President

Bethany Hahn-Ambrosius

Bethany Hahn-Ambrosius is the Assistant Vice President of Planning and Development at Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority.  The planning and development team leads the expansion and continuous improvement of CMHA’s portfolio through innovative financing and collaborative partnerships.  Since joining the team nearly 7 years ago, Bethany has helped CMHA develop or rehabilitate over 2,000 units of affordable housing, while assisting over 5,000 residents access quality housing that had previously been out of reach.  Prior to joining CMHA, Bethany was a Program Manager for Hamilton County and a Transportation Planner for the Southwest Ohio Regional Transportation Authority in Cincinnati. Ms. Hahn-Ambrosius received her Bachelor’s in Urban Planning from the University of Cincinnati. She was a 2022 graduate of Leadership Columbus’ Signature Program. Bethany was also the 2022 recipient of CMHA’s inaugural Volunteer of the Year Award for her outstanding commitment and tireless dedication to serving CMHA residents.

Past President

Stephanie Rhodes

Stephanie Rhodes, Senior Portfolio Manager at National Church Residences, leads strategic asset management for the organization’s HUD Section 202 PRAC portfolio. She develops and executes asset plans for over 70 properties, driving optimal financial performance through successful HUD Budget Based Rent Increases (BBRI), capital planning, and RAD for PRAC conversions. Stephanie serves as the primary liaison with HUD, shaping policy and procedure strategies and overseeing recapitalization efforts using innovative funding tools such as the HUD Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRP).

Since joining National Church Residences in 2017, Stephanie has held progressive roles in development and asset management. Her accomplishments include securing over $15 million in GRRP funding across five states, leading the nation’s first RAD for PRAC conversion, and managing a portfolio of complex affordable housing transactions. She has successfully closed deals using 9% and 4% LIHTC, paired with soft financing sources such as Capital Magnet Funds, HOME, FHLB, and Ohio Housing Trust Funds. Stephanie also secured and led the implementation of two Capital Magnet Fund awards totaling $11M and developed sustainability strategies that integrate green standards across the organization’s portfolio.

Stephanie is the past President and a founding board member of the Ohio Women’s Affordable Housing Network (OWAHN), where she has launched scholarship and mentorship programs and secured substantial sponsorships to advance women in the affordable housing industry. She holds a Master’s in City and Regional Planning and a Bachelor’s in Social Work from The Ohio State University.

Vice President

Casey Millard

Casey Millard is the Marketing Manager for John G. Johnson Construction, where she leads marketing initiatives and supports business development — all in alignment with the company’s mission of “Building Brighter Futures.” With 16 years of experience in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry,  she holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from Kent State University, and certification as a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner through the Nutritional Therapy Association.

Casey is dedicated to cultivating a collaborative and inspiring team environment, where creativity thrives, and every member feels valued and empowered to contribute to shared goals. She excels at identifying solutions and implementing strategies that drive meaningful results.

Outside of her professional role, Casey serves on the board of the Ohio Women’s Affordable Housing Network (OWAHN). She is deeply committed to tackling the region’s affordable housing challenges and fostering initiatives that positively impact her community. Her passion for health and wellness also informs her volunteer efforts, as she strives to empower individuals to lead healthier lives.

In her free time, Casey enjoys gardening, hiking, weightlifting, reading, and spending time outdoors with her family.

Secretary

Megan Savage Knox

Megan Savage Knox is a senior associate attorney at Vorys, Sater, Seymour & Pease in Columbus where she is a member of the Property Valuation group.  She has more than 10 years of experience supporting affordable housing clients, regularly counseling them on real property tax valuation and exemption issues.  She prides herself on crafting creative solutions for clients to help alleviate their property tax burdens.  A native Ohioan, Megan received a B.A. in Journalism from The Ohio State University and a J.D. from the University of Cincinnati.  She has served as Co-Chair of the Ohio State Bar Association’s Property Tax Sub-Committee since 2019.  In addition, she is an active member of the Ohio Women’s Bar Association and is currently participating in the OWBA Leadership Institute.  Megan has been involved with OWAHN since 2023 and is excited to join the Board.  In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, barre, reading and spending time with her family.

Treasurer

Jennifer Chandler

Jennifer Chandler is passionate about neighborhoods, people, and the provision of safe and affordable housing. Jennifer joined the Real Estate Development team at CHN Housing Partners in 2021, where she currently serves as the Real Estate Development Manager for CHN’s pipeline of affordable housing in Ohio. In her role, she oversees a variety of developments funded through the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program, both single-family and multi-family, new construction and preservation, as well as family, senior, and permanent supportive housing. Jennifer began her career in affordable housing in 2018, working for the City of Cleveland in the Department of Community Development, where she awarded and administered HOME funding, tax abatement, and assisted in the disposition of City land bank properties for housing development. Jennifer has a bachelor’s degree in Economic Development and a master’s degree in Urban Planning and Development from Cleveland State University. She has been a proud resident of the City of Cleveland since 2015, where she lives with her husband and their four-legged boss, Bonnie.

