Leadership

Jesse Slansky, President & CEO

At WHCHC, Mr. Slansky leads a team of talented and passionate individuals helping to solve the housing crisis in Southern California. Since taking the helm in 2018, the organization has completed seven affordable housing communities, representing 326 new homes for seniors, families, individuals and people who have experienced homelessness. Another 611 units are currently in WHCHC’s development pipeline in the cities of West Hollywood, Los Angeles and Palm Springs.

Mr. Slansky has over 20 years of experience in real estate development and corporate finance. Previously, he was WHCHC’s Director of Real Estate Development, and before then, he started as Project Manager in 2010.

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 development 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 the President of the board of directors of the Southern California Association of Nonprofit Housing (SCANPH) and a member of the Urban Land Institute. He received an M.B.A. from the USC Marshall School of Business and a B.S. from Cornell University.

Amy Okamura, Controller

With over 25 years of finance and accounting experience, Amy has been managing WHCHC’s comprehensive financial operations since 2018. Her background in real estate syndication, private equity, and asset management allows her to expertly administer the day-to-day monetary systems for the organization. Amy leads WHCHC’s annual budget review and presentation to the Board of Directors. Amy received her Bachelor of Science in Economics­­ (accounting) from The Wharton School and Bachelor of Arts in Classical Studies from the School of Arts & Sciences both at the University of Pennsylvania.

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.

Walter Maynard, Director of Asset Management

Having joined the team in 2017, Walter brings expertise in both residential and retail real estate management to WHCHC. He is responsible for the long-term health of the physical assets, their compliance requirements, and oversight of the portfolio’s property management company. Walter has held leadership positions at The East Los Angeles Community Union (TELACU) and the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA). Walter received his MBA from the USC Marshall School of Business and his undergraduate degree in Economics from UC San Diego with minors in Environmental Chemistry and Philosophy.

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. For over 25 years, Sam has volunteered for numerous LGBTQ youth-serving organizations including GLSEN, LifeWorks, and The Trevor Project (where he served on the Board of Directors and as Vice Chair). He also served the City of West Hollywood for 16 years as a member of the Public Safety and Human Services Commissions.