Leadership Team

Winnie Octave – Co-Founder and Co-Chair

I was born on the island of St. Lucia, West Indies. I am the oldest of eight children and, from a very young age, had a take-charge personality, which developed from my experiences taking care of younger siblings.

I migrated to the United States first living in Mt. Vernon and then in Brooklyn in New York state, where I married and had three children. While there, I worked for the City of New York as a receptionist for the Agency for Child Development, and later for investment firm Merrill Lynch as a settlement specialist on Wall Street and in Jersey City, New Jersey.

In 1995, I relocated to Worcester with my three children. My oldest son spent 10 years in the Marine Corps, and is now a Worcester firefighter. My daughter is now working at the Recovery Center and Hospital as a counselor, and is also in college studying to be a nurse practitioner. And, my youngest son just graduated from Nichols College.

My first job in Worcester was for the Law Firm of Ellis & Ellis, where I served as a legal secretary. Later, I went on to work for Chapter 13 Trustee, a bankruptcy law firm, followed by the United Way of Central Massachusetts, The City of Worcester, the Worcester Community Action Council, and, presently, the Massachusetts Lottery Commission.

I also served on many city boards, and am currently one of the members of the Worcester Election Commission. I am a proud mother, a proud West Indian/American, and a loud voice advocating for poor and disadvantaged people.

My mailing address is 24 Northampton St., Worcester, MA 01605.

You may contact me at 508-688-5962 or winifred.octave@yahoo.net.

Waldir Cruz – Co-Founder

I am a married father of four children. I have lived since 2002 on Northampton Street in Worcester. I am an early childhood educator, and have been an educator since 2004. I am licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care, and have been recognized nationally by the National Association for Family Child Care for educating children to be successful citizens.

Our Neighborhood Association was inspired by the dream of having a better place to live for my family and our neighbors. Today, I have a good relationship with many of my neighbors, whom I now consider my friends.

We are moving step by step to spark change in our city.

You may contact me at 508-963-5716 or walane@live.com.

Deb Bolz – Co-Chair

I grew up in Shrewsbury and moved to the Green Hill neighborhood in 1979. My dad was raised in the same community.

I graduated from Worcester State College, and earned a Master’s in Counseling Psychology from Assumption College. I am a retired school counselor who still works in education, part-time.

I believe in all the positive attributes of the Green Hill neighborhood. We have the excitement of an urban environment while being close to one of the largest and most beautiful parks in Worcester.

I am also on the board of the Green Hill Park Coalition and the Worcester East Side Community Development Corp.

My mailing address is 14 Hermitage Ln., Worcester, MA 01605

You may contact me at 508-799-2253 or debrabolz@charter.net.

Edith Morgan – Board Member and Newsletter Editor

I have lived in the Green Hill neighborhood since 1967, and seen many changes take place. I have always tried to participate, help improve the area, and gotten to know my neighbors. I am a great believer in identifying problems, and solving them.

I was born in Germany, and my family fled to France. We lived there for more than eight years, until the Nazis occupied, and we were among the last to get into the U.S.

I became a teacher, and retired after nearly 40 years in public schools in the U.S., then ran for Worcester School Committee in the 1990s, I graduated from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, and completed a Master’s in Education at Worcester State in 1977.

I am still active in politics, write a column for Cecelia, and host and produce a weekly show on WCCA-TV Channel 194, at the Worcester Senior Center.

You may contact me at 508-791-0226 or lore1930@yahoo.com.

Mark Beriau – Board Member

I have lived in the neighborhood since 1955. I attended Harlow Street School and St. Bernard's Church. My scouting career from Cub to Explorer happened at St. Bernard's.

I fell in love with Green Hill Park as a child. It was and continues to be a great place for children to play and grow up in.

In addition to being a board member of the Green Hill Neighborhood Association, I am also a board member of the Green Hill Park Coalition, an organization that preserves Green Hill Park.

The park is the main reason I have not moved away from the neighborhood.

