Building a Better Albuquerque
Meet The Team
The staff members at GAHP all have one thing in common: a passion to create quality, affordable housing that is within the reach of all New Mexicans. The team possesses decades of experience in the affordable housing and apartment rental industry and are always looking for the next great project.
When the developer and property management show how much they care, it shows in the attitude of the staff and that affects all of us – it’s a wonderful symbiosis. It gives you a lot of pride living here.
~ Megan
Felipe joined the GAHP from the New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority, where he provided debt and equity solutions for affordable housing development throughout New Mexico. Prior to MFA, he held management positions at Arbor Commercial Mortgage, Bank of America, Berkshire Mortgage and Bascom Group. Felipe was born and raised in Taos and holds degrees from Claremont McKenna College and an MBA in Finance from the Drucker School at Claremont Graduate University. In his spare time he enjoys spending time with his family and training for endurance races throughout the west.
Felipe Rael
Executive Director
Kelle (she/her) has more than 15 years of property management experience and 10 years of non-profit management. Directly prior to arriving at GAHP, she served 9 years advocating for and educating rental property owners and managers as the Executive Director of the Apartment Association of New Mexico. She graduated from ENMU with a Bachelor’s degree in 1993, and through the Institute for Real Estate Managemen received her ARM® in 1996 and her CPM® in 2022. She is currently the Education Chair for the local IREM NM Board of Directors and is a past Board President of the New Mexico Society of Association Executives and past President of the Governing Council for Mountain Mahogany Community School. In 2015, Kelle became a faculty member of National Apartment Association Education Institute and has been an approved instructor for the New Mexico Real Estate Commission since 2011. As a community workout fanatic, theatre lover, and craft beer snob, New Mexico is her first choice to call home.
Kelle Senyé, CPM®, ARM®
Deputy Director of Operations
Miriam’s passion for affordable housing brought her to the GAHP after more than 20 years working for Dekker/Perich/Sabatini in Albuquerque. As a licensed Architect, she works to refine and enrich the GAHP’s building standards, as well as use her experience with entitlements, affordable housing funding applications, construction administration, and design to support the GAHP’s mission to create exceptional housing communities. Miriam graduated from Socorro High School and received her Bachelor of Architecture from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. She enjoys spending time with her family, backyard farming, and working on various healthy living and homesteading projects.
Miriam Hicks, RA
Director of Housing Development
Laurie (she/her) has worked in nonprofit management since 2002, holding leadership positions with the YMCA of Central New Mexico, New Mexico Senior Olympics, and Leadership New Mexico. Prior to coming to GAHP, Laurie served as Chief Development Officer at Supportive Housing Coalition of New Mexico. It is there that she found her passion for affordable housing. She hopes to use her community relations and marketing skills to further the mission of GAHP while advocating for affordable housing development in Albuquerque. She holds her BA from the College of St. Scholastica (Duluth, MN) and her MA from the University of Dayton (Dayton, OH). She represents GAHP at the Albuquerque Affordable Housing Coalition and is active in local politics. She loves her adopted state and spends much of her free time hiking, exploring, enjoying her east mountain home, and playing tennis.
Laurie Frappier, MA
Director of Community Relations
An Albuquerque native, Rita lives in Dallas, Texas and works remotely. She began her career as a public accountant working in both audit and tax while in Albuquerque and San Antonio. Additionally, she has also held several controller positions in the construction and restaurant industries. As controller with GAHP, Rita is responsible for overseeing all financial, accounting, and human resources activities. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling with her husband and practicing yoga.
Rita Gonzalez, CPA
Controller
An Albuquerque native, David has had a varied career as a musician, teacher, carpenter and writer. He comes to the GAHP after 27 years with the La Mesa Presbyterian Church, located in the International District. While teaching and directing music, he was also involved in the church’s food pantry, the beautification of the neighborhood, the founding of the La Mesa Arts Academy, and providing free after-school arts education. Other adventures include the Albuquerque Opportunity Center, a shelter for homeless men, and New Mexico Women’s Global Pathways, a non-profit building economic opportunity for refugee women and girls.
David Poole
Enrichment Services Coordinator
Kenzie brings over 20 years of experience in community building and centering families’ needs. She interweaves her background in play therapy, parent coaching, and community design into coordinating events and resources for GAHP. She is currently on the Board of Directors for Ocate Cliffs and was a primary catalyzer for Grow Local Colorado. ASL (American Sign Language) has been her home language for over 12 years. Kenzie enjoys geeking out about regenerative design/patterns, linguistics, and spirituality. She lives in a local intentional community centered around music, art, & entrepreneurship.
Kenzie Davison, MA, BCBA
Enrichment Services Coordinator
Arlene joined the GAHP team in March 2021 as the Office Assistant. Arlene was born and raised in Detroit and holds a B.S. from the University of Arizona and an Associate Degree in Network System Administration from ITT Technical Institute, Santa Clara, CA. Arlene moved from the Bay Area to Albuquerque in 2005 and held a supportive position at the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce before joining Animal Protection of New Mexico as their Office Manager in 2007. Her hobbies include calligraphy, drawing, and needlework.
Arlene Engel
Office Assistant
.png)
Bob joined the GAHP after retiring from the University of Connecticut, where he served as its Associate Director of Real Estate and as an Adjunct Professor in its School of Public Policy. Prior to his time at UConn, he was in private law practice in Connecticut and Illinois, where he concentrated on representing developers, property owners, governments and interest groups in land use and real estate development matters. Bob was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP). He holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, a Master of Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, and a Bachelor of Architecture in Design from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Newly arrived in Albuquerque, Bob is involved in his neighborhood and enjoys exploring New Mexico.
Robert Sitkowski
Associate Director of Housing Development
Danielle (she/her) is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism & Mass Communication with a concentration in Strategic Communication at the University of New Mexico. On campus, she is involved with Honors College, Chi Omega Sorority, LULAC, and is an Honors College mentor. She has received the Dean’s List recognition three consecutive semesters and plans to utilize her degree in Sports Communication. She loves to spend time with her family and attend athletic events. Danielle is eager to join GAHP as a Digital Media Intern and learn how to better support the greater Albuquerque community with the help of her social engagement expertise.