A number of incredible leaders have joined Jubilee Housing recently, encompassing HR, Property Development and Management, Finance, Advancement, and more. These hires represent our continued commitment to building a remarkable team with a strong, shared commitment to justice housing during this exciting period of Jubilee Housing’s meaningful growth.
David Jefferson
Chief Operating Officer
Joined July 2022
David is responsible for leading strategic planning; managing human resources, finance and accounting, resident services, youth services, and research and evaluation; and overseeing property management. David was previously the Regional Vice President of Conifer Realty LLC in Rochester, New York, in addition to being an Adjunct Professor and Executive in Residence at the University of Maryland. He has served as the VP of Operations at Edgewood-Vantage Management and as Executive Director and CEO of Rockville Housing Enterprises. David has managed multiple teams and has demonstrated the ability and vision to lead the Operations of Jubilee Housing. David is earning his MBA at Loyola University in Baltimore. He has earned a Master of Divinity from Howard University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Sojourner Douglass College in Baltimore.
Dawanna (Dee Kay) Kennedy
Director of Development
Joined July 2022
Raised in Jersey City, New Jersey, Dee Kay knew early on that she would dedicate her life to serving vulnerable populations and reducing systematic barriers. In her role as Development Director, Dee Kay will help implement a robust strategic plan for deepening supporter engagement and stewarding relationships with current and potential donors. Dee Kay prides herself on cultural competency and her ability to create inclusive environments where staff and clients can flourish. A tireless fundraiser and grant writer, Dee Kay routinely exceeded fundraising goals in previous nonprofit leadership roles and brings years of experience serving at-risk populations to her new role as Director of Development. As a published author, LGBTQIA success coach, pastor, and new media thought leader, she excels at guiding organizations to reach vulnerable populations wherever they may be. A firm believer in one’s ability to help others heal, in March of 2019, Dee Kay published her second book: “Rewriting my Body: A Guided Journal for Tracing and Transcending Trauma”. She looks forward to bringing a new perspective into her new role as she dedicates herself to increasing donations, recruiting new supporters and increasing awareness, developing community connections, and cultivating repeat givers. She is a graduate of Seton Hall University’s Master in English Literature program, and holds a Doctorate of Divinity and Philosophy.
Yolanda Beale
Director of Property Management
Joined June 2022
Yolanda has worked in property management for almost three decades and previously worked with Faria Management, Winn Companies, Wilson Technologies, and Borger Management. Yolanda is a creative and dynamic problem solver with extensive property management experience in customer service, staff development, community relations, recruiting, budget control, resident relations, and property acquisitions. Yolanda’s property management expertise and passion for our mission are integral to our Justice Housing growth.
Shelia Davis
Director of Asset Management
Joined June 2022
Shelia Davis is a results-oriented professional with over twenty-five years of experience managing large affordable housing portfolios, new commercial developments, new acquisitions, housing compliance, and bringing distressed properties into compliance increasing occupancy rates. Ms. Davis has led efforts in identifying and facilitating new housing development, assisted living for seniors, veterans’ projects, commercial projects, and rehabilitation projects for private companies and housing authorities across the United States. She has a strong reputation as a superb team builder with stellar interpersonal skills who is proficient, meticulous, and forward thinking. While working with HUD on financing programs and the financing and design of mixed income neighborhoods, a repositioning strategy was developed. Under the heading of “Preserve, Grow, Diversify, and Expand Capacity”, Ms. Davis led a yearlong process to increase mixed income developments, replace inadequate public housing subsidies with Section 8 subsidies and RAD rents, re-syndicate expiring use properties, and improve the cash flow on underperforming properties.
Uloma Nwauche
Vice President of Finance
Joined December 2021
Uloma Nwauche brings significant financial experience and an ability to lead teams in a productive, efficient, and positive way. Her expertise includes preparation of financial statements, cash flow, budgeting, taxation, investment analysis, and coordination of financial management software. Her career also demonstrates her passion for helping organizations that address social injustice. Before joining Jubilee Housing, Uloma was the Director of Finance at the American Society for Cell Biology and the Director of Finance and Administration at the Maryland Coalition of Families. She also spent almost a decade with the National Association for Social Workers, managing the day-to-day financial operations. In addition, she was Controller for Lutheran Social Services, Asian Relief Inc, American Preferred Provider Plan Inc as well as Goodwill of Greater Washington where she also managed their Best Kept Buildings (BKB) and Workforce Organizations for Regional Collaboration (WORC) programs. Uloma is a registered licensed Certified Public Accountant. She received a BBA from Howard University and a MBA from Southeastern University.
Jilian Johnson
Vice President of Human Resources
Joined November 2021
Jilian oversees all human resource functions and collaborates with leadership to strategize and facilitate staffing capacity and work plans for Jubilee’s expansion. Jilian was selected for her expertise in human resources, demonstrated ability to build diverse and inclusive team cultures, and enthusiasm for our mission after an extensive national search led by Good Insight, a national executive search firm for nonprofits. She brings over 15 years of experience across various topics – from employee relations to performance management systems to compensation and payroll analysis. Her last position was at American Girl, Inc. She served as a key leadership member responsible for broadening organizational awareness about diversity and inclusion, increasing employee partnership, and fostering an inclusive, positive workplace.
Robert (Bob) Mannon
Director of Real Estate Development
Joined August 2021
Bob is a senior real estate executive with extensive development and management experience throughout the United States with some of the country’s most prominent brands, including McDonald’s and Marriott International. He has completed projects encompassing all aspects of development, including market analysis, site selection, financial analysis, contract negotiations, land entitlements, and design coordination. Project examples include mixed-use, adaptive reuse, historic tax credits, urban infill site, and LEED certification. He has developed projects in Washington, D.C., including the NOMA area and the Nationals ballpark. Before joining Jubilee, the Archer boutique hotel, his latest project opened in September 2021 in Tysons, Virginia.