WAHN Illinois
OUR MISSION
The Women’s Affordable Housing Network of Illinois (WAHN Illinois) is an organization committed to the empowerment and development of women who work in affordable housing through partnership, networking, advocacy, and community engagement. It is our goal to bring women together to build a stronger affordable housing industry for the state of Illinois.
OUR VISION
We envision Illinois as a place where confident women influence and foster stable communities through affordable housing.
UPCOMING EVENTS
OUR BOARD
Mackenzie Drosd
Manager of Programs and Membership, Illinois Housing Council
As the Manager of Programs & Membership, Mackenzie engages the IHC membership through relevant educational sessions and networking events. Mackenzie works with the Membership & Events Committee to retain and recruit members and develop new programs. Most recently, Mackenzie has spearheaded the Emerging Leaders Network, a program designed to provide members with additional professional development opportunities with the goal of building capacity and expanding the diversity of the affordable leadership base.
In addition to working closely with the IHC membership, Mackenzie works alongside the IHC Executive Director and Government Liaison Committee to advance the organization’s priorities with local public agencies.
Mackenzie has a master’s degree in Urban Planning and Policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Loyola University Chicago.
Kathleen Day
Senior Project Manager, Preservation of Affordable Housing
Kathleen Day is a senior project manager based in the Chicago office. At every stage of development including acquisition, pre-development, refinancing, and construction, Kathleen manages projects to successful completion on time, on budget, and in alignment with POAH’s commitment to equity and quality service to residents.
Originally from Chicago, Kathleen previously worked for the Chicago Rehab Network as well as for the City of Montreal Department of Housing.
Kathleen holds a Master of Urban Planning from McGill University and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Wesleyan University. She has also studied in France and in Morocco.
Carolyn Issacson
Architectural Designer | Principal, AltusWorks
While earning her Master of Architecture degree at Tulane University, Carolyn gained a deep understanding of community engagement, contextual design, and small-scale construction. She has worked on projects ranging from mixed use residential and education to retail projects, with extensive knowledge of BIM software and a strong interest in how technology helps move design forward. Carolyn excels in our collaborative culture and participates in all levels of the design process from pre-design evaluations and code analysis to construction documentation and contract administration while actively participating in business development and strategic planning of our practice.
Tania Kadakia
Director of Partnerships and Residential Investments, DL3 Realty
Tania joined DL3 in 2020 to lead the firm’s residential development strategy. In her two years in this role, DL3 has secured major funding awards including 9% LIHTCs and a City of Chicago INVEST South/West for South Shore. The South Shore project is also a finalist for a $10 million Pritzker-Traubert Chicago Prize. Tania is managing over $100 million in active development projects.
Tania is a seasoned manager with expertise across the development process and project types, including multiple types of tax credits, HUD and other financing. Previous experience includes Vice President / relationship manager positions for lending and equity investments at firms including BMO Harris Bank, Enterprise Community Investments and National Equity Fund. In these roles, Tania closed $500 million in LIHTC syndications, $350 million in construction and term debt, and executed the development of a $140 million mixed-use and mixed-finance new construction Chicago project.
Tania is a frequent speaker at housing industry events, an active mentor and has lectured for the Urban Planning program at the University of Illinois – Chicago. Tania completed coursework for a Master’s in Urban Planning and received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She was appointed by Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot to the Community Land Trust Board, Chicago in 2022 and serves other boards and committees including the Illinois Housing Council and ReBuilding Exchange.
Andrea Keeney
The Michaels Organization, Vice President
Andrea Keeney joined The Michaels Organization in 2021 as a Vice President of Development. In her role, she is responsible for oversight of projects from inception through construction completion – underwriting deals and sourcing all project capital. Andrea manages projects throughout the construction, lease-up, and stabilization process, ensuring all public and private funds come in as anticipated and construction loans are paid off in time for conversion. She develops and maintains performance metrics that include pre-development, development and operating budgets, as well as construction cost schedules and project timelines.
Prior to joining Michaels, Andrea was with The Habitat Company for close to a year. At the Habitat Company, she led a multi-phased, transit-oriented development in Chicago’s Bronzeville community. Before her time with The Habitat Company, Andrea was the Director of Development at Holsten Real Estate Development Corporation in Chicago. In her 19 years with Holsten, she personally closed over $200 million in affordable and mixed-use transactions, all with multi-layered financing. Andrea holds a Master of Urban Planning and Policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Planning from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. With an interest in historic preservation, Andrea has served on the River Forest Historic Preservation Commission and as an interpreter for Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust.
Karly Brinla
Director of Partnerships and Residential Investments, Brinshore
Karly joined Brinshore in June, 2020. As a Vice President Development Manager, she is responsible for project management, including predevelopment, financing, construction, marketing, and community outreach. She has worked on projects in Illinois, Indiana, Utah, South Carolina, Michigan, Tennessee, North Carolina, Texas, and Nebraska with particular focuses on repositioning public housing using Section 18 and RAD Programs, and on Permanent Supportive Housing.
Karly has a Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics from Pitzer College.
