Our Team is Transforming the Impact Investing Field
Join Our
Team
We’re expanding our team! If you’re interested in joining our team, please apply:
-Staff Accountant
-Director of Impact Investing Education Programs
To filter, select one category at a time. Unselect to filter by a different category.
Aliana Piñeiro
Impact Director
As impact director, Aliana works with BII’s portfolio companies to effectively measure and manage their impact. She is interested in how impact investing can evolve to become more just, equitable, and inclusive. Before joining BII, she worked as a researcher at the Global Impact Investing Network publishing practitioner-oriented research for impact investors around the world. Previously, she was an impact evaluator for organizations operating in Latin America, including RUNA, a social enterprise in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Originally from Boston, she began her career in asset management, spending several years at ClearBridge Investments in New York. She serves on the Boards of Directors of the Cooperative Fund of the Northeast and Beat the Odds Boston. She received an MA in International Affairs from The New School and a BA in International Relations from Boston University.
Baani Sethi
Marketing & Development Coordinator
Baani is the Marketing and Development Coordinator at Boston Impact Initiative (BII). Originally from Mumbai, India, Baani moved to Boston in 2023 to pursue her Master of Science in Quantitative Finance at Northeastern University. Baani began her journey at BII as an intern in the summer of 2024, where she contributed to fundraising and communications efforts.
At 17, she started her entrepreneurial venture, a home bakery, which sparked her passion for business and entrepreneurship. Baani is deeply passionate about sustainable finance and investing in women-led enterprises. Prior to joining BII, she worked at a venture capital firm where she supported women entrepreneurs. She also takes keen interest in social and environmental undertakings and is dedicated to driving positive change through her work at BII.
In addition to her role at BII, Baani is an Ambassador at Venture Café Cambridge, where she helps foster community engagement and supports local entrepreneurs.
Betty Francisco
CEO, Board. Investment Committee, Grants Advisory Council
Betty joined as CEO of BII in 2021. She is a business executive, impact investor and community leader with more than 24 years of experience. She is known as a powerful convener and changemaker. In 2022, Boston Magazine named Betty as one of the 100 Most Influential People in Boston and the Boston Business Journal named her as a 2020 Power 50 – Extraordinary Year Extraordinary People honoree. She is the co-founder of Amplify Latinx, a social venture that’s building Latino economic and political power in Massachusetts. Before joining BII, Betty was the General Counsel at Compass Working Capital where she oversaw its legal affairs, compliance, and risk management. She serves on the Boards of Directors of The Boston Foundation, Nellie Mae Education Foundation, Beth Israel Lahey Health, and Roxbury Community College. Betty obtained her JD and MBA from Northeastern University, and BA in History from Bard College.
Chardae Golding
Executive Assistant
Chardae Golding joined BII as Executive Assistant and Office Manager in November 2023. With over 10 years of experience in administration management in the medical, nonprofit and education sectors, she has substantial expertise in high-level executive support and liaising between leadership, internal/external colleagues and external community organizations.
Most notably, as the Public Advocacy administrator at the ACLU she created and implemented organization-wide policy on speaking engagements for the general public. She is adept at assessing executive workflow, identifying and closing organizational gaps and promoting connectivity through team-building activities. As an architect of solutions and conduit of information, she ensures executives and colleagues are able to function at top productivity.
Prior to joining BII, she served as an Executive Assistant to the VP of Education Outreach and Social Entrepreneurship at Berklee College of Music. She holds a B.S. in Psychology from Trinity College.
William Tsoules
Director of Finance
William Tsoules joins Boston Impact Initiative as Director of Finance, where he will facilitate various operational and financial reporting objectives. Will is the son of a Greek immigrant family and a native of Worcester, where deep community engagement and commitment were first fostered. He has spent his career in nonprofit accounting and administrative roles, recently having served as full-time and fractional Chief Financial Officer for numerous entities, charities, and associations. In these roles, he has focused on operational and resource efficiency and security through system integrations and process improvements. Will also serves as treasurer of the board for various nonprofit organizations, including Bridges Homeward in Cambridge and Holy Trinity Bursing and Rehabilitation Center in Worcester. Will holds a BA from Wesleyan University, an MS in Accounting/MBA from Northeastern University and has been an active Massachusetts CPA since 2004.
