Give to our 2024 ‘Thriving Neighbors’ end of year campaign—a critical fundraising effort that will help us expand and strengthen our Resident Services Program. Learn more.
We do more than just construct buildings. We are rooted in community-led development and work in deep partnerships because we know that together, we can foster better communities. As members of the Seattle community for over 45 years, we aspire to be humble learners, committed to meeting the evolving needs of the community.
Chief Executive Officer
Chief Operating Officer
Chief Financial Officer
Resident Services Manager
Director of Property Management
Director of Property Operations
Community Roots Housing Foundation Executive Director
Director of Information Technology
Senior Manager of Philanthropy
Director of Asset Management
Director of Compliance
Director of Facilities
Vice President of Real Estate Development and Tax Credit Housing
Operations Manager
Senior Communications Manager
Financial Controller
Christopher Persons has led Community Roots Housing since 2007 and has more than three decades of senior nonprofit leadership experience. Prior to joining Community Roots Housing, he was the executive director of Inspiration Corporation, a homeless and housing services agency in Chicago. Under his leadership, it grew from a neighborhood agency to a city-wide, award-winning corporation. Chris guided the organization through two mergers, started a housing program, and opened a restaurant that doubled as a job training and employment center.
Chris has led the organization through significant transition and growth and has overseen the development of several award-winning properties including 12th Avenue Arts, Liberty Bank Building, the Jefferson, and Station House. In 2010, he oversaw the creation of the Community Roots Housing Foundation, and in 2012 he oversaw the creation of the Capitol Hill EcoDistrict, which leads the community’s efforts around resilience and equity. Chris has provided leadership on many external community boards and currently serves on the boards of the Housing Partnership Network and Seattle Crescent Collaborative.
Andrew Oommen joined Community Roots Housing in 2021. He has worked in housing and community development for over a decade, previously working with Rebuilding Together, Habitat for Humanity, and Mercy Housing. He holds a Master of Public Administration degree from The Evergreen State College, a Bachelor of Arts from Western Washington University, and a Certificate in Accounting from University of Washington. He enjoys playing guitar out on the weekend.
Leslie Woodworth oversees Community Roots Housing’s finance team. She joined the organization in 2021, with over 15 years of experience in the Seattle area. Leslie previously held accounting leadership roles within university housing and online retailing organizations. She began her career in public accounting as an auditor of government and nonprofit organizations, as well as public and private companies. Leslie is a licensed Certified Public Accountant and graduate of the University of Washington Foster School of Business. She is most energized by problem solving and making financial information more accessible to a broader audience. In her spare time, Leslie enjoys playing music, drinking coffee, and enjoying the outdoors with her two dogs.
Toni Ball is an Army veteran who loves the Pacific Northwest and its food. Toni joined the Community Roots Housing team in 2023 as the Resident Services Manager, bringing over 15 years of experience serving Washington’s most vulnerable community members from all walks of life in the housing industry. Toni is excited to be working to keep residents in their homes and to enrich their quality of life as they reside in Community Roots buildings. Toni has served Washington communities as a volunteer mediator for several dispute resolution centers and believes a well-facilitated dialogue can change the world. She is a proud dog mom of two, CWU alumni, and a social justice warrior rolled into one.
Sarah Bramson joined Community Roots Housing in 2022. She has worked in property management for nearly two decades and has a deep passion for the sanctity of people’s homes. Sarah believes in property management that looks beyond buildings to focus on the people who live within those walls. Sarah is a passionate leader who prides herself on developing professional property managers who value the highest standards for the buildings they manage. She has previously worked in multifamily real estate property management for conventional management companies, numerous nonprofit organizations in housing specializing in domestic violence survivors, the Snohomish County Homeless Coalition Board, Snohomish County Human Resources, and Snohomish County Superior Court- creating a grassroots organization that links youth in the juvenile detention system with members of the legal justice community for music mentorship. Sarah holds certifications in Portfolio Supervisor Management as well as affordable housing. She is a proud momma of four children and finds her own personal joy in organic gardening and playing piano.
Valencia Chambers Manora hails from Seattle and loves the liquid sunshine that the city provides. She joined Community Roots Housing in 2014. She began as a site manager of the 12th Avenue Arts Building — also home to the Community Roots main office — and worked her way up to become the Director of Property Management. Valencia has worked in the housing industry for over 12 years. Prior to her work in affordable housing, she honed her skills working as an escrow officer, closing real estate transactions for first time homebuyers working with HomeSight. Valencia holds multiple certifications in affordable housing as well as her real estate broker license.
Valencia has always valued working to ensure that inclusiveness and equity are at the forefront of her work. She loves working with people and is compassionate and fair. When not at the office Valencia loves spending time with her husband Edward, her two children, friends, and family. In her spare time she enjoys decorating, gardening and painting.
Kiley Dhatt oversees fundraising and communications, and supports external relations at Community Roots Housing. As Executive Director of the Community Roots Housing Foundation, Kiley manages the 501(c)(3) arm of the organization, including the Foundation Board of Directors. She works closely with staff, board, and partners to develop and execute effective fundraising and communications strategies to support the organization’s programs, general operations, community-centered real estate developments, and special initiatives. She loves knowing that her work helps to make Seattle a more inclusive, diverse, and interesting place to live. Prior to joining Community Roots Housing in 2015, Kiley came from a background in writing and education. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Washington and a master’s degree in English Composition and Rhetoric from the University of Delaware. Outside of work, Kiley can be found chasing her overactive toddler, cooking adventurously, and enjoying any scrap of sunshine in her back yard.
