Champions of Housing
Join us as we celebrate Metro Housing|Boston’s incredible impact to help families find safe and affordable housing.
YOU’RE INVITED!
Join Metro Housing|Boston’s Champions of Housing event on Thursday, November 13, 2025, as we honor community leaders who share our passion and commitment to ensuring that everyone in Greater Boston has a place to call home.
Your support of the Champions of Housing event will allow us to continue to provide personalized programs and services to individuals and families who are homeless or at risk of losing their homes – empowering them to move toward stability and economic security.
Thursday, November 13, 2025 • 5:30 pm
Artists for Humanity EpiCenter •
100 W 2nd Street, Boston, MA
Our 2025 Honorees are:
Housing Champion:
Amy Schectman, 2Life Communities, Saul and Gitta Kurlat Chief Executive Officer
Lowell L. Richards, III Award:
Marc Draisen, Metropolitan Area Planning Council, Executive Director
Rising Star Award:
Ricky Guerra, Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corp., Director of Real Estate Development
Rising Star Award:
Intiya Ambrogi-Isaza, Madison Park Development Corporation, Vice President of Real Estate
Rising Star Award:
Zach Gordon, Cambridge Housing Authority, Senior Program Manager of Policy and Administration
Featuring Emcee
Angela Elizabeth, Recording Artist / Boston Radio Personality
Meet Your Co-Chairs!
Along with this year’s honorees, both Trevor and Jim are true “champions of housing.” They use their professional experience to advocate for housing affordability, safety, and financial equity for Greater Boston families.
Trevor Samios
WinnCompanies
WinnCompanies
Trevor Samios, senior vice president for strategy and operations at WinnCompanies, founded the Connected Communities Foundation to combine a system of housing supports with a network of partner organizations to increase resource access.
Trevor says he always found Metro Housing to be an innovative administrator of housing. “They have always been thoughtful and put families at the center of their work. Being on their leadership committee has been very impactful for me.”
Jim Vallee
Nixon Peabody LLP Jim Vallee is the Boston Office Managing Partner and Government Relations Group Leader for Nixon Peabody. He is a former Massachusetts House of Representatives legislator and a retired Massachusetts National Guardsman.
Jim utilizes his nearly 20 years of state government experience to help his clients with their housing and food insecurity needs. “My understanding of state government and trusted relationships with state policy makers has helped me assist clients and make referrals,” he says.
Jim got involved with Metro Housing two years ago through his friendship with Executive Director Chris Norris. Jim believes in Metro Housing’s mission and advocacy work. “Metro Housing continues to set and exceed housing goals. I got involved with Metro to contribute my experience as a legislator to help create diverse, accessible housing options for families.”
“The need for stable, affordable housing is bigger than last year and continuing to grow,” Jim said. “And its at Fenway Park, there isn’t a better place to celebrate wins in housing!”
Nixon Peabody LLP
Jim Vallee is the Boston Office Managing Partner and Government Relations Group Leader for Nixon Peabody. He is a former Massachusetts House of Representatives legislator and a retired Massachusetts National Guardsman.
Jim got involved with Metro Housing two years ago through his friendship with Executive Director Chris Norris. Jim believes in Metro Housing’s mission and advocacy work. “Metro Housing continues to set and exceed housing goals. I got involved with Metro to contribute my experience as a legislator to help create diverse, accessible housing options for families.”
“The need for stable, affordable housing is bigger than last year and continuing to grow,” Jim said. “And its at Fenway Park, there isn’t a better place to celebrate wins in housing!”
Thank You to Our Sponsors!
Presenting Sponsors
NEI General Contracting
Main Stage Sponsor
WinnCompanies
Platinum Sponsors
Beacon Communities
Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation
Reception Sponsors
Rockport Mortgage
Gold Sponsors
Eastern Bank Foundation
Nixon Peabody LLP
Peabody Companies
Lowell Richards’ Family
Silver Sponsors
Bald Hill Builders
Boston Financial Investment Management
Brookline Bank
Causeway Development
Cambridge Savings Bank
Dellbrook | JKS
Klein Hornig LLP
Maloney Properties, Inc.
Monahan Technologies
Stantec
UHM Properties
Urban Edge
Wingate Management
United Way of Massachusetts Bay & Merrimack Valley
Bronze Sponsors
2Life Communities
Michelle Gaughran of Brown & Brown of MA
Brown & Brown of Massachusetts, LLC
CEDAC
Chestnut Hill Realty
CohnReznick LLP
Colchester Partners
Cruz Companies
Daniel Dennis & Company LLP
Davis Square Architects
Dedham Savings
Edward M. Doherty, Doherty Law Offices LLC
Efron Property Group
Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston
Harvard University, Campus Services
Hinckley Allen
HomeStart, Inc.
Home Owner’s Rehab
ICON Architecture, Inc.
Just-A-Start
Krems, Jackowitz & Carlman, LLP
Terry Saunders Lane and Jonathan Lane
Leader Bank
The Life Initiative
Madison Park Development Corporation
Mission Hill Neighborhood Housing Services
Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC)
Mission Hill Neighborhood Housing Services
Needham Bank
NeighborWorks Housing Solutions
PCA
Planning Office of Urban Affairs
Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH)
Jerry and Lori Rappaport
The Community Builders, Inc.
Partners
B’nai B’rith Housing New England, Inc.
Kevin Boyle
Cassandra and Philip Clay
Cedox Capital
Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA)
Edgemere Consulting Corporation
Janet and Michael Frazier
IBA Boston | Inquilinos Boricuas en Accion
Impact Community Giving
Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action (JALSA)
Marty Jones, MLJ Insights
KJP Partners
Anne M. Rousseau and Nancy Sableski
Esther Schlorholtz & Joseph Hunter
The Life Initiative
Utile Inc., Architecture & Planning