Committees: Executive

Winell Belfonte, CohnReznick
A long time resident of the Washington D.C. metropolitan area, Winell is a CPA and Audit Partner of the national accounting and auditing firm CohnReznick. Winell resides in the firm’s national office located in Bethesda, Maryland, where she has served clients nationwide for more than 25 years. She is responsible for planning and performing all aspects of nonprofit, affordable housing real estate and commercial audits, accounting and financial reporting engagements. In addition to managing client relationships, she is involved in many firm-wide training programs and serves as a classroom instructor for many of these programs. An active member of the community, Winell serves on the local nonprofit housing board of Transitional Housing Corporation and Transitional Housing Corporation Affordable Housing and the Center for Nonprofit Advancement. She serves as the firm liaison to the Strength Matters CFO Initiative of Neighborworks America. She frequently consults with Board members of her various non profit clients. She also serves on the Advisory Board to the School of Business at Bowie State University. She is a graduate of the 2010 class of Leadership Greater Washington. She received her bachelor’s degree in accounting from Bowie State University, summa cum laude. She is a member of the AICPA and MACPA.

I am honored to serve on the board of HAND with such a committed and esteemed group of advocates for affordable housing. CohnReznick supports the organization’s commitment to supporting the developers of affordable communities in the Washington, DC area.”

—Winell Belfonte, CPA

Committees: Executive, Governance & Racial Equity Design Team

Sarah S. Constant, Mission First Housing Group
Sarah Constant is the Senior Vice President, Real Estate Development of Mission First Housing Group, which she joined in 2000.  Since its inception, Sarah has secured over $285 million in financing and developed over 1600 units of affordable housing development, primarily in the Baltimore / Washington D.C. Metro area.  As the principal relationship manager for Mission First, Sarah establishes and maintains partnerships with developers, non-profit entities and financial institutions in order to create affordable housing.  Sarah provides experienced oversight of all real estate development activity from the initial “what if” conversation through contract negotiations, construction and cost certification, including developing financing strategies, coordination of project financing and all loan closings.  Before joining Mission First, Sarah worked for Fleet National Bank in Boston as a Vice President in Commercial Real Estate. Sarah received her MBA from Boston University and her BA in Urban Studies from the University of Pennsylvania. In addition, Sarah is an active member of the Alexandria community where she lives with her husband and two children.

In the always-challenging and ever-evolving affordable housing industry, HAND has been a remarkably steady presence, providing opportunities for training and networking among all disciplines – law, design, construction, finance, property management, asset management and all the others – for HAND members who have committed themselves to this important work.”

—Sarah S. Constant

Committees: Executive & Governance 

Monica Warren-Jones, Enterprise  
Ms. Warren-Jones serves as the Director of Capital Solutions for the Enterprise DC Local Office.  With 15 years’ experience in real estate finance and development she supports nonprofit and for- profit partners by providing strategic solutions using Enterprise products and services including debt, equity and new markets tax credits for development and preservation of sustainable housing and community facilities.

Ms. Warren-Jones has participated in or led presentations, testified at public hearings, led panel discussions and webinars on multifamily finance and community development finance on behalf of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Federal Department Insurance Corporation, and myriad local government housing officials in effort to share best practices.

Through her work at Enterprise, she has generated more than $300 million of investment activity for the creation and preservation of more than 1200 units of housing.  As Senior Lender, she managed the administration of a $28 million preservation loan portfolio sourced via public and private funds.

Prior to Enterprise, Ms. Warren-Jones served as a Vice-President of a non-profit community development firm and prior, as a Senior Account Manager with Fannie Mae where she evaluated real estate investments for large scale, residential projects utilizing low income housing tax credits, conventional debt and/or bond financing. She has also worked professionally with housing nonprofit organizations in Washington DC and Boston, Massachusetts.

Ms. Warren-Jones holds an MPA from Harvard University, an MBA from Boston College, and an undergraduate degree from Howard University.  She previously served as an elected member of the DC State Board of Education and she is a Notary Public in the District of Columbia. She is a Washington DC resident with two children in DC Public Schools. Monica enjoys reading, independent films, and cooking and consuming international cuisines and learning through others.

