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Who We Are

WE are a team of people who care

The team at West Elmwood is deeply invested in creating better outcomes for our community.

Interested in
joining the team?

View job openings, opportunities to
volunteer, or reach out about becoming
a partner of West Elmwood.

Work with Us

Board of Directors

Collin Bailey
President
Andrea Ray
Vice President
Rawn Duncan
Treasurer
Michelle Rosa-Martins
Secretary
Jose Monteiro
Angela Bannerman Ankoma
Sean Fontes
President 2021–2024
Sonia Thomas
Brandford Davis

Our Staff

Candace Harper
Executive Director
1
Dariel Blanco
Deputy Director
2
Leslie Chazan
Accounting Manager
4
Denise Hagopian
MaturityWorks Representative
5
Jessica Thigpen
HEZ Program Manager
6
Mayelyn Gomez
HEZ Project Coordinator
9
Bruce Thompson
Food Access Coordinator
11
Julius Searight
Sankofa Program Manager
13
Jontai Williams
Accessing Home Coordinator
14
Joseline Mane
WIC Coordinator / Breastfeeding Peer Counselor
15
Juldania Trinidad Lopez
WIC Nutritionist
15
Jennifer Ramos
WIC Support Staff
16
Jessenia Tolentino
Bilingual Housing Counselor
19

Board Committees

Board committees are made up of one board member, WEHDC staff, and members of the community. If you’re interested in becoming a member of a WEHDC board committee, inquire below.

Apply to a Board Commitee
To see the responsibilities involved with each committee, please click on them:
Asset Committee
  • Tours a number of units annually
  • Review budgets, variance, leasing, vacancies, overall performance of property, tenant relations/activities and issues, work orders
  • Approves annual budgets proposed by management company and staff
  • Refinancing
Finance Committee
  • Receives, reviews and accepts the annual audit
  • Assists with annual budgeting
  • Reviews the budget semiannually and makes strategic recommendations to the full Board
  • Reviews investments annual for performance and Agency priorities
  • Monitors cash flow on a quarterly basis
  • Treasurer reports to board monthly
Strategic Initiative Committee
  • Provides strategic direction on initiatives
  • Identify community partners
  • Provides direction on sustainability efforts
Executive Committee
  • Serves as Personnel Committee
  • Manages the ongoing Agency Operations
  • Supervises the Executive Director
  • Directs the annual planning process
  • Sets Board agenda
  • Makes organization and administration decisions that are Board ratified
Real Estate Development Committee
  • Analyzes project proposals from staff for relevancy to mission, financial feasibility
  • Recommends projects to Board
  • Monitors project budget to actual pro forma
  • Monitors project progress vs. budget
  • Tours construction sites
  • Monitors quality of construction
Loan Committee
  • Add new files to loan portfolio
  • Manage current portfolio
  • Analyze loan programs
  • Implement compliance processes per NWA and Lending Standards
  • Approve loans
  • Manage Foreclosure/Delinquent portfolio
  • Review Delinquency
  • Discuss new opportunities to increase funds to lend
  • Develop programs current/competitive to lending market
  • Market lending programs
Community Building & Engagement/Sankofa Committee
  • Maintaining sustainability of projects
  • Programming for greenhouse, community kitchen, farm and gardens
  • all tasks related to Sankofa World Market
Fund Development Committee
  • Seeks donors and supporters
  • Long range sustainability of the organization
  • Work to diversify funding and stakeholder support

Support
West Elmwood

Donations help West Elmwood continue improving lives in the West End community.

Donate