Q&A with Katrina Mbaye, from NHC – 2025

July 1, 2025

TEDxLogan Circle is a community-driven initiative made possible by the generosity of local partners who share our passion for ideas and innovation. Their sponsorship and in-kind donations are essential to bringing this event to life, and we’re thrilled to showcase their journey and commitment to making a difference.

Don't miss out on the inspiring talks and ideas at TEDxLogan Circle 2025 – secure your tickets today!

GET YOUR TICKETS

Meet Katrina Mbaye

Katrina Mbaye is the Associate Vice-President at the National Housing Center (NHC) Conference Venue, located at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). She aims to be a good community partner and welcome people from different walks of life.

“I wish more people knew that the National Housing Center, an award-winning venue, welcomes everybody... and whatever group we welcome, I think the best part of my job is helping them achieve their goals”.

Katrina Mbaye

The National Housing Center is an award-winning venue, located in the heart of Downtown DC. This venue welcomes all kinds of events (receptions, conferences, galas, meetings, expos) and can accommodate groups from 10 to 1,000 people, fostering connections between people.

To learn more about it, our team member Caroline Sainsard met with Katrina at the NHC, in Spring 2025.

Tell us something you wish more people knew about the National Housing Center.

To be here and to see what people really passionately feel about both sides, it’s like you can feel a little bit of yourself on both sides. What I wish people knew more about the NHC is that we welcome everybody.

Our 2025 theme is "Rethink Courage". What does courage mean to you?

Courage is having fear and doing what needs to be done anyway.

When do you feel the most courageous?

One of my kids has two learning disabilities and he’s also gifted. So, advocating for him to get him everything that he needs and deserves requires courage. But just watching him and how courageous he is in his day-to-day life actually gives me more courage to do what I need to do.

What do you like the most about Logan Circle?

One thing I specifically like about Logan Circle is the amount of diversity that is here. And that’s sort of tied into what TEDxLogan Circle does as well because they bring together very diverse people to talk about issues that affect us all. Even though DC is the nation’s capital, it is still a small, almost southern, close-knit community and that’s what I love. I just like to be out and part of it.

Professionally speaking, when do you need courage the most?

The work we do at the National Housing Center requires courage: it takes a lot of courage to engage with people in a civil way, professionally, to listen and try to put yourself in their shoes, and to see it from their perspective.

Anything you'd like to add?

I would just say thank you to the TEDxLogan Circle Family for allowing the National Housing Center to partner with them on this amazing adventure!

A big thank you to Katrina for the insightful conversation! You can watch the full video on our Instagram and Youtube pages. And a huge shoutout to the National Housing Center (NHC) for providing TEDxLogan Circle with a wonderful venue that will inspire our speakers and the audience, on August 14, 2025.

Interested in partnering and collaborating with us at TEDxLogan Circle? Reach out to us to be part of the movement.

Don't miss out on the inspiring talks and ideas at TEDxLogan Circle 2025 – secure your tickets today!

GET YOUR TICKETS

the NHC

The National Housing Center is a sophisticated, award-winning venue located in the heart of downtown Washington, D.C. that can accommodate groups of 10 to 1,000 attendees. Offering an abundance of natural light, the Auditorium boasts concert-worthy acoustics with panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows while a large Atrium enclosed in four-story glass walls offers stunning city views. Six breakout spaces are also available.