Staff &

Board

Executive Assistant: Danielle.Gharineh@ppl-inc.org

Karla Henderson, President and CEO, has been in this role as of January 2025. Karla is tasked with leading the 50+-year-old organization into its next chapter by bringing an inspirational, collaborative, and empowering leadership style to the organization. Karla first came to PPL in March 2024 as Senior Vice President of Housing Stability which utilized her over 20 years of experience working with communities to create equity through community development, urban planning, and capital improvement. 

Before PPL, Karla served as the Director of Community Development for the City of Bloomington, Minnesota. After graduating with her bachelor’s degree in public resource management from Michigan State, Karla quickly rose to be a community leader in Detroit, her hometown. There, Karla served as Group Executive for the City of Detroit and Director of Capital Investment and Buildings Administration for Wayne County, Michigan. 

In these roles, Karla spearheaded community development, building strength and capacity for neighborhoods. Karla is currently serving on the board of directors of Land Bank Twin Cities, and Mall of America Community Foundation, as well as the 2024-25 co-chair of Leadership Twin Cities. 

Lauren Beecham Henry brings over 15 years of experience leading integrated marketing, giving and development strategies for major institutions, including her most recent role as SVP of Customer and Community Marketing at Bremer Bank. 

Lauren was recognized as a Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal 40 under 40 recipient. She is also the former Executive Director of Women Winning and currently serves as Board Chair of the Goodwill-Easter Seals Minnesota Foundation.

Executive Assistant: clara.boyum@ppl-inc.org

Scott Cordes joined PPL in March 2017. Most recently the Director of Budget & Innovation at the City of Saint Paul, Scott was a leader in the city’s finance function for 12 years, including serving as Mayor Coleman’s Budget Director for 7 years. Under his direction of the Saint Paul Innovation Team, Saint Paul became a nationally-recognized leader in change management and service transformation for government programs. Scott’s significant strategic finance skills are complemented by deep experience in multi-year financial planning, true-cost analysis, capital/facilities planning, and a strong background in information technology and human resources. Scott has a bachelor’s degree from Valparaiso University and a master’s degree in Public Policy from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota.

Executive Assistant: clara.boyum@ppl-inc.org

Executive Assistant: abby.kamm@ppl-inc.org

Rashida Jackson, an experienced leader in human services, management, and affordable housing, is the Vice President of Housing Operations at PPL. With over 20 years of progressive leadership experience and a deep understanding of working with marginalized populations. Rashida oversees the Housing Stability Operations Team, managing a fiscal budget of over $30 million, with an acute eye to enriching experience for residents across PPL's portfolio of 1500+ affordable and supportive housing units. Rashida is committed to integrating PPL's housing services through participatory engagement from residents and by creating and leading successful management teams within diverse organizations.

Executive Assistant: clara.boyum@ppl-inc.org

Dr. María C. Pabón Gautier is the Chief People Officer at Project for Pride in Living in Minneapolis, MN. In this role she leads race equity strategies and programming, human resources, talent development, administration/operations, and the Career Readiness division. María holds a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Minnesota and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Puerto Rico. With over 20 years of experience, Dr. Pabón Gautier has dedicated her career to training, coaching, teaching, and conducting research to develop evidence-informed practices.

Her extensive experience spans non-profit organizations, higher education, for-profit sectors, K-12 education, and government agencies, all with a focus on supporting underserved and marginalized communities. Dr. Pabón’s work is characterized by an interdisciplinary and diverse approach, with a commitment to advancing justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) in various settings.

Prior to her current role, she served as the Vice President of Equity and Inclusion at St. Olaf College. Throughout her career, she has been guided by principles of community engagement, the philosophy of “by us for us,” and a strong foundation in research, measurement, and evaluation.

Dr. Pabón Gautier is particularly focused on race equity and strengths-based approaches, ensuring that communities of color are at the center of development and decision-making processes. Her work aims to foster inclusive environments where all individuals can thrive and contribute meaningfully.

Executive Assistant: abby.kamm@ppl-inc.org

Gabe Philibert serves as Vice President of Real Estate Development and Asset Management at Project for Pride in Living. He joined the organization in September 2024. In this role, Gabe oversees PPL's real estate initiatives, ensuring strategic growth and alignment with PPL's mission of empowering communities through sustainable housing solutions. 

With more than two decades of experience in commercial real estate and community development, Gabe has held leadership positions at Bell Bank and several other institutions, where he was instrumental in fostering impactful investments and partnerships. 

A graduate of Luther College, Gabe combines a deep understanding of real estate finances with a passion for creating equitable opportunities, where his leadership continues to drive innovative and inclusive real estate strategies at PPL.

Kristine Moser serves as Senior Director of Human Resources at Project for Pride in Living, where she leads strategic HR initiatives that foster inclusion, equity, and engagement across the organization. With more than a decade of experience in nonprofit and healthcare sectors, Kristine has a proven track record of implementing transformative HR systems, optimizing compensation and benefits strategies, and embedding racial equity into organizational practices. Her leadership philosophy centers on a human-centered, equity-first approach—building trust, belonging, and accountability to create workplaces where people thrive.

Kristine’s expertise spans talent management, organizational development, and employee relations. She has successfully guided organizations through complex transitions, improved retention through innovative onboarding programs, and driven measurable improvements in engagement and culture. Beyond her professional role, Kristine serves as Board Chair for Bellis, a groundbreaking national nonprofit whose mission is to improve the lives of those facing complex grief and ambiguous loss—especially people whose children are parented by others—and to raise the standard of care for systems serving them.

Kristine is inspired by the power of equity and compassion to transform workplaces and communities. She is committed to creating environments where every individual feels valued, supported, and empowered to thrive.

