Bob Pohlman Lifetime Achievement in Community Development Award

Fernando Lemos

Fernando Lemos, the Founder of Mi Casa, Inc. has more than 44 years of experience in the nonprofit housing and economic development sectors. Originally from Paraguay, Lemos is a long-time resident of Washington, DC with extensive experience working with the Latino community. He is trained in architectural design, housing and community economic development, small business management, and home inspection. Lemos served for many years on the board of District of Columbia Housing Authority and Cornerstone, and currently serves on the boards of the Latino Economic Development Corporation and the National Association of Latino Community Asset Builders. Under his tenure as Executive Director of Mi Casa, Fernando oversaw the redevelopment of dozens of vacant rowhouses into beautiful new homes for first-time home-buyers, the development of more than 30% of DC’s limited equity co-operatives, and the acquisition and renovation of more than 200 units of affordable rental housing–providing more than 2500 District and Baltimore residents with affordable home-ownership and rental housing.

In honor of The Coalition’s 25th Anniversary, in 2024, we decided to bestow three separate awards, each honoring a recipient representing one of The Coalition’s founding focuses: Affordable Housing, Economic Development, and Advocacy.

Affordable Housing	Economic Development	Advocacy
Martin Mellett Recently retired in 2024, Marty Mellett served at Jubilee Housing for over 10 years. First as director of special projects starting in 2013, and ending as vice president of external affairs, a role he’d held since 2016. Prior to joining Jubilee, Marty served as Senior Program Officer at LISC DC while also serving as the director of the Community Development Support Collaborative, a multi-million dollar operating support effort to stabilize community development corporations and affordable housing agencies.	Christopher LoPiano Before retiring in 2021, Christopher LoPiano was responsible for all real estate development activities at Enterprise Community Development. He joined Enterprise’s team from CPDC where he built a high-capacity development and asset management team that expanded the organization’s portfolio by more than 1,000 homes. Before joining CPDC, Chris also served as the Director of Development at CityInterests and began his community development career at the Marshall Heights Community Development Organization.	Marian Siegel At Housing Counseling Services, Inc. since 1987, Marian started her HCS career working with tenant groups and cooperatives. Growing HCS into a comprehensive direct service organization, Marian has developed and implemented creative programs that respond to changing markets, supporting access to affordable and enduring housing for low and moderate-income households. Over the years she has forged strong partnerships to create, implement, and evaluate programs, policies, and procedures that are focused on access to sustainable housing opportunities.

Jim Knight

Jim Knight has led Jubilee Housing as its president and chief executive officer (CEO) since 2002, guiding strategic direction for its mission and vision. He leads a staff of more than 70 employees developing and managing affordable housing communities and offering various supportive services for residents. In his tenure, the organization has completed the development of ten properties totaling nearly $150M in investments, growing resident service delivery for youth and families, and establishing first-of-its-kind housing and services for people returning from incarceration. In addition to utilizing cutting-edge financing and innovative solutions to address DC’s affordable housing crisis, Mr. Knight has led the organization to adopt environmental justice tools such as Solar for All, energy resiliency, and aquaponics.

Knight spearheaded the launch of the Justice Housing Partners Fund series, impact investment funds that Jubilee has used to acquire eight new properties that will produce ~300 new units of justice housing®. Knight has also helped establish new collective efforts among community partners, including the Platform of Hope, working with families in Adams Morgan, and the DC Reentry Housing and Services Alliance, a collective impact initiative working with partners to establish citywide housing and services for residents returning from incarceration.

Knight, a DC resident for nearly three decades, previously served on the Housing Production Trust Fund Advisory Board, assisting two mayors in their strategic investment in affordable housing. He currently serves on the board of Recovery Café DC in historic Anacostia. Knight is a member of the Leadership Greater Washington class of 2019, was recognized as non-profit CEO of the Year in 2018 by the Washington Business Journal, and was recently recognized with the Bob Pohlman Lifetime Achievement in Community Development Award from The Coalition for Nonprofit Housing & Economic Development (CNHED).

Knight began his career in 1994 as an intern with the Festival Center, a mission of the Church of the Savior in Washington, DC, which placed him at Jubilee Housing. He is a member of the Bread of Life Church, a faith community that grew out of the Church of the Saviour, and he describes his career path as driven by his faith.

Jim Knight received his BA from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He and his family are proud DC residents, and his wife co-owns a veterinary practice in the District.

Leslie Steen

Leslie has successfully developed, owned, and operated affordable, market-rate, rental, and homeownership housing for the past 35 years. She has received national acclaim and numerous awards for her innovative financial approaches to community and housing development. Prior to joining Wesley Housing in 2008, Leslie served as the Housing Chief for the District of Columbia; Vice President for Policy and Business Development for The Housing Partnership Network; and the founding President and CEO of Community Preservation and Development Corporation.

Olive Idehen

Olive Idehen founded Callive, LLC to help small and medium-sized nonprofit organizations be the best as they implement their strategic goals by developing strong governance and management.

Callive, LLC also helps individuals make better decisions about their finances. At the core of these two issues is behavior change. A nonprofit with strong governance and management has put in place good behavioral practices. To achieve individual financial stability, we must focus on the behavior change that is at the root of our financial decisions.

Stanley Jackson

Mr. Stanley Jackson is the President and CEO of the Anacostia Economic Development Corporation, a leading District of Columbia non-profit economic development organization. Mr. Jackson as an accomplished development and financial leader has over 30 years of housing and economic development experience serving in key public leadership roles, including vice President of Virginia National Bank, Director of the District of Columbia Customer Service and Real Property Assessment Services Administration; Chief of Staff to the District of Columbia Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO); Director of the District of Columbia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD); District of Columbia Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED); and Acting President of the University of the District of Columbia.

As Director of DHCD, Mr. Jackson oversaw a $250 million budget, and spearheaded the District’s participation in the development of over 6,700 units of newly constructed and rehabilitated affordable housing for seniors, special needs, and very low-to-moderate income District residents. During his tenure as Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, Mr. Jackson oversaw the creation of the Site Acquisition Funding Initiative, a low-cost source of revolving site-acquisition and predevelopment funds for non-profit developers. As Deputy Mayor, Mr. Jackson also directed the District’s participation in the development of $2.5 billion in residential, commercial, and entertainment development in downtown District of Columbia, representing the revitalization of the city’s geographic core.

Mr.Jackson is a graduate of Fayetteville State University/UNC Fayetteville (B.S., Business Administration), Howard University Graduate School (Business Administration 2yrs) and completed the Senior Executive Program at Harvard University Kennedy School of Government. He has been a resident of the District of Columbia for more than four (4) decades, and currently resides in the Ward 8 community.

Reverend Jim Dickerson