Housing Leadership Council of Tampa Bay Announces 2024 Board of Directors
Housing Leadership Council of Tampa Bay Announces 2024 Board of Directors
Leadership tapped for regional housing advocacy organization
Tampa (February 8, 2024) – Working together to set an affordable housing agenda that crosses political boundaries and economic sectors, the Housing Leadership Council of Tampa Bay (HLCTB), a non-profit organization, announced its 2024 Board of Directors today.
“We are privileged to welcome esteemed professionals who have come forward to collaboratively tackle the pressing challenge of ensuring affordable, secure, and high-quality housing for every resident in the Tampa Bay region,” said Kimberly Overman, Chairman/CEO of Housing Leadership of Tampa Bay. “Access to housing is fundamental to the well-being of our community, and the formidable assembly of regional leaders will invigorate HLCTB’s commitment to expanding housing opportunities for all residents.”
Founded in May 2023, HLCTB board members include:
EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS
Kimberly Overman, CFP, President/CEO
President and CEO, The Financial Well
As a successful business owner, leader and economist, Overman’s expertise has been sought for numerous leadership roles serving businesses, non-profit entities, communities, and local governments.
With a strong commitment to community welfare, Overman has dedicated her career to public service, striving to create positive change and improve the lives of those around her. An experienced leader, Overman has served as a Hillsborough County Commissioner, where she successfully advocated for issues such as affordable housing, economic development, and environmental sustainability. Her tireless efforts have earned her recognition for her ability to bring diverse stakeholders together and find practical solutions to complex problems.
Dr. Elizabeth Strom, Vice President
Associate Professor in the School of Public Affairs at the University of South Florida
Dr. Strom previously served as the Director of USF’s Office of Community Engagement and Partnerships. She has published on urban development and affordable housing issues in such journals as the Urban Affairs Review, Journal of Urban Affairs, and Housing Policy Debates.
Among her many accomplishments, Dr. Strom served on the Affordable Housing Advisory Board of Hillsborough County. She holds a PhD in Political Science from the City University of New York (1996), a master’s in city Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1985), and a BA from Swarthmore College (1980). Prior to joining USF, she was Associate Professor of Political Science at Rutgers University-Newark.
Ricardo Gilmore, Esq., Secretary
Senior partner and co-founder of Saxon Gilmore
Ricardo Gilmore has practiced law for more than 40 years and specializes in the areas of business and corporate law, real estate, public finance, and commercial litigation. He serves as special counsel to housing authorities in Florida and other states relative to affordable housing development matters, involving a multiplicity of legal issues unique to housing authorities as well as applicable to governmental agencies and/or corporate entities. He has developed a specialty in public housing law and has been involved in two extensive litigation matters appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court that established nationwide precedents. Further, Gilmore has been involved in the establishment and operation of instrumentalities and affiliates associated with development and fundraising for housing authorities.
Alison A. Hewitt, Treasurer
President and CEO of Alison A. Hewitt and Associates
Alison Hewitt is a hands-on community development leader that possesses a wealth of practical business experience and a fresh vision for individuals interested in developing and growing their own businesses and bringing meaningful change to communities.
She has worked on large-scale developments; has experience in public funding projects, including grants; and knows how to partner with the private sector to get projects done.
Hewitt has over 20 years of successful economic development and community affairs management experience, including as the Executive Director for the State of Florida’s Office of Urban Opportunity in Tallahassee, FL. Hewitt implemented business assistance programs to over 200 businesses, marketing/branding strategies, public outreach and surveys and other Strategic Plan Activities to both Community Redevelopment Areas in Manatee County, South County and 14th Street CRAs.
BOARD MEMBERS
Elise Batsel, Esq.
Shareholder, Stearns Weaver
Elise Batsel is a shareholder and a member of the firm’s Board of Directors. She focuses her practice on land use, zoning, permitting, and transactional real estate. Batsel represents national and local developers and property owners before local, state, and federal governments on land use and land development issues. She has extensive experience representing clients in a broad range of matters involving variances, rezonings, permitting, licensing, comprehensive plan amendments, and entitlements for multi-family commercial, industrial, hotel, master planned and mixed-use projects. Batsel also has experience with economic development projects, as well as Public-Private Partnerships, and advises clients regarding the redevelopment of environmentally impacted sites and environmental and wetland permitting issues.
