley serves on the Board of Healthy Housing Solutions and on the Howard County Environmental and Sustainability Commission. She Chair’s the Howard County Healthy Communities Task Force. She has authored numerous articles and publications on the topic of housing and public health, including a book entitled “Healthy and Safe Homes: Research, Policy and Practice,” which goes to print in November 2010. Ms. Morley holds a bachelor's degree in environmental science from Nazareth College of Rochester and a master's degree in public policy from the Georgia Institute of Technology. She was born and raised in Rochester, New York.

 

Workshop Presenters (in formation)

Thomas Carey, NYS Homes & Community Renewal

Tom Carey is the Weatherization Assistance Program Director at New York Homes and Community Renewal.  Tom has been with HCR since 1988; during his tenure he has managed several community development initiatives, including the New York State HOME Program, New York Main Street, and Access to Home.  Most recently, Tom was responsible for implementation of the $396 million Recovery Act Weatherization funding that New York State received.  The Recovery Act funding will install energy efficiency measures in nearly 60,000 units, when completed later this year.  He also instituted energy conservation requirements into the State's housing rehabilitation programs and was instrumental in the development of green building initiatives that the agency implemented during the past several years.

Tom holds a Masters degree in Urban Planning from the State University of New York at Buffalo and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners.  For more than 25 years he has worked with non-profit agencies and local communities to help them rebuild vibrant and sustainable communities.   He has authored several articles on community development and urban affairs, and represented HCR on several commissions and task forces, including Governor Patterson’s Renewable Energy Task Force and the Clean Energy Collaborative.  Recently, he was appointed to the US Department of Energy’s State Energy Advisory Board.

Thomas Carroll, Bureau of Community Environmental Health & Food Protection, NYS Department of Health

Elizabeth Celaya, Community Relations Manager, Hudson River Housing 

Elizabeth Druback-Celaya is Community Relations Manager with Hudson River Housing, Inc., a nonprofit housing and community development organization based in Poughkeepsie, NY.  Ms. Celaya coordinates marketing, outreach and communications efforts for the agency, and also currently oversees the Middle Main Revitalization initiative and the City of Poughkeepsie Main Street Program.  Ms. Celaya began at Hudson River Housing in 2002 as a Supervising Case Manager, working directly with clients of Hudson River Housing's emergency and transitional housing programs.  She serves on various community committees, including the Poughkeepsie Plenty Advisory Committee, Comité Latino of Poughkeepsie and the Poughkeepsie Journal Multicultural Advisory Committee, and as a member of the Board of Directors of Hudson River HealthCare.  Ms. Celaya has a BA in Latin American Studies from Vassar College, and an MS in Nonprofit Management/International Development from The New School.

Debra Devine, Director, Office of Policy & Research at NYS Homes & Community Renewal

Debra Devine is the Director of the Office of Policy and Research at New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR).  The Policy Office is leading HCR’s efforts to study the housing needs of the State and assist with the development of policies which address the goals of the State’s affordable housing and community development agenda.  The Office prepared the agency’s first ever Statewide Housing Needs Study developed to inform policy and program decision-making.  Debra is leading the agency’s efforts to advance energy efficient and green building practices and encourage sustainability principles in HCR's programs.  Since the formation of the Policy Office in 2007, the agency has incorporated sustainable development measures into their competitive funding process to provide incentives and encourage green development of new construction and rehabilitation projects through the development of the Green Building and Energy Efficiency Initiatives.

Currently, Debra serves as HCR’s representative on the Enterprise Green Communities Policy Working Group and the Deutsche Bank/Living Cities Energy Efficiency Data Collection Working Group.  She recently served on the Governor’s Smart Growth Cabinet, Brownfields Spotlight Community Initiative, Climate Action Council and Environmental Justice Task Force.  Debra previously served as Regional Director of HCR's Capital District Regional Office and was the Director of the agency’s Environmental Analysis Unit.  Debra previously spent 17 years at the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation where she was involved with issues such as disaster planning, environmental permitting and project management, state land acquisition, environmental justice and climate change. 

