
Bellevue Hill Improvement Association

About Us
Our Vision
​​​​​BHIA values meaningful connections and collaborations that inspire a spirit of community across the generations in West Roxbury.
BHIA seeks to make Bellevue Hill a better place for its residents in which to live, work and play.
Our work fosters civic discussion, innovative thought and civic collaboration in support of community needs and opportunities to protect, preserve and improve West Roxbury.
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BHIA’s Board of Directors is comprised of residents who serve an active and critical role in the organization and who are committed to the Bellevue Hill community and to West Roxbury.
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BHIA’s Board of Directors is currently expanding its strategic direction, fundraising initiatives, and valuable outreach in the West Roxbury community.
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Our Team

President
Antonina Guarino is a West Roxbury native, and founder of a strategy, branding, and design agency based in Boston. A proud graduate of Boston Public Schools, Antonina has lived and worked on the East and West coasts. She understands and values what makes Boston and West Roxbury unique. Antonina holds a BA in English from Boston College, a master’s certificate in Media Management from The New School’s School of Public Engagement, an MBA from Babson College and has studied Design Thinking at the Stockholm School of Economics. Antonina has worked with internationally recognized organizations such as Fidelity Management & Research Co., Fidelity Investments, the Harvard Club of New York, and Wiley Publishing. Having served on the Harvard Club’s program committee to vet global thought leaders for speaking events, Antonina led the successful rebranding and revitalization of an historic legacy organization during a time of economic downturn. A published author in the areas of business and new technology, Antonina’s roles have been focused on digital innovation and communications within the financial services, e-commerce, and health sectors. Antonina has been working as a Board Director for the Bellevue Hill Improvement Association (BHIA) since 2020. She proudly represents the BHIA organization. An active community member, she mentors businesses and supports local community initiatives. She lives with her 12-year-old in West Roxbury.

Board Advisor
Ginny Gass served as BHIA president from 2014 to 2024 and currently serves as a Board Advisor to BHIA. Ginny grew up in Old Deerfield, MA. Coming from an adventurous family, it was only natural that she would attend college out West and later travel the world with Pan American World Airways as a flight attendant. While wanderlust has its allure, Ginny eventually settled down with her husband, Jon, to marry, start a business, and raise a family. They also made their home in West Roxbury. Over time, their business flourished, and on the side, Ginny utilized her degrees in French and English to tutor local students. Their children, Jesse and Jonathon, are now grown and successfully employed. Jon and Ginny were fortunate to have settled in West Roxbury. Over the years, the neighborhood group they joined, the Bellevue Hill Improvement Association, has kept them informed while fostering a strong sense of community and friendship. For Ginny, living in the city continues to be an ongoing adventure.

Secretary
George Embleton, along with his family, has called West Roxbury home since 1989. With 25 years of experience as a professional labor educator for a national labor union, he has worked alongside union members, leaders, and staff across the Eastern United States. His roles have spanned from delivering training presentations to program implementation and curriculum design. George also spent 16 years as a municipal employee and activist/leader in a local union within the City of Boston. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Boston College and earned a master’s degree in organization development from American University through the National Labor College. Additionally, he has been involved in political campaign efforts and Get-Out-The-Vote (GOTV) initiatives nationwide. A longtime member of the Labor Guild and an affiliate of the Archdiocese of Boston, George has served on the Guild’s Board and taught there. He firmly believes that many of us are not functioning at our full potential and that we should remain open to various paths of self-development. His favorite quote, “We have met the enemy and he is us, “comes from Pogo (Walt Kelly, 1971).

Treasurer
Hannah Paris is a recent New England transplant to the Bellevue Hill neighborhood, and she, along with her family, has quickly fallen in love with the community. A health tech professional married to a pediatric pulmonologist, Hannah and her husband have three amazing children who are attending school locally. They are excited to be part of such a welcoming and vibrant neighborhood and look forward to contributing to its ongoing improvement and strong culture. Professionally, Hannah is a results-driven healthcare expert with a robust background in healthcare management, program optimization, and data analytics. She holds a master’s degree in health administration from the University of Central Florida and a Bachelor's degree in Anthropology from Florida Atlantic University. Currently serving as the ERCM Program Manager at AthenaHealth.

