CHA Board of Commissioners Bios

Martin Nesbitt

On October 1, 2006, Mayor Richard Daley appointed Martin Nesbitt as Chairperson of the Chicago Housing Authority succeeding Sharon Gist Gilliam.

Nesbitt was appointed as a Commissioner of the Authority on July 9, 2003. He served as Vice Chairperson of the Board since January 17, 2006.  Chairman Nesbitt is president of PRG Parking Management, also known as the Parking Spot, and manages the strategic and operating services of the off-airport parking facilities.

The chairman is also vice president of the Pritzker Realty Group, L.P. where he procures new real estate investment opportunities, retail investments and developments for the Pritzker Group. Prior to joining Pritzker, Chairman Nesbitt was a partner and investment manager at LaSalle Partners and was responsible for the firm’s parking assets. He acquired, financed and managed a $100 million portfolio of parking assets in preparation for its public offering. While at LaSalle, Chairman Nesbitt also managed several specialty fund portfolios of non-traditional real estate investments with a combined market value of more than $1 billion.

Prior to joining LaSalle Partners, Chairman Nesbitt was employed by General Motors Corporation in the area of borrowing and financial planning. There, he was responsible for managing the company’s long-, short- and medium-term borrowing requirements which included the placement of more than $25 billion in debt annually. While at General Motors, Nesbitt was also involved in the securitization and sale of $4 billion in auto loans, an industry first. He was quickly recognized and rewarded at General Motors with one of the company’s GM Fellowships which sponsored his graduate education.

Chairman Nesbitt’s civic involvement includes participation in the Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America. He also served as chairman of the DuSable District of the Boy Scouts of America and on the Board of Directors of Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois. He is a member of the United Negro College Fund Advisory Council, and a trustee of Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art.

The Chairman has a Masters of Business Administration degree from the University of Chicago and a Bachelor of Science degree from Albion College.

Hallie Amey

Deverra Beverly

On July 22, 2009, Mayor Richard M. Daley appointed Deverra Beverly to the CHA Board of Commissioners.

A public servant in the City of Chicago’s Department of Human Services for over 30 years, Commissioner Beverly stresses that great accomplishments require teamwork, relationship building and open communication.  Since retiring from CDHS in 1997, Ms. Beverly has held numerous resident leadership positions, including president of ABLA Homes’ Local Advisory Council, vice-chair of the Central Advisory Council from 2002 to 2008, interim CAC chair from 2008 to 2009 and CAC treasurer in 2009.

Commissioner Beverly, a lifelong resident of ABLA Homes, has researched public housing infrastructure and private management across state lines and worked with the mayor and CHA leadership to implement progressive programs for residents.

Over the years, Ms. Beverly has received countless awards in recognition of her efforts to improve the quality of life in public housing.  She is founder and chair of the National Public Housing Museum and a widowed mother of six successful children.

Dr. Mildred Harris

Commissioner Mildred Harris was first appointed to the CHA Board on July 7, 1999 for a one year term. Because of her continued commitment and exemplary leadership role as a Commissioner, Mayor Richard Daley thrice reappointed Commissioner Harris.

Commissioner Harris, a retired mentor, schoolteacher and ordained minister, is a lifelong resident of Chicago. As a commissioner, Dr. Harris created the Adopt-A-Senior Building program under the auspices of the Chicago Housing Authority, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars to refurnish the sitting areas in more than 57 CHA senior buildings. The CHA received an award from the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials for the Adopt-A-Senior Building program.

Active in various Chicago communities, Commissioner Harris is a part of numerous civic and religious organizations. She is a member of the National Society of Fund Raising Executives, a member of the Women’s Board of the Goodman Theatre, life member of the National Council of Negro Women and Honorary Board Member of Windows of Opportunity. Commissioner Harris is featured in The Millennium Edition of Who’s Who in the World and was awarded the Woman of the Year 2000 Award from the American Biographical Institute in New Jersey.

Commissioner Harris is the founder, president and CEO of God First Ministries of Chicago, Ill. Under her leadership, God First Ministries has served more than 30,000 homeless people, awarded scholarships and contributed generously to local, national and international ministries and organizations. In addition to authoring three books, Commissioner Harris also produces teaching and musical aids.

Michael Ivers

On August 24, 2001, Mayor Richard Daley appointed Michael Ivers as a CHA Commissioner. Commissioner Ivers served as a Roman Catholic priest in Chicago for 27 years and was the pastor of St. Agatha Parish, pastor of Holy Family Church on Roosevelt Road and Dean of Deanery III-D West Side of Chicago.

Commissioner Ivers spent his active ministry in Chicago’s African-American community and was instrumental in bringing together a number of investors to build a Dominick’s Food Store in North Lawndale.  Commissioner Ivers also founded United Power for Action and Justice and organized two tenant unions.

