about us

Our Board & Staff

The heart of Habitat is our people.

We are curious, passionate people who take risks and initiative to address a complex social issue – housing, and, in so doing, we make a transformational difference in our own lives and the lives of others. We strive to be creative, inclusive, and fun, celebrating the shared humanity that unites us.

Leadership Team

Angela Casias

Senior VP, Community and Government Partnerships

I have spent nearly 30 years working for cities and non-profits because serving people and community brings me joy.

I began my career in non-profit work and have kept that same commitment to community service intact throughout my career. I went on to spend 18 years with the City & County of Denver, working in three of the largest departments including Parks & Recreation, Department of Transportation & Infrastructure, and Denver International Airport (DEN), after spending time in the Denver Mayor’s Office.

During my time at DEN, the third largest airport in the U.S., I gained in-depth public-private partnership experience, along with first-hand knowledge of lobbying for a public benefit corporation funded entirely through an enterprise model. At DEN, I led local government affairs, facilitating the approval of major contracts with global impacts, and managing the community outreach needed to garner public support and understanding of airport operations.

It is my dedication to bettering people’s lives that drives my public service work, and my persuasion skills are rooted in transparency, with open and direct communication at the core of my hard-earned reputation.

Dana Griffin

Senior VP, People & Culture

Dana Griffin joined the Human Resources Department of Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver in April 2015, after nearly 20 years of operations and people management experience in the for-profit education sector.

Dana has served as the human resources manager for the Habitat Denver ReStores, the director of retail operations, and the director of human resources and risk management prior to being promoted to the role of vice president. As the vice president of people and culture, Dana oversees the organization’s equity work, volunteer and employee engagement, and the human resources and safety functions.

Dana graduated from the University of Rochester, New York, with a degree in psychology and secondary education teaching certification.

John Hall

Chief Operating Officer

John Hall has 30+ years of experience in community economic development, planning, land use consulting, and municipal administration and development – which he leverages as he leads our real estate, construction and operations teams.
John’s work in economic development led him to see the power and impact of affordable housing, which inspired him and compelled him to join Habitat’s mission.

Victor Hernandez

Senior VP, Finance and Administration

Victor Hernandez joined Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver in October 2022, after having served as Director of Accounting at Urban Land Conservancy. He brings a diverse background with over 25 years of affordable housing and accounting experience. Victor has worked in affordable housing at the national, state and local levels. Before joining ULC, Victor was a manager at a public accounting firm, which specialized in accounting and fund administration for private equity firms. Victor holds a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University and a Masters of Accountancy from Texas State University. Victor is a certified public accountant licensed in Colorado and Texas.

Heather Lafferty

CEO & Executive Director

Heather Lafferty held many local and national roles with Habitat for Humanity for nine years before joining Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver as its CEO and executive director in 2008. Under her leadership, Habitat Metro Denver has quadrupled its housing production compared to previous decades. 

Heather’s commitment to community service extends to her roles as a board member of the Neighborhood Development Collaborative and of the social enterprise Prodigy Ventures. Among her accolades are being named a Livingston Fellow; a 9NEWS Leader of the Year finalist; one of the 2019 Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce’s Top 25 Most Powerful Women; and a Colorado Biz Magazine 2019 CEO of the Year finalist. 

Originally from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Heather earned her bachelor’s degree from The George Washington University and an MBA from the University of Colorado at Denver.

Jay Middleton

VP of ReStores

Jay worked at Recreational Equipment Inc. for over 20 years before following his dream of joining the nonprofit sector and leading the Habitat for Humanity ReStores across Metro Denver. 

In his time in the corporate sector, Jay specialized in managing and developing teams and processes. He opened the REI store in Asheville, NC and was nominated for the REI Leadership Award. In 2014 I relocated to Lakewood, CO and ran the REI store there until 2020.

Jay maintains a great passion for the outdoors and supporting the growth of teams and individuals. 

In his free time, Jay works on several side advocacy projects, rides his bike in the foothills and mountains of Colorado and works with his new Great Dane puppy on being a little bit better behaved.

Lori Pidick

Chief Development Officer​

Lori Pidick joined Habitat Metro Denver as the chief development officer in 2016. She oversees the organization’s fundraising and communications.

