BOARD CHAIR

Hope Blanchette - Mass Design Group, is a member of the Advocacy team at MASS Design Group, a non-profit multidisciplinary architecture firm on Chandler Street in the South End. She is originally from New Hampshire, but has been a Boston resident since 2005. While she has lived in the South End for a few years, she is now a resident in Jamaica Plain. Prior to joining MASS, Hope was a Home and Property Manager for a family in Downtown Crossing and has held various roles in architecture firms around the city.

Danae Bucci - South End Resident, has lived in the South End for more than two years but has lived in multiple Boston neighborhoods during her time at Northeastern University. There, she was recruited to the track & field team as a high jumper. Danae grew up in a military family and had the opportunity to live in multiple states and countries. She is now looking to grow roots in Massachusetts. Danae is a general assignment reporter for local ABC affiliate, WCVB. 

Bill Gregor - South End Resident, is a retired general management consultant with over thirty-five years’ experience consulting to financial services firms on five continents.  When not in the South End you can usually find him skiing or sailing.  A former Ellis Chair, he has served the Association in many capacities and is currently chair of the Ellis Wine Group and an Ellis Marshal in Boston’s Pride Parade.

Dawn Hayes - Chief Advancement Officer at Ellis Early Learning, Dawn is a seasoned nonprofit leader with 20 years of experience driving philanthropic growth, strengthening donor engagement, and advancing mission-driven organizations. Previously serving as the Vice President of Philanthropy at Jewish Vocational Service (JVS) Boston. Dawn brings expertise in campaign readiness, board engagement, and donor stewardship. She is proud to partner with the board, staff, and community to advance the organization’s long-term impact and sustainability.

Eileen Kim - Columbus Ave, South End resident since 2008 and graduate of the Juilliard School. By pivoting from music to real estate, she brings creativity to everything she does. Her husband, David, is from Worcester where he works in health care, while their son, Alex—a Boston Latin School and Harvard College graduate—is currently building his career in New York City. As empty nesters, Eileen and David spend their weekdays in Boston and head to Gloucester on weekends, where Eileen is trying to turn weeding into a zen practice. She’s also an active member of the Back Bay Garden Club.

Chris Marciano - Ellis Resident, Born and raised in Massachusetts, Chris is a proud graduate of Northeastern University with an immense passion for Boston. After completing his studies, he co-founded Neuron, a technology consultancy that helps enterprises solve complex challenges through digital designs. Chris welcomes conversations on all things tech, design or simply connecting as neighbors. He and his wife, Lucia, are thrilled to call Ellis home - a community that they both cherish.

Lynne Mooney Teta - Berkeley Street, is a lifelong Bostonian who moved to the South End two years ago.  After serving for over twenty-five years as a public school teacher and administrator, Lynne now enjoys the flexibility of running her own education consulting practice. Excited about getting more engaged in the neighborhood, Lynne also dedicates time to the American Red Cross. She and her husband Tony are the proud parents of two recent college graduates, Amelia and Michael.

Abita Nanda - Ellis Resident, Abita Nanda moved into the South End in June 2023 with her husband, Basant, after spending 8 years in Toronto, Canada. She has lived primarily in the East Coast of the US (New Jersey and Virginia) after immigrating from India at the age of 6. Basant and Abita are proud parents to grown up boys and look forward to exploring all the great spots in the South End. Abita works for Genentech in Regulatory and hopes to move into their new office in Allston in 2026.

Dan Niedzwiecki - Appleton Street, moved to the South End 2 years ago and is loving it. Originally from Northeast Ohio and spent the previous 10 years in Detroit Michigan. Dan lives with his partner, Bobby, regularly browses petfinder for adoptable dogs, and incessantly listens to Taylor Swift. Dan is an organic chemist by training and works remotely as a technical manager in the lubricants industry. He regularly volunteers to be an election worker. He enjoys pie making and yoga.

Mary Powers - South End Resident, and her husband Andy LaGrega have lived in the South End since 2017 after becoming empty nesters and moving out of the suburbs. They enjoy it immensely and love having the restaurants, theater and daily needs, including the walk to work, within 10 minutes of home. Mary is a principal broker at Atlantic Retail and has been doing commercial leasing in retail for over 30 years. She volunteers regularly and enjoys meeting new people.

Celina Tennant - Hingham Institution for Savings, joined the HIFS team in the South End as the AVP Branch Manager. With 18 years of industry experience, Celina's focus has always been on building strong relationships. Previously was the Assistant Manager with First Republic Bank, helping to run the Downtown office on Federal St and in Wellesley. Celina enjoys spending time near the water with her partner, Andrew, and two cats, Cleo & Roman. Celina is thrilled to be a part of the wonderful culture and passionate people that make up the South End. 

John Alekna - Tremont Street, grew up in South Boston and has been active in a variety of local business and civic groups over the years. A 1983 graduate of Babson College, he began his current professional career at Merrill Lynch and is currently a Managing Director at Morgan Stanley’s Private Wealth Management division.