Susan J. Popkin, Ph.D. is both Director of The Urban Institute’s Program on Neighborhoods and Youth Development and a Senior Fellow in the Metropolitan Housing and Communities Policy Center. A nationally-recognized expert on assisted housing and mobility, Dr. Popkin directs a research program that focuses on the ways neighborhood environments affect outcomes for youth, and in conducting evaluations of complex community-based interventions. She is the Director of the HOST Demonstration and HOST Network and co-Principal Investigator for the evaluation of the Casey Foundation’s Family-Centered...

Sunia has over thirty years of experience in affordable housing issues at the federal, state, and local levels. She is the Executive Director of the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA), and she serves on the board of the Emerald Cities Collaborative. In 2010, Sunia was nominated for the Hanley Award for Vision and Leadership in Sustainable Housing. She has also served as the Executive Vice President of the Housing Research Foundation, Board Trustee of Global Communities (formerly CHF International) and the National Housing Conference as well as the advisory boards of...

Lara Pukatch joined Miriam’s Kitchen in June 2014. As the Director of Advocacy, she leads the organization's advocacy work to end chronic homelessness in DC through budget advocacy, systems improvements, and engaging people with lived experience in change . She has over 10 years of experience as a nonprofit advocacy professional with expertise in empowering vulnerable populations, leading coalitions, and facilitating large-scale institutional change. At Miriam's Kitchen, Lara wears many hats. She plays a pivotal role in supporting The Way Home Campaign and leads city-wide efforts to...