Archived Event - 2026 National Community Investment Conference

The 2026 National Community Investment Conference highlights strategies for advancing economic opportunity through access to credit, investment, and financial services, with a focus on effective partnership models. Attendees will hear about successful approaches for attracting and deploying capital in a variety of sessions tailored to financial institutions, community organizations, and public entities who are striving to meet the needs of the communities they serve.

What to expect:

Discussions about emerging opportunities in public-private partnerships that promote community investment.
Informative perspectives from leaders across the community development field.
Practical insights on the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) for financial institutions.
Networking opportunities to meet and connect with peers.

1:00 PM MST
Registration

2:30 PM MST
Community Tour | Honoring, Supporting, and Housing Urban Native American Populations in Phoenix
Since 1972, Native American Connections (NAC) has supported Native American families. From among NAC’s portfolio of 24 sites throughout Phoenix, this tour will visit three of their public-private projects: (1) the Phoenix Indian School Legacy Project with its visitor center, museum, and commercial kitchen; (2) Encanto Pointe, a permanent supportive housing site with comprehensive wrap-around services; and (3) Devine Legacy, the first Native American affordable housing development located on the Phoenix light rail system. Along the way, participants will learn about partnerships with multiple CDFIs, the City of Phoenix, and private investors.

Community Tour | Making Dreams Into Reality: Nurturing Small Business Development in Tempe and Mesa
The Retail, Arts, Innovation & Livability Community Development Corporation (RAIL CDC) is continually working to build a stronger, more resilient community and economy, and it shows in the small businesses they’ve helped to grow with public and private partners. This tour visits a bustling Tempe retail goods store, a community-loved coffee shop on Mesa’s redeveloping main street, a highly-rated childcare facility in a repurposed big box location, and an innovative new restaurant concept in Mesa’s foodie-favorite Mekong Plaza. Each of these small businesses received technical assistance from RAIL CDC, LISC Phoenix CDFI, and the cities of Tempe and Mesa.

Community Tour | Meeting People Where They Are and Making a Difference: How the Arizona Community Reinvestment Collaborative is Working with Nonprofits
The Arizona Community Reinvestment Collaborative is a group of a dozen regional and community banking professionals investing in low- to moderate-income areas. On this tour, participants will see: (1) a bank’s “mobile branch” that brings financial literacy to food banks and community health clinics; (2) how the nonprofit Arouet Foundation is collaborating with a bank to help formerly incarcerated individuals rejoin the workforce; and (3) a teen workforce program developed through a partnership between a bank and the Boys and Girls Club.

8:00 AM MST
Registration & Breakfast

9:00 AM MST
Opening Plenary Session | Welcome Remarks

Bina Shrimali, Community Affairs Officer and Vice President, Community Engagement and Analysis, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco
Joseph Firschein, Associate Director, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System

9:05 AM MST
Opening Plenary Session | Envisioning the Future of Community Investment
In today's rapidly evolving landscape of community investment, leaders across sectors are seizing new opportunities amid shifting funding patterns. Municipal, non-profit and private sector leaders are reimagining ways to create thriving communities through bold thinking and adaptive strategies. In this session, industry leaders will discuss how they are harnessing creativity and resilience at a pivotal moment in community development.

Logan S. Herring, Sr., CEO, The WRK Group, including The Warehouse, REACH Riverside, and Kingswood Community Center
Lauren Lowery, Director of Housing and Community Development, National League of Cities
J. Reymundo Ocañas, Executive Vice President, Director of Community Development Banking, PNC Bank
David Erickson, Head of Outreach and Education and Community Affairs Officer, Federal Reserve Bank of New York (moderator)

10:00 AM MST
Break

10:30 AM MST
CONCURRENT SESSIONS

CRA in Practice: How Large Banks Design Effective CRA Programs
Do your bank’s assets exceed the “large bank” asset threshold, or will they prior to your next CRA examination? If so, join this session to learn practical insights on how to build and maintain a successful CRA program for large banks. Participants will hear from speakers on topics such as recent examination trends, best practices in CRA compliance management and developing programs that are responsive to community needs.

Bradley J. Dossinger, Executive Vice President and Director of Community Reinvestment, M&T Bank
Jen Hopkins, VP CRA Officer, Mascoma Bank
Mark Gould, Vice President - Community Development, Ist Source Bank
Dustin Sanders, Senior Examiner, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta (moderator)

CRA in Practice: How Small and Intermediate Small Banks Design Effective CRA Programs
This session is designed for representatives from intermediate small and small banks. Speakers will discuss best practices in CRA compliance management in smaller institutions, and will share real-world experiences with the CRA exam process.

