Lawrence Community Work's Staff
Bill Traynor, Executive Director, is a nationally known community development consultant specializing in neighborhood planning, real estate development, and strategic planning. Prior to consulting, he was the Director of Community Development for the Boston Community Training and Assistance Center and the Executive Director of the Coalition for a Better Acre in Lowell, where he quadrupled the staff and raised over a million dollars to support organizational growth and implement a variety of housing and economic development projects. The author of numerous articles on community development and community organizing, Traynor received a Loeb Fellowship from Harvard University in 1998. During his tenure with LCW, Traynor has grown the organization from a staff of two and a deficit to a staff of 45 and an operating budget of over $2 million.
Jessica Andors, Co-Executive Director, received her Master of City Planning degree from MIT in June of 1999, where she was honored for outstanding contributions to the intellectual life of the Department of Urban Studies and Planning. Previously, Jessica had five years of experience in the New York and San Francisco nonprofit sectors, in program coordination, fundraising, and program development. She has worked for the Lawrence Office of Economic Development, worked as a community organizer in the North Common neighborhood, and sits on the boards of the Lawrence Teen Coalition, the Hope Street Youth Center, and the Essex Art Center. Jessica is bilingual in English and Spanish.
Cecilio Hernández, Chief Financial Officer, holds a B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting from the University of Massachusetts – Lowell, a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership from Southern New Hampshire University and a Masters in Urban Ministries from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. With twenty-five years experience in non-profit management, Cecilio joined CommunityWorks in March of 2005. He first entered the non-profit world as a bookkeeper for the Coalition for a Better Acre in Lowell in late 1984 and worked his way up to Deputy Director. He then joined the property management department of Community Builders, Inc. where he worked as a Site Manager, Property Manager and Sr. Property Manager where he supervised a portfolio of seven properties with 362 units of mixed-income housing units. He later joined the staff of Acre Family Day Care in Lowell as the Finance Director, Deputy Director and Executive Director before joining CommunityWorks. Cecilio is bilingual in English and Spanish.
Armand Hyatt, General Counsel, admitted to practice law in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and California, has maintained his primary law office in the North Common neighborhood of Lawrence since 1976, after graduating from University of San Diego School of Law, where he received its American Association of Trial Lawyers award for outstanding writings in Environmental Law. His diverse general practice has included trial work, contract law, handling hundreds of secured real estate transactions totaling more than three-quarters of a billion dollars. Armand has used this legal experience in several affordable housing developments (over 600 units), from purchase agreements to financing to due diligence to zoning relief to acquisition to various development phases through and beyond closings, as well as critical strategic planning for all related aspects. Along with his workload, Armand has remained pro bono G.C. for CommunityWorks since he co-founded the CDC in the mid-eighties to fortify a resident-based struggle to overturn an illegal land disposition process and secure acquisition and ultimate development of 140 units of affordable housing on an urban renewal site.
LCW Staff Members
Yovani Baez, Real Estate Project Manager, received her Master’s degree in Regional Economic and Social Development from the University of Massachusetts Lowell. Prior to receiving her degree Yovani worked as a legislative aide for a state senator in Massachusetts where she worked on various constituent issues and legislation. Yovani’s past experience also includes work as a Resource Development Associate for Lawrence CommunityWorks and as a Community Organizer for CBA in Lowell, MA. Yovani is bilingual in English and Spanish.
Ana Bello, Administrative Assistant of the Homeownership Center, was born in the Dominican Republic, where she studied accounting and worked 20 years as an accountant at the State Electric Company. In February 2004 she moved to Lawrence and immediately become involved with LCW and their ESL, IDA and computer classes. When Lissette got married in October of 07 she began working as a receptionist, covering the position while Lissette was on vacation. Upon her return, Ana moved on to the FAB department as a part time assistant of the Homeownership Center.
Christopher Benitez, Movement City Mentor, was born and raised in Lawrence most of my life. I am currently attending School as a Liberal Arts Psychology Major. My sophomore year of high school I heard about a place that was designed to tap into our creative perspectives and embrace us while focused on education. Movement City Youth Center, I was about 15 years old when I walk inside and fell in love with the center, which I considered at the time perfectly designed for me. During my growth in the center I gained a lot of true friendships, and amazing mentorship by the former founder and Executive Director Misael Martinez. He plays a huge part in my life still to this day he has encouraged me to do the same for the youth as he has done for me. I am now an Academic Mentor at Movement City for a group of 7th grade Young Scholars at the Leonard School. The opportunity given to me is life changing so I will make sure to do the same for the youth I will receive for years to come. My passion is to give guidance to the youth and help them achieve their own futures and be there every step of the way ad I will do just that.
