CHiFA is led by an accomplished group of practitioners
from the fields of impact finance, heritage preservation, architecture, urban design and community development.
Founders and Directors
Laurie Beckelman
DirectorMs. Beckelman has led preservation and capital buildings projects for cultural institiutions in New York City for many years, serving as Chair of the New York Landmarks under Mayors David Dinkins and Rudy Giuliani. She was a Loeb Fellow at the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University, and most recently served as Associate Director of The Shed.
Bonnie Burnham
Founder and PresidentMs. Burnham led the World Monuments Fund from 1985 through 2015 and is presently its President Emerita.
Gary S. Hattem
Co-Founder and Managing DirectorMr. Hattem helped to pioneer neighborhood strategies to reclaim abandoned properties. He founded the Community Development Finance Group at Bankers Trust, whose success led to the creation of the Global Social Finance Group at Deutsche Bank.
Derek A.R. Moore
Co-Founder and Senior AdvisorDr. Moore is a Director at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP in New York. His work focuses on urban design and large-scale transportation infrastructure.
Keith Wright
Co-Founder and DirectorMr. Wright is a strategic advisor and mentor in the financial services sector, acting as a consultant for innovation labs and SMEs, based in New York City. His firm, Square Shaped Circles, is active in the USA, Europe and Australia.
Consultants
Norma Barbacci
Project ConsultantMs. Barbacci, a heritage conservation consultant has 30 years' experience in the field, working as program director at World Monuments Fund from 2001-17 and prior at Beyer Blinder Belle, New York.
Alison Weidman
Communications & OperationsMs. Weidman, a communications and philanthropy specialist with a MS in Historic Preservation from Pratt Institute, most recently worked in corporate philanthropy for an iconic department store based in New York City.