Joshua M. Sparkman, Senior Examiner, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City
Matt Meynardie, Chief Compliance Officer, Central State Bank
Stuart Annable, Chief Loan Operations Officer/CRA Officer, Mission Bank
Matthew Holt, Examiner, Supervisory, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston (moderator)

CRA in Practice: How Strategic Plan and Wholesale/Limited Purpose Banks Design Effective CRA Programs
If you are a current Strategic Plan or Limited Purpose/Wholesale Bank – or considering becoming one – join this session to hear from speakers with practical insights on managing CRA programs for banks with these designations, including the opportunities and challenges.

John Olson, CRA Officer, Goldman Sachs
Matt Maddux, SVP, Community Development Officer, Raymond James Bank
Cory Sommers, Senior Examiner, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco (moderator)

Nonprofit Partnership with Banks to Build Thriving Communities
Successful partnerships with financial institutions can help build thriving communities and organizations. This session will delve into effective approaches and strategies nonprofits can use to establish and navigate bank partnerships, with the aim of expanding their network of partners and resources. Participants will gain insights into the process of identifying potential bank partners, developing a strategic ask, and supporting mutually beneficial goals.

Amanda "AJ" Brown, Program Director, Philanthropy & Strategic Partnerships, Siskiyou Economic Development
Trina Villanueva, Senior CRA Community Development Officer, Strategy – Community Affairs & Sustainability, First Citizens Bank
Caleb Bobo, Supervisory Examiner, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Tracy Choi, Senior Outreach Manager, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco (moderator)

11:45 AM MST
Lunch

1:45 PM MST
CONCURRENT SESSIONS

40 Years of LIHTC: What’s Next for Affordable Housing Finance?
The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) has been an important tool for building affordable housing across the country for four decades, expanding housing options for lower-income workers and households through public-private partnerships. Recent changes to and expansion of this program provide an opportune moment to reflect on lessons learned and opportunities moving forward to effectively leverage LIHTC and other public funding sources to increase and preserve the supply of affordable multifamily rental housing.

Andrea Brennan, CEO & President, Greater Minnesota Housing Fund
David Lipsetz, President & CEO, Housing Assistance Council
Priya Jayachandran, CEO, National Housing Trust
Elizabeth Kneebone, Assistant Vice President of Research, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco (moderator)

Improving Access to Financial Services through Tech Solutions
AI and other technological advancements can allow banks and other community lenders to better measure risk and reduce fraud, identify and onboard customers more efficiently, modernize tech infrastructure, and leverage customer data to improve customer outcomes or design new lending products. These innovations can bring in new consumers, including those with thin or no credit files, and low- and moderate-income individuals and small businesses who have historically lacked access to credit. This session will feature examples of technological solutions that financial institutions are using to expand access to financial services.

Kelly Thompson Cochran, Deputy Director and Chief Program Officer, FinRegLab
Patrick Davis, Founder & CEO, Moonwake Technologies
Roddell McCullough, Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer, First Financial Bank
Sean Creehan, Senior Emerging Technology Risk Specialist, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco (moderator)

Nonprofit Operational Efficiency in Times of Change
Many nonprofit organizations are adept at building responsive programming. However, they often face challenges identifying operational efficiencies, leveraging the capacities of partners, and rethinking organizational structures. This session convenes different perspectives from across the country on the topic of non-profit operations and offers examples of organizations that have evolved to stay responsive to changing conditions.

Fred Payne, CEO, United Way of Central Indiana
Michael Swack, Research Professor, UNH Carsey School and Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics
Otha Cole, Co-Director, Nonprofit Sustainability Initiative
Susan Longworth, Policy Advisor, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago (moderator)

Supporting Tribal and Rural Small Business Growth through Innovative Finance
Entrepreneurial activity in Tribal and rural communities is important to advancing local economic resilience and long-term development. However, persistent challenges, including limited access to credit, technical assistance, and market networks, continue to inhibit small business formation and sustainability in these contexts. This session examines innovative strategies and financing approaches designed to expand opportunity in hard-to-reach markets.

