The Bristol Redevelopment and Housing Authority is governed by a five member Board of Commissioners. The Commissioners are appointed by the Bristol Virginia Mayor for a four-year term. Commissioners may serve four consecutive four-year terms. The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires that at least one Commissioner be a participant in one of the housing programs operated by the Authority.
Ms. Jennifer Taylor is our Resident Commissioner appointed to a four-year term expiring June 30, 2025. She served as Vice-Chair in the 2022-2023 term and has been elected Chair for the 2023-2024 term. She is a native of Tazewell County, Virginia, with two Associates Degrees from Southwest Virginia Community College. Jennifer is an active community volunteer with a history of assisting at Food Banks, Girls Inc., church activities, and knitting hats and blankets for hospitals and shelters. She is also known for helping her neighbors when needed. We are delighted to have Commissioner Taylor as a valued member of our Board.
Josh Fleenor was appointed to the Board of Commissioners in July 2018. He was appointed Chair on June 16, 2021 and Vice-Chair on June 21, 2023. He has a background in Social Work and was previously employed by Highlands Community Services. Josh earned an MSW degree from East Tennessee State University. He is a member of the Policy Committee for the Bristol Day Center project and an avid “Reading Buddy”.
In October, 2017, Ms. Denise Franklin, a former long-term resident of BRHA, was appointed to the Board of Commissioners, filing the unexpired term of a previous Commissioner. Ms. Franklin has served on the Resident Advisory Board and completed the “Find-A-Way” Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program in 2021. She was recently featured in the series known as “Humans of HUD”. Ms. Franklin is a nurse at a local hospital where she is devoted to caring for her elderly patients.
Mr. Mark Cofer, a Bristol native, was appointed by the City of Bristol, Virginia on July 1, 2019 for a four-year term to the BRHA Board of Commissioners. Mr. Cofer, a graduate of both ETSU and Bristol College, is an Ambassador for the Bristol TN/VA Chamber of Commerce and active with United Way of Bristol TN/VA. He has an extensive background in the banking industry.
Dr. Gary Poulton is a retired History Professor from the former Virginia Intermont College in Bristol, Virginia; he was also a past president of the college. He is currently serving his fourth term as a BRHA Commissioner. During his tenure Dr. Poulton has served several terms as Vice-Chair and previously served as Chairman of BRHA twice, most recently for the term July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017. Gary’s life-long passion for learning translates into advocacy for self-sufficiency programs for BRHA’s residents.
