Priscilla Rojas elected as first woman and Latina to Chair the BPDA Board

May 14, 2020

The Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA) Board today unanimously voted to elect Priscilla Rojas as Board Chair. Priscilla will be the first woman and Latina to hold the position. Appointed by Mayor Martin J. Walsh, Rojas has served on the BPDA Board since 2015 and has served as Interim Chair since December 2019.

“Through many years of dedicated service to her community and to the City of Boston, Priscilla Rojas has shown she is well-qualified to serve as Chair of the BPDA Board,” said Mayor Walsh. “I want to congratulate Priscilla on this great achievement, and thank her and all of the Board Members for their ongoing leadership to create a city that is equitable for all.”

"Over the past five years, Priscilla's voice has helped guide the BPDA in its work to shape a more inclusive Boston for all," said BPDA Director Brian Golden. "I look forward to continuing to work with Priscilla in her role as Chair."

With a passion for organizations that promote the advancement of people of color, women, and the arts, Rojas serves as Board Treasurer and Audit Committee Chair for Futuro Media Group, an independent nonprofit organization committed to producing ethical journalism from a POC perspective. Rojas also served as a member of the Boston Cultural Council for six years and was recognized in the 2016 Boston’s Extraordinary Women Campaign, highlighting women that do extraordinary work within the Boston community. Rojas is the Head of Internal Audit & Compliance at Takeoff Technologies, and holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from DePaul University. Rojas currently resides in Boston’s Leather District.

“I am pleased to be elected as Chair of the BPDA Board, and I want to thank my fellow Board Members for this honor,” said BPDA Chair Priscilla Rojas. “As Chair, I look forward to building on the work the Board has done to ensure there are opportunities for every resident of Boston.

Since Rojas joined the Board in 2015, more than 58 million square feet of new development worth over $30 billion has been approved by the Board. In 2019, the Board approved over 10 million square feet of new development worth $5.5 billion and 4,715 residential units, including 1,216 income-restricted units, representing over 26 percent of total units.

The Board also voted to elect Michael Monahan as Vice-Chair. Monahan is the International Vice President of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Second District, overseeing all New England affairs of the 40,000-plus members and over 50 local unions.