SOMERVILLE COMMUNITY CORPORATION - Key Persons
Alba Solis' personal journey as a Honduran immigrant has deeply shaped her commitment to equitable and resident-focused housing development for immigrant and low-income families. Her background as an educator at Boston Public Schools further reinforced her understanding of the critical need for stable, affordable housing in underserved communities.
Her educational path began with studies in Fine Arts at Bunker Hill Community College, followed by Architecture at MassArt, where she honed her skills in design and problem-solving. These experiences laid the foundation for a passion for using architecture as a tool for social change. In 2023, she joined the Fellowship for Equitable Affordable Housing Development (FEAHD) through Opportunities Communities, where she is currently a Fellow. This two-year program, running until September 2025, has provided specialized training and hands-on experience in affordable housing development and management. As part of a six-woman BIPOC cohort, she is building the skills and expertise needed to tackle housing challenges effectively.
Now focused on managing affordable housing rehabilitation projects, she leverages her architectural lens and creative problem-solving skills to address the housing crisis for low-income families. Passionate about learning, collaborating, and creating meaningful change, she is dedicated to empowering underserved communities through stable and equitable housing solutions.
Athena joined SCC in 2020, having worked previously at the Center for Families in Cambridge, where she educated new parents on early childhood development and navigating childcare resources. As a career coach with the First Source team, Athena connects with local employers to identify job opportunities for community members. She helps motivate job seekers to fulfill their potential and achieve their dreams. Athena loves to connect with all types of people and sees her work as not just helping a person find a job, but helping them develop resilience and a growth mindset. She believes that anything is possible when people have confidence in themselves.
About her work, Athena says "What I love about my job is knowing that every day on the job brings a new adventure. While I help people build their job readiness skills, I also have the privilege of meeting individuals with unique dreams and challenges. I love inspiring others to step beyond their comfort zones. Rather than settling for the easy way out, I encourage them to push their limits and discover strengths they never knew they had. It's incredibly rewarding to show people that with a little courage, they can achieve more than they ever imagined. One of the toughest parts of my work is inspiring participants to trust the process-even when it doesn't immediately reward all their skills and experience. It's heartbreaking to see talented individuals face disappointment when they aren't selected for a job. Yet, in those moments, I stand firm as their biggest cheerleader. I remind them that every setback is just a stepping stone and with belief in the journey, leads to success. I'm committed to supporting everyone, celebrating each small victory, and never giving up on their potential."
Athena's other passion is her family and friends and creating memories by cooking, traveling and enjoying what life has to offer.
Job Titles:
- Community Building Manager
Bonnie Bastien is the Community Building Manager at the Somerville Community Corporation. She leads SCC's community building efforts and supports the work of SCC in the City of Somerville. SCC's Community Building Program builds social capital by creating opportunities for person-to-person and people-to-place relationships, developing the skill and will of resident leaders to take on leadership roles at SCC and in their community, encouraging civic engagement and activism to promote approaches and policies that stop displacement and preserve economic, social, ethnic, and racial diversity.
Outside of SCC, Bonnie is an activist working for racial justice, housing justice, and public safety rooted in systems of care, healing, and community self-determination in Brookline. She is also an elected Town Meeting Member in Brookline's Precinct 5 where she works in community to write and pass progressive legislation in Brookline.
Prior to SCC, Bonnie was the Senior Tenant Organizer for the Brookline Community Development Corporation and co-launched Mutual Aid Brookline in 2020 to address unmet critical needs in the area as the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Bonnie has a BFA in Illustration from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. Art and creativity is of critical importance to her work and personal life and lives at the heart of everything she does.
Job Titles:
- Digital Equity Supervisor
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer
- Servant Leader
Gonzalo J. Puigbo is the Chief Executive Officer of Somerville Community Corporation. He combines corporate and community experience with an inclusive, entrepreneurial spirit. He believes in the mission of helping low income families achieve financial independence via homeownership, workforce development, financial education, community organizing and leadership initiatives.
