Brook Ames is SVP, General Counsel and Community Risk Officer for Leader Bank, located in Arlington, Massachusetts.  In addition to his work directing legal and compliance matters, Brook is responsible for overseeing Leader Bank’s CRA program, including monitoring lending patterns to LMI borrowers and communities and tracking the Bank’s financial and homebuyer’s education courses, community involvement and charitable donations.  Brook’s legal work has given him in-depth knowledge and experience in consumer compliance, fair lending and UDAAP issues facing the banking industry.  In addition to his work with Leader Bank and Partnership for Financial Equity, Brook is an Adjunct Professor of Legal Writing for Boston University School of Law and serves on the Legal and Regulatory Compliance Committee for the Massachusetts Bankers Association.

Darrell comes to Interise from Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco where he was Chief Advancement Officer. Previously, Byers held leadership roles at Easterseals Bay Area and Earthjustice. He started his career in Boston working for such institutions as public media stations WGBH and WBUR, Harvard Graduate School of Education, and UMass Boston. He was the recipient of the Eleanor Collier Award from educational organization CASE District 1 for his contribution to his profession.

Symone became MAHA’s executive director in January 2022 after joining MAHA’s staff in 2018 as Director of STASH and Homeownership Operations and serving on its board of directors since 2014. Symone lives in Mattapan and worked for Encompass Insurance for seventeen years, most recently as a claims service leader. She serves on the state’s Racial Equity Advisory Council for Homeownership (REACH), the board of Citizens Housing and Planning Association and the steering committee of the Community Preservation Coalition. Symone is also a consumer liaison representative to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

Symone is an immigrant from the island of Jamaica, migrating to the United States in 1998 and coming to Boston in 1999. She is a graduate of Roxbury Community College, Northeastern University and Southern New Hampshire University online MBA finance concentration program. She is very passionate about her faith, her family and the needs of her community.

Isabel Cruz is a Regional CRA Officer for M&T Bank. She serves as a liaison between the bank and local community-based organizations across Eastern Massachusetts to develop and implement creative initiatives that meet the needs of low-to-moderate-income individuals and communities. Prior to joining M&T Bank’s CRA team, Isabel worked at the Massachusetts Housing Partnership (MHP) on the homeownership team which administers the ONE Mortgage Program, Massachusetts most affordable mortgage for first-time homebuyers. She worked with nonprofit and lender partners to advance initiatives aimed at closing the racial homeownership gap. Isabel has an MBA and MA in Community Development from Clark University and is a graduate of UMass Amherst.

Jason Andrade is the Director of Financial Services at Compass Working Capital. Compass Working Capital is a nonprofit financial services firm focused on providing savings and financial coaching programs that support families with low incomes to build assets, achieve their financial goals, and become financially secure.

As the Director of Financial Services, Jason is responsible for developing and leading culturally-proficient financial coaching and education practices for Compass’ coaching staff and clients. Jason has worked for more than10 years in the asset-building field with a focus on expanding access to free or low cost high-quality financial advising and tax preparation services.

Jason is a steering committee member for Boston’s Tax Help Coalition where he is also the director of two IRS V.I.T.A. tax sites and was previously awarded the SCI Community Social Capitalist award for his work in the Dorchester community. Other initiatives that he’s involved in include: Bank On Boston, Boston Builds Credit, and small business lending.

Prior to this, Jason worked as a tax accountant at Granite Telecommunications, LLC where he was responsible for corporate tax, gross receipts, and annual report filings. Jason is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and was awarded his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Suffolk University.

Graham Chapman is the Director of Community Partnerships for Santander Bank, facilitating the Bank’s relationship with non-profits and developing activities and services related to Santander’s CRA, CSR and Responsible Banking engagement. Prior to joining the Bank in 2016, Graham worked in economic development with the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce and is a graduate of Northeastern University.

Mark is the Community Development Market Manager for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts at Citizens Bank where his focus is on developing CRA activities within the banks assessment areas in Massachusetts. Mark has experience working with local non profits and over 18 years of banking experience. Before joining Citizens he was the CRA Officer at South Shore Bank and oversaw Sales & Service for their Retail and Residential Lending groups. Mark currently serves on the Massasoit Community College Foundation Board in Brockton. He attended Johnson and Wales University in Providence. Mark lives in Stoughton and spends his free time with his two young boys Carter and Jack.

Sabrina Antoine Correia is the Vice President of Public Engagement and Corporate Responsibility for New England at JPMorgan Chase. In this role she builds and nurtures authentic relationships with key stakeholders to drive positive, lasting community-centered impact. She is helping to advance the firm’s racial equity work by supporting Black and Latino communities with access to tools and resources that help them improve their economic opportunities and build wealth.

