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We believe low-income communities are entitled to the same expertise and expectations of excellence as are their wealthier neighbors.

 

BlueHub Capital Staff

Our staff is committed to putting their expertise to work for underserved communities. At BlueHub Capital, we share a desire for excellence and for justice; where these two values intersect is where we do business. From our senior managers to our mortgage loan originators and administrators, we are passionate about building vibrant, healthy communities.

Senior Management

Elyse D. Cherry

CEO
BlueHub Capital
President
Boston Community Venture Fund, Aura Mortgage Advisors and NSP Residential

Elyse D. Cherry

Since 1997, Elyse Cherry has served as the CEO of BlueHub Capital, a national nonprofit community finance organization with a 35-year history of building healthy communities where low-income people live and work. Under Cherry’s leadership, BlueHub has invested over $2.2 billion, leveraged an additional $10 billion, and built a national tax credit practice to: finance affordable housing, health centers, schools, and other community facilities; provide foreclosure relief through the creation of a mortgage lender aimed at stabilizing urban neighborhoods; create jobs; benchmark and drive down energy and utility costs; and promote resiliency.

Cherry is a former partner at the law firm of Hale and Dorr (now WilmerHale) where her national transactional practice focused on multi-family and commercial real estate finance and development, affordable housing, and open space preservation.

An active civic and business leader, Cherry is a member of the Wellesley College Board of Trustees, the Board of Advisors of Eastern Bank, and Chair of the Board of the Forsyth Institute. She is also on the Board of Directors of The Boston Foundation, where she co-chairs the Advisory Committee for The Equality Fund -- a fund supporting greater Boston nonprofits that strengthen the LGBTQ community.

Cherry has been named one of 50 most influential Bostonians by the Boston Business Journal, one of the Top 100 LGBT Executives in the world by the Financial Times and OUTstanding, and one of 21 Leaders for the 21st Century by Women’s eNews.  In 2014, The White House named Cherry a Solar Champion of Change. She received Wellesley’s Alumnae Achievement Award in 2017, and she received the Susan M. Love Award from Fenway Health in 2014. For the past seven years, The Boston Globe and The Commonwealth Institute have included BlueHub Capital as one of the Top 100 Women-Led Businesses in Massachusetts. 

Cherry is a frequent speaker and panelist at national gatherings, and has been cited and published in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and The Boston Globe, among others. She has been featured on CBS Evening News, NPR’s Marketplace, PBS NewsHour and MSNBC’s All In with Chris Hayes.

Cherry is a former or present member of more than a dozen privately held company boards, including Zipcar. She chaired the Massachusetts Cultural Council, served on Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick’s statewide transition team and was a member of Governor Patrick’s Foreclosure Impacts Task Force. Cherry also chaired the Board of Mass Equality during that organization’s historic fight for marriage equality.

Cherry, an attorney, graduated from Wellesley College and Northeastern University School of Law.

617.427.3657

DeWitt Jones

President
BlueHub Energy
President
BlueHub Managed Assets

DeWitt Jones

DeWitt (Dick) Jones is Executive Vice President of BlueHub Capital and President of the BlueHub Community Managed Assets and BlueHub Energy affiliates.  He has served as a member of BlueHub's leadership team since it was established in 1985, and is also a director of BlueHub Loan Fund. Under his leadership, BlueHub Energy has developed approximately 7 megawatts of photovoltaic (PV) capacity on affordable housing developments and community facilities and is one of the largest third-party solar PV owners in the state.  Dick was a co-founder of WegoWise and served as its board chair.

Prior to joining BlueHub Capital, he was Executive Director of the Massachusetts Urban Reinvestment Advisory Group and served as a VISTA volunteer from 1980-1981.  He was a founding member of the Opportunity Finance Network (OFN) and served on its board from 1988-1996 where he chaired its Financial Services and Public Affairs committees. From 1991-1998, Dick was co-owner and treasurer of Maria and Ricardo's Tortilla Factory, a national industry leader located in Boston's inner city.   He currently serves on the board of Boston Day and Evening Academy, a public charter high school serving over-age high school students. 

Dick’s prior board experience includes serving as Board president of the Penikese Island School, a wilderness school for boys in trouble with the law, and as the treasurer of the Center for Women and Enterprise, a regional women’s business development center.  He was appointed by Boston Mayor Menino to serve on the city’s Renew Boston Advisory Committee its Blue Ribbon Task Force on Housing Finance.

Dick is a graduate of Harvard College and the Kennedy School of Government. He is a resident of the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts.  In 2008, Dick and his wife, Viki Bok, received the City of Boston’s Green Residential Award.

617.427.3580

Michelle Volpe

President
BlueHub Loan Fund

Michelle Volpe

As BlueHub Loan Fund President, Michelle has overall responsibility for the $600 million Fund, composed of more than 200 affordable housing and community and economic development loans. She is responsible for BlueHub Loan Fund’s impact, strategic direction and financial self-sufficiency and sustainability. 

Michelle leads capital-raising activities for BlueHub Loan Fund, including public and private sources and has 25 years of expertise in structuring financial transactions that allow borrowers to create healthier communities where low-income people live and work. She is responsible for loan origination, credit quality and portfolio quality. Michelle initiates new strategic directions and relationships for BlueHub Loan Fund and works closely with borrowers, community groups, the Governing Board, Loan Committee and Advisory Board to design flexible and adaptive financial products. She manages a team of 11 lending and impact professionals.

Michelle joined BlueHub Capital in 1995 as a Loan Officer, moving into a Team Leader role, and then becoming the Loan Fund President in 2012. Before joining BlueHub Capital, she was an Assistant Vice President at Bay Bank Boston, NA, and before that at Management Sciences for Health, a Boston nonprofit. Michelle was a Morehead Scholar at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she earned her B.A. with honors, and she holds a master’s degree from Yale's School of Management. Michelle serves on the advisory committees to the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston’s Working Cities Challenge efforts in MA, CT and RI and to Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation’s Business Equity Initiative; and serves on the Loan Committee for Nonprofit Finance Fund.

