Housing is the Heart
of What We Do.
Our skills, responsibilities, and job descriptions may vary widely, but we’re all working toward the same goal: to help individuals and families create pathways out of homelessness and into stable, permanent housing.
We’re always looking for people with a passion for housing to join our team. Apply for open positions on our Careers page, or sign up to lend a hand on our Volunteer page
Executive Team
Phil Kramer
Chief Executive Officer
Phil leads the Housing Matters team in identifying solutions to homelessness and championing community efforts that lead to stable, permanent housing for individuals and families. Since becoming CEO in 2015, the organization has tripled its operating budget and successfully housed more than 1,800 individuals and families in Santa Cruz County.
Previously, Phil worked as director of strategic development at Goodwill Central Coast and as director of 180 Together, a multi-agency initiative. He held positions in advertising and marketing at Google, AOL, and The Wall Street Journal early in his career before deciding to follow his passion for social justice and mission-driven work and join the Peace Corps.
Mer Stafford
Chief Impact Officer
Mer leverages more than fifteen years of nonprofit leadership expertise, cultivating relationships with donors, funding partners, foundations, and partners. Since joining Housing Matters in 2021, she has helped raise significant financial support for Housing Matters programs and capital projects.
At Housing Matters, Mer leads the Community Engagement team and serves as project lead for strategic programmatic change and oversees Workforce Development and Culture, which brings internal and external communications together under her leadership. Since joining the team, Mer founded the Coalition to End Homelessness SCC, a network of over 20 local non-profits.
Previously, Mer served as executive director of a prominent, internationally renowned retreat center. Mer attended Bay State College in Boston.
Shona Sullivan
Chief Programs Officer
Shona Sullivan brings more than 15 years of leadership experience in human resources, operations management, and regulatory compliance across healthcare, higher education, and public service to her role as Chief Programs Officer. She brings deep knowledge and experience in compliance to her role leading Housing Matters many programs and services.
Shona’s work in diversity, equity, and inclusion, along with her leadership in staff development, was recognized with the CCAPP Spotlight Award in 2019 for advancing workforce education at The Camp Recovery Center. Shona is a recent alumnus of Leadership Santa Cruz County.
David Wright
Chief Facilities Operating Officer
David joins Housing Matters with 30 years of experience at public and private organizations, providing strategic, technical and operations leadership dedicated to optimizing efficiencies and productivity with people and processes. As Chief Facilities Operating Officer, David’s responsibilities span property management, physical plant, kitchen, IT infrastructure, campus safety and capital projects management.
Prior to joining Housing Matters, David held senior leadership positions at several organizations including Executive Director of SLV Redemption and Recycling Centers, as well as CEO of American Red Cross, Santa Cruz County Chapter. Most recently, David served as Vice President of Operations for Elements Manufacturing, a large manufacturing corporation. David earned a Masters in Public Administration from San Diego State University.
Board of Directors
Matt Mohamed
Vice-President
VP, Global Real Estate & Workplace
Tom Gill
Treasurer
Former VP, CIO at Plantronics / Realtor
S. Phoenix MacKinnon
Secretary
Peer Counselor
Marvin Christie
Director
President, Anderson Christie Inc.
