Dennis Amos
Dennis Amos has been with Hurt & Proffitt’s (H&P) engineering and surveying firm since 2005, currently serving as the Vice President of Engineering for H&P’s Blacksburg office. He began his career with the West Virginia Department of Transportation, and has experience working with water and sewer systems, transportation systems and hydraulic analysis. In the course of his career, Amos has successfully completed numerous projects including the installation of numerous miles of water and wastewater infrastructure, as well as multiple projects that require the coordination of multiple utility owners within VDOT rights-of-way on complex projects, as well as natural gas, telephone, electric and fiber optic providers among others.
Joe Blevins
Joe Blevins has worked at every level of government in his 30 year career in public service, starting in the banking industry and serving in the U.S. Marine Corps before starting his career in community development and becoming a project manager at the Mount Rogers Planning District Commission. He joined the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development in 1999, and currently serves as the program manager for the Abingdon Field Office, where he assists grantees with administering projects in the Community Development Block Grant, Appalachian Regional Commission and other various state-funded programs.
Kathi Boatright, GPC
Kathi Boatright has nearly 15 years of experience in grant writing, proposal development and project management for nonprofits, colleges and universities as well as units of government, having earned two degrees in geography and a Grant Professional Certification (GPC). Ms. Boatright has served as a community development specialist for the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development’s Abington Field Office since 2016, and is known by her coworkers as the “chief taco mapper,” and “keeper of the taco map.” In her spare time, she enjoys spending time in the mountains and valleys of Southwest Virginia with her bearded husband and two (not bearded) children.
Elizabeth Boehringer
Elizabeth Boehringer is a Community Development Specialist within the Program Administration and Assistance Office of the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. Working out of the Richmond office, she has administered Community Development Block Grant and Indoor Plumbing Rehabilitation projects for more than twenty years. Ms. Boehringer has worked for state and local governments in South Dakota, Wisconsin and Virginia, assisting communities in planning, transit, historic preservation, housing and community development activities. She earned her B.A. degree in Urban Studies from Valparaiso University (Indiana) and her Masters in Regional Planning from Cornell University (New York). Traveling, gardening, reading, watching Dr. Who and playing with her furbabies are among her favorite activities.
Ramona Chapman
Ramona Chapman serves as a capacity development specialist and tribal liaison at the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development’s office of policy and strategy development. Drawing from her 30-year career in community development and human services, Ms. Chapman manages state and federally funded programs and facilitates workshops covering topics such as organizational risk management, nonprofit board governance and leadership transition training planning. She earned a master’s degree in health sciences and higher education administration from James Madison University and in her down time serves on nonprofit boards and fosters her passion for agriculture and genealogical research.
Kelly Charapich
Kelly Charapich has been with the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development since 2017, where she began as an administrative assistant before becoming a community development specialist in the Abingdon Field Office in 2018. In her position, Ms. Charapich primarily works with Community Development Block Grants and Appalachian Regional Commission Grants. Her background is varied, including work in the mental health field and with non-profits. As a lifelong resident of Southwest Virginia, Kelly enjoys working with her localities and spending her off time exploring the communities of the state. When she is not working, she enjoys gardening, journaling, crocheting and reading.
John Clark
John Clark is currently serving his second term as Town Manager of Chilihowie, Virginia, having come out of retirement seven years ago to serve the Town of Chilihowie for three months as an intern. He was inducted as a Lifetime Member of the Virginia Local Government Association in 2013, having previously served as the Town Manager of Marion, Saltville, Independence, and Tazewell in his more than 30 years of experience in local government. He is a graduate of Virginia Tech majoring in History and is delighted he made Virginia local government his career.
Daniel Farrell
Daniel Farrell serves as the Associate Director of the Energy Efficiency Office at Virginia’s Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), where he coordinates DHCD’s implementation of Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) funding to support increasing energy efficiency, durability, and resident health and safety in affordable housing in Virginia. Prior to joining DHCD, Dan worked for the Virginia Department of Energy (DMME) and has worked in residential and commercial building energy efficiency programs for over 18 years, in Washington State, New York and Virginia. Dan holds an MPA from the University of Washington, and undergraduate degree from The Evergreen State College.
