WAHN History

Ann Cone and Richelle Patton, two friends from Atlanta, started meeting for meals to support each other and discuss the challenges faced by women in a white, male-dominated industry. The group grew as more women requested to be invited. In 2007, Ann and Richelle hosted their first luncheon, which became the foundation for the Women’s Affordable Housing Network (WAHN). The event was sold out, with 90 women attending, and the group began hosting these quarterly, covering a wide range of topics, including policy, education, leadership, and self-care.

In 2014, Ashley Northcutt and Jill Cromartie took over leadership of WAHN and formalized the group as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. They obtained sponsorships from local companies and started community service projects, including golf lessons for women, sponsorship for college students joining the affordable housing industry, and a website launch. They expanded the women’s events at the Georgia Housing Conference, and through WAHN became the best of friends and business partners.

WAHN’s success in Atlanta led to the formation of the Indiana, Ohio, and North Carolina chapters, and Angie Truitt from Houston, Texas, also joined the group. In 2021, the National Women’s Affordable Housing Network was formed as a 501(c)(3) organization, with a board of directors, program directors, and advisory committee. The group hosts quarterly policy calls, panels, and has developed an 8-course curriculum for launching new chapters. They provide guides, checklists, and classes to walk through everything from applying for a 501(c)(3) to opening a bank account and launching events.

  • 2007

    Ann and Richelle host first luncheon which is the foundation for WAHN, and sold out at 90 women. They started hosting these quarterly and covered topics ranging from policy, education, leadership and self-care.
  • 2008
  • 2013

    Ashley Northcutt and Jill Cromartie attended their first luncheon. They did not know each other and unknowingly both approached Ann and Richelle after the luncheon to ask how to become more involved.
  • 2014
  • 2018

    Julia Kaercher and Janine attended the Georgia Housing Conference and intentionally connected with Ashley and Jill after hearing Richelle speak at a conference about WAHN. Ashley and Julia were on the Pedal Pub on March 18th 2018 together and besides lots of fun the idea of expanding to Julia’s home state of Indiana was born!
  • September 25th 2018
  • September 2019

    After several sponsored happy hours, during which Lori Little shared about what she knew her friend Richelle (and Ann) had done in Atlanta and how it had grown, the Ohio ladies invited Ashley to come to a happy hour and share the story of WAHN.  Millie Hurtt and several others knew before the happy hour, it was time to formalize their group, and this confirmed their efforts!
  • January 28th, 2020
  • Fall 2020

    Angie Truitt reached out to from Houston Texas because she heard about WAHN. One fun, hilarious and exploratory conversation and we knew she was our people!
  • December 2020
  • 2021

    Board of Directors Meet weekly for an hour to plan and develop the 8-course curriculum “How to Launch!” for new chapters that include best practice for 501c3 application, website launch, bookkeeping basics and building events alongside membership and sponsorship. Drafted mission statement, vision statement, core values and bylaws. Appointed Program Directors Advisory Committee Formed the following Committees with Program Directors: Events Finance Membership Sponsorship Host Quarterly Policy Calls Emily Cadik ensures we are aware of the latest and greatest info […]
  • 2022
  • 2023

    Effective 1/1/2023, Ashley Northcutt was appointed President and CEO to lead an additional 18 chapters through formation.
  • 2007
  • 2008

    The group continued quarterly luncheons and hosted a happy hour sponsored by AGG Law Firm. A favorite for years to come was the Good News Circle (attendees go around a share a piece of good news).
  • 2013
  • 2014

    Ann and Richelle asked Ashley and Jill to take over leadership of WAHN.  Under Ashley’s and Jill’s leadership:
  • 2018
  • September 25, 2018

    Julia and Janine hosted a session at the Indiana Housing Conference and invited Ashley to tell the Atlanta WAHN story.  The room was packed (including several allies!) and after hearing from Indiana leaders about the overall idea of launching a chapter, they divided the room into small groups to understand what the Indiana women would like to see from a WAHN chapter in their state.  This was the beginning of the launch of the Indiana Chapter.
  • September 2019:
  • January 28, 2020

    Sadie Nott, from North Carolina, and member of Atlanta WAHN came to an Atlanta luncheon and met with Ashley afterward to discuss expansion to North Carolina.
  • Fall 2020
  • December 2020

    Ashley made an action to form a Board of Directors with Millie, Julia, Sadie and Angie. Leadership was transitioned at the Atlanta chapter to allow Ashley to focus on National WAHN.
  • 2021
  • 2022

    WAHN's events continued! We secured sponsorships, formed an Advisory Board, and hosted a call for 97 people interested in opening chapters. From this, eight new chapters were born and were added to WAHN's existing four chapters.
  • 2023

Founding Leadership


Ann Cone and Richelle Patton, two friends from Atlanta, started meeting for meals to support each other and discuss the challenges faced by women in a white, male-dominated industry. The group grew as more women requested to be invited. In 2007, Ann and Richelle hosted their first luncheon, which became the foundation for the Women’s Affordable Housing Network (WAHN). The event was sold out, with 90 women attending, and the group began hosting these quarterly, covering a wide range of topics, including policy, education, leadership, and self-care.

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Ann Cone

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Richelle Patton

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Ashley Northcutt

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Jill Cromartie

Visionary Leadership


In 2014, Ashley Northcutt and Jill Cromartie
took over leadership of WAHN and
formalized the group as a 501(c)(3)
nonprofit. They continued the educational luncheons and added a website and behind-the-scenes technology, committee sponsorship, scholarship, and events such as women’s golf lessons. They expanded the
women’s events at the Georgia Housing
Conference, and through WAHN became
the best of friends and business partners.