ADVISORY COMMITTEE
David Barbash, Arent Fox
David Barbash is the Managing Partner of the Boston Office and a member of the Corporate and Securities Group of Arent Fox LLP, a full service national law firm of over 450 attorneys across five offices: Washington, New York, Boston, Los Angeles and San Francisco. In addition to serving as the Managing Partner of the Boston Office, David is a member of the Firm’s Executive Committee, Co-Manager of the firm-wide Business Department and Co-Chair of the Firm’s Venture Capital and Emerging Business Industry Group. David’s practice is focused on representing companies ranging from early stage to more mature family owned and venture backed companies in such areas as mergers and acquisitions, venture capital/private placements, strategic alliances/joint ventures, and licensing arrangements, as well as advising clients on day to day general business matters.
Josh Biren, Winn Development
Josh Biren is a member of the Development team at Winn, focusing on the earliest stages of the development cycle, identifying new acquisition opportunities and associated financing necessary to create Affordable and Mixed Income housing. He also works with the executive team on special projects to conceptualize and implement strategic initiatives across the Winn Portfolio. Prior to joining Winn, Josh was a Director of Innovation at FidelityLabs, and for a brief period, the General Manager of a “Donut Speakeasy” on Martha’s Vineyard. He began his career at Goldman Sachs & Co., and holds a BA in Economics from Trinity College (CT) as well as a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Babson College.
Kendin Carr, Colliers
Kendin Carr is Vice President of Colliers’ Boston Investment Sales team. Throughout his career he has worked on acquisitions of multifamily and mixed-use assets, including at CNVRG Ventures, Marcus & Millichap, as well as serving as a project manager on the principal-side. Kendin is also involved in various real estate organizations, serving as co-chair of ULI’s Next Initiative council, a board member of the Builders of Color Coalition, and an associate board member of Direct Federal Credit Union.
Carlos Castillo, Construction Management & Development
Carlos Castillo is involved in a variety of real estate services including but not limited to construction management, redevelopment, real estate sales, financing, and property management. Carlos started his career as a loan officer before moving into commercial construction management at Commodore Builders. He now manages construction projects with a focus on multi-family homes in the Dorchester, Mattapan and Roxbury neighborhoods in Boston.
Mark Ciommo, former Boston City Councilor, District 9 (Allston-Brighton)
Mark Ciommo served six terms as the the Boston City Councilor for District 9, representing Allston-Brighton until January 2020. During his time on the Council he served as the Chair of the Ways & Means Committee for 11 years. Previously, he was the Assistant Director of the Jackson Mann Community Center, and the Executive Director of the Veronica B. Smith Multi-Service Center in Brighton. Mark has also been a small business owner and a founding member of several civic organizations.
Chuck Eisenberg, Eisenberg Consulting, LLC
Chuck Eisenberg is a real estate and renewable energy developer and consultant, whose engagements include adaptive re-use, mixed-use, multi-family, mixed-income, and affordable development. Prior to consulting, he worked as the Northeast Regional Director for The Community Builders and Principal at LEA Group, Inc. Chuck also has experience in academia, having taught courses in business management and real estate at Northeastern University and Boston University.
Kyndal Feinman, MBTA
Kyndal Feinman is Deputy Director of Lean Analytics at the MBTA. She received her Masters in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School in 2020, and helped launch Housing Forward-MA, working as Director of Policy & External Relations from 2020-2021. Prior to graduate school, Kyndal worked in Massachusetts government and politics, most recently serving as former Boston City Councilor Josh Zakim’s Chief of Staff.
Rich Hornblower, Coldwell Banker Realty
Rich Hornblower is a Realtor® with Coldwell Banker Realty who has developed expertise in first-time homebuyer programs and deed-restricted affordable sales and resales. He is a Homebuying 101 course instructor, and has been selected as the agent for over 200 affordable units in Boston, Somerville, and Malden. Rich has been awarded the International President’s Circle designation, ranking in the top 5% for sales among Coldwell agents, and also serves as a member of The Young Professional Network for the Greater Boston Association of Realtors.
Jen Murphy, Chestnut Hill Realty
Jen Murphy is the Director of Marketing at Chestnut Hill Realty, where she is responsible for the development, implementation, and coordination of all leasing and marketing programs. She has worked at CHR for over 25 years and is a member of the Senior Leadership Team. Jen is an active leader in the industry, affiliated with the National Apartment Association (NAA) and the MA Apartment Association (MAA), for which she serves as 2021 President. She also serves on the Greater Boston Real Estate Board.
Bob Samoluk, HFMA Advisory Committee Administrator
Bob Samoluk is a Human Resources Executive with over 25 years of experience in the field. Bob was the Human Resources Director at BNY Mellon at BNY Mellon Headquarters in New York, and also spent several years working for the TJX Companies in a variety of Human Resource roles. In mid-career Bob stepped out of his corporate Human Resources career to become the Deputy Campaign Director and Treasurer for the Scott Harshbarger’s run for Governor of Massachusetts. Since leaving the corporate world Bob has focused on working with non-profit organizations, with a focus on housing issues. He served as the Chair of the Dennis Affordable Housing Trust, was an active participant in the Cape Housing Institute, and served as Chair of the Dennis Democratic Committee.
Rep. Chynah Tyler, State Representative, 7th Suffolk District
Rep. Chynah Tyler was elected in 2016 to represent the 7th Suffolk District, which includes parts of the Fenway and Roxbury neighborhoods in Boston. She serves as the Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on the Judiciary, and a member of the following committees: Ways & Means, COVID-19 and Emergency Preparedness & Management, Public Safety & Homeland Security, and Redistricting. She is also the Chair of the Black and Latino Legislative Caucus. Prior to her election, Rep. Tyler began her career as a Case Manager, assisting Federal Inmates in securing employment, housing, and community support.
Rep. Andy Vargas, State Representative, 3rd Essex District
Rep. Andy Vargas was elected in 2016 to represent the 3rd Essex District, which includes much of the City of Haverhill. He serves as the Vice-Chair of the Economic Development and Emerging Technologies Committee, and a member of the following committees: Ways & Means, Education, Public Health and Redistricting. He is a member of the MA Black & Latino Legislative Caucus. He has been a strong supporter of efforts to boost housing production and promote equitable access to homeownership. Rep. Vargas is currently a candidate for State Senate to represent the 1st Essex District.
Michael Benezra, GK Fund; Colette Phillips Communications
In 2021, Michael was named to Boston Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 List. Michael worked on legislative affairs under Governor Deval Patrick, and served as the Legislative Director for the Department of Housing and Community Development from 2015-2017. More recently, he served as the Director of Economic Affairs and Innovation to the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs (New England), raising over $20 million from venture capital and private equity firms for Israeli founded startups with a focus on social impact. Michael also worked in the U.S. Department of Commerce under the Obama Administration. In 2012, he served as the Research Director for the Harvard Law School Project on Disability. He holds a BA from the University of Washington and Masters from Harvard University.