Executive Office
 Chief Executive Officer - Lourdes M. Castro Ramirez
The President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is responsible for the San Antonio Housing Authority’s (SAHA) day-to-day operations and is the liaison for the agency’s Board of Commissioners. Castro Ramirez oversees a workforce of more than 600 employees and an organizational budget of over $300 million. In addition, she plans, organizes and directs SAHA's administration and operations.
Lourdes Castro Ramirez has over 13 years of experience in the affordable housing industry with eight of those years as a senior level professional, leading and administering affordable housing and community economic development programs. She currently serves as the President and CEO of the San Antonio Housing Authority (SAHA), responsible for oversight and operation of the largest Public Housing Authority in the State of Texas.
Prior to joining SAHA, Castro Ramirez was the Director of the nation’s second largest Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program working for the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA). Additionally, while there, she managed a budget of $420 million and directed the rental subsidy program, which assisted more than 50,000 families, including special needs populations, such as elderly, homeless, and disabled customers. Under her leadership, Ms. Castro Ramirez transformed the Section 8 Department from a “troubled” status program to “high performer” status in less than three years.
During her ten year tenure at HACLA, Ms. Castro Ramirez administered educational and workforce development programs and gained national recognition for significantly increasing resident employment earnings while serving as the project director of the L.A. Jobs-Plus Community Revitalization Program, a national demonstration project sponsored by a consortium of public and private funders led by HUD, the Rockefeller Foundation and MDRC.
Castro Ramirez has been active in community development for almost two decades. In 1990, she began her career as a Safety and Community Affairs Intern for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority of Los Angeles. Her career features positions of increasing responsibility in the community and public sector, including Staff Research Associate in Community and Development Planning at the School of Public Policy and Social Research at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). From 1996 to 1999, Castro Ramirez also served as a Community Planner with the Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation in Ventura County.
Castro Ramirez holds both a Bachelor of Arts (BA) Degree in Political Science and Chicana/o Studies and a Master of Arts Degree (MA) in Urban Planning from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). She also has certificates in Advanced Spanish and Mexican History from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico (UNAM) and Multi-Disciplinary Program in Inter Group Relations from Loyola Mary Mount. She is a member of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO), and is a Leadership Institute Graduate of Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE).
ASSISTED AND PUBLIC HOUSING
 Corina Wilson, Director of Assisted Housing
Corina Wilson has progressed to several positions of increasing responsibility since joining the San Antonio Housing Authority (SAHA) in July 2003. In the agency’s Assisted Housing Programs Department (Section 8) she has held the positions of housing assistance supervisor, acting assistant director, acting director and director.
Under her leadership, the Assisted Housing Programs Department assists approximately 12,000 families through the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCV) and 1,000 people in other special programs. These programs pump more than $78 million in housing assistance payments into the private rental market in San Antonio.
In addition, she oversees the department’s involvement with programs that assist families who were displaced by hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav and Ike as well as the Disaster Voucher Program and Disaster Housing Assistance Programs.
Wilson has a bachelor’s of business administration in broadcasting and international business from Baylor University. She has many Section 8 certifications, including HCV eligibility, rent calculation, housing manager and senior professional housing manager.
She is a member of the Jamie Kinney Consulting 100 Percent Club, serves on the advisory board for the Casey Family Programs, and is on the project committee for the South Alamo Regional Alliance for the Homeless (SARAH).
 Michael Bond, Director of Public Housing – Families
Michael Bond joined the San Antonio Housing Authority (SAHA) in 2005, he brought eight years of professional experience and 27 years of military experience to the agency. Although he initially served as SAHA’s director of maintenance operations, he quickly rose to his current position as director of public housing.
After earning the rank of chief master sergeant, the United States Air Force’s highest enlisted rank, and serving 27 years in the Air Force’s airborne electronics maintenance, Bond worked for various companies including Lear Siegler Services, Inc., All Pro Plumbing Company and Christianson Plumbing Company.
As SAHA’s director of public housing, Bond manages a $30 million annual budget and leads 250 employees. He implements best practices and proven procedures that have led to 97 percent occupied units in public housing. In addition, he coordinates the prioritization and oversight of the agency’s public housing modernization with the Facilities and Construction Services Department to ensure the preservation of SAHA’s public housing inventory.
Bond graduated Magna Cum Laude with a bachelor’s degree from Texas Lutheran College in 1996 and earned a master’s of business administration from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 2004. He is a senior certified public housing manager, certified housing manager and a member of the San Antonio Apartment Association, the Institute of Real Estate Management and the Southwest Affordable Housing Management Association. He also serves as a board member for the Westside YMCA.
 Lori Mendez, Director of Public Housing – Elderly/Disabled
Lori Mendez has held many positions at the San Antonio Housing Authority (SAHA) over her nearly 30 year career with the agency. Currently, she is the director of Public Housing-Elderly/Disabled..
Mendez’s previous positions at SAHA include overseeing the community initiatives department, deputy vice president for supportive services, director for self-sufficiency initiatives, manager of special housing programs, public housing manager III, assistant housing manager, housing assistance programs contract coordinator, senior bookkeeper and management aide.
In addition to Mendez’s diverse housing authority experience, she is certified as a senior professional housing manager and public housing manager from the National Association of Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO).
Mendez’s community involvement is extensive. She is involved with many SAHA committees and is the vice-chair on the Commission for Families and Children representing City Council District 3. In addition, she is the vice-president of professional development for Texas NAHRO, chair of the Southwest NAHRO (SWNAHRO) scholarship committee, member of the SWNAHRO budget and administration committee, and a presidential appointee to the national NAHRO professional development committee.
