Workshop 2 | OCS Linkages to Support Water & Energy Access & Affordability: LIHEAP, LIHWAP & CSBG

Mitchell Navetta, LIHWAP Program Specialist, Office of Community Services (OCS), Administration for Children & Families (ACF) — Mr. Navetta is the LIHWAP Program Specialist for Regions 6 and 7. He has been a member of the LIHWAP team since July 2021, and before that he worked within the Office of Community Services as a Program Specialist on the Community Economic Development (CED) program. Mr. Navetta is located in Washington, DC and in his free time he enjoys walking around Capitol Hill and exploring the many (free entry!) museums in the city.

Christina Clark, Operations Branch Chief, Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP), Office of Community Services (OCS), Administration for Children & Families (ACF) — Ms. Clark has over 15 years of experience working on programs targeted to alleviate causes and conditions of poverty for individuals and families, including over 10 years of experience working with Native American Tribes and Tribal nonprofits through the Administration for Native Americans within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF). Christina is a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, having served just over two years in Costa Rica working on rural community development projects. She is passionate about contributing to opportunities that lift children and families out of poverty. In her spare time, she enjoys exploring new cities and laughing with her six year old daughter.

Akm Rahman, LIHEAP Operations Branch Chief, Office of Community Services (OCS), Administration for Children & Families (ACF) — Mr. Rahman serves as the Program Operations Branch Chief within the Division of Energy Assistance, Office of Community Services, Administration for Children and Families. He manages the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) operations team that conducts monitoring, Plan reviews, and provides training and technical assistance to 206 LIHEAP grant recipients. Mr. Rahman currently supervises five Energy Assistance Program Specialists and one Auditor who are the department’s point of contact for state, territory, and Native American tribal grant recipients located in all 10 ACF regions. His expertise includes strategic planning, monitoring and evaluation, planning, and performance management. Previous to joining OCS, he worked for 22 years in various positions with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, covering both LIHEAP and the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) program.