Nancy Callender – Board Member

I am 88 years young, born on New Year’s Day. I attended Worcester Public Schools, graduating in 1948 from North High School. I was the only Black student out of 1,300 students.

My mother earned her living as a housekeeper but also made sure to save money for my education. Since college was cheaper in the South and we had relatives in North Carolina, I matriculated at Bennett College for Women in Greensboro, North Carolina. Following college, I trained in Washington, DC to become a registered medical technologist. I was the first Black student they had ever had - and they told me that if I did well, they may admit others. Segregation was still the norm, and I was not always treated with respect by patients. Some of whom spit at me and refused to allow me to work with them.

In 1961, I returned to Worcester as a single parent with two daughters, both of whom followed in my footsteps and attended Bennett College for Women. Playing basketball at Grant Square Park with the boys, allowed one of my daughters to receive a basketball scholarship. I worked for 32 years in the chemistry lab at UMass Medical School in Worcester. Since my retirement in 1993, I have volunteered at the UMass Medical School’s library. I am also a member of All Saints Episcopal Church in Worcester.

I have lived in the Green Hill community all my life, and believe in all the good that we are trying to do for our neighborhood. I am happy to serve on the Leadership Team of our Neighborhood Association.

Sam Chiancola – Board Member

I am a life-long residence of this Green Hill neighborhood. It's where I grew up, attended college, went to graduate school in social work.

I helped to establish the first community mental-health agency in the Blackstone Valley as well as some other social-service agencies.

What's important now, in the winter of my life, is a Green Hill Park that again is open to all neighbors. I want to see it as it was when Mark Beriau and I, who also takes care of the park, were kids growing up here.

Let's open the park to the neighborhood again.

Shown, left, is me in Ethiopia. My belief is that the world is our home - so travel. Visit your home.

You may contact me at 774-276-0687 or mvsam@yahoo.com.

State Rep. Mary Keefe – Honorary Board Member

I am the state representative for the 15th Worcester District. I was originally elected in 2012, and have lived in Worcester for more than 30 years. I attended Marian High School in Worcester, and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Massachusetts College of Art.

I am an artist and long-time art educator. Before being elected, I worked for nearly 15 years as community organizer and executive director of the Pleasant Street Neighborhood Network Center in Worcester's Piedmont neighborhood.

At the State House, I serve on the following committees: Public Health; Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture; Arts Culture and Tourism; and Ways and Means. I am also co-chair of the Drug Reform and Harm Reduction caucus.

You may contact me at 617-722-2210 or mary.keefe@mahouse.gov.

City Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson – Honorary Board Member

I am a labor-relations executive with Harvard Pilgrim Health Care. I am serving my second two-year term as District 2 city councilor.

District 2 generally includes the following neighborhoods: Lincoln Square, Lincoln Street, Brittan Square, lower Burncoat, UMass, Lake Avenue north of Hamilton Street, Bloomingdale, Shrewsbury and Franklin Streets, Poet's Hill, Plumley Village, downtown east of Main Street, WPI, Chadwick Square, the Canal District north of Kelley Square, and Grafton Hill north of Hamilton Street.

You may contact me at 508-799-1049 or merocarlsonc@worcesterma.gov.

Park Spirit of Worcester – Fiscal Partner

Park Spirit, which serves as the fiscal agent for the Green Hill Neighborhood Association, is a small volunteer non-profit dedicated to working to protect, promote, enhance and to advocate for Worcester’s city parks. Formed in 1980 by the city’s then-parks commissioner, Tom Taylor, the group of active park enthusiasts has since worked to improve Worcester parks, in conjunction with the Worcester Parks and Recreation Department.

Park Spirit’s volunteer efforts have included the famous Summer Concert Series, which has offered free summer concerts at Elm Park since the ‘90s. Recently, other parks have been included, with plans for a series of concerts in Green Hill Park during the summer of 2018. The group also conducts clean-ups and other special programs.

Brittany Miller Legasey (shown, left) is president of Park Spirit.

You may contact her via the Contact page on our website.