Our Staff
Mi Casa Inc. Board of Directors:
Tamara King, President
Senior Product Developer, Fannie Mae Corporation
Gilberto Cardenas, Vice President
Project Manager, Jair Lynch Companies
Holly Lennihan, Secretary
Architect, Hickok, Warner, Cole Architects
Jonathan Cohn, Treasurer
Consultant
Idriys Abdullah, Member
Vice President, SunTrust Bank Community Lending
Maurice Perry, Member
Vice President, Community Development Banking for Bank of America
Fernando Lemos, Ex Oficio Member
Founding Executive Director, Mi Casa Inc.
Fernando Lemos
Fernando Lemos serves as the Executive Director of Mi Casa, Inc., a non-profit developer of affordable housing serving the District of Columbia. Mr. Lemos has over twenty years' experience working in the D.C. non-profit housing and economic development sector. He has trained in architectural design, and is also certified as a home inspector.
Originally from Paraguay, Mr. Lemos is bilingual and has extensive experience working with the Latino community. In addition to his work with Mi Casa, Mr. Lemos serves on the Board of Directors of several area organizations such as:
- District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA),
- Latino Economic Development Corporation (LEDC),
- Cornerstone, Inc.,
- Council of Latino Agencies (CLA).
- Recently nominated to serve on the Board of Directors for the
DC Housing Production Trust Fund.
Elin Zurbrigg
Elin joined Mi Casa, Inc. as Project Director in April, 2002, and has worked for over eight years with non-profits in the field of community development. A native of Chicago, Illinois, she has worked and volunteered as a homeless rights advocate, a teacher, youth mentor and design instructor.
Ms. Zurbrigg has conducted field research on the role of public schools in community development in Baltimore, Maryland, community-based urban agriculture in Havana, Cuba, and on the future of affordable housing for Latino communities in Washington, DC.
She recently completed her Masters in Community Planning at the University of Maryland, with an emphasis on community development, neighborhood transition, and the potential for maintaining affordable housing in gentrifying urban neighborhoods. Ms. Zurbrigg serves on the Board of Directors for the Coalition for Nonprofit Housing and Economic Development.
Judy Meima
Judy has been with Mi Casa, Inc. as the Tenant Purchase Organizer
since the fall of 2003, a role relevant to her interest in assisting
low-income DC residents obtain a voice in the decision-making and policies
that shape their lives. Prior to coming to the DC area Judy worked in the
fields of community organizing and housing development in Chicago, Illinois.
Her expertise is an accumulation of past experiences including her stint as
Executive Director of the Statewide Housing Action Coalition (SHAC).
Patricia Codina
Patricia joined Mi Casa, Inc. in the spring of 2005 as a Multifamily
Program Associate. She works closely with tenants, providing them with
resources and trainings needed to purchase and restore their buildings.
Patricia earned her degree in Architecture in her native country of Peru.
She came to the DC area when she decided to pursue a dual masterís degree in
Architecture and Community Planning at the University of Maryland. Part of
her work there included designing neighborhood revitalization and urban
design projects for distressed neighborhoods in Baltimore and Prince
Georgeís County.
Juan Pablo Vacatello
Juan Pablo Vacatello joined Mi Casa, Inc. in June of 2006 as a Multifamily Program Associate. He is a native of Argentina. After completing his degree in Business Administration in the University of Buenos Aires, he came to the DC area in 2004. He believes in encouraging low income populations to fight for their rights to live in an equal-opportunity society.
Juan Cardona
In the fall of 2003, Mi Casa Inc. welcomed Juan Cardona as a Tenant
Organizer and Translator. After completing his Bachelorís of Science in
Architecture from Catholic University, his growing interests in sustainable
development and environmental issues inspired him to teach environmental
education through the arts at a community educational center in Columbia
Heights. Juan is a native of Colombia and a long-term resident of the
District of Columbia.
Aisha Thompson
As Operations Manager, since 2003, Aisha Thompson supports the rest of the
staff by coordinating all internal operational systems as well as performing
tasks vital to the day-to day functioning of Mi Casa Inc. Originally from
Jamaica, Aisha is a long-term DC resident and graduate from Trinity College,
where she received a Bachelors Degree in Psychology. She is currently
attending Strayer University to pursue her Masters Degree in Business
Administration.
Raquel Martinez
Raquel Martinez recently rejoined Mi Casa in February 2006, as Administrative Assistant. Raquel is a native from El Salvador but lives in the Washington Metropolitan area. She enjoys working with the local Salvadorian community and volunteers, on her free time, teaching English classes at a local church. Raquel will be helping first time homebuyers in the process of applying for a property through Mi Casa Inc. She looks forward to open-house parties and getting to know future Mi owners of Mi Casa properties.
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