Leadership
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Jennifer Jacobs
Executive Director
Jennifer joined AHIP in April 2006 as Director of Resource Development, and in 2009, she became Executive Director. Jennifer has more than 20 years of experience in fundraising, communications, and membership, having worked for a variety of non-profit arts, social services, housing rights, and public interest organizations in Washington, D.C., New York City, and the San Francisco Bay Area. Prior to joining AHIP, Jennifer served as Development Director for the National Housing Law Project, a national housing rights organization based in San Francisco. Jennifer grew up in Maryland and earned a B.A. in Communication from James Madison University. She lives in Albemarle County.
Rehab & Repair
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Jane Andrews
Associate Director of Construction Programs
Jane joined AHIP in 1985. As Associate Director of Construction Programs, she is responsible for administering federal, state, and local funds with the purpose of improving the living conditions of low- to moderate-income homeowners. Jane works directly with homeowners to determine eligibility for resources and serves as an advocate for families during the screening process and through construction. Jane manages a million-dollar budget and is responsible for reporting to multiple funding sources on compliance as well as to AHIP’s Board of Directors and county and city housing agencies on production. She supervises a staff of 14 employees involved in construction activities and manages all customer service issues. Before joining AHIP, Jane worked for Riverdale Retirement Homes, a local nursing home company that managed adult care homes throughout the state of Virginia. Before that, she managed the first-year operation of a 150-unit affordable apartment complex. Jane graduated from Longwood University and holds a Bachelor of Science in Social Work. She currently serves on the Housing Directors Council for the Thomas Jefferson District Planning Commission. Jane shares her office responsibilities with her two dogs, Tipper and Wren, who provide K9 therapy to AHIP staff as needed, and she enjoys riding her horse to the call of the horn and hounds of the Oak Ridge Hunt.
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George Herring
Construction Supervisor
George brings more than 30 years of construction experience to his role as AHIP’s Construction Supervisor. He provides comprehensive project management and quality control expertise to meet the unique needs of each AHIP client. George joined AHIP in 1996 as a Crew Leader, responsible for scheduling various duties of the crew and subcontractors as well as managing inspections and ordering materials. In 2001, he assumed his current post and began to develop, track, and analyze cost estimates and cost records to ensure projects are delivered within budget. When not working for AHIP, George runs his own contracting business, skilled in all phases of residential construction from foundation and framing to interior/exterior trim, flooring, and roofing. Having grown up in Charlottesville and Greene County, George has deep roots in the local construction industry, as his father was a local contractor along with his brother.
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Lee Miller
Rehab Specialist
Lee has served as AHIP’s Construction Rehabilitation Specialist since 1996. In this capacity, Lee presents programs, qualifies clients for funding, and designs rehabilitation projects. He also is responsible for estimating jobs (including new construction, additions, and rehabs) and preparing construction documents (including drawings, procurements, and inspections). Lee also serves as the supervisor of the Electrical and Plumbing Program and has supervised volunteer groups who frequently work with AHIP crews. In addition to his duties as Rehab Specialist, Lee also is an area REALTOR who received a REALTOR of the Year and Top Producer awards in 2005. Since 1979, Lee also has managed his own remodeling and home inspection business. Lee is licensed by the state of Virginia in building, electrical, plumbing, lead inspection, and risk assessment and is a state-certified Master Electrician and Master Plumber. He has performed thousands of home inspections for real estate and loan closings. Lee grew up in Richmond, Virginia and graduated from New York Sales School and the International Correspondence School, earning a diploma in Building Codes and Home Inspections. In 2003, he graduated from Piedmont’s Real Estate Course and went on to pass state and national exams.
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Len Wishart
Rehab Specialist
As Rehabilitation Specialist, Len is responsible for rehab project management from start to finish beginning with initial client home inspections, construction estimates, and determining the scope of work for city and county rehabs and emergency repairs. Len assists clients in navigating funding source options; arranging specialty inspections of their properties; and complying with city, county, state, and federal regulations for assistance in construction rehabilitation. In addition to completing HUD Section 8 inspections, evaluating city property maintenance inspections, flood plain certifications, and historical review application requirements, Len also is responsible for obtaining all relevant local government and health department construction permits and soliciting multiple bids from subcontractors for each job requiring their use. Len created and currently directs the AHIP Respiratory Protection Program and Lead Worker Medical Surveillance Plan. Before coming to AHIP in August of 2003, Len owned and operated a construction and rehab company that performed custom and historical renovations throughout the area as well as rehab work for the Fluvanna County Housing Foundation. Len has conferred bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Virginia and holds a Contractor’s License, Lead Abatement Supervisor License, and Lead Project Designer License with the Virginia DPOR. He also has completed EarthCraft House Builder Training certification and coursework with the College of William and Mary Center for Executive Development in Construction Management and is an EPA certified RRP renovator.
