Event program and presenter bios - Berkshire Taconic Community ...

and distinguished history of public service. Since 1999, Matthew has held a variety ofpositions in both State and Federal government, most recently serving as a memberof the Senior Staff to Governor Cuomo in the NYS Executive Chamber. Prior to that, hehad served in the Chamber under Governor Paterson, handling a range of high-levelresponsibilities, including intergovernmental affairs and planning. He has also heldsenior positions in Offices of U.S. Senators, as well as in the Clinton White House.ELTON O. OGDENPresident, Berkshire Housing Development CorporationElton Ogden has worked in the nonprofit sector for 25 years spending the majority ofthat time working on housing and community development issues. In December 2006he was hired as President and CEO of Berkshire Housing Development Corporation,a private nonprofit housing and community development organization that servesBerkshire County through the development and management of affordable housing,delivery of rental assistance and housing stabilization resources, providing housingcounseling and education, and carrying out community development projects.DAVID RICHExecutive Director, Fairfield ‘08David Rich leads Fairfield 08, an alliance of eight leading permanent supportive housingproviders whose mission is to eliminate chronic homelessness in Connecticut. He hasalso worked to provide affordable housing as the Executive Director for the MutualHousing Association in New Haven, CT, as well as Chair of HousingUs—BerkshireTaconic's regional affordable housing initiative. His professional career has focusedon the creation of social enterprises and sustainable business initiatives in India,Belize, and the US, advising and developing worker-owned companies, cooperatives,and community-based organizations. He graduated from Yale University with a BA inPolitical Science in 1984, and later received a Masters in Urban Studies from SouthernConnecticut State University and a Masters in Management from the J.L KelloggGraduate School of Management at Northwestern University. David is also secretary ofBerkshire Taconic Community Foundation’s Board of Directors.BLAIR SEBASTIANExecutive Director, New York State Rural Housing CoalitionBlair Sebastian has served as a spokesperson in Albany and Washington on housingand community development issues as they affect rural communities in New York Statesince 1997. Blair also directs the Rural Housing Coalition’s Training and TechnicalAssistance efforts aimed at supporting a network of nearly one hundred nonprofit,community based organizations that are working to address the housing and communitydevelopment needs of rural communities and small towns throughout New York State.MOLLYE WOLAHANDeputy Director of Housing, Women's Institute for Housing and Economic DevelopmentMollye Wolahan serves as the Deputy Director of Housing at the Women's Institute forHousing and Economic Development. She has over twenty years of experience in thereal estate and community development fields. Joining the Women’s Institute in 2011, sheoversees the development pipeline, asset management and marketing functions for theorganization. Before joining the Women’s Institute, Mollye was Principal of CommunityDevelopment Resources, a real estate development services consulting firm. Prior tothat, she was Director of Community Development for the resort community of MountainVillage, Colorado. Mollye is a graduate of Bowdoin College and holds a Master in CityPlanning and Master of Science in Real Estate Development from the MassachusettsInstitute of Technology.