About NACEDA

our Directors | our Staff         

Today more than 4,600 Community Economic Development (CED) organizations (also known as Community Development Corporations, or CDCs) from coast to coast are working with residents to strengthen their communities by building affordable and mixed income housing, spearheading ambitious neighborhood economic development strategies, and providing essential services for youth, families, seniors, people with disabilities and the homeless.

There are 4,600 CDCs nationwide located in inner cities, small cities and in rural areas; 25% of all CDCs are faith-based.

CEDs generally perform these functions:

• Develop affordable housing
• Create economic opportunity for distressed communities
• Empower low-income people to create positive change in their lives
• Provide social services

From 1988 to 2005 CDCs produced/created 1.3 million homes, 774,000 new jobs and 126 million sq feet of commercial/industrial space.

When Community Economic Development practitioners work together they can more effectively learn from their colleagues, receive training and technical assistance, influence policy and create change at a macro level. For that reason, many Community Economic Development organizations have banded together to create state associations. Direct services State Associations provide members include:

• State policy work
• Training, technical assistance, peer support and other capacity building programs
• Research

Concerned about not having a national voice, fifteen state community economic development associations came together in 2006 to form NACEDA – the National Alliance of CED Associations – as a vehicle for developing and pursuing a national community agenda. NACEDA also works to strengthen and expand the role of state community economic development associations in promoting the efforts of local CDCs, and building the capacity and reach of the CDC field. NACEDA serves its membership through:

• Public policy advocacy
• Providing peer-to-peer support and development for state association staff
• Supporting new and emerging state associations

Recently, the Board of Directors announced a transition plan to guide us through the coming years.
Our NACEDA Fact Sheet contains more detail about NACEDA, its mission, its programs, its projects.
Our CDC Fact Sheet contains more facts and figures about CDC accomplishments.

Our Board of Directors

Diane Sterner, Housing & Community Development Network of NJ (Chair)
Bernie Mazyck, South Carolina Association of CDCs (Vice Chair)
Kate Little, Georgia State Trade Assoc. of Nonprofit Developers (Secretary)
Joseph Kriesberg, Massachusetts Association of CDCs (Treasurer)
Terry Chelikowsky, Florida Association of CDCs
Angie Gaabo, Community Economic Development Association of Michigan
Chris Hannifan, Housing Network of Rhode Island
Patricia Spring, Connecticut Housing Coalition
Andy Fraizer, Indiana Association for Community Economic Development
Brigette Rasberry, North Carolina Association of Community Development Corporations
Rick Sauer, Philadelphia Association of Community Development Corporations

STAFF DIRECTORY (click to email)

Marta Howell, Interim Executive Director
Sarah Mckinley, Director of Special Projects
Derek Watkins, Policy Intern
Suzanne Gunther, Communications Specialist
Tracey Reavis, Administrative Assistant