8:30am – Breakfast & Check-in

9:10am – Welcome

9:20am – Responsible AI: Emphasizing Fairness and
Equity, By Jack Phan

10:30am – Break

10:45am – Breaking Barriers: Leading Change in Hiring Practices, By Jean Roque

12:00pm – Lunch

1:00pm – The Hottest Employee in the Workplace… Literally!, By Stephanie Bastin-Wells

2:15pm – Break

2:30pm – Embedding EDIB Inside & Out, By Ebane Mainor

3:45pm – HR Roundtable Discussion

4:15pm – Farewell & Thank you!

Optional
4:30-6:00pm Happy Hour @Xport Bar & Lounge

12:00-1:00 p.m. LUNCH
Boxed lunches will be available for attendees in the Columbia Room (located on the
ground floor) at the Portland Marriott Downtown Waterfront. Please report to the
Columbia Room by 12:30 p.m. if you plan to attend the bus tour.

1:00-4:00 p.m. BUS TOUR OF HOME FORWARD COMMUNITIES
Meet for Tour in Columbia Room, Portland Marriott Downtown Waterfront by 12:30 p.m.
Buses Will Depart Outside Columbia Room on SW Columbia Street
Sponsored by Ballard Spahr and DAWGS Vacant Property Security

Home Forward will take attendees on a bus tour of several Home Forward communities
around Portland, including permanent supportive housing sites, ongoing construction projects,
project-based rental assistance properties, traditional public housing, and more.

5:00 p.m. CLPHA RECEPTION
Mount St. Helens Ballroom
Sponsored by Walsh Construction

All sessions will take place in the Salon E Ballroom (Lower Level 1) unless otherwise noted.

8:00 a.m. BREAKFAST
Salon F Ballroom

8:45 a.m. WELCOME
Ivory N. Mathews, CLPHA Board Member and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Home Forward
Matthew Gebhardt, Board Chair, Home Forward

9:00 a.m. VIDEO REMARKS

Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), Chair, U.S. Senate Finance Committee

9:05 a.m. WELCOME TO PORTLAND
Introduced by Ivory N. Mathews, CLPHA Board Member and CEO, Home Forward
Jessica Vega Pederson, Chair, Multnomah County, OR
Senator Kayse Jama, District 24, Oregon State Senate
Carmen Rubio, Commissioner, City of Portland, OR
Damien Hall, Board Chair Emeritus, Home Forward and Co-Chair, Oregon’s Housing Production, Advisory Council (HPAC)
Andrew B. Mendenhall MD, DABFM, DABPM, FASAM, President and Chief Executive Officer,
Central City Concern

HUD SPEAKERS
Introduced by Ivory N. Mathews, CLPHA Board Member and CEO, Home Forward
Andrew J. Lofton, Northwest Regional Administrator for Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
Bryan Guiney, Oregon Field Office Director, HUD

10:30 a.m. RIPPLES OF HOPE
CLPHA members share news celebrating positive developments and impacts that housing
authorities have in their communities.

11:00 a.m. MEMBERS-ONLY SESSION
BOARD REPORT
Jeffery K. Patterson, President, CLPHA and CEO, CMHA

WASHINGTON UPDATE
Sunia Zaterman, Executive Director, CLPHA

CLPHA COMMITTEE UPDATES
Updates on CLPHA board committee meetings and activities.

MEMBERSHIP DISCUSSION
CLPHA will provide updates from Washington and lead a member discussion about CLPHA priorities for the Administration and Congress. Topics will include:

• FY25 Appropriations
• NSPIRE
• HIP
• FMR & RFIF
• BABA
• HOTMA

12:00 p.m. LUNCH
Salon F Ballroom
Sponsored by Key Property Services

1:15 p.m. ADVANCING WAGE EQUITY FOR PHA STAFF
As stewards of public funds, PHAs play a pivotal role in ensuring access to safe, affordable housing for vulnerable populations. However, disparities in employee pay can hinder organizational effectiveness, employee morale, and ultimately, the delivery of vital services to those in need. This cutting-edge panel discussion will provide valuable insights and actionable strategies for advancing pay equity and fostering a more inclusive, equitable workplace for
your organization’s most valuable resource: your employees.
Ivory N. Mathews, CEO, Home Forward (moderator)
Anneliese Gryta, EVP of Housing Operations/COO, King County Housing Authority
Kandy Sage, Chief Financial Officer, Home Forward
Tonya Harlan, VP of Human Resources, King County Housing Authority
Aimee Smith, Director of Human Resources, Home Forward

