Board of Directors

Regan is a Principal and studio leader for Finegold Alexander’s educational and cultural projects. She is passionate about design for education and creating spaces that are welcoming, safe, and supportive of students, teachers and administrators. Regan is a true consensus builder, leading school communities and large stakeholder groups to collaborative and cost-effective solutions. She is also an advocate and thought leader in restoring and preserving our historic buildings, including adapting them for new, contemporary uses. Regan is an active member of the Boston Preservation Alliance where she serves as Vice Chair of the Board of Directors. She is President-Elect for the New England Chapter of the Association for Learning Environments. Regan serves on the Boston Society of Architecture Honors and Awards Committee and is a member of the BSA Women’s Principal Group. Regan graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a Master of Architecture and earned a Bachelor of Arts from Lehigh University. Source.

Christopher Scoville is the Senior Vice President of Community Development Lending at Eastern Bank. Through Chris’ work, community-based organizations that provide services like senior care, affordable housing development/construction, and education have access to banking services and financing for delivery of their non profit missions. Since 2011, Chris has worked with HBI to finance projects like the Alvah Kittredge House, the Hayden Building, and the Fowler Clark Epstein Farm.  Chris is also chair of the Board of the Boston Preservation Alliance and is a board member of Homeowners Rehab Inc.

Nancy Welsh focuses her practice in the area of real estate. She works on a wide range of transactional real estate matters, including acquisitions, dispositions, financings, and leasing of commercial properties.

In addition to her transactional practice, Nancy leverages her Master of Urban and Regional Planning degree in her work on land use and development matters.

Prior to attending law school, Nancy served as an investment analyst for a college endowment. 

Sean Geary is a Portfolio Manager at Acadian Asset Management and specializes in quantitative portfolio management. Prior to Acadian, Sean was at State Street and provided analytical advisory services to institutional clients on topics including foreign exchange hedging, asset allocation, and risk driven investment strategies. Sean holds an M.B.A. from Boston College, M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Boston University, and a B.S. in Physics from James Madison University.

Under Vicki’s leadership, Communication via Design has launched highly successful design and marketing campaigns for corporations such as Liberty Mutual Insurance, State Street Corporation, IDG World Expo (Macworld Conference & Expo), and Gilbane Building Company and non-profits such as Boston Children’s Museum, The Greater Boston Food Bank, Visiting Nurse Association of Boston, and Tufts Medical Center Trust. Vicki has lectured at forums at home and abroad on topics such as graphic design and social media and has served as an adjunct professor at the Massachusetts College of Art. Some of her most notable accomplishments include being recognized as a “Top 40 Under 40” leader and entrepreneur and receiving awards from design journals such as American Corporate Identity, the Art Director’s Club of Los Angeles, and the League of Communications Professionals. Vicki holds a BFA from UMASS Dartmouth and an MBA certificate in entrepreneurial studies from Boston University. 

Nicole is a Preservation Planner with specialized knowledge of architectural history and local, state, and federal historic compliance regulations. Her skillsets include architectural survey, project impact assessments, municipal preservation plans, state and federal documentation, historical research, historic tax credit projects, and interpretive planning. She has been with VHB in Watertown, Massachusetts for eight years, and serves as a board member of the Boston Preservation Alliance and the New England Chapter of the Vernacular Architecture Forum. 

Each fall semester, teachers and students dive back into their chosen studies. But for Elkus Manfredi Architects Vice President Ross Cameron, the learning never stopped, constantly exploring new techniques and materials that can enhance his practice. Born in Scotland and trained at The University of Edinburgh, Cameron joined the Boston-based firm in 2005. Since then, he’s been a key member in its long-standing partnership with the city’s educational institutions, including Boston University and Emerson College, where he has lead the creation of performing arts facilities and student residences. He is a member of the Royal Institute of British Architects, the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland, the Society for College and University Planning, and the Boston Preservation Alliance’s Board of Directors.

As President of Ann Beha Architects, Philip Chen is leading the firm forward, building on 40 years of design innovation and cultural stewardship. His astute designs have brought distinction and honors to his academic, cultural, and civic projects. Philip’s innovative design approach bridges disciplinary boundaries, setting new standards in planning, preservation, adaptive re-use, and new construction. His clients include the Smithsonian Institution, the US Department of State, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Harvard University, and the University of Chicago.

Philip is a member of the Board of Directors for the Boston Preservation Alliance and served on the School of Architecture Advisory Council at Northeastern University. He holds a Master of Architecture degree from the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University and a Bachelor of Environmental Design from Texas A&M University. Philip has presented to the AIA and its chapters, the Society for College and University Planning, ArchitectureBoston Expo, and the New England Museum Association.

