Executive and Administrative Team

Justice Castañeda — Executive Director

Justice Castañeda serves as the Executive Director of Common Wealth Development, a long-standing community development organization in Madison, WI, and is completing his dissertation work in Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. An educator and community development specialist by trade, Justice’s professional and academic work explores the intersections of housing policy, economic development and community violence, looking at the role these intersections play in educational & life outcomes for youth who have experienced traumatic events in early childhood and adolescence. His most recent research explores the relationship between land-use polices (including housing policy) and economic / educational outcomes for youth in Madison, WI. His academic career began at the Red Caboose Early Childhood Center in Madison, and his professional career began in the US Marine Corps, where he served for 8 years before being honorably discharged.

justice@cwd.org | Phone: 608.620.7745 x1525

Ashley Hoeft — Director of Economic Development

Ashley Hoeft is the Director of Economic Development at Common Wealth Development, where she oversees the Adult Workforce Development, Youth Workforce Development, and Business Incubation sections. With a passion for community-centered work, Ashley leads initiatives designed to empower individuals and foster local economic growth. Ashley joined CWD in 2019, initially facilitating youth programs before transitioning to a leadership role, managing the program area. With experience working with youth in both educational and professional settings, she is deeply committed to creating opportunities that support long-term success for the community. She holds an undergraduate degree in Social Work from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and a Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Outside of work, Ashley enjoys spending time outdoors with her four-year-old and indulges in her love for reading.

ashley.h@cwd.org |  Phone: 608.620.7862

Stefan Davidson — Finance Director

Stefan currently serves as the Finance Director. He joined Common Wealth Development (CWD) in January of 2016 with 9 years of industry experience and 7 years in public accounting. Originally from Colorado, after graduating from the University of Colorado, Stefan worked in Colorado and Washington before settling in Wisconsin. Stefan really appreciates the comprehensive approach that CWD takes to community development and the culture of improvement his colleagues have fostered during his tenure. When not at work he enjoys spending time outdoors with his partner and their French Bulldog (who sometimes also traps him on the couch).

stefan@cwd.org | Phone: 608.620.7842 x1526

Kevin Sandoval — Administrative & Finance Coordinator

Kevin currently serves as the Administrative & Finance Coordinator. Kevin joined Common Wealth Development in July of 2020. He has a Finance degree from Edgewood College. Kevin originally started as an intern and has been dedicated since to support CWD’s mission. He enjoys watching and playing sports on his free time such as Racquetball and Ultimate Frisbee. He is a big Green Bay Packer and Milwaukee Bucks fan. He also enjoys spending time with his Fiancée ,Lizzie and their dog, Nova.

kevin@cwd.org | Phone: 608.620.7844 x1528   

Tino Corona — Administration and Finance Specialist

Valentino has been involved with Common Wealth Development since his freshman year of high school. He participated in the Wanda Fullmore Youth Internship program during high school, where he interned at Madison’s Street Department, Parks Division, and Fire Department. After graduating in 2021, he started working full time at Common Wealth as a Youth Employment Specialist, where he supported various youth programs. He currently works as an Admin & Finance Specialist while attending the School Of Business at UW-Madison.

valentino@cwd.org | Phone: 608.620.7940 x1565

Benny Ramirez Gomez — Executive Administrative Assistant

Born and raised in Madison and the surrounding area, Benny is a passionate individual ready to lend a hand to any arm of the organization. They have spent the majority of their career in the service industry and the education sector, and are currently studying half-time at UW—Eau Claire. In their freetime, you will find them rock climbing, cooking, or daydreaming.

benny@cwd.org | Phone: 608.575.0991

Adult Workforce Development Team

Kari Alston — Adult Workforce Development Manager

Kari is a lifelong Madisonian and a UW Madison Alumni. She majored in Geography with a concentration in People – Environmental Interaction, fascinated by how people influence their environment and how the environment influences who we are. With her passion for environmental conservation and stewardship and her understanding of the importance of environmental health to equity and inclusion, community development seemed the natural area for her to gravitate towards. Starting with property management, which led to her desire to do more for her community, she now currently serves the Adult Workforce Development Manager. She loves building miniature dollhouses, reading and spending time with her family. She tells terrible jokes but has an amazing sense of humor and is often smiling.

