As president and CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Memphis for nearly 20 years now (as of August 20, 2021)—I’ve seen the incredible impact that decent housing can have on families and individuals and how this work fits solidly into the area of urban affairs. During this time, I’ve studied the field independently by regularly reading journals and scholarly articles and via annual workshops and trainings such as those provided by Neighbor Works America. I also returned, after a hiatus, to the University of Memphis to finish both my undergraduate studies (B.A. in Professional Studies) as well as my graduate degree (Masters of Public Administration). During my master’s work is when I first heard that the university was researching and perusing a doctorate level degree that would enhance much of the practical experience I’ve gained in the field with the research methods and practices from my graduate studies. I’ve been anxiously waiting for the opportunity to apply.

While affordable housing has many attributes and impacts that could be deeply studied—I am more interested, specifically, in decent housing for older adults and how it impacts their health and well-being. My passion for this area arose from our Habitat affiliate entering the field of “aging in place” in 2015. While our original “affordable housing” work continues—we are now greatly engaged in better understanding and then improving the lives and health of older adults via critical home repairs to include mobility and accessibility improvements with an emphasis on activities of daily living and social determinants of health. My team and I recently created the Tennessee Health and Housing Summit and hosted an impressive group of experts who agree that there is a role for the healthcare sector to play in helping keep seniors healthy and help them avoid unnecessary emergency room visits or hospital stays as well as early entry into nursing homes. Via our own internal research, we are learning that the healthcare sector can and should play a vital role in addressing this issue, first because their efforts combined with ours can keep the senior healthy and second because they benefit when their clients are healthy which in-turn reduces medical claims.

After launching our local aging in place program via a $3.9 million grant from the Plough Foundation—we encountered another opportunity to help other Habitat affiliates in Tennessee launch their own aging in place programs while also focusing increased attention on proving the cost benefits of keeping seniors safe and healthy. At this time, we launched the Johns Hopkins’ CAPABLE (Community Aging in Place-Advancing Better Living for Elders) program. The approach teams a nurse, an occupational therapist and our construction staff to address both the home environment and uses the strengths of the older adults themselves to improve safety and independence.

Our efforts are jointly focused on the health of the senior as well as the savings for the MCOs that must pay for any medical needs or nursing home admissions. Over the course of the last couple of years we have gained significant traction by gathering a good amount of anecdotal self-reported data that supports our theory. However, we are now faced with a need to better understand the motivations, aspirations, and value propositions of the healthcare sector in order to encourage investment into what we generally believe to be a viable solution to saving millions of dollars by avoiding healthcare expenses for this vulnerable group. The theory can also be defined as PFS (pay for success) which is an innovative model that drives resources toward high-performing social programs based on effectiveness over time to ensure that funding is directed toward programs that succeed in measurably improving the lives of people most in need. In this case—very low income older adults with serious home repair needs, but no ability to do them.

There is a growing body of work and research that links healthcare savings to adequate and affordable housing. The categories of impacted health areas is fast. A few would include: mental and psychological stress of moving frequently and not having a stable home; environmental health, in particular, around children and hazards related to lead-based paint and mold; and the protection of older adults from trip hazards as falls play a significant role in sending senior citizens to the hospital and often times into a nursing home.

DWAYNE SPENCER

420 Monroe Avenue, Apt 1416

Memphis, TN 38103

(901) 497-7025

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS

• 27 years of multi-faceted non-profit leadership using innovative approaches to achieve superior results
• Exceptional non-profit executive management experience working jointly and effectively with board members, volunteers, and staff
• Experience developing effective teams dedicated to organizational efficiency and programmatic excellence  
• Broad experience in working with a wide-range of community constituencies to create strategic partnerships and impactful collaborations  
• Experience guiding organizations through periods of significant growth and change while maintaining and often times improving practices, policies, strategies and the people who directly oversee them along with systems that contribute to on-going organizational effectiveness
• Effective oversight of financial and budgetary matters with an emphasis on fiscal efficiency
• Use of pragmatic business models that encompass both financial sustainability (the ability to generate resources to meet the needs of the present without compromising the future) and programmatic sustainability (the ability to develop, mature, and cycle out programs to be responsive to constituencies over time)

EXPERIENCE HIGHLIGHTS

2001                PRESIDENT/CEO

to present       Habitat for Humanity of Greater Memphis

Provide the overall executive leadership of the affiliate in accordance with the direction, policies, and objectives set by the affiliate board. Those duties include but are not limited to: advising of the development department with respect to the pursuit of funding and overseeing of the broader and more expansive fundraising plan; work closely with board representatives to plan and oversee the strategic initiatives of the agency in conjunction with a deliberate system of organizational goals, annual budget and individual staff objectives—not only for the immediate needs of the organization but also long-term; insure the adequate implementation of programs and services to maintain compliance with our core mission objectives; prudently maintain and oversee the organization’s annual budget and provide for an annual independent financial review conducted via a formal audit; effectively manage the human resources of the organization to include the overall planning and guidance of work-plans in order to carry out affiliate functions; and oversee advocacy, public policy, and legislative affairs by engaging in and remaining informed of legislative issues that may impact or affect Habitat’s ability to achieve its mission. Supervision of a staff of 46 and an annual budget of $12 million.  

