SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 30, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Board of Directors of the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco (FHLBank San Francisco) is pleased to announce the appointment of Laura Archuleta, Dora Leong Gallo, and Carol Ornelas to its Affordable Housing Advisory Council (AHAC). The Bank's 15-member AHAC provides expert guidance on affordable housing and economic development issues and helps shape the Bank's community investment grant programs and credit products.
A photo accompanying this release is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=23306
Laura Archuleta, President, Jamboree Housing Corporation, Irvine, California
Ms. Archuleta's commitment to affordable housing spans nearly 20 years. She joined Jamboree in 1999 as an assistant director before assuming the responsibilities of president in 2001. She guided Jamboree from a small, Irvine-based local housing developer with 750 units to a statewide provider of affordable housing with more than 6,700 units for families and seniors in over 35 communities.
Ms. Archuleta has held positions in the public sector – including the cities of Garden Grove, Anaheim, Cypress, and Palmdale – as an advocate for the development and preservation of affordable homes throughout California, and she is a member of the board of directors of the California Housing Consortium. She holds a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice and a master's degree in Public Administration from California State University, Fullerton.
Dora Leong Gallo, Chief Executive Officer, A Community of Friends, Los Angeles, California
Ms. Gallo joined A Community of Friends as its chief executive officer in February 2003 and is responsible for leading ACOF's efforts in project development, asset management, residential services, advocacy, and fundraising. Established in 1988 with a mission to end homelessness through the provision of quality permanent supportive housing for people with mental illness, ACOF has completed over 1,550 units in 40 apartment buildings throughout Los Angeles and Orange County.
Prior to joining ACOF, Ms. Gallo served in the public sector for 12 years, including as chief of staff for Los Angeles City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas, now a county supervisor. She serves on the board of trustees of Enterprise Community Partners, is a member of the board of directors for the Southern California Association of Nonprofit Housing, and is chair of the Los Angeles-based Supportive Housing Alliance. She holds a master's degree in City Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Bachelor of Science in Public Administration from the University of Southern California.
Carol J. Ornelas, Chief Executive Officer, Visionary Home Builders of California, Stockton, California
Ms. Ornelas, chief executive officer of Visionary Home Builders for the last 30 years, develops and advocates for quality affordable housing for families living in California's Central Valley. Under her leadership, VHB has built and rehabilitated more than 1,200 units of rental housing and more than 700 homes for first-time homebuyers. The VHB Homeownership and Rental Center, which she established in 1999, provides educational opportunities to community members seeking guidance on purchasing a home, placing a special emphasis on financial responsibility and understanding mortgage lending.
In 2010, Ms. Ornelas was one of 49 leaders nationwide selected to participate in the NeighborWorks® Achieving Excellence in Community Development program in collaboration with Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. She currently serves on numerous boards and committees, including the board of directors of St. Joseph's Medical Center Community, the affiliate council of the National Council of La Raza, the Building Industry Association board, the Bank of America National Community Advisory Council, the California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley board, the City of Stockton Climate Action Team, the San Joaquin Business Council board of directors, the City of Stockton Development Oversight Committee, the University of the Pacific Beyond the Gates Committee, the San Joaquin Valley Housing Collaborative, and the California Coalition for Rural Housing.
About the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco
The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco delivers low-cost funding and other services that help member financial institutions make home mortgages to people of all income levels and provide credit that supports neighborhoods and communities. The Bank also funds community programs that help members create affordable housing and promote community economic development. The Bank's members are headquartered in Arizona, California, and Nevada and include commercial banks, credit unions, industrial loan companies, savings institutions, insurance companies, and community development financial institutions.
