Alicia M. Defreitas, a professional administrator who has worked in the nonprofit humanitarian sector her entire career, has joined Princeton Community Housing’s senior leadership as its director of finance and administration.
She succeeds Janet McClafferty, who is retiring after nine years in the role. Defreitas rounds out PCH’s senior management team that also includes executive director Edward Truscelli and director of mission advancement Kate Bech.
Defreitas previously served as the finance director, global infectious disease, for the Henry M. Jackson Foundation, which is dedicated to advancing military medicine. She also worked with the Catholic Medical Missions Board, an international nonprofit organization that provides global health services to the world’s poor with an emphasis on mothers and children.
Additionally, she served as the controller for Orbis International, a global humanitarian organization dedicated to saving sight and blindness prevention and worked with other nonprofits with a focus on reducing hunger and providing legal services.
A former member of the Army National Guard for six years, she earned her B.B.A. degree in accounting from Hunter College in New York City. She lives with her family in Delran.
“We feel very fortunate to have Alicia on board,” Truscelli said. “She brings a wealth of experience and a wide range of skills to us, including strategic financial planning as well as operations, with focus on collaboration and team building.”
In her role, Defreitas will manage PCH’s resources — financial and human — leading accounting, audit, and compliance functions, and overseeing human resources, information technology, and other administrative systems that support the success and work of PCH.
In addition to managing PCH’s 491 affordable homes and working with board volunteers to build and advocate for more housing, Defreitas is also eager to assist in expanding the many and diverse social services that enhance residents’ lives, including additional resources for PCH’s social work staff.
“We call this ‘the PCH Difference,’” explained Defreitas. “Very few affordable housing providers offer this level of support, and it speaks to the mission and vision of this nonprofit.”
More information: www.pchhomes.org.
