Meet Our Board of Directors

Carol Lilly, Founder & President

Carol Lilly, the founder of Boomers Collaborative Foundation and the visionary behind its innovative model, brings a diverse background in residential design, construction management, urban planning, housing program development, and technical writing, holding degrees from Trinity University and Texas State University. Driven by her personal experience as an elder orphan, Carol is passionately committed to addressing the housing, economic, and social isolation challenges faced by many seniors, evidenced by her success in securing a supportive resolution from the City of Austin for senior housing cooperatives and her active involvement with the Texas CDFI Coalition's Affordable Housing Committee. Her dedication to advancing the Boomers Collaborative initiative is further demonstrated by her completion of multiple accelerator programs and her success in building a 10-member collaboration team.

Chad Wallace, Vice-President

Chad Wallace is an Independent Commercial Real Estate Broker in Austin, Texas, with over a decade of industry experience. Known for his client-centric approach, Chad has successfully guided numerous clients through a variety of complex transactions, including corporate relocations, property sales and acquisitions, and leasing across retail, office, and industrial sectors in Texas and beyond.

Chad specializes in creating tailored real estate strategies that enhance portfolio performance and support long-term client success. Whether it's maximizing rent rolls, negotiating advantageous terms, or optimizing space efficiency, Chad is committed to delivering results that align with his clients' business goals.

Drawing from his personal experience in student cooperative housing, Chad is a passionate advocate for mixed-use cooperative housing as a viable solution to Austin’s affordable housing challenges. He is dedicated to promoting development strategies and policies that foster sustainable, community-oriented living spaces accessible to all.

Anna Buchanan, Secretary

Native to Central Texas, Anna Buchanan is a driven entrepreneur with a passion for making a positive impact. Founder of MetriX Talent Solutions,  she combines her expertise in talent acquisition with her dedication to supporting the community, bringing a unique blend of business acumen and philanthropy to her endeavors.

Verda Espinosa, Treasurer

Verda Espinosa was born in Beaumont, Texas, and moved to Opelousas, Louisiana where she grew up until the age of thirteen. In 1988, Verda moved to Austin, Texas, where she began her career in the financial field and has held many accounting positions in both the private and public sectors. Having previously worked with other local CPA firms and other various organizations, Verda is well acquainted with a variety of accounting and tax software. She previously served as the Controller/Assistant Warden of Business and Finance for a nationwide correction company.

After years of experience in the finance field, Verda started Vertuous Accounting Services, Inc. in 2014, where she specializes in helping small to medium-sized businesses with their business and financial needs. Verda is a well-rounded, full-service Consultant with extensive hands-on experience in bookkeeping, accounting, and tax preparation and has prepared many personal and business tax returns over the years. She has designed and implemented best practices, policies, and procedures in both small and large companies from online retail stores to heavy machinery organizations.

Verda joined Boomers Collaborative team as the Treasurer in 2023.

Dave Berndt, Board Member & Compliance / Ethics Professional

Dave Berndt has worked for many organizations throughout his career. Most recently, Dave was the Vice President of Compliance and Ethics at Southwest Key Programs, a large non-profit. Prior to that, Dave was the Associate General Counsel at G&A Partners. In this role, he supported G&A’s operations, including finance, HR, ethics and compliance.

Dave’s prior employers include Walmart, Ford Motor Company, Terex and Boston Medical Center. He has extensive experience in general corporate law, HR, ethics and compliance. He has a proven track record of leading service, retail, healthcare and manufacturing operations through an evolving regulatory, legal and business environment. Throughout his career, he has built strong relationships among operations, legal, compliance and HR departments in order to move the organization forward.

Dave also has significant volunteer experience. With the Association of Corporate Counsel, he chaired the international Employment and Labor Law Network. He also served as chairman of the board of directors for the New Hampshire chapter of the American Red Cross. In addition, he has served as president of the northern New England chapter of the J. Reuben Clark Law Society and as president of the BYU Management Society in Northwest Arkansas.

Dave has a juris doctorate degree from Brigham Young University, a master’s degree in communication from the University of Michigan and a bachelor’s degree in business and risk management from California State University, Fresno.

Dallas Richard, Board Member & Business Development / Marketing Professional

Dallas Richard is a seasoned business development and marketing leader with over two decades of experience driving growth and strengthening client relationships across the government, higher education, and corporate sectors that yield significant results.

A former marketing and public relations executive with Deloitte’s Government and Higher Education practices – Dallas recently rejoined Strategic Partnerships, Inc. a government consulting and market research agency helping businesses and organizations navigate the complexities of government contracting.

A native Austinite and graduate of UT Austin – Dallas spent his early career working in urban planning for the City of Austin – and was drawn to BCF’s mission and innovative approach to addressing housing challenges faced by seniors in Central Texas.

In his personal life, Dallas enjoys exploring the Austin Hill Country with his family and pursuing his love for Cajun cooking and historical fiction.

Luke Franz, Board Member & General Counsel

Luke Franz is a proud Texan and a dedicated advocate for sustainable development and equitable access to housing. He serves as in-house counsel at a leading renewable energy company, where he supports the development of clean energy projects across the country. He is also a Partner and General Counsel of L2 Companies, a holding company investing in the green industry—from landscape services to innovative robotics and software startups.

Before transitioning to renewable energy, Luke spent seven years as a real estate and land use attorney at Jackson Walker LLP, where he specialized in zoning, permitting, and economic development. He also served as an adjunct professor of Land Use Law & Planning at Texas A&M University and previously taught immigrant and refugee students in Houston ISD.

Luke brings this deep experience in real estate, community development, and environmental stewardship to his work in both the private and non-profit sectors. He holds a J.D. from Notre Dame Law School and a B.A. from Texas A&M University. Luke lives in Plano with his husband, Logan, who is also his business partner at L2.

Board Advisors and Committee Volunteers

Annelies Lottmann, UTRGV Coop Coach

Annelies Lottmann is the Director of the UTRGV Texas Rural Cooperative Center. Committed to building the cooperative economy throughout Texas, she believes cooperative ownership can be a key tool in building community wealth, helping to break cycles of poverty.