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Ed Walker
Rehab Specialist
Ed’s carpentry career began at age 16, while working as a cook at a restaurant he switched gears to working for the contractor to build a new salad bar. He continued working for contractors and earned his license by age 25, which he put to good use in running his own home remodeling business for 25 years. He joined AHIP staff in 2012 as a crew leader, and, in 2016, was promoted to his current role as Rehab Specialist. He has used the same estimating system as AHIP for 30 years, so it was a perfect fit. And as it happens, Ed knew AHIP’s Construction Supervisor for 30 years and served as a subcontractor on AHIP’s Camp Creek project in Esmont. He has lived and worked in the Charlottesville area for most of his life, so there aren’t many streets or county roads where he hasn’t worked on a home repair project there.
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Corbin Breaud
Volunteer Coordinator
Corbin first came on board at AHIP in May 2013 as a crew member specializing in carpentry. He gained his knowledge of construction while working for Habitat for Humanity in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Additionally he spent time at Americorps in coastal Mississippi working on home rehabilitation. Corbin’s assignments for AHIP run the gamut, from large-scale housing rehabs for the Block-by-Block initiative in the 10th and Page neighborhood of Charlottesville to emergency repairs for the Orchard Acres program in Crozet. He is passionate about volunteer-based construction and renovation in the Greater Charlottesville community. Corbin was born in Charlottesville and now lives outside of town in Batesville, Virginia.
Construction
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Eddie Spencer
Crew Leader
Mark Long
Crew Leader
Wayne Snow
Crew Leader
Steve Faircloth
Carpenter
James Cook
Carpenter
Will Jenkins
Plumber/Electrician
Pete Pompper
Helper
Junior Fitz
Helper
Dakota Long
Helper
Community Outreach
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Joyce Dudek
Associate Director of Community Development
Joyce has worked in the housing field for more than 20 years. She joined AHIP in 1986 as a Project Manager for a new Community Development Block Grant Program. She currently serves as an Associate Director. Her primary responsibilities include monitoring AHIP’s multi-family rental housing and developing new opportunities for AHIP’s single-family rehabilitation programs. This includes grant writing, compliance, financing, and project management. Joyce is a member of the National Low Income Housing Coalition. She holds a B.A. from Mary Baldwin College and a Master of Planning from the University of Virginia. In her spare time, she volunteers for WTJU 91.1 and does agility training with her dogs, Duncan and Rennie.
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Laurie Jensen
Program Manager
Laurie joined the AHIP team in February 2015 as Project & Administrative Assistant, but in July 2017 assumed her current role of Program Manager serving as a point of contact for clients, overseeing the client intake process, and being our staff contact for the Energy Retrofit Initiative and other programs. A licensed teacher for more than 25 years, Laurie has worked with students in both public and private schools. From 2010 to 2014, Laurie and her husband, also with a long career in education, owned and operated a distance education company, designed as an outreach for Virginia students needing online classes and tutoring in a home-based setting. An experienced writing and editing professional, Laurie has provided freelance contract services for businesses and local authors for the past 15 years and additionally was a contributing writer for the special sections of the Daily Progress. Laurie is a native Central Virginian with strong family ties to the area. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education from James Madison University. She grew up in Fluvanna County and lives there today with her family. When she’s not working, Laurie enjoys gardening, singing, cooking, hanging out in antiques shops, and exploring the beauty and back roads of Virginia.