Eric W. Faisst, Director of Public Health - Madison County, NY

Eric has served in the public health field for the past 20 years. He currently serves as the Director of Health for Madison County in Wampsville, NY and has served in this capacity since January 2006. Eric has worked in public health at the county (Madison and Oneida Counties, NY), state (Hawaii State Dept. of Health), tribal (Gila River Indian Community, Arizona) and international levels (Malaysia and Philippines). He currently serves on the Advisory Boards of both the Upstate Medical Univ./Syracuse University Masters of Public Health program and Morrisville State College’s Baccalaureate Nursing Program.   He also serves on the Board of Directors for the New York State Association for County Health Officials. Received a Bachelor’s Degree in Business, minor in Anthropology from the University of Denver.  Master’s Degree in Public Health, and a Certificate in Resource Management from the University of Hawaii, and is taking a long hiatus in completing a PhD in Environmental Epidemiology.

Karl Gustafson, NYS Homes & Community Renewal

Karl Gustafson, is the Director of the New York Main Street Program. He is responsible for coordinating and managing a multi-million dollar program involving communities throughout New York State. Karl began his career with OCR as a Community Developer with the Office of Community Renewal's CDBG program. Prior to joining OCR Karl was a Manufacturing Process Improvement Consultant for the Mohawk Valley Applied Technology Council. He also worked as The Director of Community and Economic Development for the City of Amsterdam. Previous to that he served as President of the Fulton County Chamber of Commerce and later as President of the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce.

David Goldstein, Partner, Goldstein Hall PLLC

David A. Goldstein, the managing member of Goldstein Hall PLLC, has over 20 years of experience in the legal field, with expertise in affordable housing development, real estate finance, government affairs, general corporate/business law and litigation. In particular, Mr. Goldstein has extensive experience in negotiating joint ventures between not-for-profits and for-profit developers, as well as structuring complex affordable housing transactions.  Many of these affordable housing transactions involve financing by federal, state and local agencies through the issuance of tax-exempt bonds and low-income housing tax credits. Additionally, Mr. Goldstein has experience representing limited equity cooperatives, HDFC co-ops and tenant associations in litigation and general corporate issues.

Susan Horowitz, Healthy Homes Representative Region II, US Dept of Housing & Urban Development

Susan Horowitz serves as the Healthy Homes Representative for HUD’s Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control. She is responsible for managing 40 lead and healthy homes grants in Region 1- New England and Region 2 which covers New York State and New Jersey.  She provides educational material to residents of New York and New Jersey in how to keep a healthy and safe home and has lectured on the Seven Tips for Keeping a Safe and Healthy Home.  She has worked for the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for the past 20 years.  She holds certification in Lead Safe Work Practices, Healthy Homes Essential Practitioner Course and the Environmental Protection Agency Renovation and Repair Rule. Susan has a BA from City College of NY and a MS from Columbia University.

Akiko Hosler, Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University at Albany School of Public Health

Dr. Akiko Hosler is Assistant Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University at Albany School of Public Health. She is also a faculty investigator for the university's Center for the Elimination of Health Disparities. Prior to joining the University at Albany in 2007, she was Director of Diabetes Epidemiology at New York State Department of Health. Her research interests include type 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes, smoking, food environment, and health disparities of immigrant minorities. She has years of experience working with Capital District Communities, including Albany, Columbia, and Greene counties, Amsterdam and Schenectady.   

Lisa Irizarry, NYS Homes & Community Renewal

Laura Jervis, Executive Director, West Side Federation for Senior & Supportive Housing

Ms. Jervis has served as the Excecutive Director of WSFSSH since 1977, the year the organization was founded. She oversees all of WSFSSH's housing development and management activities, and the formulation and implementation of its full spectrum of social service programs which includes the development and management of 17 buildings and a staff of more than 300 persons.  WSFSSH housing serves low0income and moderate income elderly,homeless, mentally ill, physically challenged and other persons with special needs. A Presbyterian clergyperson, Ms. Jervis is a graduate of Princeton Seminary. Ms. Jervis holds a B.A. Degree from St. Olaf College Minnesota, and Master's Degrees in Divinity and Administration from the Princeton Theological Seminary. She was the recipient of the NYSAHSA;s Professional of the Year Award in 1994, and the Andrew Murry Witherspoon Leadership Award from the Witherspoon Society, Presbyterian Church, USA. Ms. Jervis' affiliations include membership in the New York City Presbytery, serving as Parish Associate for Rutgers Presbyterian Church, and serving as a Director on the boards of the American Waldensian Society, and the NYS Association for Homes and Services for the Aging.

