Nevada Housing Coalition hires Christine Hess as executive director
CARSON CIY — After an extensive executive search, the Nevada Housing Coalition Board of Directors hired Christine (Bekes) Hess as the first executive director for the statewide nonprofit.
“As the Nevada Housing Coalition continues to push for innovative solutions and strengthen collaborative efforts for affordable housing options across the state, the Board of Directors recognized that the time was right to bring on staff leadership,” said Nevada Housing Coalition Board Chair, Bill Brewer. “We are thrilled to announce Christine Hess as our executive director and feel fortunate to have someone of her caliber and experience to head up the Coalition.”
Hess and her family relocated to Reno, Nevada from Wyoming where she stepped down after six years as the executive director for a local economic development organization, the Powell Economic Partnership. One of Wyoming’s rising leaders, Hess spearheaded a $10 million public-private partnership hotel and conference center for her community and led state conversations for agriculture and economic diversification collaborating with local organizations, higher education and state agencies.
She was the board president for the Wyoming Economic Developers Association and a director of the WIDC Frontier CDC, Wyoming’s SBA 504 lender. She interacted regularly with local and state elected officials in support of economic development priorities.
“Affordable housing is a critical and essential component of economic prosperity for all communities and this opportunity to support the Nevada Housing Coalition and all of our partners is so exciting.” Hess said. “Nevada has a lot of great things going on and I look forward to learning this new landscape.”
Hess also noted her personal challenges with affordable housing. “In 2012, our family was displaced by Hurricane Sandy in New Jersey. When we could not find affordable housing in our community, or anywhere within two hours, we took the extreme measure and relocated to my hometown in Wyoming. This was a life-changing experience and we depended on friends and family for the first couple of years. Not everyone has that.”
Hess will continue to strengthen and build relationships for the Coalition and advocate and educate for affordable housing. She is also working closely with the board as it organizes the first statewide housing conference slated for May in Las Vegas.
About the Nevada Housing Coalition:
Founded in 2019, the Nevada Housing Coalition’s mission is to create sustainable solutions through community awareness, capacity building, and advocacy to ensure housing options for all Nevadans. The founding board is comprised of industry experts in both the private and public sectors. These individuals are dedicated to the expansion of affordable housing solutions in our state.
- Advocacy
- Affordable
- Affordable Housing
- agriculture
- Awareness
- Board of Directors
- carson
- center
- community
- Community,
- conference
- Development
- Economic Development
- Executive Director
- Experience
- Family
- friends
- Higher Education
- Hours
- Housing
- Industry
- Leadership
- learning
- local
- May
- mission
- Nevada
- new
- News
- Nonprofit
- Opportunity
- Organization
- President
- public
- relationships
- Search
- staff
- state
- state agencies
- Support
- Community awareness
- Education
- Las Vegas
- reno