Development & Marketing
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Ravi Respeto
Director of Development and Marketing
Ravi joined AHIP in August 2010 and leads all of AHIP’s resource development, event planning, marketing and communications efforts. Prior to joining AHIP, Ravi served as the Campaign Manager for the Charlottesville Waldorf School, supporting the fundraising efforts for its successful $3 million green building capital campaign. Prior to that, Ravi has worked as a licensed REALTOR in Charlottesville, a Marketing Director for a central Virginia builder, and Marketing Director and Community Liaison with Whole Foods Market in the Northern Virginia/D.C. market. Ravi moved to Charlottesville in 2003 with her family and lives in Crozet. Ravi enjoys volunteer roles that make big changes in the community, including serving as Vice President of the Blue Ridge Mountains Rotary Club, a member of the Salvation Army Advisory Board, and supporting the Marketing and Development Committee for the Brooks Family YMCA, as well as lending her development expertise to a variety of other local nonprofit boards. She also serves on the board of the Nonprofit/Business Council of the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce. Ravi grew up in Northern California and graduated from George Mason University with a B.A. in Speech Communications and focus in public relations.
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Katie Davenport
Development and Communications Manager
Until coming on board at AHIP in 2014, Katie focused on communications and media relations for several professional trade associations—ranging from a 17,000-member international association for facility managers to the 1,000-member local Charlottesville Area Association of REALTORS. When the partnership formed for Seniors Safe at Home, she quickly became enamored with AHIP’s mission in the community. Her key role is to support AHIP’s messaging through the Web site, social media, direct mail campaigns, community events, and press coverage. It has been an exciting time for her at AHIP learning a new skillset: donor relations. Katie holds a B.A. in Communications from the University of Houston, majoring in journalism and minoring in art history. When not at AHIP, she and her family are out discovering new and wonderful activities that Central Virginia has to offer.
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Ashley Patel
Events Coordinator
Ashley learned about AHIP in September 2013 when she volunteered through her membership in the Charlottesville Area Association of Realtors. She quickly adopted the mission of safe homes for seniors and families as a personal passion, and, when the new position of Events Coordinator was created, she was the perfect fit for the role. Ashley is responsible for all the elements related to AHIP’s community events, from our annual flagship House Party and internal committee meetings to local business outreach and volunteer projects. She brings a 10-year background in the banking industry, from financial services to mortgage consulting. She also currently serves as treasurer of her neighborhood association. Ashley holds a Bachelor of Business Administration Marketing/Management with a minor in communications from East Tennessee State University. Ashley lives with her family and dog Daisy Mae in Crozet.
Finance & Office Administration
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Craig Kaiser
Chief Financial Officer
Craig was selected for the role of Finance Director beginning in July 2014 and now serves as Chief Financial Officer. He provides management control and administration of all fiscal and HR operations, as well as ensuring that the organization is well equipped with evolving technologies to help carry out its mission. Craig brings 15 years of experience in accounting and finance positions with contractor and service organizations to his job at AHIP. He earned a B.A. in Accounting from National College of Business and Technology in Roanoke. Craig grew up in Charlottesville, and now lives in Albemarle County. When not working, he enjoys gardening, creating dinosaur dioramas, and visiting the Carolina beaches.
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Erica Dempsey
Assistant to the CFO
When she came on staff at AHIP in April 2016, Erica turned her interest in the local real estate market and housing issues into a full-time job. A Charlottesville resident since 1980, Erica brings 12 years of accounting expertise to the Finance Department at AHIP. She earned a B.S. in Sociology with a minor in Communications from Virginia Tech. When she’s not working, Erica enjoys a hobby in home design and spending time with her family, especially game night with her daughters.
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Ella Jordan
Administrative Assistant/Office Manager
As the most recent team member to join AHIP, Ella came on board in August 2017. She provides front desk, office management, and administrative support for the entire organization. As the former Clerk of the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors, Ella brings a can-do attitude, a sense of humor, and an ease at interacting with a diverse group of people. She also previously served as the Outreach Coordinator for the Jane Dittmar Congressional Campaign. Ella is a native of Albemarle County and currently lives in the City of Charlottesville with her husband. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Management and Leadership from Bluefield College. She is very involved in her community currently serving on the NAACP Executive Board as Chair of the Membership Committee, Charlottesville Scholarship Program Board of Directors, The Organizing Group of 100 Black Women of the Charlottesville Metro Area, and the Piedmont District Baptist Association as its Executive Secretary. In her spare time, Ella enjoys spending time with her family, watching football, and traveling.