HAND is unmatched in its ability to elevate, train, and showcase the best of our region’s affordable housing professionals. This organization provides the best platform for supporting both seasoned professionals and emerging leaders who are new to the affordable housing industry.   With more attention and advocacy from the public and private sector on addressing our critical needs for affordable units in the region, HAND is clearly positioned as the  ‘must be a member of ‘ organization for anyone involved in any aspect of this industry. I am very excited to be joining the Board at this time.”
—Monica Warren-Jones

Committees: Executive

Sasha-Gaye Angus, McCormack Baron Salazar, Inc.
Ms. Angus has significant experience in community and urban development with a focus on managing large multi phased affordable rental housing.  As SVP at McCormack Baron Salazar, she leads all aspects of the development process including land entitlements, master planning, securing multi-layered financing, leading project teams, and coordinating a diverse group of specialists, consultants, designers, public stakeholders and residents to bring the project vision to fruition. Over the last three years at MBS, she has closed 581 new and renovated apartments and is currently leading the Perkins Homes CNI in Baltimore, MD where MBS will deliver 788 deeply affordable, workforce, and market rate units over the next 5 years.

Over the last 18+ years, she has managed, structured and led multiple mixed financed projects throughout the mid-Atlantic region totaling over 1800 units for families and seniors, and valued at over $500MM in total development costs.  She has deep experience in large master planned efforts including HOPE VI, RAD, and Choice Neighborhood Initiatives (CNI).

In 2015, Sasha was among four awardees recognized by Affordable Housing Finance as one of the industry’s Young Leaders.  She has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA) at the University of Pittsburgh, and a Bachelor’s degree from Fisk University.

We live in one of the most desirable regions of the country where quality of life is directly impacted by housing.   HAND has proven itself as a premier organization successfully bringing together practitioners, developers, and various user groups for networking, training and to achieve the common goal of increasing the supply of affordable housing options in our region.  I am thrilled to actively participate as a member.”
—Sasha-Gaye Angus

Committees: Executive & Racial Equity Design Team

Brett Macleod, Executive Director, JPMorgan Chase, Community Development Banking Group
Brett Macleod is an Executive Director at JPMorgan Chase in the Community Development Banking group, where he finances affordable housing and urban revitalization real estate projects throughout the Mid- Atlantic. Prior to joining JPMC in April 2012, he was a Banker at Citigroup in the Citi Community Capital division. Brett has originated over $1 billion of loans for a variety of deal types, including affordable rental properties, for- sale housing projects, mixed-use real estate deals and large-scale urban retail centers. Brett currently serves as a board member for Cinnaire (formerly known as Great Lakes Capital Fund) and National Housing Trust Community Development Fund and previously served as Treasurer for the DC Promise Neighborhood Initiative and Board Chair for Acorn Hill Waldorf Kindergarten and Nursery School. He holds two BA’s from Williams College and earned an MBA, magna cum laude, from the F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business at Babson College with concentrations in Finance and Global Management.

Committees: Governance 

Meghan C. Altidor, Nixon Peabody
Meghan Altidor is a partner at Nixon Peabody and the deputy leader of the firm’s Affordable Housing Transactional team. Meghan represents nonprofit and for-profit developers in acquiring, constructing, rehabilitating, and operating affordable housing developments around the country.

Meghan focuses her practice on complex financings of affordable housing developments that include tax-exempt bonds, low-income housing tax credits, and often other federal, state, and local government subsidies. Meghan’s practice covers all aspects of development from dirt real estate to securing regulatory approvals such as HUD RAD conversion approvals and nonprofit asset transfer approvals.

From her training as an urban planner to her first legal work representing a tenant association to secure its rights under the DC Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act, Meghan has committed her career to thinking about how affordable housing can transform the lives of those who live in it. She is particularly interested in legal issues nonprofits face, supportive housing models, and various efforts to rethink public housing, such as the RAD program. Meghan frequently speaks about housing issues at national conferences such as IPED, IRHP, NH&RA, and NYSAFAH; is active with several affordable housing boards and advisory groups; and is an adjunct professor at Georgetown University Law Center.

Meghan earned her Bachelor of Science from Georgetown University, her Master’s degree in Urban Studies and Planning from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and her J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center.

