Kenneth An is the Director of the Boston Area Office of the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).   At the EEOC, Kenneth conducts training for new investigators for field offices on topics that include: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender rights; the Genetic Non-Discrimination Information Act; Fact-Finding Conferences; Pre-Determination Interviews; and, Human Trafficking.  Kenneth has received awards for his professional and personal accomplishments, including Outstanding Achievement Awards from the Federal Asian Pacific American Coalition; EEOC District Director’s Awards; EEOC Chair’s Organizational/Core Awards; and, Unsung Hero Award from the National Organization of Chinese-Americans.  Kenneth received his bachelor’s degree from Boston University and a Jurist doctorate from Suffolk University Law School.

Nicole Bell is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of LIFT, she leads our vision and runs several programs addressing the ending of systems of prostitution and promoting recovery from trauma, substance use disorder and mental health disorders. Under Ms. Bell’s leadership, LIFT opened Jana’s Place, the first recovery home for women exiting prostitution with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders in the nation; opened HARBOR (Healthcare, Advocacy, Room Board, Outreach and Rehousing), a zero-barrier access shelter for Survivors of prostitution and sex trafficking; and created the CATI (Creating Alternatives To Incarceration) Program, a pre-arraignment diversion program in partnership with the Worcester DA’s Office. She has written trauma-informed curriculum, created Survivor mentoring programs for youth and adult Survivors of systems of prostitution, and leads policy and advocacy work to effect social change at the local, state, and national level. Ms. Bell presents both nationally and internationally on the importance of ending all systems of prostitution through the promotion of the Equality Model, which incorporates social change with legislative action, and increased funding for implementing resources and service to assist Survivors of the sex trade in exiting prostitution.

Ms. Bell has received recognition for her work with this underserved and marginalized population including Worcester Magazine’s Hometown Hero, Advocate of the Year 2016 WAASE, Worcester Woman of Consequence 2016, Worcester’s Most Inspirational Women for 2019, named one of Worcester Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Class of 2019, and awarded a 2020 Outstanding Law Enforcement Award from US Attorney Andrew E Lelling for her commitment to violent crime prevention and intervention.

Ms. Bell sat on the Executive Council for World Without Exploitation and was appointed to The Executive Office of Public Safety’s Justice Involved Women’s committee.

Jennifer Cardoso is a paralegal from Lawyers for Civil Rights (LCR). In her role, Jen provides support to communities of color and low-income families through community education. 

Prior to joining LCR, Jen worked for an immigration law firm. Jen graduated from the University of Massachusetts Boston, where she majored in Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies. She is also a native Brazilian-Portuguese speaker. 

Whitney Demetrius is the Director of Fair Housing Engagement at Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA) working in the Municipal Engagement Initiative program. Whitney is responsible for directing the CHAPA Fair Housing Committee while working to strategically identify areas of policy and practice that promote equal and fair access to housing opportunities. Previously, she worked as the Deputy Director of the Fair Housing Center of Greater Boston for eight years. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Boston College and is on sabbatical from pursuing a Master’s in Legal Studies from Northeastern University School of Law. She has a passion for housing and social justice. In her work she seeks to change the local conversation, by empowering those most impacted by a lack of affordable housing, elevating pro-affordable housing voices above the noise of opponents, setting the stage for diverse and sustainable local coalitions, and identifying barriers to fair housing. Knowing that affordable housing reduces health inequities, stabilizes communities and families, and roots out structural and institutional racism is why she is deeply committed to this work.

John Fisher has been involved with fair housing and civil rights issues for more than fifty years.  John directs the Fair Housing Information Program at Way Finders, and has worked in the nonprofit housing sector in various positions on and off since the 1980s.  He is the author of Property Management for Massachusetts Rental Owners, now in its sixth edition, as well as many other articles and publications on landlord and tenant issues.  John also serves as a private consultant, working with tenants, landlords, and community-based organizations, as well as teaching a property management workshop which is offered throughout the state.  He is, himself, a landlord.

In addition to housing issues, John also consults and writes about applied neuroscience technology.  He is Managing Director for the Foundation for Neurofeedback and Applied Neuroscience.

Todd Kaplan is a Senior Attorney in the Consumer Rights Unit at Greater Boston Legal Services. He is currently working on challenging tax foreclosures and predatory loans in bankruptcy and other forums. He also recently filed a statewide class action challenging tenant screening practices in federal court. He supports GBLS’ Lawyer for the Day program challenging debt buyers in small claims cases and works on other consumer cases focusing on stopping foreclosures.

A privacy advocate through Library Freedom Project, Andrea’s career in public and academic libraries has focused on the relationship between people and their use of technology and educating communities on the skills needed to safely navigate the digital information landscape. As Digital Initiatives/Technology Librarian at Westfield State University, Andrea also brings an understanding of the impact of monetized digital information systems on learning, discourse and polarization.

