MassDevelopment Announces Cohort of Fellows to Accelerate Economic Growth in Six Gateway Cities
Transformative Development Initiative Fellows Will Provide On-the-Ground Economic Development Organizing Expertise and Collaborative Leadership in Chelsea, Fitchburg, Holyoke, Lowell, Malden, and Peabody
July 30, 2026
Kelsey Schiller, 857-325-3477
kschiller@massdevelopment.com
BOSTON – Today, MassDevelopment announced a cohort of Transformative Development Initiative (TDI) fellows who will work for three years to accelerate economic growth within focused downtown neighborhoods and commercial districts in Gateway Cities.
In February 2026, MassDevelopment announced newly designated TDI districts in Chelsea, Fitchburg, Holyoke, Lowell, Malden, and Peabody. These cities are being awarded TDI fellows – MassDevelopment employees who will provide on-the-ground economic development organizing expertise and collaborative leadership – and will have access to a range of tools to help accelerate development, including technical assistance, grants, and more, during a three-year period beginning August 2026. Each fellow is embedded within a locally led partnership comprised of cross-sector stakeholders, including the municipality, businesses, nonprofits, property owners, and residents, that guides district strategy, defines goals, and governs the program’s direction.
“MassDevelopment's Transformative Development Initiative has helped Gateway Cities strengthen local businesses, revitalize commercial districts, and create new economic opportunities,” said Economic Development Secretary Eric Paley, who serves as Chair of MassDevelopment's Board of Directors. “The fellows are at the heart of that work, bringing dedicated capacity to help local partners coordinate efforts, connect with resources, and pursue opportunities for growth.”
“We are thrilled to kick off our new Transformative Development Initiative districts this month in Chelsea, Fitchburg, Holyoke, Lowell, Malden, and Peabody,” said MassDevelopment President and CEO Navjeet Bal. “Our fellows bring dedicated capacity and expertise, empowering local leaders who are working hard to turn community priorities into action. The partnership is key to supporting businesses, attracting investment, and creating momentum.”
The cohort of TDI fellows includes:
Adelsa Mendes – Chelsea (El Centro Neighborhood)
Adelsa most recently served as MassDevelopment’s TDI fellow in New Bedford from 2022-2026. Prior to MassDevelopment, Adelsa served as a business assistance manager for the Brockton Redevelopment Authority, building partnerships to support small businesses. She previously spent nearly 10 years as coordinator of immigration affairs at the Consulate of Cape Verde in the United States.
Luis Edgardo Cotto – Fitchburg (Water Street Corridor)
Luis most recently served as MassDevelopment’s TDI fellow in Lynn and also managed the TDI Creative Cities initiative in Lynn. Prior to MassDevelopment, Luis served as executive director of Egleston Square Main Street in Boston, executive director of the Central Square Business Improvement District, and worked for the Mass Cultural Council managing the Commonwealth’s Cultural District Initiative.
Kevin Moforte – Holyoke (Puerto Rican Cultural District)
Kevin most recently served as MassDevelopment’s TDI fellow in Holyoke’s High Street Corridor from 2022-2026. Prior to MassDevelopment, Kevin served as executive director of EforAll in Lynn, where he helped community members start businesses, and as the western Massachusetts director of FORGE, where he connected startups with local manufacturers.
Erin Padilla – Lowell (Cambodia Town Neighborhood)
Erin most recently served as executive director of the arts-focused nonprofit Creative Haverhill, where she also managed Haverhill’s Riverfront Cultural District and led district-level strategies at the intersection of arts, small-business support, public art implementation, and downtown activation. She previously held leadership roles at the Chehalem Cultural Center in Newberg, Ore., coordinating exhibitions, cultural festivals, and community development strategies.
Nick Schonberger – Malden (Downtown)
Nick most recently served as MassDevelopment’s TDI fellow in Lowell and Fall River. Prior to MassDevelopment, Nick served as senior entrepreneurship program manager at CommonWealth Kitchen, where he supported more than 50 food businesses, and as economic development planner for the City of Somerville.
Rikelma Vargas – Peabody (Foster Street Corridor)
Rikelma most recently served as dean of curriculum, instruction, and student engagement at an alternative high school in Lawrence, where she oversaw school-wide strategy. She has also built cross-sector partnerships, managed grant funding, and designed systems to support student engagement. She brings a decade of experience in education, as both a classroom educator and school leader.
The Transformative Development Initiative (TDI) is MassDevelopment’s signature place-based economic development program for Gateway City downtowns and commercial districts. TDI uses an accelerator model, committing intensive resources for a defined period to real estate development, small business stability and growth, arts and cultural amenities, placemaking, and targeted technical assistance and strategic planning. This work is laid on a platform of community engagement and partnership development; the agency requires that cities assemble a cross-sector partnership to apply and, over the course of the program, works to make the partnership more representative of the neighborhood and use it as a platform to grow sustaining, working relationships.
TDI districts are walkable, dense environments that have the potential to attract investment, inspire a wave of growth, and transform Gateway Cities. Since 2015, MassDevelopment has invested $50 million in TDI districts through tools such as technical assistance, real estate investments, grant programs, and fellows who work in the districts. That investment has directly influenced more than $168 million in public investment and $314 million in private investment in the districts and assisted in securing an additional $8 million in philanthropic investment. Investing social and financial capital in TDI districts generates a multiplier effect, circulating resources locally, which ultimately stimulates further economic activity in Gateway Cities.
MassDevelopment, the state’s development finance agency and land bank, delivers financing solutions, real estate expertise, and other assistance to strengthen and grow the Massachusetts economy. We partner with businesses, nonprofits, developers, banks, and municipalities, providing resources to help create jobs, build housing, and foster vibrant communities across the state. During FY2025, MassDevelopment financed or managed 409 projects generating investment of more than $4.65 billion in the Massachusetts economy. These projects are estimated to create or support 25,246 jobs and build or preserve 2,867 housing units.