What Comes Next? The Future of Housing, Neighborhoods & Urban Living is an online panel of the 30th RPA Assembly.
Congressman Earl Blumenauer
Oregon’s 3rd District
![Earl Blumenauer](https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/300x300/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/headshots/Earl_Blumenauer.jpg?bossToken=b30c344ef96cdd6b19c134c6ca2fe1a6adbfca333e4a611c5724164c7f60618c 171w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/600x600/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/headshots/Earl_Blumenauer.jpg?bossToken=46c9dc0fcac8b63e9f4ce1c81e294dee9ae781e59abcc9a19298c71ea412d01a 343w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/900x900/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/headshots/Earl_Blumenauer.jpg?bossToken=0f22377ee390d4783302c0a04b9dbeb66e439d6fd8768cd376e3219494446aa8 514w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/1200x1200/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/headshots/Earl_Blumenauer.jpg?bossToken=6989054faf5d6d1dc80cddd74c9dcd3ac98e0c758b4505e540a407d12a2058bc 686w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/1500x1500/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/headshots/Earl_Blumenauer.jpg?bossToken=db3e8aa4932948e3c5a7892fb12f11c9c8e9b3849608f343511adc2f7aeb51d4 857w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/1800x1800/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/headshots/Earl_Blumenauer.jpg?bossToken=45e5862fa7c151048081d85cadd78baad748e63f20691ceb4459bca9f62daaaf 1029w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/2100x2100/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/headshots/Earl_Blumenauer.jpg?bossToken=7ba27f621cd2e7cec9f6add22a443a087b061cec7f88a82f815d96b6817b1c98 1200w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/2400x2400/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/headshots/Earl_Blumenauer.jpg?bossToken=6320f68cab84b5beff303f9bab686470d1f0e258a1a6d5d390a13a332dc230e6 1371w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/2700x2700/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/headshots/Earl_Blumenauer.jpg?bossToken=80ac65901a7c12041040a1edfeca696978bdb5f34136056fff79b8aa25f0b200 1543w)
A lifelong resident of Portland, Oregon, Congressman Earl Blumenauer is one of Oregon’s innovative leaders. Raised in SE Portland, Earl attended Centennial High School. While still a college student at Lewis and Clark College, he led the campaign in Oregon to lower the voting age. He was a key player just two years later as one of the youngest legislators in Oregon’s history in a landmark session for school funding, ethics reform and Oregon’s groundbreaking land use laws.
As a Multnomah County Commissioner and member of the Portland City Council, Earl’s innovative accomplishments in transportation with light rail, bicycles and the street car, planning and environmental programs and public participation helped Portland earn an international reputation as one of America’s most livable cities.
Elected to the US House of Representatives in 1996, Earl has been a tireless advocate for the 3rd Congressional District. He’s recognized for his creative, innovative policies and accomplishments, and also his political leadership in Oregon and nationwide. He tackles controversial issues and finds ways to break ideological and partisan gridlock with a unique approach to problem solving that brings people together.
He is currently a member of the Ways and Means Committee, Chairman of the subcommittee on Trade and a member of the subcommittee on Health. These assignments give Earl a unique platform to promote critical issues like Medicare for All and the Green New Deal. Earl has been a champion for rebuilding and renewing our nation’s infrastructure, economic security for families, protection of public lands, stopping gun violence, ending the prohibition of marijuana, and criminal justice reform.