2:15 p.m. SHARED LEARNING: CREATING A CAPTIVE INSURANCE COMPANY
In the world of affordable multifamily housing, ensuring adequate insurance coverage is paramount for safeguarding assets and mitigating risk of financial loss. However, with the relentless increase in insurance rates and repair costs, housing authorities are confronted with the urgent need to explore innovative approaches beyond conventional risk management strategies. This panel discussion will provide a look back at Home Forward’s journey to address increasing property losses and rising insurance rates through use of its insurance captive LLC while providing actionable insights that other housing authorities can adopt to fortify their own risk management strategies.
Kandy Sage, Chief Financial Officer, Home Forward (moderator)
Bernie Baker, Risk Management Coordinator, Home Forward
Jeff Klatke, Manager of Treasury and Risk Management, Home Forward
Allan Smith, Client Service Leader, Marsh Captive Solutions

3:15 p.m. BREAK
Sponsored by Portland Housing Bureau

3:30 p.m. CENTERING RESIDENT VOICES IN ADVOCACY AND LEADERSHIP
Participants and residents are the heart of every PHA, and centering their voices and experiences can be transformative. By actively engaging participants and residents, PHAs can
foster a sense of ownership, trust, and collaboration that is essential for creating thriving, resilient communities. This engaging panel discussion will spotlight the invaluable role of
resident advocacy and leadership. Through meaningful dialogue and shared experience, this panel will explore how empowering residents can lead to more inclusive, responsive, and
effective policies, operational practices, and strategies.
Jesse Rawlins, Senior Policy Manager, Home Forward (moderator)
Alescia Blakely, Program Manager of Community Services, Home Forward
Christina Dirks, Director of Policy and Planning, Home Forward
Biljana Jesic, Director of Community Services, Home Forward
Aimee Thomas-Cox, Community Builder, Home Forward

4:30 p.m. ADJOURN

5:30 p.m. HOME FORWARD RECEPTION
Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI), 1945 SE Water Avenue, Portland, OR
Buses will transfer attendees from the conference hotel to OMSI between 5:15 and 5:45 p.m., and buses will bring attendees back to the hotel between 7:00 and 7:30 p.m.

All sessions will take place in the Salon E Ballroom (Lower Level 1) unless otherwise noted.

8:00 a.m. BREAKFAST
Salon F Ballroom

8:45 a.m. BUILDING SUSTAINABLE FUTURES: CLIMATE ACTION AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING
This session will explore Portland’s crucial work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, enhance social equity, and build resilience in vulnerable communities. Speakers will cover
key themes including sources of emissions in affordable housing, the importance of climate action, vulnerability assessments, and effective strategies for emission reduction. Attendees will learn about measuring emissions, setting key performance indicators, and engaging stakeholders in sustainable practices. The presenters will also highlight successful case studies and provide actionable steps for a sustainable and resilient future.
David Burchfield PE, CEO and Co-Founder, Burch and BuildingLens
Carolina Gomez, Director of Integrated Facilities, Sustainability, and Safety, Home Forward

9:30 a.m. A VIEW INTO HOME FORWARD’S PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING EFFORTS
Responding to the needs of our communities has always been central to the role of PHAs. As Home Forward’s region grapples with how to house and serve populations experiencing chronic homelessness, we provide a vital solution: permanent supportive housing. This panel will offer a look inside Home Forward’s efforts to deploy supportive services, align local resources, develop and fund new housing, and advocate for a better system of care. This panel provides a current snapshot—with glimpses of the past and future—as we continue to troubleshoot this vital work.
Ian Davie, Chief Operating Officer, Home Forward (moderator)
Michael Bunn, Bud Clark Commons Property Manager, Home Forward
Biljana Jesic, Director of Community Services, Home Forward
Amanda Saul, Assistant Director of Development, Home Forward
Ian Slingerland, Director of Homeless Initiatives and Supportive Housing, Home Forward

10:30 a.m. BREAK
Sponsored by Portland Housing Bureau

10:45 a.m. REGIONAL LEADERSHIP IN THE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING SYSTEM
What happens after vision, advocacy, and implementation? More vision, advocacy, and implementation! As the community set a goal of creating 2,000 permanent supportive housing homes within a decade, various interjurisdictional actors prepared to respond. Now, five years into this effort, we find ourselves assessing that response and advocating for systems improvements. This panel explores what leadership looks like across the Portland Metro area, and how various partners collaborate to expand and improve our regional supportive housing system.
Ian Davie, Chief Operating Officer, Home Forward (moderator)
Stacy Borke, Deputy Chief of Staff, County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson
Michael Buonocore, Interim Deputy Director, Portland Housing Bureau
Jes Larson, Assistant Director of Housing Services, Washington County Department of Housing
Services
Erin Pidot, Senior Program Specialist, Joint Office of Homeless Services
Ian Slingerland, Director of Homeless Initiatives and Supportive Housing, Home Forward

11:45 a.m. WRAP-UP REMARKS
Ivory N. Mathews, CLPHA Board Member and CEO, Home Forward
Jeffery K. Patterson, President, CLPHA and CEO, Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority

12:00 p.m. ADJOURN