Jennifer Dionne

president,Managing member, and partner

Jennifer Dionne is responsible for the oversight of the operations of The Signal Group. Since joining The Signal Group in 2006, Ms. Dionne has prepared or overseen the submission of hundreds of rent comparability studies and market analysis projects. Ms. Dionne manages all client relations which include both private companies and government contracts. As a licensed real estate appraiser—appraising residential property since 2002-- her experience bridges the appraisal and valuation process with an understanding of affordable housing programs and current HUD policy. She is a tax credit Certified Credit Compliance Professional (C3P). Since 2010, Ms. Dionne has been one of the lead underwriters for Section 232/223f and 232/223(a)(7) loans for healthcare facilities under a contract with HUD. In the past few years, Ms. Dionne has also been one of the leading market analysts providing market studies for proposed developments seeking Maine’s Tax Credit financing.

Prior to becoming an appraiser, from 1989 to 1996, Ms. Dionne gained experience at a Portland, Maine based law firm, and from 1996-2002, she preformed due diligence for acquisitions, divestitures and corporate financings for a publicly-held corporation. Her involvement included the company’s $265 million initial public stock offering, a $150 million capital infusion and Ms. Dionne directly managed and oversaw more than 650 real estate closings worth in excess of $130 million.

Laura Burns

Managing member and founding partner 

Laura E. Burns has 31 years experience in the affordable housing development business. She is a nationally recognized expert in the affordable housing finance business. As CEO and a founding Partner of the Eagle Point Companies, Ms. Burns has acquired and renovated affordable housing properties and raised and invested private equity in existing housing across the country. In addition, Ms. Burns directed the strategic start up of Eagle Point’s property management division which now oversees over 5,000 apartments. She continues to oversee the 20 year old consulting division – The Signal Group – whose clients include federal agencies and private sector owners, lenders and mangers. Ms. Burns continues to be actively engaged in acquiring additional assets and ensuring that all new acquisitions and Eagle Point’s existing portfolio perform at the highest possible levels.

Ms. Burns worked at the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) from 1985 until 1992 where she coordinated neighborhood development projects using low income housing tax credits. From 1992 to 1995, she assisted in the set-up of a nationwide asset management company, based in Portland, Maine, that liquidated affordable housing under contract to the Resolution Trust Corporation (a federal agency) and was subsequently named Chief Operating Officer of its affiliated development company.

Ms. Burns serves on the Board of the National Leased Housing Association, the Editorial Advisory Board of Affordable Housing Finance and is a frequent speaker at the national industry conferences. Her role in helping to develop housing policy includes testifying before the U.S. House Committee on Financial Services and participating in policy development working groups with HUD/GSE’s and Treasury. Ms. Burns has a BA degree from Lehigh University. 

DJ NELSON

Partner

DJ Nelson has more than 20 years of experience in the affordable housing industry and has been with Eagle Point since 2001.  Mr. Nelson currently oversees all acquisition and development activities for the firm.  As a partner in the firm Mr. Nelson is active in all aspects of company operations and a senior member of the firm’s executive management team.  Since joining Eagle Point, Mr. Nelson has closed hundreds of millions of dollars in affordable housing transactions and participated in raising private/institutional equity for the firm. Mr. Nelson directs all closing transaction activities; is experienced in the execution of numerous affordable housing finance programs, and has closed some of the most complex financing transactions in the industry.

In addition to directing acquisitions and finance, Mr. Nelson previously oversaw asset management operations for the firm and was a key participant in building the firm’s property management division.  Prior to joining Eagle Point, Mr. Nelson was a Senior Financial Analyst & Underwriter for a national tax credit syndication firm where he analyzed tax credit transactions and coordinated underwriting activities.  Mr. Nelson was also a Sr. Project Manager for a national affordable housing developer where he managed both new construction and acquisition/rehab projects in various stages of development. 

Mr. Nelson holds an MBA from Southern New Hampshire University and an A.B. degree in Economics from St. Anselm College.  Mr. Nelson was recognized as a Young Leader in Affordable Housing by Affordable Housing Finance and is a former board member at the Institute for Responsible Housing Preservation ("IRHP").

Channa Eberhart

Certified General Appraiser

Channa Eberhart is responsible for production of rent comparability studies and market analyses, having joined The Signal Group in 1999. Ms. Eberhart assisted the company in 2000 to re-draft HUD’s guidelines for the preparation, submission and review of rent comparability studies, the analysis tool that determines rents for owners of Section 8 properties at contract renewal. Ms. Eberhart is a certified general real estate appraiser and has been involved with real estate investment, finance and valuation since 1970.

Previously a Vice President of a Boston-based equity fund, Ms. Eberhart was involved in investor relations, due diligence and closing tax credit acquisitions. Ms. Eberhart worked for investment, insurance, and appraisal companies and holds a degree from Barnard College.

Kathy McCallum

Market Analyst

Kathy McCallum joined The Signal Group in 2011. Since that time, she has assisted with the preparation of Rent Comparability Studies and Market Studies, including site inspections and collection and analysis of market data.  Ms. McCallum became a licensed and active Real Estate Broker in the State of Maine in 1984 and a licensed Residential Appraiser in 1992.

Her previous work experience includes owner/operator of Management One, specializing in property management of multi-units and single family properties.  Ms. McCallum attended Utica College and the University of Southern Maine.

Morgan Jones

RESEARCH and data manager

Morgan Jones began working at Eagle Point Companies in 2013 assisting with various projects as an Administration Assistant. Since joining The Signal Group in 2016, Ms. Jones has assisted with the data research and preparation of hundreds of Market and Rent Comparability Studies. As the Research and Data Manager, she assists the market analysts and appraisers with research of comparable properties and market data, expertly surveys potential comparable properties and manages the company’s comparable database.