The Community Roots Housing Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that raises funds to sustain operations and support specific initiatives of Community Roots Housing. The Foundation also leads communications and supports advocacy outreach activities in the community.
President
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Director, Providence Healthcare Systems
Vice President
Principal, Weber Thompson Architects
Treasurer
Senior Counsel, Philips North America (retired)
Secretary
Multifamily Sales & Investment, Lee & Associates
Research Associate Professor, University of Washington
Business advisor
Sr. Project Manager - Transit-Oriented Development, Sound Transit
Managing Director, Intiman Theatre
Employer Engagement Broker, Seattle Housing Authority
Housing Developer, Beacon Development Group
Head of Risk and Internal Controls, Amazon
Sr. Relationship Manager - Community Development Lending, KeyBank
Cassandra serves as the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Director at Providence Healthcare Systems and is the current Board Chair for Community Roots Housing Foundation, where she has been a board member since 2018. With over 20 years of professional experience, Cassandra has a robust background in Human Resources, Corporate & Social Responsibility, and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, primarily within the Financial Services industry. Cassandra received her Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Management from Colorado State University and completed her Professional Human Resource (PHR) certification. She is originally from Portland, Oregon but has called Puget Sound home for over 15 years with her three daughters, Sierra, Kamryn and Kadyn.
For twenty five years, Jeff has been working in the Seattle area with focus on residential design of all kinds. He has a particular interest in working with senior and affordable housing developers and organizations to help them maximize their opportunities to provide safe, healthy, affordable homes. For the past several years, he has led Weber Thompson’s low-income housing group including the firm’s advocacy and volunteer efforts. He is also a former board member for Great City and served as an inaugural member of Seattle’s Urban Forestry Commission.
Jon Weil is Senior Regulatory Counsel at Philips North America, the U.S. arm of one of the largest health technology companies in the world, which manufactures and markets a wide range of medical devices and health technology solutions. He has been an attorney focusing on regulatory issues involving medical devices, the environment and telecommunications for both private and public-sector clients for over 30 years. He has also served on federal CMS and FDA advisory committees and taskforces intended to ensure patient access to life-saving medical technologies. Originally a New Yorker, Jon has lived in Leschi for over 15 years.
Sara Bago is a Puget Sound native and an accomplished real estate finance professional with over a decade of lending experience. After completing her bachelor’s degree at Western Washington University, she chose to moonlight as an onsite apartment manager, while working full-time as a mortgage underwriter. She quickly progressed to positions of greater complexity in real estate finance advancing from junior underwriter, to underwriting manager, and then multifamily underwriter. In 2018, with a drive to understand the larger commercial real estate industry, she returned to school to earn the Master of Science in Real Estate from the University of Washington, graduating March 2020. Currently, Sara works at Lee & Associates on the multifamily team. Sara believes in the importance of community engagement, so in her free time, she serves on the board of CREW Seattle and is part of the leadership team for the UW Real Estate Alumni Association.
Erin is a Research Associate Professor at the University of Washington School of Nursing. Erin’s work is motivated by the knowledge that all too often our health and social care systems do not safely, efficiently, equitably, or effectively meet the needs of individuals or their family members/caregivers. Currently, the majority of Erin’s research focuses on team-based models of collaboration and care, such as hospital rounds, as a way to improve communication and safety to help close the gap between healthcare as it is and health care as it should be. Earlier in her career, Erin worked in a variety of community and public health settings, including for a housing and social services agency in San Francisco, with a sea turtle rescue organization in Greece, as an Americorps Disaster Response Volunteer with the Red Cross in Philadelphia, and as a nurse in New York City.
Erin grew up all over the Pacific Northwest, mostly in small towns and rural areas of Washington. She has undergraduate degrees in Politics and Environmental Studies (Whitman College) and Nursing (Johns Hopkins University), as well as a master’s degree in International Education (New York University) and a PhD in Nursing Science/Social Science Statistics (University of Washington).
An accomplished business leader and trusted advisor, Robin has amassed a 22+ year track record of success driving revenue and market share for one of the world’s top tech organizations. In her career at Google as a leader in the National Top Partners Group, Robin grew revenue by over $1B in under 5 years and led a 20-member team to deliver digital transformation strategies to Retail and Travel Fortune 50 companies. She worked closely with Google Product and Cloud teams to develop commercially successful solutions and go-to-market strategies that drove profitable sales to her partners.
After 18 years, Robin left Google in July 2023 and is currently utilizing her experience to serve in boardrooms and as an advisor. She is an acting business advisor to several start-ups of female/non-binary founders with investments supported by Graham & Walker, Madrona, Alliance of Angels and others. Robin is currently serving on Seattle Foundation’s Board of Trustees within the Governance Committee and also gives her time to Community Roots Housing’s Property Development Committee.
Robin earned a BA Degree in Communications, with a Minor in Business from the University of Washington and built her foundation in tech and marketing working in her early years as a Marketing Manager (Resident Technology Group) and as a Media Buyer within the Bay Area office of Razorfish. Outside of work, Robin enjoys spending time with her husband, Scott, and two young children. She cares deeply about quality of life in the Puget Sound region and devotes considerable time and investment to projects focused on helping the homeless and catalyzing the development of affordable housing throughout the Seattle metro area.