Les Wesberry, Jr., Vice President of Operations, Chickasaw Nation Capital Access Division
Michou Kokodoko, Senior Policy Analyst, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis
Russ Seagle, CEO, The Sequoyah Fund, Inc.
Suzanne Devenport, CEO, RCAC
Jarrod Elwell, District Outreach Manager, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond (moderator)

3:00 PM MST
Break

3:30 PM MST
Plenary Session | Keynote Remarks

The Honorable Michael S. Barr, Governor, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
Angelyque Campbell, Senior Associate Director, Division of Consumer and Community Affairs, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (introduction)

4:00 PM MST
Plenary Session | Forging Solutions Together: Innovative Municipal Approaches to Addressing Housing Affordability Challenges
As housing affordability challenges continue to deepen across the country, cities are at the frontline of implementing solutions to address affordability needs. In this session, three mayors discuss how their cities are pioneering creative approaches to expand affordable housing through strategic public-private partnerships.

The Honorable Corey Woods, Mayor, Tempe, AZ
The Honorable Tim Kelly, Mayor of Chattanooga, TN
The Honorable Mark Shepherd, Mayor, Clearfield, UT
Prabal Chakrabarti, Executive Vice President and Community Affairs Officer, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston (moderator)

8:00 AM MST
Breakfast

9:00 AM MST
Plenary Session | Making Opportunity Zones Work for Communities
As Opportunity Zones enter their next chapter, stakeholders across the public, private, and community development sectors are working together to ensure the next wave of investment delivers economic opportunity for low-income communities. This session brings together national experts and experienced funders to revisit the program’s basic tenets and what worked for communities in 1.0, explore what is changing in 2.0, and unpack lessons learned to inform how the community development field can harness Opportunity Zones as a vehicle for economic development and community impact.

Kenan Fikri, Senior Fellow, Economic Innovation Group
Scott Maxfield, Managing Director, Urban Investment Group, Goldman Sachs Asset Management
Patrick Mullen, Managing Director, Arctaris Impact Investors
Karen Leone de Nie, Community Affairs Officer and Vice President, Community and Economic Development, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta (moderator)

10:00 AM MST
Break

10:30 AM MST
CONCURRENT SESSIONS

Expanding Low- and Moderate-Income Homeownership
This session explores investments and programs to expand homeownership for low- and moderate-income people by preserving existing housing stock and incentivizing the construction of new units in urban and rural areas. Panelists will share experiences with land trusts, sweat equity home construction, and approaches to preserving homeownership (such as assistance with heirs property issues and home repairs).

Alex Cabral, Grounded Solutions Network
Jill Lordan, Chief Program Officer, NeighborGood Partners
Kristopher Smith, National Heirs Practice Lead & Senior Program Officer, LISC Jacksonville
Lizzy Mattiuzzi, Community Development Research Advisor, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco (moderator)

Leveraging Opportunity Zones to Advance Community Development
Opportunity Zones (OZs) were recently made a permanent feature of the U.S. tax code. New provisions aim to enhance transparency, smooth investment flows, drive more capital to rural areas, and designate a new round of OZs. This session will surface lessons learned so far from OZ implementation and look to how investment patterns might evolve going forward to support community development goals.

Lamont Price, Innovation Director, Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development
Noelle St.Clair Lentz, CEO and Managing Director, Allivate Impact Capital
Robin Schabes, Director, Chicagoland Opportunity Zones Consortium, Chicago Community Loan Fund
Jason Vargo, Senior Researcher, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco (moderator)

Rural Capacity for Investment: Lessons from the Field
In many rural communities, people and organizations struggle with insufficient capacity to attract, align, and deploy financial capital toward community-driven economic development projects. These projects enable rural places to attract and retain residents, foster employment opportunities, and strengthen regional economic vitality. Join this session to learn directly from rural community leaders, capital providers, and partners about how they are strengthening their capacity to advance economic and employment opportunities for residents.

Andrew Crosson, Chief Executive Officer, Invest Appalachia
Justin Burch, President & CEO, Delta Compass-WCEA
Sarah Waring, Executive Director, Northern Border Regional Commission
Stephen Michon, Deputy Director, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston (moderator)

The Current State of Small Business Lending
Small businesses are facing economic uncertainty, with shifting consumer sentiment and demand, changing labor force dynamics, evolving supply costs, and technological change. This uncertainty makes it challenging for many small businesses to manage cashflow and costs. In this session, we’ll hear from three different small business lenders on what they’re seeing in the market, how their lending products are evolving, and how to better serve the small business community.

Alexis Dishman, EVP & Chief Lending Officer, Community Reinvestment Fund
Christian Sarver, Senior Vice President, Small Business Manager, National Bank of Arizona
Danielle J. Ware, Executive Vice President, Chief Lending Officer, Hope Credit Union
Rocio Sanchez-Moyano, Senior Researcher, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco (moderator)

11:45 AM MST
Lunch

1:45 PM MST
CONCURRENT SESSIONS

Banks Bringing Community Development Partnerships to Life through CRA
This session will explore how banks and community organizations can collaborate on community development activities that yield impactful and mutually beneficial outcomes. Join this session to learn about successful partnership models.

