Tracey Downie
Chief Executive, Women’s Pioneer Housing

Tracey has worked in the social housing sector for over 30 years, primarily in London-based Housing Associations and with a significant commitment to housing services, resident engagement and challenging inequality. Over the last 15 years Tracey has held senior, executive and non-executive roles and is currently Chief Executive of Women’s Pioneer Housing. Chair of Ekaya Housing Association and Co-Chair of Women’s Housing Forum

Throughout her years in housing, Tracey has been an advocate for inclusivity and diversity. This has included championing the need for better services for single women seeking affordable, safe housing as well as supporting and mentoring BME and young housing professionals.

Linda Wallace
Chief Executive, PHA Homes

Linda leads a small community based housing association in Hampshire. She has worked in housing for 40 years, in large and small organisations and in the public and private sector. She has a background in asset management, customer service, development and co-operative housing. Linda's passion is for work that empowers people - residents, employees and the wider community - to make the most of their talents and opportunities. She has been a member of several housing association Boards, an Exec member of G320 and sits on her local Community Land Trust Steering Group.

Elizabeth Webster
Co-optee to the Board, Arawak Walton Housing Association

Elizabeth Webster became a Tenant Board Member of Arawak Walton Housing Association in Manchester in 2020. The organisation is a small, independent BME Housing Association which made it a real draw for Elizabeth. It allows her to engage with a host of different projects within local BME communities as well as offering lived experiences when deciding on strategic direction for the organisation. As a tenant, Elizabeth offers excellent insight into what customers expect form a housing association landlord and can offer direction and oversight on how to most effectively support their tenants.

With 19 years’ experience of working in film, television, theatre and live music events, Elizabeth has a myriad of experience working with different sections of the community in a professional capacity.

Elizabeth is particularly proud of Arawak Walton’s commitment to tackle all types of homeless linked to the communities it serves. Having been homeless in the past, Elizabeth holds these strategies close to her heart and can support their development at Board level.

Alongside Board duties Elizabeth regularly attends the Tenants’ Quality Panel meetings as well as Renumeration and Appointments Committee meetings. She has assisted with updates of the Association’s Customer Service Charter and has also had input to the Together with Tenants Charter.

She is based in the North West though her work has taken her to locations nationwide. Elizabeth has lived in Manchester for 12 years and been a tenant of Arawak Walton for the last two years.

Dale Walker
Chair, Waltham Forest Housing Association

Dale is a Chartered Surveyor with over 30 years’ experience in the property industry. He has significant experience of governance, particularly in the public sector. He has been a board member at Waltham Forest Housing Association for five years and has been chair of the board for nearly 2 years.

David Chaffey
Chief Executive, BHT Sussex

David Chaffey has been the Chief Executive of BHT Sussex since 2023. He has worked in the housing sector for more than 35 years in both local authorities and housing associations and his motivation to do so stems from a strong belief that secure housing is transformational to people’s lives.

David began his working life in disability housing before focusing on housing and asset management and was a Board member of a specialist mental health Housing Association for 15 years from its inception. He has always been passionate about listening to clients and tenants and is a keen advocate of resident involvement as demonstrated in his previous roles as Head of Resident Involvement at a national Housing Association and as Director of Housing and Property Services at BHT Sussex.

He is currently working with his many dedicated and talented colleagues in the organisation to lead BHT Sussex through the next stage of its development as a leading provider of essential services across Sussex.

David is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Housing, holds a degree in Economics and Politics and has a Management Diploma from Roffey Park Institute.

Lee Buss Blair
Director of Operations, Riverside

Lee is the Director of Operations for Riverside’s Care & Support function. The Riverside Group are a large national Registered Provider of social housing in England and Scotland, and one of the largest providers of supported housing in England. His role covers a broad range of services, including veterans, homelessness, Ofsted services, Mental Health and learning disability services, older people’s services, CQC registered extra care, and managed agents. This covers 16,000 customers, 12,500 units of accommodation, 1,800 colleagues, and an annual turnover of £191m.

He has also played a key role in advising Government on a range of sector issues, including Covid guidance for supported housing, The Fairer Renting Bill, Regulatory Oversight (Supported Housing) Act and the subsequent Supported Housing Regulations Consultation, The Review of the Experiences of LGBT Veterans who Served During the Ban, and was a member of the Social Housing White Paper Professionalisation Review Working Group.

He is currently a Member of the Veterans Advisory Board, advising the Office for Veteran Affairs, as well as being a member of the Homeless Link National Advisory Council and the Co-Chair of the CIH Homelessness Policy group.

Karen Cooper
Chief Executive, Penge Churches Housing Association and Chair, G320

Helena Evans
Board Member, Housing for Women

Helena has been a CEO for smaller Housing Associations including a supported Housing Association since 2015. With nearly 30 years’ experience of working in the housing and social care sectors across a range and scale of Housing Associations, Local Authority and National Mental Health Charitable organisations covering many geographical areas across England.

Helena is the Chair of the NHF National Smaller Housing Association network; a Board member for a London based Housing Association supporting women and children and is also a Board member on an Advisory Board for BCP Homes.