Profile

Laurie Gould, a New York native, has spent over 25 years working in the affordable housing sector in Massachusetts. As a partner in the consulting firm VIVA Consulting, she's a jack-of-all-trades in affordable housing and community development. She's done everything from project finance and asset management to business and strategic planning for organizations dedicated to housing and community development. 

Her journey into this field was anything but conventional. She initially pursued a PhD in theoretical linguistics in central California. During this period, she volunteered as a paralegal immigration counselor, working intensely with Spanish-speaking individuals. This experience sparked a passion for social justice, leading her to shift her focus from linguistics to homelessness and housing. She spent some time working with homeless families living in hotels and motels. However, she quickly realized that to truly make a difference, she needed to go deeper into the field. "I went to business school and got an MBA, and then went to work for The Community Builders and eventually went into consulting practice, first on my own and then with my VIVA partners," she shared. 

Gould's relationship with the Mel King Institute grew from her extensive experience teaching classes on asset management and affordable housing finance. She's been a long-time instructor for NeighborWorks and has also conducted special classes for various organizations. These include teaching tax credits for Urban Edge, classes for contractors, and some for MHP. 

In 2021, Shirronda Almeida the Director of the Mel King Institue invited Laurie and her partner, Louise Elving, to teach a series of classes specifically for the Mel King Institute. This series provides a general introduction to affordable housing development and affordable housing finance. 

Around 2002, NeighborWorks approached her to develop an affordable housing finance class for the Asset Management track. This class has been running for over 20 years, during which time Laurie has honed her skills in explaining the intricacies of affordable housing finance to people from diverse backgrounds. Laurie also played a significant role in developing the CHAM series of classes, known as the Certified Housing Asset Management classes. Alongside her partner, Judy Weber, she helped create a substantial part of the curriculum. As of now, they have written four out of the five classes in the series. This summer, Laurie will be teaching one of these classes for the Mel King Institute. (Register here)

The CHAM series of classes has played a more significant role in fostering a community of asset managers. Over the years, participants who have taken the entire sequence of classes have formed relationships, both online and in-person. These relationships have led to the formation of a supportive community of practice that continues to offer mutual support and resources. 

Laurie is excited to offer the CHAM series at the Mel King Institute, hoping that it will help foster a Massachusetts and New England-based community of practice. She believes that such a community would provide ongoing professional support and resources, given the wealth of wisdom and skill within these communities. This would enable participants to reach out to each other on an ongoing basis, fostering a mutually supportive environment. 

In her free time, Laurie enjoys crafting humorous tunes. Her creative work can be explored further on her dedicated platform, 'Midlife Mom Songs.'