What Happens at the LOFT

Leaves of a plant with sunlight shining through, creating a bright, backlit effect.

Energy Access & Building Decarbonization

A central component of The Loft is its role as a community-based access point for clean energy and cost reduction. Through existing partnerships and initiatives, including work supported by MassCEC and regional collaborators, TRUE has already begun engaging residents in conversations around energy affordability, electrification, and access to incentive programs. The Loft expands this work by providing a dedicated site for navigation, education, and implementation.

Residents and small businesses will be supported through the full process of accessing clean energy programs, including enrollment in Mass Save, community solar, and other available resources. The Loft will also serve as a demonstration site, showcasing building upgrades such as insulation, electrification, and energy efficiency improvements. This allows for real-time education while also generating data on cost savings and implementation strategies that can be replicated across similar communities.

The focus is not simply on awareness, but on measurable outcomes. The goal is to reduce energy burden, increase adoption of clean energy solutions, and develop practical models that can be scaled across other municipalities facing similar challenges.

A group of people attending a book reading event in a cozy bookstore cafe with bookshelves, seating area, and large window.

Community Development & Programming

TRUE’s work is centered on providing holistic, community-based supports that strengthen individuals, families, and the systems around them. At The Loft, programming is designed to address the full scope of need across the lifespan, including mental health and wellness services, mentorship, leadership development, arts and cultural expression, financial literacy, and community connection. This approach recognizes that lasting change does not happen in isolation, but through consistent support that considers family dynamics, lived experiences, and the broader environment people are navigating.

These supports are not offered as standalone services, but as part of an integrated ecosystem. Individuals and families who engage with The Loft are connected to multiple pathways, including workforce opportunities, peer support, and community leadership roles. By intentionally linking services and relationships, The Loft creates a continuum of care that promotes stability, builds confidence, and supports long-term growth for both individuals and the families they are part of.

Economic Mobility & Regional Strategy Alignment

Economic mobility at The Loft is not approached as a stand-alone initiative but as part of a broader regional strategy that connects clean energy, infrastructure, workforce development, and business growth.

This work aligns directly with the South Shore Clean Energy Strategy, a regional initiative designed to position the South Shore of Massachusetts as a model for place-based clean energy development that lowers energy costs, strengthens infrastructure, expands workforce opportunity, and supports long-term economic competitiveness. Rather than treating clean energy as an isolated environmental effort, this strategy recognizes it as a driver of regional development tied to housing, transportation, municipal infrastructure, and economic growth.

The Loft is positioned to serve as an implementation site and hub for this strategy. The region is characterized by aging building stock, increasing energy costs, infrastructure constraints, and uneven access to clean energy investment, alongside strong municipal leadership and growing economic corridors. By operating within this context, The Loft provides a localized, community-rooted mechanism for advancing the strategy’s core goals.

These goals include reducing energy burden for residents and businesses, aligning clean energy investments with infrastructure and development priorities, and building a workforce and supplier ecosystem that ensures local communities benefit directly from the transition to clean energy. The Loft contributes to these objectives by supporting building decarbonization efforts, participating in corridor-based development initiatives, advancing workforce training aligned with industry needs, and integrating resilience planning into community infrastructure.

Additionally, The Loft supports small business development through financial literacy programming, access to technical assistance, and connections to capital resources. By combining these efforts, the model strengthens local economic participation while ensuring that the benefits of regional investment are accessible to the communities most impacted by economic and environmental challenges.

A group of diverse young people in colorful tie-dye T-shirts pose happily outside a modern red building with white trim. They stand and sit on a low stone wall, with one girl lying on the wall in front of them. The scene looks like a summer camp or team gathering.

the loft squad

A woman with long dark hair wearing a blue top with a bow-tie detail poses in front of a wooden fence.
A woman with curly brown hair, smiling, wearing a black blazer and a white polka dot blouse, against a gray background.

