Opening
Allison Balmes-John – Population Health Manager, Rappahannock Area Health District
Allison Balmes-John is the Population Health Manager for the Rappahannock Area Health District. She oversees health improvement planning for the health district, including the Community Health Assessment and Community Health Improvement Plan. Her role focuses on using data to understand the health of local populations, and then utilizing that data to identify ways we can prevent community health issues before they occur. She also coordinates communications and public information for the health district. Prior to her current role, Allison worked as a Violence Prevention Specialist at the Virginia Department of Health’s Central Office. She holds a Master in Public Health from the University of North Carolina and a BA in Psychology and Sociology from the University of Colorado, and she is an AmeriCorps alumni.
Keynote
Jonathan Knopf – Executive Director for Programs, HousingForward Virginia
Jonathan is the Executive Director for Programs at HousingForward Virginia, where he leads housing research and education efforts across the Commonwealth. He regularly helps local officials, practitioners, and advocates find solutions to their housing challenges by telling stories anchored in data, crafting evidence-based policies, and designing effective communication strategies.
Since 2016, Jonathan’s work has led to the nation’s first combined community land trust and land bank, Virginia’s first regional housing trust fund, increased investments in manufactured home communities, and other innovative successes. He has also led or contributed to numerous state, regional, and local housing studies that sustain efforts to expand housing affordability and security for all Virginians.
Jonathan holds a Masters in Urban and Regional Planning from Virginia Commonwealth University. He serves on the board of directors for VCDC and Housing Families First, and is a member of policy advisory committees for HOME of Virginia and the Virginia Housing Alliance.
Kim McClellan – Public Policy Director, Fredericksburg Area Association of Realtors®
Ms. Kim McClellan has served as the Public Policy Director for the Fredericksburg Area Association of Realtors® (FAAR) since April of 2010. Ms. McClellan works with local elected officials to advocate for private property rights and the important role of the real estate industry in the Fredericksburg-area economy. Ms. McClellan also represents FAAR in many regional coalitions and groups including the local Chamber of Commerce and various housing-related efforts. She serves as a member of the Mary Ball Washington Regional Council of GO Virginia and as Vice President for the Central Virginia Housing Coalition. Ms. McClellan is a 201 recipient of the Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce Top 10 of the Next Gen Award and a 2017 graduate of the Chamber’s Leadership Fredericksburg program. In addition, Ms. McClellan holds the Realtor® Certified Executive (RCE) designation from the National Association of Realtors® and is a certified Professional Standards Administrator. Prior to working for FAAR, Ms. McClellan spent several years on Capitol Hill serving as a Senior Legislative Assistant to a North Carolina Member of Congress handling various issues including agriculture, transportation, and the environment. She is a graduate of The George Washington University and currently resides in Fredericksburg, Virginia with her husband and children.
Lunch Plenary
Chip Boyles – Executive Director of the George Washington Regional Commission
Chip Boyles is Executive Director of the George Washington Regional Commission in Fredericksburg , Virginia. He oversees a regional government agency with a staff of nearly twenty that provides planning and local government assistance in the areas of transportation planning, grant management, environmental and water quality services, affordable housing and homeless management and community development. The GWRC also administers the multi-regional GO Virginia economic development initiative. Chip came to the GWRC after serving as Interim City Manager for the City of Charlottesville and with 7 years as the Executive Director of the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission in Charlottesville. Before moving to Virginia in 2014, Chip served five years working in the Mayor’s Office in Baton Rouge, Louisiana managing the urban development for a City-Parish of approximately 400,000 people. Prior to moving to Baton Rouge, he worked as City Manager and Assistant Manager in 3 cities from Maryland to South Carolina and served as the founding director of the International Town & Gown Association. Major project successes over his career include the housing and business redevelopment in Baton Rouge immediately after hurricanes Katrina and Gustav ravished the gulf coast. Born in Savannah, Georgia and growing up on the southern coast of South Carolina, Chip attended the University of South Carolina and Clemson University in the areas of Political Science and Public Administration. His major experience includes working within college town communities having spent over twenty years living and working in college towns.
