Ellen  DiBiase lives on the 300 block of S. Atlantic Ave. with her husband, Evan, their daughter, Lana, and two crazy cats: Luna and Lucy. She previously served on the FCG Board in 2018-19 as an Outreach co-chair  and is thrilled to be back on as President this year. A native of Winchester, VA, Ellen first moved to Pittsburgh in 2006. She has undergraduate degrees in Psychology and Public & Urban Affairs from Virginia Tech and an MBA in Organizational Change from Chatham University. Her career has spanned a variety of nonprofits, with positions locally at Pittsburgh Action Against Rape, Animal Friends, and DOORS OPEN Pittsburgh.

In  addition to serving on the FCG Board, she is currently the Lower School Parent Chair for The Ellis School’s Annual Fund. She was a member of the 2021 Pittsburgh Civic Leadership Academy and has been attending lifelong learning classes (mostly about Pittsburgh!) via CMU’s Osher program since 2019. Her favorite activity in Friendship is picking up litter—during the Pandemic, she and her daughter found relief from online learning by drawing up a map and picking up Friendship street by street to get outdoor breaks. Ellen can’t wait to see new faces at Friendship’s monthly litter pick-ups this year as well as at all our other great neighborhood events!

Mary Beth lives on the corner of Friendship and Evaline.  Since the purchase of her home in 2023 she has spent much of her time living in construction or staying in a neighborhood Air BNB during renovations.  Although she grew up in a small Pennsylvania town and attended university in Pittsburgh, she married and raised a family in Maryland. Her two adult children, Miles and Emma, live and work in Pittsburgh as well.  Mary Beth grew up in a neighborhood of beautiful historic homes, much like Friendship.  What also attracted her to this community was the walkability and easy access to restaurants and services.

Mary Beth has been a theater professional for decades.  Her undergraduate studies in Drama and her MA in Theatre Management led her to pursue many aspects of theater, including acting, costuming, directing, writing, and teaching.  During her career she worked in and around the DC area, Tx and PA. She recently retired from her position as director and teacher with ArtStream, an inclusive theater company for adults with disabilities. She is passionate about the ability of theater touch lives and reach out to communities that are underserved.  Her volunteer work with Upcounty Community Resources, an organization that supports adults and teens with disabilities, is one of her most rewarding experiences. She hopes to serve communities in need in and around Pittsburgh. 

As a native of the Pittsburgh area, John has always loved the east end of the city, specifically the large Houses of Shadyside, Highland Park, Squirrel Hill, and Friendship. When the opportunity arose, he jumped at the chance to buy one of these large houses in the city's most walkable neighborhood. Over the past year of living in Friendship, he has met with many residents of the area, worked on restoring his house, and explored the neighborhood.

John  resides at the eastern border of the neighborhood, in a house once owned by FCG's predecessor group, Friendship Development Associates. This connection to the FDA has given him the rich experience in what is possible with a community group. In the past year, he has advocated for keeping the 87 bus going along Friendship Avenue, keeping the buses off S. Atlantic and S. Pacific Avenues, and helping with the Friendship House Tour. As a FCG board member, he plans to help bring Friendship along as things change, while keeping the history and sense of community within Pittsburgh's second smallest neighborhood.

Julie Grove’s professional experience has primarily been with major food companies in sales and supply chain operations, but riding her bike is how she spends her free time and is her absolute favorite thing to do around the city. She advocates for keeping pedestrians and cyclists safe by serving as Treasurer of the Bike PGH Board of Directors. She and her husband, Matt, moved into their home on Roup Avenue in 2000 and have 3 "adultish" children, all of whom grew up in the best neighborhood in the city! Julie and Matt chose Friendship for its walkability and feel the neighborhood has only gotten better over time.

Prior to the existence of Friendship Community Group, Julie was on the board of Friendship Preservation Group for 7 years in the early 2000s and held various leadership positions, including one term as President. During that time, FPG was very focused on public safety, and they worked closely with the Friendship Development Association to transform many of  the homes in the neighborhood and buildings along Penn Avenue so that they could become marketable and ultimately sold.

Julie has consistently been a very active community member and has coordinated the volunteers for F4 and the Friendship House Tour over the years. As a near-neighbor of Baum Grove, she is especially interested in ensuring that we continue to have this safe, inclusive, beautiful space for the community to enjoy.

