Jennifer Mitchell*
President & CEO

Jennifer has more than 20 years of experience leading award-winning programs that build brighter futures for New Yorkers through training, jobs, and career advancement. Jennifer began her own career at The Doe Fund, where she developed and directed Ready, Willing & Able programs for 12 years before becoming Executive Director of The HOPE Program in 2011. After leading HOPE through its boldest phase of growth, adding new programs to its portfolio, expanding into the growing green jobs sector, and integrating innovative new services for job seekers, Jennifer returned to head The Doe Fund in 2023. Under her leadership, HOPE was recognized by the Nonprofit New York Excellence Awards three times, was named a Bank of America Neighborhood Builder and a Citi Community Progress Maker.

Jennifer is the Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors of the New York City Employment and Training Coalition and also sits on the board of Building Skills. She is also the Co-Chair of Larchmont Temple’s Social Justice Leadership Group and an active member of its Social Action Committee. She has received multiple honors, including as a Workforce Innovator by the Workforce Professionals Training Institute, a Workforce Leader by the New York Association of Training & Employment Professionals, the Smart CEO Deals of Distinction Award, and the Macquarie Group Foundation’s inaugural David Clarke Fellowship in the United States. Jennifer was an environmental education Peace Corps volunteer in Bluefields, Nicaragua. She holds an MPA in Social Welfare Policy from Columbia University and a BA in Environmental Policy and Sociology from SUNY Binghamton. She lives in Mamaroneck with her husband and her two children.

Anthony Mangione*
Chief Financial and Administrative Officer

As Chief Financial and Administrative Officer at The Doe Fund, Anthony helps develop and implement cost-effective, holistic programs that meet the needs of a diverse population working to break the cycles of homelessness, addiction, and criminal recidivism. In addition, he helps in developing supportive housing, using innovative financing strategies and historic restoration to revitalize buildings and neighborhoods while increasing the supply of affordable housing for people with the greatest economic need. Prior to that, Anthony honed his professional audit, accounting and consulting experience working with higher education institutions, large national and international organizations, religious organizations, social services agencies, foundations, cultural institutions and professional associations.

John McDonald*
Executive Vice President, Real Estate

A seasoned corporate leader with expertise in financial analysis, management, and real estate development, John oversees The Doe Fund’s growing portfolio of transitional, affordable, and supportive housing —most of which he himself developed — as well as their operations, financing ,and partnerships with City, State, and private entities. In his prior role as Chief Financial Officer, John managed The Doe Fund’s finances through a period of exponential growth over the course of twenty years. Prior to joining The Doe Fund, John held positions at Salomon Brothers and Bell Atlantic Corporation. He holds a degree in Financial Management from the University of North Carolina.

Felipe Vargas
Senior Vice President of Programs

Felipe Vargas oversees The Doe Fund’s direct service provision, design, management, and oversight. He has successfully led the organization through 16+ years of growth and expansion of programs that serve the New York City community. Before coming to The Doe Fund, Mr. Vargas held leadership positions at Acacia Network, The Exodus Transitional Community, and the City University of New York. He brings over two decades of experience serving individuals across multiple focus areas: chemical dependency treatment, HIV/AIDS services, homelessness services, correctional programming, prisoner reentry, alternatives to incarceration, supportive housing, workforce development and youth services.

Felipe’s work in the community has been recognized by Citizens Against Recidivism, the New York State Senate, El Diario and most recently Crain’s New York Business. He has also served on the Board of Directors of Park Slope Center for Mental Health and Exodus Transitional Community. Mr. Vargas holds an MA in Sociology from SUNY New Paltz and is a graduate of the Columbia Graduate School of Business Institute for Not-for-Profit Management.

Irene Branche
Senior Vice President of External Affairs

Irene Branche oversees all aspects of The Doe Fund’s business development, communications, government relations, and fundraising. Before joining The Doe Fund, Irene served a 13-year tenure at The HOPE Program, where she was responsible for managing all fundraising and communications initiatives, as well as HOPE’s programmatic data. Under her tenure, The HOPE Program expanded by over 300%. Irene is the Board Vice Chair of College and Community Fellowship. She holds an MPA from Baruch College and a BA in French from Roanoke College and completed Columbia Business School’s Senior Leaders Program.

* indicates an Officer of the Corporation

Nicole Seligman, Chair

Lawyer; Board Director of public and other companies in media, clinical gene therapy, space exploration and artificial intelligence; Leadership roles in nonprofits in homelessness, housing, animal welfare, and the arts.

Matthew Azznara

Executive Director, Global Sustainable Finance, Morgan Stanley

Nadia Block

Manager, Block Family Foundation

Frank Gribbon

Former Deputy Commissioner, Communications, FDNY

Harriet Karr-McDonald 

President Emerita, The Doe Fund 

Jennifer Mitchell

President & CEO, The Doe Fund 

Cosmo Saginario, Treasurer

Retired Partner, Grant Thornton LLP

David Shapiro

Co-Founder and Managing Partner, KPS Capital Partners

Joel Tractenberg

Partner, The Levinson Tractenberg Group

Josh Weisenbeck

Partner, Private Equity, KKR

Jesse Wilkins

Attorney (Partner), Preston and Wilkins, LLC