Southeastern Wisconsin Housing Summit 

Ben McKay

Ben McKay, Deputy Director, has been with the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission since
June 2004. He has led and facilitated long-range regional, county, and community level planning efforts
undertaken by the Commission during the last 20 years, including the Regional Housing Plan and VISION 2050, Southeastern Wisconsin’s long range land use and transportation plan. Ben received a Master of Urban Planning degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2003.

Matt Kures

Matt Kures is a Distinguished Community Economic Development Specialist and Researcher with the Community Development Institute at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension.  Matt works in partnership with Extension’s statewide network of resources to assist communities and organizations in the areas of regional economic analysis, labor force research, and industry sector competitiveness. Matt has worked at the University of Wisconsin for more than 20 years and has his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Elmer Moore, Jr.

Elmer Moore, Jr. was appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Executive Director of the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) in April 2022. Since stepping into the role, he has brought high energy, strategic vision, and a transformative approach to addressing Wisconsin’s housing crisis and supporting a future where Wisconsinites have an affordable place to call home.

Katie Naftzger

Katie Naftzger serves as Community Investment Officer and Senior Vice President at FHLBank Chicago, providing strategic leadership that advances the community investment mission of the Bank, its member financial institutions, and the communities they serve throughout Illinois and Wisconsin. With more than twenty years of experience in the affordable housing and economic development fields, she brings expertise in shaping high impact programs, cultivating strong cross sector partnerships, and aligning capital with community driven priorities.

At FHLBank Chicago, Ms. Naftzger oversees the design and implementation of grant and lending programs that expand housing supply and affordability and strengthen economic infrastructure across the region. Under her program leadership, in 2025 the Bank deployed over $100 million in grants and $3.4 billion in discounted lending to support the community investment activities of its members. Throughout her career, Ms. Naftzger has championed innovative funding models, improved program operations, and strengthened institutional relationships to maximize community impact.

Prior to her work at FHLBank Chicago, she worked at Urban Institute, contributing to research on a range of social programs. Ms. Naftzger holds a Master of Public Policy from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy from Brown University.

Grant Buenger

Grant Buenger (bing-er) is the CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Racine & Kenosha Counties, where he leads strategic growth, housing development, and community partnerships to expand affordable homeownership. He brings expertise in nonprofit leadership, finance, and organizational strategy.

Dr. Kelly Demerath

 Dr. Kelly Demerath is the principal of the Career & College Academy, a 9–12 public charter school located on the campus of Gateway Technical College in Elkhorn. She founded the Elkhorn YouthBuild program, creating opportunities for local youth to gain construction skills while helping address the need for affordable housing in Walworth County by building homes in partnership with Habitat for Humanity. Dr. Demerath’s work focuses on connecting education, workforce development, and community impact.

Michael Ploch

As the Elkhorn YouthBuild Program Manager and Job Developer, I lead workforce development initiatives that empower young adults to build career pathways through education, hands-on training, and employment opportunities. I specialize in connecting participants with local employers and industry partners while supporting them in developing the skills, certifications, and professionalism needed for long-term success. My role combines program leadership, employer engagement, and individualized support to help youth transition into meaningful careers.  

Lamont Davis

Lamont Davis is Executive Director of the Milwaukee Community Land Trust, where he leads efforts to create permanently affordable homeownership opportunities and strengthen neighborhood stability. He is a recognized voice on the Community Land Trust model, housing equity, and community wealth building, and works to expand access to homeownership for historically underserved communities.

Mason Cavell

Mason joined MACLT as Executive Director in November 2025. He previously led large scale mixed-use affordable housing projects in Seattle, developed supportive homeless housing and clinical facilities in New York City, and managed residential energy efficiency and solar programs for low-income homeowners in rural Virginia. Mason brings extensive technical experience in non-profit real estate development and community engagement, and is currently focused on expanding affordable homeownership opportunities in Dane County through creative financing and partnerships with municipalities and mission-oriented developers.

Brad Boycks

Brad Boycks is the Executive Director of the Wisconsin Builders Association (WBA), a role he has held since October of 2015, after joining the organization in April 2004. With more than two decades of experience in advocacy and association leadership, Brad plays a central role in shaping policy and advancing the interests of Wisconsin’s residential construction industry.

Amy Bliss

Amy Bliss is the Executive Director of the Wisconsin Housing Alliance and has been with the organization for 35 years.  She advocates on behalf of the factory-built housing industry and works tirelessly to provide attainable homeownership for all Wisconsin families.  She has a bachelor’s degree in Business Management and Communications from Concordia University.

Andrew C. Iverson

Andrew C. Iverson is the State Director for Rural Development in Wisconsin. Andrew previously served as Executive Director for the Republican Party of Wisconsin and held positions with the Republican National Committee, Senator Ron Johnson, Representative Bryan Steil and others. Andrew, a sixth generation Wisconsinite, resides in rural Central Wisconsin with his wife and daughter.  

