Speakers

Monica Diaz is the Senior Executive Director of the Homeless Programs Office at the Department of Veterans Affairs where she is responsible for the implementation of VA’s efforts to reduce and end Veteran homelessness nationwide. She is also responsible for the development, management, and execution of the program office annual budget of nearly $2 billion, oversees the integration of policy and operations, and provides ancillary support to over 5,000 homeless service personnel.

Ms. Diaz is a native of Puerto Rico and the spouse of an Air Force Veteran.

Ann Oliva is CEO of the National Alliance to End Homelessness. A career veteran of homelessness and housing policy, she is recognized as one of the foremost experts on homelessness in the nation. In her role, Ms. Oliva works closely with members of Congress and the Administration, as well as with officials and advocates at the state and local levels. As part of that role, she also collaborates closely with Alliance partners to educate the public on the real nature of homelessness and its solutions, and to advance known best practices within the homeless services sector.

Ms. Oliva previously served as Vice President for Housing Policy for the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, and as a Senior Policy Advisor at the Corporation for Supportive Housing. Her distinguished career is also marked by a decade of federal service at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Donald Whitehead is a person in long term recovery. He is a person with lived experience that has become one of the country’s leading advocates for recovery from addiction and homelessness. Donald is the Executive Director of the National Coalition for the Homeless, Formerly the Executive Director of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless, Assistant Director at St. Vincent de Paul of Baltimore, Program Director at Ohio Valley Goodwill, Grant Manager at Goodwill of Greater Washington and Director of Communications at Greenpeace Ohio. Donald served two terms as President of the board and currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the National Coalition for the Homeless, two terms on the Board of Directors for Faces and Voices of Recovery, and two terms on the Georgetown Center for Cultural Competency.

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