NAHMA members and guests gathered in March to honor the annual AHMA and Industry Awards winners as part of the NAHMA Biannual Top Issues in Affordable Housing March Conference in Washington, D.C. Gianna Solari, president of Solari Enterprises Inc., served as the master of ceremonies.
“The winners of the Industry and AHMA Awards exhibit an unparalleled commitment to advancing quality affordable housing for Americans in need and service to NAHMA over the years that has been tireless and instrumental in the organization’s success. We sincerely appreciate their commitment of time, energy and leadership on behalf of affordable housing in general, and of NAHMA in particular,” Kris Cook, CAE, NAHMA CEO, said.
NAHMA Industry Statesman Award
The Industry Statesman Award is given annually to NAHMA Executive Council members, either in or nearing retirement, to recognize many years of outstanding leadership and service to NAHMA.
Sandra Cipollone, CPO, SHCM, NAHP-e, first entered the affordable housing industry in 1981 as a CPA, specializing in HUD audits for an independent accounting firm. In 1983, she joined The Michaels Organization, then known as Interstate Realty Management Co., as a controller for the managed properties.
Cipollone’s career at Michaels included several promotions, including vice president of operations and senior vice president, during which she managed a portfolio of approximately 70 properties.
She was actively involved in volunteer positions for NAHMA, serving at JAHMA and national levels for the past two decades.
After 43 years with The Michaels Organization, Cipollone recently retired and plans to travel and play more golf. Sandy and her husband, John, are already enjoying retired life.
The NAHMA Board of Directors named her an emeritus member for her many years of service to the association and the affordable housing industry, including her years on the board as a director, treasurer and vice chair. She also volunteered on NAHMA committees, including serving as chair of the Budget & Finance Committee.
With more than 40 years of service to the affordable housing industry, Angie Waller, FHC, CPO, SHCM, NAHP-e, is a distinguished leader with over 35 years of executive leadership experience. She has held senior roles, including vice president of affordable housing, vice president of HUD compliance, and regional vice president at AMCS, Ambling Management Company, Cambridge Management, and NHE. Her leadership, strategic insight, and steadfast commitment to education and compliance excellence have left a lasting impact on affordable housing professionals nationwide.
During her 23 years of service in the United States Navy, both on active duty and in the reserves, she simultaneously advanced her career in property management, demonstrating exceptional commitment and discipline across both professions.
A nationally respected figure in affordable housing, Waller dedicated more than 35 years to SAHMA, serving as South Carolina state director, vice president of education, president, and as a long-standing member of the Board of Directors. She also served on the NAHMA Board of Directors, where she chaired the Education Committee and the Certification Review Board, contributing significantly to professional standards and industry development.
Waller retired in 2025 and most enjoys her role as a devoted grandmother to her 10 grandchildren, who are the focus of this next chapter of her life.
NAHMA Chair’s Award
Previously known as the President’s Award, NAHMA’s board chair gives the Chair’s Award annually for outstanding leadership or other contributions to NAHMA and the affordable multifamily housing industry.
Alicia Stoermer Clark is CEO of the Seldin Company. She is being honored for her unparalleled commitment to advancing quality, affordable housing for Americans in need, and for her tireless service to NAHMA and the affordable housing industry over the years, which has been instrumental in advancing NAHMA’s mission and affordable housing programs across the country. That service includes serving as secretary and treasurer of the NAHMA Board of Directors, as well as holding leadership positions on the Education & Training Committee and the NAHMA Educational Foundation Board of Directors.
NAHMA Industry Partner Award
The NAHMA Industry Partner Award is given annually to a government agency or other affordable housing organizational partner that contributed significantly to the cause of affordable housing in the previous year.
Virginia Housing Alliance was honored for its efforts to expand affordable housing opportunities and end homelessness across Virginia. In particular, VHA’s successful advocacy for the passage of Virginia House Bill 2245, which requires assessors to consider key factors such as contract rent, income restrictions, operating expenses, and legal constraints when determining property value, will help sustain affordable housing in Virginia.
NAHMA Industry Achievement Award
The Industry Achievement Award is given annually to a NAHMA Executive Council member who has contributed significant or noteworthy leadership or other contributions to NAHMA within the past year or two.
Kim O’Shea spent nearly 25 years at Rocky Mountain Heartland AHMA. During that time, she oversaw transformations that included expanding to additional states, rebranding and a name change. Additionally, the association was an early adopter of virtual trainings and partnered with fellow AHMAs to create new programming. Furthermore, Rocky AHMA received eight AHMA Awards from NAHMA.
NAHMA Communities of Quality Award
The NAHMA’s Communities of Quality Award is given annually to a NAHMA member with the most newly listed communities on NAHMA’s National Recognition Program COQ Registry―based on data maintained by NAHMA staff.
Solari Enterprises, Inc., headquartered in Orange, Calif., was the recipient of the NAHMA Industry Award for having the most newly certified Communities of Quality in 2025.
AHMA of the Year
The AHMA of the Year Award is given to AHMAs based on criteria such as size, number of members, success in membership recruitment and retention, education and training course attendance, financial stability, and other factors.
