Staff

Leadership Team

  • Phil

    Philip Giffee

    Executive Director

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    Phil graduated from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was born in the Mid-West but moved East with his family when his father took a job at Natick Labs. Phil moved to East Boston in 1971 when neighborhood activists and some fellow conscientious objectors were forming the East Boston Community Development Corporation. Phil has been involved with affordable housing since the 1970's when friends formed a small corporation to rehabilitate vacant housing and rent it out at a low cost to local residents. Soon after, he joined some friends at the East Boston Ecumenical Community Council (EBECC) who were responding to the call for racial harmony and affordable housing. NOAH became the entity that focused on housing, with Phil serving as the Executive Director officially since July 1987. In the 70's Phil co-founded Shelter Inc, now a leading homeless shelter and advocacy organization with sites in the Cambridge and Greater Boston areas. He co-chaired the Framingham Housing Partnership from 2002-2004. Lastly, he is currently on the Board of the Mass. Association of CDC’s, giving him a strong presence in regional issues. He later moved to Framingham with his wife Nancy O’Hare in the late 90's, where they would go on to raise their son, Justin.

  • Linda Foster

    Linda Foster

    Director of Administration and Fundraising

    Linda holds a bachelor’s degree from Regis College and a master’s degree from Boston College. She is a graduate of the US Chamber of Commerce “Organizational Management” program...
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    Linda holds a bachelor’s degree from Regis College and a master’s degree from Boston College. She is a graduate of the US Chamber of Commerce “Organizational Management” program. Linda has served on the board of directors of seven nonprofit organizations, and has been a Board officer for six of these (including several tenures as a Board Chair). She has been an active community volunteer, served as an elected Library Trustee, and has performed award-winning fundraising efforts on behalf of the WGBH Channel 2 Auction. Before coming to NOAH, Linda served as VP and Acting President for a regional chamber of commerce. She brings her strong background in organizational leadership to NOAH’s resource development efforts, including managing NOAH’s grant and contract proposal processes, as well as its fundraising. Linda ensures contract activities compliance, and oversees NOAH’s resource reporting processes. She is also responsible for NOAH’s communications and marketing components, including NOAH’s website, electronic newsletter, social media and annual reporting. With Vinny, she oversees NOAH’s operations in the absence of the Executive Director.

  • Vinny Qualtieri

    Vinny Qualtieri

    Director of Finance

    Vinny Qualtieri holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with a Major in Accounting from Suffolk University. A long-time East Boston resident, Vinny graduated...
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    Vinny Qualtieri holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with a Major in Accounting from Suffolk University. A long-time East Boston resident, Vinny graduated from East Boston High School in 1991. He now lives in Revere with his wife and young daughter. Vinny most recently worked as a full-time treasurer for a family-owned construction company, and is on the Board of the East Boston Chamber of Commerce. Before that he worked for Dreyfus Retirement Services as a Manager in Trust Accounting. With Linda, he oversees NOAH’s operations in the absence of the Executive Director.

  • Diana Franco

    Diana Franco

    Director of Homebuyer Services

    Diana Franco has been with NOAH since 2004, both full-time and part-time. She was born in Medellin, Colombia and came to the United States at the age of eight...
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    Diana Franco has been with NOAH since 2004, both full-time and part-time. She was born in Medellin, Colombia and came to the United States at the age of eight. She went to Elementary School in East Boston at James Otis, then to Barnes Middle School, and graduated from West Roxbury High School. Diana has worked in many different fields, starting as Liaison Agent at the City of Boston Police Department, where she worked for five years. In 2001 she moved to Citizens Mortgage as a part-time Assistant Loan Officer/Administrative Assistant for three years. In May 2003, Diana went to Citizens Bank as a Banker/Loan Captain while also beginning as an agent working for Addison Wellesley Real Estate Services. She later moved to ReMax Real Estate in East Boston. Diana started with NOAH as the Program Director of the Maverick Hope VI program, and continued on as Program Director of the Washington-Beech Maverick Hope VI program, where she helped people of low- and middle-income to purchase their first homes. Diana loves her position at NOAH because she gets to help people find homes and thinks it is “so gratifying to see them so happy.” In 2010 she was promoted to Department Director, and now oversees NOAH's First- Time Homebuyer, Financial Literacy, and Foreclosure Prevention & Mitigation activities. She currently lives in Revere with her dog Lucas, and her young son.

  • Mal Nelson

    Mal Nelson

    Director of Property Management

    Mal oversees NOAH’s operations of commercial, multi-family and elderly apartment communities in 48 buildings throughout eastern Massachusetts...
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    Mal oversees NOAH’s operations of commercial, multi-family and elderly apartment communities in 48 buildings throughout eastern Massachusetts. Mal has over 15 years of experience working in affordable and conventional housing. His experience includes LIHTC, HUD Programs, and conventional and commercial properties. Mal is a Certified Property Manager (CPM) candidate as well as an Accredited Resident Manager (ARM) with the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM). Mal is also a Certified Housing Asset Management (CHAM) candidate with NeighborWorks of America and holds various LIHTC, Asset Management and Maintenance certifications with Spectrum Enterprises, NCHM and NAHRO. In his spare time Mal enjoys spending time with family, playing basketball and traveling.

Departmental Staff

Administrative

Community Building & Environment

Finance

Homebuyer Service

Property Management

Real Estate

Rental Housing Stability/EHAP

Senior Homeowner Services