Keynote Speaker
Dr. Farrah Gray has recently been featured by AOL Black Voices as making Black History 2008. He was also named as one of the most influential Black men in America by the National Urban League's Urban Influence Magazine. Ebony Magazine recognized him as an entrepreneurial icon, business mogul and best-selling author. More
State Housing Plenary
The Honorable Richard Cordray was elected Ohio Attorney General in November 2008. He previously served as Ohio Treasurer of State, Franklin County Treasurer, State Representative, and as Ohio's first Solicitor General. More
Federal Policy Plenary
Sheila Crowley is the president and CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, where she heads a membership organization that is dedicated solely to achieving socially just public policy that assures people with the lowest incomes in the United States have affordable and decent homes. More
Ohio Economic Forecast
The Honorable Kevin L. Boyce was sworn in as Ohio Treasurer of State in January 2009. Prior to his appointment, Boyce served eight years as a member of the Columbus City Council, was elected as President Pro Tempore, and served as Chairman of the Public Finance Committee. More
New Models for Homebuyer Education
Learn how successful homeownership correlates to homebuyer education participation. Discover techniques to effectively reach out to homebuyers, the importance of financial literacy in today's society, and post-purchase continuing education.
Moderator:
Stephanie Spruill, Ohio Housing Finance Agency
Stephanie Spruill joined the Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) in January 2008 as a Public Relations Specialist. Ms. Spruill currently serves as the Housing Counseling Manager. In this position, she is responsible for ensuring the 24 sub-grantees meet their expectations as part of a larger grant from NeighborWorks America through the National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling program. She also is the OHFA liaison for the statewide "Save the Dream" and "Save Our Homes" foreclosure prevention initiatives. With many years experience in real estate, Ms. Spruill brings extensive industry knowledge to OHFA. She has worked as an Agency Representative for LandAmerica where she was responsible for approximately 70 independent title agents. She also has worked as a Marketing Representative for Esquire Title Services, as an independent real estate agent and in other real estate related positions. Ms. Spruill earned a Bachelor's degree in Public Relations from Ohio Dominican College and her Juris Doctor from Capital University Law School. In addition, she has taught Real Estate Law and Real Estate Finance at Columbus State Community College.
Speakers:
Gail Jackson, Home Repair Resource Center
Gail Jackson loves to counsel new homebuyers so they will be well informed and prepared to take on the joys and responsibilities of homeownership. She has more than 15 years experience in housing development, real estate and financial counseling. Her past positions include Director of Housing Development for the Ohio Division of Rural Opportunities, and Program Coordinator and Interim Director for Neighborhood Housing Services of Greater Cleveland. In her current position as Financial Education Counselor for Home Repair Resource Center in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, she has developed two related series of classes which are held on a weekly basis: a Financial Fitness series focusing on budgets, credit, mortgages and avoiding delinquency; and a Homebuyer Education series that adds a session on home maintenance. She also does individual counseling on financial management and foreclosure prevention.
Suzanne Parks, Ohio Community Development Corporation Association
Suzanne Parks is the Asset Development Manager for the Ohio Community Development Corporation Association's (OCDCA) Assets Ohio venture. In this capacity, she is responsible for the coordination and administration of several federally funded programs including three Assets for Independence IDA demonstration grants, HHS' Job Opportunities for Low Income Individuals (JOLI) project, and other programs designed to create independence through asset building. Assets Ohio, which is comprised of 22 agencies, provides funding for related services such as foreclosure prevention and financial education. Prior to joining the OCDCA team, Ms. Parks was an independent consultant working with community development and other government funded agencies. She was conferred a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Ohio Dominican University and a Master's degree in Leadership Education from the Mid-America Christian University. She is currently pursuing a specialization in her Master's degree studies and will complete a Master's degree in Leadership in Public Administration in the summer of 2009. Ms. Parks joined the OCDCA in 2008.
Lou Tisler, Neighborhood Housing Services of Greater Cleveland
Lou Tisler has been involved in community and economic development for the past 18 years. In 2005, Mr. Tisler became the Executive Director of Neighborhood Housing Services of Greater Cleveland. As the fifth chartered member of NeighborWorks® America (a network of over 235 organizations working in nearly 4,400 urban, suburban and rural communities nationwide), the mission of NHSGC is to provide programs and services to achieve, sustain and preserve the American dream of homeownership. In four years, Mr. Tisler has increased operational funding, programming, services and staffing, leading to expanded resources for the residents of Greater Cleveland and northeast Ohio. Mr. Tisler played an integral role in developing, implementing and securing funding for a statewide collaborative of organizations in Ohio focusing on foreclosure intervention and homebuying education. Mr. Tisler has garnered organizational visibility that has included The Economist, the Christian Science Monitor, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the USAToday and other various media outlets allowing for exposure and awareness of NHSGC's mission, programs and services. Mr. Tisler serves as a Board member of National NeighborWorks Association (Vice-President), NeighborWorks® America's National Homeownership Programs Steering Committee and the Cleveland Leadership Center. Mr. Tisler previously served on the Boards of the Center for Community Solutions, Governor Ted Strickland's Taskforce on Foreclosure Prevention, Neighborhood Progress, Inc., Cleveland Neighborhood Development Coalition, the West Side Industrial Retention and Expansion Network, Digital Vision Cleveland and Cleveland Tenants Organization. Mr. Tisler is a graduate of Cleveland State University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance and a Master of Business Administration in Management and Labor Relations.