Juan Bonilla, Director of Homeownership Education, brings nine years of management and financial services experience to his work with potential homeowners at CommunityWorks. He began his working life as a youth employment-training counselor; prior to his employment with LCW, he worked as a Financial Planner and Financial Services Advisor for MassMutual. Juan is also a member of the Merrimack Valley YMCA Board of Directors, and is a mentor for the Lawrence Boys and Girls Club. He graduated with dual Bachelor degrees in Sociology and Spanish from Bowdoin College in Brunswick, ME where he was active in many student cultural organizations.
Terri Bruce, Resource Development Associate, received her Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Urban Poverty from Northeastern University. She is also an attendee of Tufts University's graduate school of Urban Policy and Planning. Terri brings ten years of urban social policy and direct service experience to LCW, including work as a policy analyst for the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development and a grant manager for the Massachusetts Division of Career Services.
Spencer Buchholz, Community Organizer. Spencer is a Lawrence resident and has been involved in LCW for quite a while as an activist in the North Common “Super Circle”. Spencer is also a graduate of The Poder Leadership Institute class of 2007, and served as a Reviviendo Fellow working on NeighborCircles support and follow-up. Spencer came to Lawrence from Pittsburgh where he worked as a Supportive Housing Case Manager for persons with chronic mental illness. In 2005 Spencer and his wife Stephanie completed an independent study of Spanish and Human Rights in Guatemala. Spencer is bi-lingual in English and Spanish and has dedicated himself to learning the art and science of network organizing.
Oriana Burgos, Homeownership Administrative Assistant, is originally from the Dominican Republic but has been living in Lawrence since March 2005. Through many friends and family members she learned about all the various programs LCW offers and very quickly became involved with the New Skills Academy. She was part of the NSA #2 and learned Computer Skills, Basic Accounting, and ESL, and Self-Skills. She is now using the skills learned to better LCW and the Homeownership Department.
Reyna Burgos, FAB Director Assistant, Originally from the Dominican Republic, Reyna moved to Lawrence in 2000 with most of her family members. Reyna joined LCW in 2002 while attending Northern Essex Community College to improve her English and while working in a Grocery Store. She was a member of the first FAB IDA Cohort and shortly after that was hired as a receptionist at LCW. Over the past 3 years she has become an invaluable member of the FAB staff with responsibilities ranging from administration to leading peer groups.
Annery Buttén, Director of Family Asset Building, began work with CommunityWorks as the Marketing Consultant on the Summer Street Home-Ownership Project, publicizing the project and guiding people through the application and qualification process. She then became Family Asset Coordinator, building and expanding our adult programs from one IDA class serving twelve women to a diverse menu of programs involving over 100 participants. Annery is bilingual in English and Spanish. She has an extensive background in customer service, five years of experience in the local banking community, and deep roots in the local faith-based and Latino communities.
Nelson Buttén, Director of Collective Action and Mobilization (CAM), brings eight years of community development work with youth and adults to CommunityWorks. Nelson immigrated to Lawrence from the Dominican Republic in 1993, and since then has worked for the Lawrence Youth Commission, the Seton Asian Center, and the Lawrence Teen Coalition. His work has included training and supervising AmeriCorps members and other volunteers, developing and implementing educational and community service workshops, recruiting participants, and developing and implementing leadership training for youth and adults. Nelson is bilingual in English and Spanish and is currently pursuing his Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration at Cambridge College, and has served on the Boards of several local youth organizations.
Lissette Caraballo, Post-Purchase Counselor, Raised in the Merrimack Valley, Lissette graduated from the University of Massachusetts in Lowell in 2005, with a bachelor’s degree of Science in Business Administration: Management Concentration. She also holds a certificate in Human Resource Management. While in college she interned at Putnam Investments as a Customer Service Representative (CSR) assisting shareholders and brokers with their various accounts. Prior to the investment firm she worked for five years at Arbour Counseling Services, a Mental Health Clinic in the City of Lawrence, performing numerous administrative positions, from receptionist to medical records coordinator. Upon graduation she applied her management knowledge and built on her leadership skills as an assistant manager for Walgreens Company. Lissette joined LCW in March 2006 as the Operations Assistant and has transitioned into her current position within the FAB Department in January 2007. She currently manages the post-purchase programming in LCW’s Homeownership Center; she is bilingual in English and Spanish.
Alma Couverthié, Director of the Network Organizing Forum, received her Bachelor’s degree in Labor Relations from the University of Puerto Rico and was a founding member of the Association of Students of Labor Relations there. She has four years of professional experience in the field of labor organizing and first contract negotiations with the Union of Needletrade, Industrial and Textile Employees and the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, and eight years of experience in the field of community and multi-ethnic organizing through CommunityWorks. She also helped organize the Maverick Square Neighborhood Association in East Boston. In 2002, Alma was awarded the Ricanne Hadrian Award for Community Organizing by the Massachusetts Association of Community Development Corporations. She is is a Steering Committee Member of ONE Massachusetts Network. Alma is bi-cultural and bilingual in English and Spanish.
