Since 2017, Leila Finucane has led Victory Housing, Inc., a regional nonprofit focused on affordable housing development and the provision of assisted living for seniors, as president and chief executive officer. Victory Housing serves as the housing development arm of the Archdiocese of Washington.

Ms. Finucane, an attorney, has over 25 years of experience in real estate, affordable housing, and community development in the private, nonprofit and government sectors. Prior to Victory Housing, Ms. Finucane worked on network-wide branch transformation efforts and affordable housing and risk mitigation strategies at Capital One in senior manager roles in Market Planning & Execution and Community Development Banking, and as a director at NeighborWorks America, where she led the National Initiatives and Applied Research Division, leading best practices, program innovations and peer networking efforts for the key business lines of the NeighborWorks affiliated members. Before joining NeighborWorks America, Ms. Finucane served as the appointed director of the Department of Housing and Community Development for the District of Columbia (“DHCD”) during the administration of Mayor Fenty, where she led the District’s affordable housing and community development efforts and the local Housing Regulation Administration. Key accomplishments included successful response to the housing crisis of 2008, transformation of the development financing process, integrating the Housing Regulation Administration in to the DHCD and leading the adoption of the District’s Green Building Act in the area of affordable housing development. Before DHCD, she worked in affordable housing and community development lending and program roles at HSBC Bank USA and Seedco and practiced commercial real estate law at Willkie Farr & Gallagher in New York City. Ms. Finucane holds a Bachelor of Arts in American History and African-American Studies from the University of Pennsylvania and Master of Urban Planning and Juris Doctor degrees from New York University.

Ms. Finucane has received awards and acknowledgements from the DC Building Industry Association, the DC Coalition for Non-profit Housing and Economic Development, the DC Apartment and Office Building Association and MFY Legal Services. She is a member of the New York State Bar and serves on the boards of the National Housing Trust Community Development Loan Fund and LeadingAge Maryland. She also serves on the Housing Development Loan Committee of Volunteers of America National Services.

Daren joined Victory Housing in 2022 and is responsible for Victory Housing portfolio of multifamily assets after the development or acquisition phase. Daren oversees all facets of the multifamily portfolio to include management, financial and compliance to ensure the multifamily properties are being managed effectively and remain viable.

Prior to joining Victory Housing Mr. Hester served as the Chief of Asset Management for the District of Columbia Housing Authority, where he oversaw a portfolio of 28 mixed finance properties. Daren was also responsible for DCHA assets of over $210 million in loans from DCHA to private developers, $27 million in private homeownership and $183 million in mixed finance entities.

Daren received an AA Degree in Residential Property Management from Prince Georges’ Community College and a BS in Management Studies from the University of Maryland University College where he also received a Masters in Project Management. Daren is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps and is an avid bike rider.

Ms. Smedley has over thirty years of healthcare, senior housing and property management experience with for-profits, non-profits and publically traded corporations. In her current role, Ms. Smedley oversees all aspects of operations, sales, marketing, fiscal oversight and compliance. Passionate about mission and service to residents, families and associates, Jackie returned to Victory Housing in 2018 after holding a leadership position with Brookdale Senior Living for 3 years as Divisional Director of Sales and Marketing, Southeast. In this role, she directed the sales and marketing oversight of 130 communities in Florida including assisted living, memory care and independent living. Year over year, key metrics improvements were realized, most significantly, the closing ratios of 175 sales associates improving by over 3% in 2 years.

Originally joining Victory Housing in 2006, Ms. Smedley successfully stabilized company-wide assisted living occupancy at 99% and higher for over 6 years. In conjunction with effective sales and marketing management, Jackie enhanced resident programming and services in the areas of dining and hospitality, resident programming, housekeeping and maintenance – achieving a high rating via resident and family satisfaction.

Prior to joining Victory Housing, Ms. Smedley was President of Centrum Management, providing market rate and Section 42 housing to over 3,500 seniors in 5 states. Ms. Smedley specialized in effectively assuming troubled management contracts with compliance, occupancy and financial performance concerns and positioned the communities to achieve goals and performance objectives of all project participants. In addition, Ms. Smedley served as Vice President of Operations and Vice President of Start-up Operations for Constellation Senior Services (Subsidiary of BG&E) and Sunrise Senior Living respectively. Ms. Smedley attended Boston College and earned a Bachelor of Science from the Montclair State University.

Jeff Blackwell has 30 years of experience in the affordable housing and community development field and joined Victory Housing in 2005. His primary leadership responsibilities include overseeing acquisitions, relationships with public and private entities, and a development team to ensure a smooth process of financing, design, construction, and lease-up of both existing buildings and new communities. He coordinates often complex, multi-layered financing strategies to fund VHI’s communities. He has a background in taxable and tax-exempt bond financing as well as the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, HUD Section 202 program, and other funding sources.

Prior to joining Victory Housing, Mr. Blackwell was Vice President for Bank of America’s Community Development Banking Group in their lending and historic tax credit equity divisions. Responsibilities in the lending group included managing financing relationships with affordable and mixed-income housing developers. As a Historic Tax Credit Equity Manager, he worked with clients to fund Bank investments in historic properties. Experience also includes working for the then Community Preservation and Development Corporation, a nonprofit developer of affordable and mixed-income housing, and the Housing Research Foundation, a research and technical assistance provider for HOPE VI Public Housing Authorities.