After  completing college, Roswell moved several times, eventually arriving in Pittsburgh in the summer of 2022. During a year-long apprenticeship, he fell in love with the city, particularly the Friendship neighborhood, and decided to settle down. Though he now lives in another neighborhood, he still considers Friendship his home due to his close ties, both personal and professional. Roswell currently works as a technician and glassblower at the Pittsburgh Glass Center, where he combines his love of the craft with a commitment to supporting the local art community.

Outside of work, Roswell spends much of his time with his dog, Starfire. They’re often seen at one of the city’s many dog parks or on long walks. An active individual, he also enjoys things like fishing, golfing, fencing, and playing ice hockey as a goalie. Roswell is committed to fostering a sense of unity, preserving the area's character, and addressing the needs of all residents of Friendship.

Danielle is pleased to have the opportunity to serve on the FCG Board for a third term, returning after a two-year hiatus. During her first and second terms, she served as the chair/co-chair of the Neighborhood & Environment committee (now the “Baum Grove committee”). In those roles, she helped transfer ownership of the playground at Pittsburgh Montessori to the school and contributed to Baum Grove improvements, including the addition of a shed, hand railings, signage, a Little Free Library, Belgian block, and new gardens. Her Baum Grove team problem-solved trash and loitering issues and filled over 200+ bags with gingko leaves and berries! Danielle also co-led new community events and initiatives; some successful (the Food Truck Roundup, Pollinator Powerpacks) and others less successful (the Silverware Drive, Weeding Wednesdays). She also proudly contributed to the creation of FCG’s anti-discriminatory statement.

Danielle loves Friendship; it was love at first sight in 2002, when she originally moved to S. Pacific Ave. as a graduate student and renter. She returned to PA in 2012 and again made Friendship her home. Since 2018, she has been a Friendship homeowner and now lives on the 200 block of S Atlantic Ave. with her partner Jason, their dog Milton, and their/her cat, Little Kitten. Danielle has been steadfast at eliminating grass from her property and finding the best spot to grow tomatoes and, weather permitting, you can find Danielle and Jason enjoying their yard from their porch. Danielle is a psychologist, researcher, and clinical educator at the Pittsburgh Veterans Hospital and the University of Pittsburgh. She is passionate about reducing healthcare inequities and helping individuals improve their health through regular activity, sunlight exposure, and social engagement – something that happens when you become a FCG board member and volunteer!

Michele is a recent empty nester living on Coral Street with her husband Tom Hritz. She has lived in Friendship since 1996 and in her Coral St house since 1999 raising 2 children. She has been involved with FCG, in all it’s forms, for over 20 years and has seen a lot of progress in that time. She lead the yard sale for many years and in recent years has organized the F4 raffle. Michele was also active in her children’s Pittsburgh Public Schools. Having lived in the neighborhood for so long is proof of how much she loves it. She loves that she can walk to groceries, medical appointments and nightlife. Along the way she sees other neighbors and community members which instills a sense of belonging.

As a board member I would like to contribute to the Friendship Street Stewards project. In my 20+ years in Friendship I have always been an active litter pick up participant from in front of my house and neighborhood pick ups to the citywide Garbage Olympics. I believe litter begets litter and if everyone keeps their owned or rented property clean we can all show respect and safety for where we call home in Friendship.

Mike’s passion for transit, trains, and city planning started at an early age. His first console game was SimCity 2000 for PlayStation with the mouse controller for even more fun. From there his interests grew to learn more about the history of these networks and ways to improve them. Mike recently moved to Friendship with his partner and three cats after moving to Pittsburgh in 2021. A transplant from Maryland, he’s really enjoying the city, its heritage, and surrounding area.

When PRT released the first draft of their Bus Line Redesign project, Mike took action to distribute detailed flyers around the neighborhood bus stops and organized with other concerned community members to ensure those impacted could voice their concerns directly to PRT. As a board member, Mike will continue this work to ensure Friendship and the surrounding areas have equitable access to transit for all residents. He will also bring his technical and design skills to assist the committees of FCG with their initiatives as well as managing the FCG website.

