National Summit Agenda

The CDFA Virtual National Summit is five days of learning, reflection, and conversation about the financing solutions our economy needs. Throughout 2021, CDFA has focused on four key concepts: Restore, Preserve, Invest, and Protect. These themes formed the basis of our policy agenda, Development Finance Solutions for Building Back Better, and they will guide our discussions this week. To kick us off, CDFA leadership will share their opening remarks.

• Darla Garrett, Director, Maryland Department of Commerce
• Steve Johnson, Director, Community Development, Colorado Housing and Finance Authority
• Toby Rittner, President & CEO, Council of Development Finance Agencies

What have we experienced since we gathered together last November for the CDFA Virtual National Summit? It’s been quite a year. Many of us have seen more capital and more opportunity flow to our communities than ever before, yet the distress in our economies is still felt by many neighborhoods, businesses, and residents. Innovative development finance solutions are needed, and we have a once in a lifetime chance at building evergreen funds that last for generations. How do we do it? Let’s dig in and get to work.

• The Local Crowd

• Antonio Portuondo, Managing Director, The Bank of New York Mellon

• Dana Bezerra, President, Heron Foundation
• Richard Overmoyer, Chief Executive Officer, Fourth Economy Consulting
• Diane Sontum, Co-founder and CEO, The Local Crowd, LLC
• Brett Theodos, Senior Fellow, Urban Institute

This year began with the ushering in of the Biden-Harris Administration and a new Congress, and with that, one of the largest investments in recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. The $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan (ARPA) included several key programs that are important to the development finance industry. This session will explore how ARPA programs like State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds and the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) are providing capital to support small businesses, housing, and infrastructure.

• Frances Kern Mennone, Managing Director, FBT Project Finance Advisors LLC

• Farah Ahmad, Chief of Staff for Rural Development, U.S. Department of Agriculture
• Craig Buerstatte, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Regional Affairs, U.S. Economic Development Administration
• Christiana McFarland, Research Director, National League of Cities
• Adair Morse, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Capital Access, U.S. Department of the Treasury
• Todd Richardson, General Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
• Troy Vosseller, Co-Founder, gener8tor

Investing in rural communities to support redevelopment, infrastructure, and job creation requires a careful combination of several capital sources, including bonds, TIF, loans, grants, and more. Creative capital stacks are essential to seeing ongoing investment in small businesses. You won’t want to miss this encore presentation from one of the most engaging CDFA webinar sessions this year.

• Matt Eckerle, Principal, Baker Tilly

• Jennifer Cummings, Director of Business Programs, Finance Authority of Maine
• Johanna Nelson, Strategic Program Manager
• Adam Rose, Director of Strategic Partnerships and Growth, Travois New Markets, LLC

More capital than ever before has been allocated to support tribal-based small businesses, both those located on tribal land and those owned by Native Americans. Developing an understanding of tribal business practices and engaging with trusted partners is critical to successfully deploying capital. This session will feature insights on preserving and growing the small business sector in tribal communities.

• Andy Struckhoff, President, PGAV Planners, LLC

• Tina Begay, Lead Trainer and Curriculum Developer, Native Business Development, Sister Sky Inc.
• Dave Castillo, Chief Executive Officer, Native Community Capital
• Tim Guardipee, Loan Fund Director, Native American Development Corporation

DFAs must think strategically and creatively about pipeline development in order to support their mission. Are you connecting with the businesses and neighborhoods you want to serve? Are there partners who could help connect your organization to key stakeholders you have a hard time reaching? What type of engagement is meaningful to advancing your goals? We’ll discuss how community engagement can be reimagined for greater impact in reaching underserved and underbanked small businesses.

• California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank (IBank)

• Andre' Ashmore, Director of Governmental Affairs, Ice Miller LLP

• Rachel Bridenstine, Vice President, Development Finance Authority of Summit County
• Megan Hodapp, Small Business Finance Center Program Manager, IBank
• Rosa Rios Valdez, CEO, BCL of Texas
• Jennifer Wilhelm, Director of Commercial Lending, Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh

How are communities tackling issues of inequality? How are financing institutions improving their relationship with minority borrowers? How are cities investing in social infrastructure (think housing, education, green space) for underserved communities? Join us as we explore innovative approaches for promoting equitable economic development.