![Gates Moses](https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/300x300/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/headshots/Gates_Moses.jpg?bossToken=7b72706317bf961828831f1fa87b40193571129e1de832e152eb4b7dd7d135ec 171w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/600x600/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/headshots/Gates_Moses.jpg?bossToken=e214811198d4e5aab27239cff1771a4242d90c4d7ffa99232486bcaa451fee6d 343w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/900x900/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/headshots/Gates_Moses.jpg?bossToken=5c8bb1c566abb3c934251d297704a8db417feb057dcfad65db378d6a3d554eca 514w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/1200x1200/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/headshots/Gates_Moses.jpg?bossToken=e75b5abf6c5bca4e1d1e0b17e4d1d5c00d2c5a0fa511199f501e097ff97dd97a 686w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/1500x1500/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/headshots/Gates_Moses.jpg?bossToken=135953a73816cfca9a79a9accdbb4f38496cfec554c072c3c6167ef6e0681beb 857w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/1800x1800/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/headshots/Gates_Moses.jpg?bossToken=bc5a4724e48920f46c411cdaf2c72ca66b7c6b12b945a8ee64d32ff5f11aae21 1029w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/2100x2100/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/headshots/Gates_Moses.jpg?bossToken=2cc5194e65d85cebf77c2808f53fa4925d303097c4cb559f26251411c86a3f18 1200w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/2400x2400/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/headshots/Gates_Moses.jpg?bossToken=3e33e1db544ab1c0ae9b4959683ab76828bc471c3a2ba966124b93edecbe3ccb 1371w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/2700x2700/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/headshots/Gates_Moses.jpg?bossToken=09f1b040aa4d98712b267b68badefa365bce1847db127c5cf0fc4e03cac05959 1543w)
Moses Gates is RPA’s Vice President for Housing and Neighborhood Planning, leading the organization’s planning, research and advocacy efforts in affordable housing, economic development, and urban design. He also leads RPA’s efforts to build international partnerships.
Since joining RPA in 2016, Moses has led RPA’s recommendations on affordability, economic development, and livable neighborhoods for the Fourth Regional Plan and authored or overseen several reports on housing policy and neighborhood planning. Prior to joining RPA, Moses was director of planning and community development for the Association for Neighborhood Housing Development, where he led the organization’s housing development policy and planning work and initiated New York City’s first Community Development Fellowship program.
Moses also has worked for New York City’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development, as a nonprofit affordable housing developer, and as a licensed New York City tour guide. He is currently a visiting assistant professor at the Pratt Institute and serves on the board of directors for Neighborhood Housing Services of New York City. He has a master’s of urban planning from Hunter College, a bachelor’s in history from the University of Wisconsin, and is the author of the memoir“Hidden Cities” (Tarcher/Perigee 2013).
Commissioner Seila Mosquera-Bruno
Connecticut Department of Housing
![Commissioner Mosquera Bruno](https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/300x300/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/headshots/Commissioner-Mosquera-Bruno.jpg?bossToken=65fda8f2dd22ad85b1646ab4f01879f357c812d75bb758228133a83812c690d0 171w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/600x600/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/headshots/Commissioner-Mosquera-Bruno.jpg?bossToken=698a69512e9affff3172847cd5ff30db0f603555f71519d65f8114230fd622e8 343w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/900x900/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/headshots/Commissioner-Mosquera-Bruno.jpg?bossToken=46e87f95f212421f7d57c579c37d0d0b6e3a156c1bd7cd385a06f15cefd8c8d9 514w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/1200x1200/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/headshots/Commissioner-Mosquera-Bruno.jpg?bossToken=2d442b9e40285daf2901952f55d9f0140b502dcb42941a55ea6bcd24d3ec3618 686w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/1500x1500/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/headshots/Commissioner-Mosquera-Bruno.jpg?bossToken=6bdac7ed17a6a0f7c7091dc56f0e4d9d3678613ed34bf0e4288a91f52cf4c247 857w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/1800x1800/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/headshots/Commissioner-Mosquera-Bruno.jpg?bossToken=491b5757849f9f1589babd4d1b18666a0001319f7390c7951a8f83f9943eb49f 1029w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/2100x2100/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/headshots/Commissioner-Mosquera-Bruno.jpg?bossToken=48b536fb6e67649026cf306af095912b9faebd01fdf614f491471809c03f01fe 1200w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/2400x2400/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/headshots/Commissioner-Mosquera-Bruno.jpg?bossToken=f85d6e69acb3bd5b059f5306ed1abb3b2c7ed24ce07ca8e25aa1d962e4fb5635 1371w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/2700x2700/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/headshots/Commissioner-Mosquera-Bruno.jpg?bossToken=62e86d19d25c552537b1e2bc7e931466a597727b309b5eefa5a77f93996f28a1 1543w)
Appointed by Governor Ned Lamont, Commissioner Seila Mosquera-Bruno brings a wealth of knowledge to the Department of Housing. Prior to her appointment, Seila was the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Mutual Housing Association of South Central Connecticut, Inc., dba NeighborWorks® New Horizons. NWNH is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to providing affordable housing opportunities to help build strong communities and revitalize neighborhoods. Since joining NWNH in 1994, Seila served in many different capacities and became the Executive Director in 2003. Under her leadership, the organization expanded operations beyond New Haven County to New London and Fairfield Counties, managed 38 employees and $100 million in Assets.