Board Member

Allyson Amstutz

Allyson Amstutz serves as a Pre-Construction Officer at Woda Cooper Companies, Inc., where she plays a pivotal role in advancing affordable housing developments. She specializes in managing Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) projects through the entitlement process, ensuring each development transitions seamlessly from award to the start of construction.

In her role, Allyson leads coordination between development and construction teams, overseeing critical phases such as site due diligence, design, environmental assessments, and permitting. She is deeply committed to meeting regulatory requirements and delivering on commitments to state housing agencies.

Allyson earned her degree in Economics, Environment, Development, and Sustainability from The Ohio State University, a foundation that shapes her approach to pre-construction planning. Drawing on this background, she prioritizes environmentally responsible design and long-term resilience, striving to create sustainable, high-quality housing that supports healthier communities for generations to come.

Board Member

Katie Bakalar

Katie Bakalar is a Procurement Specialist at National Church Residences, where she supports contracting and vendor management for senior living and affordable housing communities nationwide. In her role, she helps ensure the timely, cost-effective delivery of goods and services that keep properties operating smoothly and residents supported.

Katie is passionate about advancing opportunities for women in the affordable housing industry and has been actively involved with the Ohio Women’s Affordable Housing Network (OWAHN) through event planning and coordination. She values collaboration, clear communication, and building meaningful connections that strengthen both teams and communities.

Outside of work, Katie enjoys reading, crafting, traveling, and spending time with family and friends. She looks forward to deepening her involvement with OWAHN and contributing to its mission of empowering women and expanding access to affordable housing across Ohio.

Board Member

Maia Cooper

Maia Cooper serves as Vice President of Development for Woda Cooper Companies, Inc. Ms. Cooper received a B.A. in History and a B.A. in French from Chapman University, magna cum laude, and went on to achieve a J.D. from The George Washington University Law School. At Woda Cooper, Maia manages all real estate acquisitions companywide, chairs the Investment Committee, is a member of the Credit Committee, and works as a member of the development team in Virginia, Maryland, Kentucky, Indiana, Minnesota, and Florida.

Board Member

Katie Gillespie

Katie joined Grow America in June of 2019 as an Acquisitions Manager.  She is responsible for originating and underwriting Low Income Housing Tax Credit and Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit projects for Fund investment.  In this role she is tasked with managing relationships with affordable multifamily rental housing developers; evaluating construction and operating risk; structuring and negotiating complex financial partnerships; evaluating yield and pricing; preparing and presenting projects to the Fund’s Investment Committee; and assisting in the closing of equity investments.

Prior to joining Grow America, Katie served as the Director of Acquisitions for Herman and Kittle properties where she was led the Acquisitions team and was accountable for the company’s multifamily real estate affordable acquisitions from inception through deal stabilization by focusing on preliminary sourcing new deals, site inspections, negotiating LOIs, underwriting / deal feasibility, market research, closing, execution of asset stabilization plans and various other tasks.  Prior to this position Katie served as the Acquisitions Manager for a national affordable housing developer.  While there, Katie was responsible for managing and sourcing all affordable multifamily acquisitions on a national level from site selection and purchase negotiations, through due diligence to transaction completion.

Katie received a Bachelor of Arts from Miami University with a major in Geography.

Board Member

Merydith Greene

Merydith Greene is an accomplished affordable housing industry expert and leader with experience in areas including development, originations, developer and investor relations, and asset management.  Ms. Greene has held several leadership positions with the National Affordable Housing Trust, Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing, and now as the Vice President of Asset Management and Development for Fairfield Homes, Inc..  Ms. Greene holds the following designations: Housing Credit Certified Professionals (HCCP); Specialist in Housing Credit Management (SHCM); Housing Development Finance Professional (HDFP) and is currently working on the Certified Housing Asset Management (CHAM) designation.  Ms. Greene’s leadership mission is to serve as a servant leader by developing authentic relationships that encourage, support, and inspire others to embrace lifelong learning and growth to live and be their best; personally, professionally, and in their community.

Board Member

Elizabeth Hill

Elizabeth Hill is a Financial Structuring Coordinator at the National Affordable Housing Trust (NAHT), where she supports capital markets and originations through investor relations, financial modeling, and deal structuring. Since joining NAHT in 2022, she has contributed to ESG initiatives, prepared investor performance analyses, and completed the Grow America Rental Housing Development Finance course. In addition to her professional role, Elizabeth helps to organize NAHT’s community outreach projects, including food drives, senior housing celebrations, and partnerships with local nonprofits such as Franklinton Farms.

Elizabeth is an active member of the Ohio Women’s Affordable Housing Network (OWAHN), initially serving on the planning committee and most recently joining the board. A Cum Laude graduate of The Ohio State University, she earned her B.S. in Consumer and Family Financial Services, where she built a strong foundation in financial planning. She is passionate about expanding opportunities for young professionals and women across the affordable housing sector.

Outside of work, Elizabeth enjoys long walks with her dogs, spending time with family and friends, and reading.