617.427.3509

Lisa Zappala

Chief Financial Officer

Lisa Zappala

Lisa joined BlueHub Capital in 2005 as Senior Finance Consultant.  Today, Lisa is the Chief Financial Officer, where she oversees the organization’s financial management and planning.

Prior to joining BlueHub Capital, Lisa was the CFO of a publicly traded company with $300 million in revenues, where she oversaw the company’s Financial Reporting and Compliance, Treasury and Investor Relations, and co-managed IT and Facilities. She was also a Senior Manager at Arthur Anderson and Company, where she assisted businesses in turn-around financial issues, including bankruptcy; launched an outsource practice for Financial Consulting Services; and assisted several businesses in reorganizing their financial accounting staff, systems and processes in addition to regular audit and tax services. She recently completed 9 years on the Finance Committee of the Town of Needham; during her time on the Committee, she served as both Chair and Vice Chair. She has also served on the Boards of Directors and Audit Committees of two publicly traded companies.

Lisa has a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from Boston College and received her CPA in 1984.

617.933.5851

Lubna Maria Elia

Chief Administrative Officer

Lubna Maria Elia

Lubna Maria Elia oversees talent management, administration, and continuing to promote inclusive excellence in the workplace to support the growth of BlueHub’s current and emerging initiatives. Lubna has 20 years of experience in the impact investing and social enterprise sectors. She is the founder of the New England Impact Investing Initiative, a nonprofit working to build a thriving and diverse regional impact investing industry by fostering connections, knowledge sharing, and talent development. 

Lubna has held a variety of leadership roles at nonprofits advancing economic and social justice. Most recently, she served as COO at Compass Working Capital, an organization that promotes asset building and financial planning for families with low incomes. At Root Capital, an international lender that transforms rural communities by investing in agricultural enterprises, she held several roles, including fundraising, legal resource coordination, GRC (governance, risk management and compliance), and human resources.

Lubna, a fluent Spanish speaker, earned a master’s degree in international relations from Boston University and a bachelor’s in humanities honors from the University of Texas at Austin, where she specialized in economic development in Latin America.

617.933.5874

Andrew Koh

Senior Vice President of Operations

Andrew Koh

At BlueHub Capital, Andrew Koh is responsible for technology, insurance, human resources, vendor and facility management leading strategic improvement projects linked to the growth of BlueHub and its lines of business.

Andrew brings to this position over 21 years of experience leading the operations of both professional and nonprofit groups through growth and transition phases. Prior to joining BlueHub Capital, Andrew was a Product Manager & Account Manager with Dovetail Health and spent 10 years as the COO of ASV Technologies, a leading multi-national banking check fraud solution provider. Andrew also served as VP of Operations & Business Development for iTenki Health, an early-stage eHealth company. He began his career as a healthcare and technology investment banker with Adams, Harkness & Hill, where he completed over 40 financial and strategic advisory engagements including M&A advisory services as well as public/private equity financings.

Andrew has a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Dartmouth College, is a LeadBoston '13, BU Nonprofit Management and Certification '17 and has served on the Board of several Boston-area nonprofit organizations.

617.427.4514

E. Matthew Gautieri

Senior Vice President, Controller

E. Matthew Gautieri

Matthew Gautieri is responsible for all financial management and accounting functions, including budgeting, investments, portfolio management, and financial reporting. Matt’s background in financial services and in real estate exceeds twenty years; he brings proven expertise in the field to his work at BlueHub Capital. His experience in commercial banking informs his work as a financial officer in a community development financial institution.

Prior to joining BlueHub Capital, Matt worked at FleetBoston Financial or its affiliates, most recently as Manager of Planning & Analysis in Fleet’s Small Business Services unit. He has also held positions in commercial real estate, financial analysis, and loan operations.

Matthew is a graduate of Fisher College.  

617.427.3714

Catherine Dun Rappaport

Vice President of Learning and Impact Measurement

Catherine Dun Rappaport

Catherine Dun Rappaport oversees efforts to understand and increase BlueHub Capital’s impact. She leads BlueHub’s performance measurement and management projects, and she oversees evaluations of BlueHub lending and initiatives. Catherine collaborates with leaders across the organization to share related insights and to develop strategies for applying lessons learned. 

Catherine is BlueHub’s in-house expert in practical and applied research. She has a 20-year track record conducting action-oriented evaluations, helping funders and practitioners apply findings to enhance performance, and assuming leadership roles at mission-driven organizations. Her work has been published in professional journals and on government websites.  She also is a frequent presenter at national conferences on evaluation, philanthropy, and innovation in impact measurement. 

Catherine has spent her career catalyzing and supporting positive social change. Prior to BlueHub, Catherine served as the Vice President of Learning and Analytics at the United Way of Mass Bay and as a senior research consultant at Abt Associates. Catherine overhauled United Way’s systems for determining how to allocate over $45MM of funding to nonprofit organizations in a way that simplified the process, rewarded performance and increased transparency and equity. She was asked to serve as a senior strategic advisor to the CEO and organizational leadership in recognition of this work. At Abt, Catherine led evaluation and technical assistance projects focused on economically disadvantaged children and families and on supporting the low-wage workforce. She helped clients utilize findings to enhance organizational performance and to improve client outcomes. Catherine also has five years of direct experience working in community-based organizations that support low-income children and parents. As a young professional, she founded and ran a local chapter of Read to a Child. 

Catherine is a Senior Advisor to the Greater Boston Evaluation Network, a founding member of the Efficient Impact Frontiers Collaboration, a member of Social Value-US, and an Ambassador for Leap of Reason. She graduated with honors from Amherst College and received a Master’s in Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School.