Seila has a Master’s degree in Urban Studies from Southern Connecticut State University, a Bachelor in Business Administration from Charter Oak College, and completed the Achieving Excellency in Community Development 18-month fellowship program at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. Seila has vast and extensive experience in advocating for affordable housing on a state and national level and has participated in many organizations to help strengthen communities. Seila was a Board Member of the National NeighborWorks Association and Co-chair of the NWA National Real Estate Development Advisory Council.
Seila lives in Milford with her husband and youngest daughter.
Shawn Rickenbacker
Director, J. Max Bond Center for Urban Futures, City College of New York
![Shawn Rickenbacker headshot](https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/300x300/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/headshots/Shawn-Rickenbacker_headshot.jpg?bossToken=19069d5c195d07a89abb2e7f9aeccd63133f9999121a6c533434c8fbec2d470c 171w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/600x600/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/headshots/Shawn-Rickenbacker_headshot.jpg?bossToken=8f8b5532d27c88604a33be7beb7c9a257a833db19a2bab5faeacf1da74b03555 343w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/900x900/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/headshots/Shawn-Rickenbacker_headshot.jpg?bossToken=2078119b000b6d1d1be841cc8ecb621c3d151f362a84f070d93ce717be23c3da 514w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/1200x1200/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/headshots/Shawn-Rickenbacker_headshot.jpg?bossToken=fadf2d18bedee893077e1c9a95be15de20a460ae2d5b5953bb4121182e3355cf 686w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/1500x1500/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/headshots/Shawn-Rickenbacker_headshot.jpg?bossToken=7804aeb126981bbc09eba4fa2b086f0c5cb4d8cda9fd745fdeeee24a5baefb86 857w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/1800x1800/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/headshots/Shawn-Rickenbacker_headshot.jpg?bossToken=ba043b9ca334b6789da6706e1ee7ebb3d21763f3b4d74bb1d79a91e2aefbc732 1029w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/2100x2100/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/headshots/Shawn-Rickenbacker_headshot.jpg?bossToken=79275924599f2f184d0fc6e7a13e662e05204045c71db0abd4a25b43abbfa048 1200w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/2400x2400/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/headshots/Shawn-Rickenbacker_headshot.jpg?bossToken=d34de9caba4405743d59b4e75243fd9fcc21c1b721fde7e45cf7562413aac339 1371w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/2700x2700/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/headshots/Shawn-Rickenbacker_headshot.jpg?bossToken=8c38f5ac937ac9d34e043929b154274da65bd1538dce041617a34a78395cd3a9 1543w)
Shawn L. Rickenbacker is a trained architect, urbanist and urban data researcher. He is currently the Director of the J. Max Bond Center for Urban Futures where he directs the Center’s sponsored research and is an Associate Professor of Architecture at the CCNY Spitzer School of Architecture. His research and work at the Bond Center directly confronts the complex intersection of spatial equity and the social and economic impacts of place-based policies, programs and design through the lens of urban data, forensic and design research. He’s served as Senior Research Fellow at the Phyllis M. Taylor Institute for Social Innovation, where he researched ‘Artificial Intelligence and The Future of Social Urbanism’, The Favrot Chair in Architecture at Tulane University, Gensler Distinguished Professor at Cornell University and Director of the Motorola Sponsored Future Interactions Lab at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Design. His work and research have been published in The New York Times, NY Daily News and Global Architecture and exhibited at Studio Museum of Harlem and most recently at Temple University. As a frequent lecturer and presenter he’s appeared at University of Southern California, Temple University, Enterprise Community Partners Design Affordable Housing Leadership Institute, and New Museum - New Inc. Shawn holds a MArch with a Certificate in American Urbansim from the University of Virginia where he was the Dupont Scholar and a BArch from Syracuse University.
