Mayor Wu Appoints Felicia Jacques to BPDA Board

Mayor Michelle Wu announced the nomination of Felicia Jacques to the BPDA Board. Jacques currently serves as the Principal Developer and Manager for Maloney Development. The new appointment, which would fill a vacant seat on the Board most recently held by Dr. Ted Landsmark, will need to be approved by the City Council. Once confirmed, all BPDA Board member seats will be filled and current.

Jacques would be the first Black woman to serve on the BPDA Board. This appointment is part of Mayor Wu's growth agenda for the city, which is focused on ensuring Boston is a beautiful, welcoming, family-friendly home for everyone.

"I'm thrilled to nominate Felicia Jacques to the board, joining a distinguished group of leaders with deep community experience and professional expertise. Felicia brings decades of direct housing leadership and civic involvement to a role that will further advance our efforts to oversee development, support housing production, and preserve the history and vibrancy of our neighborhoods," said Mayor Michelle Wu.

"Felicia would be a wonderful addition to the BPDA Board, and I look forward to working with her in this new capacity," said Chief of Planning Kairos Shen. "Not only is she deeply familiar with the development review process in her current role with Maloney Development, but her involvement on various historic and community preservation boards and committees in the city shows her dedication to ensuring Boston continues to be built thoughtfully and pragmatically."

In her role as Principal and Manager, Jacques will bring to the Board more than 20 years of experience and knowledge in development, zoning, entitlements, financing, and design. Jacques has also been deeply involved in the City of Boston as the Chair of the City's Community Preservation Committee, and also as part of Historic Boston, Inc., the Boston Landmarks Commission, and as former Board Chair of Citizens Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA). Prior to her current role with Maloney, she was the Director of Real Estate Development for the Northeast Region for the Community Builders, Inc. She is a member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and the Boston Chamber of Commerce, and lives in Boston with her family.

"I am honored to take this appointment to support Mayor Wu's goals to increase the creative built environment that meets at the intersection of planning, urban design and architecture and community," said Felicia Jacques.

The BPDA Board is an official body of five members who vote on final determinations and agreements brought to them by the staff of the Planning Department including planning studies, rezoning initiatives, land dispositions and acquisitions, and development project approvals. The BPDA Board votes following an extensive community vetting and stakeholder review process led by Planning Department staff. Four of the five board members are appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the City Council. One member is appointed by the Governor. Board members serve five-year staggered terms.

• Last updated: July 7, 2026