Board of Directors

Oscar is currently the  President of the board of directors for Vida Senior Centers, the oldest Hispanic organization in Washington DC. Recruited to Hamel in 2007, Oscar was promoted within a year to Project Manager. Within four years, he led the completion of 1,427 units worth nearly $100 million. In 2012 he was again promoted, to Director of Business Development. Before rising to his current senior role, Oscar served as Director of Preconstruction Services for several years. Currently, Oscar is a Vide-President in Hamel Builders Inc.

Oscar has a passion for affordable, sustainable housing that people can take pride in. He is a board member for the Coalition for Non-Profit Housing and Economic Development (CNHED). and is a member of the Program Committee for the Housing Association of Nonprofit Developers (HAND).

Oscar quickly progressed from the field to project manager with a real estate development consulting firm. There, he was involved in a wide range of projects, expanding the company’s footprint across the Mid-Atlantic region. In addition to three golf courses, Oscar led the execution of 723 units funded through the LIHTC affordable housing program.

Oscar was born, raised, and educated in Argentina and moved to the DC area as a young man in 1996. He immediately launched a career characterized by hard work, consistently high performance, and a steady rise from roofer to project manager to senior executive two decades later.

Wilson Badillo Jr. has worked in the banking industry for over 23 years. His career started in New York City as a bank teller working his way up to Branch Management. As the Branch Manager of multiple branches, he consistently led his teams to success by empowering them to execute the banks’ vision.

After building his last branch from last in its class to the number two spot, he decided to move into the business banking role, building relationships with local business owners and providing business cash flow solutions for their continued growth and operation. Currently, he works with M&T Bank as a Business Banking Relationship Manager Vice President.

John F. Deeds, ‘Jack’, is serving as Chair of the Financial Committee at Vida Senior Centers. ‘Jack’ is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and is a member of the Greater Washington Society of Certified Public Accountants. Jack is an entrepreneurial financial thought leader in emerging business solutions, including the building of rigorous financial tools and models, strategic/business plans, automated processes, and business metrics and tracking mechanisms that provide evaluation and timely decision support.

During his career, Jack has provided CFO, VP Finance, Controller, Management Consultant, and Auditor services to diverse industries including service organizations, distribution, manufacturing, construction, banking, real estate, government, non-profits, and trade associations.

He utilizes his diverse business experience and superior business acumen to develop and align strategic finance initiatives with overall business strategy. He has advised key senior executives in multi-million-dollar organizations in managing their finances and operations and to help them create value.

He has the ability to accomplish goals through formal channels and the informal networks and staying on top of the latest technologies and innovations.  Jack is a creative force that helps others to see the possibilities while working in a collaborative manner to influence positive outcomes.

Jack is an effective communicator with experience in conflict management and resolution. Jack lives in Washington, DC with his wife, Medora, and has a daughter who works in television in New York.

Sonia Patricia Gutierrez is aware of the need for education in the Hispanic and immigrant community about fair housing rights. She has proven a remarkable ability to successfully engage the community, collaborate with stakeholders in the government and private sector actors while using civil rights laws to ensure diversity and inclusion in the delivery of programs and services, as well as manage competing programs.

Sonia is an effective liaison with local governmental agencies, non-profit organizations, the federal government, private sector industry, and advocates on policy issues relating to civil rights in housing, disability, employment, limited English proficiency, and aging. She understands how one sector impacts and interacts with another.  In addition to promulgating fair housing laws and regulations for residents and industry, Sonia had also focused on the built environment for persons with disabilities and the elderly in any project where the District serves an active or passive partner.

In ensuring compliance with accessibility laws, Sonia ensures that the elderly population and persons with mobility, hearing, and visual disabilities can have a home that will address their specific needs.

Working in civil rights requires passion, and that passion is what Sonia offers the staff and Board of VIDA.

As an adult child of an aging parent with now No English Proficiency, Sonia believes that giving back to the community can be accomplished by affording her time and experience at VIDA.

Mr. Jose Nuñez is a former housing advisor to the DC Department of Housing and Community Development.

Jose is the Standing Director for the DHCD, on the Age-Friendly DC Mayor’s Task Force. He served as Chief Asset Management at HUD DC Field Office and Secretary to the DC Redevelopment Land Agency.

