2011-2013 BECT Member Profiles

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Mrs. Shannon Biggs
Executive Director, Housing Authority of Columbia, Columbia, KY

Professional Experience:
25 years as Executive Director

Professional Affiliations:

• Kentucky Housing Association, Past President
• SERC-NAHRO Annual Conference Chair
• NAHRO

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Ms. Sharon L. Carlson
Executive Director, Belding Housing Commission, Belding, MI

Professional Experience:
Service to the housing industry began in 1982; most recent tenure with Belding, Michigan Housing Commission since 1995 as Executive Director. Service within NAHRO has included several positions with Michigan NAHRO, currently serving as outgoing President, Vice-President for Member Services for NCRC, Member of BECT since 2009, and NAHRO Faculty Member since 2007.

Professional Affiliations:

• President, Michigan NAHRO
• Board Member North Central Regional Council of NAHRO
• Board Member Michigan Housing Directors Association
• Member Upper Peninsula Housing Organization
• Member Ionia County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority
• Chair - Ionia County Substance Abuse Advisory Board
• Vice-Chair City of Belding Downtown Redevelopment Authority
• Vice-Chair City of Belding Recreation Advisory Board

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Mr. Larry Cobb
Chair of 2009-2011 BECT

Professional Experience:
2003-11 BECT Member, Vice-Chair, Chair, 1999-present Ethics Works, Executive Director & Board Member, 1989-99 Butler County Board of Commissioners, Housing and Redevelopment Authorities, 2001-03 - NAHRO International Committee VP,

Various committees and offices, MARC-NAHRO (RSO), & Western PA Chapter 1989-present, Professor Emeritus, PA State System of Higher Education, Slippery Rock University, Slippery Rock, PA – BA Economics; MA Philosophy; PhD Government.

Professional Affiliations:

• NAHRO, MARC-NAHRO
• Amer Soc Pub Adm- Ethics Section, NASPAA MA Degree Accreditation Site Visit Team
• Amer Philos Assoc.
• Fdn for Philos of Creativity, Executive Director
• Penn Assoc School Retirees Fdn, Vice Chair & Ed Sup Committee Chair

 Interested in serving as: Committee Chair

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Ms. Alanda K. Jackson
Executive Director, Hickory Housing Authority, Hickory, NC

Professional Experience:
Housing professional for 28 years, NAHRO Professional Development Committee 2009-2011, and 27 years of human resource development

Professional Affiliations:

• SERC-NAHRO, Secretary
• Carolinas Council
• North Carolina Directors Association

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Mr. Aurelio Leo Lara, Esq.
Chair of Board of Commissioners, McAllen Housing Authority, McAllen, TX

Professional Experience:
I am the chairman of the McAllen Housing Authority, McAllen, Texas.  McAllen is one of the most economically sound areas in the country.  I have been on the Board about 12 years, serving as chairman for about 9 years.  During my tenure, all of the low income housing stock is brand new having availed ourselves of several tax credit projects.  We have greatly increased our entire housing inventory, now with mixed income availability.  My agency has been recognized as a high performer by HUD.

After college, I worked in public service for seventeen years. In 1972, I became employed by Texas Department of Human Resources in the initial implementation of the food stamp program in Texas.  I have worked as a food stamp eligibility worker, AFDC social worker, child protective services worker and then a food stamp supervisor.  I was then promoted to the Civil Rights officer position in a 26 county area in South Texas and became the State Director of Civil Rights for this agency.  While in charge of the agency's civil rights programs, I was also the hearing officer for all discrimination complaints and implemented and monitored the affirmative action programs for all services and employment.  While in public services, I was always active and had local, regional, and state positions in the Texas Public Employees Association, an advocay group for all Texas public employees.

However, my life- long dream had been to become an attorney and, through a series of very blessed accidents, I began attending a startup night law school in south Texas.  I eventually transferred to the Detroit College of Law, Detroit, Michigan (now Michigan State University School of Law) and in December 1988 graduated Magna Cum Laude from that school at the age of 38 years of age. While in law school, I was the student bar president for my classes and was very active in lobbying the Texas legislature to accredit the law school I started out in in Texas.

I have been an attorney in private practice for the last 22 years in the areas of real estate, probate, creation of entities (LLC, Corporations, Non-Profits), commercial litigation, family law (divorces, adoption, custody, guardianships).  I am a certified mediator and member of the College of the State Bar of Texas, a distinction earned by taking Continuing Legal Educational Courses in excess of those required by the Bar association.  Though recruited, I have stayed away from a judgeship because I love serving people directly.  I have a "BV" peer review rating score (very high rating in legal ability and ethical practice) in Martindale-Hubble Legal Directory.

I have been married to Elizabeth for 42 years and have a son and daughter and two grandsons.  I am an active member of my church (1800 members) serving as the church lawyer, counselor, and on the budget committee.

I have been a member of NAHRO since being on the housing board.  I am a certified commissioner.  I only become aware of participating in the organization about 5 years ago.  I have since served on the national commissioners committee for about five years and, last biennium, was the Texas president for commissioners and the vice-chair for commissioners for SWNAHRO.  This was a little exhausting and expensive for my housing authority toward the end because of all the meetings.

It is my nature to serve and I make myself available to you and NAHRO if it is your pleasure to use me.  I think I can be useful in any committee selected and at whatever level in the organization I am appointed to.

