Board of Directors

As the Director of Development for United Way of Mid Coast Maine, Joni Boissonneault brings a wealth of experience and dedication to our Board of Directors. With an impressive career spanning almost 30 years at Portland Housing Authority, Joni played a pivotal role in the resident services sector, spearheading the growth of the Family Self Sufficiency (FSS) program. Joni’s leadership transformed the FSS program into a robust, multifaceted initiative focused on increased financial stability. She fostered crucial partnerships with local financial institutions, United Way of Southern Maine, the University of Maine system, Goodwill of Northern New England, and various housing organizations. Her vision encompassed not only housing but also extended to asset building, education, employment, and homeownership opportunities, creating a comprehensive support system for residents. With an in-depth understanding of housing challenges and the struggles individuals face, Joni has been instrumental in achieving positive outcomes. A lifelong Mainer, including graduating from the University of Southern Maine, Joni Boissonneault is committed to enhancing the lives of individuals through her expertise and passion for creating thriving communities.

Bill Brauner brings over 30 years of experience in affordable housing to The Caleb Group’s board. Currently the Director of Real Estate at Urban Edge Housing Corporation in Boston, Bill is widely respected for his affordable housing expertise. His career includes two decades at CEDAC, where he provided technical assistance and predevelopment lending to nonprofit housing developers across Massachusetts.  Prior to that, he served as the Director of Acquisitions at Caleb for five years.

Earlier in his career, Bill worked for Habitat For Humanity in the countries of Guatemala and Colombia developing affordable ownership housing.

Bill has authored several important papers on housing, including A First Look at Supportive Housing for the Elderly (Section 202) in Massachusetts, and Preserving Affordable Housing in Massachusetts with Private Activity Bonds and 4% Tax Credits. His deep knowledge and thought leadership in the field have earned him recognition on both a state and national level.

Bill and his wife, Holly, live in Salem, MA, and have been long-time supporters of Caleb.   His hobbies include singing in a choir and amateur theater.  Bill’s extensive expertise and leadership will be invaluable in advancing Caleb’s mission of providing affordable housing for communities in need.

Holly Burbank is the Chief Financial Officer of Bangor Housing in Bangor, Maine which she joined after serving as CFO at Amity Companies, a private equity real estate investment firm.. Previously, she served as the Senior Vice President of Capital Management of Evernorth, a non-profit syndicator of low-income housing tax credits in Northern New England. In that role, she and her staff managed more than 20 active funds invested in affordable housing throughout Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. She joined the predecessor organization of Evernorth (Northern New England Housing Investment Fund) in 2005. Ms. Burbank serves on the Board of Directors and Finance Committee of Shalom House, a mental health services and housing agency based in Portland, Maine. She also volunteers as an advocate with Through These Doors, a domestic violence resource center. A lifelong Mainer, Holly Burbank graduated summa cum laude from the University of Maine with a BS in Business Administration with an Accounting concentration and lives in Westbrook with her husband.

Kathryn C. Burns is the Executive Director of Mercy LIFE of Massachusetts, a PACE program(PACE is Program of All -inclusive Care for Elders) in West Springfield, MA. She has over 20 years of experience in serving the needs of frail and low-income elders. She has been the Chief Operating Officer of the Elder Service Plan of the North Shore and the Administrator of the Geriatric Care Center and Director of Geriatric Services at Northeast Health Systems Beverly Hospital. Kathy received a Masters of Health Care Administration from Simmons College and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance and Management from Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame IN. In addition, she completed the “Leadership Strategies for Evolving Healthcare Executives” program at the Harvard School of Public Health.

A lifelong Mainer, Bill Cuddy brings extensive construction experience to The Caleb Group’s board, having retired from Portland Builders, a Portland, ME-based general contracting firm. With specific knowledge of building and renovating affordable housing, Bill’s expertise aligns perfectly with Caleb’s mission to provide safe, quality housing.

Bill is a long-time supporter of resident-centered programs and a believer in Caleb’s Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) and summer programs, especially at Maine sites. Bill and his wife live a fulfilling life in Maine, where they enjoy spending time with their children and doting on their grandchildren. Their English Bulldogs are fortunate to have found a loving home with Bill and Cheryl.

Melissa Gonzalez brings over 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector to the board, specializing in strategic planning, program development, and community outreach. As the Assistant Director of Energy Services at Making Opportunity Count, Inc., Melissa is responsible for driving high standards and managing federal, state, and utility contracts to deliver impactful energy programs to underserved communities. Her career also includes leadership roles in housing and fair housing advocacy, with a focus on providing resources and opportunities for low-income and at-risk populations. Fluent in both English and Spanish, Melissa’s work has spanned across diverse communities in both Texas and Massachusetts, with a dedication to creating equitable housing solutions.