Henry Noël Jr.
Investment Director
Henry Noël Jr. is the Investment Director for the Boston Impact Initiative Fund and is focused on the intersection of impact investing, economic justice, and building resilient inner-city communities. Prior to BII, Henry Co-Founded Haiti Venture Impact Partners, an Impact Investment Management Firm that worked to discover, support, empower, and invest inHaitian Companies. Henry describes himself as A Passionate Championof rigorous investment analysis coupled with purposeful attention to measurable, social and environmental impact. He has over 20 years of experience evaluating investment opportunities, structuring securities, raising capital, and financing business growth. His background has included work with domestic and international companies in both traditional and alternative investment classes through varying market conditions. Henry is an alum of the Impact Investing Program at Oxford University’s Saïd Business School, holds an MBA from the Zarb School of Business at Hofstra University and a BA in Business Administration from Atlantic Union College.
Ellie Brown
Development Director
Ellie is a multifaceted professional with a diverse background spanning the nonprofit, fine art, communications, and education sectors. Notably, as the Executive Director of DESIGNxRI, she oversaw substantial growth and transformation, expanding the budget, diversifying fundraising sources, and enhancing existing programs. Her commitment to driving equity and inclusion is evident through her improvements in internal training, documentation, and community involvement. Earlier experiences as the Director of Development and Operations at the Women’s Fund of Rhode Island showcased her adeptness in grant writing, relationship building, marketing, and event planning, leading to remarkable achievements like developing Rhode Island’s inaugural Women’s Well-Being Index and significant budgetary growth.
In addition to these roles, Ellie heads POPsicle Consulting, where she has been pivotal in tailoring content and campaigns for diverse audiences. Her extensive 25-year tenure as a fine -art photographer and 17 years as a teaching artist has seen international exhibitions, accolades, and teaching engagements at prestigious institutions, including Rowan University, Ithaca College, Temple University, Moore College of Art, University of the Arts, and University of Ulsan in South Korea. Ellie’s unique amalgamation of experiences across various industries reflects the abundant knowledge and enthusiasm she brings to every project and role.
Doménica Good
Senior Marketing Manager
With a Master’s degree in Management and a Bachelor’s in Theatre Arts from Clark University, Domenica excels in project-centric environments, seamlessly blending creativity with strategy.
From curating exhibits and organizing events to leading marketing and communication projects, she brings a versatile skill set honed through experience as a stage manager, curator, and consultant in the artistic realm.
Domenica’s expertise in project management and creative community development helps organizations craft impactful strategies and experiences. Born in Ecuador and raised in Massachusetts, she proudly incorporates her bilingualism into her community work.Beyond professional pursuits, Domenica is a dog lover who enjoys traveling, sailing with her husband, and curating their personal art collection.
Keyur Patel
Portfolio Manager
Keyur Patel joins Boston Impact Initiative as its inaugural Portfolio Manager where he leads end-to-end deal execution and provides strategic guidance to current BII portfolio companies. Raised in a scrappy blue collar suburb outside of Philadelphia as the eldest son of Indian immigrants, Keyur has centered his life on advocacy for marginalized communities, opening doors for people who deserve a chance to walk through them. Prior to joining BII, Keyur served in various finance and nonprofit management roles, including most notably as the Sr. Vice President at PSG Equity where he directly oversaw portfolio investments and partnered with executive teams on high-impact strategic initiatives. Keyur sees BII as a natural extension of his years of advocacy work with a team that shares his values and passion for building an inclusive, equitable economy. Keyur holds a MS in Nonprofit Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania and holds a BBA from the University of Michigan.
