Leadership

As Chief Executive Officer of the Community Preservation Corporation (CPC), Rafael E. Cestero brings over 30 years of experience in tackling the most pressing housing and community development challenges facing cities today. Under Rafael’s leadership, CPC has grown its impact and diversified its multifamily lending and investing platforms, operating nationally as one of the largest CDFIs in the country solely committed to the creation and preservation of multifamily housing. Today, CPC uses its unique expertise in housing finance and public policy to expand access to affordable and workforce housing, advance diversity and equity within the development industry, and expand investment in the green economy to lessen the impact of climate change. CPC is a carbon-neutral company and is among a select group of CDFIs to achieve and maintain a AA- S&P rating. Prior to joining CPC in 2012, Rafael was Managing Director at L+M Development Partners, a leading developer of affordable and mixed-income housing committed to fostering diverse communities through its development practices. From 2009 to 2011, Rafael served as commissioner of the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), the largest municipal affordable housing development and housing code enforcement agency in the country. In his capacity as HPD commissioner, he simultaneously served as chairman of the board for the New York City Housing Development Corporation, the nation’s largest municipal Housing Finance Agency. He also served as HPD’s Deputy Commissioner for Development from 2004-2007. Rafael’s career in community development began at Enterprise Community Partners in 1990 as a Chief Program Officer. In 2007, he was named Senior Vice President and Chief Program Officer – a capacity he served in until 2009 and his departure to take over the leadership role at HPD. Rafael is a regular voice in the media on topics related to housing policy. He is the co-host of the popular housing-focused podcast The Housing Problem, and has been featured in publications such as The Hill, New York Daily News, Crain’s New York, The New York Times, and City Limits, among others. Rafael earned his Bachelor of Science in Public Policy Analysis from Cornell University and his Master’s Degree in Urban Planning from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He currently serves on the CPC board of directors, Citizens Housing and Planning Council board of directors, Morgan Stanley Community Development advisory board, YMCA real estate committee, Center for an Urban Future board of directors, and the NYU Furman Center advisory board.

A seasoned leader with more than 33 years of history at the company, Sadie McKeown is President of The Community Preservation Corporation (CPC). In this capacity she leads the development and implementation of CPC’s growth strategy and oversees the company’s mission-driven construction lending and investing platforms with a focus on investing in the transition to a green economy, closing the racial wealth gap, and expanding affordable housing. This includes overseeing CPC’s field offices, Sustainability platform, the ACCESS fund to strengthen and support BIPOC developers and real estate entrepreneurs, and working closely with the President of CPC Mortgage Company, CPC’s Agency mortgage lending subsidiary, to align the company’s products and tools to drive business success and social impact. McKeown brings an eye toward collective solutions to her focus on addressing the capital challenges facing disinvested communities. Having harnessed dozens of municipal tools and public subsidy programs to drive affordable, sustainable multifamily development and economic revitalization, she has developed a passion and skill for aligning private resources and government priorities for impact and change. A recognized leader in the real estate industry’s climate movement, McKeown has been a fierce advocate for moving the built environment towards carbon neutrality throughout her career. In 2009, CPC launched a Sustainability platform under McKeown’s direction, and she continues to oversee the company’s green financing efforts focused on driving higher performance, resilient, healthier housing and creating economic opportunity in disadvantaged communities. Under McKeown’s leadership CPC has invested more than $1.3 billion in more than 13,000 sustainable and energy efficient units since the company began tracking in 2015. She has overseen the development of numerous guides, tools, and case studies to help lenders, owners, and developers understand the benefits of energy efficient construction and retrofits; including CPC’s “Underwriting Efficiency Handbook” and its companion guide titled “Financing High-Performance” which focus on guiding lenders and developers through the underwriting efficiency methodology for both retrofit and new construction projects. In addition to serving as President of CPC, McKeown leads CPC Climate Capital, the multifamily strategy within the Climate United coalition managing a $7 billion award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. CPC Climate Capital is deploying $2.4 billion of the total award to stimulate the clean energy transition economy-wide and transform the multifamily mortgage markets. McKeown also oversees CPC’s administration of New York State’s Climate Friendly Homes Fund, a $250 million initiative to electrify 10,000 units of multifamily housing in disadvantaged communities. As a board member of the New York State Housing Finance Agency (HFA), McKeown uses her green finance and multifamily expertise to align climate and affordability in the multifamily space. She previously served on the New York State Climate Action Council’s Energy Efficiency and Housing Advisory Panel, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) board, and the Bright Power, Inc board. Sadie also acts locally, serving on the New York City Energy Efficiency Corporation (NYCEEC) in Manhattan, where CPC is headquartered, and on the Housing Affordability Taskforce in Tarrytown, New York, where she lives. McKeown earned her Master’s Degree in Human Services Administration with a concentration in Housing from Cornell University. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Communications from Fordham University.

