Rachel Hyman, Acting Executive Director, has been with Habitat-NYC since 2008 as Chief Operating Officer. Rachel brings with her an extensive knowledge of affordable housing, finance, and public policy as well as a keen interest in strengthening organizational effectiveness and accountability. In her time at Habitat-NYC Rachel has streamlined operations for efficiencies while also strengthening fiscal controls. She has developed a successful investment strategy leading to greater organizational financial stability.

In the real estate arena Rachel has led the team in transforming Habitat-NYC’s construction model to allow for a significant increase in home production and developed this as a model for Habitat affiliates nation-wide. Rachel also successfully secured $20 million in federal stimulus funds which are being used to expand the reach and types of homes Habitat-NYC builds. In addition, she has negotiated a statewide mortgage program with the State of NY and expanded the organization’s banking relationships.

Prior to joining Habitat-NYC, she served as a Senior Vice President in the Bank of America's Community Development Real Estate Group, where she marketed and structured financing products for affordable housing developers. She served in similar roles with Citibank and JPMorgan Chase Bank. Throughout her banking career Rachel financed more than $270 million of projects, resulting in more than 3,500 units of affordable housing. Rachel also has experience in government and has led economic revitalization efforts both in New Rochelle and Peekskill, NY. She is active in community affairs, including being a Member of the Board of the Community Partnership Development Corporation as well as having just completed a term on Habitat for Humanity International’s U.S. Finance Committee. In the past, she has served on the Board of Women in Housing and Finance. Rachel earned a Bachelor of Arts from the State University of New York at Binghamton and a Master in Regional Planning from Cornell University.

Bill Bogdon, Director of Real Estate and Construction, brings extensive experience to Habitat-NYC in for-profit residential and commercial real estate development and finance. Most recently, Bill served as Project Executive for Brooklyn-based 267 6th Street LLC, which constructed condominiums, upscale apartments and boutique hotels. Prior to that, he spent more than two decades with K. Hovnanian Companies, working in a wide range of executive roles for the company’s homebuilding activities in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. For his work with Hovnanian, Bill was a three-time winner of the National Association of Homebuilders Community of the Year Awards. Earlier in his career, Bill served as Vice President of Construction for the Denver-based Commercial Development Group. In that role, he managed the construction of office buildings, warehouses, retail centers and a regional newspaper facility. Bill earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Management from Colorado State University.

Michelle DeFossett, Director of Finance and Administration, has over twenty years within the financial services arena. She began her career at the Chase Manhattan Bank, N.A., where she held roles of increasing responsibility within the Global Derivatives, Eurocurrency and Latin American Debt Divisions. After business school, Michelle embarked on a career within the asset management sector where she worked for JP Morgan Asset Management, Pareto Partners and Stanfield Capital Partners.

In her various roles she led teams that were responsible for new product development, business development and process reengineering initiatives in addition to designing and implementing marketing strategy for new distribution channels for domestic and international products and markets.

Michelle earned a BA in Economics from Vassar College and an MBA from Columbia Business School, where she was awarded the Robert F. Toigo Fellowship. She currently serves on the Board of Fort Greene Park Conservancy and is a member of and former board member of Columbia’s African American Business Students Alumni Association. She is a native New Yorker who currently resides in Brooklyn with her husband, Victor Banks, and two children, Joseph and Lauren.

Erika Ineson, Director of Development, Volunteers, and Communications, has extensive experience in nonprofit fundraising. Before joining Habitat-NYC, she served as Associate Director for Development at God's Love We Deliver, where she helped oversee a broad-based program of corporate, foundation and individual giving. Prior to joining God's Love, Erika was a Senior Gift Planning Officer with the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation and a Vice President with the New York City nonprofit consulting firm of J.C. Geever, Inc. She earned a B.A. from St. Lawrence University and a J.D. from Washington and Lee University Law School.