Founder & President Emerita

Denise Pinkston

Partner, TMG Partners

Board President

Rafael Perez

Board Member, Pacific Southwest Association of Realtors

Vice President

Katherine Peoples McGill

Founder, HPP Cares

Treasurer

Robert Apodaca

Founder of ZeZeN Advisors, Inc. ZeZeN Alliance and Co-Founder of California Community Builders (CCB) aka The 200

Roberto Barrágan

Executive Director, California Community Economic Development Association

Susan Brown

Founder and CEO, Core SGB

Fabian Casarez

Real Estate & Lending Practitioner

Louis Mirante

Vice President of Public Policy, Bay Area Council

Kol Peterson

Principal, Accessory Dwelling Strategies LLC

Anne Wyatt

Executive Director, Smart Share Housing Solutions

Celeste Goyer, Executive Director

With a background in operations and marketing for nonprofit and for-profit housing organizations in California and Arizona, Celeste brings a strong commitment to collaboration and innovation to her role as Executive Director for Casita Coalition. Previously ED at Smart Share Housing Solutions, a nonprofit serving mostly low-income single seniors in San Luis Obispo CA, Celeste was instrumental in helping to launch their ADU and home-sharing programs. She lives in Los Angeles, CA and appreciates the great variety of small home types that make up LA’s vibrant neighborhoods.

Jared ( aka the Godfather of Granny Flats) has been a key member of Casita’s team since its early days, while also building his own ADU design practice. His initial projects in early 2017 were some of the first approvals in southern California, however, the difficulties experienced demonstrated the need for substantial advocacy on the regional level. Jared formed the ADU coalition as an extension of the AIA San Diego Chapter’s efforts to address housing policy in a meaningful way. Jared works with industry professionals to gather feedback on processes and provide training on changing policy in the region. He works with event organizers to ensure relevant, consistent, and correct information is presented at educational events. Jared continues to design and permit ADUs through his design firm to retain the practical experience that helps shape regional policy.

Ruby is a marketing & communications, public relations, and partnerships strategist with an extensive background in scaling innovative social ventures and forging cross-sector partnerships. She has lent her talents as a consultant to numerous civil society organizations, social enterprises, foundations, and startups addressing SDGs and ESG-related issues. Known for her storytelling prowess, Ruby has also spearheaded and guided an array of strategic marketing and communications projects for Google, The Skoll Foundation, TechSoup, Columbia University, and various nonprofit organizations. Ruby holds an M,S .in Social Entrepreneurship from Columbia University and a B.A. in Political Science (Public Policy) from the University of California, Davis. Ruby’s passion for housing equity stems from her experience managing and consulting for; shelter, transitional housing, BMR housing, and affordable homeownership programs throughout the San Francisco bay area.

Timothy Pawlak, Director of Education

Timothy is an expert in small housing ordinances and regulation, building, planning, and education. With an educational background in Architecture and Organizational Development, Timothy is a former Senior Planner and Plan Review Specialist for the City of San Diego and Solana Beach. He is deeply immersed in the ADU space, having managed over 30 ADU projects and evaluated over 1500 properties for small housing development in municipalities throughout California. Timothy is also an educator, course designer, curriculum developer, administrator, and grant director for San Diego Community Colleges, focusing on adult vocational education, business, technology, operations, and support services.

Noerena Limon, Executive Consultant

Noerena is the founder and principal of Mariposa Strategies LLC, providing strategic consulting on housing policy and programs ranging from housing supply to bridging the racial wealth gap. In 2023, Noerena was appointed to the Board of the California Housing Finance Agency by Governor Newsom. She currently serves as a Housing Fellow for the UC Berkeley Terner Center for Housing Innovation. Most recently, she served as EVP of Public Policy and Industry Relations at the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP) and has worked both at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and at the White House under President Barack Obama. Noerena earned a bachelor's degree in Political Science and Sociology from University of California, Berkeley and a master's degree in Public Policy from Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. Noerena led as curator of Casita Coalition’s 2023 Build the Middle National Housing Convening and continues to advise Casita Coalition’s organizational strategy.

Ada Chan, ABAG

Caitlin Bigelow, Maxable Space

Carol Galante, Terner Center for Housing Innovation

Dana Cuff, UCLA

Darin Ranelletti, City of Oakland

Hank Levy, Alameda County

Heather Peters, Former CA Deputy Secretary for Housing

Kathy Michalak, Habitat for Humanity of Riverside County

Mardie Oakes, Hello Housing

Matthew Glesne, City of Los Angeles

Michael Lane, SPUR

Renee Schomp, Napa Sonoma ADU

Rob Berry, ADU Homes

Steven Dietz, United Dwelling, Inc.

Steve Vallejos, Valley Home Development

Tennis Wick, Sonoma County 

Charmaine Curtis, Curtis Development