Michael Rojas is the New York District Outreach & Education Manager for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). He manages Community Outreach, Media Relations and Employer/HR Technical Training for New York, the 13 northern counties of New Jersey, and all of the New England States. Michael is also the Small Business Liaison which provides assistance to small businesses about the laws enforced by EEOC or about compliance with those laws involving workplace situations and best practices. He began his career in the government at the United States Department of Labor, Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs implementing various region-wide programs, including; training, FOIA requests and administrative support. Michael worked in the private sector as an HR Generalist with duties including; payroll management, budget forecasting, recruiting, policy guidance implantation and performance management. He served in the United States Navy from 2001 – 2006 as a Personnel Specialist including support in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. He received a Navy Unit Commendation and a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement medal. Michael holds a Bachelor’s degree in Workforce Education and Development from Southern Illinois University Carbondale and his Masters in Human Resource Management from Long Island University Brooklyn Campus.

Megan Shanholtz is a grant manager based in Frederick, MD. Previously, she was a library director in rural Appalachia for seven years and deeply loves mountains, the arts, and connecting people to information as a result. She has a Masters in Library and Information Science from Clarion University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Shepherd University.

Daniel Weaver is the Region I Director of the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. As the Regional Director, Daniel is responsible for all of the Department’s Fair Housing operations in New England. Through his talented staff of 32 professionals, the office intakes and investigates hundreds of fair housing complaints each year. It also oversees the grants and operations of 13 Fair Housing Initiatives Program grantees, seven Fair Housing Assistance Program state and local government departments, and ensures compliance of all HUD grantees with the Department’s civil rights laws and program requirements. Previously, Daniel served as the Enforcement Branch Chief for Region I for 10 years. As Branch Chief, he supervised hundreds of Fair Housing Act investigations all over the country, including a case that settled for 1.25 million dollars. Also during this time, he managed Region I’s internship program for many years, with three of his former interns currently holding leadership roles in the region.

Daniel joined HUD in September 2006, after earning a J.D. from Quinnipiac University School of Law.  He is a member of the Massachusetts and Connecticut Bars and a 2003 graduate of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. In June 2021, he completed the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, Executive Education Senior Executive Fellows Program. He completed all five weeks of the National Fair Housing Training Academy and is a trained Coactive Coach. In his personal life he enjoys skiing, kayaking in the waters off Cape Ann, and supporting Boston’s sports teams. He lives in Manchester-by-the-Sea with his wife and two children.

Rhonda Aubin-Smith, serves as the District Director for the Boston District Office of the Department of Labor, Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP). Beginning her career with OFCCP in 2000, Rhonda has worked as a Compliance Officer and an Assistant District Director prior to taking on her District Director responsibilities in 2011. Prior to her work with the OFCCP Rhonda worked in the equal opportunity field with the State of Oklahoma and with the Department of the Air Force. Rhonda also served in the US Navy Reserves.  Rhonda holds a Bachelor Degree in Liberal Arts and a Masters in Human Relations. As the Boston District Director Rhonda ensures that her office uphold the purpose of the OFCCP – to enforce, for the benefit of job seekers and wage earners, the contractual promise of affirmative action and equal opportunity required of those who do business with the government. The Boston District Office covers Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Eastern Massachusetts.

Jon Burke is an Assistant Attorney General in the Civil Rights Division of the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office. The Division is responsible for enforcing the Commonwealth’s civil rights and anti-discrimination laws. Jon works on investigations and enforcement actions that address unlawful conduct in housing, education, government and other areas. Prior to joining the Attorney General’s Office, Jon worked as a legal aid attorney in New York and Massachusetts.

Maria Cuerda runs fair housing tests, works directly with clients who believe they have been the victims of housing discrimination, and conducts education and outreach regarding fair housing laws.  She is particularly interested in using fair housing law and community organizing to overcome barriers faced by people with criminal records when looking for housing.  Before joining the Center, Ms. Cuerda worked as a legal services advocate for 20 years concentrating on issues facing undocumented immigrants, farm workers, and people receiving public benefits.  At Western Massachusetts Legal Services, she ran a project providing legal assistance to residents of the North End neighborhood of Springfield, the poorest census tract in the state of Massachusetts. A San Francisco native, Ms. Cuerda is a graduate of Smith College.

Desiree Demos moved to Worcester from Myrtle Beach, SC in August 2020 to continue her work to eliminate stigma and remove barriers that prevent survivors from accessing the support they need from our communities. Prior to joining LIFT, Desiree used her own experience to provide support to previously incarcerated women by helping them navigate post-release treatment, community resources, housing, and employment programs.

Desiree found her passion for advocacy work while being a liaison between the women she supported and the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole, and Pardon Services (SCDPPPS), as well as South Carolina Department of Social Services (DSS).

