Who We Are

When the Trust was organized in 1990 we decided to learn as much as we could about the growing problem of homelessness by focusing on our Connecticut cities and towns. Despite the explosion of private wealth in many sectors, it appeared then (and it still does) that too many individuals and families are without that most basic of necessities - a safe and decent place of their own they can call home. Believing that in a healthy society no one should be left behind, we set out to lend support to programs that would alleviate and reduce the damaging impact of homelessness on children, adults and our communities.

Under the direction of the Trust board, staff members manage a lively interactive funding process with grantees, researchers, funders and governmental agencies. Melville Trust board and staff are actively engaged in site visits, program evaluations, trouble shooting and technical assistance.

The Trust has been defined by the vision and wisdom of its board: the late Frank Melville and his wife Allen Melville, their son Steve, his wife Ruth, and close family friends, John R. Gibb and Ben Maiden.  Shelley Gebelle, co-founder of Connecticut Voices for Children, has been a wonderful recent addition to the board. The Trust has also benefited from the enthusiasm and generosity of the late Ruth Berlin and the late Margaret M. Blackwell.

Board Members

John R. Gibb
Ben Maiden
Allen Melville
Stephen Melville, Chair
Ruth Melville

Shelley Geballe JD, MPH

Staff

Robert Hohler
Executive Director

For almost two decades, Bob has helped develop pioneering funding initiatives and mission-related investments in supportive and affordable housing and community development.

In 2009, the Council on Foundations presented him with the Distinguished Grantmaker Award, their highest honor. The award recognizes his leadership in garnering national attention to homelessness and innovative approaches to end it.

Bob chairs the Executive Committee of Funders Together, philanthropy's response to homelessness and one of the fastest growing affinity groups in the country. He also chairs the Board of the Partnership for Strong Communities, the Connecticut-based education and advocacy program of the Trust, and serves on the Board of the Connecticut Council on Philanthropy.

For many years Bob served as Board Chair and President of the Civil Rights Project, Inc. (CRPI): the nonprofit affiliate of Blackside, Inc., producers of the much honored television series, "Eyes On the Prize" and many other distinguished documentaries. He now serves on the National Film and Media Archive Advisory Board and on the Libraries National Council at Washington University in St. Louis.

Ann Woodward
Chief Operating Officer 

Ann Woodward joined the Melville Trust in May 2009 as Chief Operating Officer. Her responsibilities include collaboration with the Executive Director and staff in strategic planning, key new initiatives and strategic relationship development; managing and evaluating the Trust's program related and mission related investments; and ensuring ongoing alignment with organizational strategy, budget, financial and regulatory imperatives.

Prior to joining the Trust, Ann served as Mercy Housing's Vice President for National Development Consulting and director of the organization's National Supportive Housing Initiative, with responsibilities including buidling Mercy Housing's leadership position in ending homelessness through the creation and preservation of permanent supportive housing.

Ann has over twenty-five years of experience in public and nonprofit service systems, including a decade at the Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency where she was instrumental in engaging property management professionals in proactive approaches to preservnig tenancies for residents at risk of eviction and homelessness. Prior to MHFA she served as an associate director for the City of Boston's Office of Jobs and Community Services, with responsibility for federal and state pass-through funds for community programs in human services, adult literacy, youth and adult job training and a variety of special projects.

Ann has a Masters Degree in Education from Harvard University and a Bachelors degree from Cornell University.

Aimee Hendrigan
Senior Program Officer

Aimee’s responsibilities include analysis and review of grant proposals, program and project monitoring, research on regional and national issues, and strategy development.  She coordinates activities between and among the range of initiatives the Trust has underway with particular emphasis on neighborhood building. 

Aimee has a Masters degree in City Planning from the University of California, Berkeley with a focus on community development. During graduate school she worked at the Fund for the City of New York and Berkeley’s Center for Independent Living. She was formerly a project manager at Santa Barbara County with responsibilities including: community and strategic planning, process improvement, and employee training. Before that Aimee was the Director of Communications at a software company. Aimee received her undergraduate degree from Harvard College.

Jason Born
Director of National Outreach  

Jason manages the Melville Charitable Trust’s ongoing commitment to Funders Together. In his role with Funders Together, Jason has spearheaded the development of a new interactive website showcasing best practices and advocacy among funders in fighting homelessness (www.funderstogether.org), and is also working to strengthen and develop a national network of funders dedicated to ending homelessness in America.

Jason previously served as senior program director at the National Center for Family Philanthropy, where he conceived and developed Family Philanthropy Online, an award-winning, subscription-based online learning center for family foundations, individual donors, and the organizations that serve them. Jason was founding editor of Family Giving News, the nation’s most widely read e-newsletter for family foundations, and of the National Center’s Passages issue paper series. Jason is the author and editor of more than 40 publications on family philanthropy and related topics. Prior to his work with the National Center, Jason was a program coordinator at the Council on Foundations.

Jason holds a Masters Degree in Economics from Tulane University, and a bachelor’s degree from Washington University in St. Louis.

Alexis Breiteneicher
Program Manager, National Outreach

Alexis provides program support for Funders Together. She is currently working with Jason to raise the level of support among funders for ending homelessness. She previously worked as a consultant for AIDS Housing Washington (now Building Changes), where she provided research support. Alexis has also worked for AIDS Housing Corporation, the technical assistance provider for HIV/AIDS programs in New England, as the coordinator for the United Disability Housing Partnership, a cross disability coaltion of housing and service providers. Previously she worked at the Housing Authority of Thurston County, Washington as a case mananger.

Alexis holds a Masters Degree in Public Administration from the Evergreen State College.

Catherine Lundberg
Executive Assistant  

Catherine provides assistance to the Executive Director and administrative support to the rest of the staff. Her duties include managing day-to-day operations for the office. She joins us from the private sector. She received her bachelor's degree in chemical-physics from Michigan State University.