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Board of Commissioners

To ensure accountability to the interests of our communities, Home Forward is governed by a nine-member citizen commission.

Volunteer Commissioners establish Home Forward policy, approve the annual budget, and hire the Executive Director. Four Commissioners represent the City of Portland, two represent the City of Gresham, two represent Multnomah County, and one, who participates in one of Home Forward’s housing programs, represents our residents and program participants. Commissioners are recommended from the area they serve, appointed by the Mayor of Portland, and approved by the Portland City Council. They serve four-year, renewable terms. There are currently three vacancies.

Matthew Gebhardt Vice Chair
Matthew Gebhardt
Chair
Bio
Jenny Kim Board Treasurer
Jenny Kim
Vice Chair
Bio
Damien Hall Board Chair
Damien Hall

Chair Emeritus

Bio
Jessy Ledesma
Treasurer
Bio
TomiRene Hettman Commissioner
TomiRene Hettman
Commissioner
Bio
Breann Preston
Commissioner
Bio
Cathy Keathley
Commissioner
Bio

BOC Application

If you are a resident or participant of Home Forward, we invite you to apply to the Board of Commissioners. The Board of Commissioners is an opportunity to provide input and approval of strategic decisions that impact the overall direction and governance of Home Forward. Applications for the Board of Commissioners are open NOW and close on Friday, November 7 th at 11:59pm. 

Application Here
  • Tenant Commissioners must be current Section 8 participants or residents living in Home Forward owned affordable housing AND have been receiving Home Forward resources for at least one year
  • Tenant Commissioners must be 18 years or older 
  • Tenant Commissioners must demonstrate the ability and time to participate in the Board of Commissioners 
  • Tenant Commissioners must commit to serving the Home Forward community for a full Board term (4 years)
  • Tenant Commissioners must not be in current lease enforcement proceedings or proposed termination of assistance
  • Tenant Commissioners must be able to perform the duties of a Commissioner.
  • Tenant Commissioners must have demonstrated experience and commitment to advocacy or leadership
  • Tenant Commissioners may not serve as on the Tenant Advisory Council (TAC) or the Resident Community Builders (RCB) congruently
  • Determine and maintain adherence to the organization’s mission and purpose.  
  • Select the Chief Executive Officer/Executive Director.
  • Provide proper financial oversight.
  • Ensure balance of resources and mission.
  • Ensure legal and ethical integrity and maintain accountability.
  • Ensure effective high-level organizational planning.
  • Assist with recruitment and orientation of new Board members and assess Board performance. 
  • Champion the goals of the organization.
  • Support the Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer.

Copy of the Resolution PDF here

Copy of the Screening Criteria PDF here

(971) 801-4272 or meg.kausch@homeforward.org

meeting information

Attendance: Home Forward’s board meetings are open to the public — all are welcome.

Frequency: Once every month.

Date and Time: The third Tuesday of the month at 5:30 PM, via Zoom.

Location: Meetings are virtual with the link and call-in information available in the agenda.

Meeting Materials: The agenda and documents related to the meeting are posted on this page the week before the meeting.

Work Session: The Board also meets for a work session, quarterly at noon on the first Thursday in February, May, September and November. Work sessions are held at Home Forward’s main offices, 135 SW Ash St., Portland, OR 97204 unless otherwise announced.

You may send comments via letter or e-mail to:

          Home Forward Board of Commissioners c/o Home Forward

          135 SW Ash Street Portland, Oregon 97204

          E-mail: board@homeforward.org

Or you may participate in the “Public Comment” portion of monthly board meetings. Please read the guidelines for public comment.

AGENDA AND MATERIALS FOR MONTHLY BOARD MEETING

October Board Packect

Past Meeting Records

Records of Home Forward’s Board of Commissioners meetings are freely available to the public, here.

Meeting records before 2018 can be accessed via a public records request.

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Matthew Gebhardt Vice Chair

Matthew Gebhardt
Chair

I strongly believe that safe, stable, and affordable housing is vital for health and well-being. I am excited to help Home Forward sustain their current portfolio while continuing to develop new housing for people experiencing poverty across our community.

Matthew Gebhart is an Assistant Professor at Portland State University. He has spent the last fifteen+ years studying housing authorities, and recently worked with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on the Choice Neighborhood Initiative. Matthew holds one of the City of Portland’s seats on the Home Forward Board of Commissioners. He received his MA in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and earned a PhD in Urban Planning from Columbia University.

Jenny Kim Board Treasurer

Jenny Kim
Vice Chair

I look forward to a time when everyone in our community has a safe, stable and affordable place to call home. Serving on this board is an amazing opportunity to listen to the people we serve and to work with my colleagues to equitably deliver the housing, programs, and services they need.

