WAHNcast

Women’s Affordable Housing Network
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Non-Profit
  • Updated Semimonthly

The Women’s Affordable Housing Network (WAHN) has launched a podcast series dedicated to amplifying the voices of people within the affordable housing industry. With a focus on shedding light on this critical issue, each episode of the podcast features discussions led by experts, activists, and policymakers. Through dynamic conversations, the WAHNcast aims to showcase the leadership at the forefront of the affordable housing movement. It offers valuable insights into groundbreaking practices, policy advancements, and community engagement strategies aimed at tackling housing insecurity. More than just informative, the podcast serves as a source of inspiration, providing a platform for sharing success stories, advocating for policy reforms, and nurturing a supportive community among professionals and advocates in the affordable housing sector. Join us as we elevate the voices driving change and championing progress in affordable housing.

  1. 1d ago

    The Power of Showing Up: Support, Strength and Life After Diagnosis with Brooke Etie & Mary-Margaret Lemons

    There are things no one tells you about breast cancer until suddenly, you need to know them. For Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Brooke Etie returns to WAHNcast one year after sharing her diagnosis and treatment journey. This time, she is joined by Mary-Margaret Lemons, President of Fort Worth Housing Solutions, who received her own breast cancer diagnosis earlier this year. Their experiences have been very different, but their conversation is remarkably honest about what comes after the diagnosis: advocating for yourself, navigating treatment and reconstruction, adjusting to a changed body, accepting help, finding the right questions to ask and discovering that “cancer-free” does not necessarily mean the journey is over. They also share what helped, what didn’t, why screening and knowing your own body matter, and how an unexpected shared experience deepened a friendship. Most importantly, they leave listeners with a reminder for all of us: don’t wait for a diagnosis to spend time with the people who matter, take the trip and create the memories.

  2. Sep 30

    Never Forget Your Why: Courage, Truth and the Lessons That Shape a Leader with Ivory Mathews

    For Ivory Mathews, affordable housing has always been personal. Growing up housing insecure in rural South Carolina shaped not only her career, but the kind of leader she chose to become. In this episode, Beth Baar talks with Ivory about lessons collected through more than three decades in affordable housing and leading housing authorities across the country: choosing courage over comfort, listening deeply before acting, telling the truth to build trust, turning losses into learning opportunities and remembering that leadership is never about being the smartest person in the room. Ivory also shares why the little girl she once was still walks into every boardroom with her, and why women should stop waiting until they feel perfectly ready to take their seat at the table. Since this conversation was recorded, it was announced that Ivory has been named the next Executive Director of the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh, beginning October 1. Congratulations to Ivory on this exciting next chapter!

  3. Sep 23

    Ben Sigel of Full Belly Foods: From One U-Haul to One Million Meals

    What happens when you see a problem and decide to start solving it? For Ben Sigel, it started during COVID with a rented U-Haul and a mission to get fresh food to people who needed it. Today, he is the founder and president of Full Belly Foods, a national nonprofit bringing fresh, nutritious food directly to affordable housing communities across the country. Ben joins WAHNcast to talk about food insecurity, dignity and the entrepreneurial journey that has taken Full Belly Foods from a volunteer project to more than a million meals. He also shares the people and partners who helped along the way, including Zac Silber at Related Affordable, Enterprise Community Development and Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH). It’s a conversation that gets to the heart of what makes the affordable housing community special: seeing a need, bringing people and resources together, removing barriers and finding a way to make life better for residents. If Full Belly Foods could make a difference in one of your communities, visit fullbellyfoods.com to connect with Ben and learn more. And if this episode makes you think of someone, please share it with them. Ben told us that one of his biggest challenges is simply making sure people know this resource exists. WAHN would love to help change that. Share this episode with your colleagues, resident services teams, owners, developers and anyone else who might be able to help Full Belly Foods reach one more community and one more family.

  4. Sep 16

    50/50 Women of Influence with Joy Horak-Brown: Building Hope, Dignity and a Lasting Legacy

    We’re closing out the 50/50 Women of Influence in Affordable Housing Summer Takeover with Joy Horak-Brown, President and CEO of New Hope Housing, in conversation with her longtime friend and fellow 50/50 honoree Diana McIver. As New Hope Housing’s first employee, Joy helped grow an organization that began with just 40 apartment homes into one of Houston’s leading providers of permanent supportive housing, with more than 2,000 homes today. Along the way, she championed a belief that housing should offer more than shelter. It should provide dignity, beauty, quality and hope. As Joy prepares for retirement, she reflects on the people who shaped her, the mission that became her life’s work and the lessons she hopes others will carry forward: ask for help because people truly want to give it, don’t wait until you have all the answers, start walking, and always care deeply about the quality of what you build. It’s a fitting finale to an unforgettable summer celebrating women whose influence will be felt for generations to come.

