2022-2023 Season
Membership sign up is available NOW for the 2022-2023 season! Visit the ‘Join‘ page to renew or register.
Please don’t forget your mask! In accordance with the current indoors mask mandate, all guests at the Hampshire House are required to have face covering when not actively eating or drinking in designated areas. Members who are not fully vaccinated, immunocompromised, or otherwise MIGHT feel uncomfortable attending in-person will still have the option to enjoy recordings of the speakers.
As always, this is an ever evolving situation, and we are doing our best to have a safe and fun season!
NOTE: In order to register for Connections events and Monthly Speaker forums, you must have third-party cookies enabled on your web browser, regardless if you are using a desktop computer, tablet, or mobile phone. We recommend using Google Chrome, as long as you have third-party cookies enabled and you are not using an incognito window. If you are using a web browser that automatically blocks third-party cookies, like DuckDuckGo, or an incognito window on a popular web browser, you will not be able to register.
Tuesday
September 13, 2022
“Hey Park Lady – Why I Love These Three Parks and This Special Community”
Leslie Adam
Board Chair, Friends of the Public Garden
Details:
Tuesday Evening
September 13, 2022
6pm-8pm
Neighborhood Narrative for September

Leslie built her professional reputation as a leader who can deliver on the operational challenges of achieving rapid growth, in people-centric businesses. Born in Roslindale, she moved back to Boston after college, launching her career in professional services management with a large Boston Law Firm. She relocated to London for five years in the ‘90s, to spearhead the buildout of a firm’s London and Middle Eastern operations.
Recruited back to New England, by another rapidly expanding firm, she subsequently led a team of seventy-five at the Boston Consulting Group, where she was responsible for negotiating a new 80,000 square foot lease and developing landmark office space in downtown Boston.
While juggling her professional career, Leslie has lived, raised a family, and renovated several homes in Beacon Hill. This gave her unusually deep insight into the nuances of the local residential real estate market—as well as a strong appreciation for life in the Beacon Hill community.
Recognizing that an increasing number of clients sought both an astute analytical perspective into the market, as well as a richer understanding and pragmatism of the broader context of a residential real estate transition and practicalities of living in a unique neighborhood, she decided to parlay this experience, along with her commercial real estate expertise, into a career in residential real estate.
Committed to the conservation of green space and city life, Leslie chairs the board of the Friends of the Public Garden, advocating for the Boston Common, The Public Garden and The Commonwealth Avenue Mall; is a board member of The Beacon Hill Civic Association; was formerly President of The Beacon Hill Garden Club; and has served on the board of a number of other local non-profit organizations, including the Beacon Hill Nursery School and The Nichols House Museum. Leslie has lived in Beacon Hill for over twenty years, with her husband, two children and a rotating cast of French bulldogs.
Wednesday
October 12, 2022
“Everyone Deserves a Family – Celebrating all families and all paths to building a family”
Julia Karol
Host of Stork’d the Podcast and President & COO of Watermill Group
Details:
Wednesday Evening
October 12, 2022
6pm-8pm
Neighborhood Narrative for October

Julia Karol is the host of Stork’d the Podcast and the President and COO of Watermill Group, a private investment firm which acquires, operates, and improves businesses at a crossroads. She is a mom, creative leader, warm friend, animal lover and champion for alternative families.
Passionate about social change, Julia currently sits on the board for the New England Chapter of YPO and on the Budget and Administration Committee for the Combined Jewish Philanthropies. She lives in the South End with her dog and son.
Tuesday
November 8, 2022
“Five Years Later: Story of Pivoting a Small Business”
Sara Campbell
Founder, Sara Campbell Fashion
Details:
Tuesday Evening
November 8, 2022
6pm-8pm
Neighborhood Narrative for November