Nalee Yang
Staff Accountant
With over 10 years of experience in accounting and financial management, Nalee is a detail-oriented staff accountant dedicated to maintaining accurate financial records and ensuring compliance with regulations. She holds a degree in Business Management from Eastern Nazarene College. In her last role as a staff accountant, she was responsible for supporting monthly financial statements, managing accounts payable and receivable, and conducting thorough audits to streamline processes and enhance financial reporting accuracy. She believes in continuous learning and is always seeking opportunities to grow her skills, whether through professional development courses or actively participating in accounting and finance seminars. She is passionate about contributing to team success and ensuring that financial operations run smoothly, ultimately supporting the overall goals of the organization.
Paulina Apone
Senior Impact Investing Associate
Paulina Apone is BII’s Senior Impact Investing Associate. Originally from Oregon, she brings knowledge and experience supporting BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ entrepreneurs in realizing their ventures. Prior to BII, she lived in New Orleans, where she worked with an affordable housing nonprofit formerly known as the Tulane/Canal Neighborhood Development Corporation, now People’s Housing+. She also was a microentrepreneur financial advisor for Fund 17. Currently, her focus is on economic development for historically marginalized communities in the New England area and learning the local history and the effects it has on community development. Professionally, she strives to work with BII in community economic growth, using affordable and accessible real estate to mitigate displacement and supporting programs that emphasize environmental justice. Paulina holds an MBA from Brandeis’ Heller School for Social Policy and Management and a BA in English from Portland State University.
Samalid Hogan
Director of Business Support Services
Samalid Hogan is a Latina entrepreneur and has served in key roles building partnerships across public, private, and civic sectors. She was the Regional Director for the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center (MSBDC) Network Western Regional Office and during her tenure, she co-founded the Western Mass Means Business collaboration, an alliance of small business technical assistance providers. Samalid is committed to serving her community and serves on several boards of directors including the Governor’s Latino Advisory Commission for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the Board of Trustees of Springfield Technical Community College, and President-Elect for the Springfield Rotary Club. Samalid received a BA in Economics from UMass Amherst and an MBA from Bay Path University.
Savannah Johnson
Director, First Mover Fund & Incubator
Savannah Johnson is a seasoned impact investor and field-building leader with over a decade of experience driving cross-sector transformation. Savannah has guided foundations, family offices, venture capital funds, and high-net-wealth individuals to develop values-aligned investment strategies, source, screen, and close diverse social and environmental impact deals, develop educational programs, and measure impact outcomes. Her career includes running an end-to-end impact investing consultancy, directing Sorenson Impact Foundation’s program-related investment portfolio, managing portfolio companies and funds across six continents, and developing innovative accelerator programs for emerging fund managers and early childhood development entrepreneurs at Plexo Capital and Uncharted, now Common Future. Savannah is dedicated to creating additive impact and empowering communities through investment strategies that dovetail purpose with profit, and her work exemplifies a commitment to reshaping systems for greater social and economic mobility worldwide. As Boston Impact Initiative’s Director of the First Mover Fund and Fund Incubator, Savannah is launching and directing the First Mover Fund and Fund Incubator, structuring catalytic capital funds, mentoring emerging fund managers, and fostering a community of practice committed to advancing BII’s economic and racial justice goals.
Shavon Prophet
Director of Education and Partnerships
Shavon Prophet is the Director of Education and Partnerships at Boston Impact Initiative, leading efforts to advance integrated capital strategies and build a strong alumni network for the Emerging Fund Manager Program. A passionate advocate for economic justice, Shavon brings expertise in network building, employee ownership, and business transitions, focusing on building the solidarity economy and supporting movement builders working to close the racial wealth divide.
Prior to joining BII, Shavon served as Program Director for the Massachusetts Center for Employee Ownership, where she rebuilt the organization’s infrastructure and forged partnerships to promote inclusive business models. Additionally, Shavon holds the Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA) credential, equipping her to guide businesses through ownership transitions that center workers and community impact.
Shavon holds an MBA in Social Entrepreneurship from Prescott College and a BA in Sustainable Development from Mount Holyoke College. She is deeply committed to empowering marginalized communities through equitable economic development.
