Jean Nelson-Houpert is the Interim-CEO and Chief Financial Officer for DC Green Bank, where she is responsible for leading the entire team in support of the bank’s mission as well as delivering strong financial and accounting practices. Jean serves as DC Green Bank’s high-level strategic leader and financial steward in implementing strong financial discipline in its financial reporting, budgeting, accounting, and risk management processes and ensure its safety and soundness as well as long-term sustainability and growth.
Jean joined DC Green Bank with extensive expertise in banking, internal control, risk management, and financial reporting knowledge. She also has significant experience in public accounting for mid-to-large size community banks. Among her leadership roles in financial institutions, Jean has served as controller at Millennium Bank, Director of Accounting, and Chief Financial Officer for Alliance Bankshares Corporation and SEC reporting manager at Capital Bank, N.A.
Jean received her a M.J. (Master of Jurisprudence) from Tulane University and B.A. in Accounting from Temple University. She is also a certified Human Resources Professional (PHR).
Donald Walker is the Chief Operating Officer for DC Green Bank, where he manages and implements the operational and organization effectiveness plans. His many responsibilities include strategic planning, human resources, equity and inclusion, communications, IT, and administrative programs. Donald’s extensive background in leadership, career, and organizational development is critical to DC Green Bank’s success.
Donald’s commitment to being a go-to resource goes beyond DC Green Bank. He is an adjunct professor at Towson University’s College of Business and Economics. Prior to DC Green Bank, Donald served in various leadership roles at Virginia Tech, Towson University, Kelly Services, and Lucas Group. He is an active member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and sits on the Perry School Community Services Board of Directors and the Surrattsville High School Alumni Board.
Donald received his M.B.A. with a focus on Leadership and Organizational Learning from Towson University, M.A. in Counseling in Higher Education from the University of Delaware, and B.S. from Towson University.
As Chief Investment Officer of DC Green Bank, Karin leads the Investment Team to originate, structure and asset manage its portfolio, and contributes to the bank’s strategy to achieve its climate, sustainability, and inclusive equity objectives.
Prior to joining DC Green Bank, Karin was an investment director for NatureVest at The Nature Conservancy, managing sovereign debt conversions and commercial blended finance solutions for sustainable blue economy, climate, conservation and biodiversity finance. Karin brings over 30 years of experience as a Banker for a Healthy Planet, having financed and developed over $2 billion of sustainable infrastructure investments in affordable housing, commercial real estate, renewable energy, waste management, regenerative agriculture, conservation, natural capital solutions and inclusive entrepreneurships on five continents. Key milestones from Karin’s work include serving as the first female CEO of a renewable energy finance company in the Abu Dhabi Global Markets in the United Arab Emirates, raising the first global investment fund to finance workforce housing and related infrastructure in South Africa, and leading research on sustainable natural resources management and policy in the Brazilian Amazon, delivering a report that guided World Bank funding strategies in the region.
Karin completed her BA in Latin American Studies, a Masters in Public Policy, and an International MBA, all at the University of Chicago.
As General Counsel of DC Green Bank, Isida oversees all legal, legislative, and regulatory affairs. Her experience has been both on the public company side, where most recently she was General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of a publicly traded technology company focused in EV Charging networks and software development, and previously as General Counsel of a privately held hydropower and pumped storage company. Earlier in her career, she held senior positions both on the financial and legal sides focusing on structured finance, M&A, project finance and development, intellectual property, and corporate governance; including as VP and Senior Counsel of Commercial Transactions at Pine Gate Renewables and dual roles of VP of Project Finance and Counsel at FuelCell Energy, Inc.
Isida holds a J.D., a M.A., and a B.A. She is a licensed attorney in the District of Columbia, New Jersey, and New York.
Dinora McRae is DC Green Bank’s Executive Assistant. She provides executive support as a liaison, aiding in the successful cultivation of partnerships, communications, and outreach for DC Green Bank. Dinora has a decade of experience working in hospitality management, HR, and employee training.
Gary Decker serves as the Director of Strategic Engagement at DC Green Bank. Gary has spent fifteen years working on public policy at the national and international levels to improve lives in the United States and around the world. He has worked on a range of issues including renewable energy, sustainable development and climate change, the protection and expansion of voting rights, health care, and building a more equitable and inclusive economy.
Gary holds a M.A. in International Relations and International Economics from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and a B.A. in Political Science and International Relations from Goucher College.
Michael Chase serves as the Director of Technology & Special Projects at DC Green Bank, where he oversees technology support and manages strategic operational projects. Michael has over twelve years of experience in national and international project management and software solution implementation. Before joining DC Green Bank, Michael worked for a local consulting company supporting project management and IT solutioning for various DC-based projects. He also served in the US Army for seven years with the 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, KY, and 1-509th Parachute Infantry Regiment at Fort Polk, LA.
Michael holds a B.S. and M.S. from Appalachian State University and an MBA with a focus on Analytics from Kogod School of Business at American University.
Ronald Hobson is a highly skilled veteran financial services provider and leader in the Washington DC market who has earned the solid reputation of providing access to capital and financial advisory assistance to some of the most successful and highly regarded government contractors, professional services firms and nonprofit organizations. Ronald has worked at a number of regional banks in the DC markets, most recently with Customers Bank where he worked as a Senior Vice President. Mr. Hobson also served as the Associate Deputy Administrator for Government Contracting and Minority Enterprise Development at the Small Business Administration where he oversaw the nation’s $27 billion 8(a) program.
