Brawner’s focus has centered on advising public housing authorities for more than 30 years. No other consulting team has assisted more housing authorities, and our clients are some of the most active and highest performing housing authorities in the nation.
PARTNER WITH USAs Founder and President, Jim leads the firm’s strategic relationships with clients, investors, and lenders, serving as the key point of engagement for high-level partnerships. He also oversees the conceptual and strategic development process for all affordable housing initiatives, ensuring each opportunity aligns with the client’s mission and values. Jim plays an active role in design programming and construction management logistics, bringing continuity and insight from early planning through execution. He also provides hands-on review and creative input into the financial underwriting of each project. With nearly three decades of experience, Jim has been a recognized leader in the affordable housing field, particularly in pioneering development strategies in partnership with public housing authorities.
As Managing Director of Development, Zak de Gorgue is a central leader at Brawner & Company, where he drives the firm’s development strategy and execution across a broad range of affordable housing initiatives. Working in close partnership with Director of Strategic Initiatives Josh Crites, Zak leads pipeline development and long-range planning efforts, with a particular focus on complex public-sector transactions. Zak is the firm’s lead on HUD RAD conversions, Section 18 dispositions, and affordable acquisitions. He serves as the primary project lead for many of Brawner’s public housing authority clients—coordinating multidisciplinary teams from initial feasibility through transaction closing. Zak oversees all aspects of project financing and risk management while maintaining strong relationships with clients, lenders, and other key stakeholders. Before joining Brawner, Zak served as Development Manager for both the Tacoma Housing Authority and Renton Housing Authority, where he led numerous large-scale affordable housing transactions. He holds a degree in Finance from the University of Washington.
As the Director of Development, Matt has a multifaceted role that involves both strategic planning and hands-on management to ensure the successful creation and production of affordable housing projects. His responsibilities include the oversight of project related due diligence, underwriting, funding and finance management, stakeholder engagement, and performance management. Matt has more than 15 years of experience in real estate development and more than 12 of those have been focused on affordable housing. Matt also has a background in multifamily asset management and lending. Matt earned a master’s degree in real estate development and a Graduate Certificate in Urban Planning and Sustainability from the University of Utah and a Finance degree from Brigham Young University.
As Director of Strategic Initiatives, Josh is responsible for identifying, planning, and executing key strategic projects that align with the company’s long-term vision and objectives as well as providing ancillary organizational consulting services to our clients. Prior to joining Brawner, Josh was Executive Director of the Stark Metropolitan Housing Authority and led strategic planning and the day-to-day operations of the organization. Prior to becoming Executive Director, he served as the Deputy Executive Director of the Housing Authority of Washington County, Oregon where he oversaw the federal housing authority programs, the Moving to Work (MTW) program, as well as locally funded homeless and development initiative. Josh also previously served as a Strategic Advisor at the Seattle Housing Authority, Housing Administrator for a State Housing program for Arizona, and the Planning and Policy Analyst at the Tacoma Housing Authority. Josh holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degree from the University of Toledo.
As the Director of Strategic Development, Michelle works with clients on every phase of the development project from financial closing to stabilization. She is instrumental in helping clients structure the transaction to meet lender and investor requirements, and knows how to navigate the political and legal complexities of LIHTC deals. She worked at Seattle Housing Authority as policy and program manager and at the City of Seattle as a Senior Policy Advisor in the Office Policy and Management and as legal counsel to the Mayor’s Office. Michelle has conducted extensive community outreach and stakeholder involvement while leading large community development and real estate projects, including the revitalization of the Seattle Waterfront. Her previous legal experience allows her to work closely with lenders and investors on project related due diligence, underwriting, funding and finance management, and financial closing. Michelle earned a master’s degree in public administration and juris doctorate from the University of Washington and a bachelor’s degree from Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania.
As Senior Project Manager (Construction), Sean supports the team’s development projects with construction project management and provides clients with Owner’s Representation services such as procurement, design coordination, budget and schedule management, and contractor oversight. Sean has 2.5 years of experience in the affordable housing sector and more than 12 years in the construction industry. His skills and experience span a variety of building trades as well as property management and maintenance. Prior to joining the Brawner team, Sean owned and operated a successful contracting business in the Portland metro area. He holds a bachelor’s degree from George Fox University.
Josh serves as Construction Manager at Brawner & Company, where he acts as an Owner’s Representative on both new construction and rehabilitation projects. He brings over 15 years of hands-on experience in the building trades, having started his career in the electrical industry and earning his 01 journeyman electrician license through the union apprenticeship program. After a decade in the union, Josh launched and operated his own electrical contracting business, honing his leadership and project management skills. Since joining Brawner in 2022, Josh has overseen preconstruction planning, contractor coordination, and on-site construction management for a variety of affordable housing developments. His field expertise, problem-solving mindset, and commitment to quality make him a valuable asset to both the Brawner team and the clients they serve.
Fulton Brawner serves as a Senior Project Engineer at Brawner & Company, where he provides cross-disciplinary support throughout the full development lifecycle of affordable housing projects. His responsibilities include conducting site due diligence, preparing preliminary cost models, predevelopment procurement, and contributing to the development of detailed preconstruction budgets. He interfaces with general contractors and third-party consultants to coordinate logistics, monitor schedule adherence, and mitigate construction-phase risks. Fulton also plays a key role in transaction-level financial analysis, supporting underwriting, sensitivity modeling, and deal structuring to inform investment and risk management decisions. Prior to joining Brawner, Fulton worked for a vertically integrated residential development firm, where he managed multifamily and mixed-use projects from concept through delivery. He holds a B.S. in Finance from Arizona State University.
Cara Deguzman plays a central role in ensuring the smooth execution of affordable housing transactions at Brawner & Company. As Manager of Due Diligence & Lender Relations, she oversees critical coordination functions that span accounting, construction administration, pre-development tracking, and ongoing compliance. Cara is instrumental in organizing and managing project documentation, site visits, and lender due diligence efforts from early predevelopment through financial closing and monthly draw processes. With over two decades of experience in the financial industry and more than six years in construction project coordination, Cara brings a unique combination of precision, intuition, and logistical mastery. Her ability to anticipate needs and manage complex workflows across internal teams, consultants, and external stakeholders makes her an indispensable part of Brawner’s transaction execution and risk management infrastructure.