Deborah Frieze
BII Co-Founder
Deborah Frieze is a professor, author, entrepreneur and activist. She teaches impact investing at Tufts University’s Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning. In 2013, she founded the Boston Impact Initiative, an impact investing fund working to close the racial wealth divide and build a resilient and inclusive local economy in Massachusetts. Deborah is co-author (with Margaret Wheatley) of Walk Out Walk On, an award-winning book that profiles pioneering leaders who walked out of organizations failing to contribute to the common good—and walked on to build resilient communities. She is also founder of the Old Oak Dojo, an urban learning center in Boston, MA. Deborah has an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA from Amherst College.
Michael Frieze
BII Co-Founder
Michael Frieze was the founding Vice President of Boston Impact Initiative Fund and continues to serve on the BII Investment Committee. He also serves on the Board Investment Committee of the Gordon Brothers Group, setting the strategic vision for the firm, where he has served in executive positions for over 40 years. During his tenure, the firm expanded from a retail liquidator to a full-service provider of strategic business and capital solutions to healthy and distressed companies alike. Michael exemplifies Gordon Brothers’ commitment to community service, having served in top leadership positions on many community and corporate boards. He has served on the philanthropic boards at the Dana Farber, Boston Children’s Hospital; Combined Jewish Philanthropies; Brandeis University, College Bound; JOIN for Justice; Impact-Israel; Shalom Hartman Institute; American Technion Society, and Our Generation Speaks. Michael received his BA from Bowdoin College and his MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management.
Evren Ozargun
Investment Committee Member
Evren Ozargun is Senior Managing Director, Head of Portfolio Risk Management at Gordon Brothers. In his role he monitors and oversees the firm’s global portfolio of asset-based loans, sale leasebacks and equity investments to manage risk.
Evren has nearly 25 years of experience in middle-market, asset-based and cash flow lending across a range of industries and asset classes and has provided financing for mergers and acquisitions, corporate carve-outs, growth capital, turnarounds, restructurings and debtor-in-possession facilities.
Prior to joining Gordon Brothers, Evren was a Senior Managing Director and held several previous roles at Crystal Financial. Evren grew up in Instabul, Turkey and moved to Boston with his family in 1995 where he attended Babson College and received his Bachelor of Science in Economics and Entrepreneurial Studies. He joined BII’s Investment Committee in early 2024.
Ivy Jack
Investment Committee Member
Ivy Jack is a senior finance executive, thought leader and expert in sustainable investing. She is a Co-Founder and Senior Advisor of the Diverse Investing Collective. Prior to working with the Collective, Ivy was the Co-CIO for NorthStar Asset Management, Inc. and an Institutional Investor ranked analyst at Barclays Capital (formerly Lehman Brothers). She is a dynamic speaker, providing unique insights on our financial system, with a distinct perspective on what it means to invest and operate with a racial and gender lens. She is the treasurer of YW Boston, an organization that is a thought leader at the intersection of race and gender. She previously served on the Board of Governors for Harvard Business School Association of Boston and the Harvard Business School African American Alumni Association. She has an MBA and MPA from Harvard Business School and the Kennedy School of Government and graduated from Spelman College, where she was inducted into the inaugural class of Phi Beta Kappa.
Malia Lazu
Founder and CEO, The Lazu Group
Malia Lazu is the founder and CEO of The Lazu Group. An award-winning, tenured strategist in diversity and inclusion, she has sparked deep economic development and investment in urban entrepreneurship for over 20 years. In her previous role as EVP and regional president at Berkshire Bank, Malia worked to generate wealth for communities by expanding access to capital and spurring economic growth. A serial entrepreneur in her own right, Malia has created and led a number of socially responsible business accelerators across Boston. She worked with the city to create Accelerate Boston and was also the Founder and President of the Future Boston Alliance, now known as Epicenter. As a fellow at MIT’s Community Innovator’s Lab, she launched The Urban Labs, a multicultural agency helping brands see returns on diversity. The Urban Labs has expanded into The Lazu Group today. Malia has continued ties with MIT and is currently a lecturer at MIT Sloan, where she co-created a series called The Inclusive Innovation Economy. Malia holds a BS in political communication from Emerson College.