The driving force behind Sabrina’s career is building strategic partnerships that solve big problems. She has over 15 years of experience in community work and financial services—helping to improve economic disparities and life outcomes to under-resourced groups in disadvantage communities.

She holds a B.A. in Economics from Smith College and a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Tufts University. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband Jeff, serving on the Board of Fenway High School, volunteering with the Cummings Foundation, leading social action initiatives with her sorority, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., engaging in outdoor activities such as long distance running, hiking and traveling across the world.

Sabrina was recognized as a 2022 Ten Outstanding Young Leaders from the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce and City Awake. This award recognizes the accomplishments of professionals under 40 years old who address barriers and support equity in the Greater Boston region—helping to make Greater Boston the best place for businesses and people to thrive.

Maritza Crossen is the Director of Real Estate Services at Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA). CHAPA is a non-profit affordable housing advocacy organization in Massachusetts, with the mission to encourage the production and preservation of housing that is affordable to low and moderate-income families and individuals and to foster diverse and sustainable communities through planning and community development.

As Director of Real Estate Services Maritza oversees the marketing, outreach and education for CHAPA’s 40B homeownership portfolio, working towards CHAPA’s goal of closing the racial homeownership gap. She previously served as CHAPA’s Director of Programs, responsible for all of CHAPA’s homeownership related programs and initiatives. Maritza has also worked for New Ecology, Inc. as an associate green building consultant and prior to her graduate studies worked for Barclays Global Investors as an International Equities Trader and Analyst. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Vermont and a Masters in Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning from Tufts University.

Karen Frederick is the Executive Director of Community Teamwork. Community Teamwork is a community action agency serving Greater Lowell as well as a regional housing agency and community development corporation serving 63 communities in Middlesex and Essex Counties.   The organization is a catalyst for social change with a mission to strengthen communities and reduce poverty by delivering vital services and collaborating with key stakeholders to create housing, education, and economic opportunities.

Karen holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Merrimack College and a Master’s Degree from Tufts University. She has worked in Community Action and Community Development for over 30 years and has been the Executive Director at Community Teamwork for the past 12 years.

In addition to the Partnershio for Financial Equity, Karen serves on the Board of the Regional Housing Network, The Massachusetts Association of Community Action Agencies, The Massachusetts Association of Early Education and Care, the Greater Lowell Community Foundation, and the Greater Lowell Health Alliance. She also serves as a corporator of Lowell General Hospital and Greater Lowell Boys and Girls Club. She has been appointed to serve on various Governor’s Task Forces and Policy Initiatives and is a former elected member and chair of the Dracut School Committee.

Thomas (Tom) Golden is Vice President, Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) Officer for Rockland Trust. Tom is responsible for promoting, developing, implementing, and administering all aspects of the Bank’s CRA program.  His work includes serving as Rockland Trust’s principal point of contact for community organizations focused on the promotion of affordable housing, community investment, economic development, and the delivery of banking and financial services.

Tom brings over a decade of financial services industry experience to his role. He started his banking career at Hingham Institution for Savings. From there, he was a Bank Examiner as well as the Assistant Chief Director of Bank and Credit Union Supervision for the Massachusetts Division of Banks. Most recently, Tom was a commissioned compliance examiner at the FDIC for over five years.  He earned his Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Leadership and Organizational Change from University of Massachusetts Boston. Prior to receiving his MBA, he received his Bachelor of Science in Government at Suffolk University. Tom has earned various credentials that enrich his knowledge of CRA and compliance laws. He holds the following designations: Certified Regulatory Compliance Manager (CRCM) from the American Bankers Association, Certified Consumer Protection Examiner (CCPE-III) from the Conference of State Banking Supervisors, and a Commissioned Compliance Examiner from the FDIC.

Vanessa Greene oversees all aspects of risk management and compliance functions and is also responsible for the Bank’s Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) functions. She has been with the Bank since 2011, overseeing an ever-growing scope of responsibility in compliance and risk management, while developing as a respected leader among her peers, both within the organization and in the industry. In her role as an EVP, Vanessa has also been named to the Cape Cod 5 Foundation Board.

Vanessa earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Bentley University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Wellesley College. She completed the ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking program in partnership with the University of Pennsylvania, receiving a Stonier diploma and Wharton Leadership Certificate. An active member and advocate in the community, Vanessa is board treasurer for Philanthropy Partners of the Cape & Islands, an appointed member of both the Brewster Housing Partnership and Brewster Affordable Housing Trust, and a member of the Advisory Council for the Community Development Partnership.

