Speakers
Keynote
Michelle Kennedy (Photo: Jeb Wallace-Brodeur)
Michelle Kennedy of Chelsea, Vermont, will deliver our keynote speech.
She's the author of 10 books, including 2005's "Without a Net: Middle Class and Homeless (with Kids) in America" (ISBN: 0143036785). The book details her life at 24 as a recent ex-American University student and homeless mother living with three children in her station wagon.
"Michelle Kennedy's story challenges stereotypes of about who becomes homeless and how," Nan Roman, president of the National Alliance to End Homelessness, writes on the back cover of "Without a Net."
"Her struggle to find affordable housing and her inability to access programs designed to help those in need underscore the need to address our nation's housing crisis."
A native of Baltimore, Maryland, Michelle has written several books, nearly all of them about parenting. Her work has also appeared in The New York Times, Salon.com and The Christian Science Monitor. In 2004 she was nominated for a Pushcart Prize.
In addition to writing, she's held a variety of jobs including waitress, bartender, nursing assistant, Ben and Jerry's tour guide, restaurant owner, farmer, musher, bread-baker, and U.S. Senate page.
Workshop panelists
Clay Adams
Chief Operating Officer, RSG Inc.
Workshop: The Economy and Housing, 2:45 pm-4:00 pm
Shirley Allen
Member, Video Voices/Mercy Connections
Workshop: Homelessness: Myths of Poverty, 1:15 pm-2:30 pm
Robert Appel
Executive Director, Vermont Human Rights Commission
Workshop: Consumer Concerns, 2:45 pm-4:00 pm
Todd Bailey
Executive Director, Vermont League of Conservation Voters
Workshop: Building Local Support for Housing Development, 1:15 pm-2:30 pm
Dona Bate
President/Owner, dbate speaking
Workshop: Building Local Support for Housing Development, 1:15 pm-2:30 pm
Joss Besse
Director, Division of Community Planning and Revitalization, Vermont Department of Housing & Community Affairs
Workshop: Planning/Zoning: Regulations, 10:45 am-12:00 pm
Kathy Beyer
Senior Developer, Housing Vermont
Workshop: Planning/Zoning: Regulations, 10:45 am-12:00 pm
Ludy Biddle
Executive Director, NeighborWorks of Western Vermont
Workshop: Responsible Borrowing and Lending, 10:45 am-12:00 pm
Leslie Black-Plumeau
Research Analyst, Vermont Housing Finance Agency
Workshop: Cottage Development, 2:45 pm-4:00 pm
Greg Brown
Committee Chair, Dummerston Housing Advisory Committee
Workshop: Building Local Support for Housing Development, 1:15 pm-2:30 pm
Anne Buley
Member, Video Voices/Mercy Connections
Workshop: Homelessness: Myths of Poverty, 1:15 pm-2:30 pm
Thomas Candon
Deputy Commissioner of Banking and Securities, Vermont Department of Banking, Insurance, Securities & Health Care Administration
Workshop: Responsible Borrowing and Lending, 10:45 am-12:00 pm
Andrew Cay
President, Integrated Solar Applications Corp.
Workshop: Green Building, 10:45 am-12:00 pm
Sue Clark
Regulatory & Consumer Affairs Director, Vermont Department of Banking, Insurance, Securities & Health Care Administration
Workshop: Responsible Borrowing and Lending, 10:45 am-12:00 pm
Marion Classen
Executive Director, Northeast Kingdom Youth Services
Workshop: Homelessness: Fundraising, 2:45 pm-4:00 pm
Susan Coddaire
Owner, studio b architecture
Workshop: Planning/Zoning: Moving from Density to Design, 1:15 pm-2:30 pm
Hal Cohen
Executive Director, Central Vermont Community Action Council
Workshop: Consumer Concerns, 2:45 pm-4:00 pm
Michael Crane
President, Crane Associates Inc.