Lori has over 20 years of experience in development and marketing communications roles in both for-profit and nonprofit industries. Previously, she worked in development at the Public Education & Business Coalition (PEBC), Central City Opera, the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, and in various marketing roles for Verizon Wireless.

Lori holds an MBA from Georgetown University, and graduated from Brown University with a double major in economics and international relations.

Brett Shafer

VP of Homebuyer & Lending Programs

Brett Shafer joined Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver as Vice President of Homebuyer and Lending Programs in May of 2022.  Brett brings over 20-years of lending operations experience with the bulk of his career working for TCF Bank. At TCF Brett progressed from an Assistant Vice President and Branch Lending Manager up to the Vice President of Lending, where he managed the Bank’s $1.8 billion Consumer Lending Operations.  

Most recently, Brett was the President of Landed Home Loans, a mortgage company that specializes in helping first-time homebuyers, and more specifically, educators and first responders, to afford homes and build financial security, near the communities they serve. 

Since 2004, Brett has been both a volunteer and financial supporter of Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver.  During his interviews Brett spoke extensively about wanting to leave a legacy through his work with Habitat.  

Department Leadership

Fundraising & Communications

Kate Bentley

Director of Leadership Giving
720-382-1720

Jeanne Fischetti

Director of Sponsorships
720-496-2713

Laura Willetto

Director of Communications and Marketing
720-798-5225

Rachel Bailey

Database Administrator
720-382-1721

Homeowner Services

Alyssa Collins

Homeowner Outreach and Intake Manager
303-468-5168

Alex Gonzalez

Manager of Mortgage Operations
303-534-2727

Real Estate

Kate Hilberg

Director of Real Estate Development
720-496-2720

Kory Whitaker

Real Estate and Design Manager
720-496-2729, extension 329

Construction

Brian Johnson

Construction Support Manager
720-360-4363, extension 160

Colleen Mentz

Construction Manager, Site Development and New Construction
720-496-2728, extension 328

Burke Curtis

Home Preservation Construction Manager
720-496-2704, extension 161

Grants

Laura Allen-Hatcher

Government Grants and Compliance Manager
720-496-2709, extension 309

Technology

Byron Largent

Director of IT
720-496-2727

Volunteer Engagement

Nicole StanekScott

Director of Engagement
720-496-2724

ReStore

DJ Hagerman

Director of ReStore Operations
303-960-4811

Board of Directors

The Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver Board of Directors upholds our mission and ensures the vitality and sustainability of our organization. The board is comprised of 20-25 members who represent the Denver Metropolitan Area and who come from diverse geographic, racial, ethnic, economic, religious, professional, and leadership backgrounds. The leaders who compose our board are critical to Habitat’s success and the impact of our work in the community.

2023 Officers

Chair
Cris A. White

Executive Director and CEO, Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA)

Vice Chair
Gail Fritzinger

Career Transition Coach

Treasurer & Assistant Secretary
Matthew Hanson

Executive Vice President & Colorado Market President, First Fidelity Bank

Secretary
Sarah J. Auchterlonie

Shareholder, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck LLP

Had Beatty

Director Emeritus

Members

Amy Cara

Managing Partner
East West Partners

Janet Colley

President & Owner
Summit Management Company, LLC

Ivette Dominguez Drawe

Dealer/President
Alpine Group

The Rev. Dr. Eugene Downing

Lead Pastor
New Hope Baptist Church

John E. Freyer Jr.

President
Land Title Guarantee Company

Jeremy D. Held

Managing Director
Bow River Capital

Michelle Jones

President & Founder
Brdzwork LLC

Kevin Kanouff

President & CEO
Statebridge Company

Melissa Millan

RGM/VP
Orchard

Lindsay McKae

Partner
Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie, LLP

Farhana Morales

Sr. Manager Corporate Responsibility, ESG
Target

Naiely Miranda

Assistant Branch Manager/Consultant Southwest Funding
LP/Precision Employment Consulting

Peter M. Pendergast

Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing
Sea-Land Chemical Company

Jeff Popiel

President & CEO
Geotech Environmental Equipment, Inc.

Marijn Smit

President & CEO
Transamerica Asset Management

Arleen Taniwaki

Principal
ArLand Land Use Economics

Herbert Vogel

President + CEO
SM Energy