Melissa and her husband live in Athol with the two youngest of their four children, a cat, and a dog. She and her husband enjoying volunteering for local and regional organizations that impact their community. When not working, parenting, or volunteering, Melissa is working towards her Master’s degree in Public Administration at Suffolk University, painting, practicing photography, or reading fantasy novels.

Melissa’s personal and professional journey, combined with her deep understanding of housing instability, provides valuable insight as she joins The Caleb Group board.

Gigi Guyton-Thompson, a Loan Officer and the Portfolio Manager at Genesis Community Loan Fund in Brunswick, Maine, brings a wealth of experience and commitment to her role on The Caleb Group’s Board of Directors. Prior to joining Genesis, Gigi collaborated with Caleb during her 14-year tenure at New Ventures Maine, playing a crucial role in the introduction and growth of the FSS program at The Ledges. Gigi’s work at New Ventures Maine focused on business start-up, financial education, and advocacy. She engaged with diverse communities including New Mainers, incarcerated individuals and individuals newly released from prison, and those residing in affordable housing. Her profound understanding of the economic challenges associated with poverty and the available resources for transformation was evident in her work. As an FSS coach for Caleb and other affordable housing providers in Maine, Gigi actively contributed to enhancing financial literacy and economic empowerment. Originally from the South, Gigi earned her BS from the University of Alabama (Roll Tide) and a master’s from Louisiana State University (Geaux Tigers). Embracing “The Way Life Should Be,” Gigi and her family make their home on Peaks Island.

Bessy Kong was a senior housing official in the Department of Housing and Urban Development for over 18 years. Among other positions she served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy in the Office of Public and Indian Housing. From 2010 to 2012 she was the senior housing advisor to the White House Office of Domestic Policy. Ms. Kong graduated from Smith College with a BA and from Columbia University, School of Architecture and Planning with an MS in Urban Planning. Ms. Kong is currently a Global Fellow with the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington, DC.

Mr. Lincoln retired after almost thirty years as a senior member of Cambridge Associates, LLC, a global investment advisory firm. While at Cambridge Associates, Mr. Lincoln formed long-term investment and financial advisory relationships with a wide variety of institutional clients, contributed to the firm’s research of real estate investment policy issues and managers, and for fifteen years led the firm’s California office. He received his undergraduate degree from Harvard College, a M. S. S. S. from Boston University and a M.B.A. from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. Prior to attending business school, Mr. Lincoln worked in various social service programs serving children and families in Ethiopia and the U.S. Currently, he is a member of the Investment Advisory Committee for Kamehameha Schools in Hawaii and the Investment Committee of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation and is a Director of the Caleb Group, a non-profit corporation providing housing and services to low-income and elderly residents

Vincent O’Donnell has worked in the nonprofit and government sectors for over 45 years to create and preserve affordable housing. Initially consisting of grassroots civil rights and housing code enforcement work, his career evolved to focus on a combination of advocacy, policy development and implementation. He has held senior positions with a variety of nonprofit housing owners and developers, community development financial institutions, governmental entities and others, to promote the preservation and development of affordable multifamily housing, focusing on HUD-assisted multifamily housing. When not working at his day job, Vince is an active country dance fiddler.

Roxie Severance is president of RS Consulting, LLC a health care consulting business that provides strategic planning, senior living community planning services and workforce development to numerous nonprofit organizations. She is a CNHA, Certified Nursing Home Administrator, and an FACHCA, Fellow of American College of Health Care Administrators. Previous work included being CEO of The Morrison a nursing home and assisted living facility. Roxie has a BS in Human Services from Springfield College and Master’s in Nonprofit Management from Regis University. Roxie is currently Board Chair of the North Country Home Health and Hospice Agency; Board member of North Country Healthcare; past Chair of the New Hampshire Health Care Association, a member and past Chair of the North Country Health Care Consortium, a member and Past President of the NH Chapter of the American College of Health Care Administrators. She worked as a Resident Service Coordinator for The Caleb Group from 1993 to 1999.

Bob Snow is an independent policy & development consultant working nationally with a number of housing developers and tax credit syndicators. He has more than 30 years of housing experience. For 20 years, Bob was with National Affordable Housing Trust, initially to establish its asset management department and for the last decade as Senior Vice President of its development consulting group. Bob has a B.A. in Government & Law from Lafayette College.