Jenny Kim holds one of the two Multnomah County seats on the Board of Commissioners and brings more than 20 years of board experience from organizations like the National Korean American Coalition, Portland Montessori School, and American Cancer Society. She graduated from the University of California with a degree in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics. Jenny has a proven track record of helping organizations grow and meet new challenges and she has been a dedicated leader in our community for many years.

Damien Hall Board Chair

Damien Hall
Chair Emeritus

Quality, stable housing is the foundation that allows people to break the cycle of generational poverty.  I’m excited to help guide our community’s largest provider of affordable housing in its work to provide people with that opportunity.

Damien Hall brings legal expertise in land use, urban planning, and real estate development, as well as extensive civic involvement to the Board of Commissioners. He is an attorney at Ball Janik LLP, where he has helped both property owners and governments navigate land use requirements and work collaboratively to establish common objectives. He is a member of the Portland Development Commission’s Central City Budget Advisory Committee and serves on the board of non-profit Portland Community Reinvestment Initiatives, Inc. Previously, he chaired PDC’s Urban Renewal Advisory Committee for the Oregon Convention Center area and participated in the development agency’s Advisory Committee for Economic Development in N/NE Portland. He received his degree at law from Lewis and Clark College and has a Bachelor’s Degree in public policy, planning, and management from the University of Southern California.

Jessy Ledesma
Treasurer

Jessy Ledesma has more than 17 years of development experience in the Portland area, much of that time focused on affordable housing development. She is the Founder and Principal of HomeWork Development and co-developer of Shortstack Housing. Jessy founded HomeWork Development in early 2021 with a vision to build a new model for inclusive and responsive housing development.

Prior to HomeWork, Jessy was Director of Development at Beam Development and previously developed affordable housing for both for-profit ownership and non-profit ownership. Jessy has transacted over $200M in development volume across 18 projects. This includes over 600 affordable housing units and 200,000 SF of commercial developments. Jessy brings a unique perspective to her role on Home Forward’s Board of Commissioners, understanding both non-profit and for-profit development models. She believes our industry must collaborate and create new models to address our deep housing shortage.

TomiRene Hettman Commissioner

TomiRene Hettman
Commissioner

I joined the Home Forward board as my way to show my appreciation for housing, which has helped to save my life. I am deeply committed to Home Forward’s mission and I want to do all that I can to help the agency fulfill this mission. I feel that, because of my own personal experiences and my long commitment to helping to build support in and around my own community, I am able to give a voice to the disenfranchised.

TomiRene Hettman holds one of the five City of Portland seats on the Board of Commissioners as Home Forward’s Resident Commissioner. Hettman has been a resident at Hollywood East Apartments since 2009. She brings her personal experiences and history of recurring homelessness to this position. She has served on Home Forward’s Resident Advisory Committee and has an impressive list of volunteer experiences, not only within her Home Forward community, but including the Hollywood Farmer’s Market, Lean on Me Program, Humane Society, and as a housing advocate serving on congressional roundtables.

Breann Preston
Commissioner

Breann has lived in four countries, five states, has a bachelor’s degree double major in Economics, Experimental Psychology and a minor in Sociology from the University of South Carolina and holds a master’s degree in Economic Development (Development Studies) from the University of Cambridge. She currently lives in Portland with her husband and small rescue dog.

Breann Preston is currently employed as the Economic Research Consultant at the Port of Portland. She supports the Trade and Economic Development Division as they work to increase economic inclusion and equity in the Greater Portland area. Her focus is on understanding the current economic conditions, barriers, and opportunities for future economic prosperity. She believes in the power of qualitative and quantitative data to support the creation of policy and programs that produce measurable positive impacts for diverse individuals and communities. Breann has written and researched multiple economic reports and supported the launch of a multi-jurisdiction smart region initiative.

Cathy Keathley
Commissioner

Board of Commissioner Cathy Keathley was elected to the Gresham City Council for a four-year term on November 5, 2024, and sworn into office in Position 3 on January 7, 2025.

Keathley brings a deep commitment and a wealth of experience to the Home Forward Board of Commissioners.

She combines institutional knowledge with a passion for public service. Her extensive background includes work in Human Resources at Metro and the City of Gresham, providing her with a strong understanding of municipal operations and personnel management.

Throughout her career, Commissioner Keathley has demonstrated a commitment to public safety and community collaboration and served as Chair of the City of Gresham Fire Advisory. A lifelong resident of Gresham, Keathley has dedicated decades of service to local schools and nonprofits, actively raising thousands of dollars to support organizations that strengthen the fabric of Gresham. In 2021, she was elected to the Gresham-Barlow School Board and served as Vice Chair, where she worked to ensure transparency, accountability and student success.

As a Commissioner and Gresham City Councilor, she knows it is essential for government to be efficient with tax dollars, making every dollar effectively serve the best interests and needs of the community. She is passionate about building trust with residents by prioritizing transparency in the decision-making process, particularly when it comes to how taxpayer dollars are spent. She is committed to fostering a thriving and safe place for all.

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