Meet Our Senior Team
Norman A. Bliss
President & Chief Executive Officer
With an illustrious career spanning three decades, Norman has been at the forefront of transformative changes in community reinvestment achieving four straight outstanding ratings from regulators for the institutions where he has helmed their CRA programs across the country.
25 years of banking experience
Earned four “Outstanding Ratings” or the institutions where he has helmed their CRA programs across the country
Served eight years as President of the Shaker Heights Board of Education - an elected office
Graduate of the National Community Development Lending School
Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Howard University
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Obie Okuh, Esq., CRCM
General Counsel & Gov’t Relations
Obie has deep knowledge of community project finance and international development. He spent two decades in international project logistics and in legal and regulatory risk superintendence for the financial services sector prior to joining Community Reinsvestment Advisors, LLC as partner and General Counsel.
International project logistics for various multilateral and intergovernmental institutions
Fifteen years of legal and regulatory risk superintendence in the financial services sector
Fintech advisor on legal and regulatory compliance
Leveraging cultural assets for economic development
Juris Doctor (law) from Case Western Reserve School of Law, admitted to practice in the State of New York
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Sabrina Waytes, MBA
Senior Advisor
Sabrina Waytes is an Asset Management Professional with over 20 years of experience in Affordable Housing and Community Development. She has worked for both nonprofit and for-profit developers as well as nonprofit and for-profit low-income housing tax credit syndicators.
20+ years of experience in Affordable Housing & Community Development.
Managed a portfolio of 29 affordable housing developments throughout northern and central Ohio
Managed 20 affordable housing developments consisting of 1,226 housing units in greater Columbus
Served as Executive Director of Western Reserve Community Development Corp. in Painesville, Ohio
Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from Howard University and MBA from Cleveland State University
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Sunday A. Obri, MBA, MPH
Senior Advisor
Sunday Obri is an experienced administrator with a focus on adding value and driving growth and improvement within healthcare organizations. His expertise spans strategic planning, healthcare administration, and operations management to optimize organizational performance.
As Systems Director, achieve an average annual gross revenue of approximately $346 million in 2021 and $325 million in 2022 for regional healthcare system
As Operations Director, at leading global hospital, secured the approval for and led the implementation of a 3-year $4M budget for digitizing (VRI implementation) language assessment services
MBA and MPH from Case Western Reserve University
Lean and Six Sigma
Candidate for DHSc
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Kirby Freeman, MBA
Senior Advisor
Kirby Freeman is an experienced Director of Economic Development with 20+ years of experience serving in impactful roles that contribute to the growth of individuals and businesses in underserved communities. He is widely recognized for building relationships and cultivating them into strong community ties across northeast Ohio.
Kirby is an experienced banker with an extensive background in sales and credit
Worked as a reporter for The Journal of Commerce and Reuters News Agency before focusing his career in finance.
Serves as Board Treasurer for Neighborhood Housing Services of Greater Cleveland
Member of Shaker Heights City School District’s Finance & Audit Committee,
MBA in finance from New York University’s Stern School of Business
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Norman A. Bliss
President & Chief Executive Office
With an illustrious career spanning three decades, Norman A. Bliss has been at the forefront of transformative changes in community reinvestment, achieving four straight outstanding ratings from regulators for the institutions where he has helmed their CRA programs across the country. At the helm of the Community Reinvestment Group at Bank of the West (BOTW), Norman's insights and strategic acumen played a pivotal role in securing the bank's inaugural "Outstanding" CRA rating from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) in November 2020. Preceding his tenure at BOTW, Norman was senior vice president and director of community development in the Corporate Responsibility segment at KeyBank. In that role, Norman led the effective implementation of the bank’s Community Development lending, investment, and service activities nationwide, ensuring that the bank met and exceeded the requirements of the Community Reinvestment Act and created sustainable outcomes for both clients and communities in which we operate.
With nearly 25 years of banking experience, Norman has held a number of positions focused on CRA and community development. He has served as senior vice president and manager at First Merit Corporation, where he was responsible for the organization’s corporate CRA program. Beyond his corporate role, he’s invested his time and talents (energy) into various industry trade associations, including the Consumer Bankers Association CRA Committee, the National Community Reinvestment Coalition Bankers Collaborative Council, and the American Bankers Association CRA Working Group. Norman served eight years as President of the Shaker Heights Board of Education - an elected office. Norman earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Howard University. He also holds a Housing Development Finance Professional Certification and is a graduate of the National Community Development Lending School.
Obie Okuh, Esq., CRCM
General Counsel & Gov’t Relations
Obie Okuh has deep knowledge of community and international development stemming from the five years spent in international project logistics coupled with fifteen years of legal and regulatory risk superintendence in the financial services sector. His work for various multilateral and intergovernmental institutions, including the UNCTAD Commodities Branch of the United Nations, provided him firsthand opportunities, in the field and across more than 65 countries, to appreciate the significant roles that trade and cultural assets play in fostering sustainable development. This awareness informed his desire to focus his legal education towards understanding ways by which underserved communities, whether in developed or emerging economies, can leverage their cultural assets, improve their service infrastructure, facilitate trade and transit operations, build appropriate institutional and technological capacities, and ensure adequate regulatory frameworks.
