Joshua Lockwood, Executive Director.
Joshua Lockwood, Executive Director of Habitat-NYC, is leading Habitat-NYC into innovative new directions and positioning the organization at the forefront of affordable housing development, both locally and among Habitat affiliates nationally. Josh's priorities include advocating for public policies that address today's affordable housing challenges and spearheading Habitat-NYC's efforts to serve more homebuyers and more communities than ever before. Josh led Habitat-NYC in building the largest and greenest multifamily building in the history of Habitat for Humanity nationally, our 41-unit condominium building in Ocean Hill-Brownsville, Brooklyn. Under Josh's direction, Habitat-NYC is entering into innovative co-development agreements with private developers, partnerships that will enable us to serve new family partner homebuyers in new areas of New York City.

Prior to joining Habitat-NYC, Josh spent eight years as a Principal at the firm of HR&A Advisors, focusing on the firm's nonprofit strategic planning practice, which serve an array of non-profits and foundations. These clients included Urban Pathways, the New York Association for New Americans, the Randall's Island Sports Foundation, Gay Men's Health Crisis, the Council of Fashion Designers of America and the Friends of Van Corltandt Park, among others. Josh also oversaw a number of major economic development and affordable housing plans, working on behalf of both public- and private-sector developers. These included urban revitalization projects throughout New York City; Flint, MI; Baltimore, MD; and Miami, Florida. Josh has an undergraduate degree from Wesleyan University and a Master's Degree from the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University. He was a fellow with the Coro Foundation's Leadership New York program and a Presidential Management Intern at the Department of Justice in Washington, DC. Josh currently serves on the board of Urban Homesteading Assistance Board.

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.

Beverly Cheuvront, Director of Communications, has a long history of reporting and writing on housing and policy issues in New York City. She comes to Habitat-NYC from The Partnership for the Homeless, where she headed the communications office, developed cause-related marketing projects and worked closely with the advocacy department to promote policy initiatives. A former newspaper reporter and editor for both dailies and weeklies, Beverly edited City Limits magazine and co-produced Journey through New York, a series of public-television shows on New York City civic topics. In her public relations career, Beverly has worked in city government and with non-profit organizations that strive to improve opportunities for low-income New Yorkers and their communities. At Habitat-NYC, she is delighted to use her communications skills to help create bricks-and-mortar solutions to the city’s housing crisis and to foster the public policies that will help all New Yorkers have decent, affordable homes.

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.

Rachel Hyman, Chief Operating Officer, brings with her an extensive knowledge of affordable housing and public policy. 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. In the past, she has served as a Member of Habitat-NYC's Junior Board and with 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.

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.