Habitat for Humanity Detroit Board of Directors has hired Stephanie Osterland as its new Chief Executive Officer. Stephanie is replacing Evelyn Brown, the organization’s interim CEO, who is completing her year-long contract position and returning to retirement after leading the affiliate through a successful reorganization and strategic planning process.
Stephanie served on the leadership team of Habitat for Humanity in Oakland County for the past eight years as Director of Partner & Community Programs, where she oversaw the design and implementation of affordable housing, neighborhood revitalization, and housing counseling programs. She began her career in the nonprofit industry serving as a social worker in Detroit and spent six years managing housing counseling and education programs. She is passionate about the life-changing work of Habitat for Humanity, helping spearhead many community revitalization projects and processes to provide affordable housing solutions to many who thought they could never qualify.
Stephanie’s community-focused, servant leadership approach will help the organization seek to play an even larger role in addressing home affordability and sustainability in the neighborhoods of Detroit. “Housing intersects with so many other facets, like better health and education outcomes,” says Osterland, “and I want to help Habitat Detroit be part of that solution.”
Since 1986, Habitat Detroit has supported families in Detroit and neighboring cities in Wayne County through its home buying and home repair programs.
“We are excited about this transition at Habitat Detroit and the future of this organization in our city,” said Gary Dawes, chairman of the Habitat Detroit Board of Directors. “Our work over the past 34 years has helped make homeownership affordable to more than 350 families. Our work is far from finished. In many ways, the vast impact of our work lies ahead of us. I’m excited for Stephanie to join our team as she brings her vast knowledge of affordable housing and opportunities to Detroit.”
These are challenging times right now and the hardest hit will be the neighborhoods and homeowners that Habitat Detroit serves in this city. Through the addition of Stephanie Osterland as its CEO, the organization is positioned to tackle these challenges head-on with a solutions-oriented approach.