Fostering Promise Youth Housing Summit Agenda

Thursday, May 29, 2025

Full‑Day Schedule

7:30 am – 9:00 am Registration, Coffee & Breakfast

Opening Session (9:00 am – 9:30 am) – 1st Floor Events Room

9:00 am – 9:30 am

Welcome to Fostering Promise Youth Housing Summit

Speakers

Aleta Smith, Policy Advocate & Strategic Advisor – Fostering Promise
United States Congressman Ro Khanna, (video)
André Chapman, President & CEO – Fostering Promise

Session 1: From Foster Care to Homelessness – Breaking the Cycle (9:30 am – 10:30 am) – 1st Floor Events Room

9:30 am – 10:30 am

Speakers

Jevon Wilkes, Executive Director – California Coalition for Youth
Youth Panel & Young Adults with Lived Experience, Panelists

10:30 am – 10:45 am Transition to Breakout Rooms

Morning Breakouts

Breakout #1: Housing with Purpose – Set‑Asides & Partnerships (Silicon Valley Room)

10:45 am – 12:00 pm

Moderator Regina Celestin Williams, Executive Director – SV@Home

Speakers

Jon White, Chief Real Estate Development Officer – Abode Housing
Felix AuYeung, VP, Business Development – MidPen Housing
Anna Gwyn Simpson, VP, Resident Services – EAH Housing
Riddhi Chakraborty, Director of Development – Jamboree Housing
Josh Selo, CEO – Bill Wilson Center

Breakout #2: Policy, Politics & Foster Youth (Innovation Room)

10:45 am – 12:00 pm

Moderator Chris Stoner‑Mertz, CEO – California Alliance of Child and Family Services

Speakers

Jennifer Rodriguez, Executive Director – Youth Law Center
Nevada Merriman, VP, Policy & Advocacy – MidPen Housing
Cynthia Vatalero, Bureau Chief, Foster Care – California DSS
Celeste Walley, Permanency & Youth Engagement Advisor – California Alliance

Breakout #3: Investing with Impact (San Francisco Room)

10:45 am – 12:00 pm

Moderator Daniel Heimpel, Managing Director & Founder – Good River Partners

Speakers

Jan Lindenthal, Chief Investment Officer – Housing Accelerator Fund
Andrea Papanastassiou, Director, Real Estate Equity – Enterprise Community Investment
Erin Gilbert, Senior Program Officer & Director of Ops – Charles & Helen Schwab Foundation

12:00 pm – 12:15 pm Transition to Lunch

12:00 pm – 1:00 pm Lunch (Terrace)

1:00 pm – 1:15 pm Transition back to Breakouts

Afternoon Breakouts

Breakout #4: Faith in Housing – Transforming Land into Hope (Silicon Valley Room)

1:15 pm – 2:30 pm

Moderator Rev. Dr. Penny Nixon, Faith Director – Housing Leadership Council

Speakers

Mark Williams, Founding Partner – Tent Makers
Carlos Jurado, Senior Associate Project Manager – MidPen Housing
Taryn Sandulyak, Executive Director – Firm Foundation

Breakout #5: Keys to Stability – Unlocking HUD Vouchers (Innovation Room)

1:15 pm – 2:30 pm

Moderator Simone Tureck‑Lee, Director of Housing & Equity – John Burton Advocates for Youth
Moderator Chris Middleton, Equal Justice Works Fellow – Youth Law Center

Speakers

Geoffrey Nagaye, Acting Program Manager – San Francisco Human Services Agency
Steve Duran, VP, Regional Programs – Unity Care
Will Spencer, Region 9 Administrator – U.S. Dept of Housing and Urban Development
Kendra Crawford, Director of Housing Operations – Housing Authority of San Francisco

Breakout #6: Using Technology to Bridge Transition Planning (San Francisco Room)

1:15 pm – 2:30 pm

Moderator Carl Agers, Managing Partner – Valocity Digital

Speakers

Scott Henderson, Head Dot Connector & Co‑Founder – Foster Greatness
Georgette Todd, Senior Writer & Program Researcher – Connect Our Kids
Serita Cox, CEO & Co‑Founder – iFoster
Aleta Smith, Policy Advocate & Strategic Advisor – Fostering Promise

2:30 pm – 2:45 pm Transition to Closing Session

Closing Session: Big & Bold Solutions (2:45 pm – 3:45 pm) – Innovation Room

2:45 pm – 3:45 pm

Speakers

André Chapman, President & CEO – Fostering Promise
Supervisor Otto Lee, President – Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors

4:00 pm – 5:00 pm Closing Reception & Networking

Fostering Promise Youth Housing Summit Agenda

Full‑Day Schedule

Opening Session (9:00 am – 9:30 am) – 1st Floor Events Room

Session 1: From Foster Care to Homelessness – Breaking the Cycle (9:30 am – 10:30 am) – 1st Floor Events Room

Morning Breakouts

Breakout #1: Housing with Purpose – Set‑Asides & Partnerships (Silicon Valley Room)

Breakout #2: Policy, Politics & Foster Youth (Innovation Room)

Breakout #3: Investing with Impact (San Francisco Room)

Afternoon Breakouts

Breakout #4: Faith in Housing – Transforming Land into Hope (Silicon Valley Room)

Breakout #5: Keys to Stability – Unlocking HUD Vouchers (Innovation Room)

Breakout #6: Using Technology to Bridge Transition Planning (San Francisco Room)

Closing Session: Big & Bold Solutions (2:45 pm – 3:45 pm) – Innovation Room

Opening Session (9:00 am – 9:30 am) – 1st Floor Events Room

Session 1: From Foster Care to Homelessness – Breaking the Cycle (9:30 am – 10:30 am) – 1st Floor Events Room

Closing Session: Big & Bold Solutions (2:45 pm – 3:45 pm) – Innovation Room