Matt Kahn
Investment Committee Member
Matthew Kahn currently works as a consultant, serving on the board of directors of a number of private and public companies. He previously worked for 17 years at Gordon Brothers Group, where he was a founding member of the private equity and second lien lending business. Prior to joining Gordon Brothers in 1995, Matt was the chief financial officer of Joseph Bank Clothiers and senior vice president for finance at Nature Food Centres. He is currently a trustee of MassBay Community College and chair of its finance and investment committee. He has an MBA and was also a certified public accountant.
Mike Leyba
Co-CEO, City Life / Vida Urbana
Mike Leyba is a mapmaker, legend and myth writer, futurist, and community weaver of Latinx and Chicanx people. He is the Co-Executive Director for the anti-displacement community organizing group City Life/Vida Urbana and has been a part of this community since 2012.
A Chicano from Los Angeles, Mike became an activist fighting for equal marriage for LGBT+ people. He has managed and worked on many local electoral campaigns, both in Boston and Los Angeles. He previously served on the BII Board of Directors and still serves on the Investment Committee. He is developing a Boston-focused community land trust building acquisition fund.
As part of the Rise-Home Stories Project, Mike helped author a children’s book about displacement, Alejandria Fights Back! / ¡La Lucha de Alejandria! (published by Feminist Press, August 2021). He is also a writer for the animated web series MINE.
Pablo Limon
Investment Committee Portfolio Advisor and former Investment Director of BII Fund
Pablo Limon is a Senior Associate at Limon Mestre, an auditing, tax, accounting, and advisory services firm for multinational companies operating in Mexico. Previously, Pablo served as BII’s investment Director. He brings more than ten years of experience in the finance and consulting industries. He previously worked for Itaú, the largest Latin American bank, and EY, the multinational accounting and consulting services firm. He has specialized in mergers and acquisitions, restructuring and cross-border transactions. He holds an MBA in Entrepreneurship from Babson College and a BS in Accounting from Universidad Panamericana in Mexico..
Becky Regan
Board Treasurer, CEO of Capital Link and Capital Link Fund
Becky Regan is the CEO of Capital Link, a non-profit organization established through the health center movement dedicated to working with hundreds of community health centers and Primary Care Associations to access capital through its CDFI and plan for sustainability and growth. Becky previously served as Chief Innovation Officer, EVP and President, Capital Markets at the Housing Partnership Network (HPN), a national network of the country’s leading mission-driven nonprofit CDFIs and affordable housing developers, where she led all aspects of capital raising from 2011-2020. Her prior experience includes senior leadership positions at large financial institutions, including Bank of America. Becky’s passion is social justice, having worked to keep people safely housed, low-income girls educated, and toward environmental sustainability and justice. She currently sits on the board of New Ecology, Inc. Becky earned a BSBA in finance from Boston University and an MBA from Babson College.
Guillermo Quinteros
Executive Director, Partnership for Democracy & Education, LLC
Guillermo Quinteros is Executive Director and Managing Weaver of the Partnership for Democracy & Education, LLC, which connects change-makers with donors, funders, investors and political leaders to promote more generative and democratic forms of politics and the solidarity economy. This is the latest phase of his longstanding work in helping build the electoral and political infrastructure of the social justice sector to contest for governance power. He previously served as senior fellow and founder of the Independent Resource Generation (IRG) Hub at Amalgamated Foundation. Earlier and for several years, he was program director of both the Solidago Foundation, a public charity, and the See Forward Fund, a 501(c)(4) social welfare foundation, where he contributed to the development of what are now called independent political organizations. He has also led community-based and statewide organizations working on education and democracy reform issues, leaders and candidate development and elections. He currently serves on the board of the Proteus Action League. He has a master’s degree in city planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a BA in economics from the University of Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras.