Barika Williams
Executive Director, ANHD
![Barika Williams](https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/300x300/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/headshots/Barika-Williams.jpg?bossToken=56c5447210437effcf80310f29308b1624127b6815a4fa67a19c9678aafdcf09 171w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/600x600/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/headshots/Barika-Williams.jpg?bossToken=ec7e64f1d514457acb210800ce03fe2a756943c2740f5c5810f625eec02fd635 343w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/900x900/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/headshots/Barika-Williams.jpg?bossToken=21ff7eb6b3e6cefd4a00a2a79d770fa59763d13399d36b34db67a08578ad3507 514w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/1200x1200/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/headshots/Barika-Williams.jpg?bossToken=66a43c747751f09426c8cf5076ef8e48122ba124d787207e7412ce4da51cc321 686w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/1500x1500/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/headshots/Barika-Williams.jpg?bossToken=e5292400614739b19f66c0b7937190f51302dd7fa2030135baf336f85fba5384 857w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/1800x1800/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/headshots/Barika-Williams.jpg?bossToken=bb8b13392d2e7e55a76fcf4149e7f78b60f4a1f62194b925a0322f70dc97fcb6 1029w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/2100x2100/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/headshots/Barika-Williams.jpg?bossToken=ccb0529e5c061c4619c8d653c9d62038b812289ac6b5d12b5ce402b32157ae70 1200w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/2400x2400/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/headshots/Barika-Williams.jpg?bossToken=f64ed3f1d98c48360146228fceabac81a91a6b1cf901b281539aee3c9cbd705a 1371w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/cover/2700x2700/fp-x:0.5,fp-y:0.5,quality:80/headshots/Barika-Williams.jpg?bossToken=c4ae093afc928030bf13a11cf8bed35984112918734698c8b5dfdcbad0738da1 1543w)
Barika Williams is ANHD’s Executive Director. She was previously with ANHD as Deputy Director until 2018. During her ANHD tenure she led impactful projects and initiatives – including ANHD’s mandatory inclusionary housing, equitable economic development, and data and research work. She has an unparalleled breadth and depth of policy expertise on affordable housing and economic development, as well as deep knowledge on our organization, members, and the communities we serve. Perhaps most important, she’s passionate about policies that advance equity, inclusion, and opportunity in all neighborhoods, especially for low-income communities and communities of color.
Prior to her appointment, Barika served as the Assistant Secretary for Housing for the State of New York under Governor Andrew M. Cuomo. There, she managed the Governor’s major housing priorities consisting of various agencies with a combined workforce of over 1,000 employees and an annual budget of more than $2.5 billion dollars. She supported the Governor’s programs and initiatives to increase NY State housing affordability including the $20 billion housing plan and expanding tenant protections statewide.
In previous roles, Barika has published on several topics at the Urban Institute, served as Project Manager for a leading DC real estate firm and on a community-based comprehensive education reform initiative. Barika holds a master’s degree from MIT’s Department of Urban Studies and Planning and a bachelor’s degree from Washington University in St. Louis.