The Greater Minnesota Housing Fund (GMHF) is a Community Development Financial Institution that advances affordable housing all across Minnesota. It provides funding and technical assistance, builds bridges to financial resources, and identifies innovative approaches to the production and maintenance of housing. In his role, Nate Dorr works with housing developers and communities to implement a wide variety of strategies to improve housing options in rural and tribal communities.

Dorr has a rich background in community development from his work in philanthropy, state and local agencies, and tribal communities. Prior to joining GMHF, he worked at Northwest Minnesota Foundation, where he led public policy, equity, and inclusion efforts. He holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a master’s degree in public policy and nonprofit management from the University of Minnesota. Dorr is a Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe descendant who lives and works in Bemidji.

RTHawk Housing Alliance is a Native American-owned and -led consulting firm that provides consulting, asset management, and compliance services for multifamily housing properties. In her role, Lorna Fogg leads the company’s work on financing and developing new projects.

Fogg has worked with Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTCs) since 1995. Prior to coming to RTHawk, Fogg was the president and CEO of Travois Consulting and VitalSpirit, affordable housing consulting firms that specialized in working with Native Nations and tribal communities. She also held a leadership role at Raymond James Tax Credit Funds. In that position, she played an important role in the earliest uses of LIHTCs to support projects in Indian Country.

Emily Hamilton’s research focuses on urban economics and land use policy. She publishes both academic research and policy work. Her research often highlights state-level approaches that support housing production and affordability. Hamilton’s writing has appeared in academic journals, the popular press, and the Congressional Record.

In addition to her academic and writing work, Hamilton served on the Montana Governor’s Housing Task Force that supported state-level regulatory reform in the Big Sky State. She has also testified before the U.S. House of Representatives and several state legislatures. Hamilton serves on the advisory boards of Up for Growth and Cityscape, a journal published by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. She received her Ph.D. in economics from George Mason University and is an alumnus of the Mercatus MA Fellowship.

Ben Horowitz researches and writes about housing affordability. His work focuses on communities within the Ninth District of the Federal Reserve. He also leads engagement-driven qualitative research projects that focus on the economic well-being of low- and moderate-income households. Horowitz has a B.A. in journalism from Arizona State University and a master’s in public administration from Princeton University. Before coming to the Bank, he worked for a labor union and in the nonprofit sector.

Dan Madler serves as Chief Executive Officer of Beyond Shelter, Inc. (BSI), a mission driven nonprofit based in Fargo, North Dakota, dedicated to developing and preserving affordable housing. Since joining BSI in March 2003, Dan has been a driving force behind the creation of more than 1,650 affordable homes across the region.

With over 32 years of experience in the affordable housing industry, Dan provides strategic leadership, guidance, and inspiration to BSI’s team and community partners. His role encompasses representing and promoting the organization, expanding its impact, and ensuring that both development and fiscal operations meet the evolving needs of the regional housing market.

Dan’s commitment to community extends far beyond his role at BSI. He currently serves as on the boards of CENTRE, Inc. and Cass County Human Service Zone Board. His past leadership includes serving on the Advisory Council for the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines, as well as on the board of the North Dakota Association of Nonprofit Organizations. He has also contributed to numerous committees addressing affordable housing and broader community needs.

AARP North Dakota has supported efforts that would make it easier for older North Dakotans to remain independent in their homes. To that end, they connect local governments to resources to help them update their local ordinances to better support housing production. 

Janelle Moos organizes and coordinates state and federal advocacy on issues of importance to the 86,000 AARP members in North Dakota. She supports volunteers and members who are engaged in working on those issues. Moos served on a recent statewide task force focused on housing affordability. Prior to joining AARP North Dakota, Moos spent nearly 20 years leading the policy and advocacy initiatives for victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault where she served on numerous state and national boards and commissions. Moos received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Criminal Justice from Minnesota State University at Moorhead and her Master of Science in Criminal Justice from Minot State University.

Currently serving as the interim chancellor for the North Dakota University System, Brent Sanford’s varied career has given him multiple perspectives on the housing sector. Sanford served on the Watford City Council, then as the city’s mayor, beginning in 2006. During part of his tenure, Watford City was the fastest growing community in America. Sanford then served as North Dakota’s lieutenant governor from 2016 to 2023. In that role, he presided over the State Senate. He also chaired numerous state boards and focused on developing infrastructure and economic opportunities across the state.

Brent Sanford was born and raised in Watford City, North Dakota. He graduated from the University of North Dakota in 1994 and is a certified public accountant. Prior to his public service, he worked as an auditor and consultant for Eide Bailly LLP, as the CFO for Transwest Trucks, and was the third generation to operate his family’s car dealership in Watford City.

Using the Minneapolis Fed’s capacity for applied research, data exploration, and policy analysis, Libby Starling focuses on deepening the Bank’s understanding of housing affordability, concentrating on effective housing policies and practices that make a difference for low- and moderate-income families in the Ninth Federal Reserve District.

Prior to joining the Fed in 2019, Starling was the deputy director of the Community Development Division at the Metropolitan Council, where, among other accomplishments, she led the agency’s development of its 2040 Housing Policy Plan. Previously, she was the director of research and evaluation for the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency. She holds a Master of Planning degree from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota.

Alene Tchourumoff serves as senior vice president leading three divisions: Talent and Engagement, the Learning Management Support Office, and Community Development and Engagement, which includes the Center for Indian Country Development. In these roles she leads the Bank’s internal human resources as well as the Bank’s external engagement with communities throughout the Ninth District, with an emphasis on low- and moderate-income people and those living in Indian Country.

Prior to joining the Bank in December 2018, Tchourumoff served as chair of Minnesota’s Metropolitan Council, where she built strong partnerships with local governments and community groups to advance transit, housing, and other critical infrastructure. She has also held leadership roles in the executive branch of the State of Minnesota and Hennepin County.

The Nebraska Investment Finance Authority (NIFA) is the state’s housing finance agency. The organization’s mission is to “grow Nebraska communities through affordable housing and agribusiness.” NIFA supports the development and maintenance of homeownership and rental opportunities for low- and moderate-income households.

John Turner has worked at NIFA since 2018. Including his time with NIFA, he has worked in the housing industry for more than 30 years. In his current role, among other things, he coordinates NIFA’s efforts with providers and other public agencies. Turner’s experience includes time in leadership roles and working directly with people in need of housing and supportive services. He has served in several capacities on Nebraska’s Commission on Housing and Homelessness.

Norm Van Eeden Petersman is the director of membership at Strong Towns, a nonprofit advocacy organization that supports cities and towns as they establish patterns of development that are financially resilient. He lives in Delta, British Columbia, a city of about 115,000 people. There, he also leads Deltans for People-Oriented Places, a land use reform and housing advocacy group.

Van Eeden Petersman has a Master of Divinity degree and a bachelor’s degree in political studies. He spent 10 years pastoring churches in Canada as a preacher, teacher, and leader. He worked in communications for the second-largest city in British Columbia and carried out infrastructure-related stakeholder outreach for Canada’s Minister of Health and the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario in Ottawa, Ontario.