kari@cwd.org | Phone: 608.516.5332

Housing Operations Team

Nick Lee — Interim Housing Manager

Nick currently serves as interim housing lead and oversees day to day housing operations. He was born and raised on the west side of Madison. Nick loves animals and has been a vegetarian since he was 8 years old.  In his free time, he enjoys painting, playing music, and spending time with his friends and family.

nick@cwd.org | Phone: 608.516.0420

Conner Wild — Asset Manager

Conner is a native Wisconsinite, and has spent his career working in homeless services and affordable housing. In his free time, he enjoys gardening, music, hiking, reading, travel, and photography. His favorite part of working for Common Wealth is the passion, commitment, and drive of his coworkers and the multifaceted projects and work involved in property management.

conner@cwd.org | Phone: 608.620.7933

Emily Hill — Housing and Resident Relations Coordinator

Emily serves as Housing and Resident Relations Coordinator. She is a recent graduate from the University of Iowa, where in the spring she graduated with her degree in Economics. She has spent a majority of her life serving the Iowa City community, and is ecstatic to be given the opportunity to work with individuals in the Madison area. Prior to starting at Common Wealth, Emily worked with a non-profit that provided beds, furniture, and other household goods to families in need. Outside of work, Emily enjoys playing ultimate frisbee, attending live music events, or visiting the Henry Vilas Zoo.

emily@cwd.org | Phone: 608-286-2876 x1599

Karen Gilbert — Housing and Resident Relations Coordinator

Karen has worked in many different roles in housing over the years with both rental and home ownership programs. During her time away she worked for two different community land trusts, and for another affordable housing provider during their large redevelopment project. She is excited to be back working with CWD residents. Outside of work Karen enjoys hiking and biking and is currently practicing her archery.

karen.g@cwd.org | Phone: 608.515.6454

Sarah Batarfi — Housing Administration Coordinator

Sarah comes from Mexican and Middle Eastern roots. Growing up with two rich cultures has deeply shaped her worldview, values, and how she shows up both personally and professionally. She is dedicated to improving the social determinants of health in our community through capacity building, and strongly believes in autonomy and self-determination. She is trained in trauma-informed care and property management to ensure that people feel valued, safe, and heard. In her free time, she enjoys creating art, storytelling, and dancing, which allow her to stay connected to her creativity and community.

sarah.b@cwd.org | Phone: 608.516.9443

Evelyn Betts — Real Estate Development Coordinator

Evelyn serves as Common Wealth Development’s Real Estate Development Coordinator. She is a native Madisonian who graduated from Madison East High School before moving to Washington D.C. to attend Howard University. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, Evelyn returned to Madison and was hired to CWD’s staff as a Youth Employment Specialist in 2021. In 2022, she obtained her real estate license and then was promoted to her current position in 2023. Along with attending classes part-time in pursuit of a degree in public affairs, Evelyn enjoys spending time with friends and family, and traveling on the weekends.

evelyn@cwd.org | Phone: 608.620.7919 x1560  

Maintenance Team

Sataro Sato — Maintenance Manager

Sataro serves as the lead of maintenance for Common Wealth. He joined CWD in 2028, after 6 years of working as handyman, he decided to take his experience to support CWD. He describes himself as a good listener most of the time. Sataro strives to give the very best of himself to create a better tomorrow.

Devin O’Brien — Maintenance Coordinator

Devin works as a Maintenance Coordinator for Common Wealth Development. He joined the CWD team in February 2023. Before finding his place here, Devin served in the Marine Corps for 5 years. Devin joined the CWD team to give back to the community he was born and raised in. When he isn’t working, Devin can be found playing several sports such as golf, bowling, or softball with family and friends.