Ronald graduated with cum laude honors from Howard University with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Finance and is a Betta Gamma Sigma inductee (an academic honor society for top business students). He is also a distinguished veteran, having served in the US Army, Office of Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence at the Pentagon. He is the proud father of three whose children have also excelled in material science engineering/physics, medical school, and mathematics.
Michelle Boltik serves as the Financial Controller where she supports the Chief Financial Officer to ensure that DC Green Bank’s financial systems create a strong foundation for community impact. She has over 30 years of banking and accounting experience, including 10 years of auditing experience. Michelle also has expertise in banking, internal controls, reconciliation, and with general ledger, as well as with departmental management. Her career has seen her responsibilities include the teller line all of the way to financial institution Assistant Controller. Among her leadership roles at financial institutions, she served as Assistant Controller of Revere Bank and Finance Program Manager at Spectra Credit Union. She also served as Controller for a Montgomery County law firm.
Michelle received an MS in Accounting and Finance from University of Maryland Global Campus and a BA in Economics from University of Maryland Baltimore County.
Derrick Holloway is a Senior Investment Associate for Green Buildings at DC Green Bank, where he works on origination, structuring, and executing financial products. Derrick has a corporate finance and commercial real estate background that spans from marketing, leasing, asset management, underwriting, and development. He joins DC Green Bank after spending 5 years in private and non-profit commercial lending, where he underwrote over $100 million in construction loans related to charter school development. His experience in corporate finance includes forecasting commercial projects, $15 million and up bridge loans, and $25 million and up construction loans. He has also helped manage a $100 million “School of Hope” charter school development fund with the purpose of opening 10 charter schools in 3 years.
Derrick attended Temple University’s Fox School of Business and double majored in Finance and Real Estate. He is also a licensed real estate agent in California and is in the process of obtaining his General Contractors license in the state of Maryland.
Shiva Patel has nearly a decade of experience with community-based organizations, start-ups and impact investment firms, particularly in the areas of energy and climate justice, transformative finance, and worker-owned cooperatives. This includes developing and implementing local/state/national projects and programs, policy analysis and advocacy, as well as conducting financial due diligence and investment deal structuring. He recently served as a Senior Fellow with The Solutions Project, an advisor to the Justice40 Accelerator, and played an integral role in the development of the Healthy, Equitable, Resilient Communities (HERC) accelerator and investment fund, a joint effort on behalf of Justice Capital and Full Spectrum Capital Partners. Prior to this, he co-launched the energy justice program at the Center for Biological Diversity.
He holds an M.B.A from UC Berkeley Haas School of Business, and a B.S. in Environmental Economics and Policy and a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies, also from UC Berkeley.
Shyrah Kum serves as the Equal Access Advocate at DC Green Bank, where she is responsible for aligning processes, developing training, and designing outreach to ensure that DC Green Bank is a leader in implementing best practices for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Shyrah’s background includes roles in program coordination, diversity recruitment, and human capital. Previously, Shyrah served as a Development Manager in Human Resources and Deployment at Pricewaterhouse Coopers, an Assistant Director for Undergraduate Admissions and Recruitment at Virginia Tech, and Program Coordinator at George Mason University and George Washington University.
Shyrah holds a M.Ed. in Higher Education Administration from Old Dominion University and a B.A. in History from Virginia Tech.
Gabriela Kluzinski is DC Green Bank’s Investment Associate, where she is responsible for supporting the team in business origination, deal execution, and portfolio management. She brings experience in evaluating investments for sustainability & diversity and portfolio management. She most recently served as an Investment Analyst on Cambridge Associate’s Sustainable and Impact Investing team. Gabriela received her B.B.A from the University of Notre Dame in Finance.
Laura Maretich serves as DC Green Bank’s Communications and Marketing Coordinator and is responsible for ensuring that the bank is able to communicate and engage with core audiences and District communities in an effective and impactful way. Previously, Laura worked as the Communications Director at MobilizeGreen, an environmental equity nonprofit, before starting her own consulting business that managed a portfolio of public and private sector clients. Laura clerked for the U.S. House Judiciary Committee and interned for Congressman Wm. Lacy Clay. While attending Howard Law School, Laura was a summer associate for the Office of the Attorney General for D.C. Laura also spent time as a law clerk in the public policy group of Squire Sanders Patton Boggs before establishing her own real estate investment business.
Laura received a B.S. in Public Policy from the Georgia Institute of Technology, where she was a top recruit for the Women’s Volleyball Team. In 2011, she received her J.D. from Howard University School of Law. Laura is also active in the Crestwood Neighborhood Association.
Mojdeh ‘MJ’ Efatian is DC Green Bank’s Human Resources Manager. Mojdeh has 4 years of experience with a financial services institution through her previous roles with Northwestern Mutual. Mojdeh has served as a human resources consultant and additionally has experience in training and development.
Mojdeh received her master’s in jurisprudence in Labor & Employment Law from Tulane University and obtained her bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Louisiana State University. Mojdeh is a member of The Junior League of Washington.