Elissa Schauman is a tax credit professional with passion for community development finance. She has 17 years of direct experience with New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC) and has deployed over $1.5B of investments in low-income communities, either directly or as a supervisor.
As Senior Vice President of Business Development at AMCREF Community Capital, LLC, Elissa consults with projects located in low-income communities to help them access financing through the NMTC program. She has represented projects ranging from a small early childhood education center to a large, green, rural manufacturing facility.
Prior to joining AMCREF in 2023, Elissa practiced law for a total of 10 years. Elissa’s legal career included representing NMTC investors, lender and Community Development Entities. Elissa also worked for 12 years in non-legal roles at U.S. Bancorp Impact Finance (USBIF). While working at USBIF, Elissa served as the Director of Project Management for NMTCs, Historic Tax Credits and Renewable Energy Investment Tax Credits. In this role Elissa managed a team of project managers who structured, underwrote and closed NMTC investments. Also while working at USBIF, Elissa explored and underwrote various state and federal community development products.
Elissa serves on the board of 2 CDFsI focused on small business lending and microlending; International Institute of St. Louis Community Development Corporation and Great Rivers Community Capital.
She is a graduate of the FOCUS St. Louis Leadership Class of 2012. She lives in the Shaw neighborhood in the City of St. Louis with her husband Jim, their children Teddy and Josie and their pandemic dogs Gracie and Luke.