WAHNcast

A new tool can change how housing operates. But does it make someone’s life better?

In this Women of Impact episode sponsored by the Multifamily Impact Council, Janine Steiner Jovanovic, CEO of LeaseLock, and Angela Bruno, CFO of Mercy Housing, join Angie Truitt and Rachel Mavrothalasitis for a thoughtful conversation about turning new ideas into meaningful outcomes.

Janine explores the financial pressures renters face and why rethinking security deposits can help protect both household finances and property health. Angela shares how she approaches financial sustainability as part of Mercy Housing’s promise to the people it serves, with every budget decision carrying a human consequence.

Together, they discuss preserving existing housing, questioning what technology actually delivers, and making sure the pursuit of efficiency improves the experience of residents and staff.

Their people-first approach extends to leadership, too. They share stories of encouragement that changed their careers, friendships that became family, and the responsibility to create opportunities for others.

An honest, engaging conversation about the work it takes to turn innovation into impact, and the people who make that work matter.

WAHNcast launches its new Women of Impact series, sponsored by the Multifamily Impact Council, with Chrystal Kornegay, CEO of MassHousing, Rachel Mavrothalasitis, COO of the Multifamily Impact Council, and host Beth Baar.

Together, they explore what meaningful impact really looks like in affordable housing, from connecting capital with purpose and preserving housing for generations to come, to keeping people at the center of every data point and decision.

Chrystal also shares candid lessons about leadership, owning her power and influence, and remembering that leadership only matters when others are willing to follow. Rachel challenges leaders at every level to recognize the power of their voices and intentionally create opportunities for the next generation.

It’s a conversation about people, power, relationships, opportunity and the responsibility that comes with making an impact.

There are things no one tells you about breast cancer until suddenly, you need to know them.

For Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Brooke Etie returns to WAHNcast one year after sharing her diagnosis and treatment journey. This time, she is joined by Mary-Margaret Lemons, President of Fort Worth Housing Solutions, who received her own breast cancer diagnosis earlier this year.

Their experiences have been very different, but their conversation is remarkably honest about what comes after the diagnosis: advocating for yourself, navigating treatment and reconstruction, adjusting to a changed body, accepting help, finding the right questions to ask and discovering that “cancer-free” does not necessarily mean the journey is over.

They also share what helped, what didn’t, why screening and knowing your own body matter, and how an unexpected shared experience deepened a friendship.

Most importantly, they leave listeners with a reminder for all of us: don’t wait for a diagnosis to spend time with the people who matter, take the trip and create the memories.

For Ivory Mathews, affordable housing has always been personal. Growing up housing insecure in rural South Carolina shaped not only her career, but the kind of leader she chose to become.

In this episode, Beth Baar talks with Ivory about lessons collected through more than three decades in affordable housing and leading housing authorities across the country: choosing courage over comfort, listening deeply before acting, telling the truth to build trust, turning losses into learning opportunities and remembering that leadership is never about being the smartest person in the room.

Ivory also shares why the little girl she once was still walks into every boardroom with her, and why women should stop waiting until they feel perfectly ready to take their seat at the table.

Since this conversation was recorded, it was announced that Ivory has been named the next Executive Director of the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh, beginning October 1. Congratulations to Ivory on this exciting next chapter!

What happens when you see a problem and decide to start solving it?

For Ben Sigel, it started during COVID with a rented U-Haul and a mission to get fresh food to people who needed it. Today, he is the founder and president of Full Belly Foods, a national nonprofit bringing fresh, nutritious food directly to affordable housing communities across the country.

Ben joins WAHNcast to talk about food insecurity, dignity and the entrepreneurial journey that has taken Full Belly Foods from a volunteer project to more than a million meals. He also shares the people and partners who helped along the way, including Zac Silber at Related Affordable, Enterprise Community Development and Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH).

It’s a conversation that gets to the heart of what makes the affordable housing community special: seeing a need, bringing people and resources together, removing barriers and finding a way to make life better for residents.

