Jennifer Schanck-Bolwell Named Chief Operating Officer of Crossroads Rhode Island

PROVIDENCE, RI - Crossroads Rhode Island, the state's leading provider of housing and services for people experiencing homelessness, announced today that the organization’s former Vice President of Housing Assets, Jennifer Schanck-Bolwell, will be returning to Crossroads as Chief Operating Officer. 

Schanck-Bolwell spent 16 years at Crossroads (2004-2020), making a measurable impact across multiple roles. As head of Housing Assets, Schanck-Bolwell oversaw the operations of 370+ individual and family housing units with a $4M budget and approximately 30 staff members. Her broad scope of responsibility included leasing, property management, facility maintenance, and affordable housing development. This included maintaining up-to-date knowledge and implementation of all state and federal compliance regulations as well as ensuring compliance with multiple complex funding sources. 

“I’m thrilled to be coming ‘home’ to the team at Crossroads to continue the important work of one of the state’s leaders in housing and homelessness,” said Schanck-Bolwell. “I am looking forward to helping the organization continue to dig in on tackling the rapid increase in unhoused individuals in our state in the wake of the pandemic and into the future.”

Most recently, Schanck-Bolwell was the Executive Director at Worcester Community Housing Resources, a Community Development Corporation and Community Development Financial Institution serving Worcester County focused on creating and preserving affordable housing opportunities for low and moderate-income households and to initiate and support neighborhood revitalization. 

“Crossroads is excited to welcome Jennifer back as COO,” said Michelle Wilcox, President & CEO, Crossroads RI. “Her strong track record of performance and extensive experience across our various programs and services give her an incredibly well-rounded perspective and make her uniquely positioned to make an immediate impact. Her expertise in managing compliance with diverse funding sources allows Crossroads RI to secure financial support, ensuring sustainable operations and service expansion for vulnerable populations.” 

As the Chief Operating Officer, Schanck-Bolwell will be responsible for overseeing the organization’s housing assets and facilities departments, ensuring they are managed effectively and efficiently to support the needs of the community. Additionally, she will lead efforts in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) to foster an inclusive environment within the organization. Schanck-Bolwell will also play a pivotal role in monitoring program outcomes and evaluation, ensuring the organization's initiatives are impactful and aligned with its mission. Furthermore, she will be instrumental in implementing the strategic plan, driving the organization towards achieving its long-term goals and objectives.

About Crossroads Rhode Island

Founded in 1894, Crossroads Rhode Island is the state's leading provider of housing and services to those experiencing homelessness. Our mission is to help those experiencing homelessness secure stable homes. To meet the diverse needs of our clients, we own and manage more than 375 apartments statewide and provide access to a broad range of services, including housing problem solving, emergency shelter, case management, referrals to health and mental health providers and education and employment services.