617.427.3587

Finance

Lisa Zappala

Chief Financial Officer

Lisa Zappala

Lisa joined BlueHub Capital in 2005 as Senior Finance Consultant.  Today, Lisa is the Chief Financial Officer, where she oversees the organization’s financial management and planning.

Prior to joining BlueHub Capital, Lisa was the CFO of a publicly traded company with $300 million in revenues, where she oversaw the company’s Financial Reporting and Compliance, Treasury and Investor Relations, and co-managed IT and Facilities. She was also a Senior Manager at Arthur Anderson and Company, where she assisted businesses in turn-around financial issues, including bankruptcy; launched an outsource practice for Financial Consulting Services; and assisted several businesses in reorganizing their financial accounting staff, systems and processes in addition to regular audit and tax services. She recently completed 9 years on the Finance Committee of the Town of Needham; during her time on the Committee, she served as both Chair and Vice Chair. She has also served on the Boards of Directors and Audit Committees of two publicly traded companies.

Lisa has a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from Boston College and received her CPA in 1984.

617.933.5851

E. Matthew Gautieri

Senior Vice President, Controller

E. Matthew Gautieri

Matthew Gautieri is responsible for all financial management and accounting functions, including budgeting, investments, portfolio management, and financial reporting. Matt’s background in financial services and in real estate exceeds twenty years; he brings proven expertise in the field to his work at BlueHub Capital. His experience in commercial banking informs his work as a financial officer in a community development financial institution.

Prior to joining BlueHub Capital, Matt worked at FleetBoston Financial or its affiliates, most recently as Manager of Planning & Analysis in Fleet’s Small Business Services unit. He has also held positions in commercial real estate, financial analysis, and loan operations.

Matthew is a graduate of Fisher College.  

617.427.3714

Emily Kaminsky

Compliance Manager

Emily Kaminsky

Emily Kaminsky comes to BlueHub Capital with a diverse community economic development background with a focus on small business finance, nonprofit development, and grant management. At BlueHub Capital, Emily is responsible for maintaining compliance and completing required reporting for federal awards and institutional investments.

Prior to joining BlueHub Capital, Emily was the Director of Community Capital of Vermont, a community development financial institution providing micro and small business loans to low-income entrepreneurs in Vermont. In 2005, she was awarded SBA Financial Services Advocate of the Year for Vermont and New England. Previously, she was Program Officer at Counterpart International in Washington, D.C. providing programmatic support to entrepreneurship programs and partner nonprofits in the former Soviet Union. An active participant in community improvement projects, Emily was a founding board member of a food co-op initiative for downtown Barre, Vermont; a board member of the Central Vermont Community Land Trust; a founding member of the Metro Way Community Gardens; and a volunteer with the Vermont Refugee Resettlement Program providing assistance to Russian-speaking refugees.

She is a graduate of University of Rochester with a Bachelor’s Degree in Anthropology and Russian Language and Literature. She received a Master’s of Science in Community Economic Development from Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) in 2003 and has recently returned to SNHU part-time to obtain a Master’s in Accounting & Finance. 

617.427.8600

Felipe Passos

Senior Accounting Analyst

Felipe Passos

Felipe joined BlueHub Capital as a Senior Accounting Analyst in 2018. His responsibilities include accounting operations such as accounts receivable, accounts payable, loan portfolio management, financial reporting and forecasting. He is an experienced accountant and analyst with experience in banking and public and private accounting both in the United States and emerging markets.

Prior to joining BlueHub Capital, he worked at the fast-growing and innovative digital marketing firm Stone Temple Consulting, where he helped improve contract management and billing processes, and directly participated in the buyout process of a publicly listed company. At Baker Tilly and Grant Thornton, he directly participated in the office start-up process while acting as a Senior Auditor in assurance and advisory project engagements. He has experience supervising and revising work, regularly meeting clients and acting as a point of reference for more complex accounting transactions.

Felipe received his BS in Accounting from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and holds a Graduate Certificate in Sustainability in extension studies from Harvard University.

617.933.5888

Jason Zhang

Senior Accounting Analyst

Jason Zhang

Jason Zhang joined BlueHub Capital in July 2014.  He is responsible for accounting operations such as A/P, A/R, loan portfolio management, financial reporting and forecasting.  Jason has more than ten years’ experiences in corporate accounting, financial analysis, fund operation and loan portfolio management.

Previously, Jason worked at GL Capital Partner and Sachems Financial LLC as an Assistant Vice President in Finance.

Jason received his Bachelor’s degree from Worcester State University and holds an MBA from Clark University.

617.933.5870

Investor Relations & Marketing

Rachel Serotta

Investor Relations and Development Manager

Rachel Serotta

Rachel is the Investor Relations and Development Manager at BlueHub Capital, where she is responsible for cultivating, building and strengthening relationships with new and existing funders as well as overseeing investor relations processes and procedures.

Rachel brings over 10 years of experience in business development, investor relations and fundraising in which she has built and managed complex funding partnerships, aligning programmatic and financial goals of funders to meet capital needs and to facilitate the achievement business objectives of mission-driven non-profit, for-profit organizations and social enterprises.

Prior to joining BlueHub Capital, Rachel was the Director of Investor Relations for Root Capital, managing strategy and relationships to achieve capital needs for a nonprofit that lends to rural agricultural businesses in across Latin America and Africa. Previously, she was as an Analyst on the investor development and relations team at Developing World Markets, an investment management firm that makes debt and equity investments in microfinance institutions globally. In addition, she has served in various fundraising and communications roles for nonprofit organizations in Boston and New York, including Safe Water Network, Africa-America Institute and Accion International.

Rachel holds a M.A. in international affairs from Columbia University and a B.A. from Colby College.

617.933.5872

Autumn McLaughlin

Manager of Communications

Autumn McLaughlin

Autumn is responsible for developing and implementing communications strategies that support the creation of new BlueHub initiatives, drive continued growth goals of existing businesses, and strengthen BlueHub’s participation in regional and national conversations about community and economic development, investment, and finance.

