Suny Lay Chang has more than 20 years of professional experience in affordable housing, community development, and strategic management. Her career has been driven by her passion for economic development and poverty alleviation, leading Suny to her work in affordable housing. Suny sees affordable housing as a powerful catalyst to build communities and neighborhoods, as well as a vehicle for economic growth for families and local economies.

As President & COO, Suny works with the CEO to lead key initiatives for the organization, including strategic planning, community partnerships, organizational growth, and internal initiatives. Other areas of focus include oversight of Linc’s finance, real estate development, fundraising, community and public relations, property development, risk management, and overall operations. Suny also supports Linc’s policy and advocacy efforts.

Prior to joining Linc in 2007, Suny was a Management Consultant with The Boston Consulting Group, where she consulted for senior managers of Fortune 100 companies across several disciplines, including strategy and operations, valuation and financial analysis, marketing, asset management, and post-merger integrations. Suny’s experience in economic development also includes work in developing countries, serving at United States embassies in Uruguay and Cambodia. Her rigorous business background allows her to apply her technical skills to the nonprofit world and use her analytical strengths to address social and economic issues that have motivated her work since her undergraduate days.

Suny obtained her MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and her bachelor’s degree in economics from Harvard University, where she wrote her thesis on measuring the effects of economic growth on poverty alleviation. She revisited Harvard to complete the Achieving Excellence program, a prestigious training program for community development leaders offered by NeighborWorks® America through the Kennedy School of Government. Suny’s current and prior leadership roles include serving on the boards of the Long Beach Economic Partnership, Long Beach Community Investment Commission, St. Mary Medical Center, Rotary Club, United Cambodian Community, and the Western Region Advisory Committee for the Low Income Investment Fund.

Since 1984, Linc Housing has built a strong track record of creating communities for thousands of families and seniors throughout California. We’re committed to building and preserving housing that is affordable, environmentally sustainable, and a catalyst for community improvement. Linc works hard to address the homelessness crisis by building supportive housing and addressing the affordable housing needs of our state’s diverse population. Through our resident services, we’re also providing life-enhancing programs and intensive case management services (ICMS) that improve the quality of life for those who live in our communities.