Gregg joined HomeRise’s board in 2012, bringing many years of experience in real estate and land use law as a partner at the firm of Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass LLP.  At Coblentz, Gregg represents developers, managers, brokers, owners, and operators in the acquisition, financing, entitlement, development, leasing and sale of various property types. He has done extensive pro bono work throughout San Francisco, representing HomeRise in the acquisition and entitlement of the Edward II hotel for development into housing for transition- aged youth.

Jon joined the Board in 2014.  He serves on the Advancement and Finance committees.  Jon works with a number of entrepreneurial businesses through his role investing in medical technology companies at SV Life Sciences, one of the largest international healthcare-focused venture capital firms.

Sheila joined the Board in early 2014 and serves on the Finance committee. She brings 30 years of sales leadership experience from GE and several technology startups. Sheila moved to San Francisco 24 years ago at which time she launched and led GE’s San Francisco Chapter of Volunteers, an organization designed to build stronger communities where employees live and work. She is aiming for greater HomeRise awareness and engagement in San Francisco, especially in the Technology sector.

John is a Project Manager at SKS Partners, a San Francisco-based developer of commercial real estate. John joined the Board in 2015 and occupies an at-large seat. He serves on the Advancement Committee and Housing Committee, where he adds his experience in design, city approvals, and construction. John also has experience in urban planning and community outreach from his previous job as an urban planner in New Orleans. As a San Francisco native, John is committed to making his hometown an equitable and vibrant place for all people.

Heidy joined the HomeRise board in 2022. She has a longtime interest in the problem of housing and the issue of low rates of voter engagement in the United States. Currently, she is also serving on the Board of Directors for the Foundation for Quality Housing Opportunities in addition to being a partner in the development of both Senior and Family Affordable Housing. She is retired from a 40 year career in the concrete repair and strengthening industry. Previously, she served on the Board of Directors for the International Concrete Repair Institute as well as many American Concrete Institute Technical and Development Committees.

Juthaporn joined the Board in 2020, having been a HomeRise resident at Arnett Watson Apartments since 2016. Twenty years of lived experience with drug addiction and homelessness enable her to bring a fresh new lens and perspective to her role as resident board member. She understands what it means to go from being homeless to having a home. Because her life was stabilized through permanent supportive housing, she has been able to establish work, graduate from San Francisco State University, and raise her now six-year-old son, all while continuing to stay clean and sober. She is a community leader who believes in going big or going home. Her success is the success of the core mission of HomeRise: housing gives hope to the hopeless.

Malea L. Chavez is an attorney specializing in housing rights, family law, and probate. She is a native San Franciscan born in the Mission District where she currently works as the Deputy Director of the Homeless Prenatal Program. Her commitment to social justice is expressed through a career working with monolingual Spanish-speakers and low-income communities. She is a graduate of Arizona State University and earned her J.D. from UC Hastings College of the Law where she was a founding member of the UC Hastings Race and Poverty Law Journal. Malea started her legal career at the Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA) and La Raza Centro Legal, providing legal services and eviction defense for small businesses and families being displaced. As a staff attorney for the San Francisco Superior Court, and later as the Managing Attorney for the Alameda County Superior Court, she conducted bilingual community based legal clinics with several community-based organizations to provide greater access to the justice system for monolingual Spanish-speakers.

Devra Edelman is the Director of Programs at Hamilton Families, where she’s worked since 2005. She previously worked for five years as Executive Director of the Haight Ashbury Food Program. She received a Master of Social Work and a Master of Arts in International Development from the University of Denver in 1996 and worked in Colorado, California and internationally with homeless families and individuals for more than 18 years. She provides operational oversight and directly supervises the program directors of Hamilton Families’ shelter and transitional housing programs, including case management and children’s services.

Heidi Haller Groshelle joined the HomeRise board in 2023. She is a Public Relations expert focused on introducing groundbreaking technologies. Her clients span multiple countries and sectors. Over 200 technology startups and established companies have benefited from her strategic PR skills and deep international connections. In addition, Heidi has represented music and film industry innovators who founded or led influential companies including Colossal Pictures, DigitalDomain, LucasFilm, and Pixar. She has also worked as a volunteer helping families needing housing and educational services in San Francisco and previously served as a board member of Traveler’s Aid and Compass Community Services.

A resident in a HomeRise property, David joined the Board in 2010. Trained as an Industrial/Organizational Psychologist, David has worked as a consultant to large organizations, created and fielded software to assist in executive performance assessment, and taught Masters level courses in the Human Resources and Organizational Development program at the University of San Francisco. Recently David has been engaged in political writing, activism, and volunteering to improve his community.

Julia is Managing Director of Business Development at Schwab Charitable, serving financial advisors, family offices, non-profits and donor communities nationwide. She has provided charitable planning consultation to wealth management professionals and their clients since 2005. Julia is a subject matter expert on all aspects of effective philanthropy, including complex gifts, legacy planning, and social impact strategy. She has spent more than 20 years in the financial services industry, working on two security exchanges before transitioning to private wealth management. Julia joined the Board in 2021 and is native to San Francisco where she still lives with her family.

Neil Sims joined the HomeRise board in 2021 after retiring as Managing Partner and Technology Sector Practice Leader for the San Francisco office of Boyden Global Executive Search. Throughout his adult life, Neil has served in voluntary leadership roles within his community. His most recent contributions include Board President and long-standing board member for Openhouse, a pioneering non-profit offering low income housing and services to LGBT seniors in San Francisco. He also served as a Commissioner for the San Francisco Department of Disability and Aging Services.

Patrick Valentino is a housing, transit and neighborhood activist living in the SOMA district of San Francisco. After volunteering for HomeRise for a few years, he was elected to the board in January of 2014 and serves as Chair of the Advancement Committee, and is also a member of the Housing Committee. Patrick has been practicing real estate law for over 22 years. Patrick is also the Vice Chair of the South Beach Mission Bay Merchants Association, and a member of the Citizens Advisory Committee for the Transbay Transit Center.