Meet Our Team

The Public Housing Preservation Trust’s team of diverse leaders bring experience, expertise, and passion to revitalizing public housing for New Yorkers.

Explore our organizational chart.

Vlada Kenniff, Ph.D., President

Vlada Kenniff is the President of the NYC Public Housing Preservation Trust, a government agency created to modernize and preserve 25,000 public housing homes — one of the largest housing reinvestment efforts in the United States. As President, she is responsible for standing up the organization from the ground up, including governance, financing, procurement, and the delivery of large-scale capital modernization programs in close partnership with residents and NYCHA.

With two decades of experience leading complex public-sector programs, Vlada has built and overseen portfolios spanning billions of dollars in infrastructure investment. Her work focuses on transforming aging housing and infrastructure systems through disciplined execution, innovative financing, and integrated capital delivery models that improve safety, quality of life, and long-term asset performance.

Prior to leading the Trust, Vlada served as Senior Vice President in NYCHA’s Asset and Capital Management Division, where she led major initiatives to improve housing conditions and modernize building systems across the Authority’s portfolio. Earlier in her career, she held leadership roles at the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, ultimately serving as Managing Director overseeing citywide water and wastewater capital programs, infrastructure planning, and operational efficiency initiatives.

Vlada holds a Ph.D. in Information Studies from LIU Post, an M.S. in City and Regional Planning from Pratt Institute, and a B.A. in Environmental Studies and Information Systems from Pace University.

Jenny Gillette, RA

Chief Project Officer

  • Jenny Gillette is a registered architect in New York and New Jersey with 20 years of strategic project delivery expertise in both the public and private sectors. Balancing subject matter expertise with sensitivity toward community impact, she has delivered a diverse range of projects on behalf of public owners including community and recreation centers, streetscapes and public plazas, regional transportation facilities, and below-ground infrastructure. She has also developed in-house programs for government agencies such as the NYC Department of Design and Construction and the Port Authority of NY & NJ, building internal capacity for new and alternative project delivery methods. Prior to joining the public sector, she worked at several private design firms on a wide range of projects including custom façade systems, single and multi-family residential buildings, and healthcare facilities in under-resourced environments. She has served on the Historic Preservation Commission in Montclair, NJ, and taught at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation.

    She holds a bachelor’s degree from Barnard College, a master’s degree in Architecture from the University of Texas at Austin, and is a LEED and DBIA accredited professional.

Natalie Dennery, JD

Deputy General Counsel

  • Natalie is an experienced attorney with over twenty years of practice in public finance, compliance, and government service. She previously served as Senior Counsel and Director of Risk Management at New York State’s Office of Resilient Homes and Communities (RHC), where she provided legal guidance, oversaw contract and grant compliance, and supported the state’s major storm recovery and resiliency programs. In that role, she worked closely with internal teams, vendors, and outside counsel to ensure that programs were delivered effectively, ethically, and in accordance with state and federal requirements.

    Before joining RHC, Natalie served as Senior Counsel at Empire State Development, advising on regulatory compliance, procurement, and corporate governance. She began her legal career at Nixon Peabody LLP, where she worked on a wide range of municipal finance transactions for educational institutions, nonprofits, hospitals, and public utilities.

    Natalie earned my J.D. from Fordham University School of Law and her B.A. and M.S. from St. John’s University. Throughout her career, she’s also been deeply committed to mentorship and community service. She is admitted to practice in New York and Connecticut.

Debora Lopes

Chief of Staff

  • Debora (Deb) Lopes is a sustainability advocate for affordable housing, with years of experience in public housing and renewable energy project management. Before joining the Trust, Deb worked in NYCHA’s Sustainability Department, spearheading the development of NYCHA’s Sustainability Agenda and managing various other initiatives related to waste and energy programs. Additionally, Deb led efforts in pursuing various federal grants for sustainability programs, most notably, a $25 million grant awarded for electric micro-mobility charging and storage. Prior to her role at NYCHA, Deb worked at Mott MacDonald as a project manager on renewable energy projects, primarily offshore wind projects in NYC.

