HBCDE Advisory Board

Dave Foreman
CFO, Opportunity Council
Bellingham, WA
David Foreman is the CFO of Opportunity Council and also serves as the managing director of OC Housing Partners, a related social enterprise. Prior to joining Opportunity Council in 2015, he spent over 25 years as a learner and leader in domestic and international faith-based nonprofits and private social service organizations. David is a Certified Public Accountant licensed in Oregon, is a former National Head Start Fellow and is a former trainer and technical assistance provider with the National Center on Program Management and Fiscal Operations for the Office of Head Start. Dave is active in the community and his service includes participation on the board of Impact Capital.

Lowel J. Krueger, CPA, MBA
Executive Director, Yakima Housing Authority
Yakima, WA
Lowel Krueger was born and raised in the lower Yakima Valley area. He holds a Master of Business Administration from Washington State University and completed the Senior Executives in State and Local Government program from Harvard University's John F. Kennedy's School of Government. Lowel became interested in affordable housing while working for the Washington State Auditor's Office and was the lead auditor on several public housing authority audits. He was the chief financial officer for the Yakama Nation Housing Authority where he worked with the management team to obtain over $11 million in funding for affordable housing projects on the Yakama Reservation. Currently, Lowel is the executive director of the Yakima Housing Authority, serving over 1,700 families. Lowel has been innovative in his approach to affordable housing by leading the first housing authority in the United States to complete the renovation of its former public housing units through the Rental Assistance Demonstration program. Lowel is active in the community and his service includes acting as the vice chair of Washington State Housing Finance Commission, as an Executive Committee member and board member of Impact Capital (2011) and as a member of the NAHRO Community Revitalization and Development Committee.

Marcus Mundy
Executive Director, Coalition of Communities of Color
Portland, OR
Marcus Mundy has served as the Coalition of Communities of Color's executive director since 2018. Prior to joining the Coalition, Marcus was principal at Mundy Consulting LLC, an Oregon state certified minority small business. His practice assisted clients in various disciplines, including achieving equity, diversity and inclusion in personnel, contracting, supplier diversity, development and administrative areas; and achieving compliance with respect to applicable laws, regulations and accreditation standards for healthcare businesses and others. Prior to his role at Mundy Consulting, Marcus served as the president and CEO of the Urban League of Portland, was the vice president and regional compliance officer for Kaiser Permanente Northwest and has held a host of other leadership positions. Marcus earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Howard University and attended Howard University's Graduate School of Business. He received his Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Oregon's Executive MBA program. Marcus is active in the community and his service includes participation on the boards of OHSU Foundation Board, State Labor Commissioner's Oregon Council on Civil Rights, Oregon Community Foundation's Regional Advisory Initiative, Coalition for a Livable Future, EcoDistricts and Upstream Public Health.

Estela Ortega
Executive Director, El Centro de la Raza
Seattle, WA
Estela Ortega is one of the founders of El Centro de la Raza and serves as its Executive Director since 2009. Her social justice work began in the late 60's protesting the Viet Nam war, picketing for Farmworker rights, working on political campaigns and registering Chicanos to vote in the barrios of Houston, Texas. Estela has spent the last 50 years helping build El Centro into a civil rights organization, a hub for all who want to engage in civic action through community empowerment; providing human, educational, housing, economic development, cultural and advocacy programs. Ortega is also responsible for the development of Plaza Roberto Maestas a $45 million community-inspired affordable housing project next to El Centro de la Raza. Estela's unwavering commitment to building community and advocating for those most marginalized has earned recognition from the Seattle Seahawks, the National Education Association, the Northwest Progressive Institute, and in 2020 she was named one of the Seattle Times 13 Most Influential People of the Decade.

Jane Pavek
Community Strategy and Administrative Specialist, NewWest Community Capital
Boise, ID
Jane Pavek is responsible for coordinating all of NewWest's external communications and outreach, which includes building new and engaging existing stakeholder relationships. Jane is also responsible for the implementation and management of the organization's information and data platforms and impact analysis. A 28-year banking veteran, Jane began her career in 1993 with First Security Bank (purchased by Wells Fargo in 2000) in the management trainee program. She worked as a mortgage loan officer until 1996 when she took a position in community development. Jane oversaw the implementation of the Community Reinvestment Act by promoting Wells Fargo's involvement in affordable housing, economic development, financial education and community orientated programs and services throughout Idaho, Montana and Nevada. Jane currently serves as vice president of the NeighborWorks Montana board as well as the Idaho Community Reinvestment Corporation board.

Christopher Persons
CEO, Community Roots Housing
Seattle, WA
Christopher Persons grew up in central Michigan and studied at the University of Michigan before becoming a small business owner. Chris's career in mission-based organizations began at a grass roots youth center in Flint where he took a pilot program of the Genesee County Department of Human Services and incorporated it as a standalone nonprofit. From there, Chris went on to lead the Community Reconciliation Center in Grand Rapids before moving to Chicago. Chris was the executive director of Streetwise Newspaper before taking the helm at Inspiration Cafe, a homeless and housing services agency. Chris guided the organization through two mergers, started a housing program and opened a restaurant that doubled as a job training and employment center. Chris and his family moved to Seattle in 2007 when he became CEO of Community Roots Housing. He has led the organization through significant transition and growth overseeing the development of several award-winning properties, the creation of the Community Roots Housing Foundation and the creation of the Capitol Hill EcoDistrict, which leads the community's efforts around resilience and equity. Chris is active in the community and his service includes participation on the boards of Housing Partnership Network and Seattle Crescent Collaborative.

Rogelio Riojas
President & CEO, Sea Mar Community Health Centers
Seattle, WA
Rogelio Riojas, MHA, has served as president and CEO of Sea Mar Community Health Centers since 1978. Sea Mar is a health and human services nonprofit organization committed to providing quality, comprehensive health, human and housing services to diverse communities, specializing in service to Latinos. Under his leadership, the organization has grown from a small community clinic in the South Park neighborhood of Seattle, to a large multi-faceted health and human services organization serving more than 240,000 individuals annually in 10 counties throughout Washington. He has a bachelor's degree in economics and political science and a master's degree in health administration from the University of Washington. Rogelio is active in the community and his service includes participation on the University of Washington Board of Regents, Board of Directors of Coordinated Community Care Network and the President's Advisory Committee of South Seattle Community College.