Juan Leyton
Director of Organizing, National Community Reinvestment Coalition
Juan Leyton is the director of organizing at the National Community Reinvestment Coalition. NCRC is an association of more than 600 community-based organizations that promote access to basic banking services, affordable housing, entrepreneurship, job creation and vibrant communities for America’s working families. His past work experience includes working for Madison Park Development Corporation, Local Enterprise Assistance Fund, MIT Community Innovators Lab (CoLab) and the Solidago Foundation. He also served as executive director of Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative, Neighbor to Neighbor Massachusetts and City Life/Vida Urbana in Boston, and as director of community building at NeighborWorks America. He has been a Barr Foundation and MIT Community Innovators Lab fellow. He holds master’s degrees in community economic development from Southern New Hampshire University and in public policy from Tufts University.
Lisa Owens
Board, Executive Director at the Hyams Foundation
Lisa Owens is the Executive Director of the Hyams Foundation, which funds organizations and networks working toward racial and economic justice in Greater Boston and Massachusetts. Lisa brings over 25 years of experience building local grassroots organizations and supporting national movements. She previously served as the Executive Director of City Life/Vida Urbana, a prominent housing justice group that is nationally recognized for organizing communities against displacement and building collective power for systemic change. She has taught courses on community organizing and nonprofit management in local universities and has served on the boards of many Boston-based and national organizations committed to fighting for social, racial, and economic justice. Lisa holds an MS in Human Services, Organizational Management and Leadership from Springfield College.
Nia K. Evans
Director, Boston Ujima Project
Nia K. Evans is the director of the Boston Ujima Project. Her educational background is in the areas of labor relations, education leadership, and policy. Her advocacy includes a focus on eliminating barriers between analysts and people with lived experiences as well as increasing acknowledgement of the value of diverse types of expertise in policy. She is a co-creator, along with artist Tomashi Jackson, of Frames Debate Project, a multimedia policy debate project that explores the intersection between drug policy, mental health services and incarceration in the state of Massachusetts.
Rose Felix Cratsley
Founder, Ivy Child International
Rose Felix Cratsley is a well-being and equity specialist, innovator, investor, and founder of Ivy Child International, a nonprofit that broadens access to mindfulness and healing education programs for children, youth and communities. As an entirely BIPOC-led organization, Ivy Child centers social justice and equity, with a special focus on often overlooked populations. Rose is also Trustee of the Felix Family Foundation, which honors the life and legacy of her father, Professor Felix Mathew. The Foundation focuses on expanding pathways in education and racial justice, addressing inequities and creating opportunities for communities of color. Rose is a TEDx speaker on “Unlocking Children’s Potential Through Mindfulness.” Most recently, Rose was honored among the 2022 “Powerful Women Leading the Mindfulness Movement” by Mindful Magazine.
Angela Brown
Chief of Economic Development, Metropolitan Area Planning Council
Angela Brown is the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) Chief of Economic Development and leads its work creating downtown and area plans for industrial, commercial, and mixed use for cities and towns throughout Metro Boston, assists municipalities with formulating economic developing strategies, and helps to address upstream and downstream factors and barriers to worker participation in the regional economy. At MAPC, she supports convening initiatives across government, private sector and community-based organizations around shared aims and promotes workforce development for low- and moderate-income job seekers, with particular emphasis on workers of color. Prior to joining MAPC, she spearheaded the economic inclusion and racial equity strategies for CFLeads, led the grantmaking portfolio of The Hyams Foundation, a private foundation delivering funding in greater Boston, directed the jobs and income program for the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), and served as a vice president for New York City Economic Development Corporation. She is a member of Boston Impact Initiative’s grants advisory committee and sits on Third Sector New England’s board of directors. She holds a B.A.in economics from University of Massachusetts at Amherst and a Master in Public Policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.
Eric Esteves
Philanthropist, Artist, Community Advocate
Eric Esteves is a connector, convener, philanthropist, artist and community advocate. His life mission is to connect people to resources and opportunities in order to transform their lives. Eric is the former Executive Director of the Lenny Zakim Fund and before that was the Director of the Social Innovation Fund at The Boston Foundation. He’s also worked for Root Cause, Harvard Business School, Lesley University, the Boston Impact Initiative and the Boston Public Schools. He has a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in information systems from Northeastern University.
