Orleans, MA – The Community Development Partnership is pleased to announce leadership transitions and additions to its Board of Directors.
CDP board member Carole Ridley has been appointed Chair of the Board of Directors. She replaces Steve Cole, who served a two-year term as Chair of the CDP Board of Directors.
A Harwich resident, Ridley has served on the CDP Board since 2021. Her firm, Ridley & Associates, Inc., specializes in sustainable energy and environmental programs for government, nonprofit, and private clients. Her expertise in natural resource management, restoration, land use, and economic development has been critical to the CDP’s work.
Jay Coburn, CDP President and CEO, is excited to work with Ridley in this capacity, sharing, “Carole’s expertise in natural resource management and restoration, land use, and economic development helps to elevate the CDP’s work. I know she will continue to help us make a positive impact within the communities we serve.”
Andrew Stern, who has served on the CDP board since 2021, will become Vice Chair. Stern, an Orleans resident, is the founder and current CEO of Global Development Incubator, an international nonprofit providing support and strategic planning to emerging organizations committed to making a social impact around the globe. “Andrew’s experience working with entrepreneurs to launch and scale transformational social impact ventures has benefited the CDP, helping us increase impact and deliver high-quality outcomes,” said Coburn.
In addition to Ridley and Stern, the CDP Board of Directors welcomes two new directors: Fran Schofield of Brewster and Anne Sigsbee of Orleans.
Ms. Schofield moved to Cape Cod in 1990. She is an activist for political and environmental causes and received the “Commonwealth Heroine” award in 2023 for her role with the Cape Cod Climate Change Collaborative. Ms. Schofield said, “With a laser focus on Lower and Outer Cape towns, CDP is tackling two of Cape Cod’s most intractable issues: affordable housing and local business development. I am honored to join its board of directors and a team of professionals working effectively to build a diverse year-round community of people who can afford to live, work, and thrive in our region.”
Dr. Sigsbee is a retired physician who moved to Cape Cod in 1993 and lives in Orleans. Through working with patients on the Cape, she was inspired to get involved and has served on numerous boards focusing on housing and medical needs. She is a member of the Barnstable County Medical Reserve Corps and the Right Care Alliance and serves on the Orleans Recreation Advisory Committee. Dr Sigsbee said, “I am eager to join the CDP Board and act on my conviction that stable housing, quality education, and accessible health care are all interconnected in achieving a sustainable, thriving community.”
As Steve Cole, immediate past CDP Board Chair, transitions from the leadership role, Coburn shared, “Steve has provided both the CDP Board of Directors and me with invaluable support and guidance that has helped drive the organization’s mission. I am grateful that he will continue to serve on the Board.”
Cole reflected on his service stating, “I am so thankful to CDP’s staff, its Board members, and its supporters for giving me this opportunity and making CDP the positive force it is.” Cole went on to say, “CDP is remarkable. And no one with or work at, volunteer with, or donate to CDP should ever take this opportunity to serve, lead, and contribute for granted.”
The organization’s Advisory Council is also expanding with the appointment of six new members: Emily Achtenberg of Wellfleet, Jim Campen of Wellfleet, Katie Castagno of Eastham, William E. Gordon of Wellfleet, Lara Henry of Wellfleet, and Kevin Lowey of Brewster.
ABOUT THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP
For more than 30 years, the Community Development Partnership (CDP) has led the Lower Cape in building a diverse year-round community of people who can afford to live, work, and thrive year‐round in the eight outermost towns of Cape Cod: Harwich, Brewster, Chatham, Orleans, Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro, and Provincetown. To accomplish its mission, the CDP promotes, develops, and manages affordable housing, nurtures the launch and growth of small businesses, and facilitates collaboration with business, nonprofit, and government partners.
The CDP has helped pass more than 300 pro-housing articles during town meetings across the Lower Cape and the approval of nearly $71 million in local funding, benefiting thousands of year-round residents. The CDP’s business and credit programs have benefitted over 3,000 small businesses, providing technical assistance and over $4.3 million in microloans to help start and sustain more than 250 small businesses.
The CDP is an equal opportunity employer and provider.
