Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta Announces New Advisory Council Members

ATLANTA, Feb. 27, 2017 -- Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta (FHLBank Atlanta) announced today that it has appointed three new members to its Affordable Housing Advisory Council.

New members:

Fred Dodson, Jr. is chief operating officer and executive vice president of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Housing Partnership, Inc., where he manages the organization’s corporate operations and has managed its multifamily real estate development financing activities. Before joining the Housing Partnership in 1997, Dodson gained experience directing the Hospitality House of Boone, North Carolina homeless shelter as well as the New River Valley Habitat for Humanity Affiliate and the Montgomery County Community Shelter, both located in Virginia. Mr. Dodson earned a Bachelor of Science in psychology from Appalachian State University and a Juris Doctor from the University of Tennessee College of Law.

Marcia J. Griffin is founder and president of HomeFree-USA, a leading HUD-approved homeownership development, foreclosure intervention, and financial coaching organization. Under her leadership, HomeFree-USA has helped more than 23,000 families purchase their first home. The organization also enjoys a zero percent foreclosure rate among families that have participated in the organization’s pre- and post-purchase guidance programs. Ms. Griffin is a member of the Freddie Mac Affordable Housing Advisory Committee, the Ocwen Financial Community Advisory Council, America’s Homeowner Alliance Advisory Board, the Wells Fargo Housing Foundation Steering Committee, the Mortgage Bankers Association Advisory Council, and a founding supporter of the Nationstar National Housing Resource center. Ms. Griffin earned a Bachelor of Arts in economics from Fisk University and a Master of Business Administration from Howard University.

Laura D. Lafayette is the chief executive officer of the Richmond Association of REALTORS^® and the Central Virginia Regional Multiple Listing Service—two organizations that serve the over 5,000 REALTORS^® in Central Virginia. In addition, she serves as the executive director of the Partnership for Housing Affordability. Within the broader community, Ms. Lafayette serves as a gubernatorial appointee to the Virginia Housing Commission. She is the vice chair of the statewide nonprofit Housing Virginia; the vice chair of the board of Homeward; the founding chair of the board of the Maggie L. Walker Community Land Trust; the immediate past chair of the board of the Better Housing Coalition; and serves on the board of directors of SwimRVA. Ms. Lafayette earned a Bachelor of Arts in religion from the College of William and Mary and pursued post-graduate work at Yale Divinity School and the University of Virginia.   

About the Affordable Housing Advisory Council 
FHLBank Atlanta’s Affordable Housing Advisory Council comprises 15 representatives from a diverse group of community and nonprofit organizations actively involved in providing or promoting low- and moderate-income housing and community lending within FHLBank Atlanta’s district. The Advisory Council provides advice to FHLBank Atlanta’s board of directors regarding ways in which the Bank can enhance the effectiveness of its housing finance and community lending mission.

About the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta
FHLBank Atlanta offers competitively-priced financing, community development grants, and other banking services to help member financial institutions make affordable home mortgages and provide economic development credit to neighborhoods and communities. The Bank's members – its shareholders and customers – are commercial banks, credit unions, savings institutions, community development financial institutions, and insurance companies headquartered in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. FHLBank Atlanta is one of 11 district banks in the Federal Home Loan Bank System. Since 1990, the FHLBanks have awarded approximately $5.0 billion in Affordable Housing Program funds, assisting more than 791,000 households.

For more information, visit our website at www.fhlbatl.com.

CONTACT: Sharon Cook
Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta
[email protected]
404.888.8173