Atlanta Affordable & Workforce Housing Conference

Darion Dunn, P.E. is a seasoned real estate developer, engineer, and civic leader with a track record of managing over $1 billion in transportation, infrastructure, and real estate projects. His expertise spans urban redevelopment, mixed-income housing, and strategic capital structuring, all driven by a commitment to creating thriving, holistic communities. Darion began his career in real estate investment while earning a B.S. in Civil Engineering and a Certificate in Economics at Georgia Tech. He started by acquiring and rehabilitating single-family homes, leveraging his engineering and financial acumen to implement efficient construction management and cost controls. After graduating, he expanded his portfolio to multifamily properties and founded Atlantica Properties in 2010, focusing on sustainable, community-driven real estate development. Before leading Atlantica Properties full-time, Darion built a strong foundation in engineering and project management. He worked as a Project Manager at Harrington, George & Dunn, P.C., where he gained expertise in site design, land planning, and infrastructure development. At Croy Engineering, he managed large-scale municipal bond and tax-funded projects, overseeing critical transportation and infrastructure improvements. He later served as the Director of Capital Improvements and Planning for the Buckhead Community Improvement District, where he directed high-impact urban projects that enhanced mobility and economic development in one of Atlanta’s most dynamic business districts. Beyond his professional work, Darion is actively involved in the Atlanta community, serving on the boards of the Atlanta Apartment Association, the Georgia Tech School of Civil & Environmental Engineering Advisory Board, Open Doors, and Star-C. He strongly believes that real estate development should be a catalyst for equitable growth, balancing economic opportunity with long-term affordability. His leadership at Atlantica Properties reflects this mission, ensuring that every project contributes to the strength and resilience of the communities it serves.

As Chief Development Officer of The Benoit Group, Mr. Priestly is in- charge of day-to-day oversight and management of Real Estate Development, Development Advisory and Construction Management Operations for TBG.HealsoprovidesTheBenoitGroupwithexpertise in utilizing LIHTC, Tax-Exempt Bonds and HUD221(d)(4) financing. During his tenure with The Benoit Group, Mr. Priestly has developed over $600 Million in multi-family and senior housing units in NC, SC, GA, and IL. Mr. Priestly also has ownership in Marsh Creek Village a 20,000-square-foot retail/ office property in Atlanta. Prior to joining The Benoit Group, Mr. Priestly served as Vice President of Development for Ambling Development Partners. In this position he was responsible for overall development projects throughout the southeast, including the development of 887 units valued at $92 million. Mr. Priestly simultaneously served as VP for Ambling International, partnering with the Bermudian Government as advisor to the Island’s construction, demolition, environmental remediation, and hospitality development projects. As a member of the SunTrust CDC team and Transom Development from 2002 – 2006, Mr. Priestly served as First VP working closely with SunTrust CDC Asset Management team on existing assets as well as developing LIHTC deals for Transom Development. Prior leadership positions include the management and development of multi-family projects for Regent Partners, the construction of over 2,500 units totaling $175 million, rehabilitation and asset management of over 800 units throughout the southeast, and the leadership support in the conceptual master plan and rehabilitation plan that was instrumental in J. A. Jones Military Housing Privatization Group’s award of $150 million in U.S. Army Housing Privatization projects. Mr. Priestly has also worked for one of the largest general contractors in the country, where he served as project manager for several municipal and private developments in Atlanta and Tennessee. Education/Affiliations: A native of North Carolina, Mr. Priestly graduated from North Carolina A&T State University with a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Engineering. He is an active member of the National Low- Income Housing Coalition and serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors for NC A&T State University Real Estate Foundation. Mr. Priestly is also affiliated with the following committees/ organizations: Krimson Community Foundation (KCF) Board Member Executive Committee Member of Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (GA/SC) Urban Land Institute Member Former Board Chair for NC A&T Real Estate Foundation. Yes! Atlanta (Mentoring Program) Member of Atlanta Chapter of NC A&T Alumni Association Grove Park Foundation Board Member Veterans Empowerment Organization Board Member President Aggie Gentz Foundation Member of Council for Quality Growth

Joel Reed is based in Atlanta, GA and serves as Southeast Market President for Gorman & Company with a primary focus on Florida and Georgia projects. Joel has 20 years of experience in urban design, planning, and development. Joel’s experience ranges from senior affordable housing to luxury condominium buildings in Miami and the Florida Keys. He brings considerable knowledge and understanding of the development process given his history as a municipal planner, designer, development consultant, and developer in the private sector. Joel holds a Master of Arts in Urban Planning and Policy and a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology, both from the University of Illinois, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from Wheaton College. Joel is registered under the American Institute of Certified Planners.

