Tricia Stone
Co-President & Programs Co-Director
The city of Boston grabbed Tricia’s heart when she moved here in 2011 with her young daughter and a dream. For nine years, she owned an optometry practice in the financial district and was continually humbled by the kindness and loyalty of the Boston community. Now she is actively engaged in various local non-profits and is working on new creative projects. She moved into Beacon Hill last summer and quickly and gratefully discovered the Beacon Hill Women’s Forum. She’s very excited to be involved with this dynamic, engaging, and warm-hearted organization.
Richelle Gewertz
Co-President & Connections Co-Director – Feast with Friends, Backyard Adventures, Sunday Funday and Laughs & Libations
Smitten by the old-world charm of Beacon Hill, Richelle has had her share of experiences living in a few of the North Slope’s tiniest and antiquated apartments, from former tenements to converted townhomes, from apron sinks to clawfoot tubs. Her appreciation as an architect has led her to fight for the preservation of the neighborhood by participating on the Civic Association’s Architecture and Zoning & Licensing Committees.
Richelle joined the Women’s Forum to forge lasting friendships with those in the community, and loves to attend the many monthly Connections events that bring our members together over drinks, feasts, and fun adventures.
Western Philadelphia suburbs born and raised, Richelle moved to Boston after graduating from Syracuse University when a summer internship the year before led to a full time offer. Do ask her where she has discovered the most authentic cheesesteak outside Philly—hint: it’s on the Hill!
Perla Fernández Saint-Amand
Vice President
Perla has always been a city girl. Born and raised in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, she moved to Boston in 2020 and considers herself very lucky to have landed right in Beacon Hill. In this neighborhood she has found long lasting friendships, a support system, and an endless source for creative inspiration. You can find her walking around the neighborhood with her husband and Labradoodle pup Luka, or with a camera in hand capturing the beauty of the neighborhood. She is always looking to meet new women, and is very curious about their backgrounds and stories. Stories are powerful and so are the women she has met in this community. She joined the BHWF to keep creating meaningful connections with the women of Boston.
Perla is a graphic designer at LinkSquares, and when she is not working she likes to explore Boston’s culinary scene, travel the world, create beautiful things and connect with people.
Courtney Jones
Secretary
Originally from St. Louis, Courtney moved to Boston in 2022. Captivated by the charm of Beacon Hill she quickly found her way to Beacon Hill Womens Forum. Courtney works in software sales where she’s lucky enough to have the Common as her daily commute. You can find Courtney running on the Esplanade, finding new spots at the Boston Athenaeum, or hanging out with friends at Sevens.
Janine Jay
Finance Director
Janine has called Beacon Hill home since 2018. She couldn’t resist the charm of the neighborhood, the history, and the proximity to walk everywhere in the city. After volunteering to help decorate the Hill for the holidays, she came across the women’s forum volunteer group and signed right up. She’s fallen in love with the community and is in awe of the incredible women that she meets through the forum. The sense of everyone’s commitment to creating a great neighborhood and the kindness of neighbors to say hello up and down the street has kept her involved ever since.
She has been an active member of the Women’s Forum, the Civic Association, and has represented the neighborhood on the Mayor’s SPARK council. Professionally, she is a Software Engineer at Liberty Mutual and in her free time she loves to jet-set around the world, cook, play tennis, row, host parties, and ski.
Norah Lawrence
Programs Co-Director
Norah moved to Beacon Hill in 2015, where she attended law school. While beginning work in the legal field, she has been involved in the community through non-profits, neighborhood organizations, and volunteering. Additionally, she loves traveling to learn about other cultures, try new foods, and see the world.
The Beacon Hill Women’s Forum has been nothing but a supportive group of women to not only interact with, but also share new experiences in the city with!
This year’s forum will be an extraordinary representation of women in Boston who have done incredible work and really earned their rolls in the community through commitment and dedication.
