Christy Respress has more than 20 years of experience working with individuals who are experiencing homelessness and living with complex behavioral health challenges. She has worked with Pathways to Housing for 17 years, and has been in the role of Executive Director of Pathways to Housing DC since January 2011. She has extensive knowledge of Housing First and has provided technical assistance to agencies and communities around the world to implement this innovative model. She is also the President of the Board of Directors of the DC Behavioral Health Association. Christy received her Bachelor of Arts in Social Work from The Catholic University of America and her Masters in Social Work from Howard University.

Kelly Pence joins Pathways with more than 20 years of expertise in both for-profit and nonprofit management, including leading and supporting teams of diverse backgrounds and cultures. An experienced business operations executive, she most recently served as Senior Director of Domestic Operations for a global humanitarian organization working in more than 30 countries, where she handled everything from choosing paint colors for an office refresh to managing worldwide procurement, contracting, and insurance programs.

Kelly is a resourceful keep-it-simple problem-solver who thrives on challenges and the opportunity to make a tangible difference in people’s lives. She earned an MBA from Walden University and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Towson University. She lives in Maryland with her husband Jack and their child Raegan, two dogs, one cat, and 3 feisty hermit crabs. In her down time, she enjoys running, tackling small DIYs, and binge watching cooking shows!

Monica Harrington is the Director of Institutional Advancement

Raymond Sallay comes to Pathways to Housing DC bringing more than 20 years of experience working in various leadership roles in Finance and Accounting. He most recently served as Director of Finance and Administration at Center for Research Libraries in Chicago. While there, he automated the accounting functions, developed rigorous internal controls, and built a healthy reserve due to his calculated budget, cash, and investment management.

Raymond, a native Washingtonian, joined Pathways to Housing DC in 2021 and serves as the Director of Finance. While growing up in Washington, D.C., he participated in the Marion Barry Summer Youth Employment program where his first job was working at Pierce Shelter cleaning the facility. His exposure to people experiencing homelessness and the desire to serve the community where he was raised peaked his interest in working with Pathways DC. He holds a B.S. in Accounting from Lincoln University, PA and has served on several non-profit boards including Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Chicago, The Twenty Pearls of BETA Foundation, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., and the Dominican Republic Sports and Education Academy.

Sara Brown currently serves as the program manager for the Veteran’s Housing First Team at Pathways to Housing DC. She is a graduate of North Carolina A&T State University and received her Master of Social Work Degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Having begun her career in her first social work internship placement at a transitional housing center for homeless women and families, Sara has always been passionate about helping people find permanent housing. Sara is also extremely passionate about veteran’s issues and has been working with homeless veterans at Pathways since 2012. She is proud to be a part of the collaborative effort to end veteran homelessness throughout the country, and especially here in Washington DC.

Adam Maier, a native Washingtonian, joined Pathways to Housing DC in 2011 and serves as the Director of Housing Partnerships. Adam and his team have successfully created relationships with over 150 Washington landlords who rent to our tenants. Adam brought over 27 years of experience with the City Council of the District of Columbia and 5 years’ experience at the United States Senate. At the Council, he oversaw the operations of thirteen human service and public works agencies. Among many responsibilities, he served as Staff Director of the Committee on Human Services and as Staff Director for the Committee on the Environment and Public Works. He was also the Executive Director of Independent Living for the Handicapped that provided housing in Washington, DC for adults with severe physical disabilities, and has been an owner of commercial real estate for over 40 years. For eighteen years Adam has been a member of National Community Church where he is an active member of their international mission teams, homeless and youth ministry. Adam is a Joslin Diabetic Center 50 year Medalist, a Mayoral appointee to the District of Columbia Human Rights Commission, and is a former Board member of The Arc of DC. Adam received a Bachelor of Arts with Honors in Public Administration and Philosophy from the University of Maryland.

Sarafina Cooper is the Director of Population and Integrated Health. Before Pathways to Housing DC, Sarafina led a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-funded pilot project to support multi-state physicians in implementing health equitable care coordination for populations disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.

Her previous experience also includes creating award-winning grant proposals and continuing medical education at the American College of Preventive Medicine and producing trauma-informed injury and violence prevention projects and strategic planning at the Maryland Department for Health. Sarafina is a Certified Health Education Specialist and earned a Master of Public Health from Liberty University’s School of Health Sciences.