I’m honored to join the board of this dynamic organization that has set itself apart with a commitment to racial equity at its core as it tackles the complicated issue of housing for all who call Greater Washington home.”
—Meghan C. Altidor

Art Bowen, VHDA
Art Bowen serves as Managing Director of Rental Housing with the Virginia Housing Development Authority. He is responsible for VHDA’s $3.2 billion rental housing line of business including loan underwriting, servicing, compliance and asset management, and LIHTC program management.  Art previously served as VHDA’s Managing Director of Finance & Administration.  He joined VHDA in December 2000.

Before joining VHDA, Art worked for the Commonwealth of Virginia in various capacities including Deputy State Treasurer and Director of Debt Management.

Art is a native of Charlottesville, Virginia and a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The affordable housing needs of the HAND service area are unique and challenging.  HAND does an outstanding job addressing these needs through training, education, and promoting collaboration.  I am pleased to become a part of this effort through service on the HAND Board.”
—Art Bowen

Committees: Governance  
Maria Day-Marshall, University of Maryland Colvin Institute of Real Estate Development
Ms. Maria Day-Marshall, Esq., joined the Real Estate Development Program at the University of Maryland in July 2017, and currently serves as its Director and as Clinical Associate Professor. In February 2018, she added the directorship of the Colvin Institute of Real Estate Development to her responsibilities. As the Director of the Program, Day-Marshall provides programmatic and disciplinary leadership in the areas of curriculum development; faculty recruitment, guidance and evaluation; student recruitment and advising; and, course scheduling. Previously, Day-Marshall served as a Lecturer for the Real Estate Development Program from 2008 until she joined it full-time as Director.

Prior to joining the University as Director, Day-Marshall worked for the District of Columbia Housing Finance Agency beginning in November 2009 and served as the Interim Executive Director and General Counsel to the Agency. She was responsible for the overall supervision, coordination and management of the Agency and for all legal matters for the Agency. From 2004 to 2009, Day-Marshall was a Senior Business Development Manager in Fannie Mae’s Community Lending Channel. She was responsible for business development, underwriting, legal documentation review, and transaction execution and closing related to two direct loan products that financed housing development and rehabilitation projects, and that were offered to governmental entities.

Day-Marshall has been involved in the municipal finance industry for over 30 years. Prior to joining Fannie Mae from 1982 to 1996, she served in financially and legally related positions in the District government. During her tenure, she served as Treasurer of the District of Columbia for five years preceded by terms as Deputy Treasurer and Debt Manager. As Treasurer, she was responsible for the issuance of $6 billion of debt for the District and other DC government issuers. Subsequently, Day-Marshall served as a financial consultant to the DC Water and Sewer Authority during its transition from a division within the Department of Public Works to an independent regional authority. She assisted in preparing the Authority for its first debt issuance.

Day-Marshall joined Columbia Equity Financial Corp., an independent financial advisory firm, in 1999 as Senior Vice President. While working at the firm, Day-Marshall was involved in an array of tax-exempt and taxable bond transactions, and served as financial advisor to a multitude of governmental entities including, among others, Municipalities, Transportation Authorities, Public Housing Authorities, Housing Finance Agencies and Redevelopment Authorities.

Day-Marshall has lectured extensively during her tenure with the District of Columbia government and subsequently about topics affecting the municipal finance industry. She is the recipient of two Distinguished Public Service Awards granted by two mayors of the District of Columbia, and a Certificate of Appreciation granted by a third mayor. The DC Council enacted a resolution in 1996 recognizing her contributions to the District of Columbia. She is a member of the District of Columbia Bar and other associations. Day-Marshall earned a Master of Laws in Taxation degree from Georgetown University Law Center, a Juris Doctorate degree from the Columbus School of Law, Catholic University of America, and her undergraduate degree in Economics from Fisk University.

I have been a member of HAND for many years and greatly appreciate the work that it does in the affordable housing arena. It is a pleasure to be able to serve the organization as a member of the Board of Directors.”

—Maria Day-Marshall, Esq.

Edmund K. Delany, Capital One
Ed Delany is Senior Director, Senior Capital Officer for Community Finance at Capital One. In this role, Mr. Delany is responsible for originating debt and equity investments for the development and preservation of affordable housing in the Mid-Atlantic region.   Mr. Delany is responsible for Capital One’s loan and investment originations in support of community development in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Before joining Capital One in 2010, Mr. Delany served as the Regional Manager for Union Bank of California’s Community Development Finance group, opening their first CDF office outside of California in 2005.  Prior to Union Bank, he worked for other commercial banks, including Banc One Mortgage and NationsBank, and other mortgage companies. Mr. Delany has extensive experience in FHA, Fannie Mae and life insurance company loan originations, with a concentration in multifamily finance and the use of Low Income Housing Tax Credits, Historic Tax Credits and tax exempt bond financing vehicles.