In the real estate arena, Batsel represents property owners and developers in acquisitions, dispositions, financings and leasing transactions.
Batsel is immediate past president of Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW), serves on the University of Florida (UF) Bergstrom Real Estate Advisory Board and is on the Board of Trustees, Hillsborough County Bar Foundation. Batsel was recognized by Florida Trend Legal Elite Women Leaders in Law 2023.
Layla Hayavi
Director, North Tampa Housing Development Corporation of Tampa Housing Authority
Hayavi is the Performance Based Contract Administrator (PBCA) for the Project Based Section 8 Program in the State of Florida and the Virgin Islands and has been involved in the PBCA program since 2006. She also serves as the Director of Business Operations for Related Entities of the Tampa Housing Authority.
She has also worked for a unit of local government as the Manager of Affordable Housing Programs at Hillsborough County, Florida where she oversaw the CDBG, HOME, SHIP, Local Housing Trust Fund and NSP programs. She is also recognized as an expert in the fields of performance-based project administration, Community Development, and housing regulatory standards.
Hayavi also serves on the board of several local and national affordable housing and community organizations including the Housing Administrators Coalition, National Leased Housing Association and Leadership Hillsborough.
Dr. Gladys Sanchez Santiago
Senior Manager, Economic Opportunity, Enterprising Latinas
A native of Puerto Rico, Dr. Santiago is a graduate of University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus with a degree in physical science. She is credentialed as a childcare teacher by the Florida Department of Children and Families and has worked as a preschool and VPK teacher for the Redland Christian Migrant Association (RCMA) and as early childhood specialist.
Dr. Sanchez is a bilingual preschool professional specialist for the CDA national assessment, PQA and CLASS certification for infant, toddler, and preschool levels. In 2020, she completed the doctoral studies in education specializing in learning systems and environments.
Dr. Santiago is owner and founder of GS Educational Consultant LLC, providing educational consulting including module reviewing, curriculum creation, authoring books, and research methodology. Dr. Santiago is a faculty member at the Humboldt International University in Miami. As Senior Manager of Economic Opportunity at Enterprising Latinas in Wimauma, Dr. Santiago works to help women achieve financial independence.
Latoria “Tori” Boyd
President, Signature Property Group
With over 24 years of industry knowledge and experience in all areas of real estate from management to development, Boyd has led property and asset management, compliance, planning and development teams.
She is responsible for the implementation of comprehensive business plans, marketing and management initiatives, and strategies that promote the optimum achievement of operational, financial, and overall performance of the portfolio.
For more than a decade, Boyd’s Signature Property Services, a full-service professional property consultant company she established in 2013, Boyd has played a significant leadership role in developing both conventional and affordable multifamily housing communities throughout the west coast of Florida. Her depth of experience includes spearheading numerous projects from acquisition through construction, lease up, stabilization and management.
Nathan Hagen
Chapter Lead, YIMBY Tampa
As the Chapter Lead for YIMBY (Yes In My Back Yard) Tampa, Nathan Hagen advocates for thoughtful urban development and community engagement. A Tampa native, Hagen is dedicated to fostering a community mindset that supports sustainable growth. In addition to community work, Nathan is the founder of a technology company. Whether working on tech solutions or leading YIMBY Tampa, Nathan’s overarching goal is to connect progress with community well-being. Rooted in the belief that positive change begins locally, he consistently contributes his skills and vision to create a more vibrant, inclusive, and forward-thinking Tampa.
“By creating this coalition of housing related stakeholders and organizations, the leaders and communities within the Tampa Bay region can work together to address the housing crisis and make housing more accessible and available to our region’s families and workforce,” said Overman.
About the Housing Leadership Council of Tampa Bay
Founded in May 2023, the Housing Leadership Council of Tampa Bay Inc., is a non-profit organization dedicated to advocating for affordable, safe, and quality housing for all residents in the Tampa Bay region of West Central Florida.
Members and partners include housing developers, both private and non-profit community development corporations or CDCs, local governmental agencies, lenders, national affordable housing innovators, lease-purchase intermediaries, HUD-certified homebuyer counseling agencies, realtors, U.S. Treasury-certified Community Development Financial Institutions or CDFIs, advocacy and research organizations, community action organizations, and others committed to the goals of not only access to home ownership but also equitable access to rental homes.
For more information, please visit https://hlctb.org/