communitytrailblazers

David Stevens believes in a better and diverse America, a country where the economic gap is less wide and both the majority and the minority have safe affordable places to call home. The only way to do that is to close the diversity gap in housing. He believes in the creation of inclusive policies that give access to each group. David knows what he’s talking about. David Stevens is President and CEO, Emeritus, of the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA).

www.TrailBlazersImpact.com

Meet DeLois Strum, referred to as DeeDee, a 40+ year entrepreneur, a public speaker, an affordable housing advocate, and is currently involved in offshore wind as a renewable source of energy. DeeDee has worked in the housing & community development industry as both a housing professional and volunteer at the national level where she previously chaired the national Section 8 Committee of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials.  She previously worked in the public sector, having served two terms as Executive Director of the Indiana State Housing Board; an appointment she held under two governors.  DeeDee founded her company in 1981, M.D. Strum Housing Services, Inc.-a professional services firm specializing in the planning for neighborhood revitalization, commercial and real estate development, strategic planning, public-private partnerships, homeownership, entrepreneurial program initiatives for public housing authorities and community development corporations.  

What would it be like to be responsible for negotiating a trade agreement with China or Japan or any other world country? Imagine yourself about to take a high-level job with the Federal government when the news came on about the Saturday Night Massacre. Carla Hills takes us on a journey through her very interesting life, working directly with several United States Presidents. Carla A. Hills is a high-profile, powerful woman, having been U.S. Trade Ambassador under President Bush Senior and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary under President Ford, the first woman to serve in that position and the third woman cabinet member. She also served as Assistant Attorney General in the Civil division of the U.S. Department of Justice. Ambassador Hills is now the chairman, and CEO of Hills and Company, specializing in international strategy and trade consultants. The firm provides advice to US business on investment, trade, and risk assessment issues abroad, particularly in emerging market economies.

Shel Schreiberg considers himself very lucky for not experiencing any challenges during his career in the affordable housing sector. He is also very modest in all the projects he and his team members contributed to bringing to fruition. He believes in the power of tax credits in ensuring and sustaining affordable housing for the past several years when public housing development has been nonexistent. Shel Schreiberg is a nationally recognized expert on affordable housing and works primarily in the lending, tax, housing, real estate, and policy development areas.

Malcolm ‘Mike’ Peabody’s life has been founded on giving people the freedom of choice. He is known as the man who reinvented Public Housing. Working for HUD Secretary George Romney, Malcolm Peabody helped launch the creation of Housing Choice Vouchers, one of the few anti-poverty programs with enduring bipartisan support. Listen as he tells stories of the Peabodys and how they impacted civil rights.  Also hear his championing of charter schools. 

James Loewen's gripping retelling of American history as it should, and could, be taught, Lies My Teacher Told Me, has sold more than 1,500,000 copies and continues to inspire K-16 teachers to get students to challenge, rather than memorize, their textbooks.

Jim Loewen taught race relations for twenty years at the University of Vermont. Previously he taught at predominantly black Tougaloo College in Mississippi. He now lives in Washington, D.C., continuing his research on how Americans remember their past. 

Hear about sundown towns and their effects.

Helen Dunlap contrasts policy at HUD in problem-solving and practice in 1993 to today. She feels the layers of complexities have grown exponentially. 25% of HUD's multifamily portfolio when she got to HUD was at risk for forclosure. She was at HUD during the creation of mark-to-market as an innovative solution at the time. She was included in a handful of people who created HUD's Real Estate Assessment Center (REAC) which focused on property inspections. She applauds non-profits who exist to provide affordable housing, paying more attention to neighborhoods. She talks about being a voice for poor people as part of the Low-Income Housing Coalition.

John Koskinen's role as a fixer focused on dealing with a crisis without panicking the public. He has had a plethora of impactful jobs, most of them in the government and many in the role of rescuer. Listen to the behind-the-scenes work as the plane hit the pentagon in Washington DC during 911 and what happened during the anthrax scare. He describes communicating with no cell phones during crises. Listen to his description of Y2K global implementation. His stint as IRS Commissioner reveals a political challenge, a potential impeachment, and the identity theft problem. He describes his partipation in the U.S. Soccer Foundation and his impact on soccer in the inner city.

He had the ultimate rebuilding job when he became CEO of Freddie Mac during the 2008 financial crisis. In this role, he meticulously restructured operations and processes to help stabilize the government-backed company.

Get a first-hand account about the value of public service and how to make an impact at the highest levels of government. This is a long one, but a terrific history lesson!