Paul Harty — Maintenance Coordinator

Bio coming soon!

Maintenance Hotline: 608.573.8832

Business Incubation Team

Brendan Vandenburg-Carroll — Business Development Manager

Brendan joined Common Wealth in 2017 as a member of the Youth Programs staff and started managing the Business Incubators in 2021. He grew up in Madison and attended West High School before graduating from UW-La Crosse with a major in Psychology. Before coming to Common Wealth he worked in a variety of fields, including canvassing for environmental groups, and living abroad as a scuba Divemaster and ESL teacher. He is passionate about helping entrepreneurs find a space for their business at the incubators that will support their growth and provide job opportunities for the local community. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and kids, playing sports, and hiking.

brendan@cwd.org | Phone: 608.256.6565 x1555

Youth Workforce Development Team

Htet Hlawn — Youth Workforce Manager

Hlawn is originally from Myanmar, spent his childhood in Japan and Thailand, then his young adolescence in Myanmar. He has been working for youth sector for almost 10 years and was with a local non-governmental organization in Tanzania before moving to the United States in early 2024. He strongly believes that youth development is a solution to revitalize our community to be a positive place!

Maggie Douglas — Youth Programs Operations Coordinator

Maggie Douglas is a Youth Employment Coordinator for Common Wealth Development and joined the team in April of 2024 after moving to Madison, WI. Prior to joining Common Wealth, she obtained her Bachelor’s of Science degree in Secondary English Education and Literature and Cultural Theory from UW-Milwaukee. She started her career with teaching in Milwaukee Public Schools as a 9th and 10th grade English Teacher for one year before moving on as a Program Manager at a cancer research non-profit, the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer, in Milwaukee for 2.5 years where she traveled around the country to manage live educational programs for oncologists and researchers. When looking for a new position in Madison, she was drawn to Common Wealth because of the organization’s dedication to supporting young people and the overall collaborative nature of the staff. In her free time, she loves to bake, read, crochet, do yoga, rock climb and spend time with her 5-year old Plott Hound, Charlie.

Jaley Bruursema — Youth Employment Coordinator

Jaley supports youth workforce development at Common Wealth through offerings like the Youth Business Mentoring Program and MMSD’s Work-Based Learning pathway. In 2024, she led the 11th run of the Wanda Fullmore Youth Internship program. Jaley holds a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology & Sociology from Denison University. Before joining Common Wealth, she worked in digital marketing as a content writer & editor. Jaley is originally from Chicago and enjoys spending her free time exploring Wisconsin’s beautiful parks, biking, and reading.

Pong Xiong — Youth Employment Coordinator

Pong was born and raised alongside the great Lake Michigan in Sheboygan, WI. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin La Crosse in May of 2024. During his undergraduate studies, with the support of the Office of Multicultural Student Services, he spent a lot of time tutoring local underprivileged youth communities of the Coulee Region. Additionally, he worked as a Youth Advocate of Cia Siab, Inc., where he mentored underprivileged HMoob youth. Although he has worked at many different places, he found his passion with youth work. He also enjoys playing video games and volleyball, loves the outdoors and his two dogs: Lucky and Luna. He also like hoarding / collecting Lego sets and Funko Pops

Kalia Thao — Youth Employment Specialist

Kalia currently serves as the Youth Employment Specialist at Common Wealth, where she has been making a positive impact since joining in May 2024. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Prior to her role, she served as a Program Lead at Elver Park Neighborhood Center, where she managed the afterschool program and summer camp. At Common Wealth, Kalia is passionate about running programs, meeting students and building strong relationships. She finds fulfillment in helping students work towards their future goals. Outside of work, she enjoys dancing, cooking and trying new foods, and doing nails.