Workshop: Market Analysis, 2:45 pm-4:00 pm
Liz Curry
Loan Fund Manager, Champlain Housing Trust
Workshop: Responsible Borrowing and Lending, 10:45 am-12:00 pm
Rick DeAngelis
Associate Director for Housing Policy and Research, Vermont Housing and Conservation Board
Workshop: Green Building, 10:45 am-12:00 pm
Marcy Dedam
Member, Video Voices/Mercy Connections
Workshop: Homelessness: Myths of Poverty, 1:15 pm-2:30 pm
Catherine Dimitruk
Executive Director, Northwest Regional Planning Commission
Workshop: Planning/Zoning: Regulations, 10:45 am-12:00 pm
James Drummond
Senior Project Designer & Project Manager, Black River Design Architects
Workshop: Planning/Zoning: Moving from Density to Design, 1:15 pm-2:30 pm
Anne Duncan Cooley
Executive Director, Upper Valley Housing Coalition
Workshop: Cottage Development, 2:45 pm-4:00 pm
John Fairbanks
Public Affairs Manager, Vermont Housing Finance Agency
Workshops: Federal Housing Policy, 10:45 am-12:00 pm; The Economy and Housing, 2:45 pm-4:00 pm
Betsy Ferries
Executive Director, Mercy Connections
Workshop: Homelessness: Myths of Poverty, 1:15 pm-2:30 pm
Aaron Gornstein
Executive Director, Citizens' Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA)
Workshop: Federal Housing Policy, 10:45 am-12:00 pm
Josh Hanford
Director, Vermont Community Development Program, Vermont Department of Housing & Community Affairs
Workshop: Housing 101 (Part II), 1:15 pm-2:30 pm
Christine Hart
Executive Director, Brattleboro Housing Authority
Workshop: Homelessness: Supportive Housing, 10:45 am-12:00 pm
Donald Hayes
Student/Research Associate, Vermont Law School
Workshop: Planning/Zoning: Regulations, 10:45 am-12:00 pm
Emily Higgins
Director of HomeOwnership, Champlain Housing Trust
Workshop: Planning/Zoning: Moving from Density to Design, 1:15 pm-2:30 pm
Juli Beth Hinds
Senior Project Manager, VHB Pioneer
Workshop: Planning/Zoning: Getting Communities Housing-Ready, 2:45 pm-4:00 pm
Lori Hirshfield
Planning & Development Services Director, Town of Hartford
Workshop: Cottage Development, 2:45 pm-4:00 pm
Doug Hoffer
Research and Policy Analysis Consultant
Workshop: The Economy and Housing, 2:45 pm-4:00 pm
Karen Horn
Director of Public Policy & Advocacy, Vermont League of Cities and Towns
Workshop: State Housing Policy, 1:15 pm-2:30 pm
Reanna Huestis
Video Voices/Mercy Connections
Workshop: Homelessness: Myths of Poverty, 1:15 pm-2:30 pm
Daniel Johnson
Architect, Watershed Studio Architecture
Workshop: Cottage Development, 2:45 pm-4:00 pm
Stephanie Juaire
Member, Video Voices/Mercy Connections
Workshop: Homelessness: Myths of Poverty, 1:15 pm-2:30 pm
Kurt Kaffenberger
Partner, O'Brien & Kaffenberger Inc.
