SDHC Board of Commissioners

Eugene “Mitch” Mitchell

Chair of the Board

Eugene “Mitch” Mitchell was elected to serve as Chair of the Board by San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC) Board of Commissioners on July 8, 2022.

Chair Mitchell was appointed to the SDHC Board of Commissioners on February 4, 2020, and was reappointed on September 21, 2021.

Mr. Mitchell is the Senior Vice President, Chief Legislative Officer for Southern California Gas (SoCalGas) and San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E).

Mr. Mitchell also serves on the Boards of Directors of the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, the Sharp Hospital Board of Trustees, the Lucky Duck Foundation, the San Diego Food Bank and the University of Redlands.

He previously served as the Senior Vice President, Diversity & Community Partnerships for Sempra and prior to that served as Vice President of State Governmental and External Affairs for SoCalGas and SDG&E.

Before joining SDG&E and SoCalGas in 2005, he served as Vice President of Public Policy and Communications for the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce. In addition, he previously represented American Medical Response as its Director of Governmental Relations, and served as former Mayor Susan Golding’s Assistant Director of Government Relations.

Mr. Mitchell has a bachelor’s degree in political science from University of Redlands.

Ryan Clumpner

Vice Chair

Ryan Clumpner was elected to serve as Vice Chair of the Board by SDHC Commissioners on January 11, 2019, and July 8, 2022.

Vice Chair Clumpner was appointed to the Board of Commissioners on August 7, 2018, and was reappointed on April 12, 2022.

He has worked in public policy and communications for over 15 years. He also has experience in the public sector, including serving as Chief of Staff for elected officials in the California State Assembly and the San Diego City Council.

In 2016, Vice Chair Clumpner launched a consultancy business, focused on providing strategic advice to business associations, labor unions, public agencies and ballot measure campaigns.

He studied political science and history at UC Davis.

Stephen P. Cushman

Commissioner

Commissioner Cushman was appointed to the San Diego Housing Commission Board of Commissioners by Mayor Todd Gloria and was confirmed by the City Council on January 23, 2024.

Mr. Cushman is a fourth-generation San Diegan who has been actively involved with over 70 Boards and Commissions. His current leadership roles include Member of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the Downtown San Diego Partnership, Chair of the Committee on Downtown Homelessness, Member of the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank Board of Directors and Chair of the Sharp HealthCare Real Estate & Construction Committee.

He previously served as a Commissioner for the San Diego Unified Port District from 1998 to 2010, including as Chair in 2002 and 2009. His additional past leadership roles have included service as Chair of the Greater San Diego Chamber of Commerce and as Chair of the Boards of Sharp HealthCare System, the San Diego Convention Center Corporation, and the San Diego International Auto Show.

He has been recognized with the 2009 San Diego Hall of Champions Community Champion Award, the 2010 San Diego Port Tenants Association Maritime Award, and the 2011 San Diego Hotel-Motel Association Gold Key Award. In 2013, the San Diego Rotary named him Mr. San Diego, and he continuously appears on the San Diego Business Journal’s list of 500 Influential Business Leaders.

Mr. Cushman is President of Cush Enterprises. He previously worked 25 years in the travel industry and 26 years in the automotive industry.

Mr. Cushman has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from California Western University.

Johanna Hester

Commissioner

Johanna Hester was appointed to the SDHC Board of Commissioners on August 7, 2018, and was reappointed on July 30, 2024.

A resident of Scripps Ranch, she is an accomplished labor leader whose career began in 1991 and includes positions at the local and national level. Throughout her career, Ms. Hester has helped thousands of working people gain a livable wage and rights in the workplace.

She serves as Deputy Executive Director of the United Domestic Workers of America/American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees (AFCSME) Local 3930. She is also the International Vice President of AFCSME International, Vice President of the California Labor Federation, Vice Chair of Child Care Providers United (CCPU) and the chair of the CCPU Retirement Trust Fund.

Ms. Hester’s experience also includes serving as lead organizer at AFSCME International in Washington, D.C., and an organizer for a Service Employees International Union local in Oakland, California.