Bomee Jung, Senior Program Director,  Enterprise Community Partners

Kelvin Keraga,  NYSERDA

Kelvin Keraga is a Senior Project Manager for the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA).  He manages EmPower New YorkSM, a statewide program providing energy efficiency services and education to low income households.  His previous experience includes coordination of energy services for National Grid, and supervision of energy services in the Weatherization Assistance Program for agencies in New York City and Massachusetts.

Stephanie Kellner, Green and Healthy Homes Initiative Program Coordinator, Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo

Stephanie Kellner has over ten years of experience in environmental health, public health program management, and collaborative leadership.  Stephanie is program coordinator of the Buffalo Green and Healthy Homes Initiative, a network of over fifty health, housing, and energy efficiency providers collaborating to expand their reach and improve the lives of city residents. Since the program’s inception earlier this year, partner organizations have laid the groundwork and are beginning to cooperate on intake, assessment, intervention, and education in homes with multiple needs.  

Prior to her current position, Stephanie served as coordinator of the Western New York Lead Poisoning Prevention Resource Center at Women and Children’s Hospital of Buffalo.  Stephanie has worked as an environmental health specialist in a county health department and as a community health program manager for the Virginia Department of Health.  Stephanie also spent a year and a half living and working with Costa Rican indigenous people around issues of sustainable development, cultural preservation, and environmental protection.  Stephanie earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology and Biology from the University of Missouri – Columbia.

Joseph Laquarta, Professor, Department of Design and Environmental Analysis, Cornell University 

Joseph Laquatra, Ph.D. is a professor in the Department of Design and Environmental Analysis at Cornell University.  He focuses his teaching and research efforts on sustainable aspects of housing with emphases on residential energy efficiency, indoor air quality, construction site waste management, and residential sprawl. As an Extension Housing Specialist, Joe develops and implements educational programs on these and other topics through the statewide network of Cornell University Cooperative Extension. One of these, the Consumer Education Program for Residential Energy Efficiency (CEPREE), has engaged Local Associations of CCE since 2003. He has conducted educational programs for home builders in partnership with the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). He has also taught builders, engineers, architects, and 
government officials in Poland, Russia, and Japan. Joe is a past President of the Housing Education and Research Association and is currently chair of the National Consortium of Housing Research Centers. He is listed in Who's Who Among American Teachers and Educators, Who's Who in America, and Who's Who in the World. 

Ruth Lindberg,National Center for Healthy Housing

Ms. Lindberg currently serves as a Program Manager for the National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH), a nonprofit corporation dedicated to creating healthy and safe homes for children through practical and proven steps.  Ms. Lindberg is responsible for overseeing and providing technical assistance, research, and evaluation support to a number of NCHH’s ongoing projects, including its partnership with the New York State Childhood Lead Poisoning Primary Prevention Initiative, the National Safe and Healthy Housing Coalition, and the Howard County Healthy Communities Task Force. She previously worked as the Outreach and Education Coordinator for the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program at the Rhode Island Department of Health. In this role, she initiated and managed the Rhode Island Healthy Housing Collaborative and led the development of a hands-on training program for local nursing students in healthy housing assessment. Ms. Lindberg holds Master’s degrees in Public Health and Urban Planning from the University of Washington and a Bachelor of Arts in Community Health from Brown University.

Andrew McLellan, President, Environmental Education Associates

Ann McMahon,Special Assistant at NYS Department of Agriculture & Markets

Carolyn Miller, Esq.,Attorney, Cannon Heyman & Weiss

Carolyn Miller is an attorney at the law firm of Cannon Heyman & Weiss, LLP. With offices located in Albany and Buffalo, Cannon Heyman & Weiss, LLP represents for-profit and non-profit developers and lenders, syndicators and local housing authorities in creative financing transactions involving affordable housing and community development transactions. The transactions for which we are engaged generally involve various local, state and federal regulatory and funding agencies, as well as the syndication of low-income housing tax credits, new markets tax credits, brownfield tax credits and historic tax credits.

Miss Miller is a 2009 graduate of the University at Buffalo Law School  where she received an academic concentration in Housing Finance and Development Law. She was also a member of both the Affordable Housing and Community Development Law clinics at the University at Buffalo Law School.

Vera Prosper, NY State Office for the Aging

Amanda Reddy, Bureau of Community Environmental Health & Food Protection, NYS Department of Health

Andrew Vasi, Abalon Exterminating