VIRGINIA CDFI SUMMIT 2026:
Collective Power, Bold Action
Richmond • August 18, 2026
Capital One West Creek Commons
Jamie Baxter
Sr. Program Officer
Prince Charitable TrustsJamie is Senior Program Officer at Prince Charitable Trusts, supporting work across conservation, climate, democracy, community well‑being, and food systems. He previously served as Executive Director of the Chesapeake Bay Funders Network, leading collaborative philanthropy advancing clean energy, clean water, and sustainable communities. Jamie has held leadership roles with Chesapeake Bay Trust, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Cahaba River Society, and Maryland DNR. He holds degrees in Economics and Environmental Science from Dickinson College and lives in Annapolis with his family.
Kathryn Coulter-Rhodes
Program Manager
Opportunity Appalachia (OA)Kathryn Coulter Rhodes is Principal of Steadyline Consulting and Program Manager for Opportunity Appalachia, leading its six‑state initiative to help community‑development real estate projects become investment‑ready through technical assistance and investor engagement. She brings over 15 years of experience in community development, community investment, and program management, including senior roles at Rural Support Partners and leadership of major regional capacity‑building efforts. Kathryn holds a Master’s in Geography from the University of Illinois and lives in Asheville with her family.
Kristen Dahlman
Deputy Secretary of Commerce and Trade
VA Governor Abigail SpanbergerKristen Dahlman is the Deputy Secretary of Commerce and Trade overseeing housing, energy, small business and economic development priorities for Governor Abigail Spanberger. She previously was the Vice President of Programs and Policy at the Virginia Community Action Partnership (VACAP) where she was responsible for statewide coalition building and advocacy campaigns to bring new investment and visibility to Virginians in poverty on digital equity, housing and evictions, energy efficiency, financial literacy and wrap-around services through the Whole Family Approach. She assisted 31 Community Action Agencies and partners in delivering best practices in economic mobility and oversaw the training and professional development of members and data management and reporting.
She worked for nine years for the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development as the Policy and Legislative Director overseeing policy, budgetary and legislative affairs in all issue areas of the Department including Local Government, evictions, expanding affordable housing, providing broadband access, the Uniform Statewide Building Code and economic development. She was also responsible for DHCD’s board management and regulatory affairs and led the implementation and policy development of programs that contributed to an increase of over $200 million in annual operating funding and $2 billion in pandemic relief programming.
Ms. Dahlman previously worked at the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC), a think tank in Washington, DC where she provided support to an Immigration Task Force and the organization’s advocacy network, BPC Action. Prior to that, she served as an Americorps volunteer in St. Louis, Mo working for an all-girls middle school for low to moderate income families as a teacher and service volunteer. Ms. Dahlman holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Communication from Stonehill College and a Master’s degree in Public Policy from the American University.
Desiree Francis
Managing Vice President, Head of Community Finance
Capital OneDesiree Francis is Managing Vice President of Community Finance, leading the company’s lending and investing for affordable housing development. Community Finance originates over $1 billion annually to finance affordable developments, primarily financed with low income housing tax credits. Through its Social Purpose program, the team also invests in resident services that support resident and community well-being. She joined Capital One in 2008 to establish loan and investment originations in New York and New Jersey that promote affordable housing and support community revitalization. In 2014, Desiree began leading the Capital Officer Originations team, which seeks to source and originate financing opportunities within Capital One’s footprint. Prior to joining Capital One, Desiree served several different roles within Citi Community Capital and in the Bank Supervision Group at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Desiree is the former past President of AHIC, a national organization for investors in affordable housing.
Leah Fremouw
President and CEO
Bridging VirginiaLeah Fremouw is President & CEO of Bridging Virginia, a CDFI supporting businesses, nonprofits, and localities with flexible capital. She relaunched the Richmond SBDC in 2020, secured $10 million to establish the Virginia CDFI Fund in 2021, and founded the Virginia CDFI Coalition. Previously, Leah served as SVP of Community Innovation at Virginia Community Capital and held roles in talent management, organizational development, and public housing. She serves on multiple regional boards and is an active community and business investor.
