Staff

Jessica Grant, Member Services and Operations

503.493.1000 extension 1
Jessica@CLTNetwork.org

Jessica joined the CLT Network in the beginning of 2008, bringing with her over nine years experience in nonprofit administration. She previously lived in Berkeley, California, working as the Director of Operations for Global Routes. This innovative nonprofit specializes in experiential education in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Prior to moving to Portland, Oregon, Jessica worked for Yosemite Institute as the Site Manager of Crane Flat. She oversaw all daily operations at this environmental education campus, located in northern Yosemite National Park.  Just prior to working for the CLT Network, Jessica worked for Outside In, where she managed a county funded program for homeless youth in downtown Portland.

In addition to her work with nonprofits, Jessica spent two years working in the classrooms of the Berkeley Unified School District.

Melora Hiller, Executive Director

503.493.1000 extension 2
Melora@CLTNetwork.org

Melora Hiller has over 20 years of experience working in the world of affordable housing and has worked with numerous CLTs in the Northwest. She currently consults with nonprofit organizations, foundations and local governments in areas related to organizational development, nonprofit capacity building, strategic planning, and program development.           

Before becoming a consultant, Melora managed a statewide capacity-building program for housing and community development organizations, including: designing and implementing a technical and organizational development training program for professional staff and board members; overseeing investments in organizational core support for 15 nonprofits; brokering technical assistance capacity grants through an assessment and joint problem-solving approach and referral to appropriate technical consultants.

Melora earned her Master’s degree in public administration at Seattle University’s Institute for Public Service. She has served on numerous nonprofit boards and school committees and is a graduate of Leadership Tomorrow. Melora is the founding board chair of the Capitol Hill Housing Foundation.

Emily Thaden, Research & Policy Development Manager

503.493.1000 extension 3
Emily@CLTNetwork.org

Emily Thaden joined the CLT Network in December of 2011. Previously, Emily built and managed a new shared equity homeownership program called Our House at The Housing Fund (THF), a Community Development Financial Institution in Nashville, TN. During her two years at THF, funding for the program’s first 100 homes had been secured, the development of 22 homes was completed, and stewardship policies and practices were established.

Additionally, Emily acted as a research consultant for the Network conducting the 2009 CLT Foreclosure and Delinquency Survey and The 2011 Comprehensive CLT Survey. Her work on CLTs has been published by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy in Landlines and working papers and by the National Housing Institute in Shelterforce.

Emily completed her doctorate in Community Research & Action at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College. Her dissertation focused on low-income and minority homeownership and the solution of shared equity homeownership. Her teaching has focused on organizational development, community development, and applied research. During graduate school, she directed a community organizing and documentary photography program with youth in public housing, organized to develop a local Housing Trust Fund, and consulted with the TN Dept. of Human Services to revamp their welfare system.

Prior to graduate school, she worked as a researcher and practitioner with youth diagnosed with psychiatric illnesses and as a crisis counselor and curriculum developer for the Anti-Violence Project, which serves LGBTQ communities in New York. She received her undergraduate degree from New York University in Psychology and Gender & Sexuality Studies.