Ruth Emerick – Chief Operating Officer with Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission
Ruth Emerick joined the TJPDC as Chief Operating Officer and Program Director in March 2022. She oversees the TJPDC’s housing and community development programs, including the HOME Consortium, the Housing Preservation Grant, the Regional Housing Partnership, and the Virginia Eviction Reduction Pilot. Ruth has worked in various leadership roles in local government since 2010. She holds a Master of Professional Studies in Geospatial Information Science from the University of Maryland at College Park and a Graduate Certificate in Local Government Management from Virginia Tech.
Breakout Sessions
Integrating Housing into you Comprehensive Plans
Lyle Solla-Yates – Charlottesville Planning Commission
Lyle Solla-Yates serves on the Charlottesville Planning Commission, works and teaches urban planning at the University of Virginia School of Architecture, and contributed to “How to Streamline Housing Permitting in Virginia” with the Mercatus Center.
Stacy Pethia – Assistant Director of Housing Director for Albemarle County
Stacy has more than 20 years of experience in the affordable housing field, including work ranging from policy research and development to direct service provision. As the Assistant Director of Housing Director for Albemarle County, she oversees implementation of the County’s affordable housing policy and administration of all affordable housing programs.
Sunshine Mathon – Executive Director of Piedmont Housing Alliance
Sunshine Mathon is the Executive Director of Piedmont Housing Alliance in Charlottesville, VA. Committed to supporting deeply equitable and sustainable affordable communities, he has led the development of over 1,200 healthy, efficient homes in Texas and Virginia. As a nationally-recognized leader at the intersection of climate resilience and equitable affordable housing development, Sunshine has consulted with a wide variety of local and national housing intermediaries. With a broad range of professional experiences, from architectural design to mentoring children to catalyzing organizational inquiry into antiracist practices, Sunshine strives for collaborative work at three connected, equity-focused scales: relationship-building through one-on-one connections; cultivating place-based community development that centers residents’ lived-expertise; and guiding policy-shift through a racial equity lens. Sunshine holds a Masters in Architecture from the University of Texas at Austin and B.S. in Physics from Bates College in Maine.
Habitat for Humanity Programs
Jayne Jonson – Executive Director of Greater Fredericksburg Habitat for Humanity
As the Executive Director, Jayne is at the helm of our affiliate’s operations, playing a crucial role in shaping its strategic vision and objectives. Her leadership is instrumental in driving our fundraising initiatives, advocating for vital community issues, fostering collaborative partnerships, managing construction projects, and enhancing stakeholder relations. With nearly two decades of dedicated service within the Habitat for Humanity network, Jayne brings a wealth of proven experience in leveraging community engagement and advocacy to achieve sustainable growth. Her comprehensive knowledge of the affordable housing landscape—spanning local, regional, and national levels—enables her to navigate the complexities of this vital sector with confidence and insight. Jayne’s commitment to community development is matched only by her passion for empowering individuals and families, ensuring they have access to the safe and affordable housing they deserve. In her personal life, Jayne is an avid traveler who cherishes the time spent with her family. Through every journey she undertakes, she finds inspiration and fresh perspectives to fuel her unwavering dedication to the mission of Habitat for Humanity. With her dynamic leadership and deep-rooted passion for community enhancement, Jayne continues to make an indelible impact in the lives of those we serve.
Solving Affordable Housing through Local Partnerships
John A. Vithoulkas – County Manager for Henrico County
John Vithoulkas joined the Henrico County team in 1997. On August 14, 2012, he was unanimously appointed County Manager by the Henrico County Board of Supervisors, as the eighth County Manager since Henrico adopted the County Manager form of government in 1934. As the County’s Chief Administrative Officer and Director of Public Safety, Mr. Vithoulkas is responsible for all county general government operations; an approved annual fiscal plan of more than $1 billion in operating and capital budgets; and a workforce encompassing more than 4,000 general government employees. Mr. Vithoulkas, a naturalized citizen, is a native of Greece who immigrated to the United States as an infant with his parents. A product of Henrico County Public Schools, he is a graduate of J.R. Tucker High School.