He also serves on the Boards of Directors for the Housing Association of Nonprofit Developers (HAND) and the Maryland Affordable Housing Coalition.

Mr. Delany holds a bachelor’s degree from  the University of Dallas and attended post graduate study at George Washington University. He currently resides in Northern Virginia.

Gregory Hare, Director for Multifamily Housing, Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development
Gregory is a longtime resident of Baltimore and has worked to advance affordable housing in the region for over a decade. Prior to this post, Gregory served as the Deputy Director for the Multifamily Rental Service Programs. Before joining the Department, Gregory served as the Administrator for the Housing Authority of Baltimore City in the Rental and Assisted Housing division. He holds a degree in Management Science and is a Certified Tax Credit Specialist, Financial Specialist, and holds a certification in Housing Choice Voucher Executive Management.

Affordable housing is a catalyst for growth in the region. Through collaboration and education, HAND expands organizational capacity and innovation among industry partners, while staying anchored in communities. I am excited to join the board as a newly appointed member. I look forward to learning and sharing the local government perspective with this great group of housing leaders”.
—Gregory Hare

Jill Norcross, Virginia Housing
Jill Norcross joined Virginia Housing in 2020 as the Community Outreach Regional Manager for Northern Virginia. Jill fosters partnerships with local governments, community organizations, developers, and key stakeholders. She plays a key role in Virginia Housing’s project development, community lending and relationship building initiatives that enable the organization to respond to the unique and critical housing needs of the Commonwealth. She joins her colleagues, Ayan Addou, John Payne and Regina Pinkney to broaden Virginia Housing’s impact in Northern Virginia.

I am excited to continue my work with this amazing organization in a new role as a member of the Board of Directors. I am proud to represent Virginia Housing and to serve HAND as we continue to grow, lead and evolve in support of affordable housing and equitable development of communities in our region.”
—Jill Norcross

Committees: Braintrust (Chair)

Derrick N. Perkins, Bank of America
Derrick Perkins is a SVP and Market Executive, based in Washington, DC. His primary role is the coverage of affordable housing developers based in suburban MD, Washington, DC, Virginia and Georgia. His responsibilities also include leading the Bank’s national Charter School construction lending efforts.

Derrick joined NationsBank in 1998 in the Consumer Credit Card division as an Account Manager in Norfolk, VA. In 2000 he accepted a role as a Portfolio Management Associate in the Business Banking division in Richmond, VA. Subsequently, in 2002, Derrick relocated to Mclean, VA to work in the Middle Market banking group as a credit analyst and eventually an Underwriter. After four years in Middle Market banking he accepted a role within Community Development Lending, underwriting affordable housing developers and charter school facilities. Derrick accepted his most current role as a Relationship Manager in the fall of 2013 and added the charter school responsibilities in 2015.

Derrick holds a Bachelor’s degree from Hampton University and a Masters in Urban and Regional Planning from Virginia Commonwealth University.

HAND is an extraordinary organization indirectly improving the lives of low and moderate income individuals and families in the Washington region. I look forward to the opportunity to learn, serve and grow as a newly appointed member of the board.”
—Derrick Perkins

Committees: Racial Equity Design Team (Chair)

Ernst Valery, SAA | EVI
Mr. Ernst Valery is a co-managing member of SAA | EVI and shares overall responsibility for the day-to-day operations and execution of SAA | EVI projects and relationships. Mr. Valery has successfully invested in and developed real estate in Maryland; Washington, D.C.; Pennsylvania; Virginia; California; and New York. For the past 16 years, he has been involved with development projects ranging from mixed-use, multi-tenant rental properties, single-family renovations and condominium conversions.

Mr. Valery is the founder and president of SAA | EVI affiliate Ernst Valery Investments Corp. (EVI), a private, minority-owned real estate investment firm established in 2001. EVI invests in select underserved and undervalued key emerging domestic real estate markets, defined as urban transitional areas with high residential and retail demand. Mr. Valery has extensive experience in affordable and market rate housing development and investment, including providing due diligence capabilities and extensive skills in budget planning, design development, marketing, and the supervision and guidance of contractors, architects and engineers. He is responsible for the securing and structuring of financing, including expertise in securing Historic and New Markets tax credits.

