Morgan Mansa is the Director of Housing for Wake County. In this role she leads the affordable housing development and preservation efforts for the County, investing in more than 4,000 units of affordable housing in the last five years. Prior positions include Director of Housing and Community Partnerships for Cary, North Carolina, Executive Director of Nashville’s Housing Trust Fund, and Senior Policy Advisor for the Tennessee Housing Development Agency. Morgan received a BA in Sociology and Master of Public Policy & Administration from Northwestern University.

Mr. Epps works out of ASCP's Atlanta office and leads originations for the American South Real Estate Fund(s). He is responsible for managing partner relationships and sourcing LP and preferred equity investment opportunities for the funds in workforce and affordable housing projects across the funds' 10-state footprint. To-date, ASCP has capitalized more than $1B of projects across more than 7,000 units. Mr. Epps graduated with a BBA in Finance from Georgia State and an MBA from Georgia Tech.

Bill Best is a managing director at Apprise, a Walker & Dunlop company, and is based in North Carolina. In this role, Best leads the firm’s agency, affordable, and FHA valuation practices across the national platform. He has more than 25 years of experience focused exclusively on multifamily real estate, with expertise in property valuation, brokerage, consultation, market and feasibility studies, and site analysis across all multifamily product types.

Prior to joining Apprise, Best served as senior valuation director at Arbor Realty Trust. Before that, he led the Carolinas multifamily team as senior valuation services director at Colliers. He has also been qualified as an expert witness in courts in South Carolina and Georgia.

Best earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from North Carolina State University. He holds the Appraisal Institute’s MAI designation, is a certified general real estate appraiser in North Carolina and South Carolina and is a certified North Carolina real estate broker.

As President and CEO, Dionne establishes and manages the overall strategic direction, operations, and growth of the company and has more than 25 years of experience in real estate development, finance, and operations. Dionne also serves as President of LSA Management, a property management company serving Laurel Street’s development properties.

Prior to founding Laurel Street, Dionne served as Senior Vice President at Crosland and led the company’s affordable housing development and multifamily operations. Previously, she managed investments at NewSchools Venture Fund and Earnest Partners and built her skills in strategy, organization, and operations as a consultant with McKinsey & Company. Dionne began her career in financial services as an Investment Banking Analyst at Salomon Brothers.

Dionne serves on the Board of Directors for Cousins Properties (NYSE: CUZ) and the Low Income Investment Fund (LIIF) and as a Director for the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond – Charlotte Branch. She is also a member of the Charlotte Executive Leadership Council (CELC) and the Real Estate Executive Council (REEC). Dionne is a Trustee for the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and a member of the National Advisory Board for the ULI Terwilliger Center for Housing. She also serves on Renaissance West Community Initiative’s Advisory Board and Real Estate Committee and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte’s Childress Klein Center for Real Estate Advisory Board. Dionne was also named 2023 Charlotte Woman of the Year for exceptional service and exemplary leadership.

Dionne earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Harvard University and graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in economics from Spelman College.

In her work with CASA, Ms. Eberhard initiates and evaluates new development opportunities, including analyzing potential project sites and negotiating acquisitions while leading the Real Estate Development team. Ms. Eberhard is also the founder and managing principal of Apiary Community Consulting, a consultancy that guides planning and development processes to build more equitable and inclusive communities. Prior to forming Apiary, Ms. Eberhard worked in the acquisitions group at Enterprise Community Investment which serves as a national low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) syndication firm. Her team managed investments in multifamily affordable housing with a focus on business across the Southeast. Ms. Eberhard began her consulting career in Washington, D.C. with IBM and Accenture serving mission-driven organizations, local communities and federal government. Her work with IBM’s City Forward inspired her to earn her Master’s degree in City & Regional Planning at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and devote her career to improving and empowering communities.

EB Capital Partners currently maintains offices in Raleigh/Durham and Portland/Vancouver. Ernie oversees key aspects of EB Capital Partners business divisions: conventional acquisition, and asset management — focusing on strategic planning and new business development.

As the founding member of the company, he provides leadership on day-to-day corporate growth and internal execution of operational details. Ernie is involved with investment and financing activities—including the identification of attractive assets for acquisition and corporate relations with financial partners. He made his first acquisition of an apartment complex in 2004 and has been fully engaged in commercial real estate since January of 2008.

Ernie has an extensive history in office and multi-family assets in the Southeast and Midwest. He is a graduate of The University of Alabama with a B.S. in Business Management. In 2004, he obtained his MBA with a focus in finance and real estate from The University of Alabama in Birmingham (UAB).

Linda Lavis, AIA, is a seasoned architect and industry leader in multifamily housing design. As Principal and Director of Low Density Multifamily at JDAVIS, Linda brings over 30 years of experience in the design and project management of multi-family residential developments, with a particular focus on affordable housing, townhomes, and condominiums.

Linda’s approach is rooted in collaboration, ensuring that each project balances innovation, functionality, and community impact. She is deeply committed to designing housing solutions that not only meet the financial and regulatory challenges of affordability but also create vibrant and dignified places for people to call home. Her expertise spans the entire development process—from entitlements and planning to execution—making her an invaluable resource for both clients and communities navigating the complexities of affordable housing.

At JDAVIS, Linda leads a team dedicated to crafting thoughtful, cost-effective housing solutions that align with community needs and long-term sustainability. Under her leadership, JDAVIS has become a trusted partner in shaping the future of affordable housing, integrating design excellence with a deep understanding of the regulatory landscape.

Linda’s participation in this panel brings an expert perspective on the evolving challenges and opportunities in affordable housing, from policy impacts to innovative design strategies that maximize livability while ensuring economic feasibility. Her passion for creating inclusive communities drives her work, making her a leading voice in the field.

Matt Bolyard brings over two decades of experience in the construction industry to his role as Senior Vice President – Southeast for Southway Builders. He has been instrumental in managing large-scale projects, including historic restorations and multi-family housing. Under his leadership, Southway is expanding its presence into the Southeast, continuing our commitment to quality, dependability and integrity. Matt first joined Southway in 2008 as a Project Manager and has proven himself to be a tremendous ambassador for Southway’s purpose: to serve others to help them achieve their maximum potential. Matt has served as a National Board Member for Associated Builders & Contractors, earned his BS in Civil Engineering at Florida Institute of Technology, and his MBA from Loyola University in Maryland.