As a Survivor of gender-based violence herself, she is committed to ensuring the voices of all survivors are driving change in systems that continuously oppress and victimize women. As the Senior Director of Community Based Programs Ms. Demos oversees all programs under HARBOR, LIFT’s 24/7 Drop-In Center and 16-Bed Emergency shelter space which offers access to supportive and exit services for Survivors of Commercial Sexual Exploitation (CSE). She fosters a safe community for all Survivors to exist as they are today, providing love, compassion, and hope, while fighting for a future void of violence against women.

Pamela Heller joined the CT Fair Housing Center as a foreclosure prevention staff attorney in 2011; she later began taking on fair housing cases as well. Prior to coming to the Center, she worked as a law clerk to the Honorable Ellen Ash Peters and to the Honorable William J. Sullivan at the Connecticut Appellate Court and as a legal research clerk at the Connecticut Superior Court.  Ms. Heller has taught as an adjunct faculty member at Elms College in Massachusetts and at the University of St. Joseph in Connecticut. She received a B.A. with honors in Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity from Stanford University, an MSW with a concentration in policy from the University of
Connecticut School of Social Work, and a J.D. with honors from the University of Connecticut School of Law.

Jeffrey Paul May is a national expert on fair housing planning and affordable housing. He is the principal of International Development and Planning, LLC. A minority-owned consulting firm that specializes in assisting: government agencies, nonprofits, and private clients with plans, studies, analyses, and strategies to develop and preserve community and economic development investments. From 2008 to 2015, Mr. May has served as the Assistant Director of National Neighbors (NN), a program of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition. His responsibilities were to provide oversight of all NN’s education, planning, compliance and enforcement activities occurring across the United States of America. In his previous post, he was the Project Director of the Fair Housing Program for DB Consulting Group, Inc. DB Consulting Group, Inc. is a minority-owned firm that provides support and technical assistance to federal agencies. Mr. May managed the firm’s fair housing program investigation, research, planning, enforcement, and education activities throughout the country.

Prior to joining DB Consulting Group, Inc., he was the Municipal Services Consultant at Iconographx, Inc. His responsibilities were to provide clients with technical assistance, census data mapping and analysis services on affordable housing, fair housing, and urban planning and regional planning projects. Before joining Iconographx, Inc. he served as the Executive Director of the Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center (GNOFHAC), a private non-profit organization established to address and eradicate housing discrimination throughout the state of Louisiana. Mr. May previously was the Member Services Director at the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA), an umbrella national civil rights organization made up of over eighty 

Douglas Quattrochi is the Executive Director of MassLandlords, Inc., a 501(c)6 nonprofit trade association with a legal purpose to create better rental housing by helping owners run sustainable, compliant, quality businesses and by fostering cooperation between landlord and renter advocacy organizations. MassLandlords has over 2,400 members in good standing and 10 full time equivalent. They operate the Certified Massachusetts Landlord™ program, which includes a computer adaptive test to train landlords. Doug has cofounded half a dozen startups, three of which are still operating. He holds a Master of Science in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Nuri Sherif (they/them/theirs) is the Fair Housing Testing Coordinator with Community Legal Aid’s Springfield Fair Housing Project (SFHP). Since starting with CLA, they have worked to build diverse housing testing capacity in Hampden County. Nuri has conducted systemic investigations related to gender identity and expression and is working to further expand sex-based testing throughout their service area. Outside of their work at CLA, Nuri is a part-time 3L at Western New England University School of Law and also works with Gender Identity Validation Services (GIVS) assisting individuals with name and gender-marker changes on vital identity documents. Nuri holds a Master’s in History from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst where they studied LGBTQIA+ history.

Sofia Stavraki currently serves as the Supporting Neighborhood Opportunity in Massachusetts (SNO Mass) Coordinator in the Division of Rental Assistance at the MA Department of Housing & Community Development. In her role, she oversees the SNO Mass housing mobility program. Prior to joining the DHCD team, Sofia worked in the nonprofit sector focusing on housing and homelessness prevention work.

Jamie R. Williamson became the District Director of the Philadelphia office of the   Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in December of 2017. She is an experienced agency leader with a significant history of improving and transforming organizations.  Ms. Williamson was appointed by former Governor Deval Patrick to the Massachusetts Commission Against Dis­crim­ination (MCAD) in 2010 and became its Chair in 2014.  She served in that position until accepting the appointment as the EEOC’s Philadelphia District Director. Prior to joining the MCAD, she was the exec­utive director of the Massa­chu­setts Fair Housing Center, a private non-profit fair housing organ­ization serving central and western Massachusetts. In 2005, she was appointed by the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts to serve on the state’s Access to Justice Commission. That commission was created by the Supreme Court to provide leadership, vision, and coordination in assuring access to civil justice for families and individuals in the Commonwealth. She is the Co-Founder of the Fair Housing and Civil Rights Conference.