WHRC Team Members
Elizabeth Perez
Executive Director
Elizabeth joined WHRC as Deputy Director in 2022 and now serves as Executive Director.
Elizabeth grew up in a low-income household, wherein homeownership provided stability for her family and was key to lifting them out of poverty. Elizabeth spent the first several chapters of her career as an educator and administrator supporting communities underserved by K-12 and higher education.
Kari Jennings
Program Support Specialist
Kari joined the Washington Homeownership Resource Center (WHRC) in June 2021 and has been a dedicated member of the organization ever since. As a Program Support Specialist, Kari provides administrative & programmatic support for WHRC by assisting with the development, coordination and delivery of sustainable homeownership programs. Born and raised in Washington State, Kari takes pride in supporting homeowners and future homeowners across the region. Outside of work, Kari enjoys spending quality time with family and her beloved dog.
Leysy Martinez
Information and Referral Specialist
Leysy is an Information and Referral Specialist at Washington Homeownership Resource Center. She has a background in Administrative and Property Management. Her past roles include managing manufactured home communities where she grew a passion for assisting people in need. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family and 2 dogs Oreo and Bear, hiking, and taking short road trips.
Susanna Martini
Lead Information and Referral Specialist
Susanna is the Lead Information and Referral Specialist at the Washington Homeownership Resource Center.
Susanna has a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Gonzaga University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington. Susanna has been with the Washington Homeownership Resource Center since 2012.
When she is not helping homeowners, she enjoys spending time with her daughter, Lily, and their dogs Echo and Oreo.
Evelin Martinez
Program and Partnerships Coordinator
Evelin Martinez is the Program and Partnerships Coordinator at the Washington Homeownership Resource Center (WHRC). She previously worked with Habitat for Humanity as a Family Support Coordinator, where she managed support for over 60 families.
In her current role at WHRC, Evelin conducts outreach to BIPOC homebuyers, leading work groups in partnership with the Black Home Initiative (BHI). As the Program and Partnerships Coordinator, she is also dedicated to fostering and building relationships with current and new partners.
Raquel Munguia
Information and Referral Manager
Raquel is the Information and Referral Manager at the Washington Homeownership Resource Center.
She has earned undergraduate degrees in Liberal Arts and Social Science and a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Washington State University.
She started working in the housing industry as a property manager for Conventional, Tax-Credit, and Affordable Housing units. She then shifted towards working with the Housing Authority and gained knowledge of the HUD Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) and Public Housing Programs.
Kristen Patterson
Operations Manager
Kristen is the Operations Manager at the Washington Homeownership Resource Center and has worked at the organization for almost ten years.
Kristen received her bachelor’s degree in media studies from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a degree in Paralegal Studies from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.
Jasmine Williams
Communications Specialist
Jasmine leads WHRC’s outreach and engagement efforts through content creation, marketing, and design. With a background in journalism and a passion for equity in housing, she brings a creative and mission-driven approach to her work.
What she enjoys most about her role is helping people feel more confident in their path to homeownership—whether through discovering resources, understanding their options, or simply feeling more connected to their community.
Pam Hayter
Executive Assistant
Pamela Hayter is a current freelance Executive Assistant and Event Coordinator with over 25 years of experience in the field. She was previously with Amazon for 8 years where she ran a worldwide volunteer program. Originally from Virginia, she currently resides in Kirkland where she enjoys being dragged to K-pop concerts by her two daughters.