You can search our staff directory by department or name.
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Fraynke Atkinson
Lending Coordinator
One of my favorite things about working with NeighborWorks Home Partners is how each and every one of the people I work with, directly or Indirectly, has this amazing passion to help others. I’ve never been a part of an organization that is so dedicated to truly impacting our neighborhoods for the better. It’s that feeling and surrounding energy that makes you want to jump in and get your hands dirty!
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Matt Brown
Construction Manager
I was a contractor for many years prior to transitioning to work in nonprofit affordable housing, working for five years supervising construction of houses for Habitat for Humanity prior to joining NeighborWorks Home Partners in 2004. I work with all of our home improvement lending clients as construction manager and rehab specialist, facilitating meetings with contractors and homeowners and verifying work is completed and of high quality. I’m a licensed contractor and continue to take training in all aspects of the construction field.
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Gina DeNardo Graf
Housing Counselor
I have spent my career supporting individuals and families as they achieve their financial goals. I love seeing others succeed, and being part of that success is one of my joys in life. Working at NeighborWorks Home Partners as a Housing Counselor, I am able to be the unbiased coach in new home buyer’s team as they achieve the American Dream of owning a home! One of my favorite topics to discuss is credit; how to build, repair and use credit so it can become an asset in a person’s life! I am fortunate that I can bring this knowledge and passion to my job (since my family and friends are tired of this topic!)
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Becky Errigo
Housing Developer
Even as a young girl, I enjoyed touring homes and imagining how to enrich the functionality and aesthetics. My background is in design and construction and I have a strong desire for functional beauty. The majority of my 20+ year career has been working for non-profit, community-based housing organizations. It is very gratifying to help others realize their dream of homeownership and build relationships with community members while positively affecting neighborhoods. When away from work, I enjoy spending time with my family, experimenting in the kitchen, and repurposing underused items.
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Beth Hyser
Chief Program Officer
I have worked for more than 15 years in a number of non-profit community development and fundraising roles including seven years as Executive Director of a neighborhood CDC. I am passionate about serving the community through partnerships and innovative programs to improve housing. I can be found at our cabin on summer weekends and love to grow a variety of flowers and veggies in my home garden.
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Kjirsten Johnson
Chief Financial Officer
While I’ve spent the majority of my career working at non-profits, I’m very excited to be a part of NeighborWorks Home Partners. The positive impact on people’s lives and the revitalization of communities is what drives this organization. I spend the majority of my non-working hours carpooling and dog walking.
Madison Johnson
AmeriCorps VISTA
As an AmeriCorps VISTA serving for a year with Neighborworks, I hope to increase Neighborworks’ capacity to serve the community by understand and responding to the customer experience. Although my background is in psychology and mental health, I’ve come to the area of community development because I’m excited about broader-scale social change. I am also an advocate of sustainability, both for business and in everyday life. In my free time I enjoy writing and I am an enthusiastic pianist.
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Mekonnen Kumela
Accounting Assistant
It is really a blessing being of service to a cause bigger than me. Being part of an organization like NeighborWorks Home Partners is an amazing experience as this organization is among a few that doesn’t only talk about serving its community but also walks the talk in addressing homeownership related issues. As I personally relate to many stories of the community that we serve, I know how important the work that we do every day is and what significant role it plays in changing the lives of many Minnesotans.
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Chris Lubin
Lending Admin
I have been in and around the mortgage and real estate arenas for over 25 years and have worked at NeighborWorks as needed since 2013. I am a lending administrator, which means I can do whatever is asked of me. More specifically I administer our down payment assistance. (Chris is too humble to say this himself, but he has excellent taste in socks, and quite a colorful collection.)
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Marie Malrick
Lending Advisor
As a lending advisor my role is to guide homeowners to the right solution for their home improvement needs. I have worked in nonprofit home improvement for nearly two decades after realizing I was passionate about meeting our community’s need for stable and safe housing. I love helping homeowners get the repairs they need – such as a new furnace, fixing a leaking roof, or replacing lead paint-covered windows – and am thrilled to know that with every loan I close I am enriching that family’s life and the long-term value and integrity of their home.
Tasha Merritt
Housing Counselor
I am happy to be a part of such a great organization working as a homeownership advisor. Prior to my current position, I served on the board of Community NHS for four years. I was a member of the loan committee and briefly held the position of board treasurer. I have more than 18 years of experience in the housing industry having worked in real estate sales, low income and market rate property management, as well as case management for a local housing authority. I firmly believe that education creates empowerment. I feel very lucky to work in a position that allows me to do what I love, assist customers through the homeownership process.
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Jason Peterson
Executive Director
Safe and stable housing is one of the cornerstones from which all else grows. I have worked for the last 15 years helping families with their housing needs here in the Twin Cities. From assisting families to find emergency shelter to helping families buy their first home – the importance of the basic need for housing is present. I was born and raised and currently live in St. Paul with my wife and kids and what I love most about working at NeighborWorks Home Partners is driving through the neighborhoods where I live and work and seeing the difference we are making each and every day
Nick Pierce
Business Development Coordinator
As a Realtor I have always enjoyed looking at homes and helping people find the right home. I enjoy working for an organization that emphasizes the importance of homeownership and assists people to reach their homeownership goals. My passions outside of work include sports (watching and playing), and trying new restaurants/breweries in MPLS/Saint Paul area, especially if they’re dog friendly.
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Megan Spotts
Lending Advisor
For me, working for Neighborworks Home Partners is a perfect culmination of my career goals. Chance landed me in mortgage, my heart pushed me towards the non-profit world. As a Lending Advisor I love underwriting loans and being a huge part of borrowers achieving homeownership. In my spare time, I enjoy taking circus classes and being a dedicated photographer who loves bragging about taking the staff photos.
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Amanda Welliver
Communications and Outreach Coordinator
Helping people find homes has been a passion of mine and I am glad to be able to do that as a member of the NeighborWorks Home Partners team. As Communications Coordinator, I am working to build community online and offline, spread the word about the services we offer, and share the success stories of our clients. I enjoy gardening (in theory; I don’t seem to have the time to keep up with it), volunteering, singing in choirs, finding treasures and deals at thrift stores, and living the hectic life of a parent to teen children.
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Nick Yang
Housing Counselor
Helping communities obtain financial success is what drives my passion for the work that I do. I want to be able to share my success as a homeowner to potential first time homebuyers so that they can achieve the goal of homeownership as well. Kuv yog Hmoob, kuv hais lus Hmoob. Kuv yuav pab tau nej.
