DMI Board of Directors
Roque J. Barros
Roque's career spans 25 years with roles in community organizing and community building. Prior to joining JCNI in 1997, Roque served as executive director of Los Niños, an international grassroots organization doing work in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. His work with both organizations has focused on developing and directing sustainable programs that assist communities in addressing their needs and developing solutions.
In his role, he has created and led many of the innovative resident engagement programs for which the Center is known, including the Neighborhood Coordinators and Writerz Blok graffiti arts programs, and Project VOCAL (Voices of Community at All Levels). Barros is a sought-after trainer and expert in resident engagement and assists other communities and organizations in leading change where they live. He is also a resident of the Diamond Neighborhoods, which is the focus of the Jacobs Center’s work.
Roque has received awards and commendations from the San Diego Center for Mediation and the City of San Diego 4th District Councilman's office, and he was honored as an Hispanic leader by President Bill Clinton.
He has served on the board of directors of the National Community Building Network, the Boys and Girls Club of Chula Vista, and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Roque is a founding member of "Friends of The Good Samaritan"Retirement Center and served on the San Diego Citizens Revenue Review and Economic Competitiveness Commission.
Mr. Barros holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from the University of Redlands.
Charles "Chip" Buttner
Charles "Chip" Buttner joined JCNI in 1997 to help guide the development of Market Creek Plaza. He currently serves as the President and CEO of Diamond Management, Inc. and oversees the physical development and property management of all properties in The Village at Market Creek.
Chip has nearly 30 years of property development and property management experience. His career has been devoted to the entire development spectrum, including site acquisition, planning, permitting, leasing, construction, and property management. He has worked on various projects, including free-standing fast food restaurants, large neighborhood centers, casinos, office buildings, and emergency care units.
Prior to joining JCNI, Chip was a partner of Warburton & Buttner Development Company, a San Diego-based professional development firm integrating the disciplines of planning, finance, governmental relations, real estate, construction, and property management to provide a total service approach to commercial real estate development. Warburton & Buttner successfully completed a comprehensive spectrum of commercial real estate developments exceeding $100,000,000 in construction costs.
Chip holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in business administration from Principia College and is a licensed general contractor.
Charles Davis
Charles Davis is Director of Project Development for activities undertaken by Jacobs Family Foundation — entities that relate to planning, building, operating and maintaining the emerging cultural Village at Market Creek as an inclusive, sustainable community.
He is working closely with resident teams, local community groups, and public and private sector partners to plan & develop more than a dozen new projects that will transform the Diamond Neighborhoods in southeast San Diego for the benefit of existing and future residents. These efforts include designing and constructing a green, walkable, livable transit village that will create 1,000 units of quality affordable housing; produce 530,000 square feet of new retail, office, and light industrial space; enhance over 3,000 linear feet of urban wetlands; and redevelop numerous brownfields. He is also helping to build a network of community resources to enhance capacity-building for long-term resident investment and ownership, generate social enterprises and provide livable-wage jobs and skills training for those who live there.
Before joining the Jacobs Center in 2006, Mr. Davis had over 25 years of community development and construction experience. He has managed the development and construction of over 50 projects valued at 850 million dollars for numerous for profit and non-profit organizations. He served as the Community Development Officer of the Gaslamp Quarter Association in San Diego and Director of Development for Landgrant Development.
He attended the University of California at Los Angeles School of Engineering, received a Business degree from the University of Redlands and has completed the Community Economics Development program at San Diego State University.
Douglas B. Diamond, Jr.
Douglas B. Diamond is a highly-consulted expert in the research and evaluation of housing markets and finance across the globe. Doug's career has spanned decades, most recently serving in a consultant role with the World Bank and USAID.
Beginning as an assistant professor of economics and business at North Carolina State University, he served as both a scholar-in-residence and research economist for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office of Economic Affairs. He also worked with the National Association of Home Builders as a senior policy analyst and an assistant staff vice president for housing policy.
Since then, Doug has examined housing markets throughout the world from a variety of angles. He has traveled from South Africa to Russia and from India to Croatia to consult with governments and groups on such topics as establishing government-owned mortgage banks, evaluating housing finance subsidies, developing laws on mortgage lending and funding, and designing a secondary mortgage funding facility.
Doug has authored several books on the subject of housing and housing finance. He also contributed articles to such publications as Land Economics, Urban Studies, Contemporary Policy Issues, and the Journal of Urban Economics.
Doug holds a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Rochester and masters' and doctorate degrees in economics from the University of Chicago.
Susan Halliday
As the director of finance for JCNI, Susan manages all areas of finance, accounting, and administration, including developing budgeting and cash flow management tools to guide JCNI toward both short- and long-term financial goals.
Prior to joining JCNI, she served as vice president and controller for a high-tech product manufacturer, guiding their financial, information technology, human resources, and administrative functions from a loss position to a 700 percent growth in revenues. She also worked with a world-wide manufacturing company as its general accounting manager, helping guide the company through its initial public offering.
Susan is a past chair of the American Electronics Association CFO Roundtable, and in 2008 was named San Diego’s CFO of the Year by the San Diego Business Journal. She serves on the Finance Committees for San Diego Grantmakers, Elementary Institute of Science, the local affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Foundation, and Make A Difference Fund. Susan has participated as a moderator and speaker for the Council on Foundations and Salk Institute, and is a 2011 participant of Leadership California.
Susan holds a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from California State University, Northridge.
Elaine B. Kennedy
Elaine Kennedy has been a lifelong San Diego resident, living in Encanto since 1992. She is a precision mechanical inspector who has worked at Solar Turbine for 21 years. She is also the secretary/treasurer of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, Local #389. Elaine served on the board of the Coalition of Neighborhood Councils, worked with the YWCA, and has been involved in local neighborhood watch programs. She became involved with the Neighborhood Unity Foundation (NUF) when the Ownership Design Team began conversations about a resident-planned and led foundation in 2001. She volunteered on the Design Team that guided the community listening phase of development and the election of officers. She was elected to the NUF board in 2005 and was part of the team that helped the organization successfully earn its 501(c)3 status.
She is currently in her second term as a board member and serves as treasurer. She also serves on the Resource Development Committee, which conducts outreach and communication with NUF's network of current and potential funders.
Edward "Eddie" S. Price
For 12 years, Eddie has been the owner of California Dents, an automotive reconditioning service. In 1996, he founded the San Diego Black Business Weekend, a networking opportunity for African-American-owned businesses in San Diego. He is also president of the San Diego Urban Economic Corporation, which builds relationships between individuals and corporations through economic, social, and community-focused programs. He is managing partner of Valencia Park Renaissance, LLC, a corporation formed to enhance and rehabilitate his community.
Eddie is also engaged in publishing through the new media VirtuallyBlack.com. He serves as editor of two electronic news magazines: Urban Economic News and Black Mondays. These outlets currently reach 3,500 subscribers across the nation.
He has served as second vice-president of the San Diego NAACP, board member of the Diablos Pop Warner Football Association, member of the
San Diego Black American Political Action Committee, and member of the Friends of Malcolm X Library. Eddie is the recipient of numerous awards for his service to the community. He received the Earl B. Gilliam Bar Association's "Frederick Douglass" Distinguished Community Service Award, an Unsung Hero Award from the NAACP, accolades from the California Black Chamber of Commerce, and numerous proclamations from the City of San Diego and Mayor's office.
