Leadership

Jesse Slansky, President & CEO

Mr. Slansky joined WHCHC in the fall of 2010, became the Director of Real Estate Development in 2013, and was named President & CEO in July 2018. Since taking the helm of WHCHC, the organization has completed nine projects representing 491 homes for low-income families and seniors, individuals with special needs, and those who have experienced homelessness. Another 355 units are currently in WHCHC’s development pipeline in the cities of West Hollywood, Los Angeles and Long Beach.

Mr. Slansky has over 25 years of experience in real estate development and corporate finance. Prior to joining WHCHC, Mr. Slansky was the principal of a real estate consulting firm focused on securing financing for affordable housing developments. Previously, he was Vice President of GTO Development, a residential real estate firm focused on the ground-up development of infill, luxury condominiums.

Mr. Slansky also completed multiple transactions valued at over $2.4 billion during his time as an Associate Director in the Healthcare Investment Banking group at UBS. He began his career in the Mergers and Acquisitions Investment Banking group at Chase in New York.

Mr. Slansky is a member of several industry groups including Housing for a Stronger LA and the Urban Land Institute. He previously served on the board of directors of the Southern California Association of Non-Profit Housing (SCANPH), including one year as president. He received an M.B.A. from the USC Marshall School of Business and a B.S. from Cornell University.

Anup Nitin Patel, Director of Real Estate Development

Anup brings more than a decade of community-serving real estate development experience to the team. Leading projects from conception to closeout, Anup has secured entitlements and funding to create much needed affordable housing in Venice, Santa Monica and West Los Angeles. Anup is responsible for identifying new acquisition opportunities and leading WHCHC’s project management team through all the phases of the development process. Anup earned a Masters in Architecture at Southern California Institute of Architecture and a B.S. in Finance and Economics, and a minor in Psychology, at New York University.

Danny Pepper, Director of Resident Services

Danny joined WHCHC in 2011 and became Director of Resident Services in 2013. Under his supervision, the resident services team supports WHCHC’s diverse and expanding population toward independent living and aging in place successfully. His previous experience includes Program Manager at Being Alive, where he was a peer counselor, treatment advocate, and developer of physical and mental health programs for people living with HIV/AIDS. He has also worked in the legal department of the Los Angeles Free Clinic. Danny holds a Juris Doctor degree from Western State College of Law.

Sam Borelli, Director of External Affairs

Since 2019, Sam has led WHCHC’s External Affairs team overseeing the organization’s communications, community engagement and fundraising efforts. Prior to WHCHC, he was an independent consultant working in public relations, fundraising and government affairs. He previously managed a home healthcare company and spent five years in advertising sales.

Sam currently serves as a member of the City of West Hollywood’s Human Services Commission and previously spent a decade on the City’s Public Safety Commission. For over 25 years, Sam has volunteered for numerous LGBTQ youth-serving organizations including GLSEN and LifeWorks. He served on the board of The Trevor Project in its foundational years, including a term as Vice Chair.