Presenters:
Sarah Wrightsman
New Hampshire Housing
Sarah Wrightsman is the Manager of Community Engagement and Education at New Hampshire Housing. Prior to joining the team at New Hampshire Housing, Wrightsman was Executive Director of the Workforce Housing Coalition of the Greater Seacoast.
Wrightsman is a graduate of Leadership Seacoast’s class of 2019 and Leadership New Hampshire’s Class of 2021. She holds a master’s degree in public policy from the Carsey School of Public Policy at the University of New Hampshire.
Rick Lederer-Barnes
Upstate GIS
Rick is an Independent Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Specialist and Environmental Planner with over 20 years of GIS experience and is the Sole Proprietor of Upstate GIS, located in Cambridge, NY. Specializing in cartographic design, data creation and spatial analysis, Rick is a member of the NH Zoning Atlas leadership team as the project’s GIS lead.
Panel Discussion:
Preston Hunter
PROCON
Preston Hunter is Vice President of Business Development at PROCON, a leading New England design-build. With more than 20 years of experience in construction and real estate development, he works with clients to identify potential projects and guide the design and construction process. He is involved with projects across many sectors with a focus on market-rate and affordable multi-family housing.
Heather Shank
NH Department of Business and Economic Affairs
Heather is the Director of the Division of Planning and Community Development (DPCD) in the New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs (BEA). Heather manages The Invest NH program, the Office of Broadband Initiatives and the Office of Planning and Development (OPD). DPCD works closely with municipalities in education and training to improve regulatory processes and development outcomes; and with development partners to expand community assets and services. Prior to this role, Heather was the City Planner for Concord, New Hampshire where she managed the development review process, staffed the planning board, and assisted multiple city commissions and committees.
Nick Taylor
Housing Action NH
Nick Taylor is the Director of Housing Action NH and a member of the New Hampshire Zoning Atlas Leadership Team. Over the last decade, Nick has worked on a wide range of public policy, political, and advocacy issues, including serving as the Executive Director of the Workforce Housing Coalition of the Greater Seacoast and Policy Director in the New Hampshire State Senate. He lives in Manchester.
Moderator:
Elissa Margolin
Initiative for Housing Policy and Practice
Saint Anselm College
Elissa Margolin launched the Initiative for Housing Policy and Practice at Saint Anselm College in January of 2025, building on the housing policy programming started at the College’s Center for Ethics in Society. The purpose of the Housing Initiative is to advance research, education, and engagement on housing development, affordability and stability, providing practitioners, academic leaders, students, policy makers and advocates with a learning hub dedicated to quality research, effective convenings, and new insights.
Host
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.