Merritt is proud to announce the launch of its 2026–2027 Asset Management Specialist+ (AMS+) cohort!
As a key component of Commitment to Community (C2C), Merritt’s larger workforce development initiative, AMS+ equips current and emerging asset management professionals with the technical expertise, industry knowledge, and professional network needed to preserve affordable housing for the long term.
Since launching in 2023, AMS+ has supported 80 participants from 36 affordable housing organizations across California, helping to build the next generation of asset management professionals.
Each cohort brings together professionals from different backgrounds, experiences, and career stages. Participants represent nonprofit and for-profit developers, public agencies, and other affordable housing organizations, creating a collaborative learning environment where participants can learn from one another’s perspectives and expertise.
This year’s cohort also marks an exciting milestone as the first Commitment to Community (C2C) program to welcome participants from outside California, expanding Merritt’s workforce development efforts to support even more affordable housing professionals!
Through Merritt’s partnership with the Consortium for Housing and Asset Management (CHAM), participants complete CHAM’s nationally recognized curriculum through a blend of live and virtual instruction, peer working groups, industry discussions, and in-person networking opportunities with cohort members and experienced housing leaders. Upon successful completion of the program, participants earn the Asset Management Specialist (AMS) designation from CHAM.
Merritt’s partnership with CHAM has been longstanding, and their shared vision reflects a strong, sustained dedication to developing talent through training, mentorship, and scholarships. Together, the two organizations have a mission in mind: to build a lasting impact in the affordable housing space.
Please join us in welcoming the 2026–2027 AMS+ cohort:
Andreea Dan, Satellite Affordable Housing Associates
Arian Khosravian, Santa Clara County Housing Authority
Carmen Y. Otero, San Francisco’s Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development
Christian Simonson, The John Stewart Company
Christina Lew, Abode Housing Development
Christopher French, Hollywood Community Housing Corporation
Coral Nunez, Low Income Housing Institute
Crystal Lopez Magana, Christian Church Homes
Dennis Avila, Many Mansions
Elijah Thomas, Abode Communities
Elizabeth Jewell, Community HousingWorks
Henry Easton Koehler, Resources for Community Development
Hilda Reeves, Fresno Housing
Molly Brochocki, Mercy Housing
Monalisa Gonzales, HumanGood Affordable Housing/Beacon Development Group
Nima Sheth, American Family Housing
Quang Nguyen, Eden Housing Inc.
Rie Shintani, InterIm Community Development Association
Reese Watkins-Nelson, Eden Housing
Serena Recinos, Eden Housing
Yolanda Dolezal Guion, Bridge Housing
Stay tuned for more program updates on Merritt’s LinkedIn page. For any questions related to the AMS+ program, please reach out to our Impact Manager, Celina Pacana, at cpacana@merrittcap.org.
About Merritt Community Capital Corporation
As a nonprofit investor and lender in affordable housing, Merritt Community Capital Corporation has invested more than $1.7 billion to create and preserve over 12,500 affordable homes, providing housing for more than 30,000 residents. For over 35 years, Merritt’s mission has remained at the core of its work.
Merritt partners with mission-aligned developers and funders to tackle some of the most challenging and impactful affordable housing projects. Through equity and lending capital, Merritt provides flexible financing solutions designed to meet today’s needs while preserving affordability for the future.
Through its Commitment to Community (C2C) initiative, Merritt extends its impact by investing in people—attracting, training, and retaining the next generation of affordable housing leaders.
Merritt is also the west coast member of the National Association of State and Local Equity Funds (NASLEF), which empowers locally engaged, mission-driven housing and community investment partners to build thriving communities.