Rachel Von Nieda
Special Events Director
Rachel moved to Boston and Beacon Hill in 2021 and her love (perhaps mild obsession) for the city and her neighborhood has only continued to grow. She jumped at the opportunity to join the various organizations the hill has to offer, one of which being the Women’s Forum. She greatly enjoys the connections with fellow neighbors and the opportunity to hear from thought provoking speakers that the Forum offers.
By day Rachel is a mechanical engineer and in her free time she enjoys playing volleyball and connecting with friends, especially to try out new restaurants around the city. She has also become quite the history nerd (living in a historic neighborhood may do that to you!) and admittedly has an intense case of the travel bug. So you will often find her scheming about the next big adventure.
Mindelyn Young Godbout
Connections Co-Director – Book Group
Betty Murray
Membership Director
Betty moved to Boston after graduating from college and has been living and working here ever since. After working 38 years for MarshMcClennan, she retired in 2023. Her friend and fellow BHWF member, Lorie Conway, recommended that Betty join the Forum in 2023, to take advantage of its opportunities to hear fascinating and inspirational stories of women succeeding in Boston, to learn more about the city and its citizens, and to meet likeminded colleagues.
Betty spends her time at the gym, volunteering at the Southwest Corridor Park, attending theatre and exploring museums as often as possible. Living a few blocks from Beacon Hill, she hopes and expects to increase her engagement with the Beacon Hill community and the BHWF members.
Beverly Bansil
Membership Director
Beverley was born and raised in Ipswich, England and moved to Nottingham to study for a degree in Chemistry. She then joined a multinational company and moved around several cities until she met my husband and moved to Brussels, Belgium. She now has three adult children and have lived in London, Toronto, Cincinnati and upstate New York. She moved to Boston two years ago when she and her husband became empty nesters. They’re enjoying travel and adventures!
Beverley has continued to work (remotely) for a pharmaceutical company and in her free time she enjoys reading, painting, needlework and exploring the local area. She’s delighted to be part of the BHWF, it has afforded her the opportunity to meet so many wonderful ladies.
Claudine Ellyin
Marketing Co-Director
Born in Southern California from parents who immigrated from Urmiah, a Christian Assyrian town in Iran, Claudine has both traveled and lived abroad. A citizen of the world and a woman of many interests, she works in environmental protection by day and pursues her many passions, hobbies and creative outlets before and after hours. These include and are not limited to this self proclaimed “Middle Aged Maltese Mama” spoiling her two small dogs, drinking quality/strong coffee, playing piano, improv, journaling, mindful walks/slow jogs and yoga.
Before moving to Boston, she lived in New York City for nearly a decade and obtained a graduate degree in Earth Resources Engineering from Columbia University. In her youth she was a 800 m Junior Olympian and NCAA Division 1 Cross Country and Track athlete.
Hannah Schur
Marketing Co-Director
Meghan Smith
Social Media Director
Meghan grew up in coastal Maine, near Portland, and settled in the city after graduating from Boston College. She has lived in a studio in Beacon Hill for the past six years, and loves it more every year. She finds that every season has something unique to offer, and she feels so lucky to have met so many amazing women through the Women’s Forum.
Meghan is a journalist and has worked at GBH, Boston’s local NPR/PBS station, for the past 5 years. She reports stories for web, radio and TV and produces multimedia content for the digital platforms. She has a passion for telling stories that make an impact, especially about people who are marginalized or not often covered by the media. Outside of work she loves trying new restaurants and making friends with all the dogs on Beacon Hill.
Marianne Salza
Writer & Photographer – Beacon Hill Times Articles
Marianne Salza is a writer and photographer for the Beacon Hill Times. She has been a photojournalist since 2012, when she graduated from Emmanuel College; and has since reported for Boston-area and North Shore newspaper publications, documenting on civic engagement, history, religion, education, visual and performing arts, and environmental advocacy.
Marianne loves the Romantic charm of Beacon Hill – the elegant homes and gas-lit street lamps that line the brick sidewalks. As a BHWF member, she hopes to continue learning about the passionate, diverse women of the organization, and sharing their inspiring stories of determination on their journeys to success.
Patricia Tully
Advisor