As president of CPC Mortgage Company, Nicole Ferreira leads the nation’s only nonprofit-owned Agency mortgage lender bringing social impact and a nonprofit mission to the mortgage lending industry. This innovative model leverages the unique expertise of its owners, the Community Preservation Corporation, Cinnaire, and National Equity Fund, with the goal of bringing flexible capital to communities to expand and preserve affordable and workforce housing. It is the only nonprofit-owned mortgage lender offering a suite of Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, and Federal Housing Administration (FHA) multifamily finance products. Ferreira joined CPC Mortgage Company having built an impressive track record of success in leadership positions across the housing and community development industry. Most recently, she served as Executive Vice President of Development at Beacon Communities where she oversaw the development and preservation of affordable housing throughout New York and Connecticut. Ferreira has also served as Senior Vice President of Multifamily Finance and Development at New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR), where she oversaw all HFA multifamily lending and debt issuance. Before joining HCR, she was Executive Vice President for Real Estate Development at the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), where she closed one of the largest public housing revitalization transactions in the country, and led the team responsible for creating the 10-year strategic plan to repair NYCHA’s aging building stock and stabilize the agency’s finances. Ferreira serves on the board of directors of the New York Housing Conference and is a member of the Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA). She is an adjunct professor at the Pratt Institute’s Graduate School of Real Estate in Brooklyn, NY and has also taught graduate classes at NYU Schack Institute of Real Estate and Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs. She received a B.A. in political science and government from NYU and a master’s in real estate development from NYU. Nicole has a love of the outdoors and can often be found traveling to hike/bike/paddle with her wife and dogs in their camper van. However, skiing is her favorite outdoor pastime and she cherishes spending time with friends and family in the mountains.

David Rothberg is CPC’s Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Investment Officer. In this role, he provides leadership and partnership to all of CPC’s business lines in achieving the company’s strategic goals and growing its impact. This includes a focus on managing risk, capital allocation, capital raising and ensuring that investments position the company to execute strategic priorities. Rothberg’s responsibilities also include overseeing the alignment of CPC’s finance and operations departments and all finance department functions, including investor reporting, accounting, treasury operations and corporate finance responsibilities. In addition, CPC’s credit and risk function reports to Mr. Rothberg, who is largely responsible for managing the risk across the company’s growing portfolios. As a member of CPC’s Operating Committee, Mr. Rothberg partners with senior leadership to oversee the organization’s strategic investment and capital allocation decisions. He provides expertise and strategic guidance to several board committees in areas related to capital allocation, risk, and the annual audit. In addition, Rothberg serves as a voting member on CPC’s Investment Committee. Prior to joining the company in 2012 as Senior Vice President, Financial Planning and Analysis, Rothberg worked for CPC as a consultant with the Capstone Advisory Group. He played an instrumental role in assisting the company with its restructuring during credit agreement negotiations, the development of its business plan, and ultimate recapitalization. In his former role as a director at the Capstone Advisory Group, Rothberg was responsible for providing financial restructuring advisory services to the company’s clients. While there, he represented creditors and creditors’ committees, including secured lenders, banks, financial institutions, lender groups, bondholders and unsecured creditors. He also represented debtors through the bankruptcy process. During a nine-year career with The CIT Group, Rothberg served in numerous positions including Vice President, Business Development Officer and Vice President, Underwriter within the National Restructuring Group. He also served as Assistant Vice President, Portfolio Manager – Underwriter within the Business Capital/Loan Purchasing and Commercial Services groups. Rothberg earned his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Duke University.

