2022 NPH Holiday Member Party

Miriam Benavides, Chief People Officer, Satellite Affordable Housing Associates

Miriam Benavides has worked in the affordable housing industry for over 15 years. Miriam provides strategic organizational leadership and oversees the organization’s Human Resources, Risk Management, and Equity and Inclusion Departments. Miriam began her career at SAHA in 2013 as the Director of Human Resources and Operations. Prior to SAHA, Miriam served as the Director of Human Resources and Administration of Satellite Housing, where she played key strategic role in the organization’s merger with Affordable Housing Associates to form SAHA. Miriam’s career in the non-profit field of HR began at The Unity Council.

Diana Downton, Senior Affordable Housing Finance Consultant, Community Economics Inc.

Diana joined CEI in 2014, bringing with her 14 years of previous experience in affordable housing development, advocacy, and local government housing finance. Prior to joining CEI, she worked for the City of Oakland’s Housing and Community Development Department serving as the lead staff for the City’s affordable housing development Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) process, and providing financing for a wide variety of affordable housing rental and ownership projects including new construction and rehabilitation of family, senior, and special needs housing.

Diana has also worked as a Project Manager at the Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation, where she was responsible for the rehabilitations of special needs housing developments. She has been active in local housing advocacy organizations, including East Bay Housing Organizations and as a staff member at the Nonprofit Housing Association of Northern California. Diana received a master’s in city and regional planning from Rutgers University, as well as a bachelor’s degree in community studies from UC Santa Cruz.

Consuelo Hernandez, Director, Office of Supportive Housing, County of Santa Clara

As the Director of the Office of Supportive Housing, Consuelo Hernandez’s team works to support the County’s mission of promoting a healthy, safe, and prosperous community by ending and preventing homelessness. In her role, Consuelo has overseen the implementation and administration of the County’s $950M Affordable Housing Bond and other housing development programs, coordinated the countywide network of supportive housing programs, and directed the lead agency for the local Continuum of Care. As a result of this work, since 2015, the County and its partners have helped nearly 20,000 homeless adults, families, and children move into permanent housing and have expanded the number of new supportive housing units by approximately 2,700.

Prior to joining the County in 2015, Consuelo served in various planning and development capacities in the City of Palo Alto and in Los Angeles County cities. Consuelo is a certified planner and a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP). In 2019, Consuelo received an Impact Award from SPUR for her efforts to advance deeply affordable housing development throughout Santa Clara County. On a personal note, Consuelo grew up in South East Los Angeles with her parents and five siblings. While at UC Santa Barbara, Consuelo developed a passion for social justice and found a platform for change working in housing and community development.