• Ira Weinstein, Principal, CohnReznick LLP

• Duanne Andrade, CEO/CFO, Solar and Energy Loan Fund
• Lisa Berglund, Assistant Professor of Urban Planning, Dalhousie University
• Neal Richardson, Executive Director, St. Louis Development Corporation

How can development finance agencies improve access to capital for minority developers? This session will feature research conducted by this year’s Franzini Fellows to better understand the current availability of pre-development tools and financing for women, Black, Latino, Asian, and Indigenous developers. The conversation will focus on ways that the development finance industry can advance social equity in our communities.

• Anna Horevay, Associate, McGuireWoods LLP

• Michelle Barnett, Senior Vice President of Economic and Workforce Development, Racer Trust
• Ashley Jones, Community Program Manager, Microsoft
• Elizabeth Limbrick, Director, New Jersey Economic Development Authority
• Sima Thakkar, Senior Director of Healthcare & Climate, Raza Development Fund, Inc.

Opportunity Zones have been a major catalyst for revitalizing Erie, PA, attracting $40 million in OZ investment for the redevelopment of historic buildings into hundreds of residential units and commercial spaces. OZs are only one piece of the puzzle, and multiple financing sources have been layered to realize the vision of a more thriving community in one of the nation’s poorest zip codes. Join us as we discuss the investment solutions that are driving the revitalization of downtown Erie.

• Robert Swanger, Managing Director, Stern Brothers

• Karen Bilowith, President & CEO , The Erie Community Foundation
• Christina Marsh, Chief Diversity and Community Development Officer, Erie Insurance
• John Persinger, CEO, Erie Downtown Development Corporation
• Jonathan Tower, Founder and Managing Partner, Arctaris Impact Fund

Extreme weather events and natural hazards pose a threat to communities across the country. Taking measures to plan for these, mitigate their severity, and recover from the destruction requires capital and investment that DFAs can provide. This session will discuss financing solutions that disaster-prone areas are taking to protect and preserve their communities.

• Emily Metzler, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, MuniCap, Inc.

• Mysheka Battiste, Director of Innovations & Technology, Finance Authority of New Orleans
• Alejandro Contreras, Director of Preparedness, Communication and Coordination, U.S. Small Business Administration
• Jill Jamieson, CEO, Illuminati Infrastructure Advisors

In 2018, the Puna region on the Big Island of Hawai’i experienced one of the worst natural disasters in the state’s history when the Kīlauea volcano erupted and destroyed 13.7 square miles of land and 700 homes. CDFA is working with Hawai’i County Research & Development to identify financing solutions that will help the Puna region reinvest and rebuild. During this session, hear how they are working to strengthen their local food system through the development of resilience hubs in the Puna region.

• Emmett Kelly, Attorney, Frost Brown Todd LLC

• Ashley Kierkiewicz, Council Member, Hawai'i County Council
• Katie Kramer, Vice President, Council of Development Finance Agencies

Join CDFA as we honor this year’s recipients of the Excellence in Development Finance Awards.

CDFA is the only organization that tracks comprehensive information about the issuance of private activity bonds and trends in volume cap. What have we learned about how states are using bonds during the pandemic? Which bonds are used the most? The least? And how can we allocate volume cap to meet local business and infrastructure needs? We’ll dive into two years worth of data to explore shock, recovery, and investment in the bond market.

• John Wooten, Head of Municipal Placements, Wells Fargo Securities

• Whitney Fason, Attorney, Florida Division of Bond Finance
• Kyle Glazier, Reporter, The Bond Buyer
• Nancee Robles, Executive Director, California State Treasurer's Office
• Greg Zagorski, Senior Homeownership Policy Specialist, National Council of State Housing Agencies

High performing DFAs exist at all levels of government, and no matter their size, they had to pivot in the last year to meet the ongoing economic uncertainty in our communities. Those that thrived brought us new programs, creative underwriting, impressive leveraging, and much more. This session will feature DFAs talking about innovations they implemented -- everything from organizational components like program design and governance to keeping up with changing capital needs and identifying new community partners.

• Caleb Bell, Attorney, Bricker & Eckler LLP

• Brett Doney, President & CEO, Great Falls Montana Development Authority
• Mary Kerner, CEO, Rural Nevada Development Corporation
• Justin Vause, Commercial Loan Officer III, Colorado Housing and Finance Authority