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Resource Category: Practitioner Perspectives

  • Janene Parham — Red 1 Realty (Columbus)

    About Janene

    Janene Parham is a real estate agent specializing in affordable housing in Columbus, Ohio. Her mission is to provide knowledge and understanding of the challenges faced by Black and minority residents seeking affordable housing, and to help buyers navigate the homebuying process — including loan products, financing options, grant programs, and affordable housing pathways.

    Janene collaborates with Central Ohio Community Land Trust, Healthy Neighborhoods Healthy Families (HNHF), and is actively helping with the ADU workstream through CONVERGENCE Columbus.

    What has CONVERGENCE meant for your work?

    “CONVERGENCE is actively helping break down the barriers of trust and education.” At one homebuyer seminar co-hosted with lenders and Maude Hill, attendees opened up about their finances and obstacles — and learned about the $15,000 grant for first-time buyers through Homeport and CONVERGENCE. “It enabled us to assist numerous minority residents in the homebuying process and understanding financial literacy.”

    Suggestions for the CONVERGENCE Knowledge Hub

    Janene would like to see CONVERGENCE develop a direct pathway for residents who complete the CONVERGENCE Road Map to access affordable housing or housing incentives — such as tax incentives, home inspections, or one-year warranties — creating tangible outcomes for program participants.

    “Convergence is actively helping break down the barriers of trust and education.”

    — Janene Parham, Red 1 Realty

  • Brody Wamble — Simmons Bank (Memphis)

    Brody Wamble — Simmons Bank (Memphis)

    About Brody

    Brody Wamble represents Simmons Bank as a CONVERGENCE Memphis partner. Simmons Bank offers a suite of mortgage products designed for Low to Moderate Income (LMI) and Majority Minority Census Tract (MMCT) communities, including a CRA 100% mortgage and an ITIN loan — which removes barriers for populations working to secure U.S. citizenship.

    How has CONVERGENCE contributed to your work?

    “I often assume everyone knows each other and what one another do — not true. CONVERGENCE has placed organizations in the same room which leads to enhanced opportunities for the community. One example is the introduction of The City of Memphis and Memphis Housing Authority’s FSS program. The connection resurrected a forgotten opportunity for Section 8 recipients to use their vouchers toward a mortgage, not just rent.”

    Most useful CONVERGENCE resources

    “I like the Bloom614 website, specifically the Journey Map. The Home901 link provides potential homebuyers a way to see what DPA programs are in their area.”

    Lessons from community events

    “Start marketing early and often to draw an audience. It’s best to collaborate with a community partner. A challenge is encouraging people not to disqualify themselves — many think homeownership is a dream. Once you change the mindset, you change the outcome.”

    “CONVERGENCE has placed organizations in the same room which leads to enhanced opportunities for the community.”

    — Brody Wamble, Simmons Bank

  • Michael Shostek — Community and Economic Development Program Coordinator, Urban Affairs Coalition (Philadelphia)

    About Michael

    Michael Shostek is a Community and Economic Development Program Coordinator at the Urban Affairs Coalition (UAC). At UAC, Michael focuses on two national initiatives that promote more sustainable, affordable homeownership opportunities for underserved communities, especially minorities and low-to-moderate income Philadelphians.

    Prior to UAC, Michael advocated for marginalized communities as a paralegal — first supporting victims in criminal justice cases, then advancing voting rights and redistricting litigation. An active volunteer for Scouting America, he supports leadership development, training, and environmental sustainability for youth across the country.

    Michael holds an MPA from the University of Pennsylvania’s Fels Institute of Government and a BA in Environmental Health Policy with a Minor in Cinema Studies from the University of Pennsylvania.

  • Leslie Winder — Director of Community & Economic Development, Urban Affairs Coalition (Philadelphia)

    Leslie Winder — Director of Community & Economic Development, Urban Affairs Coalition (Philadelphia)

    About Leslie

    Leslie Winder is the Director of Community & Economic Development at Urban Affairs Coalition (UAC) — the largest and oldest Black-led fiscal sponsor in the country. Known as the home for nonprofits, UAC strengthens nonprofits through fiscal sponsorship, shared services, program development, and capacity building.