Autumn is a strategic communications professional who has been working at the intersection of media, community and government for 10 years. She comes to BlueHub Capital from Northwind Strategies, a boutique public relations firm in Boston. During her time at Northwind, she developed communications campaigns for several nonprofits, small businesses and advocacy initiatives. Prior to that, she worked in the Massachusetts State Senate for Senator Barry R. Finegold.

Autumn graduated from Lehigh University with a double major in journalism and political science. 

617.933.5853

Erin Shull

Communications and Investor Relations Analyst

Erin Shull

As a Communications and Investor Relations Analyst, Erin is responsible for maintaining the website, coordinating social media activities, assisting with database management, reporting to and communicating with investors and donors, and providing support for any additional activities that support BlueHub’s overall external relations goals.  

Before coming to BlueHub, Erin worked for the Marketing and Communications Office at Clark University. In this role, she was responsible for creating content for the University’s website and social media platforms. Erin has also worked for the nonprofit Conservation International as a Foundation Relations intern, where she assisted with database management, grant writing and editing, and completing an analysis focused on improving donor relationships and fundraising through public-private partnerships. 

Erin holds an MBA from Clark University with a concentration in sustainability and social change, and a BA in business management, also from Clark.  

617.933.5886

Operations & Administration

Lubna Maria Elia

Chief Administrative Officer

Lubna Maria Elia

Lubna Maria Elia oversees talent management, administration, and continuing to promote inclusive excellence in the workplace to support the growth of BlueHub’s current and emerging initiatives. Lubna has 20 years of experience in the impact investing and social enterprise sectors. She is the founder of the New England Impact Investing Initiative, a nonprofit working to build a thriving and diverse regional impact investing industry by fostering connections, knowledge sharing, and talent development. 

Lubna has held a variety of leadership roles at nonprofits advancing economic and social justice. Most recently, she served as COO at Compass Working Capital, an organization that promotes asset building and financial planning for families with low incomes. At Root Capital, an international lender that transforms rural communities by investing in agricultural enterprises, she held several roles, including fundraising, legal resource coordination, GRC (governance, risk management and compliance), and human resources.

Lubna, a fluent Spanish speaker, earned a master’s degree in international relations from Boston University and a bachelor’s in humanities honors from the University of Texas at Austin, where she specialized in economic development in Latin America.

617.933.5874

Andrew Koh

Senior Vice President of Operations

Andrew Koh

At BlueHub Capital, Andrew Koh is responsible for technology, insurance, human resources, vendor and facility management leading strategic improvement projects linked to the growth of BlueHub and its lines of business.

Andrew brings to this position over 21 years of experience leading the operations of both professional and nonprofit groups through growth and transition phases. Prior to joining BlueHub Capital, Andrew was a Product Manager & Account Manager with Dovetail Health and spent 10 years as the COO of ASV Technologies, a leading multi-national banking check fraud solution provider. Andrew also served as VP of Operations & Business Development for iTenki Health, an early-stage eHealth company. He began his career as a healthcare and technology investment banker with Adams, Harkness & Hill, where he completed over 40 financial and strategic advisory engagements including M&A advisory services as well as public/private equity financings.

Andrew has a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Dartmouth College, is a LeadBoston '13, BU Nonprofit Management and Certification '17 and has served on the Board of several Boston-area nonprofit organizations.

617.427.4514

Michele Eldridge

Senior Administrative Assistant

Michele Eldridge

Michele Eldridge is the Senior Administrative Assistant at BlueHub Capital, where she manages administrative responsibilities for various departments. In addition to her day to day duties, she assists with conducting client phone inquiries with homeowners seeking to save their homes from foreclosure through the SUN program. 

Before joining BlueHub Capital, Michele worked as an Administrative Assistant for the Boston Foundation and the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology.

Michele attended Roxbury Community College and Northeastern University.

617.427.8600

Marlene Honore

Administrative Assistant & Customer Relations Liaison

Marlene Honore

As an Administrative Assistant for BlueHub Capital and Customer Relation Liaison for BlueHub SUN, Marlene is responsible for processing documentation such as capital reserve and hold back requests for SUN borrowers, assisting SUN borrowers with service requests and resolving client issues.

Before coming to BlueHub in 2017, Marlene worked as an Administrative Assistant at Personnel People, Inc., where she assisted with bookkeeping and provided customer support. She has also held several management positions in the retail and food and beverage industries. Marlene loves engaging with people to help solve problems and putting smiles on clients’ faces. She also regularly volunteers at local food banks and Rosie’s Place, a women’s shelter, with her children.

Marlene received a degree in Business Management from Katharine Gibbs Business School in Boston.

617.933.5864

BlueHub Loan Fund

Michelle Volpe

President
BlueHub Loan Fund

Michelle Volpe

As BlueHub Loan Fund President, Michelle has overall responsibility for the $600 million Fund, composed of more than 200 affordable housing and community and economic development loans. She is responsible for BlueHub Loan Fund’s impact, strategic direction and financial self-sufficiency and sustainability. 

Michelle leads capital-raising activities for BlueHub Loan Fund, including public and private sources and has 25 years of expertise in structuring financial transactions that allow borrowers to create healthier communities where low-income people live and work. She is responsible for loan origination, credit quality and portfolio quality. Michelle initiates new strategic directions and relationships for BlueHub Loan Fund and works closely with borrowers, community groups, the Governing Board, Loan Committee and Advisory Board to design flexible and adaptive financial products. She manages a team of 11 lending and impact professionals.