True Board Representative

Kelly Masefield is a member of the Executive Leadership Team at Bristol County Savings Bank, serving as Senior Vice President and Operations Officer. With over 20 years of experience in the banking and mortgage industry, Kelly has held senior leadership roles including First Vice President of Banking Operations and Loan Servicing Officer, and Director of Loan Servicing at HarborOne Bank, as well as Vice President of Loan Servicing at First Citizens’ Federal Credit Union. She brings deep operational expertise and a strong track record of leading high-performing teams and optimizing complex systems. Kelly serves as Treasurer of the TRUE Collective Board and as a Board Representative on The Loft team, where she contributes her financial and operational expertise to support long-term sustainability and strategic growth.

Founder, President & CEO

Tanya J. Lobo is a leader, strategist, and founder of TRUE, bringing over 20 years of experience in systems-driven community impact. A licensed Community Health Worker with a Master’s degree Tanya has built and led transformative initiatives that integrate mentorship, workforce development, clean energy access, and family stabilization to advance long-term community resilience. A bold and visionary builder, she meets people where they are, grounding her work in trust, accessibility, and culturally responsive care. She operates at the intersection of policy, equity, and innovation, working closely with local government, institutions, and cross-sector partners to turn complex challenges into actionable solutions that expand opportunity for historically underserved communities.

A smiling man with gray hair and glasses, wearing a dark suit and blue collared shirt, standing indoors with blurred background.

Project Intern

Makara Le

Project Facilitation

Moneer Azzam is a recognized leader in the global sustainable infrastructure space with over 30 years of experience in clean energy project development and product innovation.  A serial entrepreneur, Moneer previously founded and led SolarOne Solutions, growing it into one of the largest solar lighting companies in the U.S. He has contributed to the founding of numerous climate tech initiatives and serves as a professor at the Tufts Derby Entrepreneurship Center. At BCI, Moneer leads vision and partnerships. He is deeply committed to community-driven innovation and brings a strong background in standards-setting, product commercialization, and equitable decarbonization pathways. Moneer received DEI Training through Greentown Labs and served on the DEI Working Group there to establish community wide best practices. 

A man with dark hair and a beard, wearing a gray blazer and a dark plaid shirt, is smiling at the camera with a dark background.
PowerOptions logo with a stylized blue and black graphic and text.

Power Options

- Energy Resource Provider

PowerOptions helps nonprofits and public sector organizations reduce energy costs, lower carbon impact, and simplify the complexity of energy procurement. As the largest energy procurement consultant in New England, PowerOptions serves organizations across Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, delivering strategic solutions that drive both savings and sustainability. Discover how your organization can benefit from smarter energy purchasing and long-term cost efficiency.

Social Impact Collective

-Architecture & Design

Michael Chavez is a registered architect and educator with a strong commitment to community-centered design and engagement. Michael brings a multidisciplinary perspective to his work, grounded in both design excellence and social impact. Since 2014, he has served as an adjunct professor at the Boston Architectural College, where his teaching focuses on the architect’s role in community engagement and the built environment’s responsibility to the people it serves. His passion has always been finding ways to serve his community through his professional skills and abilities, and he sees this work as a powerful intersection to deepen that commitment while expanding the reach and impact of his community-centered approach

Professional woman with polished black hair pulled back, wearing a black blazer and light beige blouse with a bow, posing confidently against a gray background.

Amado Energy Solutions

-Energy Manager

Gilmara Amado is a Principal at AES and an accomplished energy professional with over 14 years of experience specializing in Strategic Energy Management. She is a Certified Energy Manager (CEM) and Certified Energy Auditor (CEA), holding a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a Master of Business Administration. Throughout her career, Gilmara has been a strong advocate for the critical role energy management plays in organizational success. She brings a data-driven approach to helping companies understand energy consumption in relation to production, enabling them to reduce costs, improve efficiency, and make informed decisions about their operations. Her expertise supports organizations in forecasting energy expenditures, identifying key cost drivers, and implementing strategies that strengthen both sustainability and the bottom line.

Reed Remodeling

- Prime Contractor

Michael Reed