Emily Haber brings to the MACDC team over 30 years of experience in planning and community development. As President & CEO, Emily oversees MACDC’s support to CDCs across the Commonwealth as they tackle issues related to affordable housing, economic development, community health equity, and racial justice. Before joining MACDC in August 2023, Emily served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Massachusetts Service Alliance (MSA), where during her 15-year tenure, she oversaw support to 100’s of organizations across the Commonwealth that rely upon volunteers and AmeriCorps and Commonwealth Corps members to meet critical needs in their communities.

Before joining MSA, Emily served as Program Director of Boston Main Streets, a public-private initiative of the City of Boston established to revitalize Boston’s many neighborhood commercial districts. At Boston Main Streets, Emily built partnerships with community stakeholders, implemented plans to foster vibrant, commercial districts in Boston, and provided technical assistance to local small businesses. Emily is on the LISC Boston Local Advisory Council and has served on the boards of the MA Nonprofit Network, America’s State Service Commissions, and Voices for National Service. She holds a B.A. from Vassar College and a Masters in City Planning from M.I.T.

Ana has worked in the field of small business lending for over a decade. She is an advocate for community-owned and operated businesses. Since 2011, Ana has led the sales team at Ascendus, which has flourished under her management. Her leadership has significantly expanded the portfolio and technical assistance provided to women, Black, and Latinx-owned businesses. Ana’s strategic leadership, rooted in lasting relationships with partners and business owners, has grown the organization’s footprint. Now serving as our Chief Operating Officer (COO), Ana continues to drive Ascendus’ mission forward. She is also a board member and co-chair of the Small Business Lending Committee for the Partnership for Financial Equity.

Delisa Joseph joined the Bank’s Risk & Compliance team in November 2018 as Vice President and CRA Officer. In her position at Needham Bank, she is responsible for leading and managing the bank’s CRA program by engaging stakeholders in the bank and within the community.

Ms. Joseph has over 15 years in the financial services industry. She previously worked for the State Street Corporation as Assistant Vice President for Enterprise Risk Management. Prior to joining State Street, she held a succession of positions of increasing responsibility at Citigroup, Inc. in their Buffalo, NY office.

Ms. Joseph holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from Niagara University, a Master of Arts and a Bachelor of Arts degrees from the University of Buffalo, The State University of New York.

Lisa Joyner has over 25 years of banking experience. She is a Community Development Manager at TD Bank. She develops, coordinates and manages community development activities for the Bank. She collaborates with nonprofits, government agencies and community groups serving low-to- moderate income communities. Key focus areas; affordable housing, economic development, small business and financial education. She works on strategies and action plans to monitor CRA performance. She previously held national and regional community development positions for U.S. Bank, Citibank and Fleet Bank. She has a passion for volunteering and giving back to the community. She is a board member of Boston Local Initiatives Support Collaborative and the Partnership for Financial Equity.

Kelleher earned her bachelor’s degree from Boston College and her J.D. from Georgetown University.  She is a member of the Massachusetts Coalition for Racial Equity in Housing, Mayor’s Supplier Diversity Advisory Council and the Mayor’s Housing Task Force in Boston.  She is also a member of the Urban Land Institute (Public Private Partnerships Product Council), Real Estate Finance Association, and the Massachusetts Bar.  She was previously a member of the Boston Bar Association (former chair of Affordable Housing Committee), ABA Forum on Affordable Housing and Community Development (former chair of Nonprofit Organizations Subcommittee) and the investment committee of the Healthy Neighborhoods Equity Fund, and previously served as a board member at Nativity Preparatory School and the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless.

Joe Kriesberg is the President and CEO of MassINC. He held the same position at MACDC from 2002-2022 where he oversaw the agency’s advocacy work with public and private sector entities, its capacity building work with members, its long-term strategic planning, it collaborations and partnerships and internal operations. He has launched several innovative new programs at MACDC, including the Community Investment Tax Credit, the Mel King Institute for Community Building, the GOALs Initiative, the biennial MACDC conventions and the Community Development Innovation Forum. In the past five years, the MACDC staff has grown by 50%. During his tenure Joe has helped to pass many important bills through the Massachusetts Legislature, including the groundbreaking Insurance Industry Community Investment Act (1998,) the Affordable Housing Trust Fund (2000,) the Small Business Technical Assistance Program (2006,) a comprehensive anti-foreclosure law (2007), a new law to help preserve “expiring-use” affordable rental communities (2009) and the Community Investment Tax Credit (2012). In 2016, he was chair of the Yes for a Better Boston Campaign that passed the Community Preservation Act in the city of Boston. Joe serves on the board of several organizations, including the Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation, Metro Housing Boston, LISC Boston in addition to MCBC. Joe is frequently asked to speak on community development issues and trends here and around the country, and writes about these issues for the MACDC website. Joe also periodically teaches as a Visiting Lecturer at Northeastern University’s Center for Urban and Regional Policy. Prior to working for MACDC, Mr. Kriesberg worked on energy and environmental issues for nonprofit organizations in Washington, DC and Boston, MA. Mr. Kriesberg has a B.A. from Binghamton University (New York State) and a J.D. Degree from Northeastern University in Boston. He lives in Boston, MA, with his wife, Dina Brownstein. They have two adult children, Joshua and Michael.

