The Neighborhood Housing Services Oklahoma (NHSOKLA) Board of Directors announced today that Katrina Washington has been selected as its new executive director. NHSOKLA is a nonprofit community development organization dedicated to creating homeownership opportunities through affordable housing, housing and financial counseling, homebuyer education, impact lending, down payment assistance and foreclosure prevention.
Katrina brings tremendous experience in affordable housing, real estate, and community development. She has led homeownership and financial literacy initiatives and implemented community development programs that have positively impacted low- and moderate-income households. Katrina has been connected to NHSOKLA for more than 20 years as volunteer homebuyer educator and on the Board of Directors for NHSOKLA.
“I am absolutely thrilled about this opportunity. I started my journey with NHSOKLA many years ago by attending a homebuyer education workshop with a real estate client, and then began volunteering to teach homebuyer education and that relationship continued to grow over the years as I served on the board of directors. This organization is very close to my heart. I really love NHSOKLA,” Katrina said.
Prior to accepting this position, Katrina has been a real estate broker and the owner of the Stratos Realty Group, which has produced more than $325,000,000 in sales since inception. She has held numerous leadership positions and has also been appointed to several professional organizations. Katrina is the current board chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, Oklahoma City Branch; a member of the Community Housing Development Organization Board for the Urban League of Greater Oklahoma City; a member of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee for the Oklahoma Association of Realtors; and has served as the President of the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Association of Realtors, Foundation (2017 and 2018); and as the Executive Director for the Center for Financial Wellness (2011-2022).
In today’s housing market, the need for affordable housing is more important than ever and Katrina’s leadership and experience will ensure the organization continues to fulfill its mission and enhance the lives of Oklahomans.
“Neighborhood Housing Services Oklahoma has a firm foundation and cutting-edge vision to create opportunities and meet the homeownership needs of Oklahomans. I am excited about what lies ahead of us. One of my goals is to expand the organization’s reach to include more large-scale building projects to impact our local communities and neighborhoods,” said Katrina.
Crystal Craig, President of the Board for NHSOKLA and a mortgage banker, shared she met Katrina very early in her career, while volunteering with NHSOKLA. “Katrina is someone I considered a mentor and a person I admire for the type of work she does within the community and for how deeply she genuinely cares for people.”
Crystal stated that Katrina has a real passion for supporting people who wish to improve their lives through financial literacy and homeownership. “Because of Katrina’s long-tenured volunteer relationship and Board service with NHSOKLA, she will provide a seamless transition for the staff of NHSOKLA as well as NHSOKLA’s programming as our in-coming Executive Director,” Crystal said.
Katrina will begin as the executive director at NHSOKLA officially on January 2.
