Board of Directors

Board of Directors

Carlee Chiate

Executive Director, BLOOM Here, Inc.

 

Carlee has devoted more than 23 years of her career to being of service to communities in need through working in the field of social work including in her current position as Director of Resident Services for MRK Partners.

 

Prior to that, she served as a clinical social worker in a variety of settings providing clinical psychiatric treatment to children, adolescents, families, and groups in community mental health clinics, homes and schools.

 

She has designed and implemented programs and activities, identified appropriate community resources, and collaborated with other agencies to best support her clients.

 

  • Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), California
  • Bachelor of Arts with a focus in Family Studies, University of Arizona
  • Masters in Social Work with a concentration in Families and Children, University of Southern California

Sydne Garchik

Founder & President, MRK Partners, Inc

 

For more than 14 years, Sydne has been a noteworthy leader in the affordable housing space and is passionate about changing the world. She is the Founder and President of MRK Partners, Inc., a firm dedicated to creating and preserving exceptional affordable housing across the nation.

 

Sydne believes that housing acts as a foundation for a multitude of other benefits and that a comprehensive approach to affordable housing includes services. She has been active with the Women in Construction, Autism Speaks and other local organizations.

 

She lives in Florida with her husband and three young daughters.

 

  • Bachelor of Business Administration, University of Maryland
  • Affordable Housing Finance 2022 Young Leader Award Recipient
  • Master of Real Estate Development + Urbanism Board Member, University of Miami

Dwayne George

EVP, Head of Production, Merchants Capital

 

Dwayne sources, negotiates, and structures business opportunities for Merchants Capital to expand the firm’s national presence to outpace $7 Billion in annual multifamily affordable and conventional production.

 

He also defines the strategic direction for the platform, spearheads technology integration to optimize partnerships, and oversees marketing and customer engagement efforts to increase the firm’s brand awareness.

 

Prior to joining Merchants Capital, Dwayne managed the Freddie Mac Optigo Lender Network, which is responsible for originating $6 Billion of annual Affordable Housing production. During his first three years at Freddie Mac, he orchestrated the purchase of $920 million in Freddie Mac Target Affordable originations

 

  • Bachelor of Arts in Business Management, Goucher College
  • Masters in Real Estate, Georgetown University

Katrina Matthews

Program Analyst, D.C. Department of Employment Services

 

Katrina has over 11 years of human management experience and a talent for connecting with internal and external stakeholders. She serves as a Program Analyst for the Department of State Initiatives, monitoring for technical accuracy of reporting performance standards based on the District of Columbia regulatory code. Katrina oversees approximately 12 state funded programs totaling over 50 million dollars.

 

In addition, Katrina evaluates program effectiveness and the efficiency of operations, participating in studies to increase workplace productivity, creating and establishing standard operating procedures to prepare work plans and reports.

 

Katrina lives in Maryland with her husband and five children.

 

  • Bachelor of Arts in History, Columbia College
  • Master of Arts in Management and Leadership, Webster University
  • Master of Science Dual Major: Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Forensic and Legal Psychology, Marymount University

Marc Russell

Co-Founder, AdvicePeriod (Acquired by Mariner Wealth Advisors)

 

Marc has more than 17 years experience in private wealth management and co-founded AdvicePeriod in 2014. Since the company’s inception, Marc and his team have served a growing and diverse group of families throughout the country. AdvicePeriod was acquired by Mariner Wealth Advisors in 2021.

 

He began his career working at Convergent Wealth Advisors, playing an integral role in the launch and growth of its Los Angeles office while serving on the Leadership Committee.

 

Marc now lives in South Florida with his wife and three daughters.

 

  • Cum Laude Bachelor of Arts in Economics, Amherst College
  • Masters in Business Administration with Honors, Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania
  • Holds the Chartered Financial Analyst Designation and is a member of the CFA Society of South Florida.
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