Minxie is a Founding Principal, with Monique B. Lehner, of Fannin-Lehner Historic Preservation Consultants, established in 1984. She now serves the firm as Managing Principal. After gaining substantial experience in National Register and National Historic Landmark nominations, the firm identified historic cemetery conservation as an area in serious need of historic preservation.

A graduate of Mount Holyoke College, Minxie holds a Master of Arts from the University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Science from Boston University, and did doctoral studies at the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard University.

She is a member of the Board of the Society of Architectural Historians, New England chapter, the Board of the Boston Preservation Alliance, and a member of the Collections Committee of the Bostonian Society. She is also the immediate past Chair of the Massachusetts Senate Art Committee.

Michael LeBlanc is a principal at Utile. He has been in charge of numerous institutional, residential, and renovation projects such as the Rethink Boston City Hall & Plaza Master Plan, the Boston City Hall Conservation Management Plan, and the recent renovation of the Roxbury Branch of the Boston Public Library – winner of a 2021 AIA/ALA Library Building Award and a 2021 Preservation Achievement Award from the Boston Preservation Alliance. He also led the addition and renovation of the Jamaica Plain Branch of the Boston Public Library, the 160-unit mixed-use Girard in Boston’s South End, and The Quinn mixed-use development at 380 Harrison Avenue in the South End. His interests range from the logics of construction and material research, to investigating the parametric relationships between code, cost, sustainability, and experiential qualities in building design. 

Prior to Utile, Michael worked at Machado Silvetti where he was a senior designer and project director on projects such as the Provincetown Art Association Museum (PAAM) addition and renovation, which became the first LEED-certified art museum in the United States; the Honan-Allston Branch of the Boston Public Library, which won a 2003 AIA National Design Award; and the Getty Villa, Research Center, and Scholars’ Library.

Jeff Marr, Jr. is Vice President, Special Projects & Business Development at The Marr Companies, a multi-generational family-owned and operated construction services firm located in South Boston. Jeff began his career at Marr Scaffolding Co. in 2008. In his current role, Jeff works to strengthen partnerships and spearhead special projects with a particular focus on complex restoration projects. His favorite part of working at Marr is the access to some of the most cherished and unchartered places in our city. According to him, “A Marr hardhat is a backstage pass to Boston.”

Jeff currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Associated Subcontractors of Massachusetts (ASM) as President-Elect. Jeff is active in the Mass Building Congress (MBC) and Associated General Contractors of MA (AGC). He is on the Employer Advisory Council and DEI Subcommittee at Building Pathways, a pre-apprenticeship program committed to workforce diversification of the building trades. Following in the footsteps of the Marr family, Jeff actively supports the Boys and Girls Clubs of Dorchester and the Rodman Ride for Kids. Jeff participates in the Pan-Mass Challenge as a member of Team Lizard. A graduate of Boston College, Jeff is the eldest member of the sixth generation of the Marr family to work for the company.

David Nagahiro, Principal and President of CBT, is the driving force and inspiration behind CBT’s vision, design ethos, and advancement of practice into the next generation. He leads the firm’s most ground-breaking projects, often resulting in the revitalization of undeveloped and underutilized urban sites which create places and buildings that enrich urban and community life.

David is intimately involved in all aspects of design and is recognized for his tireless pursuit of innovation in professional practice, his insistence on design excellence, and his passion for building strong, sustainable, and resilient places and communities. His passion for the profession is matched by his commitment to the advancement of individuals around him, which makes him an extraordinary agent of change both through his projects and his collaboration with others.

A stalwart supporter of the civic fabric of the community, David serves on the Board of Artists for Humanity, the Board of the Boston Preservation Alliance, and the Editorial Board of Architecture Boston. He is an active collaborator in HubWeek, Boston’s annual innovation festival, and is a leader in pushing the limits of innovation in art, science, and technology.

David holds a Bachelor of Architecture and Bachelor of Science in Architecture from Washington State University and attended the Architectural Studies Program at the AA / Architectural Association School of Architecture, London. He has been the recipient of the National AIA Young Architects Award and is a past Rotch Traveling Scholar.

Beatrice Nessen has lived on Beacon Hill with her husband, Peter, for many years where they raised their two children. As one of the early members of the Park Plaza Civic Advisory Committee, she was involved in the opposition to the original mega-project proposal that led to the formation of the Friends of the Public Garden. Beatrice has worked both professionally and privately as an advocate for the environment and for urban issues. Professionally, Beatrice’s career has included waste materials regulation at the Department of Environmental Protection and project management at the Big Dig and for planning projects at ICON architecture, inc.

