Before I joined the Emerging Developers Program at Richmond Neighborhood Housing Services, I had built a successful career in real estate, but I knew I wanted to do more than help people buy homes. I wanted to help create them. My goal was to transition into development and become part of the solution to our region's housing challenges.

Completing the program in June 2025 was a pivotal moment in my career. EDP gave me more than technical knowledge. It gave me the confidence, credibility, mentorship, and network to pursue opportunities that once felt out of reach, and it reinforced my belief that my years in real estate, project management, and affordable housing could become a pathway toward becoming a mission-driven housing developer. I enrolled looking for direction. What I found was a community that believed in me before many others did, and the confidence to step into spaces where emerging developers are often underrepresented.

Since graduating, my journey has accelerated in ways I could not have imagined. I became actively involved with the Urban Land Institute (ULI), where I volunteered as an UrbanPlan facilitator, helping high school students understand the complexities of land use, development, and community building. My commitment to ULI earned an award that affirmed the impact of that engagement, and that recognition opened doors to even greater opportunities. I was selected for ULI's Next Level Cohort, where I continue to learn from and collaborate with some of the region's most accomplished real estate and development professionals. I was also selected for the Housing Action Coalition's Developer Pathway Program, which is equipping me with the tools, mentorship, and industry relationships needed to navigate the complexities of housing development in the Bay Area.

Each of these experiences has built on the foundation RNHS helped establish. Today I am building relationships with industry leaders and positioning myself to lead development projects that create affordable housing and lasting opportunity for underserved communities. My story is still being written, but there is no question that the Emerging Developers Program played a defining role in this chapter. I am honored to share my journey as part of Changing the Narrative and to celebrate the impact RNHS has had on my life and the lives of so many emerging developers.