The Coalition’s central staff works out of our Durham office to stay informed of the latest housing news, to remain proactive on housing-related issues in local, state, and federal arenas, and to promote housing opportunities for low- and moderate-income North Carolinians.
Anna Patterson, Senior Policy Analyst
Anna joined the Coalition in January 2022 as the Policy Analyst. She enjoys bridging research and practice to promote equitable housing policies and resources. Previously, Anna led efforts in local government to expand the supply of privately owned affordable rental housing through partnerships with private landlords. Anna completed her graduate training in public health (MPH) and affordable housing (MCRP) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her academic and professional experiences in the fields of affordable housing and public health equip her with a broad understanding of affordable housing policy, communicating with a variety of audiences, and using data to tell stories. Contact Anna at 919.827.4491 or apatterson (at) nchousing dot org.
Haley Solomon, Communications Director
Haley began working for the Coalition in February 2019 as the Membership and Communications Officer, where she enjoys connecting with member organizations across the state. Through her background in Americorps VISTA and nonprofit administration, she is experienced in capacity building and community relations. She has a BA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Contact Haley at 919.827.4492 or hsolomon (at) nchousing dot org.
Hudson Vaughan, Director of the Community Justice Collaborative
Hudson joined the coalition in January 2024 to develop the Pilot Community Justice Collaborative. He comes to the coalition with 15+ years of community organizing, community development, and nonprofit leadership experience. Hudson co-founded and served for a dozen years as a director of the Marian Cheek Jackson Center, an oral history and community development center in historically Black neighborhoods of Chapel Hill/Carrboro. For the last several years, Hudson has served as a consultant for housing justice and community engagement efforts across North Carolina, with a particular interest in mobilizing tools and strategies to prevent displacement in historically Black neighborhoods and support community self-determination and racial equity. Hudson has a BA from UNC-Chapel Hill and MDiv from Duke Divinity School. Hudson can be reached at hvaughan (at) nchousing dot org.
Jessica Griffin, Development Director
Jessica Griffin joined NCHC in 2021 as the Development Director. She grew up in Wake County and brings more than 13 years of nonprofit and fundraising experience. She is passionate about providing people the opportunity to invest and build community, building authentic relationships with stakeholders, and strategic system level planning. Jessica has worked at state level and multistate regional organizations, including membership and network based nonprofits. Most recently she served as Development Manager at the NC Partnership for Children.
Contact Jessica at 919.827.4498 or at jgriffin (at) nchousing dot org.
Samuel Gunter, Executive Director
Samuel has worked at the NC Housing Coalition since 2015. He currently chairs the Housing Recovery Support Function of the NC State Disaster Recovery Taskforce, is appointed to the NC Interagency Council On Coordinating Homeless Programs, and sits on the Board of Directors of the Council of Independent State Housing Associations. Samuel has a background in community development and public policy from his time at Habitat for Humanity of Wake County, AmeriCorps VISTA, and the Peace Corps. He is a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin (B.A.) and Duke Divinity School (M.Div), and is also a Baptist minister who has served churches in North Carolina and Texas. Contact Samuel at 919.827.4496 or sgunter (at) nchousing dot org.
Stacie Darden, Deputy Director
Stacie began working for the Coalition in January of 2011 through Accountemps as the bookkeeper. In August of 2011, she was hired as the Staff Accountant for the CHIN program. In 2015, her position title changed to Housing Programs Manager where she managed the Coalition’s housing programs and worked closely with local housing counseling agencies (LHCA) and counselors throughout North and South Carolina. In June 2019, she transitioned to an operations role with a promotion to Director of Operations and Programs. Her current role allows her to return to her first love of accounting and operations while still working with LHCAs across the state. Stacie has an MBA and BA in Bus. Admin/HR from Saint Leo University in Florida and has worked in nonprofit accounting since 2008. Contact Stacie at 919.800.0878 or sdarden (at) nchousing dot org.
Stephanie Watkins-Cruz, Director of Housing Policy
Stephanie Watkins-Cruz joined NCHC in August 2022 as the Director of Housing Policy. Stephanie is passionate about affordable housing, community engagement, and creating bridges for effective and creative collaboration to address community needs. Prior to joining NCHC Stephanie worked as a Policy Analyst for Chatham County where she was responsible for developing and implementing affordable housing policies and programs, facilitating strategic planning efforts, and providing support to organization leaders, officials, and community partners. She also worked as a Fellow with the Development Finance Institute at the UNC School of Government, and as a Collaborative database Project Manager for the Chatham County Council on Aging. She has a master’s degree in City & Regional Planning and Public Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a BA in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Asheville. Contact Stephanie at 919.442.8265 or swatkinscruz (at) nchousing dot org.
