The HCDLI is bringing together an exceptional lineup of sector experts and experienced professionals offering unique perspectives, practical expertise, and actionable strategies to help participants navigate the evolving housing and community development landscape in our summer Lunch & Learn series. Read more below about each of our featured speaker! Emily Weitzman Rosenbaum is a Senior Relationship Manager with NeighborWorks America who has a passion for building strong partnerships that advance housing and community development goals. She previously served as Executive Director of Twin Cities CDC in Fitchburg and Leominster, Massachusetts, Coalition for the Better Acre in Lowell, Massachusetts, the Worcester JCC, and as CEO of the Akshaya Patra Foundation USA. Throughout her career, Emily has worked closely with mission-driven organizations, funders and donors, and community stakeholders to support projects that create opportunity and strengthen neighborhoods. She is particularly interested in connecting capital, strategy, and collaboration to drive meaningful community impact. Emily enjoys helping organizations navigate complex challenges and identify practical solutions that support long-term growth. She believes that strong relationships are at the heart of successful community development efforts and is excited to engage with the next generation of housing and community development leaders and share insights from her professional experience. Joanie Straussman Brandon became Regional Vice-President of NeighborWorks® America’s Northeast Region May 2017 after serving in an interim capacity since July 2016 and as Senior Director from 2013-1016. She had been with NeighborWorks America for twenty-five years before becoming a private consultant in 2006. During Joanie’s first 25 years with NeighborWorks, seven were with Field Operations and eighteen with the Organizational Assessment Division (OAD). In Field Operations Joanie was responsible for the development and/or expansion of several NeighborWorks organizations. In OAD, Joanie managed organizational assessments and was involved in the development of the PROMPT® review system. Joanie was also responsible for more than 60 of the chartering reviews for new network affiliates. While a consultant from 2006-2013, Joanie continued to do organizational assessments, coach staff, assist with board development, and did course development and training for NeighborWorks’ Training Institutes and Community Leadership Institutes. She reviewed grant proposals and was a coach for the Community Impact Measurement project. More recently Joanie was a coach for the Excellence in Governance program, a Mentor in the Strong Leaders Program and helped to develop the Advancing Leaders in Real Estate Development program. Joanie also worked for three years with the Housing and Community Development Network of NJ as Director of Programs from 2011-2013. Prior to NeighborWorks America, Joanie was Executive Director of a multi-service organization in Chelsea, Massachusetts. Joanie has a Bachelor’s Degree from Clark University. and a Masters Degree in Social Work with a concentration in Planning and Community Organizing from Boston College. Joanie is a certified coach through Leadership That Works and the International Coaching Federation (ICF). Hannah Alldredge Morris is a learning and development and organizational effectiveness professional with more than 20 years of experience helping individuals, teams, and organizations grow. As Training & Development Manager at the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority (CHFA), and now Assistant Director of Talent & Organizational Development, she focuses on building leadership capability, strengthening coaching and accountability practices, and creating learning strategies that support employee growth and organizational success. Prior to CHFA, Hannah directed the University of Hartford's LEAD Program, empowering emerging women leaders through education, coaching, and career development. She has also facilitated leadership and communication workshops for professionals across industries through The Latimer Group and spent 16 years as an educator and academic leader at Choate Rosemary Hall. Hannah entered the field of affordable housing later in her career and is eager to introduce others to this important work and help future housing leaders grow their skillsets. Jennifer V. Metcalf, AICP, joined Sheldon Oak Central, Inc. (SOC) in November 2023. She coordinates housing development from inception to completion, including site analysis, project feasibility and financing applications, assembling development teams, permitting, and project oversight. She also assists with long-term organizational strategy, networking, and developing SOC’s pipeline. Jen was the Town Planner for nearly 18 years in Windsor Locks, CT, where she most recently served as Director of Planning and Development. Prior to this role, she was the Housing Coordinator for the East Boston Neighborhood Health Center's Elder Service Plan, acting as a liaison to the local Community Development Corporation. Christopher Widmer grew up outside Philadelphia and received a degree in Architecture from Temple University before interning and working for C. William Fox Associates in Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia. During his employment there, he worked on a variety of projects including various residences, Woodmere Art Gallery and Temple University Medical Campus. After relocating to Connecticut in 1994, Chris founded and was President of Alderhouse Residential Communities, a non-profit, community development organization in Middletown. While employed with the agency he designed and developed projects throughout Connecticut including several artist living studio cooperatives, supportive housing, senior