Large: Workforce development and continuing education are SAHMA’s cornerstones. In 2025, the association trained over 3,800 students through various program opportunities, including 47 live seminars, 22 webinars in its on-demand eLearning library, and several virtual training sessions covering a variety of topics. In addition, SAHMA offered two in-person conferences and a Leadership Conference, which saw a 30% increase of first-time attendees.
While education is the cornerstone, the volunteers are SAHMA’s backbone. The association’s network of over 300 volunteers was instrumental in making events not only possible but also impactful. To express its gratitude, SAHMA celebrated volunteers through social media shout-outs, personalized notes, thoughtful thank-you gifts, Volunteer Champion recognition, dedicated emails, and an awards ceremony during the Leadership Conference, where SAHMA honors its invaluable contributions.
Medium: NEAHMA’s membership grew by 15% in 2025, compared to 2024, thanks to a strategic focus on engagement and accessibility. Associate and affiliate membership expanded significantly due to heightened vendor participation at NEAHMA’s Annual Conference and Trade Show, and the modernization of the membership renewal process.
The association hosted 55 training sessions on a wide range of topics, from operations and compliance to professional development, maintenance, and wellness, both virtually and in person. The sessions drew a combined 1,827 attendees. NEAHMA’s two largest training events, the Maintenance Expo and the Annual Conference and Trade Show, each welcomed more than 600 attendees.
Small: In 2025, JAHMA leadership remained steadfast in strengthening its relationship with the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, which allows JAHMA members direct access to firsthand resources. With limited access to HUD resources, JAHMA remained an advocate for affordable housing in New Jersey. Additionally, JAHMA continued to provide virtual and live instructor webinars, in-person events and an annual Spring Management Event conference.
The JAHMA Foundation’s Annual Scholarship Golf Outing was held in conjunction with the conference. Proceeds from sponsorships and contributions made at the golf outing benefited the JAHMA Foundation, which subsequently awarded 28 residents scholarships totaling $60,500. JAHMA Foundation also provided nursing supplies to a scholarship recipient from reserves held from a private donation, to be used for instances in which a recipient needs special consideration for additional funds not specifically related to tuition.
Very Small: In 2025, PennDel AHMA leadership explored new opportunities for member engagement.
PennDel AHMA provided various virtual offerings, ranging from on-demand to live instructor-led webinars. The association also jointly sponsored the NAHMA credential courses, CPO, FHC and a Tax Credit Training and SHCM exam, with JAHMA to maximize attendance and bring the best experience for success to its members. PennDel AHMA staff worked with the presenters and company representatives to adapt general trainings to meet their specific needs.
Attendance at the annual Fall Management Conference grew from the previous year. At the conference, attendees were offered four educational tracks and a new event, the “Reverse Trade Show,” which was created by popular demand for a fun, interactive networking event designed to connect supplier partner members and corporate member management companies.
AHMA Innovation Award
The AHMA Innovation Awards is given in recognition of a new program, service, or activity that an AHMA began sometime in late 2024 or 2025.
In 2025, SAHMA volunteers created the First Time Attendee & Flying Solo Meetup for its annual conference, the first-time attendee outreach email, and the Daily Download emails.
The First Time Attendee & Flying Solo Meetup, facilitated by Welcome Ambassadors, provided an opportunity for anyone attending the conference for the first time or as the only representative from their organization to network with others during the first break of the conference. It created an immediate sense of community and helped make meaningful connections right from the start of the conference.
As another way to further engagement with attendees, both new and seasoned, SAHMA developed the Daily Download emails, which were distributed to attendees at the end of each day as a daily wrap-up that included information such as a message from the SAHMA president, photos of the day, fundraiser goal metrics, session surveys, next day preview and other helpful information.
The AHMA of Washington’s Speaker Academy is a professional development initiative designed to expand the association’s pool of qualified trainers, leverage member expertise, and support career growth by improving public speaking and instructional skills.
Developed in line with a strategic goal set by the AHMA’s board during the July 2024 retreat, the Speaker Academy provides a structured, sustainable framework for transforming subject-matter experts into confident, effective trainers within the affordable housing industry.
The academy is organized in three phases: Train the Trainer, Presentation Practice and Live Speaker Showcase.
As a result of successfully completing the program, three speakers were added to the AHMA’s official training pool as qualified speakers. The program increases AHMA of Washington’s ability to deliver high-quality education internally, reducing reliance on external trainers. Participants gained significant confidence, leadership skills, and presentation expertise applicable beyond AHMA training.
AHMA Communities of Quality Program Award
The AHMA COQ Award is given to the AHMAs, according to size, that have a substantial number of COQ awards in their area, demonstrate support for the program, and introduce new or innovative activities.
NEAHMA continues to stand out as a leader among regional AHMAs by actively promoting and celebrating excellence in affordable housing. NEAHMA plays a key role in encouraging its members to pursue NAHMA’s COQ recognition by increasing awareness and visibility of the program through its own annual Regional Communities of Quality Awards. In 2025, NEAHMA proudly had 301 Communities of Quality within its region, a number that continues to grow each year. By offering this regional platform, NEAHMA not only inspires greater participation in the national COQ program but also ensures that members receive recognition for their dedication to quality and resident well-being.