Beatrice’s recent board activities in addition to the Boston Preservation Alliance include the Friends of the Public Garden, The Garden of Peace Advisory Board, Old South Meeting House and the BPDA Plan: Downtown Advisory Group. Beatrice is one of the founders of the Garden of Peace, a memorial to Massachusetts homicide victims, located on the upper plaza of 100 Cambridge Street.”

For more than 15 years, Diana has stewarded the growth and expansion of Denterlein, establishing the firm as a trusted communications partner to business and nonprofit leaders seeking to improve operations, relationships or reputation.

As president, Diana provides strategic oversight to many client accounts and continues to provide high-level communications guidance to C-suite leaders. She has been instrumental in many of the events that have shaped the region. From managing Big Dig fall-out to the transformation of Fenway into a destination neighborhood, Diana is a trusted advisor to the most recognized companies and nonprofits in New England. Her counsel has established the reputation of new company leaders, retained and acquired customers, improved employee relations, launched new products and services and built an organization’s public brand in a way that is unique and valued.

Diana serves as a business partner to clients, supporting corporate goals through creative approaches that target clients and referral sources. In healthcare in particular, she advises executives as they navigate challenging trends and policy issues. As a result, Harvard-affiliated institutions and others have raised national visibility and market share, weathered mergers and acquisitions and transformed staff and faculty into important ambassadors. Diana works at the highest levels, often with CEOs and trustees, to communicate around sensitive events, such as leadership transitions and litigation.

While Diana’s expertise crosses many industries, she is best known for her crisis communications experience. From cyber security breaches to regulatory investigations, Diana helps senior leaders balance transparency and accountability to protect the organization’s reputation. Deeply familiar with even the most complex of circumstances, Diana formulates strategies that balance the diverse needs of stakeholders. A regular speaker and writer on crisis communications, Diana leads workshops and spokesperson trainings for companies and non-profits of all sizes.

Diana joined Denterlein soon after its launch in 2002, most recently serving as executive vice president. Together, she and Geri Denterlein grew the firm substantially, more than tripling the agency’s size and significantly expanding its client base. In her current role, Diana oversees all operations, as well as the strategic direction and growth of the firm. She provides mentorship and professional development support, with a focus on expanding the senior team and developing the firm’s key practice areas.

A long-time supporter of charitable organizations, Diana serves on the board of the Boston Preservation Alliance and Rosie’s Place. For her leadership achievements, Diana received the Emerging Executive Pinnacle Award from the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce.

Roger Tackeff, the Chairman and Founder of Renaissance Properties, is a graduate of both Brandeis University and The Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration. Currently, Mr. Tackeff serves as a Board Member or Director of the following organizations: The Boston Preservation Alliance, The Ellis Memorial and Eldredge House, The Hebrew Rehabilitation Center, The Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, The Rivers School, The Friends of Hayes Park and The Friends of Childe Hassam Park, among others.

Tony Ursillo, CFA has been on the buy-side of the financial industry for nearly 30 years, primarily focused on technology companies in both analyst and portfolio manager roles. After nearly 20 years as a Vice President and Senior Equity Analyst at Loomis, Sayles & Co., in 2019 Tony founded a research advisory service serving wealth management firms. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst and a member of the CFA Institute and the Boston Financial Analysts Society.  He earned a B.S. in Accountancy from the University of Illinois and an MBA in Finance from The Ohio State University. Tony resides with his wife in the historic Ladder Blocks neighborhood of the Downtown Crossing area of Boston, while his son and daughter are enjoying their collegiate experiences at Wake Forest and the University of Michigan. He currently serves on the City of Boston’s Advisory Group for the PLAN: Downtown master planning effort and the Impact Advisory Group for the 11-21 Bromfield project. Both proposals will have repercussions and impact to Boston’s residents and its historic resources, and through his involvement, Tony hopes to positively influence them while also creating more awareness and appreciation for the city’s unique and treasured history.

Peter Vanderwarker’s work received Institute Honors from the American Institute of Architects in 1991.
His photographs are in the collections of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the Addison Gallery of American Art, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. He is the author of “The Big Dig: Reshaping an American City” published by Little Brown in 2000, and he co-authored “Cityscapes of Boston” with Robert Campbell in 1991. Recent exhibitions include Sublimation at Gallery NAGA, 2017; Seaport Views at the US District Courthouse in 2016; and Vanderwarker’s Pantheon, at the Boston Athenaeum in 2009. Peter has a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and he was a Loeb Fellow at Harvard University in 1997. His work has been supported by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Graham Foundation. Peter is represented by Gallery NAGA, Boston. He is currently working on a book about making a park over the Massachusetts Turnpike in Boston