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National Church Residences is an innovative leader in integrating housing, health care and other supportive services for seniors, families and others who need us. Thousands of people nationwide come home to the comfortable, affordable housing that National Church Residences offers.
Our Atlanta corporate team oversees 1,355 units in fourteen communities. These communities include:
Meet the leadership team for National Church Residences in Atlanta, Georgia.
Regional Vice President
Amil Marchena joined National Church Residences in 2011 and currently serves at Regional Vice President overseeing the operations of our affordable housing portfolio in the Southeast part of the United States. A Colombian native, Amil immigrated to the U.S. in 1998 in pursuit of mastering the English language and obtaining a degree in Computer Programming. He began his career in 2002 right after completing his internship, working primarily with the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program, HUD and Section 8, and managing multifamily housing communities. Amil joined National Church Residences in Atlanta as the manager for our 400-unit senior communities, Baptist Towers and Baptist Gardens. In 2013, he was promoted to Regional Portfolio Leader overseeing a portfolio with properties in Georgia, Tennessee and Arkansas. Throughout his career, he has obtained numerous industry certifications and, in 2012, he was awarded National Church Residences’ Core Value Award of Professionalism.
Amil enjoys spending time with his family, serving at his church and supporting causes for the research of men’s mental health and prostate cancer. His passion and dedication to serve the most vulnerable have turned his job into a calling. Amil is very grateful for all the opportunities that America has afforded him!
Project Leader, Affordable Housing
Amy Fox is a Project Leader with National Church Residences, serving as an affordable housing originator for new construction and rehabilitation projects in the Atlanta Metro Area.
An Ohio native, Amy got her start in affordable housing when she committed to a year of service with Mercy Volunteer Corps and was placed at permanent supportive housing site in Sacramento, California. As a Personal Development Coach, she provided life skills programming and one on one case management to 60 individuals who were formerly unhoused. Following her volunteer year she continued on as a service coordinator and administrator in housing and homeless services. After seeing repeatedly how the lack of access to safe, affordable housing was a significant determinant of an individual’s success and future, Amy was eager to become part of the Real Estate Development team at Mercy Housing in Sacramento. She learned about nearly every source of state funding and the LIHTC program, supporting projects all over Northern California. In 2022, after relocating to Atlanta to be closer to family, Amy joined the National Church Residences team and has continued her work and growth in affordable housing.
Amy is a member of the Atlanta Women’s Affordable Housing Network and is still actively involved with Mercy Volunteer Corps as an alumna. In her free time, she can be found out running and biking the city or solving a jigsaw puzzle.
Director, Affordable Housing
Maureen Freehill currently serves as the Director of Affordable Housing with National Church Residences, leading efforts in establishing National Church Residences “second home” in the Atlanta Metro area though strategic planning and development.
Maureen started her career in affordable housing as a Section 8 caseworker with RUPCO in upstate New York. From there she served as Special Needs Housing Policy Analyst for New York State Homes and Community Renewal (NYS DHCR), generating the Nursing Home Transition and Diversion Housing (NHTD)Subsidy Program. This program won the 2009 National Council of State Housing Authorities (NCSHA) award for innovation in special needs housing. This model is currently being used in other states response to the critical housing shortage for disabled households.
After moving to Atlanta in 2012 she began her work as a multi-family developer utilizing LIHTC and leveraging public and private partnerships to provide enriched housing opportunities in Georgia with a focus on the Atlanta Metro. Maureen earned her bachelor’s degree from SUNY New Paltz. She has been recognized as a Community Leadership Partner by the IRS in establishing the C.A.S.H Coalition in the Hudson Valley to assist working families to build assets and intergenerational wealth. She is Vice President of Programs for the Atlanta Women’s Affordable Housing Network, Executive Board Director with the Georgia Supportive Housing Association, Volunteer coordinator for Neighbor in Need East Lake/Kirkwood, a member of the class of 2022 ULI Center for Leadership, and a Girl Scout troop leader to 18 superstars.
Regional Director of Philanthropy and Public Relations
Beverly Burks comes to the organization with more than two decades of experience spanning community outreach and engagement; public affairs and media relations; non-profit organization management; budget, grant, volunteer and crisis management; and event planning and organization. Over the course of her career, she has served as an executive for community engagement for the Fulton-DeKalb Hospital Authority, owner of Grady Health System, which is the fifth largest safety net hospital in the nation. Burks also served as the executive director for the National Pan-Hellenic Council, based in Decatur, Georgia. Burks holds a Bachelor of Science in computer information systems from Alabama State University and will be completing her Executive Master of Business Administration from the University of North Alabama.
