WORKING TOGETHER
Make it stand out.
Who We Are
East Boston Main Streets is led by New Executive Director Miguel Vargas and supported by a volunteer Board of Directors. As an organization we are committed to fostering an inclusive community that supports the growth and well-being of our small business community and the residents of East Boston.
We’re reshaping the East Boston landscape guided by
the following tenets:
Helping local business owners navigate the confusing world of owning and starting a business
Advancing the dialogues that are relevant to East Boston business owners and residents
Embracing our community’s diversity with intention
We do this through the following services:
Providing technical assistance, workshops, and one-on-one support
Keeping the neighborhood beautiful through storefront renovations, signage improvements, and community clean-up events
Bringing the community together and promoting East Boston’s businesses through local events
Advocating for policies that support East Boston business owners and residents
Meet Our Board Members
Ida
Justin
Joe
Michelle
David
Scott
Jeff
Miguel Vargas, Executive Director
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is the owner of Candreva Law Office. This Boston based law practice focuses on Domestic Relations and Criminal Defense. She is also a Guardian Ad Litem for Family Courts. She works on various aspects of Family Law, but has a particular passion representing victims of Domestic Violence. Being trilingual, Ida uses her language skills to communicate and represent clients of various cultures, in particular the Latino community. Prior to practicing law, Ida worked as a Police Officer, and was later promoted to Detective for the MBTA/Transit Police, and as Sergeant with the Emerson College Police Department
Ida received her Bachelor of Arts degree in International Studies from Drexel University and a Juris Doctor from Massachusetts School of Law. Since 2015, she has been volunteering as a Board member for East Boston Main Streets, and since the Fall of 2020 she has served as the Board’s President.
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Jeff Thomas joined the EBMS board in 2017. An East Boston resident and dedicated public servant, Jeff works for the Boston Planning and Development Agency in the Planning Division. He previously worked in Mayor Martin J. Walsh’s office as an assistant for the Mayor where his work primarily focused on communications, event planning, and special projects
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is a Manager with Marcum LLP’s Assurance Services Group where she focuses on banks & financial institutions & more specifically Sarbanes Oxley & FDICIA reporting.
Michelle holds a Bachelor’s & Master’s degree in accounting from Siena College. Michelle is a licensed CPA in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Michelle has been an East Boston resident since 2020. She joined the board in early 2022 eager to improve the community she quickly grew to love! She currently serves as Treasurer of EBMS.
In her free time you will find her runnning the East Boston Stadium or eating tacos at La Hacienda.
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Alexander Rhalimi is the Principal of Alliance Financial Group. Alex specializes in helping small business owners to maximize their profits and minimize their taxes by using financial strategies. Alex’s mission is to assist individuals and families in defining their financial goals and in achieving their financial freedom. His goal is to become a lifelong resource for them. Alex is passionate about helping people realize their dreams, and his energy and commitment create a process that is thorough, effective, and enjoyable.
Alex is fluent in several languages, which allows him to communicate and build reports with various communities, breaking down barriers and build bridges with international clients and partners.
In 2016, Alex ran for Suffolk County Sheriff. He also served as Board of Directors in the East Boston Chamber of Commerce. Alex holds a Bachelor’s degree and a Master of Criminal Justice from Boston University.
Alex joined the East Boston Main Street in 2020, and currently serves as the Board’s Secretary.
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is an attorney with the law firm of Pierce & Mandell, P.C. Scott focuses his practice on employment and business litigation, representing small and medium sized businesses, corporate fiduciaries, and individuals in actions involving non-compete and non solicitation agreements, workplace discrimination, corporate governance, and violations of state and federal leave and wage and hour laws. Scott has a broad range of experience, which includes trying cases before multiple Massachusetts’s courts. He has litigated cases in the Massachusetts Superior and District Courts, Probate Courts, Land Court, and the Federal District Court for the District of Massachusetts. A native of California, Scott enjoys spending his free time with his wife and young son, traveling, cooking, and reliving his sports glory days playing hockey for a local adult league team.
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David Halbert. David joined the EBMS Board in 2011. He has served in numerous roles, including Promotions Chair. David is Outreach Manager for The Educational Justice Institute (TEJI) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, leading efforts to increase awareness for TEJI’s work expanding post-secondary education for the incarcerated and those in re-entry. David has served as a staff member for Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, members of the Boston City Council, and the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office, where he helped found, and served as director for, the People of Color in Criminal Justice Conference – the only one of its kind in New England. In 2019 David ran for an At-large seat on the Boston City Council. David holds a Bachelor’s degree from Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, and a Master of Public Administration degree from Northeastern University. A former Jeffries Point resident, David and his family live in Dorchester
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Joe Ruggiero. Graduate of Savio Prep and Mount Ida college. Licensed funeral director and owner of Ruggiero Family Memorial Home. Member of the boston zoning board of appeals. Member of the NOAH board and Paris St Community Coucil Board. Lives in East Boston with his Wife Katie.
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Cross joined the board of East Boston Main Streets in 2022. Justin works for TD Bank, in which his new location recently opened in Maverick Square in March of 2022. Since joining the community, Justin has been heavily involved in community engagement with specific focus around neighborhood revitalization, youth financial education, and small business development.
Justin has worked in retail banking for the past 11 years, and has been a Boston transplant since 2018 from his previous hometown in western, MA.
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David A. Lank.
David is Founder and Principal of Sharpe Venture Group, an East Boston based real estate company that owns, operates and develops multifamily, retail and mixed-use properties across Massachusetts.
David is an active community member, currently or previously serving on the Mary Ellen Welch Greenway Council, NOAH Inc. CDC Board of Directors, Seawalls Boston Mural Sponsor, Boch Center Metropolitans Steering Committee, United Way Project Connect Steering Committee and the Friends of the Charles River Esplanade.
While David has worked from East Boston for the past decade, he, his wife, Laura, and dog, Grover, are finally moving to East Boston this year.
David holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Outside of work, family, friends and community, if you don’t see David at Toasted Flats or Cunard Tavern, he’s probably out playing guitar and singing with his band, Lanky and the Fens.
JOIN US!
As a Board We:
Meet Monthly
The board meets monthly with neighbors, friends, and community members to work on the strategy for East Boston Main Streets.
Lead the Way
Be a part of the planning and execution of Eastie’s favorite events from Eastie Week to the Taste of Eastie!
EBMS COMMITTEES:
Design
Looking to exercise your creative talents in service of our community? Join this committee to support the beautification projects in Eastie.
Promotion
Support EBMS through creative social media engagement.
Finance
Join a team dedicated to identifying and securing resources to support the work and mission of EBMS.
Events
Support the design and implementation of a variety of events from merchant meetings, fundraising breakfasts, to community gatherings.