Over his 35 years of government services, Jose developed extensive experience in affordable housing, economic development financing, asset management of subsidized multifamily projects, and real estate public financing.

He also has a vast trajectory in DC and Federal Housing financial programs, community, economic, and real estate development.

 Jose is a subject matter expert in project management, financial planning, underwriting government loans and grants, development and financing of community nonprofit organizations, including management of Hispanic community relations.

In addition, Jose Nunez managed the asset of over 500 subsidized multifamily rental properties located in DC and MD and supervised a staff of 22 including 12 project managers.

Dr. McPhail has been in the healthcare industry for over 21 years and currently serves at Vida Senior Center as President & CEO. In her role, she is overseeing and supervising both sites (VIDA-Adams Morgan and VIDA-Brightwood). She has overall responsibility for grants management, contract management, personnel management, budget management, program reporting, evaluation, and organization operations.

She brings vast experience in the medical field. In El Salvador, she worked as a medical doctor and primary care physician at Hospital Nacional Zacamil and held positions of Public Health Coordinator and Community Medicine Director at Universidad Evangélica de San Salvador (UESS).

During the past ten years, she worked with a healthcare technology company and was instrumental in its growth from 16 employees to over 480, contributing to multimillion-dollar ROI revenue through the retention of existing clients and resource optimization, and identifying up-sales opportunities. She is an SME population health, utilization management, care coordination, appeals & grievances, member portals, provider portals, mobile clinician, diagnosis-based risk adjustment models.

Dr. McPhail is the founder of ProMethium Health Partners, a consulting firm that provides Medical Management, Advisory Business Development, and Coordination for Technology and Product Development Services.

Over the years, Dr. McPhail has gained vast experience in healthcare and technology, account management, client service, and service delivery.  She brings expertise in leadership, team management, operations, and marketing.

She was born in El Salvador (Central America) and has lived in the D.C. area for the past 12 years.

Dr. McPhail is bilingual in English and Spanish and is used to working in multi-cultural settings, including Central America, India, Vietnam, and the United States.

Dr. Morsch is a physical therapist and has over 17 years of combined experience in clinical physical therapy and research on aging, older adults’ health, and public health. She holds a graduate certificate in Public Health, a Master of Arts in Gerontology from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (USA) and a PhD in Biomedical Gerontology from the Pontifical Catholic University of de Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil). Currently work as the Healthy Aging Advisor in the Department of Health Systems and Services at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) headquarters in Washington D.C., Regional WHO office for the Americas.

Maria Patricia Corrales, based in Washington, DC, US, is currently a Vice-President at Capital Construction Enterprises, Incl. With a robust skill set that includes Construction Management, Construction, Strategic Planning, Project Management, Budgets and more. Maria Patricia Corrales is the president of Fiesta DC. Fiesta DC boasts a rich history as a prominent celebration of Latino culture in the Washington D.C. metro area. Its roots trace back to the 1970s, initially held in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood, Fiesta DC eventually moved to the heart of the city on Constitution and Pennsylvania Avenues. Over the years, it blossomed into a major festival, attracting a wider audience. Maria Patricia a great supporter of the Latino Community.

Vice President of Human Resources, Partners of the Americas

Natalie Abegesah is a seasoned HR executive with over 18 years of experience leading transformative HR initiatives across private, for-profit, and nonprofit sectors. As the Vice President of Human Resources at Partners of the Americas, she spearheads the global HR unit, driving innovation, enhancement, and productivity in the workforce.

Natalie is an accomplished and versatile HR architect known for her strategic approach to creating engaging and productive work environments. She holds a master’s in legal studies focused on Employment Laws from Arizona State University and is a triple-certified HR professional. Bilingual and dynamic, she works cross-culturally and engages key stakeholders to build consensus for top-priority goals.

Natalie’s core competencies include Global HR Management, Leadership Development, Employee Engagement, and Change Management. She is adept at designing and implementing HR programs that foster cultural transformation and improve organizational performance. Her skills include onboarding, performance management, staff training and development, and HRIS implementation.

With a business-driven mindset and a precision and strategic outlook, Natalie is dedicated to strengthening organizational image and operations through strategic HR initiatives.

A results-focused professional, Natalie is committed to creating a productive and engaged workforce. Her ability to effectively lead and manage projects makes her an invaluable asset to any organization. She is a motivational project manager with a contagious positive attitude.