Executive Leadership and Management Team

Helmi A. Hisserich, Bureau Director

Helmi.Hisserich@portlandoregon.gov  |  503-823-2289
For scheduling requests, please contact Jennifer.Ori@portlandoregon.gov.

Helmi A. Hisserich, MBA (she/her/hers), who joined the Portland Housing Bureau’s as its new director in early 2024, has spent her professional life dedicated to advancing solutions to the affordable housing and homeless crisis. A forward-thinking housing leader, Helmi spent 22 years working for the City of Los Angeles, eventually serving as Deputy Mayor of Housing and Homelessness and as the director of Housing Development and Finance at the Los Angeles Housing Department, where she oversaw the creation of over 6,000 units of affordable housing. 

“Over decades of work in affordable housing development,” Helmi says. “I saw many examples of the success of the United States’ tax-credit-based financing system, but I also began to recognize its limitations. I wanted to research and develop new approaches to meet the enormous need we faced in Los Angeles, and which we face here in Portland as well.”

Helmi began looking abroad for inspiration, which led her to a major career shift: in 2021, she became the director of the Global Policy Leadership Academy (GPLA), an educational institution that prepares policy leaders to tackle complex societal challenges. Her purview at GPLA centered around leading delegations of US housing policy makers and elected officials to Vienna, Austria to learn about the Vienna Social Housing Model, a globally recognized housing system that has led to Vienna being consistently ranked the most livable city in the world.  As she steps into her new role at the Portland Housing Bureau, Helmi aims to take lessons from Vienna and attempt to innovate new approaches to our affordable housing crisis, which can serve as a model for other US cities struggling with similar issues.

Helmi is deeply committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in all areas of her work. Having grown up in a mixed-race family in Northeast Lost Angeles, she became a fluent Spanish speaker in part because she was surrounded by Mexican cultural influences throughout her early years. She is a proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community and has been in a relationship with her now-wife for 37 years, beginning long before same-sex marriage was legalized in California. 

Before domestic partnership existed, Helmi fought an unfair eviction by a homophobic landlord, learning firsthand what it feels like to face the loss of a rent-controlled apartment due to discrimination. And in 2001, she won a landmark tax case in California that created new tax law for same-sex parents after a battle with the California Franchise Tax board over her ability to file as “head of household.” Her professional legacy reflects this commitment to equity, with a track record in hiring and promotion that has increased the diversity of managers at all levels.

“I’m inspired by what I’ve seen so far in Portland’s housing landscape,” says Helmi, citing our commitment to equity demonstrated by policies like the N/NE Neighborhood Housing Strategy, to our dedication to sustainable practices, and our excellent track record of producing high-quality multi-family affordable housing. She looks forward to finding forward-thinking strategies for helping Portland meet our serious need for affordable housing, including ideas like land banking, mass timber construction, and effective leveraging of state and federal funding.

Helmi earned a BA in Comparative Literature from the University of Southern California and an MBA from Cornell University with an emphasis in finance. She attended the Harvard Kennedy School Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government and was awarded a Stanton Fellowship in 2016 for thought leadership in housing.

Director's Calendar

2024

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Angel Landrón Gonzalez, Deputy Director

Angel.LandronGonzalez@portlandoregon.gov  |  503-823-8739

Angel Landrón Gonzalez, MBA (he/him/his) served as the Portland Housing Bureau's Finance & Accounting Manager from 2022 to 2024, leading a team of eight professionals, managing a budget exceeding $300 million, and overseeing payroll for 87 employees.

Before moving to the Pacific Northwest in 2017 with his wife, two daughters, and Louis, their mini Schnauzer, Angel lived in Puerto Rico and came from a family dedicated to public service. Starting his career in the private sector, he soon felt called to serve the common good. His first public sector role was with the Puerto Rico Teachers' Retirement System, where he served for twelve years as Finance Manager, Controller, and Fiscal Area Director. After moving to the Portland area, Angel joined the Multnomah County Health Department as Budget & Finance Manager. He helped the department navigate both a substantial budget decrease, and a massive influx of funding during the COVID-19 pandemic. During the County's transition to a new ERP system, he adeptly navigated the department budgeting process, managing the most complex budget within the County, with more than 1,511 staff, 9 divisions, and 94 program offers totaling $441 million.

From 2018 to 2023, Angel volunteered as a member of the North Clackamas School District Budget Committee, where they approved a budget exceeding $600 million. He is also a member of the Local Government Hispanic Network (LGHN) International Committee which is affiliated with the International City/County Management Association (ICMA).

At PHB, Angel is known among his team members and colleagues for his optimism, rigor, and encouraging leadership style. He holds an MBA from Walden University and a BS in accounting from the University of Puerto Rico.

Leslie Goodlow, Equity & Business Operations Manager

Leslie.Goodlow@portlandoregon.gov  |  503-823-4160

Leslie Goodlow, LMSW joined Portland Housing Bureau as the Equity and Business Operations Manager in September of 2012. Leslie has a tremendous personal and professional commitment to the communities served by the Portland Housing Bureau.  She manages Compliance, Human Resources, Finance & Accounting, Administration and Contracts.  Additionally, she is the Bureau lead on equity goals related to recruitment, hiring, training and contracts.  Leslie is also the co-sponsor of the N/NE Neighborhood Housing Strategy an effort by the city of Portland to provide opportunities for displaced residents to move back into NE Portland.

Leslie holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Grambling State University and a Master’s in Social Work from Portland State University.  Leslie is also a Licensed Masters Social worker.

Leslie held progressively responsible jobs with Multnomah County during her 20 years there. She began her career at the County as a Mental Health Consultant with the Partner’s Project a multi-jurisdictional demonstration grant funded by SAMHSA. She moved into management and participated in the development of Multnomah County’s capitated mental health plan – CAPCare.

In 1998 she took over the Child and Adolescent Mental Health direct service programs for the County. In this role, she partnered with school districts across the county, Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice to improve services and outcomes in mental health care for children. Her last position with the County was serving as the Senior Manager in charge of Coordination, Safety and Intake Services for the Developmental Disabilities Services Division, which also included business operations and information technology. 

She is very active in the community, most notably with the Portland Rose Festival Foundation, where she has been a board member since 1999 and served as President of the organization in 2007 for the Centennial Celebration. She was a board member of the Portland Kaohsiung Sister City Association for seven years, many years as on PTAs at Vernon, Humboldt, Fernwood and Benson High School, and a Board member for Peninsula Little league.  Leslie currently serves as the President of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated, Zeta Sigma Omega Chapter here in Portland. 

Josh Roper, Policy & Planning Manager

Josh.Roper@portlandoregon.gov

Josh Roper, JD, MPP (he/him/his) relocated to Portland from Philadelphia, where he worked for the City government for over ten years. From 2021 to 2024, Josh served as the Policy Director for Health & Human Services in the Managing Director's Office, an executive role supporting Philadelphia's health and human services agencies, where he developed and advanced a cross-agency policy agenda focused on economic mobility; health and healthcare; housing; and safety and trauma prevention. His prior roles included as COVID-19 Policy Director, Senior Policy Advisor, and Public Policy Attorney for the Philadelphia Department of Public Health. He began his legal career at Covington & Burling LLP in Washington, DC. Josh holds a JD from Harvard Law School, an MPP from the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, and a BA from Yale University.

PHB Management Team

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