    Deb holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

Jillian McLaughlin

Chief Operating Officer

  • Jillian McLaughlin has over a decade of experience in public policy, operations, and real estate in the public and private sectors. She previously worked in several leadership positions across the City of New York, including as the Chief of Staff to the NYC Parks Commissioner, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Chair and CEO at NYCHA, and on the real estate team at NYCEDC. She most recently worked in the private sector leading real estate transactions for a life sciences company.

    Jillian is a graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and Kalamazoo College.

Robert Miller

Senior Director of Finance

  • Robert Miller is a public sector financial manager who has worked in Public Benefit Corporation, State government, and local government financial management for over 30 years.  Prior to joining the Trust, he served as CFO for both the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation which oversaw rebuilding efforts after 9/11, and the NY State Governor's Office of Storm Recovery which oversaw similar NY State recovery and re-construction activity after Superstorm Sandy.  Robert established the financial management and internal control systems for both newly created entities.  He directed the implementation of accounting and reporting systems, the roll-out of policies and procedures, and the staffing of a financial team to carry out the work.  Robert also has worked in New York City government, serving as Deputy Commissioner for Finance and Administration at the NYC Department of Transportation.

Chris Moyer

Development Associate

  • Chris Moyer is an advocate for public sector development, ownership, and management of housing. Prior to joining the Trust, he was a Project Manager in the Planning and Development Department at the Cambridge Housing Authority (CHA) in Massachusetts, where he managed public housing modernization and redevelopment projects within CHA’s portfolio and provided development consulting to housing authorities in Needham, MA; Haverhill, MA; and Lewiston, ME.

    Chris is a co-curator of Paradoxes of Public Housing: The Case of Millers River at the newly opened National Public Housing Museum in Chicago. The exhibit is based on his co-authored article “The Case for Truly Public Housing,” published in the online journal Places, that unpacks the challenges of public housing development today and calls for a new narrative on the public sector’s role in providing housing. He holds a B.A. in Art History from Swarthmore College and graduate degrees in Architecture and City Planning from MIT.

Kevin Norman

Operations and Asset Management Advisor

  • Kevin Norman is a dedicated professional with a distinguished career spanning over 30 years in the public and non-profit sectors of the affordable housing industry, consistently serving the residents of New York City. Kevin's journey began with an impressive 25-year tenure at the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), where he held various roles of increasing responsibility. Demonstrating an unwavering commitment to enhancing supportive housing initiatives, Kevin later served as the Vice President of Supportive Housing at a prominent New York-based non-profit organization.

    In 2023, Kevin returned to NYCHA as a consultant, leveraging his extensive knowledge and experience to deliver leadership training and mentorship to the current operations staff and the future leaders of NYCHA. His dedication to fostering growth and development within the organization has been instrumental in shaping the future of affordable housing in New York City.

    Kevin joins the NYCHA Preservation Trust team, hoping to utilize his wealth of experience, and deep commitment to public service, to drive positive change and create lasting impacts as the Trust works to empower NYCHA communities. 

Heather Perez

Administrative Paralegal

  • Heather Perez is a legal and administrative professional with extensive experience supporting complex organizational operations in the nonprofit and legal sectors. Most recently, she served as a Paralegal and Executive Assistant at a global Jewish humanitarian organization, where she managed legal projects, oversaw contract review, supported corporate governance, and coordinated high-level board and committee activities.

    Heather began her career as a Legal Analyst at a law firm, later advancing to Paralegal at The Legal Aid Society, a nonprofit organization in New York City that provides free legal representation to low-income individuals and families. In this role, she assisted attorneys across multiple practice areas, provided translation and interpretation services, and managed client intake and case preparation.

