WAHNcast

Green Meets Good Building Wealth and Sustainability for All with Dr. Reginald Parker

In this episode of WAHNcast, host Ashley Northcutt sits down with Dr. Reginald Parker, President and Chairman of Freedmen Green Bank & Trust, to explore how clean energy, finance, and community development can work together to build true equity.

Dr. Parker — an engineer, innovator, and visionary leader — shares how his journey from technology and consulting to community banking became a mission to “make it make sense” for those historically excluded from opportunity. From financing solar projects for churches and schools to redefining how creditworthiness is measured, Dr. Parker and his team are proving that sustainability and social justice are inseparable.

This conversation dives deep into:

• The intersection of energy equity and economic empowerment

• How community-led finance can build generational wealth

• What it means to “win or learn” as a principle for leadership and innovation

• Why women — and organizations like WAHN — are essential to shaping the next era of clean energy and affordable housing

Whether you’re in housing, development, or advocacy, this episode is a masterclass in purpose-driven progress.

Breast Cancer & the Strength We Don’t See

In this deeply personal WAHNcast conversation, host Ashley Northcutt sits down with Brooke Etie, Cayleigh Miller, and Liz Childers — three women whose lives have been shaped by breast cancer in powerful ways. Together, they pull back the pink ribbon to talk about the hard truths behind awareness: missed mammograms, environmental causes, body image, advocacy, and the mental and emotional toll of diagnosis and caregiving.

They share how early detection and self-advocacy saved lives, how supportive workplaces — like Quadel, Eisner Amper, and DOZ — made healing possible, and why being open about the reality of cancer can change how we care for ourselves and each other.

This episode is as real as it gets: raw, informative, and full of the strength we don’t often see.

Resources Mentioned:

• Freedom Natural Deodorant – a clean alternative created with women’s health in mind

• SheMD – preventive health, risk testing, and education for women

• Flat Out Love – community and advocacy for women choosing to go flat after mastectomy

• Food Babe – clean food movement and ingredient transparency

• Cancer Vaccine Collaborative – advancing research toward a breast cancer vaccine

Breast Cancer & the Strength We Don’t See is a reminder that awareness is only the beginning — advocacy, compassion, and conversation are what truly move us forward.

When Housing Becomes Healing: Vanessa Volz on Trauma-Informed Support

Note: This episode includes discussion of survivor recovery and support in the context of domestic violence and human trafficking.

In recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month this October, we’re honored to bring you this inspiring conversation on WAHNcast. Hosts Angie Truitt and New England WAHN President Susanna Medoff sit down with Vanessa Volz, President and CEO of Sojourner House, a Rhode Island nonprofit redefining what survivor support and housing can look like.

Vanessa shares how Sojourner House evolved from a small crisis hotline into a multifaceted agency offering trauma-informed housing, legal aid, and wrap-around support for hundreds of survivors and families each year. She reflects on her leadership journey — from attorney to nonprofit change-agent — and how building safe, stable homes is a key part of helping survivors rebuild their lives.

This conversation highlights:

• the critical role of safe, affordable housing in healing and stability

• how partnerships and systems change make a difference

• what it means to stand with survivors, always

If you or someone you know is in need of help, reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-7233) or visit thehotline.org — confidential support and local resources are available 24/7.

Listen now and join us in honoring survivors and advancing hope, healing and community.

Visit: https://sojournerri.org

Project HOME Field Advantage: Donna Bullock on Hope, Housing and the Power of Community in Philadelphia

In this episode of the WAHNcast, host Ashley Northcutt sits down with Donna Bullock, President and CEO of Project HOME and former Pennsylvania State Representative, to explore how housing can heal and empower entire communities.

From growing up with housing insecurity to now leading one of Philadelphia’s most transformative nonprofits, Donna shares her journey of resilience, purpose, and partnership. Under her leadership, Project HOME continues to thrive — backed by a powerful community that includes the Philadelphia Eagles and Jon Bon Jovi, both champions for housing and hope in the city they love.

Donna talks about the importance of collaboration, meeting people where they are, and building a future where every Philadelphian has a place to call home.

Financing Change: Valerie White’s National Vision for Affordable Housing

Valerie White’s career spans over three decades in finance, housing, and community development—from shaping bond ratings and housing authority strategies at S&P to leading statewide MWBE initiatives and now serving as Head of National Housing Strategic Initiatives at LISC. In this WAHNcast conversation with Ashley Northcutt, Valerie shares her journey, the bold three-pronged strategy LISC is deploying to expand affordable housing, and the critical role of thought leadership, capital access, and community partnerships. From working with emerging developers and faith-based institutions to advocating for transformative policies, Valerie’s vision is rooted in equity, innovation, and collaboration. Listeners will gain insights into how national systems can better support local communities, and how women leaders can sustain momentum in the face of the industry’s toughest challenges.

Beyond the Numbers: Leading with Kindness with Glenn Hopps

In the Huddle: How WAHN Allies Move the Ball Forward

In this episode of WAHNcast, host Angie Truitt takes the field with some of our WAHN Allies to talk about what allyship looks like in affordable housing today. Joined by Ally Committee co-chairs Abe Kruger and Ben Goates, Mike Duffy (WAHN’s 2025 Ally of the Year), and Brian Philps of Indiana WAHN, the conversation explores how allies are helping women’s voices lead the industry.

From the origins of the Ally Committee to the new Ally Community initiative, the group shares stories of mentorship, practical support, and showing up on the front lines, from running the mic at Summit sessions to reshaping who sits on industry panels. Along the way, they highlight the Ally Pledge, the importance of visibility, and the teamwork it takes to move the ball down the field.

Whether you’re new to the concept of allyship or already signed the pledge, this episode will give you a clear playbook for building an affordable housing industry that works for everyone.

From Campus to the Capitol: Students Confront Housing Costs and Homelessness Through Policy with Kate Rodgers

In this episode of WAHNcast, Angie Truitt teams up with co-hosts Megan Goyer and Britney Watson, Co-Chairs of the UNC Chapel Hill WAHN U Chapter, for a powerful conversation with Kate Rodgers, Co-Chair of the Student HOMES Coalition and recent UCLA graduate.

Kate shares how she helped launch a statewide student coalition after realizing that conversations around college affordability were leaving out one of the biggest costs students face: housing. She talks about leading advocacy campaigns as a student, building bridges across 16+ campuses, and why she believes student housing is not just a policy issue but a basic need and a human right.

Listeners will hear:

• Why housing costs are often the biggest barrier to higher education in California

• How students are driving real legislative change at the state level

• What it takes to build trust and collaboration across diverse groups—from student leaders to labor unions to universities

• Kate’s advice for emerging leaders: “If something feels a little scary or makes you feel out of your depth, that’s probably a sign you should go that direction—because that’s where you’ll learn the most.”

This is an energizing conversation about advocacy, leadership, and the next generation of housing changemakers.