Policy Grant 2022–24 Fellows

Gail McGuire is a housing developer with 10 years of nonprofit affordable housing development and real estate economics experience. Gail worked at MHDC, EAH and EBALDC. Gail has a BA from Dartmouth College, an MBA in Real Estate and Land Use Economics from the University of Wisconsin, Madison and a Masters in Real Estate from the USC Lusk Center. Gail has helped to develop over 1,200 units of affordable housing including Lion Creek Crossings a HOPE VI multiphase multi building construction in collaboration with Oakland Housing Authority, and Balboa Park Upper Yard a mid-rise TOD in partnership with MOHCD, SFMTA and BART. and multifamily new construction and rehab in Honolulu and Maui.

Hannah recently completed her Masters of Public Policy at the Goldman School of Public Policy. She got her start in housing policy at the Berkeley Student Cooperatives, where she lived and worked throughout the entirety of her undergraduate career. She contributed to housing research and advocacy at California Community Builders, and has since expanded her experiences during graduate school through research at the Terner Center for Housing Innovation and the Urban Displacement Project, and through consultant city planning work at Urban Planning Partners. She is passionate about the need to build more homes, and is inspired by innovative housing models such as acquisition/rehab, ADUs, and alternative models for homeownership like community land trusts.

Hannah (she/her) was born and raised in the Bay Area and is dedicated to ensuring it remains a diverse and inclusive place for people of all backgrounds. Her interests and career have centered around educational, economic, and criminal justice reform and how that intersects with housing policy and place-keeping, especially for historically marginalized groups. Her work with citizens returning from incarceration has informed her understanding and commitment to improving access to affordable housing for all and demonstrated the ways housing stability can interrupt recidivism and how some current policies encourage it. Prior to the fellowship she worked in the East Bay cities of Alameda and Oakland at their respective housing authorities where she worked to protect affordable housing. Her interests outside of work include politics, hiking beautiful trails, British tea service, and spending time with her family and friends eating delicious food. Hannah holds a BA in African American Studies and Classics from Mount Holyoke College and also attended Howard University. She also serves on the board of the Mount Holyoke Club of Northern California and as the East Bay Alumna Representative for the Mount Holyoke Admissions office where she interviews prospective students and represents the college at local events.

Trisha is a first-generation immigrant and Oakland native. She has dedicated 13+ years of her career in affordable housing with both property management and real estate development experience. Trisha has led the charge on lease-up teams during her tenure in property management and has worked on both rehabilitation and new construction projects, while on the development team at MidPen Housing. Trisha loves to rejuvenate near the ocean and takes every opportunity she gets to go scuba diving (in warm water preferably)!

Greg joins the Partnership for the Bay’s future most recently from Northwestern Mutual Real Estate Investments, where he managed a portfolio of multifamily and mixed-use properties. Greg also spent time in the underwriting unit, where he was responsible for underwriting commercial mortgages and equity investments. His interest in government stems from his belief that our government has the responsibility to correct the historic injustices it has committed in the context of racial segregation. Greg began his career working as an economic development specialist for the County of Los Angeles, where he organized local business owners to help lead a streetscape revitalization plan. Greg is an avid Latin dancer and can often be found at Brooklyn Basin in Oakland working on his salsa and bachata skills.

Kaitlyn Quackenbush is originally from the East Bay and is passionate about helping to create a more equitable Bay Area; contributing to the place that made her who she is today. Kaitlyn comes to the PBF Fellowship as an analytical housing policy leader with experience leading impactful housing policy campaigns and building robust community-based programs organized around the preservation of affordable housing and preventing displacement. Before Coro, Kaitlyn was the Director of Policy and Research for Tenant Rights at Strategic Actions for a Just Economy (SAJE) and led Los Angele’s Renters’ Right to Counsel Coalition. Kaitlyn earned her Masters’ in Urban and Regional Planning from UCLA and her Bachelor’s in International Development from UC Berkeley. When not working or organizing, Kaitlyn can be found walking her senior dog along the Richmond Marina or around Lake Merritt.

Meredith has worked in affordable housing for six years, first in advocacy at Greenbelt Alliance, South Bay and then in housing policy as a Senior Planner for Urban Planning Partners. While at Urban Planning Partners, Meredith managed several Housing Elements and led the Alameda County Planning Collaborative to build capacity for affordable housing solutions and facilitate regional collaboration. She also managed two research-driven projects in Oakland to facilitate ADU development and cost-saving, innovative construction practices. Her Innovation in Oakland research and zoning reforms to expand housing options and affordability was honored by the Northern California American Planning Association with a Best Practices Award of Excellence for its commitment to racial equity. Meredith has an M.A. in International Policy and Development from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies and a B.S. in Linguistics from Truman State University. When she’s not navigating zoning codes, Meredith can be found on the soccer field or on a hiking trail.

Sharron is a native San Franciscan, with nearly two decades of professional experience serving communities. Sharron consistently engages with community members within the context that housing is health. She is equally invested in disrupting opportunities and systems which directly compromise optimal health outcomes. Her eternal passion for advocacy and equity influences her commitment and motivates the innovative way she (re)engages with community and builds capacity to address harms and create opportunities for systemic change. Sharron is committed to creating sustainable engagement platforms that enhance housing and health. She is excited to be a Partnership of the Bay’s Future Fellow.

Benjamin Toney is a proud product of the public school system in Oakland, California. He worked as an organizer in Los Angeles to recruit and develop community leaders to advance racial and economic justice. Ben has also worked with youth as a recreation and arts coordinator, a tutor, and college admissions mentor. On a personal note, Ben loves jazz and hip-hop; he grew up playing trumpet and producing and recording music. He loves to cook, dance, and sing, and hopes one day he might be good at any of the three! He is completing a Doctorate in Urban Planning and is eager to bridge the gap between the academic arena and communities in the world.

Danielle Thoe is a houser with nearly 10 years’ experience working in real estate project management, community organizing, and public sector administration. Danielle is a solutions-oriented professional who is skilled in community engagement, meeting facilitation, and program development. She has successfully managed the entitlements and development of over 900 units of housing. Additionally, her degrees in Urban Planning and Public & Nonprofit Management lay a solid foundation for working to solve the challenges of innovation within complex public sector systems. In her spare time, Danielle plays with and serves on the board of the San Francisco Spikes LGBTQ+ soccer club.