Sara Campbell is founder and CEO of Sara Campbell Ltd, a distinctive women’s clothing line available in 23 boutique stores and on line. For thirty-five years, the company has manufactured selective women’s clothing in the United States, a dedicated practice of local quality production which continues today.
The Sara Campbell label is noted for its exceptional fabrics, limited editions, attention to detail in design, and stylish dresses, blouses, pants and accessories. Each shop is embedded in its respective community and offers customers a personalized experience as well as the opportunity to support local charities through invitational events. The flagship store ,which carries every style each season, is located in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Corporate headquarters are in a former warehouse district, currently being revitalized, in Boston.
A native Californian, Sara discovered her passion for sewing at the age of six. She graduated from University of California at Davis with a Fine Arts degree. Upon graduation, she worked at Bazaar del Mundo, a multicultural gallery in San Diego where she met artist Corita Kent. Sara completed a Master’s Degree in Art Education from Lesley University and a Master’s of Fine Arts from Mass College of Arts under the supervision of Corita Kent who, despite a forty year age difference, became her close friend and mentor. The strong attention to vivid colors in Sara Campbell’s designs are a direct influence from Corita Kent’s work.
As a woman business owner coming from an artistic background, Sara Campbell proved her fiscal acuity by making bold decisions at important junctures in the company’s history. In the course of running the company, she was invited to attend Harvard Business School’s Executive Leadership program for CEOs’ to further hone her management skills. Since the company’s inception, she has been guided by the two pillars of her leadership: Philanthropy and a commitment to designing and manufacturing fine clothes in the United States for women to wear with flair, pride and comfort. The company continues to grow and thrive.
Tuesday
December 13, 2022
Holiday Cocktails
Details:
The Hampshire House
84 Beacon St., Boston, MA
Tuesday Evening
December 13, 2022
7pm
Bring Friends & Family
$20/Person

Tuesday
January 10, 2023
“Do Something…how every little bit adds up to hope and help…it’s the story of Compassion New England”
Cheri McCutchen
Compassion New England/Blessing Barn Founder
Details:
Tuesday Evening
January 10, 2023
6pm-8pm
Neighborhood Narrative for January

Cheri has spent her life doing new things, from her first preschool start up to her current role as Director of Compassion New England she has believed in the power of doing something. She has been a licensed RE agent for decades and has served as Compassion New England’s chief visionary and Director of all Operations for 9 years. During her tenure CNE has added two of the Community programs that currently serve the Boston area as well as Metrowest. Compassion New England has a simple approach to doing good: create a beautiful place to display the items you donate that are ready for a new home, sell them. Use the money to do good things in our community. Local need. Local aid.
Cheri has an amazing team helping to daily change lives through the 3 programs CNE offers to our community. CNE operates 2 crisis care centers, one in Mattapan and one in Mendon as well as an incredible program for special needs students and adults that offers vocational opportunities and friendship opportunities. The newest edition to the CNE community care is Room in the City, a housing option for families facing a medical crisis. Our stores fund the overhead so we can do this at no charge to families. Cheri is honored to tell the story of the power of community good that has created hope and help.
Tuesday
February 14, 2023
“Valentine’s Day with a Veterinarian”
Cynthia Barker Cox
Veterinarian
Details:
Tuesday Evening
February 14, 2023
6pm-8pm
Complimentary champagne available for attendees to celebrate together!
Neighborhood Narrative for February

Cynthia Barker Cox, DVM, DABVP (Shelter Medicine) graduated from Northwestern University (Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude) in History of Religions, specializing in South Asian religions and languages. She was awarded graduate fellowships through Northwestern to study Sanskrit and Pali at Northwestern, the University of Chicago, and Oxford University. From there she studied in Sri Lanka for a year as a Fulbright Scholar, during which time she was at least as interested in Sri Lankan cats as manuscripts.
While teaching at Whitman College in Walla Walla, she discovered that her half-completed dissertation had already been written and made the abrupt, but ultimately predictable decision to attend veterinary school. She graduated from Washington State University (Phi Zeta, summa cum laude) and is now the Senior Shelter Veterinarian at the MSPCA. During her veterinary career, she has been a Board Member for the Association of Shelter Veterinarians, first diplomate of the new Shelter Medicine specialty, and co-author of the first Guidelines for Standards of Care in Animal Shelters.
In her free time, she enjoys contradancing, playing Irish flute, and submitting to the will of her four feline overlords.
Tuesday
March 14, 2023
“Your Dreams Matter – from Blueprint to Reality”
Sharri Harmel
Founder, Extraordinary Women Magazine
Details:
Tuesday Evening
March 14, 2023
6pm-8pm
Neighborhood Narrative for March

Sharri Hormel’s career path has been varied – stockbroker, teacher, non-profit founder and executive coach. When her 23-year marriage ended each of these career experiences ultimately led to creating her current position as the Editor and Chief Creator of the Extraordinary Women brand which includes the Extraordinary Women Magazine, Podcast & high-level coaching programs for women who are serious about making their dreams come true Sharri chose happiness and her own extraordinary life reimagined and now splits her time between Boston and Paris.
Tuesday
April 11, 2023
“All the World’s a Stage – From Boston to Broadway and Back”
Annette Miller
Actress
Details:
Tuesday Evening
April 11, 2023
6pm-8pm
Neighborhood Narrative for April