Kathryn Easterly, Project Managers of the Department of Real Estate Development, has over 7 years of experience as a Housing developer. In her tenure as a housing developer she has successfully developed over 50 units of housing, and helped create two neighborhood plans that brought more than $4M dollars of investment to the City of Syracuse. She has experience accessing funding for the planning process, an ability to pull together numerous funding sources from a diverse number of City, State and Federal sources. She is most proud of her ability to facilitate successful planning processes that connect community residents with real estate development projects. Prior coming to work with LCW, she worked in Lowell, MA at the Coalition for a Better Acre and in Syracuse, New York at Home Head Quarters. Katy holds a dual honors degree in Policy Studies and Geography from Syracuse University. She traveled to South Africa to do research on housing policy for the Honors thesis she finished while at SU. At LCW, Katy is the project manager of the Union Crossing Project, a multi-phased real estate development project that will create more than 125 units of housing, 50,000 square feet of commercial space, a new state of the art daycare facility and new neighborhood infrastructure that will link Union Crossing to the downtown and nearby regional transportation center.
Julissa Jerez, Movement City Director, received her Bachelor of Arts in Art Therapy from Emmanuel College in Boston, MA. She was a featured Fashion Designer for the Boston University Fashion Show, in 2004. She began working as a tutor in the Adelante Youth Center and transitioned into college where she worked at Allston Mental Health Association and the Anchor Therapeutic after School Program where she developed amazing interpersonal skills by direct contact with clients. Julissa became a member of the Unity Project/Hope Street in 1998 and was one of the original board members. Julissa has excellent facilitation and leadership skills and is currently helping instructors develop their curriculum and managing every programming for Movement City.
Gabriela Gomez Coates, Academic Director in Movement City, Gabriela received her Bachelors degree in Computer Information Systems from Baruch College in NYC. Prior to joining the LCW family in April 2008, Gabriela worked at multiple higher education institutions, such as, Tufts University, Hofstra University and City University of New York. Gabriela was born in the Dominican Republic and moved to NYC with her mom and brother when she was 12 years old. She has been living in Massachusetts since 2004 and moved to Lawrence in 2006. During her free time, she enjoys biking, fundraising for various causes, and volunteering at her church. Gabriela is bilingual in English and Spanish.
Naldy Gonzalez, Campus Operations Manager, Naldy continues the tradition of LCW receptionists who don't last long — they quickly move on to bigger jobs in the organization! Naldy is a Lawrence resident and mother of 3 who pretty much knows everyone in the city. She was born in the Dominican Republic and raised in Venezuela, and then came to Lawrence at age 12 where she attended Lawrence Public Schools. Naldy has worked as a community educator and administrator in a range of organizations. In addition to working at LCW and raising her children, she works at FINA House as a mentor for homeless teenagers. Diligence, attention to detail and lots of patience are just a few of the attributes that Naldy brings to the staff.
Sabrina Gonzalez, Movement City Mentor, was born and raised in Lawrence, MA. I attended and graduated from Lawrence High School in 2002. In 2007, I graduated from Pine Manor College in Chestnut Hill, MA and received a Bachelor of Arts in Social and Political Systems. I decided to start a new life in Boston, MA where I reside today. I worked at Brookline High School in Brookline, MA where I monitored student academic performance and collaborated with fellow staff members to tailor plans for individual student success. I am an Alumni of Hope Street Youth Center and I have transitioned to Movement City as an Academic Mentor. “It is my opportunity to give back to the Lawrence Community”.
Thomas Craig Guerra, Executive Assistant, attended MIT for his undergraduate studies in Urban Studies & Planning (DUSP) focusing in Environmental Policy. He helped restructure the Undergrad Curriculum as the Undergraduate Representative on the DUSP Student Council, hosted Michele Gondry as a MIT Fine Arts Representative, and studied abroad in Madrid, Spain. Thomas also worked for the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) as a software developer. Before college he volunteered for 5 years with Bexar County Housing & Human Services helping families learn to be more energy efficient and receive government-funded utility assistance. Thomas speaks English, Spanish and is learning Japanese.
