Regional Forum: Unlocking Housing

Speakers

Amandula Anderson

Real Estate Solutions -Indiana IFF

Managing Director

Amandula Anderson is the Managing Director of Real Estate Solutions for IFF in Indiana. Amandula has nearly 20 years-experience in the nonprofit sector where she has led two community-based organizations – Irvington Development Organization and United Northeast CDC; convened a Quality-of-Life initiative on the northeast side of Indianapolis; directed a program to facilitate a two-generational approach to supporting families within 5 Indianapolis communities; and spent a few years supporting affordable housing through a tax credit syndicator. She is a graduate of Arlington High School, received her BS in Public Affairs from IUPUI and has a Masters in Real Estate Development at University of Indianapolis. In her role at IFF, she is supporting schools and nonprofits throughout the states of Indiana and Kentucky in their desire to build/move/expand in spaces that meet the needs of their clients and brings dignity to all. Amandula enjoys spending time with her husband and kids, ranging from 26 - 12 YO vacationing, reading and having fun with their dog Reo.

Joe Bowling

Englewood Community Development Corporation

Executive Director

Leader, community organizer, and creative thinker Joe Bowling is the executive director of Englewood Community Development Corporation in Indianapolis, Indiana, a faith-driven organization that promotes comprehensive community development with a specific focus on serving vulnerable populations. Englewood has developed, actively manages, and facilitates critical services to 400 households through its affordable rental housing, while also promoting a range of job creation and economic development strategies. The organization also supports faith communities with a range of resources through the Englewood Review of Books and Cultivating Communities initiative.

Chris Cruthers

Jessie Ball DuPont Fund

Director of Impact Investing

Chris Crothers is the Director of Impact Investing, overseeing the Fund's impact investing portfolio, which comprises about one-third of the Fund's total investment portfolio and includes both program-related and mission-related investments. Chris is leading the Fund's involvement as a founding member of the national Community Investment Guarantee Pool and the Northeast Florida Impact Investors Exchange. Chris is also a senior program officer responsible for managing the Fund's grant relationships in the Wilmington, Delaware core community. Chris is a certified Housing Development Finance Professional and is deeply engaged in studying the housing ecosystem in Jacksonville, including as a leader in helping to solve affordable housing challenges for the City. He leads the Market Value Analysis work to analyze the housing market alongside Reinvestment Fund; was a key member of the Mayor's transition subcommittee on housing in 2023; and was appointed to the inaugural Homelessness Initiatives Committee in 2024. He is also a member of the LISC Jacksonville local advisory committee. Chris is also leading a collaboration among private, philanthropic and public partners to develop the Jacksonville Affordable Housing Fund, a specially designed loan fund that would combine $10 million of public financing with $30 million of private and philanthropic capital to catalyze $120 million in affordable housing for Jacksonville residents. Prior to joining the Fund in 2013, Chris served as Director of Communications at the Foundation for the Mid-South, a three-state regional foundation located in Jackson, Mississippi. During his 10 years with the foundation, Chris’ projects received six Wilmer Shields Rich Awards for Excellence in Communications from the Council on Foundations. He was also responsible for designing, acquiring funding for, and implementing the foundation’s initiative to improve the economic, health, and education statuses of males of color in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Chris received a bachelor’s degree from Mississippi State University in Management Information Systems. He currently serves on the board of the Delaware Grantmakers Association and the Orange Park Chorale. Chris is a husband and father of two, avid music collector, drummer, self-described foodie, and a recovering entrepreneur.

Steven Meyer

Intend Indiana

Chief Executive Officer

Steven Meyer serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Intend Indiana, a non-profit that connects people to opportunity and advances collaborative community development through equitable financing and housing solutions. Steven oversees the strategic growth of the organization, including its two Community Development Financial Institutions, affordable housing development, and land banking initiative. Prior to joining Intend, Steven worked for the City of Indianapolis and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management focusing on Brownfield redevelopment and environmental cost recovery litigation. Steven is a graduate of the IU McKinney School of Law and a licensed attorney.

Mike Paull

Northern Trust

Regional Director

As a Regional Director with Northern Trust, I work exclusively with Foundations, Endowments and Nonprofits to help them steward their financial resources for maximum impact. My previous roles include direct nonprofit management as well as various roles supporting ETF creation and distribution. Beyond my work, I serve as the Tresurer for the Northern Illinois University Foundation and also serve as an advisory board member for HOPE International, a global micro-finance institution.

Brandon Taylor

LISC Indianapolis

Executive Director

Brandon is a distinguished professional in community development and program management with over a decade of experience driving human-centered neighborhood transformation. As Deputy Director of LISC Indianapolis, he leads the organization’s operations, including lending, community investment, and program strategy. Previously, he directed the workforce program at LISC Indianapolis, integrating it with broader community development initiatives to enhance quality of life, reduce the racial wealth gap, and stimulate economic vitality in Indianapolis. Brandon holds a bachelor’s degree in Urban and Regional Studies from Cornell University, where his global travels inspired his passion for community development, innovation, and neighborhood revitalization. He also serves on the board of BlackLight and the Steering Committee for the Prosperity Indiana Assets & Opportunities Network.

Edward Wood

Northern Trust

SVP - Head of Community Development and Impact Investing

Edward Wood is a Senior Vice President and the Head of Community Development & Impact Investing. He oversees Northern Trust’s Community Development capital deployment and an Impact Investment portfolio of over $1.5 billion. Northern Trust’s investments are long-term, patient capital with a primary focus of creating positive impacts in underserved communities. Northern’s place based investment strategy has led the bank to receiving an Outstanding Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) rating for the last 28 years. Ed is an early adopter of innovative community finance structures and works to fill capital gaps in underserved communities across the United States through direct investment in Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), high performing non-profits, social enterprise businesses, Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTCs), New Market Tax Credits (NMTCs), and Small Business Investment Companies (SBICs). Ed also works with clients to help them invest their capital for direct community impact.

Event Series

Regional Forum

Peer Community

Mutz Philanthropic Leadership Institute

Funding Area

Housing