Mr. Blackwell earned a Masters of Regional Planning with a specialization in Housing and Community Development from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Affairs and Planning from Virginia Tech. He has been instrumental in several awards received by Victory Housing, including the Financial Innovation Award received from the Maryland CDA in 2018.

Mr. Blackwell is a current board member and volunteer for We Are Family, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that mobilizes volunteers in Washington, DC to reach out to isolated inner-city seniors with free services, groceries, advocacy, and companionship. He also is a member of Leading Age Maryland’s Affordable Senior Housing Workgroup. He previously served on the Board of Directors of Sarah’s Circle, a nonprofit organization in Washington, DC that seeks to create a community that enables elderly persons of limited means to live with dignity.

Ms. Limeres started with Victory Housing in November, 1993. During her time with VHI, she has helped lead its growth from three assisted living communities to thirty-two affordable housing facilities, currently managing a staff of six responsible for an accounting portfolio of assets in excess of $225M. Michelle is a key member of the senior leadership team responsible for creating, supervising, and implementing all financial strategies for parent and affiliated companies, as well as general oversight of IT resources and infrastructure at corporate office and affiliated assisted living companies, including software implementations, hardware purchases and implementations and ensuring appropriate budgeting. Fluent in both Spanish and English, Ms. Limeres uses her translation skills to assist in human resources, marketing, customer service, and conflict resolution. Ms. Limeres received her BA from Trinity College, Washington D.C. and her Masters in Finance from the University of Maryland, College Park. Michelle resides with her family in Clarksville, MD and is an avid tennis player.

Sarah O’Rielly joined Victory Housing in 2022. Ms. O’Rielly is responsible for the overall financial management and strategy of Victory Housing’s portfolio, including financing, compliance and external audit functions. She provides strategic analysis to ensure all properties within the portfolio maintain a strong financial position, comply with contractual, regulatory, and statutory requirements, and fulfill internal and external reporting requirements.

Prior to joining Victory Housing, Ms. O’Rielly served in various roles within the Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO) for the Government of the District of Columbia. Most recently she was responsible for modeling cash flows to inform liquidity planning, reserves usage, and investment decisions. She has also evaluated the District’s participation in over $1.8 billion of economic development projects using TIF, PILOT, and other public-private arrangements and advised on structuring and issuance of over $700 million in public bonds and notes.

Ms. O’Rielly holds a Master of Public Administration with a concentration in Urban Policy from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs as well as a Bachelor of Science in Language Arts from Georgetown University. She is a certified Economic Development Finance Professional and a member of various real estate and finance professional organizations, including Strength Matters, ULI Washington, and CREW DC.

Ms. Kargbo brings over 20 years of healthcare experience in both clinical and administrative functions to Victory Housing. Fifteen of those are with older adults in long-term care settings and Assisted Living.

Ms. Kargbo started her career as a Neuro and stroke nurse at Inova Fairfax Hospital in Virginia. Prior to Victory Housing, Ms. Kargbo worked for Sunrise Senior Living as Resident care Director; Senior Resident Director for the Northeast float division; Health and Wellness Director for Thrive Senior; and Vice President of Resident Experience in Northern Virginia.

Ms. Kargbo holds a master’s degree in nursing and business leadership from Washington Adventist University in Takoma Park, Maryland. She also holds a Bachelor of Nursing Degree from Marymount University in Arlington Virginia.

Ms. Orchard joined Victory Housing in May 2010 as the Assistant Director of Raphael House and assumed the Director’s position at Malta House in December 2010. She brings 15 years of experience working with older adults in all aspects of human services and assisted living facilities management.

Prior to coming to Victory Housing, Ms. Orchard was the Administrator at Springvale Terrace Retirement Community in Silver Spring. She also worked at the Life Crisis Center, Salisbury, MD, the Area Agency on Aging on the Eastern Shore, and The Lutheran Village at Harbor Pointe, Salisbury, MD.

Ms. Orchard holds a Masters Degree in Non-Profit Management from the College of Notre Dame of Baltimore, a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Victoria, Canada and an Activity Director Associate Degree from Ridgewater College in Minnesota.

Todd Dorrien joined Victory Housing in 2024. In his role as VP, Strategy and Sustainability, Mr. Dorrien is responsible for leading Victory Housing’s climate resilience efforts for the existing portfolio as well as strategies around major new growth and other initiatives. In addition, the Asset Management team reports to Mr. Dorrien.

Mr. Dorrien brings over 20 years of experience in finance, strategy and asset management in senior housing and hospitality, most recently as VP, Asset Management at Sunrise Senior Living, where he oversaw a portfolio of over $1B in senior housing real estate. Prior to Sunrise, Mr. Dorrien worked in finance and strategy at Marriott International and as a management consultant at the Boston Consulting Group.

Mr. Dorrien holds a Masters of Business Administration from the Kellogg School at Northwestern University and Bachelor of Arts from Dartmouth College. He currently volunteers at the St. Camillus Food Panty and previously served on the St, Camillus parish council. He enjoys playing and coaching hockey as well as biking on the C&O Canal.