Staff

Meta Ware is the Executive Director. She is responsible for the overall operation and direction of the organization, as well as for developing and executing plans that raise awareness of the Housing Industry Foundation, increase sustainable revenues, and encourage donors to participate in the varied programs and events.

Her professional background includes over 20 years of property management experience working for Oakwood Worldwide where she relocated from the East Coast to Southern California, Chicago, Maryland, Virginia, and Atlanta before settling in the Bay Area for the last 14 years.

Prior to joining HIF, Meta was the Northern California Regional Vice President for Lyon Management Group and served on the CAA Tri-County Board of Advisors. She also worked as the Membership Development Director for CAA Tri-County. Meta holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from State University of New York at Oswego. She is an active member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Silicon Valley Chapter.

 
Lexi Paza, our Program and Outreach Manager joins the Housing Industry Foundation with nearly ten years of experience in the social service and nonprofit sector, with the majority of her experience in affordable housing, grant writing, and volunteer coordination.  She oversees HIF’s emergency housing grants and shelter renovation projects and maintains HIF’s relationship with over 20 partner agencies.

Originally from Maryland, Lexi completed graduate school at the University of Chicago, where she earned a Master of Arts in Social Service Administration in 2009.  While in Chicago, Lexi served as a grant writer for a youth development program as well as completed two academic fellowships: the first as a housing case manager for people living with HIV/AIDS and the second at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

After graduate school Lexi relocated to the Bay Area, where she built program capacity for a nonprofit that provides home repairs for low-income elderly and disabled homeowners until 2010, then served as a community-build project manager at a nonprofit that builds playgrounds nationwide.  Lexi also volunteers regularly for several Bay Area nonprofits, including Public Architecture, Rebuilding Together Silicon Valley, and Girls for a Change.