Advisory Committee

Founder and Program Director, The Civic Action Project

Steve Crosby is one of the founders of, and Program Director for The Civic Action Project, an organization which seeks to promote better policy-making, and diversity of policy-makers, by training the next generation of civic leaders, and building bri…

Town Manager, Town of Winthrop, Massachusetts

Austin Faison is currently the Town Manager of Winthrop, Massachusetts, where he oversees municipal operations, a $66 million annual budget, and 150 town employees in this seaside community of 18,000 people north of Boston. Before taking on this role…

Chief Operating Officer, Metro Housing Boston

Steve Farrell’s work at Chief Operating Officer at Metro Housing|Boston encompasses the public policy, communications, human resources, information technology, and administration business lines at the state’s largest regional provider of homelessness…

Nutter, McClennen & Fish LLP

Bob Fishman chairs the Advisory Committee. He is a retired senior partner in the Real Estate Department at the law firm of Nutter, McClennen & Fish, LLP in Boston, where he chaired the Land Use, Development and Permitting Practice Group.

Vice President, Regional Business Leader for Community Development U.S., and Director of Urban Places, Stantec

A Fellow of the American Society of Landscape Architects, Joe has over 35 years of experience in all aspects of project management, site master planning, and design. Joe has been with Stantec since 2007.

President, Environmental League of Massachusetts

A proven corporate sustainability leader, Elizabeth makes the economic case for Massachusetts to lead the nation in environmental quality, innovative policy, and climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Director of Transition, MBTA

Heather is a former enlisted Army Reserve member with nearly 20 years of experience in the public transportation industry. In 2000, while she was a student at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, she began her career driving buses and had the …

Visiting Fellow, School of Public Policy & Urban Affairs

Ken Kimmell recently stepped down as president of the Union of Concerned Scientists. Prior to his service at UCS, Ken was the commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. Ken is currently a visiting fellow in SPPUA.

Managing Director, TSK Energy Solutions, LLC

Gregory King is an entrepreneur and innovator with over 25 years of experience in strategic planning, business development, and executive management of technology focused businesses. He is currently the Managing Director of TSK Energy Solutions LLC.

Boston Office Lead, Langan

Doug Landry, AICP, is an Associate and Boston Office Lead for Langan, a world-renowned consulting engineering and environmental services company.

Founder of Great Neighborhoods

André recently launched a consulting practice called Leroux Solutions to help communities build civic trust and secure development that makes them more livable, affordable, and welcoming.

Senior Counsel, Greenberg Traurig

Lauren A. Liss is a Senior Counsel at Greenberg Traurig. Lauren focuses her practice on environmental law and policy as well as real estate development. She has deep public and private sector experience, having served in a variety of governmental rol…

Former Senior Vice President in Community Development Lending, Eastern Bank

John E. Marston recently retired from a banking career spanning more than 50 years. Most recently, John was the Senior Vice President in Community Development Lending for 17 years at Eastern Bank in Boston. Prior to that, he has worked with Citizens …

CEO and Founder, All Aces, Inc.

Dr. Atyia Martin is the CEO and Founder of All Aces, Inc., an alternative to traditional diversity, equity, and inclusion consulting and professional development. Their online learning community, IntentionallyAct.com, supports their mission to activa…

Executive Vice President, Real Estate, Massachusetts Development Finance Agency

Ms. McKenzie joined MassDevelopment in 2020. She was previously employed by Northeastern University, where she served in a variety of positions in Facilities – Design and Construction over the course of 20 years.

President, Schlesinger & Associates

Schlesinger & Associates, formed in 1986, is a consulting firm specializing in strategic planning and communications; professional services marketing; government, community and media relations; and crisis management and communications.

MBA Candidate at MIT Sloan

Previously Courtney was the Director of Cultural Planning for the City of Boston and the Senior Planner for Back Bay, Roxbury, and Mattapan, where she led the implementation of the Roxbury Strategic Master Plan via the PLAN: Dudley Square initiative.

President, James M. Stone and Cathleen D. Stone Foundation

Cathy is president of the James M. Stone and Cathleen D. Stone Foundation. She was of counsel and a past partner of the Boston law firm Foley, Hoag & Eliot where her practice encompassed environmental and administrative law issues.

Principal, Redgate

As founding member of Redgate and a co-leader of Gate Residential Properties, Redgate’s multifamily investment platform, Kyle leads deal structuring, planning, regulatory approvals and project execution.

Founder and Principal, Biosphere Strategies

Michelle is the Founder and Principal of Biosphere Strategies, a boutique consulting firm specializing in work focused on science, sustainability, climate and the environment. Biosphere Strategies works with government, academia and industry on the u…