True Ground’s New Board Members – 2026
As we begin the new year, three professionals were unanimously appointed to the True Ground Board. True Ground’s board is comprised of 22 professionals representing diverse industries and residents from True Ground’s communities. True Ground welcomes:
Renee Aldrich, Chief Lending Officer, Executive Vice President, Trustar Bank
Renee Aldrich is the chief lending officer at Trustar Bank. She has held senior banking and commercial lending positions throughout her career. For over 19 years, Ms. Aldrich has been developing business relationships in the commercial and commercial real estate sectors in the Greater Washington region.
Susan Ingraham Bell, Arlington County’s Department of Community Planning, Housing, and Development (retired)
Susan Ingraham Bell has over 35 years of experience in land use policy, regulatory guidance and organizational operations. She is the former director of Arlington County’s Department of Community Planning, Housing and Development, and was the County’s Zoning Administrator for a decade. Following her retirement from Arlington County, Bell worked as an independent planning consultant for a decade, providing planning guidance and organizational development services to local governments and nonprofits. As a consultant she led a range of projects including a community facilities needs assessment, parking policies for transit-oriented development, code amendments to facilitate specific development types and provided expert testimony for an array of land use litigation. She holds a Master’s in Urban and Regional Planning from George Washington University. Ms. Bell served on the True Ground Board from 2012 to 2021, including serving as Board Chair from 2020-2021.
Kurt Conway, Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy & Communications, AvalonBay Communities, Inc.
Kurt Conway is AvalonBay’s Senior Vice President – Corporate Strategy & Communications. AvalonBay is a publicly traded multifamily real estate investment trust. Kurt leads corporate strategy, communications, marketing, customer insights, inclusion and diversity, and philanthropy for the company. Prior to joining AvalonBay in 2010, Mr. Conway held senior level marketing, sales, and strategy roles in multi-site hospitality and healthcare businesses including Sunrise Senior Living, Marriott International and HCR-Manor Care. Kurt holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and a master’s degree from the University of Massachusetts.
We are also pleased to announce our 2026 Board leadership team:
Benson F. “Buzz” Roberts, Chair
Buzz Roberts served as the president and CEO of the National Association of Affordable Housing Lenders (NAAHL) from 2015 to 2024. Prior to joining NAAHL, Roberts was the Office of Small Business, Community Development and Housing Policy director at the U.S. Treasury Department from 2011 to 2015. Previously, he was senior vice president for policy and program development at the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), a leading nonprofit investor in low-income community development. He has written extensively about affordable housing and neighborhood revitalization.
John Green, Vice Chair
John Green is Managing Principal of Blackstar Real Estate Partners. With over 25 years of real estate and finance experience, Green has managed approximately $5 billion in commercial, multifamily, single-family, and mixed-use properties throughout the nation.
LaTasha Waddy, Secretary
LaTasha Waddy is the President of the NFM Lending Family of lenders, a top 15 residential mortgage lender. Waddy has been with the organization for over 15 years, serving in various roles within the legal and compliance departments. Her tenure includes participation in the growth of the company from 175 to over 1,200 team members nationwide.
Latasha Edwards, Treasurer
Latasha is a Senior Vice President at BEAM Living, a Blackstone portfolio company. She leads investment strategy and performance there. Prior to joining BEAM, she led asset management for various regions at LivCor, a fellow Blackstone portfolio company, and Avalon Bay. Edwards has worked in the commercial real estate industry for 21 years covering multiple sectors – office, retail industrial as well as multi-family. Her experience includes acquisitions, dispositions, portfolio and asset management, as well as brokerage. In addition to her board participation for True Ground Partners, she serves on the board of the Real Estate Executive Council.
Thank you for your service:
Rich Jordan, True Ground Board, 2015-2025
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Rich Jordan for his outstanding decade of service on the True Ground Board, where his visionary leadership, commitment, and hands-on engagement profoundly shaped the work we do and the communities we serve.
During his tenure on the Board, Mr. Jordan spearheaded pivotal initiatives—including leading the successful Terwilliger Place Capital Campaign, chairing the Finance & Operations Committee, co-chairing our strategic plan, and guiding us through a transformative period as Board Chair. His passion for resident engagement, advocacy for innovative financing, and steadfast support have left an enduring legacy. Rich’s dedication to fostering collaboration, empowering staff, and expanding our real estate impact—while always serving as a trusted friend and exemplary fiduciary—will continue to inspire us for years to come. Thank you, Rich, for your unwavering commitment and the indelible mark you have left on our organization.
Mr. Jordan has more than 19 years of commercial real estate development and investment experience. He currently serves as Managing Director of Potomac Investment Properties, a privately held family office company, focusing on development, acquisitions, dispositions, financing, recapitalizations, joint ventures, and capital sourcing for the company to include office, multifamily, and hotel properties. Prior to his career in commercial real estate and investment banking, Mr. Jordan served 9 years in the United States Navy as Naval Flight Officer.