Board Member

Yolanda Jackson

Yolanda is an accomplished nonprofit executive with more than 20 years of experience leading mission-driven organizations and advancing equity in housing, economic mobility, and community development. As Director of Supportive Services at Lutheran Social Services’ Faith Mission, she oversees a multidisciplinary team and a multimillion-dollar budget supporting individuals and families experiencing homelessness.

Prior to this role, Yolanda served as Associate Vice President of Economic Mobility at the Columbus Urban League, where she led financial empowerment and small business initiatives that helped clients achieve stability through homeownership, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy. Her leadership also includes launching the Housing Accelerator Program, which successfully provided housing for individuals facing post-pandemic instability.

A passionate advocate for affordable housing and systemic change, Yolanda has devoted her career to creating equitable pathways for underserved populations. She brings expertise in program development, strategic partnerships, and policy advocacy, along with a deep commitment to empowering women and families to thrive.

Yolanda holds a Master of Science in Marketing and Communication from Franklin University and a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from Wright State University. She is currently completing her Ph.D. in Human Services with a focus on Nonprofit Management at Capella University.

Outside of her professional work, Yolanda is active in community leadership, serving on several community social organizations and a long-standing member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. She is also the co-founder of Elnora Empowerment Services, LLC, an organization focused on helping women achieve personal and professional growth. She lives on east side of Columbus with her life partner, three amazing children and Olde English Bulldog.

Board Member

Samantha Makoski

Samantha Makoski is the Senior Applications Manager at The NRP Group. In this role she leads the LIHTC application team across all regions NRP is active in. She is responsible for application strategy and quality control. Prior to this role, she was the planning and policy manager at the Ohio Housing Finance Agency, where she was responsible for the development of policy guidelines including the Qualified Allocation Plan and the implementation of the 9% LIHTC Program. In addition to policy development, she is an experienced tax credit and loan underwriter. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two children.

Board Member

Andrea Moneypenny

Andrea Moneypenny is a Senior Developer at The Model Group with 11 years of experience developing affordable housing, including permanent supportive housing, family and senior housing, and mixed-use projects. Previous to Model Group she worked for six years on unique and dynamic urban redevelopment projects in Louisville.  A native of Cincinnati, she received her B.S. in Civil Engineering from Washington University in St. Louis and her Master of Community Planning degree from the University of Cincinnati (DAAP). A former AmeriCorps national service team member, she currently serves as Business Manager for the leadership board of her school PTO. She enjoys time outdoors with her husband and their sons, especially near water, as well as reading, brunch, finding common ground with others, and exploring new places.

Board Member

Jennifer Mullaney

Jennifer joined OCCH in December 2006. She is responsible for managing OCCH and affiliates’ overarching financial strategy including financial reporting and forecasting, treasury, tax affairs, and fund management. She also oversees the partnership cash reserves, equity payment processing and provides technical tax and accounting assistance to other departments. Prior to joining OCCH, she was the Chief Financial Officer at Community Properties of Ohio Management Services (CPO), a wholly owned subsidiary of OCCH.

Prior to CPO, she worked for Larry C. Stemen, CPA and Associates as an Audit Manager specializing in HUD and LIHTC audits and cost certifications. Outside of work, Jennifer serves as the treasurer of Huckleberry House and All Saints Lutheran Church.  Jennifer holds her bachelor’s degree from Wittenberg University and is a Certified Public Accountant.

Board Member

Andrea Quinichett

Andrea Quinichett is the Assistant Vice President of Procurement for the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority. Andrea is a dedicated professional and began her career with the CMHA in January 2006. Andrea earned her Master of Business Administration degree from Ohio Dominican University in 2014. In her position as Assistant Vice President of Procurement Andrea procures materials, and products and obtains services for the Agency. She focuses on engaging in community outreach activities and assists with developing programs that focus on economic development and the improvement of individual self-sufficiency related to the Section 3 program. She also assists with building a bridge to gain Minority Business partnerships for future development projects. In her spare time, Andrea enjoys spending time with her family, watching movies, traveling, and building great memories with friends and loved ones.

Advisory Board

Catherine Cawthon

Experienced leader with a demonstrated history of working in the financial services industry. Strong business development professional skilled in Tax Credits, Dispositions, Financial Analysis, Real Estate Economics, Asset Management and Investment Properties.

Advisory Board

Jen Ricci

Jennifer Ricci serves as Vice President at Woda Cooper Companies, Inc. and is responsible for managing closings, including processing construction loans, permanent loans, equity investments and other financing needs.

Ms. Ricci has 20 years of experience in real estate acquisitions, conventional loan closings, USDA Rural Development, HUD and SHFA financing transactions, and equity investor closings for affordable housing developments.

Prior to joining Woda in 2009, Ms. Ricci was employed as a paralegal for five years for Woda’s outside legal counsel.

Ms. Ricci was a founding board member of the Ohio chapter of Women’s Affordable Housing Network, and the 2023 recipient of OWAHN’s WAHNderful Woman of the Year.  Ms. Ricci holds a B.A. in English from Ohio University and a paralegal certificate from Capital University Law School.