Michelle joined BlueHub Capital in 1995 as a Loan Officer, moving into a Team Leader role, and then becoming the Loan Fund President in 2012. Before joining BlueHub Capital, she was an Assistant Vice President at Bay Bank Boston, NA, and before that at Management Sciences for Health, a Boston nonprofit. Michelle was a Morehead Scholar at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she earned her B.A. with honors, and she holds a master’s degree from Yale's School of Management. Michelle serves on the advisory committees to the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston’s Working Cities Challenge efforts in MA, CT and RI and to Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation’s Business Equity Initiative; and serves on the Loan Committee for Nonprofit Finance Fund.

617.427.3509

Catherine Dun Rappaport

Vice President of Learning and Impact Measurement

Catherine Dun Rappaport

Catherine Dun Rappaport oversees efforts to understand and increase BlueHub Capital’s impact. She leads BlueHub’s performance measurement and management projects, and she oversees evaluations of BlueHub lending and initiatives. Catherine collaborates with leaders across the organization to share related insights and to develop strategies for applying lessons learned. 

Catherine is BlueHub’s in-house expert in practical and applied research. She has a 20-year track record conducting action-oriented evaluations, helping funders and practitioners apply findings to enhance performance, and assuming leadership roles at mission-driven organizations. Her work has been published in professional journals and on government websites.  She also is a frequent presenter at national conferences on evaluation, philanthropy, and innovation in impact measurement. 

Catherine has spent her career catalyzing and supporting positive social change. Prior to BlueHub, Catherine served as the Vice President of Learning and Analytics at the United Way of Mass Bay and as a senior research consultant at Abt Associates. Catherine overhauled United Way’s systems for determining how to allocate over $45MM of funding to nonprofit organizations in a way that simplified the process, rewarded performance and increased transparency and equity. She was asked to serve as a senior strategic advisor to the CEO and organizational leadership in recognition of this work. At Abt, Catherine led evaluation and technical assistance projects focused on economically disadvantaged children and families and on supporting the low-wage workforce. She helped clients utilize findings to enhance organizational performance and to improve client outcomes. Catherine also has five years of direct experience working in community-based organizations that support low-income children and parents. As a young professional, she founded and ran a local chapter of Read to a Child. 

Catherine is a Senior Advisor to the Greater Boston Evaluation Network, a founding member of the Efficient Impact Frontiers Collaboration, a member of Social Value-US, and an Ambassador for Leap of Reason. She graduated with honors from Amherst College and received a Master’s in Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School.

617.427.3587

Yaritsa Brea

Portfolio Management Analyst

Yaritsa Brea

As Portfolio Management Analyst at BlueHub Loan Fund, Yaritsa helps manage risk for the Loan Fund’s growing portfolio of over 160 loans by working closely with loan officers to ensure compliance with underwriting and reporting requirements both pre- and post-closing, conducting site visits, spreading financial statements, performing annual financial reviews, and testing financial covenants.

Yaritsa brings strong commercial real estate experience to BlueHub Loan Fund. She joins the Loan Fund from People’s United Bank, where she completed an intensive credit training program and worked for three years as a Portfolio Manager specializing in commercial real estate underwriting, portfolio management, and risk mitigation for a variety of commercial loan products.

Yaritsa earned a Bachelor of Sciences degree in Managerial Economics and Management at Bentley University.

617.427.3640

Elisabeth Davis

Assistant Vice President, Commercial Lending

Elisabeth Davis

Elisabeth is an Assistant Vice President of Commerical Lending at BlueHub Capital. She develops and implements new loan products to meet evolving community needs, including acquisition, pre-development, construction and permanent loans for community facilities, commercial economic development projects, healthy food financing, and affordable housing. She generates, underwrites and structures new loans that meet BlueHub Capital’s social and financial underwriting criteria.

Prior to this role, Elisabeth worked internally to operationalize the strategic growth of the organization by developing systems and processes across business units. Before joining BlueHub, Elisabeth worked for the City of Boston on the leadership team of a youth development and workforce initiative.

A graduate of UMass Amherst, Elisabeth holds an MBA from Boston University.

617.933.5852

Galina Kim

Construction Loan Specialist

Galina Kim

Galina joined BlueHub Loan Fund as a Construction Loan Specialist in June 2019. She works closely with the lending team and is responsible for managing the review of key construction documents prior to loan closing, building and maintaining construction cash flow spreadsheets, tracking closing budget, change orders and disbursements throughout the term of each construction loan.

Previously, she worked as a Construction Services Specialist at Great Southern Bank in Springfield, MO. Before moving to the United States, Galina’s lived and worked in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, United Kingdom and Russia.

Galina holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from Kazakhstan Institute of Management, Economics and Strategic Research (Almaty, Kazakhstan).

617.933.5876

Sarah Kitterman

Senior Vice President

Sarah Kitterman

As a Senior Vice President, Sarah Kitterman markets BlueHub Loan Fund to potential borrowers, underwrites loan requests, and conducts ongoing portfolio management. Sarah brings a broad perspective on community development, having worked in international markets as well as domestic.

Previously, Sarah worked for ten years at Wainwright Bank on the Community Development Lending Team, and then more recently at Eastern Bank after Eastern acquired Wainwright. Prior to joining Wainwright, Sarah worked in BankBoston’s Community Development group as a Loan Officer at First Community Bank.  Sarah also has extensive overseas experience working in the field of international development, in particular in Eastern Europe and Asia.

A graduate of Harvard University, she holds an MBA from Columbia University with a specialization in finance and nonprofit management.

617.933.5871

Mei See Law-Sandson

Senior Vice President, Portfolio Management

Mei See Law-Sandson

Mei See Law-Sandson brings extensive experience in commercial banking to her role at BlueHub Capital. As Senior Vice President, she works closely with borrowers, ensuring compliance with BlueHub Loan Fund's requirements after closing and assisting Loan Fund staff in portfolio management. She conducts site visits and annual status reviews. Mei See also brings strong experience in credit analysis to the Loan Fund.