Josh Schoemann

Josh Schoemann was elected County Executive of Washington County in April of 2020, after serving over six years as County Administrator and Administrative Coordinator (County Manager). He was elected to his second term in April of 2024. He is also a board member and past President of the Wisconsin County Executives & Administrators Association.

In 2003, he served in Operation Iraqi Freedom, earning an Army Commendation Medal during his tour, and received an honorable discharge in October 2008 from the Army National Guard. He is a member of the VFW Post 10452, the American Legion Post 483 – Allenton, WI, the West Bend Noon Rotary, sits on the Boys & Girls Clubs of Washington County Board of Directors, and is an active member of Peace Lutheran Church in Hartford.

He currently lives in the Town of Trenton on an 80-acre farm with his wife Jodi and their sons, Cael and Drake, and their dogs Liberty and Sconnie.

Ben Wehmeier

Ben Wehmeier is President and CEO of the Greater Watertown Community Health Foundation, where he leads efforts to improve community health through strategic investment and cross-sector collaboration. Since taking the role in 2024, he brings a track record of driving large-scale initiatives and building partnerships that strengthen regional well-being. An Army veteran and experienced public administrator, Ben is known for delivering results that create lasting community impact.

Deb Reinbold

Deb Reinbold is President of Thrive Economic Development (ThriveED) and Executive Director of the Jefferson County Economic Development Consortium (JCEDC), where she leads strategic initiatives focused on business attraction and retention, placemaking and workforce participation. Under her leadership, Jefferson County has attracted more than $1.5 billion in investment from companies that include Kikkoman, Onego Bio, Aztalan Bio, V&V Supremo and Nestlé Purina, cementing the region’s status as a food and beverage manufacturing hub. Deb was instrumental in creating the Live Local Development Fund, a locally controlled revolving loan program created to encourage housing development in Jefferson County. Deb’s leadership and impact have been recognized with her selection as the 2025 BizTimes Media Woman Executive of the Year and inclusion in the list of the state’s 275 most influential business leaders. She was named a Notable Economic Development Executive by BizTimes Media in February of 2026.

Nate Peters

Nate provides strategic leadership for the Foundation’s investment strategy and portfolio, helping to shape its long-term vision and strengthen its financial capacity in service of the region. He oversees financial modeling and forecasting and provides disciplined oversight across all investments and accounting to ensure alignment with the Foundation’s mission and values. He leads several of the Foundation’s largest impact investment initiatives, including the multi-year redevelopment of the former Bethesda Corporate Campus into a community asset site that brings together housing anchored by mission-aligned, community-serving uses. As part of this work, Nate heads the Foundation’s housing strategies, advancing practical solutions that reduce the share of household income spent on housing and expand access to affordable homeownership opportunities across the region.

In addition to his Foundation responsibilities, Nate serves on the Finance Committee of Rock River Community Clinic, the Loan Committee of the Live Local Fund, and chairs the Collective YMCA Condominium Association. Nate brings a background in finance, commercial banking, and small-business lending, and holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater.

Outside of work, Nate enjoys spending time with his wife and two children, cheering on the Green and Gold, and is a firm believer that listening closely at home is excellent preparation for leadership everywhere else.

Erick Shambarger

Erick Shambarger is the Director of Environmental Sustainability for the City of Milwaukee, where he leads the Environmental Collaboration Office (ECO).  He is responsible for implementing the City’s Climate and Equity Plan and associated programs and policies to incorporate energy efficiency, renewable energy, and stormwater resilience into Milwaukee’s housing.

Laura K. Herrick PE, CFM

In her role as the Chief Environmental Engineer for the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission, Ms. Herrick manages a staff of seven with specialties in engineering, planning, and biology. She has 31 years of experience in the water resources field, specializing in hydrologic and hydraulic modeling, water resources engineering, water quality analyses, and floodplain and stormwater management. Ms. Herrick received her BSCE degree from Valparaiso University and MS in Civil Engineering degree from the University of Minnesota. She is a registered Professional Engineer in Wisconsin and a Certified Floodplain Manager.

Paul Aylesworth

Paul Aylesworth is the Director of Affordable and Sustainable Housing Development and Associated Director of MS in Real Estate in the Real Estate and Urban Land Economics department at the Wisconsin School of Business, where he teaches a foundational affordable housing course and leads the Affordable and Sustainable Housing Development graduate track. Paul serves as co-chair of the City of Madison Housing Policy Committee, Madison Development Corporation-Board member, and Housing Committee Chair, Madison Area Community Land Trust, Development Advisory Committee.

Previously, Aylesworth served as the Real Estate Director for the Women’s Community Revitalization Project (WCRP), a nonprofit Philadelphia-based community development corporation. For nearly 14 years Aylesworth’s work at WCRP focused on the new construction and preservation of affordable housing utilizing Low-Income Housing Tax Credit equity and many other sources of capital and operating subsidy. He was also instrumental in establishing and building the Community Justice Land Trust, which now holds over 100 permanently affordable homes.