Heading Home Welcomes New Members to Board of Directors

Heading Home Welcomes Leslie Cohen & Lauren O’Neil Goff to the Board of Directors

It is our honor to welcome two incredible leading women in Boston to join Heading Home’s Board of Directors. Leslie Cohen of Samuels & Associates and Lauren O’Neil Goff of JLL have been steadfast supporters of Heading Home for many years. From coordinating corporate volunteer engagement experiences to both serving as a co-chair to the annual Housewarming event, Leslie and Lauren are welcome additions bringing creative solutions, expertise, and compassionate leadership to our Board of Directors.

Leslie G. Cohen, Chief Operating Officer

Principal, COO, Head of Asset Management

Leslie Cohen is the COO and Head of Asset Management for Samuels & Associates. She is responsible for executing the strategic vision of the firm across numerous multi-billion dollar developments in Boston and the surrounding communities. Since joining Samuels & Associates in 2002, she has successfully overseen the rise of major projects like Pierce, a 30-story luxury residence in The Fenway, and Continuum, a pioneering mixed-use development in the heart of North Allston, MA. Cohen served as the President of CREW Boston (formerly NEWiRE); she is currently on the NAIOP MA Board Management Committee and is 2020 President of NAIOP MA. Cohen is on the Building and Grounds Committee at Tufts University and is a two-time co-chair of Heading Home’s Housewarming event that raises more than $1.4m annually.

In 2013, Cohen was selected as one of Boston Business Journal’s 40 under 40 honorees. In 2014 and 2018, she was honored as one of Bisnow’s Power Women in Commercial Real Estate.  In 2019, Cohen was honored by the Boston Business Journal as one of the top women in business in Boston.  Cohen also received the Leadership Award from CREW Boston in 2020.

Lauren O’Neil Goff

Senior Managing Director

Lauren is a Senior Managing Director and Co-Head of the Boston office of JLL Capital Markets, Americas. She joined JLL as part of the HFF acquisition and has more than 16 years of experience in commercial real estate. In addition to overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Boston office, she is primarily responsible for originating debt and equity transactions throughout the eastern United States. During the course of her career, she has been involved in more than $10 billion in debt placement, investment advisory, and equity placement transactions.