At Donaldson, compliance is about far more than paperwork. It is about protecting assets, supporting site teams, and ensuring affordable housing communities remain strong, sustainable, and ready for success. This quarter, we are spotlighting Donaldson’s Compliance Department: Tonya Proctor, Director of Compliance, and Laquan Jones, Compliance Specialist. As Donaldson continues to grow its affordable housing portfolio, the compliance department is evolving and expanding, strengthening the support and resources available to our communities.
Together, Tonya and Laquan bring deep industry experience, a collaborative mindset, and a shared commitment to helping Donaldson’s teams succeed. Their goal is not simply to enforce rules, but to build upon Donaldson’s strong compliance foundation by providing guidance, training, and practical support that helps communities operate smoothly while staying aligned with complex housing programs.
Tonya joined Donaldson in November 2025 as Director of Compliance, bringing with her experience in both property management and compliance. Her career path has been anything but ordinary. After spending 15 years in healthcare and later earning her real estate license, she transitioned into property management in 2007 as a leasing consultant. From there, she worked her way into compliance leadership roles, including a decade with Assisted Housing Services, where she conducted management and occupancy reviews for affordable housing communities in Washington, DC.
At Donaldson, Tonya is focused on enhancing and strengthening the company’s compliance operations. She enjoys using her expertise to build upon existing processes, introduce additional structure where needed, and serve as a dedicated resource for site teams. Having previously audited many affordable housing communities from the outside, she now brings that knowledge in-house to help teams prepare, improve, and stay ahead of issues before they become larger problems.
For Tonya, compliance is about preparation and partnership. Her goal is to help properties stay up to date at all times, ensuring files and documentation are accurate and complete long before an auditor ever arrives.
Her guiding principle reflects that approach. “Be proactive instead of reactive. If files stay audit-ready all the time, there is no need to scramble when an audit notice comes in.”
Tonya also credits her teammate Laquan for helping elevate the department’s processes and training initiatives. As she began refining materials and building out additional resources for site teams, Laquan stepped in with his strengths in technology and presentation development.
“Laquan has been a huge help as we continue to grow and strengthen our processes,” Tonya says. “He brings strong technical skills and helped put together our training presentations. We each bring different strengths to the table, and that really helps us move things forward.”
Tonya emphasizes that compliance work involves a constant balance of priorities. Behind the scenes, it means managing many moving parts, supporting site teams, and making sure operational and financial requirements are in place for each affordable community to remain compliant. She sees tremendous opportunity in continuing to enhance the department’s role as Donaldson’s affordable housing portfolio expands.
Outside of work, Tonya enjoys traveling, real estate, and spending time with her family. She and her husband are enjoying life as empty nesters with their dog, Axel, while staying busy with visits from their children and grandchildren. At this stage of life, Tonya says she is focused on exploring new places and creating memories, whether that means planning weekend trips, cruising, or simply discovering a new city.
Laquan Jones joined Donaldson recently as Compliance Specialist and has already made a strong impression. Originally from New Jersey, he moved to Maryland three years ago, bringing 10 years of experience in housing and compliance. After beginning his career in banking, Laquan discovered the housing industry through an opportunity with the Newark Housing Authority, where he quickly developed a passion for affordable housing programs and the residents they serve.
Over time, that passion expanded beyond residents to include owners and property teams as well. Laquan says one of the most rewarding parts of compliance is helping stakeholders understand how these programs work, not just from a regulatory standpoint, but from an operational and financial one.
Compliance is often associated with rules, audits, and technical requirements, but Laquan points out that it plays a much larger role in a community’s success. In many cases, strong compliance practices directly affect a property’s bottom line, helping owners avoid costly mistakes and make the most of the programs available to them.
He also works to reinforce that compliance is a collaborative function, not a punitive one.
“We’re on the same team,” Laquan says. “Compliance isn’t about pointing out everything that’s wrong. It’s about working together to fix issues and make sure properties are set up for success.”
Laquan also credits Tonya as an important mentor and leader. Having worked with her previously, he says her knowledge of the industry and the region has been invaluable. She understands his strengths and encourages him to use them, especially when it comes to leveraging technology and streamlining processes in a field that has traditionally relied heavily on paper systems.
Outside of work, Laquan stays busy with his wife and three daughters, whose schedules are filled with ballet, tap, and dance activities. When he is not at recitals or competitions, he is likely watching sports. A devoted Philadelphia Eagles fan, Laquan enjoys football, basketball, and following the Olympics, often analyzing games like a coach and breaking down plays.
Misti Mitchell, SVP of Property Management, emphasizes the importance of this work across the portfolio. “Strong compliance practices are essential to protecting our communities, our clients, and our long-term success. Tonya and Laquan bring a level of expertise and partnership that strengthens our teams and helps ensure we’re operating at the highest standard possible.”
Together, Tonya and Laquan are strengthening and expanding Donaldson’s compliance efforts in meaningful ways. As the company continues to grow its affordable housing portfolio, compliance remains essential, not only for meeting program requirements, but for protecting investments, supporting community teams, and ensuring residents continue to have access to quality affordable housing.
Their work may happen behind the scenes, but its impact is significant. From training site teams to reviewing files, solving problems, and preparing communities for audits, Donaldson’s Compliance team is helping ensure properties stay on track and positioned for long-term success- one proactive step at a time.