Mark Donpineo
Director
Project Management Consultant
Mary Lou Goeke
Director
Retired, United Way
Yana Jacobs
Director
Mental Health Activist
Dr. Robert Keet, MD
Director
Internal Medicine Doctor
Maggie McKay
Director
Retired, County Mental Health
Martina O’Sullivan
Director
Retired, Director of Community Engagement for Dignity Hospital
Ron Slack
Director
Former Publisher, Good Times
John Dietz
Director Emeritus
President, PrimeMuse
Staff
Raine Armanino
Director of HR
Sue Berlet
Staff Development Manager
Shawna Berry
Recruitment Specialist
Katy Clawson
Accounting Manager
Julian Crown
Policy and Research Associate
Emily Lowdermilk
Data Specialist
Kathy May
Executive Assistant
Gianna Nicolich
Compliance Manager
Shannon Nunez
Lead CalAIM Billing Specialist
Tyler Oswalt
Director of Information Systems
Joann Roccanova
Director of Finance & Accounting
Brianna Sauerland
Accounting Specialist
Stella Sun
Billing Specialist
Brian Tong
CalAIM Billing Specialist
Natalia Ustimenko
Human Resources Manager
James Weaver
Data Analyst
Lynn Welter
Accountant
Matt Bergdahl
Director of Fund Development
Maria Campbell
Donor Relations Manager
Andrea Feltz
Lived Experience Advisory Group Manager
Michael Norris
Communications Manager
Julio Chavez-Aguilar
Custodian
Josue Esqueda
Lead Custodian
Joshua Hatch
Custodian
David Haro
Maintenance Technician
Luke Jones
Facilities Project Administrator
Ty Newcomb
Director of Facilities
Gerardo Nunez
Custodian
Ernest H. Ortiz
Maintenance Technician
Enrique Quintero
Custodian
Maria Ruelas
Custodian
Ezequiel Rodriguez
Custodian
Miguel Alvarez
Direct Services Coordinator
Fernando Balderas
Direct Services Coordinator
Juan Barraza
Direct Services Coordinator
D’Sean Black
Direct Services Coordinator NOC
Crysten Bush
RFS Program Manager
Arion Cartwright
Kitchen Manager
Katherine Casini
BHBH Case Manager
Adam Davenport
HDAP Case Manager
Sarah Ferrell
Loft Program Manager
Chris Field
Outreach Specialist
Stephanie Flores
CHAMP Case Manager
Eros Franco
Outreach Specialist
Zachary Frandeen
Direct Services Coordinator
Erica Hill
HDAP Case Manager
Nicholas Garcia
SSVF Healthcare Navigator
Alexander Gevirtz
HWS Community Program Manager
Lloyd Gilbert
Direct Services Coordinator
Mattie Goulart
Direct Services Coordinator
Hazel Haze
CHAMP Housing Navigator
Sean Hamil
SSVF Case Manager
James Henderson IV
Direct Services Manager
Guadalupe Iniguez
BFH Program Lead
Allissa Jaime
ERP Direct Services Coordinator
Stefan Jaskulak-Gonzalez
Substance Use Disorder Specialist
Anthony Jimenez
ERF Case Manager
Jesse Jimenez
Outreach Specialist
Hayden Kirkman
RFS Case Manager
Ezra Lambert
Behavioral Health Bridge Housing Program Manager
Dominiq Lee
Kitchen/Direct Services Coordinator
Luke Johnson
ERP Case Manager
Brian Lands
Service Navigation Coordinator
J-Bear Lawson
SSVF Outreach Specialist
Clara Mandlhate
ERP Program Manager
Maria Rivera
Housing Now Case Manager
Joseph Moens
Lead Cook
Andrew Montoya
Direct Services Coordinator
Joseph Morris
Cook
Teresa Montanez
Direct Services Coordinator
Kimberly Moore
HDAP Program Manager
Tiffany Mowry
Housing Now Supervisor
Basil Lynn
SSVF Case Manager
Pan Narez-Mendez
Associate Director of Program Operations
Jade Peeples
Direct Services Coordinator
Devyn Powers
Loft Case Manager
Trisha Ochoa
Direct Services Coordinator NOC
Zachary Owen
Direct Services Coordinator
Oscar Padilla
HDAP Housing Navigator
Dulce Pardo Vega
BFH Case Manager
Capri Patrick
Loft Case Manager
Sulee Pearson
Lead Outreach Specialist
Lindsay Peterson
Director of Family Services
Wendy Phillips
SSVF Housing Navigator
Abdul Rahmanyar
Housing Now Housing Stabilization Specialist
Kimmi Reese
RCC Case Manager
Junious Ross
Direct Services Coordinator
Joshua Rosario King
Loft Housing Navigator
Arturo Ruvalcaba
Associate Director of Outreach & Shelter Operations
Madison Scarrell
Mental Health Specialist
Terre Schroeder
Loft Housing Stabilization Specialist
Lia Seatts
Assistant BHBH Program Manager
George Skanderup
Direct Services Coordinator
Christine Smith
Associate Director of Campus & Shelter Operations
Anthony Steinberg
Direct Services Coordinator
Ally Sugar
BHBH Case Manager
Crystal Tapia Leon
CHAMP Case Manager
Ashley Tedesco
Housing Now Case Manager
Jessica Thompson
Outreach Specialist
John Thompson
Direct Services Coordinator
Finn Tollefson
Cook
Ruben Torres
Assistant Loft Program Manager
Ivy Tzimbal
BHBH Direct Services Coordinator
Frabrizio Velazquez
CHAMP Program Manager
Jordan Wall
SSVF Case Manager
Collin Webb
Housing Now Housing Stabilization Specialist
Justin Wetmore
SSVF Program Manager
Xochitl Ybarra
Housing Now Case Manager