Cheryl Gladstone, Director, Community Development Finance Group, Deutsche Bank
LaReta Lowther, EVP Sr Director Community Dev/CRA, WesBanco Bank, Inc.
Marisa Martinez, Community Development Advisor, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City
Caleb Bobo, Supervisory Examiner, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (moderator)

Building Nonprofit Capacity to Leverage Alternative Funding Sources
Learn from leaders that are harnessing various capital sources, including loans and investments, to deepen community impact. This session, designed for nonprofits and philanthropy, will surface strategies to effectively leverage resources from financial institutions, foundations, and government, and lessons learned as communities are implementing new approaches to deploy and absorb capital beyond grant funding.

Dara Eskridge, CEO, Invest STL
Jessica LaBarbera, Chief of Staff & VP Strategic Initiatives, Nonprofit Finance Fund
Karl Guenther, Vice President for Strategy and Programs, James S. McDonnell Foundation
Mendi Blue-Paca, President & CEO, Fairfield County's Community Foundation
Talor Crawford, Community Development Specialist, Federal Reserve Bank of New York
Neelu Panth, Community Development Strategist, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (moderator)

Catalyzing Community Development Capital: Supporting Small Town and Rural Revitalization
CRA qualifying investment is not as prevalent in rural communities as in cities or suburbs. Rural areas can face a basic problem of supply and demand that is a barrier for many small towns to access the available capital needed to advance economic and community development efforts. On the demand side, rural regions have fewer people trained to develop strong project proposals. On the supply side, sources of funding are missing or are not well coordinated. This session will highlight the opportunities, successful collaborations, and challenges of rural and small-town communities as they describe their continuing journeys in bringing their project visions to life.

Jalen Marable, Vice President, JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Keith Cornish, President, Mace's Lane Community Center, Inc
Laura Dupuy, Program Development Advisor, Virginia Community Development Corporation
Maria Saxton, Director of Planning & Community Development, Town of Clifton Forge, VA
Carrie Cook, Vice President and Community Affairs Officer, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond (moderator)

Flexible Funding Models for Small Businesses
Small businesses are an important driver of economic growth, but access to capital to operate and grow a business remains a significant barrier for many small business owners. The nuances of small businesses can make the underwriting process more complex, and each small business has unique needs. Even when businesses are able to access financing, the traditional products available don’t always meet their needs. This session will explore a range of innovative financing models that offer flexibility for entrepreneurs from cities to rural areas to operate and grow their firms.

Ana Hammock, Chief Operating Officer, Ascendus
Jay Bockhaus, Managing Partner, CORI Innovation Fund
Kim Folsom, CEO, Chair and Founder, Founders First Capital Partners, Inc.
Claire Kramer Mills, Community Development Research Manager, Federal Reserve Bank of New York (moderator)

3:00 PM MST
Break

3:30 PM MST
CONCURRENT SESSIONS

A Deep Dive with Federal Reserve Bank Examiners on Community Development
This session will present an overview of the four categories of community development under CRA (affordable housing, economic development, revitalization and stabilization, and community services), with nuanced, real-world case studies of community development activities. Attendees will gain a clearer understanding of how Federal Reserve examiners analyze and evaluate complex initiatives, and how the impact of these activities is considered for CRA examinations.

Austin Cherry, Examiner, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta
Micah Spector, Team Manager 2, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia
Mitchell Cunnea, Senior CRSB Examiner, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
Mary Hirt, Policy Specialist, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta (moderator)

Designing Banking Services to Meet Consumer Needs
The ways consumers engage with physical banking services – from bank branches to ATMs – have been rapidly changing, and financial institutions are adapting to new technologies and consumer demand. This session will review the evolving landscape of banking services, including in rural areas. It will also highlight promising approaches and challenges and explore strategies for alignment and collaboration to meet consumer needs.

Barry Whaley, Project Director, Southeast ADA Center
Jera Horton, Director of Compliance and CRA Officer, BankFirst Financial Services
Lori Maley, President and CEO, Bank of Bird-in-Hand
Alaina Barca, Community Development Research Associate, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia (moderator)

Emerging Financing Opportunities in Manufactured and Factory-Built Housing
Factory-built homes are an important source of below-market rate rental and homeownership opportunities. However, unique financing constraints have limited the uptake and potential impact of this sector. This session will explore new and innovative financing opportunities to help expand and preserve a broad range of factory-built housing options, ranging from HUD-certified manufactured homes to accessory dwelling units.