housing and adaptive re-use projects. Upon leaving the agency in 2004, Chris opened his own architectural practice where he designed a variety of projects including medical, educational, residential and commercial buildings. As an architect, he remains committed to practical design excellence and innovation in all his projects and several completed projects have received design and community awards. Over the past few years, he has actively pursued green and sustainable design and renewable energy, incorporating this design philosophy in all his projects. Many of his projects have incorporated green and sustainable criteria as well as renewable energy and have been certified under various State and Federal programs. In 2020, Chris founded Green Planet Company, a non-profit organization, whose mission was the development of affordable and sustainable homeownership throughout Connecticut. The launch project of the organization was the Great Hill Cottage Community in Guilford. The development was widely received and has become an example of well designed, affordable and eco-friendly homeownership Chris is an Architect Emeritas in the State of Connecticut and also an accredited professional in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program through the United States Green Building Council. He has completed extensive training in renewable energy technologies including solar, geothermal and energy efficient design. Paul Santos is a Principal and Director of Housing at Newman Architects in New Haven, where he leads the firm’s multifamily housing practice. A Connecticut native who grew up in Stamford and Trumbull, Paul brings a strong understanding of the communities and housing needs of the region to his work. He holds an Associate Degree in Architectural Engineering from Norwalk Technical College and a Bachelor of Architecture from Penn State University, with minors in Business and Photography. Since joining Newman in 2006, he has led the planning, design, and delivery of more than 1,500 homes across affordable, mixed-income, market-rate, senior, and mixed-use communities. Paul is currently leading several significant New Haven initiatives, including the 450-unit redevelopment of State Street, a 200-unit transit-oriented development adjacent to Union Station, and Union Square, the transformation of the former Church Street South community into a new mixed-income neighborhood of approximately 2,500 homes. Paul believes thoughtful design can strengthen communities and improve residents’ quality of life. He advocates for high-performance housing that reduces energy consumption and utility costs, providing lasting benefits to residents while minimizing environmental impact. His work reflects a commitment to housing that is enduring, equitable, sustainable, and connected to its community. Joe Schiffer is Principal Emeritus with the New Haven firm of Newman Architects where he has practiced architecture as a principal and led in the design of various award-winning projects since 1984. His areas of expertise include affordable and market rate multi-family housing, mixed use urban planning and development projects, and college and university residential halls and campuses. Joe has led housing design teams collaborating with developers, tenant groups, and municipal authorities for projects in Stamford, Bridgeport, Middletown, Killingly, Meriden, Branford, New Haven, and New York. Joe’s other major areas of architectural experience are in renovation and adaptive re-use of existing buildings, and the preservation and restoration of historic structures. Examples of these range from the renewal and restoration of the John D Rockelfeller estate in Tarrytown for public visitation, to the adaptive reuse of New Haven’s Edwards Street School. The school’s wood framed two story Victorian Gothic structure was built in 1876. It was restored, renovated, and repurposed to be the new home of the Beers Child Guidance Clinic. In 2024 the project was awarded the Landmark Award from New Haven Preservation Trust. Joe has been an active member of the Branford and New Haven communities. Past president of the Short Beach civic association board, he led in updating the zoning ordnance for the district. He has served on the boards of the Neighborhood Music School, the Creative Arts Workshop, and Community Mediation of New Haven. He led the NMS building committee in the overall renovation of the school. Together with the Branford Community Foundation, he established the first Donor Advised Fund for the support of our shoreline environment. Pheobe Ploof is a Program Officer focused on Housing & Capacity Building for Connecticut’s suburban and rural communities. Pheobe has a background in housing planning, policy administration, and affordable housing technical assistance. She holds an MPA and a BA in Political Science from the University of Connecticut. Prior to joining the team at LISC, Pheobe worked at a Council of Governments as a housing planner focusing on facilitating affordable housing initiatives and providing technical assistance to municipalities in Western Central CT. She has also worked throughout the State of Connecticut as a residential property manager for affordable housing and senior units and as an undergraduate instructor. Jillian Baldwin is the Chief Executive Officer of the Housing Authority of the City of Bridgeport, doing business as Park City Communities (PCC), and President of Baldwin Holdings, Inc., the Authority's nonprofit affiliate responsible for the development, ownership, and management of affordable and mixed-income housing throughout Bridgeport, Connecticut. In addition to her executive leadership roles, Jillian serves on the Board of the Housing Collective and is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Public Housing Authorities Directors