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UFG
Leadership

The Up for Growth Board of Directors are selected based on expertise to represent all sectors across housing and community development.

Meet Our Directors

Profile

Ali Gandarias-Solis

Principal
S3-Solis Advisory Services

Ali is the Chairwoman of the Up for Growth Board of Directors. She is based in Washington, DC and has over 25 years of experience in federal, state, and local housing policy.

Profile

Chuck Leitner

Chief Executive Officer
Chuck Leitner Personal Donations

Chuck is a board member at Up for Growth, based in New York City with over 40 years of leadership, strategy, and governance experience through a variety of roles in the real estate industry.

Profile

Clyde Holland

Executive Chairman
Holland Partner Group

Clyde is the Chairman Emeritus of the Up for Growth Board of Directors. He is a recognized leader in urban planning and design, and has developed 50,000+ homes over the past 30 years.

Profile

Cy Richardson

Senior Vice President
National Urban League

Cy Richardson is a member of the Up for Growth of Directors. He has over 25 years of experience in community development, housing, job creation, and racial wealth equity.

Profile

David Williams

Vice President
Lafayette Square

David is a Vice President with Lafayette Square, a nationwide impact investment platform. There, he leads real estate, partnerships, and impact.

Profile

Jennifer LeSar

Chief Executive Officer
LeSar Development Consultants

Jennifer is Treasurer of the Up for Growth Board of Directors. She has over 30 years of experience in affordable housing, community development, housing finance, and public policy.

Profile

Jolie Milstein

Executive Director
New York State Association For Affordable Housing, Inc.

Jolie is the Vice Chair of the Up for Growth Board of Directors. Based in New York, Jolie is the Executive Director of NYSAFAH, which represents the affordable housing industry in New York State.

Profile

Rafael Cestero

President & CEO
The Community Preservation Corporation

Rafael is the President & CEO of the Community Preservation Corporation, which is committed to investing in physical, social, and economic infrastructure of communities.

Profile

Sharon Wilson Géno

CEO
National Multifamily Housing Council

Sharon Wilson Géno is a 30-year veteran of the housing industry, during which she has helped guide numerous for profit, non-profit and governmental entities around housing affordability, community development and other housing policy challenges.

Profile

Sonja Trauss

President
YIMBY Law

Sonja is the President of YIMBY Law, a California-based nonprofit that ensures that opportunity-rich cities and low-density suburbs build their state required housing allocations.

Profile

Stephen Whyte

Managing Director and Founder
Vitus Group, LLC

Steve is the Secretary of the Up for Growth Board of Directors. He is a nationally recognized leader in the preservation and redevelopment of the nation’s existing affordable housing stock.

Profile

Tony Pickett

Chief Executive Officer
Grounded Solutions Network

Tony is the CEO of the Washington, DC-based Grounded Solutions Network, a national member network that works to advance affordable housing solutions that last for generations.

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