Chadwick Reed, Vice President, Programs and Strategy, Ivory Innovations
Dan Hardcastle, Founder and CEO, BuildTrust
David Sanchez, Senior Vice President of National Strategy, ROC USA
Eileen Divringi, Community Development Research Manager, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia (moderator)

Navigating Changing Business Conditions: Technical Assistance and Technology Adoption for Small Business Success
Small businesses are grappling to keep pace with changing economic conditions and rapid advances in technology. Join this session to learn how technical assistance providers are supporting small businesses to adapt to changing conditions, including through adoption of new technologies, and how banks are forging mutually beneficial partnerships with technical assistance providers.

Aly Saxe, VP of Entrepreneurship & Business Development, Local First
Eric Fiala, Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer, KeyBank & CEO, KeyBank Foundation, KeyBank
Nic Steele, Executive Director, Access Community Capital
Leilani Barnett, Senior Outreach Manager, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco (moderator)

8:00 AM MST
Breakfast

9:00 AM MST
CONCURRENT SESSIONS

Public-Private Partnerships to Increase Housing Options Across Income Levels
Communities across the country are working to overcome the pressures of low housing inventory that are often intensified by aging housing stock, increased housing production costs, expiring subsidies, and other challenges. These pressures constrain the housing market and exacerbate the challenge of retaining and attracting a stable workforce, especially among low to moderate-income households. A wide range of stakeholders, including both traditional housing organizations and private sector organizations, are advancing innovative strategies to preserve the existing housing stock and to increase the supply of affordable housing for working families. Join us as we explore how communities develop strategic relationships to meet the unique needs of their local workforce and create sustainable housing options that allow people to live where they work.

Maria Sourbeer, Executive Vice President, Mosaic Development Partners
Mike Davis, Executive Director, Central Illinois Land Bank Authority
Sara Odendahl, Chief Executive Officer, Bend Chamber
Patricia Bell, Community Engagement Associate, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia (moderator)

Public-Private Partnerships for Workforce Training
This session explores public-private partnership programs that support local workforce training in growing industry sectors, including health care, advanced manufacturing, financial services, and digital occupations. Mechanisms include philanthropy and employer-financed 0% loans; employer-provided training in high schools; employer-informed training in community colleges; and integrated training/internships with guaranteed employment.

Hydie Hudson, Vice President, Impact Investments, Social Finance
Jasmine Collier, National Market Leader, Year Up United
Jason Stanley, Sr. Manager Manufacturing Workforce Development, Nissan Group of North America
Natalie Holmes, Senior Researcher, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco (moderator)

Understanding Community Needs for CRA
This session will explore the CRA performance context process, including quantitative and qualitative information on community development needs and opportunities of low- and moderate-income areas. The session will include a discussion of how banks can develop their own performance context, including how to use the performance context to foster impactful community relationships.

Beth Trotter Broussard, EVP | CRA Officer, First Horizon Bank
Grace Johnsen, Senior CED Research Analyst, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta
Manny Jimenez, First Vice President and CRA Officer, Marquette Bank
Lucinda Dieker, Senior Risk Specialist - CRA, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago (moderator)

10:15 AM MST
Break

Closing Plenary Session | The Future of Small Business: Innovation, Capital, and Community Impact
Small businesses are navigating rapid shifts in technology, workforce dynamics, and access to capital while remaining key drivers of local economies and community resilience. This panel brings together leaders from the field to explore what’s next for small business in the United States and how community development leaders can shape a stronger small business ecosystem. The discussion will focus on emerging trends, persistent challenges, and innovative strategies shaping how small businesses start, grow, and thrive.

Amanda Brophy, Director, Grow with Google
Amy Hereford, President and CEO, LiftFund
Joyce Klein, Senior Director of the Business Ownership Initiative, Aspen Institute
Joseph Firschein, Associate Director, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (moderator)

Attendees can earn the following ABA Professional Certifications credits:

16 CRCM credits
16 CERP credits
11.5 CFMP credits
1.5 CAFP credits

Attendee instructions to self-report for ABA CE credit

Log into your certification record at aba.csod.com
Hover over ADD CE CREDIT and select APPROVED NON-ABA CE
Enter key word(s) from program title or sponsor name and Select program from search results. Program will appear as Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco | 2026 National Community Investment Conference
Click Request and when page refreshes click Mark Complete

2026 National Community Investment Conference

March 23, 2026

March 24, 2026

March 25, 2026

March 26, 2026

American Bankers Association

Grow America

National Affordable Housing Management Association