Professional Affiliations:

• State Bar of Texas
• American Bar Association
• Christian Legal Society
• Phi Alpha Delta Legal Fraternity
• NAHRO

 Interested in serving as: Committee Vice Chair

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Ms. Robbie R. Levey
Deputy Director / Administrative Officer, Housing Authority of the City of Las Cruces, Las Cruces, NM

Professional Experience:
Housing Authority of the City of Las Cruces, NM (1993 - present), Family Self-Sufficiency Coordinator, Administrative Officer, Management Team, Deputy Director, B.A. (Sociology/Psychology). University of Texas, Austin, Teacher’s Certificate, Secondary Education, University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Professional Affiliations:

• 2009-2011 BECT

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Mr. Craig A. Maraschky
Executive Director, Aurora Housing Authority, Aurora, CO

Professional Experience:
Over 15 years experience in the affordable housing community, currently Executive Director for the Aurora Housing Authority. Prior experience includes: founding Executive Director at Douglas County Housing Partnership; Manager of Planning and Operations at Adams County Housing Authority; and Executive Director Rutland West Neighborhood Housing Services, Inc.

Professional Affiliations:

• President, Colorado NAHRO
• National NAHRO member
• Member, American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP)
• Certified as Housing Development Financial Professional by National Development Council
• Senior Vice President, Colorado NAHRO

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Ms. Anne Kathleen Marcum
Chief Financial Officer, Housing Commission of Anne Arundel County

Professional Experience:

• 2002 to present:  Director of Finance, then Chief Financial Officer for the Housing Commission of Anne Arundel County, Glen Burnie, MD
• 1993 - 2002:  Director of Finance, Housing Authority of the City of Frederick, Frederick, MD
• 1973 - 1993:  Information Systems consultant, analyst, programmer
• Certified Manager of Property Operations, NAHRO, 2010 PHM, NAHRO, 1994 BS in Business Administration, University of Baltimore, 1982

Professional Affiliations:

• Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference (MARC) Board member Maryland Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (MAHRA) member; served on Board as Treasurer 2004-2009

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Ms. Marilyn J. Medley
Executive Director, Morristown Housing Authority, Morristown, TN

Professional Experience:
Accountant and Executive Director for Morristown Housing Authority for 36 years.

Professional Affiliations:

• Tennessee Association of Housing & Redevelopment Authorities (TAHRA)
• Southeastern Regional Council (SERC)
• National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO)
• Hamblen County Chamber of Commerce
• Morristown Rotary Club
• Workforce Investment Board (WIA)
• Lakeway Achievement Center
• Douglas Cherokee Economic Authority
• Hamblen County School Systems - Surrogate Parent to Foster Children

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Mr. John H. L. Nash, Jr.
Director of Contracts and Grants Administration

Professional Experience:
Contracting Officer, Department of Homeland Security, 2007-2009; Acting Manager, Disadvantaged Business Enterprise, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, 2004-2007; Manager, Minority Business Enterprise, Maryland Department of General Services, 2001-2004

Professional Affiliations:

• NAHRO
• LEAD San Diego, Class 2010
• San Diego Housing Federation
• Housing Opportunities Collaborative

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 Doug A. Rise
Excutive Director, Bay City Housing Commission

Professional Experience:
1985 - Modernization Coordinator, Saginaw Housing Commission; 1991 - Assistant Director, Bay City Housing Commission; 1999 - Executive Director, Bay City Housing Commission

Professional Affiliations:

• NAHRO member since 1993
• Past President, Michigan Chapter
• Past Vice President with Portfolio, NCRC
• Sr. Vice President Elect, NCRC 2011-13
• Past NAHRO service on Housing Committee, LegNet, BECT

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Mr. Austin J. Simms, NAHRO Fellow
Executive Director, Lexington-Fayette Urban County Housing Authority, Lexington, KY

Professional Experience:
Executive Director of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Housing Authority for 38 years; currently administering 1,200+ public housing units and 2,640+ Housing Choice Voucher units; B.A. from Kentucky State University; and M.A. from Morehead State University

Professional Affiliations:

• Currently serving as Chair of NAHRO Nominating & Election Committee
• Current Member of NAHRO Board of Governors
• Former Member of NAHRO Professional Development Committee
• Past President Southeastern Regional Council (SERC)
• Past President Kentucky Housing Association (KHA)
• 2008 NAHRO Fellowship designation
• 2010 Community Achiever of the Year ~ YMCA Black Achievers Program, Lexington

Former affiliations: St. Joseph Hospital Board, Fayette County Public School's Task Force on Excellence, Appalachia Educational Laboratory Board, Blue Grass Airport Board, Commerce Lexington Board, Graduate of Leadership Lexington, and an elected member of the Fayette County Public Schools Board

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Ms. Julie H. Williams
Executive Vice President, Idaho Housing and Finance Association

Professional Experience:
19 Years executive management at Idaho Housing and Finance Association, a quasi-public non-profit state housing finance agency, with statewide administrative oversight of multiple federal programs  including Section 8 HCV, Public Housing, HOME, Stewart B. McKinney: Supportive Housing, ESG, HOPWA, and Shelter Plus Care, Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP 1 & 3), and HPRP (Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing),and Sec.8 PBCA, HOME and T/C multifamily compliance.

Professional Affiliations:

• NAHRO Fellow 2008
• NAHRO Board of Governors since 2001
• Chair of NAHRO Budget & Administration Committee 2007 - 2011
• President of Pacific Northwest Region of NAHRO