Jessica Gaines
Jessica Gaines is a community development specialist from the Richmond office. Jes joined the PAAO after completing the two years Virginia Management Fellowship program and is eager to work with Grantees to create sustainable improvements for Virginians. Jes is also the owner of cat and Opal, the yellow Rottie, both of whom love joining virtual meetings.
Jay Grant
Jay Grant serves as Director of Outreach, Planning, and Compliance at the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). His office is charged with expanding the reach and accessibility to agency programs and beyond while fostering holistic approaches to housing and community development efforts that meet community needs and meet program requirements. Prior to starting this position in May of 2021, Jay served as Deputy Director of Community Development at DHCD beginning in 2018. He firmly believes in a holistic approach to community revitalization with emphasis on the importance of local efforts and collaboration to arrive at solutions unique to the respective community needs. Jay previously served with DHCD from 2007-2008 as a policy analyst before working for the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for just under ten years as a Community Planning and Development (CPD) representative responsible for ensuring Federal housing/community development-related grant compliance. Mr. Grant earned a bachelor’s degree in business marketing management from Virginia Tech and a masters degree in city and regional planning from the University of Pennsylvania, where he met his wife. In his down time, he enjoys gardening, kayaking, piano and coaching basketball.
Carlton Hassell
Carlton is a Community Development Specialist in the Richmond office. Carlton previously worked for a construction company and as a project manager for the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services. He enjoys playing kids music on his guitar for his wife and two kids at his home in the Northside of Richmond, VA.
Amanda Healy
Amanda Healy is one of the Associate Directors in the newly-minted Community Development and Housing Division at DHCD. The majority of her years of public service have been at DHCD as a Community Development Specialist and a Program Manager, as well as in her current role at DHCD. She has also worked at nonprofits and other state agencies. Amanda believes that our actions display our values, and that MORE community engagement improves our outcomes and our lives.
Susan Hill
Susan Hill is the Lead Hazard Reduction (LHR) Program Manager for the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. She earned her Lead Inspector/Risk Assessor license in 2013 and was the inaugural staffer for the LHR program when it began in early 2020. Her background in energy efficiency, weatherization, and healthy homes rounds out her experience in the housing sector. Susan is the mother of a one-year-old and a three-year-old, and is grateful her work protects other young children from lead-based paint exposure.
Rachel Jordan
Rachel Jordan is the Policy Analyst for Community Development with the Outreach, Planning, and Compliance team at the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. Rachel helps manage the state Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), and other programs offered through the Housing and Community Development Division. Through her supportive role of project and program development of these programs, these community development efforts are designed to provide resources and opportunities to communities in need, as well as provide sustainable strategies to create lasting community partnerships.
Lauren Kunkel
Lauren Kunkel is the Project and Reporting Analyst at the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). As a former Community Development Specialist at DHCD, Lauren brings her program administration knowledge to the Operations Division working to promote inter-divisional communication and improve reporting outputs for the agency. She now focuses on managing the Centralized Application and Management System (CAMS) in addition to creating specialized program reports and offering program set-up guidance. Lauren is a JMU graduate and life-long Virginian. She loves spending time outside, repurposing/refinishing old furniture, and teaching Asher (her foster-fail pup) new tricks.
Dr. Melissa F. Mason
Dr. Mason holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, a Master of Business Administration, Master of Divinity, a Doctorate in Ministry, and is currently working on her PhD in Organizational Leadership. She served on the Mathews County School Board from 2016 to 2019, and she currently serves as Vice-Chairman on the Mathews County Board of Supervisors, making her the first African American woman to serve on the Board of Supervisors. She also serves as a program analyst for the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development in the Division of Housing and Community Development division. Dr. Mason is a mother of three and grandmother of four.