She is also a graduate of Leadership San Antonio and has served on the boards for ADVANCE, the Southeast Business and Professional Women’s Organization and the Southside Credit Union. She is the former secretary for SWNAHRO and a former member of the professional development committee for Texas NAHRO.
Mendez attended Bellevue College in Washington and is currently pursuing an undergraduate degree.
 Deborah Aleman, Director of Non-Profit Housing
For 23 years, Deborah Aleman has dedicated her career to helping improve the lives of San Antonio and Bexar County residents through housing. Currently, she is the director of non-profit housing for the San Antonio Housing Authority (SAHA).
Prior to joining SAHA in 1996, Aleman served in numerous positions at the Bexar County Housing Authority. Since joining SAHA, she has held numerous leadership positions at the agency including chief operating officer, senior vice president for operations, vice president for housing programs and real estate, and vice president for assisted housing programs, among others.
In her current position, Aleman develops, directs, administers and manages the activities for the agency’s non-profit housing. Currently, SAHA owns and/or manages 41 housing communities with more than 6,000 units that offer subsidized and/or non-subsidized affordable housing opportunities for moderate-income individuals and families.
Aleman is a licensed Texas realtor. She also attended San Antonio College and Wayland Baptist University. In addition, she is certified as a senior professional housing manager, certified apartment manager, public housing manager and Section 8 manager. Aleman is a member of the National Association of Professional Women and is very involved in housing organizations, including the Texas Association of Realtors, the National Association of Realtors, the San Antonio Board of Realtors, the San Antonio Apartment Association and the National Association of Redevelopment Officials. She also serves on the board for the Boys and Girls Club of San Antonio.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND REVITALIZATION
 Isaac Carreon, Director of Community Development and Initiatives
Isaac Carreon has more than 18 years experience in economic development, job training and employment, community building, program development and mental health. He currently serves as the Director of Community Development Initiatives.
Prior to joining SAHA in September 2009, Carreon managed community development activities at the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles, including job training, case management, community organizing and partnership building. He also supervised case management staff at the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health to ensure medical, psychological, economic and educational needs were met for the program's children and families.
In addition, Carreon, developed mental health services, wellness programs and resources for the elderly population at CareMore Medical Group. At the Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services, he oversaw the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program and implemented Welfare-to-Work initiatives.
Carreon has a bachelor's degree in psychology from California State University Los Angeles and a master's degree in psychology with a Latino/a Family Studies specialization from Pacific Oaks College.
FINANCE, ADMINISTRATION AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS
 Ed Hinojosa, Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
Ed Hinojosa has an extensive international and local finance and consulting background, making him well-qualified to direct SAHA’s financial and administrative operations.
Prior to joining the agency, Hinojosa held several positions of increasing responsibility during his 11-year tenure at Cargill, an international marketer, processor and distributor of agricultural, financial and industrial products.
In addition, for 10 years, Hinojosa had a series of diverse progressively responsible positions at various companies, including plant controller, treasury, cost accounting and financial roles at A.E. Stanley, a processing subsidiary of Tate & Lyle; and Wornick Company, a privately held government contracting and consumer products company.
Hinojosa is a Cum Laude graduate of the University of Texas, Pan American, where he earned a Bachelor's degree in accounting and completed additional graduate work in business administration. He also completed a one-year accelerated leadership development program, and is a member of the Financial Executives International and the Institute of Management Accountants.
 Melanie Villalobos, Public Affairs and Personnel Officer
Melanie Villalobos has more than 25 years of experience in personnel management, employee relations, crisis communications, issues management, media relations and community relationship-building, including 20 years over seeing operations and advising clients while vice president and co-owner of Curnutt/Hovis, Inc., a San Antonio-based full-service marketing, advertising and public relations firm.
In her current role, Villalobos oversees the Corporate Relations, Human Resources and Customer Care departments. She began her San Antonio Housing Authority (SAHA) career in January 2003 as a public information officer and a member of the SAHA senior management team. She progressed to vice president of corporate relations, where, under her leadership, the department won multiple honors for its website, newsletters, designs and brochures.
Villalobos is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Trinity University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in both business administration and print journalism. She is also certified as a senior professional housing manager, public housing manager and Section 8 housing manager.
Villalobos has been honored, with numerous awards, by several organizations, including the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO), the Texas Public Relations Association (TPRA), the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), the International Association of Business Communicators and the Association of Women in Communications.
COMPLIANCE AND LEGAL SERVICES
 Alejandra Villarreal, Acting Legal and Compliance Officer
Alejandra Villarrea manages the San Antonio Housing Authority’s (SAHA) new Compliance and Process Improvement Department which works toward improving institutional compliance in all SAHA operations through the systemic audit of processes, the improvement and streamlining of procedures and specialized training for operations.
Villarreal initially joined SAHA in its Legal Department in June 2006 where she provided counsel in legal matters such as labor and employment, procurement, real estate, contracting, housing, open meetings, public information, and litigation.
Prior to joining SAHA, Villarreal was in private practice representing primarily corporate, governmental and quasi-governmental entities. She began her legal career by working in private practice with her father, also an attorney, before serving as counsel for entities including the San Antonio district attorney’s office, the Commissioners Court and other Bexar County entities. In private practice, she represented the City of San Antonio, the Alamo Community College District, the Alamo Workforce and SAWS among other organizations.
A native of San Antonio, Villarreal graduated with both her bachelor’s and juris prudence degrees from St. Mary’s University. She is a member of the State Bar of Texas and serves on the organization’s labor and employment and corporate and government law sections. She is also on the board of directors for Centro Alameda Inc. and the advisory board for Hispanas Unidas Inc.
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