As Senior Vice President of Development, Ivy Dench-Carter oversees the execution and growth of Pennrose’s development pipeline within multiple designated regions, provides oversight of performance goals for the regions as identified in Pennrose’s Strategic Plan, and monitors regional performance and efficiency. Ivy also provides executive representation of Pennrose among industry organizations and associations, financial partners, design and construction partners, Housing Authorities, and State Agencies. Ivy has more than 30 years of management and real estate development experience. She began with Pennrose Management Company in 1990 as a Property Manager for two properties before earning a promotion to Regional Property Manager, which gave her oversight of 21 affordable housing properties. In 1995, Ivy joined the development arm of Pennrose, expanding her career from property management to real estate development in the affordable housing arena. Ivy previously led the Pennrose Baltimore Regional office (Maryland, District of Columbia, Virginia and U.S. Virgin Islands) where she oversaw all phases of development process, from sourcing deals to securing financing to overseeing the transition from construction to management. Under her supervision, she was proud to lead an exceptional staff who are responsible for the day-to-day project management and development activities. One of her many strengths is the ability to support her staff to successfully manage large teams to maintain the project the schedule and keep costs within budget. However, she continues to enjoy meeting with public housing residents and community stakeholders to alleviate their fears of redevelopment and providing them the opportunities for Section 3 and MBE/WBE participation during a transparent development process. Ivy began her career in property management giving her a unique perspective during the development process. Her experience ranges from stand-alone affordable housing development deals to complex mixed-income, mixed finance, and multi-phase redevelopment projects including, HOPE VI, RAD, Upfront Grant and CHOICE programs. As a result, these programs require the complicated, multi-layered financing structures and the ability to secure soft resources required for 9% and 4% Low Income Housing Tax Credit transactions. While most of her career has been redevelopment of public housing, her office is also focused on mixed-income, mixed-use and market rate developments. Throughout her career, Ivy has developed over thirty-five projects totaling approximately 2,400 units. Many of these projects involved public housing authorities and government agency owned land requiring the negotiation of complex Land Disposition Agreements and Master Development Agreements. Ivy serves as President Emeritus of the Maryland Affordable Housing Coalition and is on the Board of Directors of Anne Arundel County Affordable Housing Coalition, Baltimore City Inclusionary Housing Board and The Reinvestment Fund Board of Directors. She is an active member of the community and a graduate of Leadership Maryland, an independent statewide program designed to expand the capacity of Maryland’s leaders. She is a frequent affordable housing panelist and recently recognized by the Baltimore Business Journal as a one of ten business executives for the 2019 Leaders in Diversity, which honors influential executives and business owners who promote diversity and inclusion in the Greater Baltimore business community. Ivy attended Spelman College in Atlanta, GA.

Mary A. Brooks is an Environmental Planning Department Manager based in Terracon’s Macon, Georgia office, with more than three decades of experience in environmental planning, natural resources, and regulatory compliance. She serves as a Professional Wetland Scientist and Terracon Approved Project Reviewer, providing leadership and oversight for environmental planning services including Clean Water Act Section 404/WOTUS assessments, National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documentation, Section 401 Water Quality, threatened and endangered species evaluations, watershed protection planning, and federal and state environmental review processes. Mary has extensive experience leading complex NEPA reviews for federal, state, and municipal clients. Her work includes managing Environmental Assessments (EAs), Environmental Impact Statements (EISs), and Categorical Exclusions (CEs), while ensuring compliance with Section 106, Section 7, and other cross-cutting federal regulations. She regularly coordinates with agencies such as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), preparing defensible documentation that supports informed decision-making and meets strict regulatory timelines. Mary is one of Terracon’s HUD Practice Resource Group Leaders and has prepared and managed HUD-related environmental reviews and applications for nearly three decades. As a Professional Wetland Scientist, Mary leads wetland delineations, jurisdictional assessments, and permitting efforts, and provides quality assurance reviews and staff development to strengthen internal technical capabilities. She also oversees watershed assessments and watershed protection plans for multiple municipalities, including the planning and execution of long-term biological monitoring programs to support Georgia Environmental Protection Division compliance. In addition, Mary leads habitat assessments and species-specific surveys for federally and state-listed threatened and endangered species, supporting Section 7 consultations and project permitting through coordination with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Her work emphasizes technical accuracy, regulatory integrity, and collaborative solutions that reduce project risk while protecting sensitive natural resources.

I am a personable, intelligent, and result-oriented leader who understands the importance of each member of my team and have a unique ability to harness and leverage every person's strengths to get remarkable results. I am a high-energy individual with strategic planning, coaching and facilitation, marketing/business development, urban design, and management expertise with over 40 years of experience in Architecture, Engineering, Planning, and Development including a focus on sustainability and resiliency. A licensed Architect from 1982, I have Master’s Degrees in Architecture and Civil Engineering including course work in community, regional and transportation planning. My experience has been mostly at senior management levels; in large, medium, and small firms at local, regional, and national levels. I have been successfully responsible for managing regional programs and teams; planning and leading strategic marketing/business development plans and pursuits; planning, managing, and delivering large projects; extensive internal and external relationship development, team-building and partnership-forming; and growing staff and new offerings across multiple businesses lines in new and multiple locations to meet our clients’ needs and expectations. My experience includes 4 years as Planning Director for the City of Omaha, NE; over 4 years as the Deputy Director for Development Services for DeKalb County, GA; and currently the Southeast Region Senior Public Relations and Development Manager for LDG Development, LLC. My diverse list of clients includes federal, state, regional, county and municipal agencies and private organizations. I have served as coach, facilitator, project principal, project manager, and project architect on a range of projects which have included project planning and programming, new, renovation and retrofit construction. Projects include a full range of vertical projects and infrastructure projects (transportation, water, wastewater, and natural resources) accomplished under various contract vehicles – Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity, Open-End, General, direct and as a sub-consultant.