Board of Commissioners
The seven Commissioners of the VSHA are appointed by the Governor to serve five-year terms. VSHA is fortunate to have Commissioners with diverse backgrounds, including expertise in finance, community and economic development, federal housing programs, human services, and from the private sector.
- Caryn Feinberg
Board Member Since: 2001Caryn is a licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor who is in private practice in the Burlington area. She has been on the board of the Vermont Mental Health Counselors Association for more than 20 years, where she has held various committee chairmanships and an executive position since 1999.
- Cory B. Richardson
Board Member Since: 2007Cory is Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Northfield Savings Bank. He is a certified public accountant and member of the Vermont Society of Certified Public Accountants. In addition to serving on the Board of VSHA, Cory serves on Committees at Central Vermont Economic Development Corporation and Central Vermont Medical Center.
- Jo Ann Troiano
Board Member Since: 1982Jo Ann is the Executive Director of the Montpelier Housing Authority, Chair of the Vermont Association for Public Housing Directors, a member of the Governor’s Housing Council and the Fair Housing Committee of that Council.
Jo Ann was the Board Chair from 1983-1992
- Alex Farrell (Chair)
Board Member Since: 2019Alex Farrell serves the State of Vermont as the Commissioner of Housing & Community Development; previously, he served for several years as Deputy Commissioner. In addition to serving as VSHA Board Chair, he is the President of Housing Foundation, Inc. In the past, Alex has volunteered on several state and local Boards and Commissions, including the Vermont Real Estate Commission on which he served as chair for several years; Alex also served the city of Burlington on the Parks, Recreation, and Waterfront Commission, the Community Development Block Grant Advisory Board, and the Board for Registration of Voters. Alex is a Vermont native who was raised in Shelburne and attended the University of Vermont where he received a BSBA in his undergraduate studies; he and his wife are currently residents of South Burlington.
- Aaron Jones
Board Member Since: 2021Aaron is a dedicated social service professional working to provide solutions to Vermonters affected by housing instability. He is a Home Repair Coordinator with NeighborWorks of Western Vermont. As a volunteer, Aaron has served on the Neighborworks of Western Vermont Leadership Transition Committee, the Rutland Town Select Board, and a Restorative Panel volunteer for Rutland County Restorative Justice.
- Linda Joy Sullivan
Board Member Since: 2023Linda Joy Sullivan is the Mayor of Newport City and a former VT House Representative having served the Bennington-Rutland District for three terms. She was the lead sponsor on H. 603, a Bill on Human Trafficking signed into law as Act 140. She worked for generators on housing issues for victims of human trafficking, domestic violence and with legislators across the U.S. She is a licensed CPA, and holds an MBA and LL.M
- Mary Houghton
Board Member Since: 2023Mary served on The Housing Foundation Inc.’s Board of Directors from 2017 -2023. Prior to retiring in 2016, she was the Finance Manager for the Brattleboro Housing Authority for 9 years and Burlington Community Land Trust (now CHT) for 20 years. Mary currently serves on the Board of The Tri-Park Housing Cooperative in Brattleboro.