Blog

On August 13, 2019
In People

In the Public Eye & Behind the Scenes: The Leadership of IBA CEO Dr. Vanessa Calderón-Rosado

Whether at resident meetings speaking with the community or on television talking about key issues in affordable housing, our CEO Dr. Vanessa Calderón-Rosado is constantly advocating for inclusive development, economic and educational empowerment, representative leadership, arts programming and more. This month, as we highlight the people that make IBA so special, we wanted to provide you with a closer look into Vanessa’s life and leadership.

Getting to Know Our CEO:

CEO at IBA for more than 16 years – one of Vanessa’s greatest sources of inspiration is her mother. In this “Five things you should know about Vanessa Calderón-Rosado” profile by The Boston Globe, you can learn about how she became interested in public policy, helped strengthen IBA’s financial position and programming, and played an integral part in raising funds for the recovery of Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria.

In 2018, Boston Magazine named Vanessa one of “The 100 Most Influential People in Boston,” highlighting her involvement in confronting Boston’s biggest challenges alongside her roles advising the Massachusetts’s Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, The Boston Foundation, and the Barr Foundation.

From successfully acquiring the West Newton/Rutland Street Apartments to helping house families and individuals displaced by Hurricane Maria, Vanessa helped steward opportunities for IBA to preserve, improve and expand upon affordable housing opportunities for all. Take a look at Boston Business Journal’s “Outside the Box” feature to learn more.

Thought Leadership & Advocacy:

IBA believes strongly in speaking publicly about the issues that confront Greater Boston residents on a day-to-day basis. Below, find two op-eds that Vanessa published vocalizing her stance:

On solving for housing, with Massachusetts Association of Community Development Corporations President Joseph Kriesberg: CommonWealth Magazine, “It’s time to act on housing”
On the need for diverse, representative civic leadership: WBUR, “Massachusetts Is Diverse – But Our Elected Officials Are Not”

IBA works passionately to bridge the wealth and income inequality gap, which continues to hinder opportunities for minority and low-income residents in Greater Boston. Check out Vanessa’s discussions with WCVB and United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley about how IBA’s College and Financial Empowerment Program and involvement in Boston Builds Credit support the achievement of financial goals through building good credit, job training and personal growth, all of which seek to establish a future that is more accessible for all.

As our society continues to undergo substantial change, we remain dedicated to upholding IBA’s resounding legacy of justice through active advocacy work and civic engagement.

We are proud to be working to develop housing opportunities for low-income households and minority residents in Boston. For more information on how you can support IBA, please visit our page: http://www.ibaboston.org/donat...

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