Mr. Valery is also active in social entrepreneurship and volunteer work, including a collaboration with a team of professionals and graduates from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Community Innovators Lab (MIT CoLab) as well as efforts at incubating businesses around the world that help alleviate poverty and increase the earning potential of low income individuals, families, and communities.

Mr. Valery graduated from Columbia University’s Master of Science program in Real Estate Development. He also obtained a Master’s Degree in Policy Analysis and Public Administration and a Bachelor of Science degree in Urban and Regional Planning with a concentration in International Relations, both from Cornell University. Ernst is also a Mel King Community Fellow at MITs CoLab.

Being part of the HAND Board is an incredible opportunity to contribute to the inevitable paradigm shift in community redevelopment and real estate – where inclusion, diversity and development without displacement are core values and priorities.”
—Ernst Valery

Committees: Governance & Racial Equity Design Team

Jessica Venegas, Community Solutions
Jessica Venegas is Principal for Strategic Partnerships at Community Solutions International. She leads the organizational efforts to effectively leverage partnerships with the public and private sector to support successful community outcomes in ending homelessness.

Community Solutions leads a national effort, Built for Zero, that is working with over 70 communities in the US to end to veteran and chronic homelessness.

Jessica holds a B.A. in Urban Community Development from Azusa Pacific University and completed a graduate fellowship from the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Urban Redevelopment Excellence (CUREx). She is an Effective Leadership Fellow of Duke’s Center on Public Values and Leadership, and an Achieving Excellence Fellow of the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government. She is based in Washington, D.C. and Cambridge, MA

HAND plays a critical role in the DC region expanding learning and collaboration in the development community. I look forward to serving on the Board and working with the other Directors and talented staff of the organization to further our mission and impact.”
—Jessica Venegas

John Welsh, AHC, Inc. 
John M. Welsh is the Vice President of the Multifamily Division at AHC, Inc. John was Director of the Multifamily Division for thirteen years before being promoted to Vice President in 2011. He is responsible for the development and acquisition of all multifamily housing. During his tenure, AHC has acquired or built more than 5,400 multifamily units in Northern Virginia, Montgomery County, Washington, DC and Greater Baltimore. John was formerly a project manager at Hope Housing in Washington, D.C. He is a former Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner (ANC) in the District of Columbia, and past secretary of the D.C. Coalition for Nonprofit Housing and Economic Development. John received a Master’s degree in Regional Planning from Cornell University and a Bachelor’s in Finance from Villanova University.

I am eager to join my esteemed colleagues on the HAND Board. HAND has been at the forefront of affordable housing for decades, bringing together the top affordable housing developers, financiers, and advocates. Together, we have learned from one another, and been able to do more to support the low- and moderate-incomes families in our region.”
—John Welsh

Committees: Racial Equity Design Team

Stephanie Williams, Bozzuto Management Company
Stephanie Williams, President of Bozzuto Management Company and Operating Partner of The Bozzuto Group, has remained focused on providing extraordinary experiences to residents, clients, partners and employees of the company since joining the company in 2004.

She directs the operations and an array of specialized initiatives for an apartment portfolio of 77,000 units across over 265 properties in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest and Southern regions. In 2017, Stephanie earned the Multi-Housing News Excellence Award for Executive of the Year, was named Minority Business Leader by Washington Business Journal and was honored as a member of Baltimore Business Journal’s Top 40 Under 40. In 2018, under Stephanie’s leadership, Bozzuto Management Company was awarded #1 Property Management Company by the National Association of Home Builders. Stephanie is Board member of the Real Estate Executive Council and an active member of the Urban Land Institute, and the District of Columbia Building Industry Association.

Stephanie earned a Bachelor of Arts in Community & Environmental Planning from the University of Washington, Seattle and a Masters of Community Planning from the University of Maryland, College Park. Washington, D.C. has been her proud home for the past 15 years and is where she lives today.

Making an impact on the communities in which we live is one of the most meaningful ways to pay it forward. As a preeminent organization actively serving diverse, working families in our neighborhoods, HAND is doing just that. I am thrilled and honored to grow and participate in its efforts as a newly appointed member of the board.”
—Stephanie Williams