We’re thrilled to welcome three fabulous new directors to the Local Return board:
Laurel Engbretson is the Vice President of Strategy & Operations at LISC, a national Community Development Financial Institution with 35 offices, including Rhode Island. Laurel has worked directly or indirectly on affordable housing and economic development for over 15 years through community development finance, corporate philanthropy, local policy, real estate, and hospitality. She has an MBA/MPP from Mills College at Northeastern University and a BA in Sociology from the University of California, Santa Cruz.
Wendy Mackie is a seasoned senior management leader with over two decades of experience in driving organizational growth and fostering sustainable economic development initiatives through strategic community collaborations. Wendy served as CEO of the Rhode Island Marine Trades Association (RIMTA) and pioneered the establishment of the Composites Alliance of Rhode Island. Since 2024, Wendy has dedicated herself to full-time consultancy through her company, Two Bridges, LLC with a focus on organizational resilience and its intersection with community development.
Greg Miller is a Business Development Officer for the Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank, specializing in small business and community-focused clean energy financing. A graduate of Johnson & Wales University, Greg is a founding director at Neighbors Welcome! Rhode Island where he writes pro-housing policy and serves on his local planning board.
Welcome, Greg, Wendy, and Laurel!