Susan E. Murray began serving as SEED’s new Executive Director starting in May 2019. Sue has 30 years of experience in commercial and community banking. Before joining SEED, Sue served as Senior Vice President and Underwriting Manager for Business Banking with Citizens Financial Group. Sue came to SEED with experience in all aspects of commercial lending including small business, commercial real estate acquisition and construction, SBA lending, portfolio management, relationship management, and leading high performing teams. In addition, Sue has been involved with many community organizations including serving as a volunteer mentor and trainer for Veterans Business Outreach Center of New England, the Center for Women in Enterprise, and the United Way of Massachusetts Bay. She has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Bryant University in Smithfield, RI.

Rosa is the current Resident Services and Community Engagement Manager for Harborlight Homes, a non-profit Community Development Corporation managing and building affordable housing throughout the North Shore.

To grow and improve HCP’s Resident Services, Rosa’s primary responsibilities include expanding and managing partnerships to allow for residents to live, thrive, and age with dignity. Rosa leads efforts and manages projects related to the improvement of the quality of life of our residents through the expansion and creation of new supportive services and partnerships, creation of data systems to measure efficiency and improve services, resident leadership development and socialization, and manages HCP’s Resident Services Coordinators across a variety of Harborlight Homes properties.

Also managing Harborlight Homes Education & Advocacy efforts, Rosa engages regularly with community members and local and state level officials to support housing related policy. Through the securement of a 5 year grant, Rosa’s department will create pro-housing programming tailored for local and state level elected officials, community members who wish to become housing advocates, and community forums covering a variety of current housing policy and topics in order to increase both technical knowledge and support for affordable housing throughout the North Shore. Rosa also serves as the Homebuyer Counselor as part of HCP/North Shore Realtor’s First Time Homebuyer courses and serves as a member of the City of Salem’s Zoning Board of Appeals as well as the Latino Leadership Coalition. Rosa has a MA in Counseling from Loyola Marymount University and is a graduate of the University of Nevada Las Vegas.

Gonzalo has more than 20+ years in the banking industry. He has a rare combination of corporate experience and entrepreneurial spirit, while taking time to help the community as well.

He began his banking career at Citizens Bank, where he quickly moved up the ranks from Loan Officer to Producing Sales Manager. He received the coveted President’s Club Award for 2004 & 2005 for outstanding sales and community outreach and worked there for over eight years. In 2006, he went to work at Eastern Bank as a Regional Sales Manager and received the 2012 Corporate Value award for his outstanding community involvement.

Gonzalo currently works at People’s United Bank as the Vice President, CRA & Community Development Officer, covering the Northern New England Market.

Gonzalo is a passionate Servant Leader willing to help anyone along the way who needs help with financial services and education. He has taught over 500+ homebuyer education seminars and over 100+ financial education classes with the hope of giving low income households and working chance for financial independence. He has eagerly volunteered as a leader with many non-profit organizations and was Chair of the Board of Directors at Compass Working Capital and is the current Co-Chair of MCBC’s Mortgage Lending Committee.

Gonzalo received his Bachelor of Science and MBA from Framingham State University. In 2012, his alma mater presented him with the Alumni Achievement Award for his outstanding work in our local communities. Gonzalo always dreamed of moving to the US, finish college, build his own enterprise and raise a family. He is thankful that he has been able to accomplish that and much more and is appreciative of what this country has offered to make this happen. Gonzalo loves visiting his second home in Cape Cod during the Summer and explore trails, go to the beach, play mini-golf and eat ice creams with the kids!

Karl Renney has been at Eastern Bank for over 27 years and for the last 7 years, he has served as Eastern Bank’s CRA Officer.  Karl is well versed in all bank operations and has held leadership roles in Residential Lending Operations, Commercial Operations and Consumer Lending. With this, Karl has the knowledge and experience to support the needs of the low- to moderate-income individuals and communities within the Bank’s assessment areas.

Candace is Partnership for Financial Equity’s graduate fellow, working with us on research and membership engagement through May 2025. She is a M.Ed Community Engagement Candidate at Merrimack College and has a B.A in Communications from Howard University’s Cathy Hughes School of Communication.