Press Room

Since 1989, Ms. Rooker has filled a variety of leadership roles for the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials both on the National & Regional levels, including Inland Empire Chapter President, Pacific Northwest Regional Council President, and National Vice President of Professional Development. She has been a member of the National Board of Governors since 1991, has served on the National Legislative Network and National Housing Committee, and has chaired the Accreditation Task Force and Performance Initiative Advisory Board.

In Washington state, Ms. Rooker chairs the legislative efforts of the Association of Washington Housing Authorities on both the State and National levels. She has also been elected to the Housing Authority Risk Retention Pool Board of Directors, the Governor's Affordable Housing Advisory Board, is a past member of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Seattle's Advisory Board, and has been awarded the PNRC President's Award on two occasions.

Ms. Rooker has traveled internationally and lived abroad, including time in a rural Korean community working at an orphanage. She loves water activities and spending time with her three wonderful daughters and six grandchildren.

Akinola Popoola, PHM

Senior Vice President, National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials
Executive Director, Opelika (Ala.) Housing Authority

While in Texas, Nola served on several Texas NAHRO committees, and was active in the Southwest Regional Council (SWRC) of NAHRO. He is past president of the Alabama Public Housing Authorities Directors Association. In addition, he served on the Alabama Association of Housing and Redevelopment Authorities Board, and chaired several committees. He is also past president of both the Lee County Habitat for Humanity, and the Corpus Christi Black Chamber of Commerce.

In 1998, Nola assumed his current position in Opelika, Alabama. During his tenure at Opelika, he has expanded the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher and Family Self Sufficiency Programs. Nola has leveraged the agency funds and enhanced the authority's assets through various partnerships, bond financing, low income tax credits, and utilities savings program. He has partnered with the city government to improve physical condition and safety environment of public housing developments, and to integrate public housing and their residents into the larger community.

Nola serves on the Advisory Board for the Lee County Boys and Girls Club and Alabama Housing Authorities Risk Management, Inc., as well as other civic and governmental committees in the city of Opelika.

Mr. Ramirez brings a great deal of housing and community development experience to NAHRO. He came to NAHRO from Greystone and Co., a leading financial services and trading company located in New York City that provides debt and equity financing for the development, rehabilitation, acquisition and refinancing of multi-family and economic development projects. His primary duty at the Bethesda, Md., office was as a mortgage banker.

He served as HUD's Deputy Secretary from 1998 to January 2001. He also served as HUD's Assistant Secretary of Community Planning and Development in 1997-1998. Prior to his tenure at HUD, he was Mayor of the City of Laredo from 1990-1997. He used housing and community development programs as tools to encourage the major growth and development of Laredo. He was a city council member in Laredo from 1982-90.

Mr. Ramirez has 20 years experience as an insurance industry executive in Texas and served as a Board member of the Texas Municipal League Inter-government Risk Pool with over $300 million in assets.