OUR TEAM

David Canavan | Managing Director

David has over twenty years experience working on a broad portfolio of projects sponsored by private philanthropic groups, federal, state, and local government. For more than a decade, he led the Disaster Technical Assistance Team within the Office of Special Needs Assistance Programs, supporting individuals experiencing homelessness access response and recovery programs during and after disasters and public health emergencies.  
 
Under his leadership the team developed and implemented a concept of operations, direct engagement, and measurable outcomes for hundreds of HUD grantees experiencing a catastrophic disaster. This team played a central role in designing and implementing non-congregate care models nationwide in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of Operation Allies Welcome David assisted in leading efforts to house thousands of refugee households. Currently, he leads efforts to refine and advance systems-based approaches to unsheltered homelessness in several major U.S. cities. 

 

Jena Salon | Program Manager 

For almost a decade Jena has worked to facilitate collaborative, data-driven policy setting for local and state governments, with a particular focus on ensuring coherent approaches through program-level integration of goals. She is currently the Operations Lead for the Housing Central Command Initiative, working to refine and advance systems-based approaches to unsheltered homelessness in the US. Within this role she recently led the development, execution, and continued facilitation of the initiative’s ER-based housing collaboration between the City of Miami’s homeless response system and one of the nation’s largest public hospitals. Jena also led national project management for concurrent Public Health Disaster teams covering the United States during COVID-19 and MPX. 

 

Jena worked for several years within the Massachusetts local district court system as a confidential victim advocate and facilitated victims’ navigation of the system in the midst of crisis and developed and strengthened relationships between probation, the District Attorney’s office, the Clerk’s office, and Public Defenders to improve victim services.  

 

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Alex Ebrahimi | Senior Associate and Service Prioritization Subject Matter Expert

Alex joined the Canavan Associates team in 2023 as a Prioritization Subject Matter Expert and Senior Associate. For the last eighteen years Alex has supported people and communities impacted by homelessness. Prior to joining Canavan, Alex was responsible for managing the inter-jurisdictional and inter-agency planning for the King County Coordinated Entry System (CES). In that role, he coordinated with community leaders, the public, and private funders to inform a comprehensive system approach to service provision across the jurisdiction. 

 

Prior to public administration he spent ten years in direct services in the homelessness response system across multiple programs including emergency shelter, case management, payeeship, and specialized street outreach. He is the recipient of 2019’s King County Executive’s Performance Excellence Awards, People Leader Award. 

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Bruce Hallgren | Administrative Assistant

Bruce joined Canavan Associates in 2024 as the team's Administrative Assistant. He graduated from Boston University magna cum laude.  Bruce spent time in his youth living in a homeless shelter, and works to pay forward the kindness of the countless individuals who helped him get to where he is today.  During his time with Canavan Associates, Bruce has assisted on the Miami and New York City HCC engagements.