Joseph Waldo is an economist with a unique combination of for-profit and non-profit experience. He has been President of URDC since 2002, successfully growing the organization’s membership from three churches to eleven and has been instrumental in the development of URDC’s highly successful Owner Occupied Home Repair Program. Joe has also been Vice-Chairman of the Germantown Special Services District (GSSD), a quasi-public corporation with assessment authority to improve commercial corridors in Philadelphia’s Germantown neighborhood.

In the private sector, Joe is a successful transportation professional with extensive experience in logistics, Class 1 railroad management, and business development. He currently works as a consultant advising public- and private-sector clients in support of transportation infrastructure investment. Joe resides in Chestnut Hill and is an Adjunct Professor in Economics at Montgomery County Community College. He holds a MA in Regional Economics from the University of Pennsylvania and a BA in Sociology/Urban Studies from The Catholic University of America.

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Michael Clay is the owner of Clay Contracting ,a Philadelphia-area contractor known for delivering dependable home repair, restoration, and maintenance services. Since 2015, Michael has built a reputation for quality craftsmanship, reliability, and attention to detail on projects of all sizes.

With years of hands-on experience, Michael specializes in restorative and masonry work, helping homeowners preserve, repair, and improve their properties. His expertise includes restoring damaged structures, repairing masonry features, and completing home improvement projects with lasting results.

Michael takes pride in providing high-quality workmanship and dependable service for URDC’s homeowners. His commitment to honesty, professionalism, and doing the job right has earned Clay Contracting the trust of homeowners throughout the Philadelphia area.

Valerie has been with URDC since mid-2013 overseeing the Owner-Occupied Repair Program. A licensed real estate agent with degrees in Social Work and Urban Economic Development, Valerie has extensive knowledge of housing issues and the needs of the people she serves. She has long been active in the community, having worked for the Philadelphia Housing Authority and having developed policy for the Philadelphia Interfaith Hospitality Network (PIHN) and Transformational Housing Program (THP).

Michell Hodge is URDC’s Administrative Coordinator – Home Repair Programs. In that capacity, she manages the operational coordination for URDC’s Home Repair and Home Strong Programs, including client workflows, contractor engagement, and program systems to ensure efficient, responsive service delivery.

Michell is a mission-driven leader and community-centered professional with more than 20 years of experience strengthening nonprofit programs, building strategic partnerships, and improving service delivery. Her skills sit at the intersection of program operations, community engagement, and systems development, with a focus on helping organizations run more effectively while expanding their impact. She is known for her ability to bring structure to complex programs, streamline processes, and strengthen the infrastructure needed to support sustainable growth.

Michell holds a Master’s degree in Human Services Administration from Metropolitan College of New York and has served in senior leadership roles, including Vice President of Programs at Big Brothers Big Sisters Independence and Executive Director of Early Learning Services at Elwyn. She is deeply committed to serving older adults and vulnerable residents in URDC’s service area, connecting individuals to critical resources while helping URDC deliver more coordinated, impactful services.

Clive has over 18 years of experience in the home repair and rehabilitation industry. He manages his own minority-owned contracting company in Philadelphia that specializes in painting, drywall repair, tile installation, plumbing, and electrical. A Jamaican immigrant, Clive recently became an American citizen after participating in the Sanctuary program at a local church in 2020 and 2021.