Association (PHADA), where she contributes to advancing affordable housing policy and best practices on a national level. She also serves on the Community Revitalization and Development committees for the national and state-chapter of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO). With nearly 30 years of experience in public and affordable housing, Jillian has built a reputation for transforming organizations, repositioning public housing portfolios, and leading complex redevelopment initiatives in some of the nation's most challenging housing markets. Under her leadership, Park City Communities has secured millions of dollars in federal, state, and local funding to modernize communities, expand affordable housing opportunities, and improve the quality of life for residents. Prior to joining Park City Communities, Jillian served as Executive Director of the Longmont Housing Authority and the Longmont Housing Development Corporation in Colorado, where she oversaw both housing authority operations and affordable housing development. Before that, she served as Deputy Executive Director of the Gary Housing Authority in Indiana. She began her housing career with the New Bern Housing Authority in North Carolina, advancing through multiple leadership positions and building a strong foundation in housing operations, finance, and community development. A native of New York who spent much of her formative years in the South, Jillian graduated summa cum laude from East Carolina University with a Bachelor of Science in Business. She also earned a Master of Business Administration from North Carolina State University and has completed numerous executive education programs and professional certifications in leadership, finance, and organizational management. Throughout her career, Jillian has remained committed to creating thriving, sustainable communities through strategic leadership, innovative housing development, and a steadfast dedication to expanding affordable housing opportunities for families, seniors, and individuals with disabilities. Amy Peltier joined the Partnership as Coalition and Advocacy Director in 2024. She aims to lead the Partnership’s collaborations with various stakeholders and support and coordinate Partnership advocacy for housing policy statewide. Before the Partnership Amy spent seven years working with the town of East Hartford as Director of East Hartford Works, a place-based community and economic development initiative addressing barriers to economic mobility for families. This work offered experience understanding how housing stability and affordability deeply impacts family self-sufficiency. Amy previously worked as a staff attorney for the public defender agency of Massachusetts for seven years, handling both criminal and civil cases in Plymouth and Hampden county courts, often addressing housing and tenant issues that intersect with the systems that drive social justice. In the last twenty-five years, Amy has had other professional and volunteer experiences that have spanned from Alaska to Zimbabwe, offering experience and insight into social and human services and institutions that frame the cycles of poverty. She is an Aspen Institute Economic Opportunity Fellow and has been a leader within the CT Statewide 2Gen Advisory Council addressing policies and identifying solutions that affect public benefits. Amy graduated with a degree in Social Science from Providence College and earned her JD from Roger Williams Law School. She serves on steering committees at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving’s Catalyst Giving Circle, SEE-CT (Solidarity, Equity, Education), is a local Girl Scout troop leader and recreational sports coach and is a Housing Commissioner with the Housing Authority where she lives in Canton. She resides in Collinsville with her husband, two children, and their puppy, Dublin.Emily Weitzman Rosenbaum
Joann Straussman Brandon
Hannah Alldredge Morris
Matt Boelter
Jennifer Valentino Metcalf
Christopher Widmer
Paul Santos
Joe Schiffer
Pheobe Ploof
Jillian Baldwin
Amy Peltier
HCDLI Lunch & Learn: Speaker Lineup
Matt Boelter is Senior Vice President, Asset Resolution and Portfolio Management at National Equity Fund, Inc. (NEF), a leading non-profit, multi family, affordable, real estate investment manager with a mission to create and deliver innovative, collaborative financial solutions to expand the creation and preservation of affordable housing. He oversees regional asset management leaders and asset managers responsible for NEF’s national Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) portfolio. He also supervises NEF’s portfolio risk, workout, project disposition and Year15 functions. Matt helps drive consistent asset management practices, disciplined risk oversight, and high-quality execution across NEF’s real estate investment portfolio.
Matt brings 19 years of experience at NEF, having advanced through progressively senior leadership roles within the asset management department. Most recently, he served for six years as Managing Director of Asset Resolution and Dispositions, leading strategies for distressed, underperforming, and maturing assets. In that role, he directed workout and disposition efforts, assigned risk ratings, and negotiated with general partners, lenders, and other stakeholders while ensuring compliance with Section 42 and NEF fund requirements. Throughout his career, Matt has worked with investors, developers, lenders, regulators, and community organizations to mitigate risk, strengthen asset performance, preserve affordability, and support quality housing for low-income families and communities nationwide. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Texas Tech University and, before joining NEF, was an associate at Fischer, a corporate brokerage real estate firm.