Leadership and board
The people accountable for this work, including a Youth Voice Fellow who reports directly to the board.
Leadership team
Danielle Whitfield
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Read bio for Danielle Whitfield
Danielle aged out of foster care in Gaston County in 2003 with a trash bag of clothes and a bus ticket. She earned a master's in social work from UNC Charlotte and spent seven years as a child welfare caseworker before founding Lanternhouse in 2011 with two apartments and a borrowed van. She serves on the North Carolina Child Welfare Advisory Council.
Marcus Odom
Chief Operating Officer
Read bio for Marcus Odom
Marcus leads operations, facilities, and technology. Before joining Lanternhouse in 2017, he spent twelve years in supply chain management at a Fortune 500 retailer. He built the systems that let Lanternhouse grow from 30 to 92 apartments without missing a move-in date.
Dr. Priya Raman, LCSW
Director of Wellbeing Services
Read bio for Dr. Priya Raman, LCSW
Priya leads our clinical team and trauma-informed training for staff and volunteers. She holds a doctorate in social work from the University of Pennsylvania and spent a decade in community mental health in Philadelphia before moving to Charlotte.
Tomás Echeverría
Director of Housing
Read bio for Tomás Echeverría
Tomás oversees Landing Homes and our relationships with 23 landlords and property managers. He previously managed affordable housing portfolios for a regional community development corporation and is a certified property manager.
Keisha Holloway
Chief Development Officer
Read bio for Keisha Holloway
Keisha leads fundraising, partnerships, and communications. She has raised more than $60 million for Carolinas nonprofits over 18 years and led the campaign that bought and renovated The Porch in 2019.
Ruth Abernathy, CPA
Chief Financial Officer
Read bio for Ruth Abernathy, CPA
Ruth manages finance, audit, and compliance for an $8.1 million annual budget. She spent 15 years in nonprofit audit practice and has led Lanternhouse to nine consecutive clean audits.
Jalen Price
Youth Voice Fellow
Read bio for Jalen Price
Jalen chairs the Youth Advisory Council, which reviews every new Lanternhouse program before it launches. He is a Landing Homes alumnus, a junior at Johnson C. Smith University, and the youngest person to testify before the North Carolina General Assembly on extended foster care.
Board of directors
Our board meets six times a year. Two seats are always held by Lanternhouse alumni.
| Name | Role | Affiliation |
|---|---|---|
| Gregory Lin | Chair | Retired executive vice president, regional banking |
| Hon. Adrienne Moss | Vice chair | Retired district court judge, family court |
| Sandra Kowalski | Treasurer | Partner, regional accounting firm |
| Rev. Daniel Okoye | Secretary | Senior pastor and foster parent of 14 years |
| Amara Ellis | Member | Lanternhouse alumna, registered nurse |
| Dr. Kevin Brandt | Member | Pediatrician |
| Lauren Mitchell | Member | Attorney, real estate and housing |
| Victor Salas | Member | Owner, commercial construction firm |
| Simone Archer | Member | Vice president of people, healthcare system |