Workshop: Market Analysis, 2:45 pm-4:00 pm
Tom Ketteridge
Managing Director, Upper Valley Haven
Workshop: Homelessness: Fundraising, 2:45 pm-4:00 pm
Ariane Kissam
Housing Analyst, Vermont Housing & Conservation Board
Workshop: Costs of Development, 1:15 pm-2:30 pm
Jackie Konkol
Video Voices/Mercy Connections
Workshop: Homelessness: Myths of Poverty, 1:15 pm-2:30 pm
Dana Kozak
Assistant Vice President of Default Servicing, U.S. Bank
Workshop: Responsible Borrowing and Lending, 10:45 am-12:00 pm
Beth Krueger
Grants Manager, Committee on Temporary Shelter (COTS)
Workshops: Homelessness: Myths of Poverty, 1:15 pm-2:30 pm; Homelessness: Fundraising, 2:45 pm-4:00 pm
Mindy LaBranche
Legislative and Policy Associate, National Council of State Housing Agencies
Workshop: Federal Housing Policy, 10:45 am-12:00 pm
Erhard Mahnke
Coordinator, Vermont Affordable Housing Coalition
Workshops: Housing 101 (Part I), 10:45 am-12:00 pm; State Housing Policy, 1:15 pm-2:30 pm
Paul Mascitti
Executive Director, Good Samaritan Haven
Workshop: Homelessness: Supportive Housing, 10:45 am-12:00 pm
James McIntyre
Vice President, Housing Group, Morgan Stanley
Workshop: The Economy and Housing, 2:45 pm-4:00 pm
Mike McNamara
Burlington Field Office Director, U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development
Workshop: Housing 101 (Part I), 10:45 am-12:00 pm
Mary Mitchell
Coordinator, Video Voices/Mercy Connections
Workshop: Homelessness: Myths of Poverty, 1:15 pm-2:30 pm
Jim Mullen
Municipal Manager, Town of Rockingham/Village of Bellows Falls
Workshop: Planning/Zoning: Moving from Density to Design, 1:15 pm-2:30 pm
Polly Nichol
Director of Housing Programs, Vermont Housing & Conservation Board
Workshop: Housing 101 (Part II), 1:15 pm-2:30 pm
Dale Niles
Member, Video Voices/Mercy Connections
Workshop: Homelessness: Myths of Poverty, 1:15 pm-2:30 pm
Liza Plantilla
President, Vermont Green Building Network
Workshop: Consumer Concerns, 2:45 pm-4:00 pm
Cynthia Reid
Senior Development Underwriter, Vermont Housing Finance Agency
Workshops: Housing 101 (Part I), 10:45 am-12:00 pm; Planning/Zoning: Getting Communities Housing-Ready, 2:45 pm-4:00 pm
Douglas Rice
Housing Policy Analyst, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
Workshop: Federal Housing Policy, 10:45 am-12:00 pm
Garth Rieman
Director of Housing Advocacy and Strategic Initiatives, National Council of State Housing Agencies (NCSHA)
Workshop: Federal Housing Policy, 10:45 am-12:00 pm
Linda A. Ryan
Vermont Coalition to End Homelessness
Workshop: Homelessness: Supportive Housing, 10:45 am-12:00 pm
Kenn Sassorossi
Vice President, Asset Management & Partner Relations, Housing Vermont
Workshop: Housing 101 (Part II), 1:15 pm-2:30 pm
Jim Saudade
Deputy Secretary, Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development
Workshop: State Housing Policy, 1:15 pm-2:30 pm
John Shullenberger
Of Counsel, Sirotkin and Necrason
Workshop: State Housing Policy, 1:15 pm-2:30 pm
Joe Sinagra
Executive Officer, Home Builders and Remodelers Association of Northern Vermont
Workshop: Costs of Development, 1:15 pm-2:30 pm
Natalie Sinkew
Member, Video Voices/Mercy Connections
Workshop: Homelessness: Myths of Poverty, 1:15 pm-2:30 pm
Ward A. Smyth
President & Head Turtle, Turtle Creek Builders Ltd.
Workshop: Green Building, 10:45 am-12:00 pm
Chris Snyder
Executive Vice President, The Snyder Companies
Workshop: Costs of Development, 1:15 pm-2:30 pm
Kellie Stoll
Member, Hinesburg Affordable Housing Committee
Workshop: Building Local Support for Housing Development, 1:15 pm-2:30 pm
Jason Van Driesche
Program Director, Smart Growth Vermont
Workshop: Planning/Zoning: Moving from Density to Design, 1:15 pm-2:30 pm
Bruce Whitney
HomeOwnership Center Director, Rockingham Area Community Land Trust
Workshop: Housing 101 (Part I), 10:45 am-12:00 pm
Amy Wright
Development Director, Cathedral Square Corp.
Workshop: Planning/Zoning: Getting Communities Housing-Ready, 2:45 pm-4:00 pm
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