Beyond Four Walls: Conversations on Affordable Housing

In this week's episode, we welcome Debra Still, retired CEO and Vice Chair of Pulte Financial Services and a recipient of NHC's 2026 Housing Visionary Award, which will be presented at NHC's Annual Gala on June 24 at The Anthem in Washington, D.C. For more than four decades, Debra has been a leading voice in mortgage finance, helping guide the industry through periods of growth, disruption, and transformation. She joins NHC President and CEO David Dworkin for a conversation on leadership, housing affordability, the future of homeownership, and the growing role of AI in housing finance. Drawing on her experience leading through events such as 9/11, the 2008 financial crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic, Still reflects on the lessons she learned navigating change, breaking barriers, and helping shape housing policy and finance over the course of her distinguished career.

In this week's episode, we welcome Bill Emerson, Board Member of Rocket Companies and a recipient of this year's Housing Visionary Award, which will be presented at NHC's annual Gala on June 24 at The Anthem in Washington, DC. After more than three decades in the mortgage industry, Emerson joins NHC President and CEO David Dworkin to discuss the lessons he's learned leading through periods of rapid growth, market disruption, and economic uncertainty. Drawing on experience from nearly every level of the business, Emerson shares insights on leadership, organizational culture, risk management, and the evolving future of housing finance.

In this week's episode, we welcome Janneke Ratcliffe, Vice President for the Housing and Communities Division at the Urban Institute, a nonprofit research organization that has been providing data and evidence to help advance upward mobility and equity for more than 50 years. Over a career that spans industry, the nonprofit sector, academic research, and the federal government, her work focuses on increasing access to financial systems that foster economic security and prosperity. Ratcliffe joins NHC President and CEO David Dworkin to discuss the roots of America's housing crisis—from supply shortages and rising costs to barriers in Black homeownership—emphasizing that housing affordability is the strongest predictor of homelessness.

In this week's episode we welcome Christopher Tyson, President of the National Community Stabilization Trust (NCST), where he leads the organization's efforts to expand affordable homeownership by lending capital to revitalize vacant single-family homes, advocating for policy innovation and reform, and facilitating transactions that strengthen the single-family housing supply and stabilize neighborhoods. Since 2008, NCST has facilitated the transfer of more than 28,000 homes, and collaborated with local practitioners to stabilize neighborhoods and increase housing supply across the nation. Tyson joins NHC President and CEO David Dworkin to discuss how NCST is addressing the affordable housing shortage while supporting local organizations to rehabilitate distressed homes and sustain long-term neighborhood stability. They also discuss the barriers to scaling rehabilitation nationwide and how NCST is working through partnerships and policy solutions to overcome them.

In this week's episode, NHC President and CEO David Dworkin sits down with Joseph Becerra, a true pioneer and changemaker in street medicine and community health, whom he had the privilege of shadowing in the field in Los Angeles. Becerra, the original community health worker and co-founder of USC Street Medicine, recounts his remarkable journey from over fifteen years of homelessness to becoming a Certified Addiction Treatment Counselor, Clinical Supervisor, and Gang Interventionist. He reflects on his lifelong commitment to serving underserved communities, incarcerated individuals, and at-risk youth, while using his expertise to expand health care and support for unsheltered populations.

In this week's episode we welcome Sydelle Knepper, Founder and CEO of SKA Marin, a renowned firm recognized for its impactful contributions to real estate and community development across New York and beyond. With more than 30 years of experience, Knepper brings unmatched expertise in both the private and public sectors, having overseen more than a billion dollars in constructed project value. Knepper joins NHC President and CEO David Dworkin discuss the future of affordable senior housing, the evolving demand, and the critical connection between housing and healthcare. Together, they examine the role of Section 8 vouchers and explore how public-private partnerships can help meet the growing needs of older adults.

In this week's episode, we welcome Patrick Dodd, President and CEO of Cotality, formerly known as CoreLogic. Cotality uses real-time property data and insights to help agents, lenders, insurers, and innovators uncover risks, seize opportunities, and drive meaningful impact across the property ecosystem. Dodd joins NHC President and CEO David Dworkin to discuss how Cotality is redefining its role in the housing ecosystem and addressing today's housing trends—from the impact of rising interest rates and insurance costs to how AI is reshaping the property and housing industry, and what it all means for younger generations striving to achieve homeownership.

In this week's episode, NHC President and CEO David Dworkin talks with Amy Hovey, Executive Director & CEO of the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, and Robin Wiessmann, Executive Director and CEO of the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, to discuss how housing finance agencies are addressing the affordable housing shortage in their states. Amy Hovey is the first woman to lead the Michigan State Housing Development Authority. With more than 20 years of experience across government, philanthropy, and the private sector, Amy has built a career rooted in community development and revitalization—from her work in Flint with the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation to her time in Washington, D.C. as senior vice president and CEO of the Center for Community Progress. Robin Wiessmann has a wealth of experience spanning public service and high-level finance. She previously served as Pennsylvania's State Treasurer and the state's Secretary of Banking and Securities. As a national infrastructure investment banker, Wiessmann was a Founding Principal and President of Artemis Capital Group, the first women-owned investment banking firm on Wall Street, and held positions at Goldman Sachs and Merrill Lynch.