April 30, 2021 HBI’s Comings and Goings
HBI is pleased to announce a number of exciting comings and goings on the Board of Directors. We are pleased to welcome new members into their positions and thank departing officers for their dedication and service. 
After two consecutive terms as President, Kathy MacNeil is ending her service as president from 2015-2021. She will be joining HBI’s Council of Advisors as a co-chair with Brian Swett. Kathy has been at the helm of the board for some of HBI’s most challenging and exciting projects including the Fowler Clark Epstein Farm, the St. James African Orthodox Church, and Upham’s Corner Comfort Station. Her expertise and voice will continue to inform HBI’s direction as a member of the Council of Advisors. 
Michael Durand was unanimously elected as President and presided over his first meeting on April 29th. Michael has been an active board member and was a central member of HBI’s task force. Michael graduated from the University of Denver in 1983 with a degree in real estate finance and construction management. He has been a developer for 25 years and successfully completed over 250 single family homes and condominiums, as well as 200,000 sf of commercial space in the Boston area . Michael’s ’s knowledge of financing and the local lending markets have enabled him to establish a reputation as one of the leading residential developers in the Boston area.
Felicia Jacques is ending her service as treasurer and remains on HBI’s Board of Directors. Felicia is a longtime member of the board and has been an invaluable source of wisdom in guiding HBI’s financial management, and an important adviser on HBI community development projects.
Sammy Nabulsi, one of HBI’s new board members in 2020, succeeds Felicia as HBI’s new Treasurer.Sammy is an associate at Rose Law Partners and prior to joining the firm, was Assistant Corporation Counsel for the City of Boston Law Department where he represented the city in environmental, land-use and zoning, historic preservation, and municipal taxation litigation.
HBI elected two new board members, David Black and Dakota Jones, at its April 29th meeting board meeting. A Roxbury resident, David is a seasoned transportation planning and engineering professional, with 45 years of experience.
David recently retired from his position as an Associate and Senior Project Manager at Vanasse Hangen Brustlin Inc. (VHB). David was also a member of the Mayor’s task force for the development of Complete Streets Guidelines for the City of Boston and served for 10 years on the board of WalkBoston, where he still provides an advisory role. David is also a Facilitator for high school students participating in the Urban Land Institute’s (ULI) UrbanPlan Program.
Born and raised in Jamaica Plain, Dakota Jones is a proud product of Boston’s hard working, championship or bust, family oriented culture. As the son of a brick mason, Dakota learned the value of a full day’s work and was instantly captivated by what could be accomplished with one’s own set of hands, eventually working as a laborer, painter and carpenter. As Dakota sees it, ‘construction is part of the human condition,’ and as a historic preservation carpenter he relished those projects that connected him to those working on the same structures generations ago. Now, Dakota works to impart a similar value for and appreciation of the built environment to those who are also growing up in Boston. Beyond the work, Dakota is grateful that his Boston roots provide opportunities to pursue his other hobbies such as surfing, birding, traveling and most of all, cheering Boston sports teams to victory!