Elisa Pluhar, MA joined PPL as the Associate Vice President of Advancement in January 2026. Previously, she was the Chief Innovation & Strategy Officer for Neighborhood Development Center (NDC). In that role, she built partnerships with funders, oversaw the organization’s strategic plan, managed internal and external communications and led the policy and advocacy work. Elisa has worked in development and communications for over 20 years, having previously worked at Public Radio International where she built and formalized the individual giving program, growing revenue by 77%. In addition, she held development roles at YouthLink and the YWCA St. Paul.  Elisa is an active member of the Association for Fundraising Professionals. She has a Master’s degree in Nonprofit Management from Hamline University and a Bachelor’s degree in Speech Communications and Theater Arts from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.

Zarah Augustine serves as PPL's Major Gifts Officer. She transitioned into this role after serving as Director of Volunteer Programs for six years where she led PPL’s volunteer engagement strategy, building inclusive, mission-driven programs that connect community members and partners to meaningful service projects.  

With a collaborative and equity-centered approach, she oversaw the recruitment, training, and mobilization of hundreds of volunteers annually ensuring their impact supports PPL’s mission to build the hope, assets, and self-reliance of individuals and families.  

Zarah brings over 12 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, volunteer management, and community engagement. Prior to her role at PPL, she worked as a Senior Recruiter at Big Brothers Big Sisters. 

In addition to her work at PPL, she also currently serves as President and Board Chair of Twin Cities Professionals of Color, a professional organization that champions networking opportunities and professional development for BIPOC professionals across the twin cities. 

Pauleen Le serves as the Director of Communications and Marketing for Project for Pride in Living.

She joined PPL in July 2025, bringing nearly 15 years of experience in news media, most recently as an anchor and reporter at WCCO-TV. An Emmy Award-winning journalist, Pauleen began her career as a general assignment reporter in La Crosse, Wisconsin, with career stops in Green Bay and Fort Wayne, Indiana, before becoming the morning anchor in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She later returned to WCCO, where she had originally started as an intern.

Over the course of her career, she has earned 14 Emmy nominations, winning her first in 2023 for Outstanding Coverage of Breaking/Spot News, along with a dozen awards from the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association.

Pauleen is also a dedicated board member of ThreeSixty Journalism, a local nonprofit program that trains and empowers high school students to become the next generation of diverse thinkers, communicators, and leaders.

Latisha Moening brings a dynamic background in volunteer management, community outreach, and relationship building to her role as Volunteer Program Manager at PPL. She currently serves as Secretary on the Board of Directors for The Drawer, a local nonprofit that provides warmth and dignity by distributing new socks and underwear to those in need.

A dedicated community leader, Latisha was recognized twice in 2025 with the prestigious Melvin Jones Award for her impactful service through both her local Lions Club and Lions District 5M-6. Over the past five years, she has served on her club’s board in a variety of roles—including Social Media Coordinator, Vice President, President, and now Immediate Past President. Her commitment to service has also earned her the Helen Keller Award and the Lion of the Year honor, further highlighting her unwavering dedication to strengthening and supporting her community.

Latisha is driven by the belief that every act of service—big or small—has the power to create lasting change, and she strives to bring that spirit to every connection she builds at PPL.

Carlo Bruno serves as PPL’s Director of Career Services, overseeing all adult employment programming across the organization. In this role, he leads strategic coordination of program development and implementation, enrollment, data and evaluation, reporting, and grant writing to ensure effective program management. Since joining PPL in March 2018, Carlo has built a strong foundation in workforce development, serving in multiple roles within the Employment Training department for more than six years. His experience spans direct service delivery, program design, and departmental strategy.

Carlo is deeply committed to aligning PPL’s employment programs with career pathways that offer family-sustaining wages and opportunities for advancement. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of Minnesota.

Henry Rucker serves as the Associate Director of Homeownership & Financial Coaching at Project for Pride and Living. He joined the organization in January 2014. Before coming to PPL, Henry worked at Lutheran Social Services as a Financial Opportunity Center Program Coordinator, as a banker for US Bank, and is a real estate broker for Banneker Realty. His 15 years of experience as a banker made him well versed in the tools available to consumers. Over his fourteen years coordinating financial training, he has developed expertise in helping lower-income individuals attain greater financial stability, with a strong interest in helping people make the transition to homeownership.  Henry currently serves on the Board of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers Twin Cities, as a Leadership Team Member of the Homeownership Opportunity Alliance.

He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Clark Atlanta University in 1992 and is a licensed real estate broker.

Casey joined PPL in 2015 as the Lead Teacher at Loring Nicollet Alternative School. Casey served as PPL's Associate Director of Education prior to expanding her work as the Foundations director in 2025. In her current work with the City of Minneapolis' Step Up program, Casey and her team manage Employer Engagement, Youth Services, Internship matching and Training elements for Step Up Interns ages 14-21 in partnership with the City of Minneapolis and Achieve Twin Cities. She has 14 years of experience working in alternative education and youth employment. She is passionate about providing youth access to meaningful employment experiences and opportunities in the Twin Cities. 

Nancy McMurray serves as the Director of Family Services at Project for Pride in Living. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over ten years of experience servicing people experiencing homelessness and managing teams through a housing first approach. At PPL, Nancy oversees a team that offers service coordination, person-centered service planning, and trauma informed case management to people in need at permanent supportive housing sites throughout the Twin Cities.  

Prior to PPL, she worked as the Assistant Program Director for Paul's Place Drop-in Center that provided meals, laundry, medical/psychiatric care, and case management services to people experiencing street homelessness in New York City.