Christopher V Mattox, MBA
Christopher Mattox has 20 years of state procurement experience. Since 2007, he has served as the Senior Procurement Officer for the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. Prior to his service as DHCD, he served as a procurement specialist for the Virginia Department of Transportation specializing in information technology procurements. Christopher holds an MBA from Averett University.
Cheri Miles
Cheri Miles is the program manager for the ARS (Acquire, Renovate, Sell) Program and the NSP (Neighborhood Stabilization Program). She has worked at DHCD for 13 years. She spent three decades in mortgage lending, banking, non profit, and public service. She is one-part mentor, one-part manager, one-part problem solver, one-part fireman, one-part real estate entrepreneur, one-part farmer, and three-parts cat herder.
Joanne Peerman
Joanne Peerman joined the staff of DHCD in 2001 as a Community Rep. In 2007 Joanne became a Program Manager for the Community Development Division. She has over 35 years of experience in the housing and community development field.
Sandra Powell
Sandra Powell serves as the Sr. Deputy Director of the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). She joined the agency in October 2021. Sandra is responsible for providing strategic leadership of the Community Development and Housing division which is focused on creating and implementing solutions in partnership with all levels of government, nonprofits, and the private sector to achieve key housing and community development outcomes.
Prior to DHCD, Sandra came to us from Newport News Redevelopment and Housing Authority (NNRHA), where she served as the deputy executive director. Sandra began with NNRHA in 2000 and, during her time there, has held several affordable housing roles and substantially progressive leadership positions, including eight years as the community development director.
In her role as NNRHA’s deputy executive director, she provided day-to-day leadership of all NNRHA operational activities related to implementing organizational and department goals and strategies. She coordinated various department activities and guided department directors to ensure the authority meets the goals of its leadership and residents and assured regulatory compliance of NNRHA with HUD, as well as state and city regulations.
Some of Sandra’s accomplishments while at NNRHA included her contribution to the success of the $30 million Choice Neighborhood Initiative Grant and the conversion of 296 housing units under HUD’s Rental Assistance Demonstration program. Sandra’s other focus areas include homeownership, construction and renovation. She and her team collaborated with the planning and implementation of the city’s infrastructure and economic development efforts.
Sandra holds a bachelor’s from Christopher Newport University and a M.P.A from Old Dominion University. She has also achieved her Housing Development Finance Professional Certification.
Tonya Thomas
Tonya is the Grants Financial Services Manager at the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). She began working at DHCD on December 25, 2008 in the Housing Division as the Grants Financial Compliance Specialist. Her experience with grants in a financial capacity spans almost 23 years.
Chase Sawyer
Chase Sawyer is a program analyst with the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) in the Outreach, Planning, and Compliance Office. In this role, Chase works in partnership with Virginia localities to identify community needs and leverage the appropriate resources offered by DHCD. Chase came to DHCD from Powhatan County where he oversaw the day-to-day operations of the County Administration Office and worked across all departments to achieve strategic priorities, such as expanding broadband coverage. Chase is a graduate of Southern Virginia University.
Matt Weaver
Matt Weaver is an Associate Director for Community Development at the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). The agency provides community development, economic development and housing program support to communities across the Commonwealth while encouraging regional collaboration between localities and other key partners. Matt currently works to align the agency’s goals and programmatic objectives to meet the needs of communities and partners throughout the Commonwealth. Matt currently is developing projects for the Community Development Block Grant and Appalachian Regional Commission programs while supporting state funded initiatives promoting economic development. Matt has experience as a long-range planner in local government as well as comprehensive and strategic planning at the regional planning district commission level in Virginia.
Angela Wolfe
Angela is a Regional Planner with the Mount Rogers Planning District Commission where she has worked since 2014. In her capacity as a planner she has worked with several localities and organizations on various CDBG, ARC, VDOT, DCR, water/wastewater, and TIC projects to include Downtown Revitalizations, the construction of indoor and outdoor farmers markets, community centers, construction of water systems to bring water to homes in underserved communities, and construction of sidewalks and trails in multiple localities.