Mei See’s prior experience includes a variety of capacities with multiple national lenders. She has worked in Community Development Lending, Relationship Management Lending and in Small Business Banking with Wainwright/Eastern Bank, First Republic Bank and Sovereign Bank, respectively.

Mei See is a graduate of Brown University.

617.933.5863

Ariana Mattice-Lybrand

Impact and Operations Analyst

Ariana Mattice-Lybrand

As an Impact and Operations Analyst, Ariana is responsible for the data collection, management and analysis needed to support various impact and operational workstreams. She evaluates the social impact associated with lending by ensuring the completeness and accuracy of these data, and works on data collection and analysis that supports strategic HR projects and operational improvements related to talent development and staffing.

Before joining BlueHub, Ariana worked as a District Office Manager for a member of the New York State Assembly in Albany. In that role, she was primarily responsible for constituent case management and also supported communications with external stakeholders and assisted with legislative research priorities. Before that, she worked for the New York State Department of Health as a Health Policy intern.

Ariana holds a BA in political science with a minor in criminal justice from Hatwick College, and is currently pursuing an MPA with a concentration in public policy and nonprofit organizational theory at SUNY Albany.

617-427-3565

Kathryn McHugh

Senior Vice President

Kathryn McHugh

As a Senior Vice President, Kathryn McHugh markets BlueHub Loan Fund to potential borrowers, underwrites loan requests, and conducts ongoing portfolio management.

Prior to joining the Loan Fund, Kathryn was a Program Officer at the Local Initiatives Support Corporation office in Providence; a housing development specialist with the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health and a project manager for real estate development at CASCAP. Kathryn is a resident of Brookline and is an active volunteer on Boston and Massachusetts housing issues, especially with homeless groups. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Somerville Homeless Coalition, and is a trustee for the Castle Square Tenants Organization’s Charitable Trust and the Jamaica Plain Housing Trust. She also consults with the State of Massachusetts and various municipalities on their housing and homeless policies and programs. Kathryn serves as the Treasurer of the Lincoln School PTO.

A graduate of Mount Holyoke College, she also holds a Masters of Public Policy from Tufts University.

617.427.3608

Michael Nilles

Senior Vice President, Team Leader

Michael Nilles

As a Senior Vice President, Mike Nilles markets BlueHub Loan Fund to potential borrowers, underwrites loan requests, and conducts ongoing portfolio management.  In addition to financing affordable housing development, Mike currently focuses on community facilities for organizations such as community health centers and charter schools, in transactions that often involve providing leverage debt into New Markets Tax Credit structures. Mike has been with BlueHub Capital since 1996, except for a period from 2001-2004 when he worked as a consultant in community-based financing and real estate development.

Before joining BlueHub Capital, Mike worked in a middle-market commercial lending group at BayBank.

A graduate of Georgetown University and the Yale School of Management, Mike previously served as a Jesuit Volunteer in Seattle.  

617.427.3676

Julie Shea

Assistant Vice President, Commercial Lending

Julie Shea

As an Assistant Vice President of Commerical Lending at BlueHub Capital, Julie engages in business development, underwrites loan requests, and structures transactions.

Julie joins BlueHub Capital from Eastern Bank where she worked as Portfolio Manager with the Community Development Lending team. Prior to Eastern Bank, Julie worked at Root Capital, a nonprofit social investment fund.

Julie holds an M.B.A. from Boston University, a M.Sc. in Business and International Development from the Copenhagen Business School, and a B.Sc. from the University of Roskilde.

617.933.5887

Ebonié Smith-Cooper

Portfolio Management Analyst

Ebonié Smith-Cooper

As Portfolio Management Analyst at BlueHub Capital, Ebonié helps maintain and review BlueHub Loan Fund’s current portfolio of approximately 150 loans. With the Loan Fund Portfolio Manager, Ebonié works closely with loan officers, ensuring compliance with BlueHub Loan Fund's requirements both pre- and post-closing. She also conducts site visits, annual reviews, and covenant testing for a small dedicated portion of the Loan Fund portfolio.  

Ebonié brings strong commercial lending experience to BlueHub Capital. She joins BlueHub from North Shore Bank, where she worked for three years as a Commercial Loan Administrator specializing in quality control, due diligence, documentation, and closings for a variety of commercial loan products. Prior to North Shore Bank, Ebonié worked at TD Bank as a Small Business Loan Specialist and Commercial Loan Administrator.

Ebonié studied psychology at Stetson University.

617.427.4549

Jenny Thang

Portfolio Manager

Jenny Thang

As a BlueHub Loan Fund Portfolio Manager, Jenny is responsible for managing a subset of assigned loans within the Loan Fund’s current portfolio. She works closely with borrowers and internal loan officers, ensuring compliance with BlueHub Loan Fund’s requirements throughout the pre- and post- closing process.  She also conducts site visits, performs annual financial reviews and tests financial covenants.

Jenny worked for over 6 years at Walker & Dunlop in various departments including Servicing, Underwriting, and Asset Management. Her most recent role prior to joining BlueHub Capital was Assistant Vice President of the Vendor Management Group, where she was responsible for overseeing a newly-formed group of operational analysts supporting commercial real estate loan servicing duties. Prior to Walker & Dunlop, she worked at State Street in Fund Administration as an Associate II. 

Jenny graduated from the University of Massachusetts Boston’s College of Management, with a Bachelor's Degree in Management.

 

617.933.5855

BlueHub Energy

DeWitt Jones

President
BlueHub Energy
President
BlueHub Managed Assets

DeWitt Jones

DeWitt (Dick) Jones is Executive Vice President of BlueHub Capital and President of the BlueHub Community Managed Assets and BlueHub Energy affiliates.  He has served as a member of BlueHub's leadership team since it was established in 1985, and is also a director of BlueHub Loan Fund. Under his leadership, BlueHub Energy has developed approximately 7 megawatts of photovoltaic (PV) capacity on affordable housing developments and community facilities and is one of the largest third-party solar PV owners in the state.  Dick was a co-founder of WegoWise and served as its board chair.

