Meet Our Management Team

Executive Director

Born and raised in Southern California, Dennise attended UC Santa Cruz where she obtained her BA in Psychology. When she joined Housing Choices in 2013, she was the only Housing Coordinator for Santa Clara County. Since then she has helped to build a team of Santa Clara County Housing Coordinators and has been promoted to Program Manager and later Program Director. Over the years, Dennise has been instrumental in helping Housing Choices grow, change and improve in many areas. She is fluent in English and Spanish and passionate about helping others and working with the community. She believes that having a stable home is an integral part of an individual's identity and finds it very rewarding to be able to help individuals attain something that has such a direct impact on their future achievements and successes. In her free time, you’ll find Dennise spending time with her daughter at different parks and exploring new foods.

Finance Director

Christine was born in South Vietnam and moved to the Bay Area 20 years ago. She graduated in 2010 from San Jose State University with a B.S degree with a concentration in accounting. She joined Housing Choices in 2014 as a staff accountant and was promoted to Accounting Manager in 2020. Her time at Housing Choices has been marked by a deep sense of fulfilment and warmth. She has grown close to her coworkers and enjoys leading and supporting her colleagues in their collective mission to service the community through non-profit work. After 9 years, her commitment and reliability at Housing Choices led to a promotion from the role of Accounting Manager to Finance Director in July 2023.

HC Program Manager

Natalia's multicultural background as a native of Bogota, Colombia, allows her to easily empathize and support intersectional communities. Being bilingual has broadened her bicultural understanding, enabling her to address diverse communities and their housing stability challenges more compassionately. Her enthusiasm for leadership and advocacy empowers her colleagues to make a difference in the lives of our clients. She feels a sense of purpose ensuring that vulnerable populations gain access to their essential human right—housing. Natalia's commitment to making a positive impact on society is deeply rooted in her academic journey. She holds a BA in political science with a minor in education from UC Davis, where she honed her academic prowess and developed a profound understanding of the social and political dynamics that shape our world. Outside of the office, she's a cycling enthusiast, a yoga lover, and an outdoor adventurer who finds solace in connecting with herself and nature.

HC Manager

Cynthia joined Housing Choices as a Housing Coordinator in 2014, and in 2019 was promoted to Program Manager, supporting a team of 8 Housing Coordinators working in Santa Clara County. Cynthia was born and raised in San Jose in a bilingual household where she learned to be fluent in Vietnamese and English. After high school, she attended San Jose State University and earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communications with a minor in Business Administration. Her dream is to use her Communications degree as well as her bilingual skills to help people in challenging situations.

HC Manager

Gloria Carreon, Program Manager for Monterey County Housing Coordinators, is from Costa Rica and was raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. She graduated in 2003 from San Jose State University with a degree in Criminal Justice. She has a passion for nonprofit work on behalf of vulnerable people who face obstacles and challenges on their path to success. At Housing Choices she enjoys mentoring staff as they advocate for individuals and families to help them live successfully in community housing. In her spare time, Gloria enjoys spending time with her 7 year old son, going on walks, and watching documentaries.

HC Manager

Juan was born and raised in Watsonville CA. He attended California State University, Monterey Bay and graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Social & Behavioral Sciences and a minor in Spanish. Working at Housing Choices has helped him develop new skills and establish good relations with many clients and San Andreas Regional Center Coordinators.

RC Manager

Luisa Curiel is the Program Manager for the Resident Coordination team in Santa Clara County. Luisa joined Housing Choices in 2015 starting as a part time Resident Coordinator and eventually becoming full time, Senior Resident Coordinator and Program Manager. Before Housing Choices Luisa has worked as an Intervention Specialist working directly with the individual and their family on strengthening their communication skills and redirecting challenging situations. Luisa enjoys helping others and making an immediate impact in their daily lives by helping individuals advocate for themselves and find resources that will help them live independently. Luisa is bilingual in Spanish and English and is currently overseeing a team of 10 Resident Coordinators who serve 18 different Partner Properties. On her spare time Luisa likes to hike and explore new beaches.

HC Manager

Nancy Bui is a Program Manager for Housing Coordinators serving residents of Santa Clara County and San Mateo County. She received her Bachelors' degree from UC Davis where she cultivated a passion for serving vulnerable communities. Born and raised in East Side San Jose in a bilingual household Nancy has personal experience in receiving assistance from Social Services, Housing Authority, and other government agencies. These lived experiences have fostered her passion for advocating for underserved communities and striving to reduce barriers to equal housing access.

CMH & HPS Manager

Program Manager Shireen Alinani supports a team of 8 Housing Coordinators and Homeless Case Managers who address the housing needs of people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Having joined Housing Choices as a Housing Coordinator in 2019, Shireen brings grassroots experience working with economically disenfranchised communities in the Bay Area, with refugee women in Montreal, and with children with developmental disabilities in Hong Kong. Shireen trained at McGill University, Canada with a double Bachelors in International Development and Economics. She also received a national scholarship from Pakistan to complete an International Baccalaureate program at the United World College, Hong Kong.

HC Manager

With an AA in Business Administration, a BS in Global Operations Management, and MBA in Organizational Management, Thinh brings over four years of knowledge and expertise to Housing Choices. Thinh is enthusiastic about mentorship and empowerment. He actively facilitates the growth of his team members, both professionally and personally. Thinh cherishes every chance to refine his expertise in leadership, communication, and program development. Outside the realm of his professional endeavors, Thinh enjoys exploring new cultures and cuisines.