In the role of Director of IT, Morgan provides guidance, management and oversight for the technology systems that make much of our work possible. With 25+ years of experience in building IT solutions, Morgan develops efficient and creative ways to keep improving how we serve our community, empower our team-members, and support the organizational mission. Technology isn’t just a profession but a passion for Morgan, as anyone who knows him would attest. Being a student of life-long learning and an avid adventurist keep him grounded in the Pacific Northwest where he was born, raised and will always call home. Morgan is grateful to work at Community Roots Housing where his work can continue the drive for our communities to be fair, just, equitable and supportive of everyone.
Amy first joined Community Roots in 2020 as the Grants Manager for the Community Roots Housing Foundation. In this role, she led the preparation and submission of grant proposals big and small, securing millions in funding for Community Roots’ priority projects and programs. After a brief hiatus in 2022 to provide grant writing support for a national nonprofit, Amy returned to Community Roots in 2023 to serve as the Senior Manager of Philanthropy. In this new capacity, Amy leverages her 6+ years of fundraising experience to manage the larger philanthropic efforts for the organization, overseeing grant development and establishing a strategy for soliciting individual gifts.
Amy holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of California, Davis in Community & Regional Development, and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Washington’s Evans School of Public Policy & Governance. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and fur babies, reading, exploring the endless beauty of the PNW, and taking long walks through Target.
Lisa worked in commercial real estate valuation for seven years before joining Community Roots Housing in 2015 to pursue a more fulfilling career in nonprofit affordable housing. She earned a BBA in Real Estate and Urban Land Economics from the University of Wisconsin and is a CHAM Certified Asset Management Specialist. She has a passion for solving complex problems, collaborative teamwork, and making a positive impact through her work. Lisa has developed deep knowledge of Community Roots’ real estate portfolio, leading the implementation of a Business Intelligence System that stores a variety of key data to inform decisions benefiting our residents and promoting equity. Lisa loves to spend her free time hiking, backpacking, and gardening.
Michelle has worked in the housing industry for over 14 years with experience ranging from site manager, portfolio manager, and compliance positions. Prior to her work in the affordable housing industry, Michelle worked with the Community Action Program in Kitsap County for five years, providing assistance in areas of low-income heating and energy assistance, WIC, and community resources and referrals. Michelle holds multiple certifications within the compliance field for affordable housing and has her real estate brokers license. Michelle is fan of Seattle sports: Seattle Sounders, Seahawks, Mariners, and Storm. When not in the office, Michelle enjoys her time with her husband Shaun, son Chris, granddaughter Alina, and their dog Rocko.
Scott “Mac” McEachran oversees the operations of Community Roots Housing maintenance services program and capital projects. He has supervised the maintenance department since 2002. Mac has vast knowledge and experience at Community Roots Housing buildings and has managed increased responsibilities in his tenure. His efforts have grown the maintenance department and its ability to provide repair and maintenance for the growing portfolio of buildings. Prior to joining the organization, Mac worked as a Project Development Facilitator focused on continuous process improvement, worked in a lead position as Facilities Maintenance Technician for a large manufacturer, and as a Journeyman Union Carpenter. He has 30 years of experience in facilities maintenance, building construction, property management, and project management.
Thea comes to Community Roots from Cincinnati, Ohio by way of Portland, Oregon. In Cincinnati, Thea was the director of real estate and economic development for the Walnut Hills Redevelopment Foundation, a community-led Community Development Corporation nonprofit. In this role, she worked closely with community members to redevelop the neighborhood business district to provide a diversity of housing options along with a ground floor retail program that offered commercial space to serve and reflect the diversity in age, race, and incomes found throughout the community. In Portland, she worked with Prosper Portland, the city’s urban renewal agency, to provide Tax Increment Finance resources into community supported real estate projects in the far east neighborhoods of Portland.
Thea is passionate about the relationship between community and development and seeks ways to center racial equity outcomes to improve the vibrancy and resilience of communities.
Carolina Rocha serves as the Operations Manager, overseeing crucial aspects of strategic planning, policy development, and organizational governance. Her leadership extends to spearheading policy development and maintenance efforts, managing records, and ensuring compliance with document retention policies. With an MBA in Strategic Management and International Trade & Logistics followed by her bachelor’s degree in business, Carolina manages board work, providing advisory support on governance matters, and implementing internal controls. She fosters a positive organizational culture through staff engagement events and supports special projects, ensuring successful execution. Her career journey is characterized by a dynamic blend of roles, each contributing to her well-rounded skill set and adaptability in navigating different work environments.
Jessica came to Community Roots Housing after leading the communications for Missourians for Monarchs, a nonprofit committed to pollinator preservation in the Midwest. Jessica attended the University of Missouri for her undergraduate as well as her graduate degree, where she studied journalism and strategic communications. Outside of work, Jessica loves a good hike and is constantly searching for pizza to rival that of her hometown, Chicago.
Anthony Tuong serves as Controller at Community Root Housing, drawing upon his extensive experience in third-party real estate operations and housing authorities. With an accounting degree from Washington State University and a CPA license, Anthony excels in financial reporting, budgeting, and external communication. His passion for real estate and analytics fuels his commitment to driving growth and efficiency in affordable housing.
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1620 12th Avenue, Suite 205
Seattle, WA 98122
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