Adam Maier, a native Washingtonian, joined Pathways to Housing DC in 2011 and serves as the Director of Housing Partnerships. Adam and his team have successfully created relationships with over 150 Washington landlords who rent to our tenants. Adam brought over 27 years of experience with the City Council of the District of Columbia and 5 years’ experience at the United States Senate. At the Council, he oversaw the operations of thirteen human service and public works agencies. Among many responsibilities, he served as Staff Director of the Committee on Human Services and as Staff Director for the Committee on the Environment and Public Works. He was also the Executive Director of Independent Living for the Handicapped that provided housing in Washington, DC for adults with severe physical disabilities, and has been an owner of commercial real estate for over 40 years. For eighteen years Adam has been a member of National Community Church where he is an active member of their international mission teams, homeless and youth ministry. Adam is a Joslin Diabetic Center 50 year Medalist, a Mayoral appointee to the District of Columbia Human Rights Commission, and is a former Board member of The Arc of DC. Adam received a Bachelor of Arts with Honors in Public Administration and Philosophy from the University of Maryland.

Sarafina Cooper is the Director of Population and Integrated Health. Before Pathways to Housing DC, Sarafina led a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-funded pilot project to support multi-state physicians in implementing health equitable care coordination for populations disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.

Her previous experience also includes creating award-winning grant proposals and continuing medical education at the American College of Preventive Medicine and producing trauma-informed injury and violence prevention projects and strategic planning at the Maryland Department for Health. Sarafina is a Certified Health Education Specialist and earned a Master of Public Health from Liberty University’s School of Health Sciences.

Adam Maier, a native Washingtonian, joined Pathways to Housing DC in 2011 and serves as the Director of Housing Partnerships. Adam and his team have successfully created relationships with over 150 Washington landlords who rent to our tenants. Adam brought over 27 years of experience with the City Council of the District of Columbia and 5 years’ experience at the United States Senate. At the Council, he oversaw the operations of thirteen human service and public works agencies. Among many responsibilities, he served as Staff Director of the Committee on Human Services and as Staff Director for the Committee on the Environment and Public Works. He was also the Executive Director of Independent Living for the Handicapped that provided housing in Washington, DC for adults with severe physical disabilities, and has been an owner of commercial real estate for over 40 years. For eighteen years Adam has been a member of National Community Church where he is an active member of their international mission teams, homeless and youth ministry. Adam is a Joslin Diabetic Center 50 year Medalist, a Mayoral appointee to the District of Columbia Human Rights Commission, and is a former Board member of The Arc of DC. Adam received a Bachelor of Arts with Honors in Public Administration and Philosophy from the University of Maryland.

Sarafina Cooper is the Director of Population and Integrated Health. Before Pathways to Housing DC, Sarafina led a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-funded pilot project to support multi-state physicians in implementing health equitable care coordination for populations disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.

Her previous experience also includes creating award-winning grant proposals and continuing medical education at the American College of Preventive Medicine and producing trauma-informed injury and violence prevention projects and strategic planning at the Maryland Department for Health. Sarafina is a Certified Health Education Specialist and earned a Master of Public Health from Liberty University’s School of Health Sciences.

Bernard Fulton is the Vice President of Government Relations at Housing Policy Council.

Bernard has over twenty years’ experience in and around the United States Congress as a policy advisor, legislative analyst, lobbyist, strategist, and political organizer. His positions and appointments have included serving as legislative director for Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, legislative representative for City of New York under Michael Bloomberg, head of Congressional relations for HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan and Julián Castro, and legislative consultant for organizations in the private, government and non-profit sectors.

Bernard’s legislative experience encompasses a broad spectrum of policy areas, including financial services, housing and community development, appropriations, taxes, telecommunications, public safety, and social services.

Bernard is a successful advocate adept at engaging with policy-makers, community groups and political organizers at all levels and also has extensive experience writing, monitoring, and negotiating legislative proposals and reform bills.

Bernard is a 1991 graduate of Harvard College and received his J.D. from U.C.L.A. School of Law in 1994. He lives in Washington, DC with his wife, Erika Thomas, an attorney with BakerHostetler and a former Federal prosecutor, and children. He serves as a Board Member with Pathways to Housing DC.

Kevin is a program officer with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s Economic Mobility and Opportunity team. Based in DC, his work focuses on helping local governments improve long-term economic mobility outcomes for individuals experiencing poverty and advancing academic research on poverty and opportunity. Prior to joining the Gates Foundation, he served as a management consultant working across sectors with leading philanthropies, local governments, and direct service organizations seeking to expand opportunities for our nation’s most vulnerable individuals. Kevin has a bachelor’s in business administration from the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor. He joined the Board of Directors in 2023.

Albert Townsend joins the Alliance as its Director of Lived Experience and Innovation. He supports community leaders in developing and implementing the Alliance’s plan to partner with people with lived experience. He develops the Alliance’s position around incorporating people with lived experience to assure the organization is practicing diversity, inclusion and equality. His role will create face to face, virtual, and social dialogues that intentionally support unsheltered and formerly unsheltered advocates on how to make change in their communities and be the best possible version of themselves. Albert will be building a network of coalitions and creating a community framework to assure all community voices are heard, and that the Alliance’s infrastructure is aligned to provide ongoing support and guidance for community advocates to be the developers, creators, and implementers of their work.