Phil Hatfield
Senior Credit Officer and Divisional Data Risk Officer
Capital OnePhil leads fraud strategy and analysis; credit strategy, analysis, and operations; and data science, data strategy, and data risk management for Capital One’s Small Business Bank, where he serves as Senior Credit Officer and Divisional Data Risk Officer. He represents Capital One on the ChamberRVA Board, William & Mary’s Business Analytics Advisory Board, and the board of Bridging Virginia. Previously, he led Enterprise External Fraud Risk Management and Fraud Risk Management for US Card. Earlier roles included product development, customer acquisitions, and operations. Before Capital One, Phil worked in operations strategy at FedEx and consulting at PwC and IBM.
Betty Mitchell
Executive Director
Blue Grass Resource CenterBetty Mitchell is Executive Director of the Blue Grass Resource Center and was integral in the acquisition of the Highland Inn and for the successful completion of Phase I, exterior stabilization, of the project. With $4 million committed, renovation and reopening of the Highland Inn is expected in 2027. She has forty plus years experience in garnering support, both fiscal and in-kind, for community projects. In her previous position as executive director of the Highland Center, Mitchell was directly responsible for garnering funding and providing oversite of the historic Highland Center's 2016 renovation.
Mitchell has served as volunteer economic development officer for Highland EDA for the past fifteen years. In this role, working with community groups, she has facilitated the formation of Highland Community Development Initiative, a collaborative of partners. The Highland EDA was successful in competing for a Fellow through the inaugural Economic Recovery Corps program.
Harold Pettigrew
President & CEO
Opportunity Finance Network (OFN)Harold Pettigrew is President & CEO of Opportunity Finance Network, the nation’s leading network of mission‑driven financial institutions, representing 400 members and over $1 billion in assets. With more than 20 years of experience in community and economic development finance, he previously served as CEO of Wacif, deploying over $70 million in capital across the Washington, D.C. region. Harold has advised national organizations, served on the U.S. Treasury’s Community Development Advisory Board, and is a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network
Mark Pinsky
President & Founder
CDFI Friendly AmericaMark Pinsky is President and Founder of CDFI Friendly America, a national initiative expanding access to community development financial institutions in underserved communities. With more than 35 years in the CDFI sector, he previously served as President & CEO of Opportunity Finance Network, helping shape the industry’s growth, impact, and policy influence. Mark has been a leading voice in CDFI advocacy, capital innovation, and equitable community investment throughout his career.
Pravina Raghavan
President & CEO
LocusPravina Raghavan is President and CEO of Locus, leading the organization’s strategy, operations, and partnerships to expand capital access and advance inclusive economic growth in underserved communities. She previously served as Director of the CDFI Fund at the U.S. Department of the Treasury and Director of the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership at NIST. Pravina has also held senior economic development roles with New York State, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and the U.S. Department of Commerce. She holds degrees in finance from Penn State and Seton Hall.
Dr. Victoria Ratliff
Workforce & Education Consultant
Appalachian Highland Housing PartnershipWith more than 25 years of executive leadership experience in higher education, Dr. Ratliff has provided strategic oversight across a range of key areas, including academic affairs, student services, institutional research, information technology, and workforce development. As a dedicated advocate for community engagement and regional collaboration, Dr. Ratliff has a proven track record of building strong partnerships and strengthening community ties throughout southwest Virginia. A skilled grant writer and manager, she has secured more than $30 million in funding across various institutions. Her expertise in strategic planning and workforce development has positioned her as a trusted partner to local industries and economic development leaders, aligning educational programs with regional workforce needs.
Shauna Yeldell
Chief Lending Officer
Appalachian Community CapitalShauna Yeldell has more than twenty-five years of commercial lending experience with traditional and missioned based financial institutions. Her experience includes serving as the Chief Lending Officer of a Community Development Financial Institution in Washington DC. Her career has also included the management of portfolios exceeding $100 Million including commercial and industrial entities, municipalities, real estate development entities, community development organizations, public private partnerships. Shauna has maintained an affinity for developing sustainable communities through the economic development of underserved populations. As such, she has served on numerous non-profit boards of directors and advisory committees throughout her career. Shauna is a Doctorate of Business Administration graduate from Temple University’s Fox School of Business as well as degrees from Lincoln University and Mississippi State University.