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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The NOAH Board of Directors meetings are held at 6 PM on the third Thursday of every month at NOAH’s office, East Boston. Board Benefits || Board Responsibilities

	Board of Directors
	Dharmena Downey - President: Executive Director, Fenway CDC Artist; Community and Environment Activism; Housing, Member NCRC Formerly Director of Housing, City of Somerville and City of Haverhill; Past E.B. Resident
	Andrew Danforth - Vice President: Andy is an independent consultant to the international residential finance community. He has a quarter century of executive, accounting, technological, entrepreneurial and operational experience in banking and finance, and has held executive finance positions for two public companies. In his consultancy, clients have varied from large banks and Wall Street brokerage houses to local lenders and government agencies. He is currently an advisor to the Mexican government on its continuing evolution of a competitive and liquid secondary mortgage market, and to a UN/NGO on the practical application of Shari'ah (Islamic law) to micro lending programmes in Southeast Asia. Andy has worked with several non-profits, including a charitable trust and an endowed scholarship fund. He is a founder of an ad hoc for-profit fund that invests in affordable and sustainable housing, cohousing and brownfields mitigation. Andy is a supporter of economic democracy, and serves as board secretary of the Cooperative Fund of New England; and is a founder of its sister fund, the Cooperative Capital Fund, the first venture capital funded formed specifically to support democratic and cooperative businesses.
	Christian A. Rivera - Vice President: Attorney for Brown Rudnick LLP Christian's specialty areas include Real Estate, Affordable Housing and Tax Credits.
	Kyla Piercey Curley, CPA - Treasurer: Kyla Is a certified public accountant, and is Managing Director in the Boston office of StoneTurn Group, with over 8 years of experience in litigation and investigatory matters including: class action securities claims and financial statement restatements; damages analyses; lost profit and business interruption claims; construction claims; royalty audits; general business litigation and other special audits and investigations.
	Anjie Preston - Secretary/Clerk: Community Activist and Entrepreneur. Since migrating to Massachusetts from the West Coast, Anjie has become involved in improving the East Boston community. Anjie has worked in many industries, including travel, law, and temporary staffing, as well as the local court system. Her activism work has included involvement with the Main Streets Initiative and the East Boston Columbus Day Celebration. In the new millennium, Anjie has embarked on several entrepreneurial endeavors. Her hobbies, both past and present, include sports and community public service activities, as well as various other entertainment pursuits.
	Kathy Burlinson: Assistant Clerk: Retired VNA Nurse, East Boston Health Center Kathy's expertise is in the fields of Healthcare, Community Activism, and managing Condominium Associations.
	Board Members
	Mary Ellen Welch: Mary Ellen Welch is a retired second grade school teacher and a community activist. Her work includes activism on social justice and civil rights issues, education, environmental action and justice, open space creation and preservation, and transportation and political action. Affordable housing opportunities are considered to be the most important action at NOAH. Mary Ellen is NOAH's Past President.
	Kempton Flemming: Accountant, City of Boston Kempton is experienced in the areas of Finance and Community Activism.
	Rose Fiore: Director of Administration & HR, Elkus | Manfredi Architects Administration & Human Resources
	Jennifer Lynn McCloskey: Jennifer is an attorney with a practice in Charlestown. She received her BS from Northeastern, and her JD from New England School of Law. While studying abroad, Jennifer interned in the Irish Parliament under Deputy Enda Kenny. She worked in the Law Offices of Mary Ann Chase and the Law Offices of Domenic Bozzotto to expand her knowledge and experience before starting her own practice in 2006. Jennifer is admitted to both the Massachusetts Bar and New York State Bar. She co-chairs NOAH's Fundraising Committee.
	Michael Lake: Michael is the Executive Director of the World Class Cities Partnership, headquartered at Northeastern University. His career in public service has spanned from serving two United States Presidents as Special Assistant for White House Operations to serving the former Prime Minister of Ireland as a policy research analyst and, most recently serving as Director of Development for United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley. Michael was the first and only college graduate in the state of Massachusetts to have completed five undergraduate degrees simultaneously, graduating summa cum laude studying Finance, Political Science, Communications, Entrepreneurship and Management Information Systems. Michael co-chairs NOAH's Fundraising Committee. Michael is pictured here with President Clinton.
	Greg Comeau: Greg is one of NOAH's two newest Board members. He is a Senior Manager with Deloitte & Touche, LLP in Boston.
	Peter Herbst: Peter is another new NOAH Board of Directors member. An active member of NOAH's Fundraising Committee, Peter has experience in industrial/commercial real estate analysis, and volunteers as a mentor at the Home for Little Wanderers. He is involved with the Urban Land Institute's Membership Committee, and serves as Chair of the St. John's Prep. Alumni Assoc. Networking Committee. Peter received his BA from Boston College in Economics and English. He also holds certificates from Boston University in Commercial Real Estate and Real Estate Finance.
	OPEN!	If you would like to serve on our dynamic and active Board, please contact Philip Giffee or Dharmena Downey at 617-567-5882.

Seeking New Members

NOAH is seeking to elect several new members to join its talented, established and energetic Board of Directors and Advisary Board. We are especially interested in attracting members with a Latino/Hispanic perspective and with expertise in Fundraising, Suburban Development Planning, Real Estate Development, Financial Management, Lending, Property/Asset Management and/or Organizational Development. Prior experience in the non-profit sector or as a member of a non-profit Board is desirable, but not required.

Board Benefits

New members will have the benefit of joining NOAH at an exciting time when we are identifying new opportunities and developing a new strategic plan for our future.

Contact: Dharmena Downey, Board President (617) 569-3899 or Philip Giffee, Executive Director (617) 418-8240

Membership on NOAH’s Board offers many benefits, including opportunities to:

• Make a meaningful contribution to the communities that NOAH serves
• Become part of an energetic and vibrant leadership body whose members share important values
• Use personal and professional skills to support the organization’s mission
• Acquire new skills
• Help to steer the future of the organization
• Participate in creative, strategic thinking and problem-solving
• Have fun

Board Responsibilities

• Attend and prepare for all Board meetings, assigned committees and organizational functions
• Commit freely of time and skills in support of NOAH’s mission and programs
• Remain informed about the mission, services, policies and programs of NOAH
• Assist the Board in carrying out its fiduciary responsibilities
• Serve as an ambassador for NOAH in the broader community
• Observe carefully conflict of interest and confidentiality policies
• Work effectively and collaboratively within the organizational structure