Board Member
Paul L. Nevins Esq. has been a trial attorney in private practice since 1982. He is admitted to the Massachusetts Bar, Federal District Court for Massachusetts and First Circuit Court of Appeals Mr. Nevins is a member of the Massachusetts Bar Association, and the National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA). He is also a member of the American Bar Association and served on its national advisory committee. Throughout his career, Attorney Nevins has been involved in extensive, complex civil cases. In most cases, he has prosecuted claims as a plaintiff's attorney on behalf of employees who have been victims of age, sex, race or disability discrimination. Early in his career, he represented the prevailing plaintiff in Denton v. Boilermakers Union, Local 29, 650 F. Supp. 1151 (D. Mass., 1986), a race discrimination case in which U.S. District Judge Wolf found a continuing civil rights violation that permitted the plaintiff to roll back his statute of limitations with respect to damages. Nevins was also the lead attorney for the plaintiff in the seminal case of Iwata v. Intel Corp, 349 F. Supp. 2d 135 (D. Mass., 2004) (Young, J.). In that case, Attorney Nevins was also able to persuade the federal court that the refusal of an insurance company to honor the terms of a long-term disability policy violated the cognate provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA ), 42 U.S.C. § 12101- et seq.; that its provisions were more expansive and trumped any contrary provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), 29 USC § 1001; and, for that reason, the kind of policy in question violated Ms. Iwata's rights and potentially could discriminate against millions of Americans who became disabled because of emotional traumas or illnesses. Prior to becoming a lawyer, Paul Nevins taught History and English in the Boston Public Schools from 1971 through 1982. He also taught the "National Street Law" project and a moral development curriculum, which he created based upon his work with Dr. Lawrence Kohlberg. In addition, he served as a consultant to the Education Development Center. While teaching, Mr. Nevins was elected to serve as a member of the Executive Board of the Boston Teachers Union, Local 66, AFT / AFL-CIO, and served was the t chairman of the union’s desegregation committee. He was also a delegate to the Massachusetts Federation of Teachers and the American Federation of Teachers. Mr. Nevins is also a board former member of the Executive Board of the Citywide Education Coalition, where he served as chairman of its Personnel and Grievance Committee. Paul Nevins served as a conscript in the United States Army from 1968 to 1970 as a personnel specialist and as a German language translator-interpreter. In 1969, he was a founder and first chairman of GIs for Peace at Fort Bliss, Texas. It was the first organization of active-duty soldiers who publicly opposed the Vietnam War. Mr. Nevins earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree with honors in 1966 from Suffolk University. He received a Master's Degree in Politics from New York University in 1968 with a concentration in Political Philosophy and Methodology of the Social Sciences. He wrote his Master's Thesis on the politics of T.H. Green. Later, in 1982, he graduated from Suffolk University Law School and received a Juris Doctor Degree. He is the author of The Politics of Selfishness (Praeger, 2010) and Private Affluence and Public Squalor (Amazon Publishers, 2024). Nevins has lived in West Roxbury for fifty years. e is married to Virginia E. (Davis) Nevins. They have two daughters, Lauren Anne (Nevins) Romeo and Diana Mary Nevins, and a grandson and granddaughter.
Publications: The Politics of Selfishness: How John Locke's Legacy is Paralyzing America (Praeger, 2010) Available via Amazon, via Barnes & Noble, and through independent book sellers. Private Affluence and Public Squalor: Social Injustice and Economic Misery in America (Amazon Publishers, 2024) Available via Amazon, via Barnes & Noble, from independent on-line vendors, and through independent book sellers wherever books are sold.

Board Member
Jay Buckley grew up in West Roxbury, attending Randal G. Morris Elementary School, Robert Gould Shaw Middle School, and Catholic Memorial High School. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering from the University of Lowell. In his late 20s, Jay relocated to the scenic town of Madison, NH, where he served as a volunteer firefighter/EMS and became involved in various town committees and elected positions. Despite his time away, he maintained strong ties to West Roxbury and eventually returned to retire in 2024. What he enjoys most about West Roxbury is that it has preserved the same charm and suburban feel he remembers from his childhood, all while being conveniently located within the city and close to downtown amenities. He also values the tight-knit community, recognizing that many of his neighbors have deep roots in the area, having lived here for generations.

Board Member
Chuck McDevitt, a native of Boston and lifelong resident of West Roxbury, is a distinguished member of his community. A graduate of Catholic Memorial, he is widely recognized for his contributions to both the audiovisual and culinary spheres. With an impressive 18 years of dedicated involvement with the BHIA, Chuck continues to play an integral role in the enrichment of his neighborhood.

Board Member
June Downey
Support Staff
FAQs
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Is BHIA a nonprofit organization?
BHIA is a registered not-for-profit 501 (c)(3) organization.
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Is this the official website for BHIA?
Yes! We will be adding new offerings to our site soon!
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How much is it to join BHIA?
Dues are $10 per household and you can join here.
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