As an attorney and risk management professional, Obie spent a decade advising startup fintechs on mitigation steps and strategies for navigating novel issues associated with fintech’s regulatory sandbox. In-house at national banks, including KeyBank and Santander, Obie led and advised various product, marketing, and credit risk teams, line of business partners, and Enterprise Commercial Partners on risk governance and consumer protection and fair competition issues, especially pertaining to FTC Act, ECOA/Fair Lending, Unfair Deceptive & Abusive Acts or Practices, and Community Reinvestment Act. He has represented Compliance functions during due diligence in readiness for bank charter applications and during various mergers and acquisitions.
Obie holds a Juris Doctor degree from Case Western Reserve School of Law and is a member of the New York State Bar. He is a Judge Higginbotham Fellow of the American Arbitration Association and an avid soccer enthusiast.
Sabrina Waytes, MBA
Senior Advisor, Head of Asset Management & Community Development Finance Team
Sabrina Waytes is an Asset Management Professional with over 20 years of experience in Affordable Housing and Community Development. She has worked for both nonprofit and for-profit developers as well as nonprofit and for-profit low-income housing tax credit syndicators. She served as Executive Director of Western Reserve Community Development Corp. in Painesville, Ohio. She was responsible for the overall day-to-day operations and management of the organization, compliance measures and reporting, personnel, financial management, and program issues. During her tenure, she supervised a $2.1 million housing development grant and 4 housing rehabilitation programs. Sabrina has managed a portfolio of 29 affordable housing developments throughout northern and central Ohio for Wallick Communities, a portfolio of 20 affordable housing developments consisting of 1,226 housing units in the greater Columbus area for Homeport, and provided oversight for 93 affordable housing developments, including 80 existing projects and 13 under various stages of development. Managed a five-state region, including Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, and Tennessee, during her time at Columbus Capital Corporation.
Sabrina thrives at finding the nexus between seemingly disparate sets of problems and is adept at helping clients achieve efficiencies downstream with relatively easy changes to processes upstream. Sabrina holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from Howard University and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Cleveland State University. She also earned a certification from the Consortium for Housing and Asset Management (CHAM) as well as the Housing Credit Certified Professional (HCCP) designation from the National Association of Home Builders.
Sunday A. Obri, MBA, MPH
Senior Advisor, Healthcare and Social Sector Team
Sunday Obri is an experienced administrator with a focus on adding value and driving growth and improvement within healthcare organizations. His expertise spans strategic planning, healthcare administration, and operations management to optimize organizational performance.
Prior to joining the firm, Sunday was System Director Neuroscience; Pulmonary Service Line
and Director of Operations and Growth, Ambulatory Care Clinical Services at Summa where he helped the Health System achieve an average annual gross revenue of approximately $346 million in 2021 and $325 million in 2022. And he spearheaded the development and growth of the Neuroscience Science Service Line from 3 providers in 2018 to over 35 Physicians and Mid-level (APPs) providers in 5 years.
Before his time at Summa, Sunday was Operations Director (Department Manager IV) in the Global Patient Services-GPS at the Clinic, where he secured the approval for and led the implementation of a 3-year $4M budget for digitizing (VRI implementation) language assessment services at the Cleveland Clinic.
Sunday is passionate about driving positive change and delivering high-quality, patient-centered care. He views healthcare assets as an integral part of workforce and economic development, and he is committed to utilizing his training and certifications in Lean and Six Sigma, along with his Doctor of Health Science degree (pending award), to lead initiatives that enhance patient care, drive revenue growth, and achieve operational excellence. Sunday holds an MBA from the Weatherhead School at Case Western Reserve University, an MPH from Case Western Reserve University, and is a candidate for DHSc at the University of Indianapolis, Indianapolis.
Kirby Freeman, MBA
Senior Advisor, CRA & Economic Development Team
Kirby Freeman is an experienced Director of Economic Development with 20+ years of experience serving in impactful roles that contribute to the growth of individuals and businesses in underserved communities. He is widely recognized for building relationships and cultivating them into strong community ties across northeast Ohio.
Kirby is an experienced banker with an extensive background in sales and credit. He has served in the commercial banking divisions of ShoreBank-Cleveland, Huntington National Bank, and KeyCorp. He joined the staff as Portfolio Manager and Loan Officer for Growth Capital in March 2006.
A graduate of Howard University, with a bachelor’s degree in print journalism, Kirby also holds an MBA in finance from New York University’s Stern School of Business. He worked as a reporter for The Journal of Commerce and Reuters News Agency before focusing his career in finance. After graduating from NYU, he worked for nearly five years at Standard & Poor’s as a bond analyst in New York City.
Mr. Freeman served as Board Chair for The Greater Cleveland Health Education & Service Council. He currently serves as Board Treasurer for Neighborhood Housing Services of Greater Cleveland and as a member of Shaker Heights City School District’s Finance & Audit Committee, which advises the Shaker Heights School Board. He also serves on the loan review committee of the Cleveland Citywide Development Corporation and is also a Board Member for 100 Black Men of Greater Cleveland, Inc.