Cari M. Tretina – Chief of Staff for Henrico County
Ms. Cari M. Tretina was appointed chief of staff in October 2019. Ultimately, she assists with the day-to-day management of the county’s operations. Ms. Tretina works with the county manager on a range of special projects, and she collaborates with the Board of Supervisors, department heads, and other officials on issues impacting the interests and operations of the county. She currently oversees a number of departments and serves as a liaison for the county administration with the public, elected officials, regional partners, and other governmental agencies, which has been instrumental in establishing the Henrico Housing Trust Fund. Ms. Tretina earned her bachelor’s degree in political science and public relations from Eastern Kentucky University and received a graduate certificate in public management from Virginia Commonwealth University’s Wilder Graduate School. She is also a graduate of Leadership Metro Richmond, the Metro Richmond Public Safety Leadership Academy, and the University of Virginia’s LEAD Program. Cari is a life-long resident of Henrico and is a proud product of J.R. Tucker High School.
Eric Leabough – Director of Community Revitalization for Henrico County
Eric Leabough began his career in government in the late 1990’s working for a local government, a redevelopment and housing authority, and the Commonwealth of Virginia. A Henrico County resident, Mr. Leabough was appointed to the Henrico County Planning Commission in January 2012, representing the Varina District. His work with the commission included terms as chairman in 2014 and 2017. He ended his service as a Planning Commissioner in June 2018 when he was hired to become Henrico County’s first Housing Specialist in the County Manager’s Office. In 2019, Mr. Leabough was appointed as the Director of Community Revitalization in Henrico County where he currently leads a team responsible for zoning and environmental code enforcement, advancing the County’s housing initiatives, revitalization efforts and community development programs.
Jovan Burton – Executive Director for the Partnership for Housing Affordability
Jovan Burton is the Executive Director for the Partnership for Housing Affordability, a nonprofit focused on creating greater access to housing opportunity through policy, research, and collaboration. In this role, Mr. Burton works with local governments, developers, community groups, and key stakeholders to advance housing policy and educate decision makers on the region’s needs. Mr. Burton serves on the board of directors for Housing Families First, Area Congregations Together in Service, ChamberRVA, and is the current Chair of the Greater Richmond Continuum of Care. He is also a member of Greater Richmond’s African American Nonprofit Leaders Collective, the Amandla Fund for Racial & Economic Justice, and Virginia Commonwealth University’s Real Estate Circle of Excellence. Mr. Burton is a graduate of Hampden-Sydney College with a bachelor’s degree in government and foreign affairs and has a master’s degree in public administration from the Douglas L. Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University. He also holds a certificate in Nonprofit Leadership from the Boston College Carroll School of Management.
Creating Walkable, Transit-Accessible Communities
Scudder Wagg – President + Principal Consultant for Jarrett Walker + Associates
Scudder Wagg is President of Jarrett Walker + Associates and has a broad range of transit and transportation planning experience across two decades of consulting work. He manages transit and multimodal planning projects across North America and specializes in transit network design and service planning. Scudder has led bus network redesign projects, long-range transit vision plans, regional transportation-land use workshops, and public and stakeholder engagement on a range of transit and transportation planning projects.
Stewart Schwartz – Executive Director and Founder of the Coalition for Smarter Growth (CSG)
Stewart Schwartz is the Executive Director and a founder of the Coalition for Smarter Growth (CSG), the leading organization in the Washington, DC region advocating for walkable, bikeable, inclusive, transit-oriented communities as the most sustainable and equitable way to grow and provide opportunities for all. CSG has earned the Regional Partnership Award from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments and the Changemaker Award from Urban Land Institute — Washington. Mr. Schwartz serves on the boards of Smart Growth America, the Virginia Conservation Network, and the Richmond Partnership for Smarter Growth. A retired Navy Captain, he earned a B.A. in Foreign Affairs and a J.D. from the University of Virginia, and a M.A. in National Security Studies from Georgetown University. He is a 2012 graduate of the UVA Sorensen Institute’s Political Leadership Program. The Washington Business Journal recognized him as Business Person of the Year in 2002 and has included him three times in their Power 100 most influential private sector and non-profit leaders in the DC region.
