2026

Alexa Sewell is the Senior Vice President for Multifamily Finance and Development - In this role Alexa is responsible for overseeing new construction and preservation of multifamily rental housing throughout the State as part of the Governor’s multi-year $25 billion housing plan. Before joining HCR in March of 2024, Alexa served as the chief executive and President of Settlement Housing Fund, a non-profit affordable housing developer in New York City. In her ten years at Settlement Housing Fund, Ms. Sewell oversaw a repositioning of Settlement’s portfolio, launched a new tenant case management program, and more than doubled the number of affordable housing units under ownership. Ms. Sewell was previously Senior Vice President for Corporate Strategy and External Affairs at The Community Preservation Corporation, a nationally recognized leader in affordable housing finance. She also held multiple roles at the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development, including as Deputy Commissioner and Chief of Staff, responsible for policy development, strategic initiatives, intergovernmental and external affairs. Prior to her work in New York, she worked in Washington as staff to the Appropriations Committee, as a policy analyst for The National Alliance to End Homelessness, and as a Presidential Management Fellow with the U.S. Department for Housing and Urban Development. Alexa has a Bachelor of Arts from Georgetown University and a Master of Public Policy from the University of Southern California.

Vickey Roberts, Director of Multifamily Housing Bonds with Invest Atlanta, is responsible for providing guidance and assistance to developers interested in multifamily housing developments utilizing tax-exempt bond financing with 4% tax credits and seven other financing tools – including HOB Multifamily and Beltline Affordable Housing TAD. Since 2017, she has been responsible for creating and preserving more than 9,000 affordable housing units and the completion of transactions totaling $2.8 billion in capital investment. As a 29-year veteran in the affordable housing arena, Roberts manages URFA’s budget of $5 million. She also collaborates with Invest Atlanta’s Compliance team on the management and operation of the agency’s multifamily Housing Bond Portfolio of approximately $2 billion and more than 25,000 units of housing. Roberts has certifications as a HFDP and HCCP. She steered the nomination and receipt of Invest Atlanta’s NALHFA’s prestigious Award of Multifamily Excellence in 2022 and 2024. 2023 CFL graduate.

Valerie White serves as the Head of National Housing Strategic Initiatives, where she leads the national effort to manage and grow over $30 billion in affordable housing investments across the One LISC enterprise--which includes LISC, the National Equity Fund, Loan Fund Management, and Broadstreet Impact Services. In her role, Valerie develops and implements plans to achieve capital growth and investment through innovative financing structures aimed at increasing access to capital for affordable housing development to brings a cohesive suite of products to local markets across the country. Valerie also spearheads the expansion of the One LISC pipeline to enhance housing unit production through collaborative strategies and execution within LISC and its affiliates. She designs strategies to extend the reach of proven programs throughout LISC’s geography. Valerie establishes LISC's position as a national leader and expert voice on affordable housing and grows partnerships among key national stakeholders. With over 30 years of experience in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors, Valerie joined LISC NY in April 2020 after serving as the Executive Vice President at Empire State Development (ESD) and as the Executive Director of the New York State Division of Minority and Women’s Business Development. Prior to that, she held the position of Vice President at the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation and spent over 17 years at Standard & Poor’s Global Ratings (S&P) as Managing Director, where she led the municipal finance structure securities and housing finance analytics division. In addition to her extensive professional background, Valerie is actively engaged in civic and community service. In December 2024, she was appointed to the New York City 2025 Charter Revision Commission, focusing on housing. Additionally, she serves the New York State Department of Financial Services Financial Innovation Advisory Board. Valerie is also an inaugural board member of Embrace Partners (a wholesale insurance firm), an advisory board member for the Fordham Urban Law Center, and a Fordham Law Alumni Association director. Valerie holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Law Degree from Fordham University, as well as a Master of Science and a Certificate in Organization Development from The New School.

David Davenport is a Managing Director at NY Green Bank on the Investment and Portfolio Management team. He is responsible for leading NY Green Bank’s disadvantaged community lending activities, including financing high-performance affordable housing and beneficial building electrification that serves historically marginalized New Yorkers. Mr. Davenport has over 30 years’ experience in real estate, finance, and government. Prior to joining NY Green Bank, Mr. Davenport served as Senior Vice President at Urban American Management and Managing Principal of its Urban Greenfit subsidiary, where he successfully led financing and development of energy efficiency & renewable energy projects in over 6,000 units of multifamily affordable housing that have been recognized as best-in-class in performance and financial innovation. Mr. Davenport previously served as a Vice President and Investment Officer at Citi Community Capital where he led nationwide programs investing in mixed-use real estate and affordable housing with debt and equity instruments utilizing new markets tax credits, low-income housing tax credits, historic tax credits, and other leveraged financing structures. Mr. Davenport earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Wesleyan University and a Master of Business Administration from Columbia Business School.

Rafael “Ray” Salaberrios serves as Senior Vice President for Capital Access within Empire State Development’s Division of Small Business and Technology Development (SBTD). In this role, he oversees a broad portfolio of economic development and small business financing initiatives designed to expand access to capital, stimulate private investment, and support economic growth throughout New York State. Ray leads the administration and deployment of New York State’s State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) debt programs. SSBCI is a federal initiative administered by the U.S. Department of the Treasury that strengthens state programs supporting private financing for small businesses. Under Ray’s leadership, ESD’s Capital Access team has deployed and leveraged approximately $94.3 million in SSBCI capital to support more than 4,014 small business financing transactions totaling over $297.6 million in public and private financing activity. These transactions included loan guarantees, credit enhancements, interest rate reductions, and other capital access initiatives designed to expand private lending and improve financing opportunities for New York State small businesses. In addition to SSBCI, Ray oversees several major financing programs within ESD’s portfolio, including the Metropolitan Economic Revitalization Fund (MERF), a $40 million revolving loan fund that supports large-scale, job-creating economic development projects, and the Job Development Authority (JDA), which provides direct lending and bond financing to eligible manufacturing and commercial enterprises across New York State. JDA is authorized to issue up to $750 million in special purpose bonds to support business expansion and economic development initiatives. Ray also oversees New York State’s $500 million Linked Deposit Program (LDP), which has supported 1,501 transactions totaling approximately $760.9 million in financing for manufacturers and small businesses statewide by lowering borrowing costs and improving access to affordable capital. The program serves as a key tool in enhancing business competitiveness, supporting expansion, and strengthening regional economies throughout New York State. Collectively, the programs within Ray’s portfolio have facilitated more than $1.05 billion in financing activity supporting CDFIs, small businesses, manufacturers, and economic development initiatives across New York State. Prior to his current role, Ray served as Senior Director for Economic Revitalization within ESD’s Community Economic Development Department, where he managed initiatives focused on generating economic activity and investment in distressed communities throughout New York State. Before joining Empire State Development, Ray served as President of the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation (BOEDC). Working under contract with the Office of the Bronx Borough President, BOEDC spearheaded major revitalization initiatives throughout the Bronx and provided technical assistance, business development services, and strategic support to entrepreneurs and businesses across the borough. Ray holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Lehman College.