Barry is truly a rare combination of expert facilitator, thought partner, and collaborator. He worked with the leadership team of the Terner Center as we undertook developing our approach to a new federal framework for housing. Who else could both contribute ideas, comment, and edit work, while simultaneously guiding our thought process and project managing us to conclusion? His deft guidance led us to one of the most successful internal collaborations our team has had. We are truly grateful for his leadership and expertise!
The Community Development Trust engaged Barry in 2019 to undertake a long-delayed strategic planning exercise aimed at answering the “what next” question for Staff and Board. Part way through the effort, Covid struck and what was a carefully constructed calendar became an exercise in adaptation. Throughout the process, Barry stuck with us and his commitment to working with the Board and his interaction with our team was nothing short of miraculous. The final product, our now adopted strategic plan, provides a detailed framework for evaluating CDT’s next steps in a consistent, but flexible manner, that will serve us well for years to come.
Barry led the Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing through a major strategic shift from a local to regional organization, and from a housing to broader community impact focus. His interviews and environmental scans helped our board and staff see new opportunities for growth, while staying true to our values. He is a gifted facilitator with a strong knowledge base in the housing industry.
Barry helped IFF develop our strategic and execution plan in 2013. His combination of deep knowledge of the community development and affordable housing field, coupled with experience in leading effective teams and helping other organizations develop such plans added important depth to this effort. He could put IFF’s accomplishments and aspirations in context through his landscape scan, helping us calibrate our next steps. As we developed the implementation schedule and worked on specific senior staff assignments, Barry was very helpful in coaching key staff in identifying both opportunities and problems as they developed. We’ve successfully accomplished much of what we determined to do through this process, and Barry was a key part of getting us to success.
"We have engaged Barry's service over the last 3 years to guide Cinnaire's growth in the CDFI industry. His knowledge and skills in his guidance are exemplary and highly valued. I have known Barry since his days leading the National Low Income Housing Coalition. I learned so much from watching and listening to him. Much of his guidance then I tried to incorporate into my personal growth in the community development world. He is top notch and a mentor to many." Cinnaire is a current client.
”As a consultant, Barry is a rare find. He has deep experience and knowledge of housing policy born out of his professional and volunteer commitments, yet he is not wedded to one approach. Rather, he is able to help guide programmatic initiatives and policy debates in new and useful directions that take the best of the old and blend it with the new.”
Erika was Barry’s client at MacArthur in 2008-2009 when she was the Foundation’s Associate Director for Housing. She is currently Institute Fellow and Director of Urban Policy Initiatives at Urban Institute
"Barry has an uncanny ability to take a very complex concept, task or assignment and boil it down to understandable and actionable steps. He successfully facilitated a highly collaborative albeit lengthy process to establish Mercy Housing's 5-year strategic plan. This involved individual board interviews, staff focus group facilitation, and many many rewrites. He navigated through this process seamlessly, ensuring that our various boards and employee groups felt genuinely heard and respected. All that feedback could have created a plan that was just a mess of a document - with competing agendas and priorities. Barry didn't let that happen. He masterfully incorporated their input into a final document that clearly articulates our strategic plan."
Michelle Mamet, Chief Administrative Officer, March, 2010
"Barry has done a fantastic job for us on the difficult assignment of figuring out how to develop financial products for the resale restricted mortgage market. I would highly recommend him to anyone."
Jim was Barry's client in 2010
- Jim Gray
"Barry was a tremednous asset to the project we enaged him on. Lots of different peronality types and perspectives had to be considered in getting the work done and he managed all of it with tack and professionalism. His assignments were delivered on time and were key in helping us reach our goals and objectives."
Karen was Barry's client in 2008
- Karen Hoskins, Program Manager
"Barry is an outstanding senior executive. I worked with him closely at Fannie Mae. He demonstrated strong leadership, strategic, and policy skills. He also executed well and demonstrated strong managerial and practical skills. His list of achievements was long on both policy development and tangible results. Barry's personal qualities are also admirable. He has high integrity, well defined values, top collaboration skills, and an appealing personality that works well with both senior and junior people. Barry is also unusually well 'networked.' Consequently, he can draw upon a broad range of resources, and is constantly 'ahead of the curve' on all key substantive issues. I highly recommend Barry to to any organization seeking a senior executive or consultant for either strategic and policy work, or for managerial, product development, and other work related to implementation."
Barry reported to Rob 1998-2004.
- Rob Levin, Executive Vice President, Housing and Community Development Division, 1998-2004
Barry's consulting work for us was distinguished by his high level of content expertise, his clarity of approach, respect for an inclusionary process, and a high-quality final product"
Ann was Barry's client in 2012 when she was Chief Operating Officer at Mellville Charitable Trust. She is currently Principal at Anne Woodward Consulting.
- Ann Woodward, Chief Operating Officer