Erin Burns-Maine is Senior Vice President of External Affairs, leading CPC’s Policy, Government Affairs, and Communications functions. In this capacity, she leads and directs CPC’s policy priorities, brand and messaging to advance CPC’s mission and business goals and foster strategic relationships. She is also responsible for crafting the company’s policy priorities and engaging with a diverse set of stakeholders to advance CPC’s pro-housing and neighborhood-based policy priorities at the city, state, and federal levels. Erin has over 17 years of experience in housing policy and external affairs. Prior to joining CPC as its first Vice President of Policy and Government Affairs in 2021, she served as Senior Director, Policy and External Affairs at the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), the nation’s largest public housing authority. While at NYCHA, Erin was responsible for directing the Housing Authority’s Federal Affairs agenda, setting budget and legislative priorities, analyzing regulatory changes and more. She also managed partnerships with the New York Congressional Delegation, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), federal advocacy and trade organizations, local elected officials and partner agencies. In addition to her work at NYCHA, Erin has held a number of positions at organizations where policy and housing intersect. She has served as the national Director of State Policy for the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH), identifying and advancing policy priorities in 43 states. In her role there, she worked toward creating better alignment of public systems to serve the most vulnerable individuals, youth, and families. Erin holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Master of Arts in Community Development and Planning from Clark University. She also completed the Fellowship for Emerging Leaders in Public Service at New York University’s Wagner School of Public Service.

Stephanie Canzani is the Chief Operating Officer of The Community Preservation Corporation (CPC). With nearly two decades of experience in multifamily finance, Stephanie brings a wealth of knowledge in loan administration, compliance, asset management, relationship management, and technology to our executive team. In her role, Stephanie plays a crucial part in steering CPC’s operational strategies to ensure our infrastructure aligns effectively with our business growth. With a dedicated focus on efficiency and effectiveness, she leads efforts to enhance our over $10 billion permanent loan portfolio in servicing, asset management, and customer service functions, while also driving improvements in our information technology infrastructure. Stephanie has been an integral part of CPC since 2006, holding various leadership positions across servicing, finance, loan production, operations, and investor relations. Notably, she led the integration of technology platforms with business strategies as the Senior Vice President of Technology and Business Infrastructure. Following Hurricane Sandy, Stephanie took on the role of overseeing CPC’s administration of $45 million in HUD disaster recovery funds through the Build it Back Multifamily program. Her responsibilities included program design, operational oversight, community outreach, and coordination with government and nonprofit partners. Stephanie holds a Master of Science in Nonprofit Management from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Florida. With her extensive experience and dedication to CPC’s mission, Stephanie continues to drive operational excellence and contribute to our organization’s success.

Lawrence Hammond is Senior Vice President, Director, CPC ACCESS. In this capacity, Lawrence works closely with CPC’s senior leadership and Board of Directors to oversee all lending and other activities associated with the initiative. The Acquiring Capital and Capacity for Economic Stability and Sustainability (ACCESS) initiative focuses on targeted investments in low-income communities and creating opportunities to empower black, indigenous and other people of color (BIPOC) in the real estate industry across New York State and the region. Under Lawrence’s leadership, ACCESS provides capital for predevelopment, acquisition, construction and permanent financing, and capacity building programs, as well as technical assistance and other supports to BIPOC developers as needed. He also oversees the ACCESS Incubator real estate development training program, a free, virtual training series that includes eight 90-minute sessions takes participants through each phase of the development process, and features expert instruction, interactive components and project development support. Mr. Hammond joined CPC as Vice President and Mortgage Officer in the New York City Originations Office in 2015, after more than 30 years with various financial institutions inclusive of Popular Community Bank, Bank of New York Mellon, and JP Morgan Chase Bank. At CPC, he has distinguished himself as an expert in affordable housing and multifamily finance, working with borrowers on some of their most challenging projects. As an ordained minister, Mr. Hammond has also focused on building relationships with, and advising faith-based organizations who are interested in developing housing as part of their mission to serve the community. Mr. Hammond earned a Doctorate of Ministry and Masters of Divinity from New York Theological Seminary and a Bachelor of Science from Long Island University Brooklyn campus. He serves as chair of the Board of Trustees for New York Theological Seminary.

