Profile

The Mel King Institute’s Building Foundations Program Clinic Cohort is designed for project managers actively working on affordable housing projects, offering a consultative, problem-solving environment with seasoned project managers. The cohort launched last spring and will meet monthly until the end of the year.

For our September spotlight, we interviewed a selection of Clinic Cohort members including Chelsea Gaylord, Senior Real Estate Project Manager at Metro West Collaborative Development, Josh McLinden, Real Estate Project Manager at Madison Park Development Corporation (MPDC), and Mara Tu, Real Estate Development Project Manager at Allston Brighton Community Development Corporation (ABCDC).

MKI: What first sparked your interest in becoming involved with community building work? How did you end up in the community development field?

Chelsea: Growing up in Iowa, where we know all our neighbors, working alongside those in my community has always been a part of who I am. As an undergrad studying Health Promotion, I was also fascinated by the social determinants of health, or the non-medical factors that influence a person’s health and well-being, and have been drawn to opportunities to work on issues like economic mobility and the built environment with the communities I’m in. My road to affordable housing development has spanned many states and a continent, but I have ended up here because it sits at the intersection of three issues that I care most deeply about: equity, affordability, and sustainability. In this work, I get the opportunity to support economic mobility, reduce carbon emissions, support a healthier built environment, and address growing rent burdens with the communities we serve. 

Josh: I actually started my career in biotechnology, believe it or not! While I enjoyed working in a lab, I developed a real passion for housing and community building in my spare time as an activist for housing justice through tenant organizing and policy advocacy, which ultimately led me to seek a career pivot by attending grad school in urban planning. After my graduate studies I landed a job at MPDC and have been in the affordable housing field for three years now!

Mara: I started with a passion for environmental justice and sustainability work, and it quickly became apparent that these issues are closely tied with strong and healthy communities. The Urban and Environmental Planning and Policy program at Tufts University connected my academic experience to the actively practicing people and organizations doing the community development work to build and maintain affordable housing in Boston. 

MKI: What inspired you to join the Building Foundations Program: Clinic Cohort?

Chelsea: While I’ve been working in community and economic development for many years, I am new to affordable housing project management and to Massachusetts. I’ve quickly learned that affordable housing project management is a unique rollercoaster that presents daily opportunities and challenges, and I was eager to learn from and build professional relationships with others in the field. I was particularly excited to workshop challenges with cohort members and learn from their experiences on things I’ve been working on for my projects like enhancing equity and inclusion throughout a project lifecycle, community engagement, construction completion processes, and navigating funding.  

Josh: I had heard from colleagues about Henry Joseph's project manager training cohorts that he offered before his recent retirement and always thought it would be such a good way to build connections across the field and learn about development with and from other PMs. I was excited to see MKI and JPNDC partner to offer a new vision of that training model and grateful for the opportunity to join.

Mara: I wanted to learn about how I could improve as a project manager, learn about best practices, and connect with other project managers that were also new to the affordable housing industry. 

MKI: What is the most notable experience or piece of knowledge you've gained as a member of the Clinic Cohort so far?

Chelsea: Insurance! All the different insurance types and requirements can be challenging to navigate, and having the experts come in to give an overview of the various types project managers deal with and things to look out for was very helpful. I’ve also really enjoyed the opportunity to travel to each cohort member’s organization to see their work and learn more about their communities.

Josh: It's hard to pick just one as every meeting has been so helpful - so instead I'll say my biggest takeaway is how valuable it is to build relationships with your peers and learn from them. In such a complex field, talking to one another, sharing information and best practices is essential to getting to our goal of building affordable housing.

Mara: This has been a stellar experience being able to learn so much from my peers: we [all] face similar challenges and have vastly different projects and tools to use across the state. It has been a very rewarding experience overall just knowing that there are very talented individuals and organizations working towards making Massachusetts more affordable to live in. 

MKI: Are there any projects you're looking forward to working on/completing during the remainder of 2025?

Chelsea: We received our last certificate of occupancy for the project I manage in Hudson in June this year. With construction now complete, I’m looking forward to completing the cost certification and permanent loan conversion by the end of the year.

Josh: I'm excited for our project at 639 Warren Street - a mixed-use, all-affordable new construction deal in the Grove Hall neighborhood of Boston that I've overseen since acquisition in 2023. I'm preparing to apply to the city and state funding rounds this fall and winter and move into the next stage of predevelopment in 2026.

Mara: Yes! With my colleagues on the Real Estate Development team, Caitlin Robillard and Tina-Marie Johnson, ABCDC is on track to getting the shovel in the ground for our next two DER projects in the pipeline: Brian J. Honan Apartments and Ashford Street Lodging House. 

MKI: We believe that work/life balance is important for professionals. What is a hobby or passion of yours outside of work?

Chelsea: Spending time hiking and getting lost in the woods.

Josh: I love being outside - biking, running, walking, hiking, rock climbing, you name it. 

Mara: I really enjoy exploring different local parks, small businesses, and events in the greater Boston area! 

The Mel King Institute’s Building Foundations Program (in partnership with LISC Massachusetts), is designed to provide flexible, accessible, training for emerging and mid-level project managers involved in affordable housing development. The curriculum combines theory with practice, incorporating real case studies, interactive exercises, and structured guidance from subject matter experts. The next Clinic Cohort will begin in spring of 2026.