INTRODUCTION
When Carol Gore, former President/CEO of Cook Inlet Housing, prepared to step down from her position and pass the torch to Gabe Layman, she spent some time “sharing story” to help preserve the lessons and successes of her 23 years of leadership and trailblazing. As Gabe headed into his 18th year with CIHA and having just over a year at the helm as the new President/CEO, he also sat down to reflect on Carol's legacy and what lays ahead for the organization.
Note: The five videos are meant to be viewed in order.
Carol Gore served as President/CEO of Cook Inlet Housing Authority from 1999 to 2023. During her tenure, she helped grow CIHA’s affordable rental housing portfolio from 267 units to 1742 units, increasing the household types served and increasing the number of families and elders able to access affordable housing in the Cook Inlet region and beyond. She is a trailblazer in affordable housing finance leveraging, and partnership building to leverage capacity.
She spearheaded the establishment of Cook Inlet Lending Center to help underserved populations with homeownership and small business loan products and programs for underserved entrepreneurs. Under Carol’s direction, CIHA also built and sold homeownership homes aimed at serving low- and moderate-income homebuyers.
An innovative leader, Carol leaves a legacy of a well-established and sustainable organization that she categorizes as “leader full” and that is positioned for continued success meeting its mission of ‘creating housing opportunities that empower our people and build our community.’
Carol remains a part of CIHA’s Legacy Council and is active on several Boards and Committees in the community.
Gabe Layman became President/CEO of Cook Inlet Housing Authority in 2023, after 16 years of leadership across the Cook Inlet Housing organization and the mentorship of Carol. Born in rural Alaska at Kanakanak Hospital in Dillingham, Gabe's roots in the state run deep. His family later relocated to the Mat-Su Valley where he graduated from Palmer High School before pursuing his education in law, earning his Juris Doctor from Penn State University.
With a background that combines legal expertise and a deep commitment to his lifelong home, Gabe brings a unique perspective to CIHA's mission of creating housing opportunities that empower people and build community. He is responsible for driving organizational growth while empowering a dedicated team to make lasting, positive impacts on the communities CIHA serves.
Building on Carol Gore's legacy of expanding affordable housing options, Gabe is focused on developing innovative funding strategies and strengthening partnerships to address Alaska's evolving housing challenges. His leadership emphasizes strategic community engagement, sustainable development practices, and advocacy for policies that support affordable housing initiatives throughout the region.
Recognized as a "Top 40 Under 40" by Alaska Journal Magazine and "Lawyer of the Year" by the National American Indian Housing Council, Gabe continues CIHA's tradition of excellence while charting a course for the organization's next fifty years of service to Alaskans.
Tyler Robinson is the VP of Community Development and Real Estate for Cook Inlet Housing Authority. He began his career at CIHA in 2010, working as the Development Finance Manager, then served as the Director of Development Finance. Tyler is responsible for developing and implementing multi-year initiatives in target communities, managing pre-development activities, overseeing leasing and tenant relations of CIHA's commercial real estate portfolio, establishing and overseeing ongoing operations of The Nave, and representing CIHA on a variety of community initiatives. He is a member of the American Planning Association and the American Institute of Certified Planners.
In 2023, just before Carol left her leadership role at CIHA, she and Tyler sat down to talk about some important milestones, building blocks and lessons from the past 24 years of Carol's tenure at Cook Inlet Housing. This was a long conversation, covering many important topics, that has been edited into 4 video segments that are best viewed in order. Tyler continues this important dialogue with Gabe Layman, CIHA's new CEO & President, in "The Next Fifty Years: Continuing the Conversation," where they reflect on Carol's legacy while looking toward CIHA's future.
For more information about current CIHA leadership, click here.
PLEASE NOTE
The videos are intended to be viewed in order.
If you are experiencing technical issues with any of these videos (not your computer), please email publicrelations2@cookinlethousing.org.
The total runtime of this video series is 1 hour and 39 minutes.
To begin, scroll down and select the play button on the bottom left corner of each video.
1. Who We Serve
(approx. 18 min.)
Carol and Tyler discuss CIHA's decision to expand affordable housing access beyond the Alaska Native community, to serve all Alaskans across the Cook Inlet region.
2. Getting to “Yes”: The Strawberry Village Cottages Story
(approx. 17 min.)
Carol describes the challenges and adversity CIHA faced during the development of our first family housing in south Anchorage.
3. CIHA Values: Where They Come From & Why They Matter
(Approx 21 min.)
Carol and Tyler discuss the genesis of CIHA's values: Compassion, Innovation, Honesty, and Accountability. Carol explains why these values matter and how they are applied in our work.
4. A Lesson in Listening: The Mountain View Story
(Approx 20 min.)
The Anchorage community of Mountain View was once hailed as the "USA Neighborhood of the Year 1989." The following decade would see the neighborhood blighted by neglect, crime, and poverty. This is the story of CIHA's efforts to catalyze reinvestment in this once thriving neighborhood.
5. The Next Fifty Years: Continuing the Conversation
(Approx 23 min.)
Two years after our initial conversation with Carol in this video series, we introduce Gabe, her successor and protégé. Now at the helm as CIHA's CEO & President, he carries forward the legacy she cultivated. In this conversation with Tyler, Gabe reflects on the stories Carol shared while illuminating the path that lies ahead.