She also has been serving as the mayor of Clarkston, Georgia since November 2020. Often referred to as “the most diverse square mile in America” with residents from more than 50 different nations and six continents, Clarkston has been home to Burks for 21 years.
Burks has been a member of various professional and community organizations, including the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Coalition of One Hundred Black Women, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, National Association of Female Executives, Leadership DeKalb, Age-Friendly Metro Advisory Council and DeKalb County Board of Health board member, Clarkston COVID-19 Task Force and Junior League of DeKalb County.
Regional Portfolio Leader
Natasha Johnson currently serves as the Regional Portfolio Leader for the Atlanta Region with National Church Residences. She currently oversees operations at all properties within this region.
A native of Atlanta, where she attended Atlanta Metropolitan College and earned a degree in Criminology. Natasha begin her career in affordable housing property management in 2005 as a Leasing Specialist with The Integral Group and also worked for several years with Columbia Residential. In 2016, Natasha joined the National Church Residences family as a Senior Property Manager, where she managed the largest property in the Atlanta Portfolio. She has amassed vast knowledge throughout the industry, she currently holds COS, COS-P, and HCCP designations.
Natasha is a member of the Leading Age of Georgia Leadership Academy. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends as well as physical fitness.
Director of Finance
Gerald Griffin is the Director of Finance at National Church Residences where he oversees the finance and accounting team supporting development opportunities and projects.
Gerald has worked in the affordable housing industry for over 14 years. Prior to joining National Church Residences, Gerald worked as Project Manager at CHN Housing Partners (CHN). During his tenure at CHN Gerald led development efforts on 237 units, totaling over $45 million in investment. Prior to joining CHN Gerald worked as a Development Specialist and Financial Analyst for the National Affordable Housing Trust (NAHT).
Project Coordinator, Affordable Housing
Hailing from Gainesville, GA, Evan is a Project Coordinator for the Atlanta development team, supplementing efforts to build, preserve, and acquire senior affordable housing for National Church Residents.
Evan began his real estate journey in commercial real estate, working for brokerage firms Colliers and Avison Young as a coordinator for retail and office leasing teams. After getting his feet wet, Evan decided to make a career pivot, finishing his degree in Geosciences-Urban Studies at Georgia State University, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude.
Evan is a passionate member of Abundant Housing Atlanta, which works towards increasing housing opportunities for everyone. He is also an involved neighbor in the Peoplestown Neighborhood Association, where he, his wife, and daughter reside. Outside of work, you can find Evan dodging Atlanta potholes on his bike, soaking in Atlanta’s architecture, or watching Atlanta United.
Regional Chaplain Coordinator of Georgia
Serves as the Regional Chaplain Coordinator for the Atlanta & Savannah areas of the National Church Residences. He is responsible for the oversight of the Chaplaincy program in the region which provides a wide range of chaplaincy and spiritual support services to residents and staff at our properties. He supervises a team of seasoned and experienced Volunteer Chaplains which includes Pastors, Ministers and other Spiritual leaders from within the community who desire to offer spiritual support at our properties.
Dr. Garrett also enjoys his 23 years of continued service as the Pastor of Greater Love Metropolitan Worship Center, Norcross Georgia. He has received numerous awards and credits for ministry engagement and community service and is well respected among his ecclesiastical peers and civic leaders. Two of his greatest achievements is having received a “Volunteer Service Award” signed by President Obama and also having received designation as an “Ambassador of Goodwill” for the State of Georgia signed by Governor Perdue.
His prior work includes Director of Chaplaincy & Bereavement Services for a national hospice company and consultant in private practice as a Board Certified Chaplain, Board Certified Spiritual Counselor, a Certified Grief Counselor and is a Clinical Pastoral Supervisor. Also, he offers support as a Chaplain and Spiritual Counselor for some federal agencies. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Management, a Master’s of Divinity degree in Pastoral Counseling, Master’s of Arts in Ministry and a Doctorate of Ministry. Also, he did his graduate internship & CPE in Clinical Pastoral Counseling & Chaplaincy. He also has training in Trauma/Critical Incident & Conflict Resolution. He serves on the Board of Directors for the American Chaplains Association and as a member of the College of Pastoral Supervision and Psychotherapy.
Dr. Garrett enjoys quite time reading and playing his guitar. His family and church he shares are what gives him inspiration and the scripture that gives him guidance for his faith and daily life is found in Micah 6: “Do justice, love mercy and to walk humbly with God.”