    She holds a Master of Public Administration in Policy Analysis and Evaluation from Baruch College’s Austin W. Marxe School of Public and International Affairs and a Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies, Magna Cum Laude, from St. John’s University, where she also earned a Certificate in Paralegal Studies.

Elizabeth Propp

Managing Director, Project Finance

  • Elizabeth Propp is a real estate finance and investment professional with extensive experience in institutional, public/private and affordable housing transactions.  Prior to joining the Trust, she was most recently Senior Vice President, Investments and Acquisitions, at The Community Preservation Corporation (CPC), where she established an impact investing platform that acquired over 3,500 affordable units.  Previously, Elizabeth was at JP Morgan Investment Management for 15 years, in a series of roles with increasing transaction, people-management, and client responsibility.  As Managing Director and Team Leader, Northeast Acquisitions from 2007 – 2013, and prior to that as an Acquisitions Officer, Elizabeth was responsible for the origination, structuring and closing of equity real estate investments on behalf of pension fund clients.  Her transaction experience includes multi-family, office, retail and industrial property acquisitions and ground-up developments, across core, value-add and opportunistic strategies.  Elizabeth also worked for the Moynihan Train Hall redevelopment and the NYC Economic Development Corporation. 

    Elizabeth is a graduate of Harvard University (B.A.) and Yale School of Management (M.A.). Her professional affiliations include the Urban Land Institute and WX – New York Women Executives in Real Estate.

Keesha Smartt-Butler

Procurement & Operations Manager

  • Keesha has over 20 years of dedicated civil service in the City of New York. Throughout her career, she has contributed to several prominent agencies, including the Department of Building, the Department of Design and Construction, the Department of Homeless Services, and the Department of Correction. Her extensive experience encompasses roles as a Contract Manager, Project Manager and Director, where she honed her skills in overseeing priority projects and managing critical contracts.

    In her previous roles, Keesha has been instrumental in advancing minority and women-owned business enterprises (M/WBE), reflecting her commitment to inclusivity and equitable practices. Notably, she has facilitated the permanent housing of homeless individuals and played a key role in establishing warming centers during extreme weather conditions, demonstrating her dedication to public welfare and community support.

    Holding a Master’s degree in Urban Studies from Queens College, Keesha is known for her compassion and commitment to making a meaningful difference in the lives of others. Her work has always been driven by a deep sense of gratification and purpose. 

Shon Taylor

Resident Partnerships Specialist

  • Shon Taylor is a public service professional with extensive experience in community engagement, workforce development, strategic partnerships, and resident focused initiatives throughout New York City. His work has centered on strengthening connections between residents, public agencies, nonprofit organizations, and community stakeholders to expand access to opportunity, supportive services, and economic empowerment resources.

    Throughout his career, Shon has led and supported large scale outreach and engagement efforts serving thousands of residents across New York City communities. Known for his collaborative leadership style and community centered approach, he has worked closely with resident leadership, workforce development providers, city agencies, and external partners to advance initiatives that promote accessibility, empowerment, and long-term community impact. He is also a recipient of the New York State Assembly Certificate of Merit for his contributions to community service, workforce development, and training.

    Shon joins the NYC Preservation Trust team with a deep commitment to public service and community empowerment, hoping to utilize his experience and leadership to help support residents and contribute to the continued preservation and modernization of public housing communities across New York City.

Stacey Tyson

General Counsel / Chief Procurement Officer

  • Stacey comes to us with 15 years public sector procurement experience, and was appointed the Chief Contracting Officer for the New York City School Construction Authority in October 2021. She has also been involved in a number of innovative MWBE initiatives and is an active member of the City's Capital Reform Task Force. Stacey joins the Public Housing Preservation Trust as Chief Procurement Officer and will be overseeing all elements of the Trust's third party contracting opportunities. She is a graduate of Hofstra University, and holds a joint JD/MBA from Fordham University.

Meet Our Board
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