    The Community & Economic Development (CED) program helps low-to-moderate income individuals move from the margins to the economic mainstream — building bridges to financial institutions, bringing capital to communities through financial education, asset-building, loan programs for homebuyers and small businesses, foreclosure prevention, and employer-assisted housing.

    As Director of CED, Leslie leads the CED Committee — an external partner organization of over 50 members representing banks, regulatory agencies, community development organizations, and government intermediaries focused on community reinvestment and development in the Philadelphia area.

  • Kelbert Fagan — Program Manager, CONVERGENCE Memphis

    Kelbert Fagan — Program Manager, CONVERGENCE Memphis

    About Kelbert

    Kelbert Fagan is the Program Manager for CONVERGENCE Memphis, a subsidiary of United Housing, Inc. He leads program management including budgeting, fundraising, and volunteer recruitment. Before joining CONVERGENCE Memphis, Kelbert served as Chief Programs Officer at the Neighborhood Christian Center and held leadership roles at the Boy Scouts of America. He is also a licensed real estate agent and independent insurance agent.

    What motivated CONVERGENCE’s partnership with United Housing?

    “When CONVERGENCE approached United Housing to be a host, we saw it as an opportunity to create a connection with the national resources provided by CONVERGENCE to create affordable housing for all. CONVERGENCE has evolved into the civic innovation arm of United Housing and together we focus on innovative solutions to increase homeownership for the underserved and minorities in Memphis.”

    Key initiatives

    Kelbert has led the CONVERGENCE Memphis Land Expo, which has convened 200+ participants, generated 22 emerging developer applications, and supported 1–5 new home builds. He has also coordinated Home Expos in majority-Black and minority areas, organized a continuing education course attended by 180+ real estate and lending professionals, and hosted an Affordable Housing Meetup at the American Enterprise Institute’s Solution Summit.

    How do you measure success?

    “We measure success by increasing the number of minorities and underserved community members who get one-on-one credit counseling, homebuying education, and by providing predevelopment funds for affordable homes to be built in majority-minority areas.”

    “It’s important to have very strong volunteer involvement and a dedicated staff person to oversee the work.”

    — Kelbert Fagan

  • Amy Schaftlein — Executive Director, United Housing, Inc. (Memphis)

    About Amy

    Amy Schaftlein is the Executive Director of United Housing, Inc. in Memphis — the host organization for CONVERGENCE Memphis. She joined United Housing in 2018 with a vision to carry on the organization’s legacy of providing economic self-sufficiency, increasing financing options for families, and building new homes in the Memphis market.

    With a master’s degree in urban anthropology from the University of Memphis and a background in community development and the Tennessee Housing and Development Agency, Amy has helped over 6,500 individuals achieve homeownership and financial stability during her tenure. She sits on the boards of the Community Redevelopment Agency, BLDG Memphis, National NeighborWorks Association, and the advisory council for the Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati.

    Amy is also involved in the local music community — she is a producer with the Sonosphere podcast and a volunteer radio host at WYXR 91.7 FM.

  • Carlie Boos — Executive Director, Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio (Columbus)

    Carlie Boos — Executive Director, Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio (Columbus)

    About Carlie

    Carlie J. Boos, Esq. is the Executive Director of the Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio, where she provides leadership and strategic direction to expand affordable housing resources across Central Ohio.

    Previously, Carlie served as Community & Economic Development counsel at the Legal Aid Society of Columbus and held policy and program development roles at the Ohio Housing Finance Agency — where she developed the Qualified Allocation Plan, oversaw Housing Trust Fund allocations, led youth housing and assisted living finance initiatives, and created the FHAct50 Building Opportunity Fund.

    Carlie holds bachelor’s degrees in Women’s Studies and Political Science from The Ohio State University and a Juris Doctor from Case Western Reserve University School of Law. She is on the board of the Franklinton Urban Empowerment Lab and volunteers for the Legal Aid Society of Columbus.