Panelists
Gregory A. Chakmakas
Shareholder
Sheehan Phinney
Gregory Chakmakas focuses his practice on affordable housing and community development projects utilizing tax credit financing. He regularly represents both for-profit and non-profit developers in complex community development transactions throughout New England combining federal tax credit incentives with state tax credits and other funding sources. Chakmakas regularly advises sponsors of tax credit transactions that leverage a variety of public and private funding combinations including Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, Historic Tax Credits, Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) public housing conversions, HUD assistance programs, tax-exempt and taxable bonds, commercial loans, HUD-insured loans, HOME funds, state tax credits, Federal and state rental assistance, low-interest loans, grants and energy efficiency subsidies.
Sarah Marchant
Chief Operating Officer & SVP of ROC-NH
NH Community Loan Fund
Sarah is the Chief Operating Officer and SVP of the ROC-NH Program at the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund. She leads the Resident Owned Communities (ROC) NH team and the organization’s energy solutions work, including helping resident-owned manufactured-home communities become more resilient by accessing modern energy options. She is responsible for business management, operations, executive communications, and cross-organizational strategic initiatives.
Marchant is a leading voice in New Hampshire and among urban planners nationally on the nexus of community development, affordable homeownership, and energy. In 2022, Sarah was elected to the American Planning Associations AICP Commission for Region 1, currently serving as Secretary-Treasurer. She served as President of the Northern New England Chapter of the American Planning Association (NNECAPA) from 2015 to 2021. In 2019, Sarah was appointed to the New Hampshire Housing Board of Directors, now serving as Vice Chair and in 2023 Sarah was appointed to the ROC USA Board of Directors as Secretary.
Previously, she served the City of Nashua from 2014-2021 as the Director of Community Development, where she developed the city’s affordable housing strategy and led over 70 team members across six departments: Building Safety; Code Enforcement; Planning and Zoning; Waterways and Hydroelectric Facilities; Nashua Transit System; Urban Programs; and various boards, and programs.
Sarah holds a B.A. from the University of New Hampshire and an M.A. from the University of Connecticut.
Heather McCann
Managing Director of Engagement, Policy, and Communications
New Hampshire Housing
Heather McCann is the Managing Director of Engagement, Policy, and Communications at New Hampshire Housing, where she leads a cross-functional team advancing research, policy, advocacy, communications, and community engagement to expand housing access and affordability. In this role, she oversees the organization’s research and data initiatives, strategic communications, government relations, and education efforts.
Heather has been with New Hampshire Housing for more than a decade, beginning her career as an accountant and steadily taking on leadership roles that reflect her expertise, versatility, and commitment to public service. She holds a master’s degree in accountancy from the University of Scranton and a bachelor’s degree in business studies from Southern New Hampshire University.
Moderator
Ernesto Burden
Vice President and Publisher
Yankee Publishing | New Hampshire Group
Ernesto has been vice president digital for Newspapers of New England (NNE), group publisher at PennWell, vice president of digital media for The Telegraph and NH.com and related sites, as well as digital media director for the Rutland Herald and Times Argus newspapers in Vermont, online editor for The Telegraph and NH.com, and a print editor and reporter with daily and weekly newspapers. He’s spent his career at the intersection of publishing, digital evolution and marketing helping both publishers and advertisers maximize their digital visibility.