MEET OUR TEAM
DESI MURPHY
Desi Murphy has lived in the South End since 2017 and is the Vice President of the Worcester Square Area Neighborhood Association. Additionally, Desi is active in the south end forum. Desi works in the biotech industry and lives with his wife and son in the south end.
Desi participates in the mass ave coalition to raise awareness about mass ave’s history and beauty and help find solutions for the complex public health challenges in the area.
CAROL BLAIR
Carol Blair is fascinated with the many systems that rely on Massachusetts Ave and the ways they achieve equilibrium. She grew up in Burlington, Vermont’s largest city, where she walked, cycled and rode city buses to school, church and friends’ homes. Their front steps on US Route 7, she and her sibs made a game of the world streaming by.
While earning a degree in civil engineering at the University of Vermont, she and her colleagues studied and recommended improvements to local bus operations and campus pedestrian infrastructure. In the summer, she worked with Vermont Highway Department, first on construction of a highway bypass, and then on design for I-89 through central Vermont.
In 1972, Ms Blair signed on with AMV, a partner in the Boston Transportation Planning Review exploring alternatives to more interstate highways in the city. Later jobs, with Urban Systems Research & Engineering, Metropolitan Area Planning Council, and Boston Transportation Dept, offered many challenges to make things work for the users and abutters of local streets, as well as opportunities to consider future growth and change. Between jobs, Carol earned a degree in urban transportation at Northeastern University and a degree in public administration at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. Now retired, she loves to take her grandchildren on adventures, usually starting with an MBTA bus or train.
Up and down Mass Ave for nearly 50 years, Carol is a longtime member of Walk Boston and Zipcar, a former president of Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition, and an active member of Speak for the Trees Boston. She is especially grateful to be part of Boston’s Livable Streets Alliance, working with the many stakeholders toward “streets that are safe, vibrant public spaces connecting people to the places where they live, work, and play.” As president of Chester Square Neighbors, Carol shares this vision for Massachusetts Avenue.
BOB BARNEY
Bob Barney has lived in the South End's Claremont Neighbourhood since 1996 and has served as President for the last few years. Bob retired from P&G/Gillette where he worked for over 25 years in global supply chain operations and technology.
Currently, Bob is an independent supply chain consultant for Duracell, a former Gillette business unit. Bob is also a special project coordinator for the Southwest Corridor Park Conservancy, member of the South End’s Working Group on Addiction, Recovery, and Homelessness, an active member of Speak for the Trees Boston, and CAC member of Back Bay Ventilation. Bob wants to ensure our historic part of the South End remains vibrant and diverse for both residents and businesses.
Bob is excited to be part of the Massachusetts Avenue Coalition with a focus on how to connect both sides of Massachusetts Avenue and to bring improvements to the streetscape. With diverse thoughts and backgrounds we can bring wonderful things to Massachusetts Avenue.