Tamar Kotelchuck, Real Estate Project Manager, Tamar is one of the original members of the Management Team brought in 1999 to lead the renaissance of this organization. Along the way, Tamar has played a number of critical roles in building LCW. Most recently, Tamar served as project director for the Our House Center Development, a renovation of the former St. Laurence O’Toole School. In addition to her instrumental role in creating the concept for this innovative, multi-million dollar community education center, Tamar is responsible for all aspects its development, including fundraising, design, community participation and construction. Tamar also managed the development of the North Common’s first community park, the Reviviendo Playground, built by over 200 volunteers in 2001. Before serving as project manager, Tamar was Director of Operations for CommunityWorks, overseeing many aspects of the organization’s growth at a critical time in its development. Tamar graduated with a Master’s degree in City Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Prior to receiving her degree, Tamar worked for four years with the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), and had two years of professional experience in community and tenant organizing in Washington, D.C., and is bilingual in English and Spanish.
Lisa Kozol, Director of Real Estate Development, has nearly 20 years of experience in construction management and nonprofit housing and commercial development. At LCW, she has successfully overseen the complex Reviviendo Family Housing Project, as well as the Union & Mechanic and Scarito Homeownership Projects, from property acquisition and financing through renovation, construction, and rental / sale. Prior to her tenure at LCW, Kozol worked for nonprofit housing developers in both Boston and Cleveland, Ohio, managing the acquisition, financing, and construction process, creating private sector and community partnerships to support housing development, leveraging over $8 million for affordable homeownership, and creating and implementing homebuyer education and service programs for over 1,000 first-time homebuyers.
Iris Matias, Homeownership Counselor, She came to live in Lawrence, MA back in 1997 from New York City with her family and is an active member with the local Christian faith based community in Lawrence. She started working in the Non Profit Organization Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America, NACA as Office Manager in 1997, where with hard work was promoted to Housing Consultant for first time home buyer in 1999 and held this position until 2004. She is a proud advocate for affordable housing issues surrounding the community.
Norma Pagan, Human Resource Manager & Full Charge Bookkeeper, Born and raised in Ponce, Puerto Rico. Moved to Lawrence MA in 1987 and graduated from Lawrence High School in 1989. Attended Northern Essex Community College where she got an Associate Degree in Accounting. In 1991 married her high school sweetheart and now she is a Home Owner in Lawrence, MA with her husband Jorge and three children, Giovanni, Luis-Obed and Nadine. Maggie and her family are active with the local faith based community in Lawrence. She started working in the Non for Profit as a Patient Account Representative at Greater Lawrence Family Health Center in 1994, where with hard work she was promoted to Accounts Payable Coordinator, after 5 years she had the opportunity to step up as a Payroll Coordinator. Not to long after that she was promoted as the Disbursement Coordinator this involved the supervising of the Accounts Payable and Payroll/Benefits side of the Finance Department. After 11 years in the Health Care Non for profit field, Maggie decided it was time to seek new challenges in the accounting field where she can grow professionally. She feels that at LCW she will be accomplishing more of what she was looking for, not only she will be learning a new side of non for profit but she will be helping building a community where her children will be proud to call theirs. Maggie is bilingual in English and Spanish.
Abdiel O. Perez, Staff Accountant, was a born and raised in Lawrence, MA. Abdiel attended and graduated from Lawrence High School in 2003. In 2007, Abdiel graduated from the Western New England College School of Business in Springfield, MA, and received his Bachelor’s degree in Accounting. Abdiel has been part of the Finance department since July 2007, as the Staff Accountant. Aside from crunching numbers for a living, Abdiel loves to play guitar and experience life through music. You will most likely hear him singing or see him laughing. Who would have thought accounting could be so FUN!!!!!!
Ruth Rojas, Foreclosure Intervention Specialist, came to live in Lawrence, MA back in 2000 from New York City. She was a first homebuyer as part of the Reviviendo Project centered on the North Common. She was a Board Member At LCW and She is a proud advocate for affordable housing issues surrounding the community. She is an active Community Organizer. Ruth ran for City Council in the years of 2005 and 2007. Ruth has extensive knowledge in all aspects of Home Ownership and all that it entails. She is not afraid to ask questions or to gather the information needed to help others achieve their needs. Ruth is the proud mother of three beautiful girls and is loving working for the community and for LCW. Ruth is pictured here with two of her daughters.
Lisa Torrisi, Director of Resource Development, holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English from Trinity College and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Suffolk University. Her professional experience includes work in political strategy, communication, fundraising and organizing, as well as marketing communications. She serves on the board of the Essex Art Center, Family Service Inc., and the Brooks School Alumni Board; she is bilingual in English and Spanish.
Arleen Zorilla, FAB Administrative Assistant, Arleen was born in the Dominican Republic where she received her degree in Computer and Systems Engineering. In 2002, Arleen moved to New York to help her son Sebastian get the treatment he needed to battle Leukemia. Sebastian is doing very well, and you can often see him joining in the activities here at LCW. Today Arleen is very happy to be living in Lawrence and making a contribution at LCW, where she has made great friends and has learned useful skills. “I just love it!”