Tommy Pack— Community Development Specialist - WFYIP

Tommy currently serves as a Community Development Specialist within the Youth Workforce Development office at Common Wealth, specifically working as a facilitator for the Wanda Fullmore Internship Program. He is currently entering his second year pursuing his Master’s of Science in Urban and Regional Planning, and has two Bachelor’s of Arts, one in Business Administration and one in Psychology from Bellarmine University. He is originally from Frankfort, Kentucky, and in his free time enjoys playing basketball, photography, and fantasy football.

Board of Directors

Vanessa Kuettel – President

Vanessa joined the Board in 2019. She is a practicing attorney in the Madison area. Vanessa and her husband live in the Eken Park neighborhood where she greatly enjoys visiting Cafe Domestique and Bloom’s North street locations. Vanessa started her legal career with a nonprofit law firm and continues to carry the mission of helping others with her today.She is passionate about Common Wealth’s mission to preserve the vitality of Madison neighborhoods, and is proud of Common Wealth’s work improving the housing and building climate of Madison neighborhoods by providing safe and affordable housing, spaces for businesses to grow and thrive, and job opportunities for youth and adults.

Beth Welch – Secretary

Beth Welch studied Behavioral Science and Law at UW-Madison, Early Childhood Education at MATC, and Supervisory Leadership at UW Green Bay. She has worked for nineteen years as a Community Support Coordinator at Options in Community Living in Madison, Wisconsin. She is passionate about volunteering for nonprofit organizations that have person-centered missions and values. Advocating for equity and accessibility is her calling. Beth loves living in a cohousing community with her husband and son. In 2022, she helped plan the National Cohousing Association Conference in Madison. Previously, she served on the PTO, the Green Schoolyard Committee, and the Community School Committee of her son’s elementary school. Beth is currently the Vice President of the Board for her library and condominium association. Beth received The “North Star Award” for community building in 2019 and the “Backyard Hero Award” for volunteering in 2024. Beth enjoys gardening, baking, and thrifting, but she lives her best life as a winning Yahtzee player. Beth joined the Common Wealth Development Board because she strongly believes in their mission to provide safe & affordable housing and equitable economic development. She also wants to support Common Wealth staff as they build strong & meaningful relationships with their residents, businesses, students, and stakeholder agencies. Beth currently serves as the Secretary of the Board for Common Wealth Development.

Connor Sabatino – Treasurer

Connor first came to Madison to attend the University of Wisconsin, after which he spent three years working in the State Capitol before attending Wisconsin Law School.  Connor moved to the near east side in 2005 and continues to live on the Isthmus.  After graduating from law school in 2009, Connor sought out an opportunity to support our community as locally as possible.  Common Wealth Development was an easy and obvious choice.  The organization’s support for a variety of needs, including affordable housing, youth employment, adult employment, ensures a broad spectrum of support and services to folks right here in our community.  Connor currently serves as the Treasurer of the Board for Common Wealth Development.

Rudy Moore – Director

Rudy is an engineer and a lawyer with a background in housing issues. He has volunteered on Common Wealth Development’s board for thirteen years. While he came to Common Wealth with a background in housing, he was looking to broaden his own experience into other community needs. In addition to housing, he looks to Common Wealth’s focus on community through its business incubators, adult and youth education programs, and community events.

Bob Paolino – Director

When Bob Paolino isn’t at the office doing legal research, you might find him playing hockey, swimming, photographing nature, bicycling, or judging beer. (Yes, judging beer; he is a National-rank beer judge and in the top 10% of the Beer Judge Certification Program, and judges in competitions ranging from local to international.) His undergraduate degree from Washington University was in economics, and one of his graduate degrees from University of Minnesota was in public policy with a concentration in community and economic development. Paolino believes in Common Wealth’s multi-faceted mission in affordable housing, small business incubation, youth mentoring, adult employment, and community engagement. In addition to serving on the Common Wealth board, he is also a member of the Board of Directors for the Madison Area Community Land Trust, along with a variety of other volunteer activity in the community.