Gonzalo began his banking career at Citizens Bank, where he quickly moved up the ranks from Loan Officer to Producing Sales Manager. He received the coveted President's Club Award in 2004 & 2005 for outstanding sales and community outreach. In 2006, he went to work at Eastern Bank as a Regional Sales Manager and received the 2012 Corporate Value award for his outstanding community involvement.
Prior to SCC, Gonzalo worked at People's United Bank as the Vice President, CRA & Community Development Officer for Northern New England, where he learned and embraced the challenges facing local low income households and how to utilize equity and investment resources to bridge the gap of the financial needs of our communities.
Gonzalo is a passionate Servant Leader willing to help anyone along the way who needs help with financial services and education. He has taught over 500+ homebuyer education seminars and over 100+ financial education classes with the hope of giving low income households and working families a chance for financial independence.
He has eagerly volunteered as a leader with many non-profit organizations and was Chair of the Board of Directors at Compass Working Capital and is the current Co-Chair of MCBC's Lending Committee.
Gonzalo received his Bachelor of Science and MBA from Framingham State University. In 2012, his alma mater presented him with the Alumni Achievement Award for his outstanding work in our local communities.
Gonzalo is thankful for what he has been able to accomplish and is appreciative of what this country has offered to make this happen. He loves visiting Cape Cod during the Summer and traveling with his wife and kids all over the world.
Laurie Calvert joined the SCC team in November 2023 as our Director of Finance and Administration. The mission of SCC really resonates with Laurie as she is passionate about women's financial wellness, women's empowerment, and making Somerville a community that serves all.
Laurie focuses on the financial health of the organization including the continuous assessment of governance and controls, optimizing processes, and taking advantage of the systems that we have in place to streamline our financial reporting and operations.
Outside of work, Laurie enjoys travelling with her family, watching her daughters play sports, reading short fiction, and spending time outside enjoying all that New England has to offer.
Job Titles:
- Communications & Development
Our Director of Development & Communications, Lizzie has been at SCC since 2019. Having experienced tumultuous housing instability growing up, she truly values her role in helping SCC strengthen its capacity and resource development. Prior to SCC, she was the managing director of an award-winning communications & design agency and helped found two progressive voter and civic engagement startups.
In her role, Lizzie oversees critical responsibilities, including donor management, crafting marketing collateral, managing the CITC process, and driving our grant-writing efforts. Her strategic approach has been instrumental in advancing SCC's goals.
In 2020, Lizzie moved to southern Vermont with her husband Jon. They have a son Leo and are expecting another son in early 2024. She also grows mushrooms and is a fledgling silversmith.
Olson Régis is a First Source Career Coach at Somerville Community Corporation who assists
Olson joined SCC in February 2023, following a distinguished work history in Haiti, where he assisted in the country's reconstruction efforts after the devastating earthquake in 2010.
Olson was the Director of Housing and then Executive Director for TECHO, a Latin American organization, where he worked to empower Haitian youth by encouraging volunteerism, promoting
Job Titles:
- Director of Community Programs
Renee joined SCC in November 2021 and is the Director of our Community Programs. In this role, she oversees our Asset Building, First Source and Digital Literacy Programs. She brings with her broad work experiences including working in corporate, nonprofit, manufacturing, and healthcare.
Her love of adventure and travel has allowed her to live in 9 different states. Each location has taught her a greater level of understanding when it comes to people, what they need in life, and how to connect the two. Renee has a visionary, outside-the-box way of thinking that has opened additional opportunities for those who seek assistance. She has a sincere desire to help people and her role at SCC allows her to offer her skills, encouragement, and passions to SCC clients, the community, and beyond.
When she's not working, Renee loves spending time near water and enjoys great food and live music. As a licensed minister she has a heart for youth and young adults. She is also a licensed massage therapist. Most recently she has become a "fur mom" to a Yorkie, Laya, who keep her on her toes.
Job Titles:
- Accountant
- SCC in 2022 As a Junior Accountant
Xilai Zhou joined SCC in 2022 as a Junior Accountant. Xilai holds a Master's degree in Financial Econometrics from Johns Hopkins University and a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration with a focus on Finance, Investment & Bank/Economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.