Become a Speaker

Showcase your expertise in affordable housing finance and development, and share your knowledge with an engaged national audience. Speaking at NALHFA 2027 is a great opportunity to share your perspective, contribute to important industry conversations, and become recognized as a leader in affordable housing.

Questions about your proposal?
Contact our friendly team at [email protected] or 202.367.1197 (Monday–Friday | 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. ET).

NALHFA 2027 Speakers

Additional speaker information will be added to this page on a rolling basis.

Keynote Speakers

Tyler Merritt (Keynote)
Actor, Musician, Comedian & Activist | The Tyler Merritt Project

Tyler Merritt is an actor, musician, comedian, and activist behind The Tyler Merritt Project. Raised in Las Vegas, he has always had a passion for bringing laughter, grace, and love into any community he is a part of. His film credits include Netflix's Outer Banks, Disney/Marvel's Falcon and the Winter Soldier, NBC's Young Rock, and A24's The Inspection, among others. Tyler's viral videos "Before You Call the Cops" and "Walking While Black" have been viewed by more than 100 million people worldwide, with "Before You Call the Cops" named the most powerful video of 2020 by NowThis Politics. He is a cancer survivor who lives in Nashville, Tennessee.

Michael Neal (Keynote)
Senior Fellow & Practice Area Lead, Housing Finance Policy Center, Urban Institute

Michael Neal is a senior fellow and practice area lead in the Housing Finance Policy Center at the Urban Institute and a research director with the Initiative on Land, Housing and Property Rights at Boston College Law School. His research focuses on housing, wealth building, and the systems that shape access to homeownership and economic opportunity. His work has been presented to numerous federal agencies and the US Senate Banking Committee. Neal holds degrees from Morehouse College and the University of Pennsylvania.

Shane Phillips (Keynote)
Housing Researcher, Writer & Consultant | UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies

Shane Phillips is a researcher, writer, and consultant committed to improving public understanding of housing markets and policy. He manages the Randall Lewis Housing Initiative at the UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies and produces and hosts the UCLA Housing Voice Podcast, a biweekly show that translates policy-relevant research for a non-academic audience. In his book, The Affordable City, he advocates for prioritizing Supply, Stability, and Subsidies—a message he has shared on panels and in keynote presentations across North America. Shane earned his bachelor's degree in biochemistry from the University of Washington and master's degrees in public administration and urban planning from USC.