Monique Jefferson is an expert in human capital management with an instinct for determining the impact of organizational change, particularly on marginalized groups. She is a results-oriented, proven human resources executive with over 20 years of global experience in the financial services, legal, Insurance, media, non-profit and professional services industries. She provides strategic input and guidance to leadership teams to drive growth, ensuring alignment of organizational objectives with human capital considerations while maintaining a strong focus on diversity, equity and inclusion. Monique has led regional and global teams to deliver value-add human capital solutions to c-suite executives. Her primary areas of expertise include talent and performance management, compensation, leadership development, diversity, equity, inclusion & belonging, talent acquisition, executive coaching, cultural change, employee engagement, training, employee and labor relations. Monique currently serves as Chief People Officer of Community Preservation Corporation (CPC) (a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) within the multifamily affordable housing sector) where she develops the human resources strategic plan and builds a culture that will enable CPC to attract, engage, grow and retain a high performing, diverse workforce. Monique previously served as the Chief Human Resources Officer of New York Public Radio, the second largest public media company in the U.S., where she led a culture transformation and implemented the first Race Equity Action plan for the organization. She has also served as the Head of HR for Business Services across the Americas region and head of the global HR business partner function for Hogan Lovells, an AmLaw 25 international law firm. Additionally, Monique was Vice President of Human Resources and senior HR business partner at New York Life Insurance Company. As a Senior HR Business Partner, she led a team that provided HR client support to all corporate functions and was the strategic HR advisor to 5 executive management committee members including the enterprise CFO, General Counsel, Chief Risk officer, Chief Compliance Officer and Chief Actuary. Prior to joining New York Life Insurance in 2009, Ms. Jefferson spent over seven years with Merrill Lynch in the Global Markets & Investment Banking division. In 2008, Ms. Jefferson was promoted to Director of human resources where she was the senior HR relationship manager for Investment Banking covering the domestic offices, Latin America, Canada and the Financial Institutions group globally. Before going to Merrill Lynch, Monique worked at Bristol Myers Squibb pharmaceuticals as a sales staffing specialist and manager of leadership development. In 1998, Ms. Jefferson also worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers as a resource manager where she handled the internal mobility and career development of associates and interns within the assurance practice. Ms. Jefferson began her career as a financial auditor in the New York office of Ernst & Young LLP. Ms. Jefferson is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR & SHRM-SCP) and was an instructor at the New York Institute of Technology, where she taught the SHRM learning system course for the PHR/SPHR exam. She is also an executive coach and is certified in The Leadership Circle Profile. Ms. Jefferson graduated from Bentley University with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and holds a Master of Science in Human Resources Management from the New School University. Ms. Jefferson is a recipient of the Harlem YMCA Black Achievers in Industry recognition, The Network Journal’s 40 under 40 and 25 Influential Black Women in Business awards, Get5 HR Hero award for outstanding volunteerism, EMpower Ethnic Minority top 100 executives, and Crain’s New York HR Notable. She is an active member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), the Brooklyn chapter of The Links, Incorporated, board member and past President of the CALIBR Global Leadership Network, past board member of the National Association of African Americans in Human Resources (NAAAHR) greater NY chapter and is a member of the New School alumni advisory council. Additionally, Ms. Jefferson has served on the board of trustees for the Lefferts Gardens Charter School, where she was board chair from 2011 – 2013.

Tell Metzger is Senior Vice President, Equity Investments. In this role, he leads CPC’s equity investing platform including the sourcing, evaluation, and management of deals in accordance with the company’s investment objectives. CPC’s equity investing platform seeks to invest alongside like-minded partners to promote responsible, long-term ownership of multifamily buildings to ensure that they will remain as financially strong and physically sound homes for their tenants. Before joining CPC, Metzger was the Managing Director of Market-Rate and Mixed-Income Housing at L+M Development Partners where he founded and managed a team that oversaw the development of more than $2 billion of new-construction, mixed-use properties in and around New York City. He was also responsible for managing relationships with New York City and State agencies, lenders, equity providers, and partners. From 2005-2015, Metzger served as Senior Project Manager at L+M, where he directed the development of 700 units in mixed-use, affordable, and mixed-income rentals, condominiums, and townhouses. Metzger received his Master’s degree in City Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and his Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and History from Brown University.

Malini Nayar is Senior Vice President, Chief Risk Officer.  In this capacity, she is responsible for credit review and approval of CPC’s loans and for the overall quality of the loan portfolio.  Prior to joining CPC, Malini served as the Chief Credit Officer at Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), overseeing credit, closing and portfolio management of LISC’s on-balance sheet loan portfolio.  At LISC, Ms. Nayar also structured and stood up off-balance sheet vehicles combining private and public capital to support outside-the-credit-box loan products, supported originations and led efforts to make LISC’s credit policy more equitable.  Malini has nearly two decades of experience in the Community Development Financial Institution industry, having held positions at Enterprise Community Loan Fund, Inc., Nonprofit Finance Fund and Seedco (TruFund) where she was responsible for lending to affordable housing projects, charter schools, community health centers and small businesses. Ms. Nayar has a Master’s degree in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh and a BA in Finance from Bangalore University in India.

