Ricky Ochilo, 2015
Fellowship: Madison Park Development Corporation
Graduate School: Brandeis
Post Fellowship: Ricky took a relationship manager position at MassHousing Finance Agency.
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Featured Alumni

Ricky Ochilo came to the Fellowship with several years of work in economic development in Boston and internationally advocating for microfinance programs in Kenya and Nepal. While a Fellow, Ricky worked at Madison Park Development Corporation as a project manager in the real estate department.  Based in Dudley Square—a neighborhood undergoing significant change, rising housing costs and development pressure– MPDC has an active project pipeline.  Ricky’s exposure included a mixed-income rental development, a commercial building and a new construction homeownership project.

Ricky commented “the fellowship provided me with a nuanced outlook about the stages involved in real estate development,  the function of affordable housing in addressing community economic well-being, the importance of stakeholder engagement, and defining and communicating a project’s financial feasibility for development.”  At the end of two years, Ricky remained in the field and accepted a position as the Diversity and Inclusion Relationship Manager at MassHousing, the state’s housing finance agency, where he works with both borrowers and vendors.

“The Kuehn Fellowship had an indelible impact on my career trajectory. It afforded me an opportunity to wrestle with and learn about complex issues centered on housing, community preservation, job creation, economic development and how to engage and influence transformative policy,” he adds.

Ochilo, Ricky