Prior to joining BlueHub Capital, he was Executive Director of the Massachusetts Urban Reinvestment Advisory Group and served as a VISTA volunteer from 1980-1981.  He was a founding member of the Opportunity Finance Network (OFN) and served on its board from 1988-1996 where he chaired its Financial Services and Public Affairs committees. From 1991-1998, Dick was co-owner and treasurer of Maria and Ricardo's Tortilla Factory, a national industry leader located in Boston's inner city.   He currently serves on the board of Boston Day and Evening Academy, a public charter high school serving over-age high school students. 

Dick’s prior board experience includes serving as Board president of the Penikese Island School, a wilderness school for boys in trouble with the law, and as the treasurer of the Center for Women and Enterprise, a regional women’s business development center.  He was appointed by Boston Mayor Menino to serve on the city’s Renew Boston Advisory Committee its Blue Ribbon Task Force on Housing Finance.

Dick is a graduate of Harvard College and the Kennedy School of Government. He is a resident of the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts.  In 2008, Dick and his wife, Viki Bok, received the City of Boston’s Green Residential Award.

617.427.3580

Emily Rochon

Director of Energy and Environmental Policy

Emily Rochon

As Director of Energy and Environmental Policy, Emily’s work focuses primarily on clean energy public policy discussions taking place at the local, state, and federal levels. She assists BlueHub Capital in developing its solar and energy business, with the goal of ensuring that low-income communities are included in any sustainable energy model. 

Emily comes to BlueHub Capitalwith extensive experience in environmental and energy policy and law.  She received her J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law in 2013 and holds a Master’s of Science in Environmental Toxicology from Cornell University as well as Bachelor’s degrees in Environmental Studies and Biology from Providence College and Rhode Island College, respectively. 

BlueHub SUN

Adam Beattie

Operations Manager

Adam Beattie

Adam Beattie is a Massachusetts licensed mortgage loan officer and works with BlueHub SUN in foreclosure relief. He brings both industry expertise and as public sector acumen to his role, in which he assesses home loan applications and guides family through the process of repurchasing their homes. 

Adam worked with the Fair Housing Center of Greater Boston as a housing counselor and at Mortgage Master, Inc. as a loan officer previous to joining BlueHub Capital. He filled the role of project manager at the Hawaii Youth Correctional Facility and also as an investigator in New York City with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. He has experience in international research, having lived in Cape Town, South Africa to work as a research assistant in economics.

Adam graduated Cum Laude from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst with undergraduate degrees in Economics and Japanese. He also holds a Master’s of Public Affairs from University of Massachusetts Boston. Adam’s Massachusetts mortgage loan officer license number is NMLS #317331.

617.933.5854

Jonathan Coakley

Loss Mitigation and Asset Manager

Jonathan Coakley

Jonathan joined BlueHub Capital in 2017 as Loss Mitigation Manager & Mortgage Loan Officer for the BlueHub SUN. In this role, Jonathan manages instances of borrower bankruptcy or foreclosures and works with homeowners to build applications.

Jonathan brings experience working at TD Bank in loss mitigation, a private law firm as a real estate closing coordinator, and at Social Service Coordinators, where he implemented outreach strategies to reach low-income Medicare beneficiaries regarding maintaining their benefits.

Jonathan holds a B.A. in Business Management from Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. 

617.933.5867

Linda Diianni

Outreach Manager

Linda Diianni

Linda joined BlueHub Capital as an underwriter in August of 2015 and now leads the Outreach team.

Before joining BlueHub Capital, Linda worked for several mortgage lenders as far back as 1989 and went on to become an attorney. Her law degree focused on Real Estate Law. During her internship at Neighborhood Legal Services in Lawrence, MA, she provided counseling to low-income families facing foreclosure and was introduced to the work of BlueHub SUN.

Linda graduated from Merrimack College in North Andover, MA with a Bachelor’s Degree and earned a Juris Doctor from Massachusetts School of Law. She was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar in June 2014. 

617.933.5856

Justin DeAngelis

Negotiations Manager

Justin DeAngelis

Justin DeAngelis joined BlueHub Capital and BlueHub SUN as a Negotiator in 2015. Justin negotiates the purchase of SUN residential properties with lenders and services, which are in turn sold back to their original occupants. He also works to resolve delinquency issues with current borrowers as a member of the Loss Mitigation team.

Prior to joining BlueHub Capital, Justin practiced law at a firm representing consumer debtors in Chapter 13 and Chapter 7 bankruptcy, during which time he advocated for clients in court as they worked to resolve a wide variety of financial difficulties.  Also, Justin brings experience in mutual fund servicing, having maintained multiple positions at State Street Bank prior to and during law school.

He graduated Cum Laude from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, with a degree in political science and attended Suffolk Law School, from which he graduated in 2013. While at Suffolk, Justin authored a paper that is pending publication in the Suffolk University Law Review.

617.933.5885

Mariel Espinosa

Closing Assistant

Mariel Espinosa

As a Closing Assistant, Mariel assists with the loan closing process by preparing and reviewing all loan documents for accuracy and compliance. She also takes the lead on clearing any underwriting conditions by communicating with the borrower prior to closing. In addition, she assists with loss mitigation, customer relations, and communicating with Spanish-speaking clients.

Prior to joining BlueHub Capital, Mariel worked for 18 years as a Mortgage Loan Coordinator at the corporate office of Marriott Vacation in Orlando, FL. She gained most of her knowledge with the mortgage banking and lending industry through their timeshare program.  

Mariel grew up in Lynn, MA, and returned to the state to join the BlueHub team after 19 years in Florida.

617.933.5860

Suzette Foley

Closing and Title Resolution Manager

Suzette Foley

As the closing and title resolution manager, Suzette works with individuals who have experienced financial difficulty and are facing foreclosure or eviction. She negotiates short sales and purchases of Real Estate Owned properties (REO’s) from mortgage servicers and lenders. These properties are then sold back to the occupants with a new, affordable mortgage.

