President of AHF since 1999, Sean McDonnell has been involved in the related fields of design, construction, development and management since 1982. He has been involved at Old City Hall since 1997 and has focused on strengthening and expanding AHF’s development activities. His initiatives include new ownership structures to facilitate advantaged financing, public/private partnerships, new adaptive re-use models, and direct equity investment in un-bankable, community-based projects. AHF has recently targeted investment in disadvantaged second and third-tier cities, demonstrating the effectiveness of adaptive reuse as a tool for economic revitalization. Sean has been able to leverage AHF’s non-profit status to open doors to development and to expand funding opportunities.
Sean’s previous experience includes founding his own construction company, Butternut Builders, which has created long-term relationships with trade professionals throughout the industry, and work with Robert Luchetti Associates (RLA), a Cambridge architecture firm. At RLA, his design role culminated with the adaptive reuse of the historic Somerville Theatre in Davis Square, Somerville. Sean received both his Masters and his Bachelor of Science degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1992 and 1988 respectively.
Kara Anderson has been with AHF since 2003 and is involved with all aspects of AHF’s work including development projects, property management and real estate and preservation consulting. Her role as Senior Project Manager includes management of capital and development projects, with a focus on permitting and approvals, financing, schedule, construction, lease up and marketing, and also acting as community liaison. Her varied experience working in government and non-profit advocacy has given her perspective on the developer’s role in the community, valuable skills in consensus building, and a passionate belief in the cultural, environmental and economic benefits of preservation. In addition, Kara also acts as Director of Preservation for the various arms of AHF, overseeing all historic issues and leading AHF’s preservation consulting efforts in communities such as Boston, Lawrence, Lowell, Pittsfield and Lee.
Prior to joining AHF, Kara worked with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, where she coordinated grants and communications for the Trust’s Northeast Office in Boston, and as Director of Boards and Commissions for the Governor’s Office in Connecticut. Kara earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Connecticut College and completed her Master of Arts degree in Preservation Studies from Boston University. She is on the Board of Directors of Preservation Massachusetts and is a member of Groundwork Lawrence’s Advisory Council. She also has served on the Wellesley Historical Commission and the Wellesley Community Preservation Committee.
Jake Sanders joined AHF in 2021 as the Project Executive on the redevelopment of the Worcester Memorial Auditorium. He will spearhead all facets of the project including identifying both financial and operational resources. Born and raised in Worcester, Jake most recently served as the Chief of Staff to Worcester City Manager Edward M. Augustus, Jr. In that capacity, he played an integral role in the relocation of the Worcester Red Sox and the construction of Polar Park as a member of the negotiating and construction teams. He also led the redesign of the city website and created the process by which cannabis establishments would be allowed to operate in Worcester. He worked with state and federal officials, corporate partners and community leaders to secure funding and strategic opportunities for the City. Jake was also the designee on the Worcester Regional Transit Authority.
Prior to his time with the City, Jake served as the Director of External Relations at Becker College, working closely with the Massachusetts Digital Games Institute in their formation and expansion. He is a 2014 recipient of the Worcester Business Journal “40 Under 40” Award and has served on the Board of the Worcester Public Library, the Worcester Educational Collaborative, and the Worcester Community Action Council. He is a graduate of Ithaca College and received his Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Clark University.
Margaret (Meg) Ounsworth Steere first joined AHF as a Project Manager in 2007. She has worked on a contract basis for specific projects in her most recent years at the firm. Her area of expertise includes feasibility and market analysis. She specializes at improving project efficiency and efficacy by building organizational structure and direction. Meg earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in French Language and Literature from the University of Virginia and her Masters in Regional Planning from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
Prior to her current role, Meg was an Associate at Bonz and Company, a real estate appraisal and market analysis firm in Boston and Lexington, MA. Previous work experience includes: Regional Planner with the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, Boston, MA; Research Assistant at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst; Research Assistant at Coastal Enterprises, Inc., Wiscasset, Maine; and Park Ranger at Baxter State Park in Northern Maine.
Meg currently serves on the U.S. Board of the MAIA Impact School, a school for indigenous girls in rural Guatemala. Previously she was the President of the Board at the Wellesley Community Children’s Center in Wellesley, MA. She devotes her free time to these endeavors, to the enrichment and community service programs at her children’s schools, and to writing about what inspires her at www.putyourownoxygenmaskonfirst.com.
Sandy Cappadona joined AHF in 2004 as Administrative Coordinator. She maintains the books and records of Architectural Heritage Foundation and its subsidiaries. She is also responsible for monitoring income and tenant receipts, accounts payable and cash management activities for all corporate activity/entities as well as payroll and personnel related controls.
Prior to working at AHF, Sandy started her career as a legal secretary working for Spencer & Stone. There she worked for two attorneys, one of whom dealt in real estate and the other in Trusts. From there she moved to another law firm that dealt primarily in real estate where she worked for the senior partner as an administrative assistant preparing commercial leases, mortgage loan documents and documents in connection with the acquisition, financing and development of shopping centers and office buildings throughout the northeast. Adding to her responsibilities she became office manager and bookkeeper. She remained at this firm for 22 years until the firm dissolved.
Shelby joined AHF in 2021 as Director of Communications after working with the organization as a communications consultant for the Charles River Speedway. With a background in historic preservation, book publishing, and placemaking, Shelby is now charged with telling the world about AHF and its adaptive reuse projects, historic tax credit consulting, and preservation partnerships.
Prior to joining AHF, Shelby worked at the Boston Preservation Alliance and Historic Boston, Inc. She also led marketing and editorial efforts at Union Park Press, an independent publishing company that specialized in New England history, cookbooks, and storytelling. In 2018, Shelby started her own consultancy, Sense of Place Marketing, to help entrepreneurs and organizations thrive and grow. She is a frequent contributor to Edible Boston, where her interests tend to lead her to the “urban farm and quirky historic preservation project” beat.
Shelby graduated from Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, where the city’s well-located abandoned mills sparked a big interest in historic preservation. She later earned a Master of Arts degree in Preservation Studies from Boston University.
As Founder and Chairman Emeritus of AHF, the late Roger Webb set the tone for the company’s unique combination of practical business sense and preservationist ideals. His work enabled several projects that helped to spur the preservation movement in Boston. Roger founded AHF in 1966 to work on feasibility studies for the adaptive reuse of the Quincy Markets, and his financial model paved the way for the successful redevelopment of the buildings. Then in 1968, he submitted an innovative plan to redevelop Old City Hall, and the building reopened in 1969 featuring first class office space and a fine French restaurant on the ground floor. AHF’s success at Old City Hall demonstrated that adaptive reuse combined with responsible stewardship can be beneficial for both the developer and the city. In 1976, Roger helped to create the Architectural Conservation Trust, a revolving fund for preservation and redevelopment projects across Massachusetts, which ultimately evolved into Preservation Mass, the statewide advocacy group for historic preservation. Upon retirement from the day-to-day work of AHF, Roger continued to be an inspirational presence around the office. He remained active in preservation circles until his final days.
Roger was recognized locally and nationally for his influence on the development of the preservation movement in Boston and Massachusetts: The Boston Society of Architects recognized the redevelopment of Old City Hall in 1973. Roger was awarded the National Preservation Honor Award in 1990 by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and was recognized by the Massachusetts Historical Commission with the Lifetime Achievement Preservation Award in 1998. Most recently, Roger was awarded the Codman Award for Lifetime Achievement in Preservation by the Boston Preservation Alliance in September 2003.