If Full Belly Foods could make a difference in one of your communities, visit fullbellyfoods.com to connect with Ben and learn more.

And if this episode makes you think of someone, please share it with them. Ben told us that one of his biggest challenges is simply making sure people know this resource exists. WAHN would love to help change that. Share this episode with your colleagues, resident services teams, owners, developers and anyone else who might be able to help Full Belly Foods reach one more community and one more family.

We’re closing out the 50/50 Women of Influence in Affordable Housing Summer Takeover with Joy Horak-Brown, President and CEO of New Hope Housing, in conversation with her longtime friend and fellow 50/50 honoree Diana McIver.

As New Hope Housing’s first employee, Joy helped grow an organization that began with just 40 apartment homes into one of Houston’s leading providers of permanent supportive housing, with more than 2,000 homes today. Along the way, she championed a belief that housing should offer more than shelter. It should provide dignity, beauty, quality and hope.

As Joy prepares for retirement, she reflects on the people who shaped her, the mission that became her life’s work and the lessons she hopes others will carry forward: ask for help because people truly want to give it, don’t wait until you have all the answers, start walking, and always care deeply about the quality of what you build.

It’s a fitting finale to an unforgettable summer celebrating women whose influence will be felt for generations to come.

Rebecca Louie, President and CEO of Wakeland Housing, joins Beth Baar and Ann Cone for a 50 Over 50 Women of Influence in Affordable Housing conversation about more than two decades of learning, leading and figuring things out in affordable housing.

Rebecca shares why careers don’t have to follow a straight line, why the best experience often comes from saying yes before you feel completely ready, and why genuine relationships matter in an industry this small. She also talks about giving people room to make mistakes, finding the work that truly energizes you, and choosing solution mode over blame.

Her approach to leadership might be summed up in four words: “There is no bus.” No throwing people under it. Just learn, fix it and move forward together.

Terri Lee spent years trying to run from housing. Today, the President and CEO of Atlanta Housing calls it her ministry, her calling and her life's work.

In this special 50 Over 50 Women of Influence episode, Ashley Northcutt and Ann Cone talk with Terri about the journey from Grambling, Louisiana, to leading one of the country's largest housing authorities, the mentors and family members who shaped her, and the faith that helped her step into opportunities even when she was afraid.

Terri also shares how Atlanta Housing is approaching housing as a pathway to economic mobility, why families can never become transactions or numbers, and the responsibility established leaders have to reach back and develop the next generation.

Her message is powerful and simple: the work is bigger than any one of us. Link arms, lift others and keep moving forward.

Careers rarely follow a straight line, and Desiree Francis wouldn't have it any other way.

In this special 50 Over 50 Women of Influence episode, guest host Diana McIver sits down with Desiree, who leads Capital One's Community Finance team, to talk about finding affordable housing at the intersection of finance and social impact, building a career through unexpected opportunities, and learning to network as an introvert.

Desiree shares why she encourages emerging leaders to look up, build relationships, raise their hands and take measured risks, plus why affordable housing continues to offer something few careers can: the opportunity to see the tangible impact of your work in people's lives and communities.

Eleanor White stumbled into affordable housing more than five decades ago and went on to help pave the way for countless others.

In this special 50 Over 50 Women of Influence episode, guest host Ann Cone talks with the Housing Partners, Inc. co-founder about her years at FHA/HUD and MassHousing, building her own firm, running that Boston-based company remotely from Oslo long before remote work became commonplace, and a lifetime commitment to giving back.

From serving on as many as 10 nonprofit boards at once to becoming a passionate champion of WAHN New England and WAHN nationally, Eleanor believes deeply in sharing what you’ve learned and bringing others along. As she puts it, “This is not an industry for queen bees.”

It’s a conversation filled with history, humor and wisdom about speaking up, trying new things, giving back and making room for a full life along the way.