Prior to joining BlueHub Capital, Suzette practiced law at a conveyancing firm representing buyers, sellers and mortgage lenders in residential real estate transactions. As an experienced real estate attorney Suzette negotiated purchase and sale agreements, reviewed title examinations and resolved title issues. She has also worked on condominium projects and housing development. 

Suzette graduated from Boston College with a degree in political science and earned her J. D. from Suffolk University Law School.   

617.933.5850

Jonathan Immesoete

Lending Manager

Jonathan Immesoete

Jonathan joined BlueHub Capital in 2018 as a Processing & Underwriting Manager for BlueHub SUN. Jonathan helps guide applicants through the underwriting phase of the application process, where he ensures that all potential loans are underwritten accurately and in a timely fashion.  

Prior joining BlueHub SUN, Jonathan was employed at Wells Fargo, with experience underwriting both origination and loss mitigation loans for multiple investors. He is also a former teacher, instructing physical education and computer science classes at a private school in Philadelphia, PA.  

Jonathan graduated from the State University of New York at Cortland with a Bachelor’s of Science degree, and earned his M.B.A. from Texas A&M University–Kingsville while living in Texas.

617.933.5884

Ron McCormick

Customer Relations Manager

Ron McCormick

As Customer Relations Liaison, Ron McCormick is responsible for customer relations and loan servicing for NSP Residential & AURA Mortgage clients.

Before joining BlueHub Capital, Ron worked for a Burlington, MA based commercial leasing company and, prior to that, worked for a nonprofit student loan guarantor in Boston. He is a volunteer regional coordinator for HOPE worldwide, a nonprofit benevolent organization whose efforts include annual canvassing in Lawrence, Dorchester, Brockton, to educate residents on fire safety and prevention. 

Ron attended the University of Massachusetts Boston.

617.427.3690

Santiago Nunez

Senior Mortgage Loan Officer

Santiago Nunez

As a Senior Mortgage Loan Originator, Santiago is responsible for conducting assessments for BlueHub SUN applicants’ eligibility, taking mortgage applications, assisting with mortgage compliance and workflow management, engaging and rapport building with internal and external parties, and providing support for any additional activities that further BlueHub’s overall goals.  

Before coming to BlueHub, Santiago worked for Genworth Financial in Waltham, MA. In this role, he was responsible for managing eligibility claims and negotiating rates with the medical parties involved. Santiago previously participated in the Citizens’ Housing and Planning Associations’ Mentorship program, where he networked with local industry professionals and gained exposure to challenges and insights from people at all levels of the workforce. More recently, he has enrolled in the American Bankers Association certificate program in lending compliance.

Santiago holds a BS from American International College with a concentration in business administration and a double minor in Economics and Finance. 

617.933.5877

Brenda Ruping

Outreach Coordinator

Brenda Ruping

Brenda joined BlueHub SUN in 2019 as an Outreach Coordinator. Her expertise and business acumen facilitates, educates and cultivates business relations with BlueHub SUN partners. Brenda ensures SUN continues to provide exemplary service and program solutions to achieve our mission of helping families facing foreclosure remain in their homes.

Prior to joining BlueHub SUN, Brenda worked at the Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown, MA for over 30 years. She has an extensive background in the nonprofit sector with leading roles in administration and management.

Originally from Moline, IL, Brenda has lived in the Boston area for more than 35 years. She is a champion and leader for her family, friends and community.

617.933.5882

Phaedra Udor

Mortgage Loan Processor

Phaedra Udor

Phaedra comes to the BlueHub SUN team with an extensive background in real estate. Phaedra has spent the last 10 years working as a realtor helping first-time home buyers find affordable housing. Her past experience with helping low-income families find affordable housing translates well to her role within the SUN Initiative.

Phaedra graduated from Kennesaw State University (GA) with a Bachelor’s degree in Communications (concentration in Public Relations). She is currently enrolled in the Master of Science in Construction Management program at the Wentworth Institute of Technology.

(617) 933-5869

Ayjah Willis

Client Intake Specialist

Ayjah Willis

As a Client Intake Specialist, Ayjah is responsible for educating interested BlueHub SUN borrowers about the SUN approach and ensuring they are connected with a mortgage loan officer to further discuss their home owning journey.

Before coming to BlueHub, Ayjah worked for the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office as a Multidisciplinary Team Coordinator, helping coordinate investigations for the Child Protection Unit. In this role, Ayjah worked with law enforcement, medical personnel and child protection personnel to help bring justice to families.

Ayjah holds a Bachelor of Social Work from Regis College.

617.933.5856

Venture Fund

Andrew Chen

Venture Fund Consultant

Andrew Chen

 Andrew has been working with startups for over 20 years both as an entrepreneur and an investor. Most recently, he served as the founding CEO of WegoWise, a building efficiency analytics platform that has defined building performance standards for the multi-family housing industry.  With WegoWise, he saw an opportunity to leverage the power of IT into the efficiency market and offer an encompassing data platform to integrate building performance with sustainable real estate management practices.  WegoWise has since been acquired by AppFolio (NASDAQ: APPF)

He is also a venture capitalist and has invested, monitored or served on the boards of portfolio companies including Zipcar (IPO and now a division of Avis Budget Group (NASDAQ: CAR)), Acelero Learning, SelecTech, CASTion (acquired by ThermoEnergy), TracRac (acquired by a PE firm), and geoVue (acquired by Versata).  In his investing career, Andrew collaborates with companies built around innovative business models that are both financially successful and address societal challenges.

Andrew graduated from Johns Hopkins with a B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering.  He then traded the Baltimore humidity for the Boston cold and received his S.M. and Ph.D. from MIT where his research focused on materials processing and technology commercialization.