Jaime Sharrock is Senior Vice President of Strategic Communications and Community Engagement at CPC.  In this role she oversees strategic communications, external affairs, philanthropy, volunteering, public policy, and government relations. Ms. Sharrock also works closely with the Executive Team to develop and implement organizational priorities in support of CPC’s mission and business plan. In 2020, Jaime led the development and launch of CPC Connections, the company’s platform for corporate giving, knowledge sharing, and fostering staff connections to the CPC mission and the communities it serves.   Ms. Sharrock has also overseen various strategic initiatives including the company’s Disaster Recovery and Sustainability programs. Ms. Sharrock joined CPC in 2012 as Chief of Staff to the President and CEO, where she worked on a broad array of the company’s operational issues. She also served as Deputy Chief of Staff to the Commissioner at the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, worked at Enterprise Community Partners, and was a Development Analyst at the Jersey City Housing Authority. Ms. Sharrock holds a Master’s Degree in Urban Planning from New York University and a Bachelor’s Degree from Providence College.

Doug Olcott is Senior Vice President and Director of Lending of CPC’s Hudson Valley Region office. In this capacity, he oversees the lending process from origination through underwriting, construction supervision, and conversion to permanent financing. Mr. Olcott has been with CPC for nearly 20 years and previously served as Senior Vice President and Mortgage Officer.  In that role, he focused on mid to large construction and permanent transactions. Specifically, he focused on neighborhood and community development initiatives, working with private developers, not-for-profits, and government agencies to develop financing packages for local projects in the Hudson Valley region. Prior to joining CPC, Mr. Olcott was the Community Development Director for Orange County, one of CPC’s public partners in the region. Before that, he worked at the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) in the agency’s Bronx office. Mr. Olcott earned a Master’s degree in Urban Planning from Columbia University and his undergraduate degree from Colgate University.

Robert Riggs is Senior Vice President and Regional Director of CPC’s New York City Originations division where he is responsible for the company’s lending operations throughout New York City and Long Island. In this capacity he oversees the lending process from origination through underwriting, construction supervision, and conversion to permanent financing. Mr. Riggs works hand-in-hand with numerous mission-driven partners at the state and local levels as well as non-profit organizations that contribute to the financing of affordable housing loans. Mr. Riggs joined CPC in 2000 as a Mortgage Officer for the Brooklyn Region, where he originated $250 million in the financing of affordable housing. In 2006, Mr. Riggs opened a new CPC office in Trenton, and in 2008 became the company’s Brooklyn Regional Director. Prior to joining CPC, Mr. Riggs spent four years at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York analyzing strategies for private lending and investment in urban communities. Mr. Riggs earned a Master’s degree in Urban Planning from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture from Princeton University.

Nicholas V. Petragnani, Jr. is CPC’s Senior Vice President, Lending and Initiatives. In this capacity, Nick utilizes his deep knowledge and expertise across CPC’s business to support the strategic growth and successful community impact of the company’s construction and permanent lending platforms, both across New York State and nationally. Petragnani has held various leadership positions over a more than 20-year career at the organization, including most recently overseeing CPC’s construction lending activities across upstate New York State as Director of Upstate Revitalization. Previously, Petragnani served as Regional Director of CPC’s Central New York office in Syracuse, focusing on the financing of new and existing multifamily rental housing, and new or redeveloped for-sale housing targeted to both low and moderate income and conventional markets. In 2009 he assumed the role of Regional Director for CPC’s Western New York regional operations where he was responsible for directing all lending activities in the region. Upon joining CPC in 2003, Petragnani focused on efforts to revitalize Downtown Syracuse. Considered a high-risk venture at the time, he partnered with the City to develop a former factory site into a market-rate project featuring loft rental apartments. This innovative effort helped drive investment in the area and spurred the creation of other attractive and affordable residential developments in Downtown Syracuse. Before joining CPC, Petragnani was a Director in the Economic and Community Development Division of Fiscal Advisor & Marketing, Inc. He also served as Vice President of the Community Initiatives Development Corporation (CIDC), and from 1994 to 1996 was the Assistant Director for Business Retention for the City of Syracuse’s Office of Economic Development. Petragnani earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from St. Bonaventure University.