Annette Miller has performed on Broadway, Off-Broadway, in Boston, regional theaters, and in film and television. She has been a leading actor at Shakespeare and Co. in Lenox, MA for 20 seasons. Most recently, Terry Teachout of The Wall Street Journal listed Annette as one of the best actors in the 2019 season for her portrayal of Gladys Green in “Waverly Gallery.” She received the 2018 Berkshire Theater Critics Association Award For Outstanding Actress in a Leading Role for her portrayal of Katherine in “Mothers and Sons” by Terrence McNally, and in 2019 she played Gladys in “The Waverly Gallery.” She originated the role of Golda Meir in “Golda’s Balcony” before it went to Broadway for which she received both Boston’s Elliot Norton Best Actor Award and the Independent Reviewers of New England Best Actor Award.
In Florida, she received the Carbonell Best Actor Award nomination for her portrayal of Vi in “August Osage County.” Other favorite roles include Maria Callas in “Master Class,” Madam Ranevskaya in “The Cherry Orchard,” Diana Vreeland in “Full Gallop,” Martha Mitchell in “Martha Mitchell Calling” (Elliot Norton Best Actor nomination), Duchess of York in “Richard III,” Maria in “Twelfth Night,” and Grandma in “4000 Miles.”
Film role credits include “The Company Men,” “Autumn Heart,” “The Imported Bride Groom,” “The Next Karate Kid,” “The Eye Has to Travel” (documentary on Diana Vreeland), “See How She Runs”, “DON’T LOOK UP” w/Leonardo DiCaprio, and the lead in an Original Film “YOU WILL NOT PLAY WAGNER” chosen to air at 2023 Jewish Film Festivals throughout the country.
On TV, Annette had a recurring role on “As The World Turns” and “Ryan’s Hope.” Other awards include Gann Academy Award for Excellence in the Arts, Boston Jewish Film Festival Award, Zev Cohen Leadership Award, and the Excellency in the Performing Arts Award from the Boston Children’s Theater.
Annette can be seen most recently as Mrs. Tanken on the Netflix Oscar nominated film “Don’t Look Up”. Her latest film, which is currently making the Film Festival circuit, “You Will Not Play Wagner”, will be playing June 3 at the Berkshire Intentional Film Festival. This summer, Annette invites you to Shakespeare and Co, where she will be reprising her performance as Golda Meir in “Golda’s Balcony” in a “searingly topical production.”
Tuesday
May 9, 2023
Fashion Show
Our 8th annual BHWF fashion show will be Tuesday May 9, 2023 from 6-8pm at the Hampshire House
Guests welcome ($60 guest fee)

Program Director

Cindy Sullivan
Program Director
Cindy Sullivan has lived on the Hill with her husband and 18 year-old daughter Holly for almost 20 years. After a long career in Public Relations and Marketing, Cindy decided to take the leap and follow her true passion for health and wellness. Today, Cindy runs her own private in-home personal training and fitness company, specializing in midlife and senior fitness. Her goal is to empower women to feel great, regardless of their age, size or fitness level.
You can often see Cindy and her team making house calls in the neighborhood. Cindy is looking forward to swapping out her workout clothes to join the amazing women of the BHWF!

Melanie Bertani
Program Director
With over 35 years of marketing experience, Melanie brings a breadth of knowledge around effective branding, communications, social media and public relations across a wide variety of industries. Primary experience includes senior level marketing roles at Tampa General Hospital as well as several advertising agencies with clients located throughout the United States. Other expertise includes event management for small and large non-profit organizations such as Christopher’s Haven (affiliated with MGH) and Horizons for Homeless Children.
Since moving into Beacon Hill permanently in May of 2018, she immediately became actively involved in the Beacon Hill community. Melanie has volunteered as both Marketing Director and Co-Program Director for the Beacon Hill Women’s Forum, serving on the events committee for the BHCA and is now serving her second term on the BHCA Board. Melanie grew up in FL, received a B.S. from Florida State University. From there she lived abroad in Germany and subsequently moved to the Boston area. She raised her family in Sudbury, MA and has two daughters, ages 27 and 30 who live abroad.