1998-2001       DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

                        Hope House, Memphis, TN

Serve as lead fundraiser in charge of all revenues generated via direct marketing, major gift solicitation, grant writing, and special events. Oversaw the successful implementation of the organizations first capital campaign generating in excess of $1 million and exceeding the stated goal. Successfully increased net revenues from the effective revamping of a 5k run as well as new innovative strategies via the annual giving program. Managed multimillion dollar government grant submissions and the associated federal compliance.

1993-1998       MEMBERSHIP MANAGER

                        Memphis Museum System

Planning and development of a strategic membership and annual giving marketing plan to exceed revenue goals; supervision and management of a $500,000 individual giving program to include membership, donations and memorials/honorariums; assisted in the monitoring of a $9 million capital campaign; plan and implement a comprehensive membership program that included new member acquisition; on-site membership sales efforts; monthly renewal and upgrade appeals; lapsed member appeals; annual direct mail campaigns; quarterly phone-a-thons; budgeting and strategic planning; special event planning; and supervision of five support staff.

1985-1993       VARIOUS POSITIONS IN ADVERTISING

                        John Malmo Advertising, Walker & Associates Advertising, WLOK Radio

Performed a host of duties in the advertising field to include: production of radio and television commercials; management of media advertising campaign budgets; creation of newspaper coupons and special offers for the print media; print and broadcast media buying for multiple major accounts on a nationwide level; and outside radio sales and promotions.

EDUCATION

                        University of Memphis

BPS, Organizational Leadership

University of Memphis

Master of Public Administration

APPOINTMENTS

2020-present   Habitat for Humanity Internationals New Markets Tax Credit Advisory Board

2020-present   Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati Homeownership Advisory Council

2014-2020       US Affiliate Council, Habitat for Humanity International

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

2018                Global Social Enterprise Initiative

Georgetown University McDonough School of Business

2011                Leadership Development Intensive, The Leadership Academy (Memphis)

2008                Executive Program, Leadership Memphis

2003                Habitat for Humanity Leadership Conference, Harvard Business School, Social Enterprise (Cambridge)

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

2019                Affiliate of the Year

(NASH)           Habitat for Humanity of Tennessee, State Impact Awards

2017                Affiliate of the Year

(NASH)           Habitat for Humanity of Tennessee, State Impact Awards

2017                Crystal Award for Outstanding Executive Leader

(MEM)            Association of Fundraising Professionals, Memphis Chapter

2016                TN Housing Development Agency: Tennessee’s Best in Innovation Award

(NASH)           (For Habitat for Humanity of Greater Memphis’ Aging in Place Program)

2014                The Spark Award

(MEM)            Outstanding Non-Profit Budget Greater Than $5 Million

2012                Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Award: Excellence In Green Building

(NASH)           (For Habitat for Humanity of Greater Memphis’ Sustainable Building Program) 

2011                Leader of the Year (first ever awarded)

(NASH)           Habitat for Humanity of Tennessee, State Impact Awards

THE FUNDRAISING SCHOOL: THE CENTER ON PHILANTHROPY AT INDIANA UNIVERSITY

2012                Managing the Capital Campaign

(SF)

2010                Developing Major Gifts

(IND)

2008                Planned Giving

(LA)

2006                Principles and Techniques of Fundraising

(LA)

NEIGHBORHOOD REINVESTMENT INSTITUTE (NEIGHBORWORKS AMERICA)

2013                Leveraging Market Forces to Attract Investment for Neighborhood Revitalization

(PHL)

                        Measuring the Impact of Your Revitalization Work

2012                How to Structure Your Deal: Making It A Reality

(DC)

                        Creating Partnerships to Advance Affordable Housing

                        Community Development: Past, Present and Future

2011                Using the CDBG Program

(DC)

Generating Unrestricted Income—For Profit Solutions to Non Profit Finance

                        Building the Effective Revitalization Organization

2008                Put Your Action Plan to Work: How to Use HUD’s Neighborhood Stabilization

(DC)                Program in Your Community

                        How to Find and use Data for Your Revitalization Work

                        Stabilizing Neighborhoods in a Post-Foreclosure Environment

2008                Building Communities: The Basics and More

(ATL)

                        Building Communities From the Inside Out

                        Advanced Financial Analysis for a Sustainable Mission: Pricing, Funding and Management of Assets

2005                Resource Development for Emerging Nonprofits

(SF)                

                        Beyond Grants: Advanced Roundtable for Experienced Fundraisers

2005                Human Resources Management and Development

(MINN)          

                        Financial Management for Decision-Makers

2004                Housing Production Management

(DC)                Symposium: Home Ownership Education and Counseling: Where Do We Go From Here?