Hearth, Inc. Welcomes Rhonda Pieroni as New President and Chief Executive Officer

Hearth, Inc. Welcomes Rhonda Pieroni as New President and Chief Executive Officer
Boston, MA – Hearth, Inc, a leader in the fight to end elder homelessness, is thrilled to announce the appointment of Rhonda Pieroni as its new President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective January, 2024. A special thank you to Isaacson, Miller, one of the country’s premier executive search firms, for facilitating an extensive search on Hearth’s behalf.

Ms. Pieroni, joined Hearth in 2017, establishing Hearth’s first human resources office. Promoted to Chief Administrative Officer in 2020, she successfully led the implementation of Hearth’s first organization wide Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiative, developing Hearth’s DEI Action Plan and imbedding it in Hearth’s current strategic plan. She established several agency wide employee engagement opportunities, improved compensation and benefits, and expanded professional development offerings for all employees. An accomplished and authentic leader, she brings a wealth of experience to Hearth. With a proven track record of developing organizational capacity in the non-profit sector, Ms. Pieroni is poised to lead Hearth into a new era of success.

“We are delighted to welcome Rhonda into this new role as our President and CEO. Over the past seven years Hearth has benefitted from her exceptional leadership skills, strategic insights, and deep experience in the non-profit sector,” says Doug Poutasse, Chair of Hearth’s Board of Directors. “The Board has great confidence in her ability to lead Hearth toward further progress in our enduring mission of ending elder homelessness.”

Ms. Pieroni’s vision for the organization centers around ensuring Hearth’s current and future fiscal sustainability; expanding Hearth’s reach and capacity to serve more clients; increasing Hearth’s visibility and actively engaging the community in Hearth’s mission to end elder homelessness. With this clear direction, Hearth is poised to tackle the challenges of the complex issue of elder homelessness.

About Hearth, Inc.

Hearth is the first organization in the United States created with the singular goal of ending elder homelessness. Currently, Hearth operates 228 units of permanent supportive housing across seven sites in Boston, including 43 affordable assisted living units. These units are not simply a roof over one’s head. They are a combination of affordable housing with voluntary support services. Residents are provided case management services by an on-site program nurse and/or clinical case manager assigned to them. Other support services include activities programming, representative payee, meals, personal care and/or housekeeping. Highly rigorous studies have consistently shown that this type of housing is highly effective for ending homelessness over the long-term.

With the number of people experiencing homelessness aged 65 or older expected to triple over the next decade, Hearth’s service model is a national blueprint on how to address this urgent public health crisis in our country. A model like Hearth’s that integrates supportive services dedicated to aging populations with housing or housing assistance and is complemented by clinical teams was associated with reduced health care utilization and spending of approximately $14-20k annually per person. Founded in 1991 by a group of seven women, Hearth is driven by compassion, concern, and the desire to change how society tackles the unique issue of elder homelessness. Since then, Hearth has become an expert on the challenges and solutions surrounding this issue and has placed over 3,000 individuals into affordable, safe, and permanent homes.

About Ms. Pieroni
Rhonda Pieroni has an M.Ed. in Organizational Management from Endicott College and a B.S. in Business Administration from Northeastern University. She is an active member of Mass General Brigham’s Patient Family Advisory Council and on the Board of Directors for Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD) in Boston. She is a passionate and dedicated leader. Prior to joining Hearth, Ms. Pieroni worked in real estate, property management and served as Vice President for Administration at Fisher College in Boston, where she strategically developed the organization’s infrastructure to advance the mission more effectively and efficiently. Her commitment to mentoring staff and having a positive impact on the lives of others aligns perfectly with Hearth’s core values, making her an excellent cultural fit for the organization.

Please join us in extending a warm welcome to Ms. Pieroni as she embarks on this exciting journey as our President and CEO. We look forward to an era of continued growth, innovation, and success under her leadership.