  5. Sep 9

    50/50 Women of Influence with Rebecca Louie: Do Your Best, Forget the Bus, and Have Fun

    Rebecca Louie, President and CEO of Wakeland Housing, joins Beth Baar and Ann Cone for a 50 Over 50 Women of Influence in Affordable Housing conversation about more than two decades of learning, leading and figuring things out in affordable housing. Rebecca shares why careers don’t have to follow a straight line, why the best experience often comes from saying yes before you feel completely ready, and why genuine relationships matter in an industry this small. She also talks about giving people room to make mistakes, finding the work that truly energizes you, and choosing solution mode over blame. Her approach to leadership might be summed up in four words: “There is no bus.” No throwing people under it. Just learn, fix it and move forward together.

  6. Sep 9

    50/50 Women of Influence with Terri Lee: Running to a Place Where Everybody Is Somebody

    Terri Lee spent years trying to run from housing. Today, the President and CEO of Atlanta Housing calls it her ministry, her calling and her life's work. In this special 50 Over 50 Women of Influence episode, Ashley Northcutt and Ann Cone talk with Terri about the journey from Grambling, Louisiana, to leading one of the country's largest housing authorities, the mentors and family members who shaped her, and the faith that helped her step into opportunities even when she was afraid. Terri also shares how Atlanta Housing is approaching housing as a pathway to economic mobility, why families can never become transactions or numbers, and the responsibility established leaders have to reach back and develop the next generation. Her message is powerful and simple: the work is bigger than any one of us. Link arms, lift others and keep moving forward.

  7. Sep 2

    50/50 Women of Influence with Desiree Francis: Look Up, Raise Your Hand

    Careers rarely follow a straight line, and Desiree Francis wouldn't have it any other way. In this special 50 Over 50 Women of Influence episode, guest host Diana McIver sits down with Desiree, who leads Capital One's Community Finance team, to talk about finding affordable housing at the intersection of finance and social impact, building a career through unexpected opportunities, and learning to network as an introvert. Desiree shares why she encourages emerging leaders to look up, build relationships, raise their hands and take measured risks, plus why affordable housing continues to offer something few careers can: the opportunity to see the tangible impact of your work in people's lives and communities.

  8. Aug 26

    50/50 Women of Influence with Eleanor White: From Stumbling In to Paving the Way

    Eleanor White stumbled into affordable housing more than five decades ago and went on to help pave the way for countless others. In this special 50 Over 50 Women of Influence episode, guest host Ann Cone talks with the Housing Partners, Inc. co-founder about her years at FHA/HUD and MassHousing, building her own firm, running that Boston-based company remotely from Oslo long before remote work became commonplace, and a lifetime commitment to giving back. From serving on as many as 10 nonprofit boards at once to becoming a passionate champion of WAHN New England and WAHN nationally, Eleanor believes deeply in sharing what you’ve learned and bringing others along. As she puts it, “This is not an industry for queen bees.” It’s a conversation filled with history, humor and wisdom about speaking up, trying new things, giving back and making room for a full life along the way.

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

The Women’s Affordable Housing Network (WAHN) has launched a podcast series dedicated to amplifying the voices of people within the affordable housing industry. With a focus on shedding light on this critical issue, each episode of the podcast features discussions led by experts, activists, and policymakers. Through dynamic conversations, the WAHNcast aims to showcase the leadership at the forefront of the affordable housing movement. It offers valuable insights into groundbreaking practices, policy advancements, and community engagement strategies aimed at tackling housing insecurity. More than just informative, the podcast serves as a source of inspiration, providing a platform for sharing success stories, advocating for policy reforms, and nurturing a supportive community among professionals and advocates in the affordable housing sector. Join us as we elevate the voices driving change and championing progress in affordable housing.

Information

  • Creator
    Women’s Affordable Housing Network
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    98
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2024 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    WAHNcast