Guadalupe Neighborhood Development Corporation Announces Leadership Transition
The Board of Directors of Guadalupe Neighborhood Development Corporation (GNDC) is pleased to announce that Rachel Stone has assumed the role of Executive Director, effective July 1, 2026, succeeding Mark Rogers, who is retiring after 33 years of transformative leadership—including 23 years as Executive Director—and whose dedication has shaped GNDC into the organization it is today.
For more than three decades, Mark has been a steadfast leader, mentor, and advocate for affordable housing in East Austin. His vision, relationships, and unwavering commitment to the Guadalupe Neighborhood and the neighborhood that GNDC serves have helped preserve opportunities for families with generational ties to East Austin while establishing GNDC as one of Austin's most respected affordable housing organizations. As GNDC enters its next chapter, the Board is confident the organization is well positioned to build upon the strong foundation he leaves behind.
Rachel has served as Assistant Executive Director since 2018. A graduate of the University of Texas School of Law, she brings more than 15 years of experience in affordable housing, green building, nonprofit leadership, and community advocacy. During her tenure at GNDC, Rachel has secured more than $8 million in grant funding for affordable housing development, closed financing for La Vista de Lopez, a 27-unit deeply affordable senior housing community, and established the Community Land Trust Accelerator Program, an initiative focused on preventing displacement and expanding permanently affordable homeownership opportunities in Austin. She was selected by the Board for her fundraising and financing expertise, leadership within Austin's affordable housing community, and vision for GNDC's future.
"It is an incredible honor to step into this role after working alongside Mark for the past eight years. His leadership, mentorship, and dedication to the Guadalupe neighborhood have shaped not only this organization, but generations of families who have been able to stay in the community they call home. I am deeply committed to building on that foundation and working alongside our staff, Board, residents, and community partners to expand affordable housing and homeownership opportunities so East Austin families can continue to thrive for generations to come."
— Rachel Stone
As we celebrate this transition, we also honor Mark's extraordinary career.
A resident of the Guadalupe Neighborhood since 1986, Mark joined GNDC in 1993 after catching the attention of founder Sister Amalia Rios through his Paint-a-Block neighborhood improvement project. He became Executive Director in 2003.
Over the course of his tenure, Mark helped develop hundreds of affordable rental and homeownership opportunities for families with generational ties to East Austin. His accomplishments include the development of La Vista de Guadalupe in 2008, the creation of Texas' first Community Land Trust homes in 2012, preserving more than one-third of the Guadalupe Neighborhood as attainable to low-income households, and helping more than one hundred East Austin families become homeowners. He has also served as a leader, mentor, and trusted advisor throughout Austin's affordable housing community, lending his expertise to numerous City boards, task forces, and advisory committees.
"Rachel has been preparing for this role over the past eight years. During that time, she has become the face and voice of GNDC throughout Austin's affordable housing community while leading major projects, building strong partnerships, and securing the resources needed to advance our mission. I have complete confidence in her leadership and know GNDC is in very good hands."
— Mark Rogers
We extend our deepest gratitude to Mark for his lifetime of service. His legacy is written into the fabric of the Guadalupe neighborhood and in the lives of the families who have been able to remain part of the community because of his work.
We look forward to celebrating Mark's extraordinary career—and GNDC's next chapter—at a community gathering in October 2026. Additional details will be shared in the coming weeks.
To honor Mark's remarkable legacy and invest in GNDC's future, we are proud to launch the Mark Rogers Legacy Fund, a campaign to build a $1 million permanent fund that will strengthen GNDC's mission for generations to come. Our first milestone is to raise $100,000 by the October celebration, and we invite our community to become founding supporters of this lasting investment in affordable housing, homeownership, and neighborhood preservation in East Austin.
Learn more about the Mark Rogers Legacy Fund and become a founding supporter.