Housing Leadership Academy
ABOUT THE HOUSING LEADERSHIP ACADEMY
The Housing Leadership Academy is a professional development initiative that strengthens the knowledge, skills, and leadership capacity of professionals working with individuals, families, and communities experiencing homelessness, housing instability, and underhousing. Through applied learning, discussion, reflection, and practice-based engagement, participants examine the complex systems, community partnerships, and person-centered approaches needed to support housing stability and long-term community well-being.
This initiative aligns with the College’s larger trajectory of moving from individual activities toward an intentional ecosystem of partnerships, applied research, workforce development, leadership development, and measurable community impact.
The Housing Leadership Academy digital badge recognizes individuals who have completed the academy and engaged in learning focused on housing leadership, systems navigation, cross-sector collaboration, trauma-informed practice, and ethical service to vulnerable populations. The badge is intended to provide a visible, shareable credential that reflects the participant’s commitment to advancing more responsive, coordinated, and human-centered housing support systems.
The Housing Leadership Academy supports participant learning in areas such as:
Housing systems and community resource navigation
Trauma-informed and person-centered approaches
Cross-sector collaboration and partnership development
Leadership for housing stability and community impact
Ethical and responsive engagement with individuals and families experiencing homelessness, housing instability, or underhousing
Being able to focus on the whole rather than the parts with systems thinking and coordinated community response
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THE ACADEMY BADGE
Individuals who earn the Housing Leadership Academy digital badge have participated in a structured professional learning experience focused on strengthening their ability to understand and respond to housing-related challenges within community systems. Completion of the academy reflects engagement with key concepts and practices connected to housing stability, homelessness response, interagency collaboration, and leadership in service of individuals and families experiencing housing insecurity.
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BADGE VERIFICATION
This digital badge is issued to participants who have completed the Housing Leadership Academy through the ÌÇÐÄVlog College of Social Work and Criminal Justice. The badge may be shared on LinkedIn, in resumes, on professional profiles, in email signatures, and on other platforms as evidence of completion.
Individuals displaying this badge have completed the Housing Leadership Academy and have engaged in professional learning designed to support more effective, compassionate, and coordinated responses to housing instability and homelessness.
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COHORT 1 GRADUATES
- Audrey Ades
- Boris Aparico
- Brittney Ashley
- Camden Baggs
- Amaraé Blyden-Richards
- Olivia Bossarte
- Julie Botel
- Sammie Brown
- Keith Chambers
- Yolanda Cope
- William Cross
- Elvire Denis
- Karin Edwards
- Marine Figueroa
- Howard Fox
- Ivan Gomez
- Arlene Griffiths
- Xiomara Guerra Leon
- Abbey Hartman
- Hailey Henderson
- Christina Hewitt
- Coleen LaCosta
- Shedrick Lang
- LaKiesha Linen-Neal
- Christy Maasbach
- Danzell Madison
- Leslie Mandell
- Tara Okler
- Kim Parnett
- Stanford Purnell
- Mercedes Rodas
- Lameka Sands
- Martine Senatus
- Christopher Seville
- Shandra Stringer
- Sandra Symonds
- Kanisha Taylor
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CONTACT
For questions regarding the Housing Leadership Academy or verification of the digital badge, please contact:
Dani Groton, Ph.D.
Project Lead, Housing Leadership Academy
College of Social Work and Criminal Justice
dgroton@fau.edu
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