Commissioner Ivers was also pivotal in launching S.A.F.E. (St. Agatha Family Empowerment), an award-winning program that combats gang activity through a comprehensive family enrichment curriculum. Commissioner Ivers was a Leadership Greater Chicago Fellow from 1990 to 1991, and a Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International in 1999.  He has also served as chairperson of the Fantus Health Center Community Advisory Board.

He was appointed by Mayor Daley as chairperson of the Lawndale Conservation Council in 1999, and is a member of State Attorney Devin’s Juvenile Competency Commission.  Currently, Commissioner Ivers is the president of Goodcity (formerly known as MidAmerica Leadership Foundation).

Myra King

On July 22, 2009, Mayor Richard M. Daley appointed Myra King to the CHA Board of Commissioners.

Since moving into Lowden Homes in 1991, Commissioner King has been an active and vocal advocate for CHA residents.  As president of the Trumbull-Lowden Local Advisory Council, Commissioner King has facilitated working group meetings as part of the Plan for Transformation, including working with other LAC members to monitor rehabilitation and redevelopment projects under the Plan.

Commissioner King was instrumental in the opening of the U-Learn Computer Center at Lowden Homes in February 2009 and is a proponent of residents building their technological and computer skills.  That same year, Commissioner King was elected Chair of the Central Advisory Council.

A mother of two and grandmother of five, Commissioner King holds a bachelor’s degree from Chicago State University and a master’s degree from DePaul University.

Carlos Ponce

On July 9, 2003, Mayor Richard Daley appointed Carlos Ponce as Commissioner of the Chicago Housing Authority. He is Chief Executive Officer of Resonance Management and Technology Solutions, Inc. -- a management consulting firm.  Commissioner Ponce has over 20 years of experience in general and human resources management in public, non-profit and private organizations.

Prior to joining Resonance Management and Technology Solutions, Commissioner Ponce was the chief human resources officer for the Chicago Public Schools where he led the human resource restructuring efforts of the city’s schools – Illinois’ third largest employer and a $3.5 billion entity.

Commissioner Ponce’s previous experience also includes four years as a commissioner with the City of Chicago’s Department of General Services, and executive director of the Hispanic American Construction Industry Association and the Spanish Coalition for Jobs, Inc.

Commissioner Ponce has held senior management positions with the Norwegian-American and Lincoln West hospitals along with the City of Chicago’s Department of Health.

M. Bridget Reidy

On July 22, 2009, Mayor Richard M. Daley appointed M. Bridget Reidy to the CHA Board of Commissioners.

Commissioner Reidy currently serves as Senior Vice President & Chief Supply Officer at Exelon Corporation, where she is responsible for supply operations and sourcing for Commonwealth Edison, the Philadelphia Electric Company and Exelon Generation.

Prior to her current position, Commissioner Reidy served in a number of leadership positions at Exelon Corp., including senior vice president of Customer Operations at Exelon Energy Delivery, deputy general counsel of client services for Exelon BSC legal services and senior vice president of Exelon Business Services and operations.

From 1999 to 2001, Commissioner Reidy served as the chief operating officer of the Chicago Housing Authority, where she led the negotiation, planning, coordination and implementation of the agency's Plan for Transformation.

Prior to her work at CHA, Ms. Reidy served as deputy chief of staff to Mayor Richard M. Daley, where she coordinated major projects including Millennium Park, McCormick Place expansion and Soldier Field negotiations.

Commissioner Reidy holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Illinois and a juris doctor degree from DePaul University College of Law.

Sandra Young

On July 7, 1999 Mayor Richard Daley appointed Sandra Young as a resident commissioner to the Chicago Housing Authority, and was reappointed twice - once in 2004, and again in 2009. Since her tenure as Commissioner, Ms. Young has served as the chairperson the Tenant Services Committee.

A dedicated leader and resident of the Ida B. Wells development for the past 25 years, Ms. Young has served as Local Advisory Council President of the Wells Development for six years. As LAC President, Ms. Young has fought tirelessly for a construction job agreement, mandating that Wells residents be hired during redevelopment at that site. She was instrumental in obtaining 25 Youth Build positions for Wells residents in addition to negotiating the hiring of 25 residents by the private property management.

Over the last four years, more than 800 seasonal Christmas positions were granted to CHA residents by the Chicago Post Office due to Ms. Young’s involvement. Commissioner Young helped secure $35 million for the redevelopment of the Wells/Madden Park community, negotiated the use of $8 million for redevelopment of the Darrow Homes site and secured construction of 446 new housing units scheduled to start in 2002. She obtained commitment from the Chicago Park District to improve neighborhood parks and secured $39 million for new infrastructure.

In January 2002, Ms. Young was elected to the Central Advisory Council’s Executive Board as Treasurer. Ms. Young is a member of New Testament Full Gospel Church and co-founder and a former CEO of UJIMA, Inc., an organization that promotes economic self-sufficiency for families in disadvantaged communities.