She has received a certification from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Senior Executives in State and Local Government Program. She also participated in the Global Policy Leadership Academy’s Vienna Social Housing Academy Field Study and the King Community Fellowship Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Kellee Hubbard

Commissioner

Kellee Hubbard was appointed to the Board of Commissioners on February 10, 2014, and reappointed on July 30, 2024.

She works at Commonwealth Financial Network as a business transition consultant of advisory fees. She previously worked as an account representative with ARS National Services, where she managed and negotiated a portfolio of Bank of America accounts.

Her past work experience also includes serving as a lead research assistant for San Diego State University (SDSU) and University of California, San Diego Research Centers.

She has also volunteered her time building homes with the nonprofit organization Students for New Orleans.

Commissioner Hubbard holds a master’s degree in business administration, with an emphasis on healthcare, and a a bachelor’s degree in public health from SDSU.

A resident of the Redwood Village neighborhood, Commissioner Hubbard is a member of the SDHC Participant Advisory Committee, which consists of SDHC Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) rental assistance participants and public housing residents.

She holds one of the two seats on the Board of Commissioners that the City of San Diego Municipal Code requires to be held by residents living in SDHC affordable housing units.

Antoine “Tony” Jackson

Commissioner

Antoine “Tony” Jackson was first appointed to the SDHC Board of Commissioners on May 23, 2023, and was reappointed July 30, 2024.

A U.S. Navy veteran, he works as a Business Development and Inside Sales Manager for a company that provides realistic training exercises for military, law enforcement and first responders.

His professional experience also includes service as Vice President of Sales and Business Development of a medical software company and Business Development Manager for a technical solutions company.

Commissioner Jackson holds one of the two seats on the Board of Commissioners that the City of San Diego Municipal Code requires to be held by residents living in SDHC affordable housing units or recipients of federal rental assistance from SDHC.

Melinda Vásquez

Commissioner

Melinda Vásquez was appointed to the Board of Commissioners on December 14, 2021.

A Rancho Peñasquitos resident, she has been an attorney since 2015, practicing in real estate, labor and family law.

As a volunteer, she chairs the San Diego Housing Coalition, which advocates for “smart neighborhoods that promote homeownership and rental opportunities along with a good quality of life for households of a variety of income levels.” The coalition consists of community voices, organizations, educators, experts, nonprofits, advocates and people directly affected by San Diego’s housing crisis.

Her volunteer experience also includes: serving on the Commission on the Status of Women and Girls for San Diego County; Legal Aid Society of San Diego; a former court-appointed special advocate (CASA) for children in the foster care system through the nonprofit organization Voices for Children; former Rancho Penasquitos Town Council President; and former Rancho Penasquitos Planning Board member.

Ms. Vásquez has a bachelor’s degree in political science from Cal Poly Humboldt. She earned her Juris Doctorate from the Thomas Jefferson School of Law.

The San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC) Board of Commissioners (Board) reviews proposed changes to housing policy, property acquisitions, other financial commitments, and agency operations, including allocation of resources, revisions to personnel policies and annual administrative and operating budgets.

The Board’s actions are advisory to the Housing Authority of the City of San Diego, which is composed of the nine members of the San Diego City Council.

The Board offers policy guidance to SDHC staff through its communications with the agency’s President and Chief Executive Officer.

The Board’s seven members are appointed by the Mayor of San Diego and confirmed by the City Council.

Two of the Board’s seats are reserved for residents of agency-owned housing units or recipients of federal Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance. One of these Board members must be 62 years of age or older.

Commissioners who are residents of SDHC’s affordable housing or are rental assistance recipients serve for terms of two years, or until a replacement is appointed. The five remaining Commissioners serve terms of four years, or until a replacement is appointed.

SDHC Onboarding Manual

On January 10, 2023, the Housing Authority of the City of San Diego approved the SDHC Onboarding Manual. This manual is a resource for new Commissioners and members of the public to learn about SDHC, its programs, terminology and additional matters related to SDHC.

SDHC Onboarding Manual