Board of Directors & Staff

PRESIDENT / CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Benson F. “Buzz” Roberts is the President and CEO of the National Association of Affordable Housing Lenders (NAAHL).

Buzz was the Director of the Office of Small Business, Community Development and Housing Policy at the U.S. Treasury Department from 2011 to 2015. He was previously Senior Vice President for Policy and Program Development at the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), a leading nonprofit investor in low-income community development. Buzz has helped to create the Low Income Housing Tax Credit; the New Markets Tax Credit; the HOME housing partnerships program; regulatory changes to the Community Reinvestment Act; the Capital Magnet Fund; Treasury funding for FHA multifamily risk-sharing loans to finance affordable rental housing; and bond guarantees for CDFIs.

He has been a board member of several national nonprofit organizations and coalitions and has written extensively about affordable housing and neighborhood revitalization.

COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

Cherri Sinclair is the Communications Director at the National Association of Affordable Housing Lenders (NAAHL).

Cherri was a Senior Account Executive at Octane Public Relations & Advertising where she managed and implemented strategic communications and social marketing campaigns. Prior to Octane, Cherri worked in crisis communications at Levick, LLC, conducting media outreach and producing social media content. She was also responsible for executing corporate social responsibility programs, events, and grassroots initiatives for clients.

Cherri holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from SUNY Binghamton and a Master of Arts in Mass Communication and Media Studies from Howard University.

OPERATIONS DIRECTOR

Sara (Olson) Spofford is the Operations Director at the National Association of Affordable Housing Lenders (NAAHL).

Sara was the Communications Director for U.S. Representative Pete Visclosky (D-Ind.). Prior to that role, she also served as the Press Assistant and Campaign Assistant.

Sara holds a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing from Manchester University.