Coastal Housing Coalition (CHC), an organization dedicated to advocating and achieving workforce housing solutions for the Santa Barbara region, has three new board members, Leonard Diaz, Kristin Stoyanova, and Wesley McRae.
“We are thrilled to welcome Leonard Diaz, Kristin Stoyanova, and Wesley McRae to the Coastal Housing Coalition Board,” said Jon Standring, Coastal Housing Coalition president.
Diaz, Stoyanova and McRae join CHC’s current Board of Directors: Jon Standring, president; Barry Taugher, vice president; Tony Tomasello, secretary; Laura Benard, Ellen Bildsten, Chris Gregoire, Chris Guillen, Olivia Marr, Jon McCuskey, Jessica Metzger, Krista Pleiser; and Craig Minus, executive director.
Diaz, a real estate broker associate at Berkshire Hathaway and financial services analyst at UCSB, has 17 years of experience in community development finance, where he worked to provide affordable housing to low-income families.
He has held several positions in acquisitions, asset management, and investor relations for nonprofit and for-profit community development advocates and investors, including with AIG SunAmerica Affordable Housing Partners and Fannie Mae, giving him knowledge about the factors influencing multi-family and single-family real estate
Diaz earned his bachelor of science in economics from USC and his MBA from Pepperdine University.
Stoyanova is a licensed architect, project manager, and director of business development and marketing at Anacapa Architecture, a modern design collaborative based in Santa Barbara.
She is strong supporter of sustainability, believing intelligent design can refine the built environment to be more eco-friendly. Her previous work experience includes architectural design in the fields of multi-use residential, hospitality and retail.
Born in Bulgaria, Stoyanova pursued her education in the U.S. and earned a bachelor of architecture and MBA from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
McRae is a principal and director of advisory services at Granite Peak Partners, a real estate investment and advisory services firm. As head of the real estate advisory team, he manages client relationships, gives operational oversight, and plays a key role in the creation and implementation of strategic initiatives for the firm.
He has experience as an investment banking, advisory services, and private equity investment professional, as well as working with global, high-growth startups.
McRae graduated from Washington and Lee University with a bachelor of science in accounting and business administration.
The Coastal Housing Coalition, founded in 2005, is a nonprofit organization committed to educating the public about the lack of affordable workforce housing, and advocating for the development of housing that meets the financial needs of local employees. For more, visit www.coastalhousingcoalition.org.