Critical Repair and Rehab Programs
James Roberson – President, 516 Project
James Roberson is the founder and President of 516 Project, a non-profit construction and disaster response ministry. James’ background in construction, disaster relief, c-suite business positions, and entrepreneurship has set him up for success in business and life. Initially, 516 Project was founded in 2016 as a side project and way to give back to the community. Quickly it was evident that God had bigger plans for the organization and James became full time in July of 2018. James has led and coordinated groups of thousands of volunteers to help disaster victims recover and rebuild after floods, hurricanes and tornadoes. He has worked with multiple government and non-government agencies in multiple states to make the recovery process more efficient and cost effective. James did not attend college and is a strong believer in workforce and trades training. James grew up and still resides in Fredericksburg, VA. He is married and has 3 children ages 14, 10 and 8. You can find more about James and 516 Project at www.516project.org and on social media @the516project or @jamesbuildshope.
Matt Morgan – Director of Affordable Housing Development, project:HOMES
Matt Morgan is the Director of Affordable Housing Development at project:HOMES, where he oversees the production of single and multifamily housing. project:HOMES annually produces 25 affordable homes for sale to low-income homebuyers, is a developer of multifamily housing, provides over 200 federally funded home repair projects, and is the Weatherization Assistance Program provider for Central Virginia. Matt holds a Bachelor’s degree from Virginia Commonwealth University, and a Master’s in Urban and Environmental Planning from the University of Virginia.
Community Land Trusts: Permanent Affordability in Action
Amelie Rives (MURP) – Senior Associate, HDAdvisors
Amelie Rives (MURP) is a Senior Associate with HDAdvisors, where she joined from the CDFI and economic-inclusion field. In her role, Amelie conducts affordable housing policy & program development research, coordinates the Richmond Heirs Property Network, and administers housing development funds for the Northern Virginia Regional Commission. Amelie helped write and project manage a successfully funded grant application for $7.5 million for BIPOC homeownership in the Richmond region and she continues to promote the community land trust model after serving as the CEO of the Virginia Statewide Community Land Trust until 2024.
Erica Sims – HDAdvisors
Erica Sims has worked in the non-profit management, affordable housing development, and community organizing fields for over 18 years. Her focus has been social and economic justice through housing and economic development. Ms. Sims has held private sector, nonprofit, and government roles and has overseen the development of over 2,500 units of affordable housing and 50,000 square feet of commercial development space in new construction and renovation projects. Prior to joining The Maggie Walker Community Land Trust in 2017, she was the Deputy Executive Director of Mutual Housing Association of New York, an non- profit affordable housing developer, owner, and manager with a portfolio over 1,500 units of affordable housing. She received a Bachelor’s in Economics and a Bachelor’s in Urban Planning from the University of Michigan and a Masters of Business Administration from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Michelle Winters – CEO of Virginia Statewide Community Land Trust
Michelle Winters is a housing policy and strategy expert with experience leading organizations and programs at the local and national level focused on affordability, sustainability, and innovation in the housing system. Michelle is currently the CEO of the Virginia Statewide Community Land Trust, president of Winters Community Strategies LLC and co-founder of Neighborhood Flats LLC. Michelle recently served as Acting Director of Loudoun County’s Department of Housing and Community Development (2022) and was previously Executive Director of the Alliance for Housing Solutions (2016-2021). Prior to these roles, Michelle worked for two decades at the national level on housing finance, policy, and capacity building initiatives. Michelle currently serves as Vice President of the board of the Langston Boulevard Alliance. She received her BA in Urban Affairs from Virginia Tech and her Master in City Planning from MIT.