Our Team & Board

During her twenty-five years at St. Francis House, Karen LaFrazia has provided a guiding vision of growth for the agency and created a culture that fosters innovation and rewards creativity. Under her leadership, St. Francis House has grown to be a model of integrated programs and services for people experiencing homelessness and poverty.

Andrew Russell is a philanthropy executive with over 20 years’ experience in fundraising and community development. Most recently, Andrew served as the Chief Advancement Officer at the Museum of Science, where he led an integrated fundraising strategy across individuals, government, corporate, and foundation sources. Prior to the Museum of Science, Andrew was Director of Corporate Social Responsibility at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, where he was responsible for developing and executing corporate citizenship programs for the leading provider of K12 content in the United States, including external non-profit partnerships, volunteerism, matching gifts, and other employee engagement opportunities. Prior to joining HMH in 2014, Andrew was Director of Institutional and International Relations at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, leading a team that solicited support from the corporate, foundation, and government sectors as well as setting international strategy and business development for the Museum. Previous career stops include the Boston Symphony Orchestra, GBH, and ABC Television. Born in Buffalo, NY, Andrew is a graduate of Boston College. He lives in Milton with his three children. As the VP of Philanthropy & External Affairs, he oversees and leads the Agency’s annual fundraising efforts through several methods including individual giving, events, corporate and family foundations, tributes, community partnerships, and planned giving. Contact Andrew at arussell@stfrancishouse.org.

As Vice President of Program Strategy and Initiatives, Dr. Andrea Farina leads the strategic expansion and integration efforts of existing programs as well as the planning and launch of new initiatives.  She also oversees the agency’s data collections and outcome measurement work. Andrea joined St. Francis House in 2010 and holds a PhD in sociology from Boston University, an MS in counseling from Shippensburg University, and a BA in psychology from the University of Delaware. Her professional background includes a variety of roles related to addressing poverty and economic equity issues at the individual and community level such as managing non-profit and city government programs, consulting to practitioners, funders and municipal entities, conducting research, and teaching. Prior to joining St. Francis House, Andrea was a Research Associate at Harvard Business School, where she worked on projects related to practices in the consumer finance sector, particularly those that have significant effects on the economic well-being of low and moderate-income families. Contact Andrea at afarina@stfrancishouse.org.

Jim oversees all aspects of the accounting and finance operations, human resources, and information technology to ensure their alignment with the organization’s goals and strategic plan. As the Vice President of Finance and Administration, Jim creates and monitors the annual budget, establishes all internal controls, manages external business relationships, and oversees all administrative functions. In Human Resources, Jim provides strategic leadership and direction to maximize staff engagement, while providing oversight for all HR functions. Jim also provides direction in support of best practices and functions for IT. After dedicating over 35 years of service to the nonprofit sector, Jim joined St. Francis House in 2020. His experience includes work in education, healthcare, mental health, and human services. Jim has applied his expertise in finance, IT, and administration to a variety of organizational leadership positions including Assistant Administrator, Vice President, and CEO, notably serving as CFO at Hildebrand Family Self Help in Cambridge and as Vice President of Finance and Administration at The Family Center. He has also acted as liaison to the State of Rhode Island and trade associations, both locally and nationally, and served on numerous boards, including as the Treasurer for the Rhode Island School for the Deaf. Jim received his B.S. in Accounting from Providence College and remains active with the Alumni Association. Contact Jim at jhockhousen@stfrancishouse.org.

As the VP of Programs and Services, Keri oversees all of Saint Francis House's programming and service delivery. She works to ensure all of our programs and services are fully integrated, up to date in best practices, and meet the needs of our guests. As a licensed clinical social worker, Keri brings expertise in housing and homeless services, advocacy, intimate partner and sexual violence, and crisis intervention.