Managers
LORI R. GAY
President & Chief Executive Officer
Lori R. Gay is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Los Angeles Neighborhood Housing Services (LA NHS), a non-profit lender, developer, and neighborhood revitalization corporation. She has worked in the community development field for over 20 years, and has focused her efforts on rebuilding impoverished communities and creating mechanisms for community empowerment and ownership.
LANHS is a non-profit committed to creating lifelong homeowners and stable communities for families of modest means throughout Los Angeles County. Over the last 25 years, LA NHS has developed and rehabilitated more than 11,000 housing and commercial units, educated and counseled over 1.9 million families, created 175 block clubs, employed 200 neighborhood youth, and invested more than $2.0 billion back into some of Los Angeles’ toughest neighborhoods. As a lender to these underserved communities, LA NHS has maintained a loan portfolio with a 3% or less delinquency ratio and no foreclosures.
Ms. Gay has served on numerous boards and community coalitions which further social policy agendas and implementation of community development initiatives. She is a member of the boards of the California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA), National NeighborWorks® Association, and a member of the FDIC’s Alliance for Economic Inclusion Steering Committee. Some of her activities have included serving as Chair of the California Organized Investment Network (COIN), and as a former Board Member of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco Los Angeles Branch, and the Washington Mutual Advisory Council.
Ms. Gay has worked for LA NHS since 1990, holds an M.B.A. degree from Pepperdine University and a B.S. degree in Development, Resource and Consumer Economics from the University of California at Davis. She is a licensed minister, is married to Bob Gay, and has five children.
JOHN BROTT
Sr. Executive Vice President & Chief Administrative Officer
John, who joined the LA NHS staff in September 1999, is responsible for overseeing the organization’s administrative functions, including human resources, benefits, management coaching, office operations, insurance and risk management, contracts, and compliance.
John holds B.A. and M.A. degrees from UCLA, and is a graduate of the Executive Program at UCLA’s John E. Anderson Graduate School of Management. He is also a licensed realtor. John worked at UCLA for over 25 years in management, administration, and human resources, including a position as Director of Personnel for the College of Letters & Science. Immediately prior to joining LA NHS, he worked for three years in residential real estate sales and management at Podley Caughey & Doan/Coldwell Banker in San Marino.
ESTER CADAVID
Executive Vice President & Chief Program Officer
Ester joined LA NHS in May 2002 as Director of Neighborhood Resources and was promoted to Chief Development Officer in December 2002. She is responsible for overseeing the numerous functions of the Marketing & Development Department, including fundraising, gifts, grant proposals, marketing, communications, customer care, and community relations.
Ester holds a B.S. degree in Psychobiology and an M.S. degree in Public Health from UCLA. She also holds an MFCC degree from Pepperdine University and a Ph.D. in Clinical/Community Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology. Before joining LA NHS, Ester worked for 10 years as Executive Director at the San Fernando Valley Partnership, a nonprofit community advocacy agency with numerous social service programs for local residents.
FRANK IGWEALOR
Sr. Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
Frank joined LA NHS in May 2007 as Chief Financial Officer. He is responsible for overseeing an operating budget of approximately $4.5 million, a loan portfolio of $7.5, and property holdings of over $15 million. He is also responsible for the financial management of investments, real estate, and construction projects, as well as overseeing the MIS Department.
Frank received a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting & Economics from the Union Institute & University in Cincinnati, Ohio and a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) Finance from California State University Dominguez Hills, California. He is also a Certified Management Accountant (CMA), Certified Financial Manager (CFM) and a licensed Real Estate Broker.
Frank brings over 15 years of experience in accounting, finance, fiscal planning, and investments to his new position. His previous employment has included positions such as Controller/CFO with TB & Associates (a real estate construction firm) and Financial Advisor with Morgan Stanley.
NINA KIHLMAN
Assistant Vice President & Director of Community Relations
Nina joined LANHS in 1997. She holds a B.A. degree in Historic Preservation of Built Environments from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
As Assistant Vice President & Director of Community Relations, Nina is responsible for the LA NHS neighborhood revitalization efforts in our target neighborhoods. These include developing working relationships with neighborhood residents, civic organizations and businesses; marketing LANHS services to the community; overseeing neighborhood revitalization projects, organizing block clubs; assisting with research projects; and assisting with a comprehensive disaster-preparedness program to assist LA NHS clients. Nina has been instrumental in helping LA NHS to sponsor or serve as a partner in homeownership preservation fairs throughout the county to assist families and individuals who are facing foreclosure or need assistance with their mortgage loan in order to keep their homes.
DANNY DRAPER
Director of Real Estate
Danny joined the LA NHS staff in August, 2002 and has been promoted several times. As the Sr. Homeownership Counselor, Danny was responsible for the post-purchase training and counseling of all LA NHS clients and for overseeing our customer care and service activities. In December, 2007, Danny was promoted to Director of Real Estate. In this capacity Danny is responsible for growing and enhancing our Real Estate Department, including sales, recruitment, training, marketing, and compliance.
Danny has over 8 years of real estate sales, lending, and related experience, including knowledge of city and county home ownership programs. Danny is a licensed real estate broker and operated his own brokerage for several years. Immediately prior to joining the LA NHS, Danny was employed as a Loan Consultant with Indy Mac Bank.
RONALD MARTINEZ
Senior Credit Officer
Ronald joined LA NHS in 1994 and has over 25 years of professional experience in credit, collections, consumer/real estate lending and management of housing rehabilitation projects. Under the supervision of the President, the Sr. Credit Officer will be responsible for implementing direct lending activities, brokering mortgage transactions, underwriting and packaging all loans processed through the NHS Neighborhood Lending Services (NHSNLS). This will include loans funded through the NHS Revolving Loan Fund, grants, or through institutional investors.
Ronald is responsible for conducting client intake, credit review and approval, loan packaging, underwriting and working with other Loan Officers and the Loan Processor to ensure that loan applicant transactions are processed and underwritten smoothly and according to specified deadlines and regulatory requirements.
Ronald holds an M.B.A. degree with a specialization in Marketing Management and World Trade from West Coast University and a B.S. degree in Business Administration from California Baptist College. He is also a licensed realtor and speaks Spanish fluently.
BRUCE SOLOMON
Senior Loan Officer
Bruce joined LA NHS in May 2007 as Sr. Loan Officer to assist with loan servicing, loan sales, collections, compliance, homeownership counseling, and loan origination (including direct, wholesale, retail, and correspondent).
Bruce received a B.A. degree in Economics from Cal State University, Northridge. He has over 25 years in the lending and non-profit fields. Prior to joining LA NHS, Bruce was employed as Vice President & Homeownership Center Manager at the Inglewood Neighborhood Housing Services for eight years. He also worked for a number of years as Senior Vice President & Chief Lending Officer at Broadway Federal Bank.
