Meet Our Senior Staff

Jack McCarthy

 

 

Executive Director

On January 25, 2012, Jack McCarthy was appointed the Executive Director of Massachusetts School Building Authority. Prior to this, Jack worked at the Inspector General’s Office as the Senior Assistant Inspector General and Chief Legal Representative. From 1991 to 2003, Jack was elected as Moderator for the Town of Norwood. From January 1995 to March 2000 he was Chief of Staff at the Office of Secretary of the Commonwealth. After graduating from Boston Latin School and Boston College, he attended Suffolk University Law School, earning a Juris Doctor degree, and was admitted to the bar in 1988. Jack resides in Norwood with his wife Linda and two daughters Kristen and Megan. See Jack's full bio.

Joanna Aalto 

Controller/Director of Audits

Joanna Aalto joined the School Building Authority as Controller/Director of Audits in January, 2005. Prior to joining the MSBA, Joanna was a Manager at PriceWaterhouseCoopers LLP in the Audit and Business Assurance Group where she planned, supervised and executed multiple audit engagements for public and private technology clients. Joanna also worked previously as an Analyst at Painewebber Inc., where she participated in the structuring, marketing and pricing of initial public offerings and secondary offerings. Joanna is a graduate of the Kellogg School of Management, a cum laude graduate of Harvard University, and is a Certified Public Accountant. She currently resides in West Roxbury with her husband Brian and her three children, Norah, Madailein and Jack.

Vincent Alabiso

Chief Financial Officer

Vin Alabiso is the Chief Financial Officer for the Massachusetts School Building Authority. Prior to joining the MSBA in December, 2007, Vin served as Budget Director for the Massachusetts House Committee on Ways and Means, where he managed the Committee’s development of the Commonwealth’s operating budget and served as senior advisor to the Committee on fiscal policy. Vin is a graduate of Bridgewater State College.

Colleen Curry

Chief Operating Officer

Colleen Curry is the Chief Operating Officer for the Massachusetts School Building Authority. Prior to joining the MSBA in June, 2010, Colleen worked as a management consultant for Booz Allen Hamilton and Deloitte Consulting, where her work focused on strategic planning, performance management, organizational assessment and design, and business planning for global businesses, federal government agencies, and local and international nonprofit organizations. Colleen also served as Assistant Budget Director for the Massachusetts House Committee on Ways and Means. Colleen is a graduate of Harvard College and earned her Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from the Yale School of Management.

Matthew Donovan

Chief of Staff

Matt Donovan is the Chief of Staff for the Massachusetts School Building Authority. Prior to joining the MSBA in June, 2005, Matt worked as the Government Affairs Liaison at the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care, where his work focused on the creation, implementation, and management of a comprehensive legislative agenda for the agency. Matt also worked for City of Boston in Mayor Menino’s Office of Constituent Services. Matt is a graduate of Boston College.

Susan Flanagan-Cahill

General Counsel

Susan M. Flanagan-Cahill joined the School Building Authority as General Counsel in February, 2005.  Prior to joining the Authority, Susan served as an Assistant Attorney General in the Insurance Division of the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office. As an Assistant Attorney  General, Susan investigated and pursued insurance companies and brokers for unfair business practices. Susan also worked previously as an Associate in the Boston law firms of Piper Rudnick (now DLA Piper) and Hill & Barlow, where she focused her practice on major business litigation, administrative law, and government relations. Susan is a magna cum laude graduate of Boston College Law School, where she was an editor of The Boston College Law Review, and a cum laude graduate of Georgetown University. Susan grew up in Springfield, Massachusetts and now resides in Westwood.

Mary Pichetti

Director of Capital Planning

Mary Pichetti directs the capital planning team in the establishment and implementation of program management functions related to the funding of public school construction. In the last four years, her team’s efforts have resulted in the approval of over 130 projects totaling over $1.8 billion in grants as well as the launch of an expedited Green Repair Program for an additional 171 roof, window and boiler projects totaling over $224 million in grants. She has over 30 years of experience in the planning, design and construction for building and large-scale infrastructure projects in both the private and public sector. Prior to joining the MSBA, Mary worked at the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority as a construction coordinator and change order and claims analyst on the $3.6 billion Boston Harbor Project and project controls, procurement and contract management and administration for the $1.7 billion Metrowest water treatment plant, tunnels and covered storage tanks. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Smith College.

Henry Swiniarski

Treasurer

Henry is a thirty-four year career employee of municipal and state government. He joined the Massachusetts School Building Authority as Treasurer in February of 2007. Just prior to joining the MSBA, Henry served as Commissioner of the Department of Industrial Accidents. In addition, Henry held the position of Assistant Secretary of Administration and Finance over an 18 year period at various state agencies, including: the Executive Office of Transportation, the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, and the then Executive Office of Housing and Communities Development. Henry attended Salem State College, majoring in finance. He now lives in Falmouth with his wife, Ellen. They have a daughter and a son, who are both grown children.

Kenneth Wissman

Chief Financial Advisor

Mr. Wissman has been with the MSBA since 2004. Prior to joining the Authority he was the Treasurer of the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority for 19 years. Ken has facilitated the issuance of over $18 billion of taxable and tax-exempt debt by Massachusetts authorities.