Rennie leads a portfolio of surplus transit property and develops strategies for partnering with the development community to realize equitable transit-oriented development in opportunity-rich locations.
Originally from Joshua Tree, CA, Rennie grew up in rural low-income housing and decided to pursue a career in affordable housing after taking a tour of affordable housing and observing how beautiful it could be. She has spent the last 20 years in the industry working for local, regional and national housing organizations across the multifamily development, federal rental program, and homeownership disciplines.
A first-generation college graduate, Rennie earned a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies and Planning at UC San Diego, and a Master of Public Health at Boston University. She lives in Seattle with her husband John, and two sons Drew and Jack.
Wesley is the Managing Director at Tony-award winning Intiman Theatre. He is a nonprofit leader and art maker who specializes in team management, event creation, marketing, fundraising, and community organizing. He has founded brands including Forward Flux Productions and BeautyBoiz Queer Collective, for which he served as Executive Director for seven years, and has produced countless plays, drag shows, nightlife events, and fundraisers welcoming hundreds of thousands of guests. He has experience working in social impact with williamsworks and serves on the Advisory Board for the UW Professional & Continuing Education certificate programs in Nonprofit Management, Fundraising Management, and Grant Writing & Management Strategies. Previously, he served on the Steering Committee for the Capitol Hill Arts District for five years. Wesley is a native Texan and has lived in Capitol Hill, Seattle since 2013. He holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from Sam Houston State University.
James P. Hunter is an accomplished real estate broker with Skyline Properties Inc. He specializes in residential, single family, new construction, multi family, vacation, and investment properties. He has over 20 years in the real estate and lending industry. His top priority is to make sure that every buyer and seller’s experience is a great one. His motto is: “Work with some who cares.” James believes that home ownership opportunities should be made available to all, which is why he partners with several nonprofit organizations to help educate their clients. James graduated from Ingraham High School in Seattle and then ventured to Nashville, Tennessee, and is a proud alumnus of Tennessee State University. James majored in Speech Theater and Communication and is a member of the Phi Bata Sigma Fraternity.
James currently works for Seattle Housing Authority as an Employer Engagement Broker in the JobLink program. His current role helps to assist the participants enrolled in the program with employment opportunities.
Andy Post is a Housing Developer with Beacon Development Group where he assists projects at all stages of development from funding applications to lease up and close-out. Prior to joining Beacon, Andy worked as a grant writer for housing stabilization, nutrition education, and statewide advocacy programs at Solid Ground. He assisted with the predevelopment community engagement for Community Roots Housing’s Pride Place, documenting the need for LGBTQ senior housing in Capitol Hill. Andy believes in affordable housing development that honors the local history and knowledge of a place and connects people to a shared purpose. He studied Political Science at Colorado College and was a Humanity in Action Fellow in Warsaw, Amsterdam, and Seattle.
Jesse Rhodes Jr. is an accomplished entrepreneur, philanthropist, and thought leader with over 25 years of experience working with some of the world’s largest and most influential organizations. His executive-level roles at Amazon, Deloitte, Ernst & Young, Target, and Walmart have established him as an expert in risk management, internal audit, and business strategy. Jesse’s career is defined by his ability to lead major global enterprises, particularly in the e-commerce space, by developing strategies that help organizations stay ahead of consumer trends.
Jesse brings his expertise in strategic risk management and value-based leadership to create forward-thinking, inclusive strategies that identify both risk and opportunity. With over 13 years of experience at Big Four firms, he has led risk assessments, internal audits, and governance strategies for industries ranging from cybersecurity to consumer products and financial services.
Jesse’s commitment to value-based leadership has been a driving force throughout his career. He has advised executive leadership at Amazon, Target, and Walmart, helping them embed value-based principles into their corporate cultures. His work aims to create environments where diverse perspectives are not only welcomed but seen as essential to business success.
In addition to his corporate leadership, Jesse is deeply involved in philanthropic efforts. He serves as Chair of the Puget Sound Chapter of After-School All-Stars and Chair of the Board of Governors at Columbia Tower Club. He also supports Love Orphanage in Haiti through his work with We The Village Organization and UNCF Seattle that help send students to college and turn their life around.
Jesse holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with concentrations in Accounting and Management Information Systems. He is a lifetime member of NABA, Inc., where he has held leadership roles, including National Director and Board Treasurer. Jesse is also acknowledged as one of the founding members of DUBAC, alongside Chantee Butler ‘13, Steve Cox ‘74, ‘76, Akeem Franklyn ‘07, and Jerry Martin ‘77. His dedication to service extends to his fraternity, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., where he continues to contribute as a leader and mentor.
Caleb Stephens is a community development professional and has dedicated his career to community service. Currently he is working on the Affordable Housing Finance team with KeyBank and is based in Seattle. Previously with Key he worked as their Corporate Responsibility Officer for the Northwest.
Beyond these positions with KeyBank, he worked at Washington Federal as CRA Officer/Community Development Manager covering their CRA and community development work over their eight western state footprint. Prior to this he worked in non-profits in program management, program quality improvement, finance and economic development serving homeless and refugee populations. Internationally he has worked in humanitarian relief and community development including time in the Peace Corps in Namibia and humanitarian work in Lebanon serving in the Syrian refugee crisis. Caleb has his MBA from the Eller College of Management at the University of Arizona.
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