NeighborWorks® America has welcomed 14 new Business Intelligence fellows, representing 10 organizations from the Southern and Northeastern Regions in the NeighborWorks network. All of the fellows are receiving training on using Tableau software for data analytics and visualization, and will focus on property inheritance issues, which has been identified as major challenge in communities served by network organizations and a major obstacle to building generational wealth.
The fellows program this year is being sponsored by TD Bank.
“The goal is to work with fellows in the network on increasing organizational strength by learning how to analyze and interpret data to inform heirs property services,” said Graciela Kahn, NeighborWorks’ director of Business Intelligence. “We want to use data to inform every aspect of property inheritance programs, whether they’re evaluating the results of an existing program, deciding if they should implement one, or learning how to communicate the impact of a program to their constituents.”
Creating a smooth transfer of property is an important issue in both the affordable housing and community development community and at NeighborWorks America. Over the past few years, NeighborWorks has fostered in-depth conversations and solutions-oriented symposiums and learning curricula on the topic.
"Homeownership creates a foundation for long-term financial stability and has the power to influence generations,” explained Laura Ospina Jarmarillo, NeighborWorks’ senior manager of Financial Capability. “That is why supporting individuals in protecting intergenerational wealth is central to our work. Property inheritance challenges are complex, so we have been examining these issues from multiple perspectives in collaboration with other industry experts to help develop solutions. We know that meaningful solutions must be grounded in data, and I am excited to see what the fellows uncover and the insights they generate to drive progress."
The fellows will work with data from their own programs, and will learn to incorporate outside data to gain a more full picture of the needs in their communities, Kahn said. Those needs may include legal services, heirs property resolution, title resolution and more.
The cohort began meeting in spring and will go through September.
Previous Business Intelligence Fellowship programs have been impactful, Kahn said, recalling how one network organization learned to use data to track moisture and prevent mold, while another measured utility costs and identified opportunities for efficiency upgrades that would lower bills for both the nonprofit and the residents who lived in those developments. Another previous fellow learned skills that allowed them to bring analytics in-house – instead of spending $40,000 or more for outside consultants.
“Data analytics capacity can help build better programs and tell more compelling stories” Kahn said.
2026 fellows include:
Carolyn McGee, a senior economic development specialist at Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corp. Carolyn spent 11 years as a HUD Certified Housing Counselor and Certified Financial Coach and currently manages the Estate Planning, Homeownership, Down Payment Assistance and the Home Repair Programs at Codman Square NDC in Dorchester, Massachusetts.
Tiffany Clark, a creative and strategic marketing professional serving as the Creative Services Manager for the Corporation to Develop Communities of Tampa (CDC of Tampa). With a passion for storytelling and community impact, she leads branding, digital content and communications to support initiatives in workforce development, affordable housing and youth empowerment.
Cheryl Jones, programs administrator at DreamKey Partners in Charlotte. Cheryl focuses on affordable housing and supporting long-term homeownership success.
Anika Tabassum Sinthy, an urban planning and housing professional focused on advancing equitable community development through data-informed practice. She serves as a Program Compliance Manager at Home HeadQuarters in Syracuse, New York, where she ensures compliance for federally and state-funded housing programs and supports their implementation within complex regulatory systems. Her broader work centers on understanding how housing systems shape access, stability and neighborhood change.
Fernando Martinez, a HUD-certified housing counselor and housing education leader. With more than five years of experience in housing counseling, financial capability, and program management, he currently serves as Financial Capability Program Director and Housing Program Deputy Director at Manna, Inc.
Maria Godoy, also at Manna, Inc. Maria has over a decade of experience in philanthropy, program management, and community engagement, focused on empowering underserved communities through economic development and sustainable growth. As deputy director of Micro-Loan Programs, she leads program execution and oversees consumer loan portfolios, performance metrics, database management and funder reporting, while providing strategic guidance on loan fund management to expand financial access.
Romona Jackson, business development manager for Neighborhood Housing and Development Corporation. Formerly a District Manager at Wells Fargo, she led eight branches and 104 employees before launching her financial coaching business, FinanSense, LLC, and founding Carolyn’s Heart, Inc., a nonprofit honoring her late mother. She is the author of three books.
Bridgette P. Russell, who has served as the managing director for the Home Ownership Center (HOC) at Neighborhood Housing Services of New Haven (NHS) for 19 years, managing the center’s program development for client services and staff training. She also directs operations of Pre- and Post-Purchase Curriculum Design, Credit Coaching, Financial Literacy, Foreclosure Prevention and Mortgage Delinquency Counseling and Reverse Mortgage Counseling. In addition, she manages HOC Realty, a nonprofit, full-service realty company, the first of its kind in the state.
Adam Rawling, the Community Engagement Specialist at Neighborhood Housing Services of New Haven.
Laura Newlin, a housing professional with over 30 years of experience supporting individuals and families across Philadelphia in achieving and maintaining stable housing. A HUD-certified housing counselor, she currently serves as director of housing for New Kensington Community Development Corporation, where she oversees housing counseling programs focused on foreclosure prevention, eviction prevention, energy and homeownership.
Sophia Bell, a HUD-certified housing professional with over 34 years of experience supporting individuals and families in achieving housing stability and financial empowerment. After many years as a housing counselor, she now serves as manager of housing services, overseeing client services and program operations at New Kensington Community Development Corporation.
Lisa Davis, who has served for 28 years with Penquis Community Action, supporting low-income clients by connecting them with resources and guidance to strengthen financial stability and housing opportunities. Lisa is passionate about learning, problem-solving, and offering a steady, helpful hand to people working toward their goals.
Iris Moody, a HUD Certified Housing Counselor with over 20 years of experience guiding families on their path to financial security and homeownership. She currently serves at Wealth Watchers Inc. in Jacksonville, Florida, where she focuses on foreclosure prevention, financial capability, and housing sustainability. Her expertise includes foreclosure prevention counseling, credit repair, estate planning support and designing programs on pre-purchase education, employability, and financial literacy. She has also led efforts to address heirs property challenges.
Carrie Davis, president & CEO of Wealth Watchers Inc. a HUD Certified Housing Counseling Agency and a Charted NeighborWorks® Organization. She has over 25 years of experience in Urban and Rural Community Development, Housing Counseling and Consumer Financial Education, and has developed and implemented several multi-million dollar comprehensive neighborhood revitalization projects. A published author, she recently contributed to Investing in Rural Prosperity, published by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