Devon’s been obsessed with cities and neighborhoods as long as he can remember. He grew up outside of Cleveland, Ohio, and worked in community development in his hometown of Lakewood and his family’s new neighborhood of Kamm’s Corners before pursuing a city planning degree in Philadelphia. In his community development years, he worked on planning festivals, managing volunteers, organizing placemaking projects, and cultivating strong partnerships with local institutions, advocates, and neighbors in need. He helped organize RCO-like groups in Cleveland, much like FCG. Now, in working as a planner with the National Zoning Atlas, Devon has shifted his professional focus toward project management, housing affordability, and climate resilience. 

Devon moved to Friendship in 2024 with his partner, Eric, who lived in Friendship on Aiken Avenue from 2019 to 2022. Now, they rent on Stratford Avenue, close enough to see Baum Grove from their home office. Devon loves living in Friendship, where he can walk to stores, transit, entertainment, and the homes of longtime friends. He has enjoyed getting to know his neighbors and values their shared commitment to justice and inclusion. He currently sits on FCG’s Zoning & Development Committee, working alongside neighbors to preserve and augment the neighborhood’s vibrancy. In his role on the board, he plans to aid in the execution of special projects to enhance the neighborhood and the organization, helping enact a vision of Friendship where neighbors help neighbors and where everyone has a way to get involved.

Steve Morrow was born and spent his early years in Lima, Peru, grew up in suburban Denver, attended Amherst College, and finally settled in the South Side of Pittsburgh in 1999 for a fellowship at CORO. He made the jump across the river to Friendship in 2003, and he and his wife, Jennifer Haven, have owned their home in the 200 block of S. Pacific Avenue since 2004. Since purchasing their home, they have gutted all three floors, undergone five bathroom remodels, removed or replaced  every wall in the house except one (which his wife has her eye on), and removed and built two new staircases. They’re in too deep now to move, so they plan to be Friendshippers for the long haul.

Steve is a co-founder of Forest Devices, a Pittsburgh-based medical device start-up, and currently serves as its Chief Financial Officer. He spends most days bouncing amongst spreadsheets, herding investors through complex stock purchases, and fundraising. He received his MBA at the Wharton School (which forced them to rent out their house for 2 years), and his past positions at Ariba (Freemarkets), Boston Consulting Group, and Mylan provided him with a great deal of global experience in operations, strategy, and management.

As he continues to assess his career, Steve finds himself most fulfilled by helping new businesses and nonprofits flourish. He serves as a mentor for another Pittsburgh-based start-up called D Sole and also served as a board member at Quantum Theatre and a paint-mixing volunteer for the Friendship Park Asphalt Art Project. Steve is most proud of his work at Shady Lane School, where he served as Treasurer and Chair of the Board and helped engineer a financial turnaround from a crisis that threatened  its very existence. Additionally, Steve is a strong advocate for inclusivity and diversity. He firmly believes that every voice should be heard and that the needs and concerns of all community members should  be addressed, and he is committed to fostering an inclusive environment where all individuals feel valued, respected, and empowered.

Growing up in Forest Hills, Sheila cherished the tightknit community that was such a formative part of her upbringing. She moved to Bloomfield when she was finishing graduate work at the University of Pittsburgh and fell in love with the walkability and character that the neighborhood offered. Walks in Friendship Park and Allegheny Cemetery with family and friends are still one of her favorite pastimes. As a brand new Friendship resident with her husband, John, she hopes to truly engage with neighbors, be an active part of the community, and participate in the unique events that Friendship Community Group supports.

Sheila earned a PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Development at the University of Pittsburgh. She transitioned from a primarily bench scientist to clinical research upon graduation and currently has her own consulting firm where she works as a clinical and regulatory scientist in the pharmaceutical industry. Throughout her years in graduate school, she was able to volunteer at Family House and also became involved with Women in Bio. She currently serves as the vice-chair of Young Women in Bio, which aims to promote STEM fields in high-school-aged students. She also enjoys volunteering within the community at one-off events with Gay for Good and Shepherd Wellness.

Vince first served as an FCG board member from 2017-2021, leading the Housing & Business Borders Committee (now the Zoning &  Development Committee, or ZDC) and has remained on as a member of the ZDC since finishing his prior board term. He has been a resident of Friendship for more than 30 years on Stratford Avenue, and currently serves as the VP-Building Systems Group, for Cintar, Inc. Vince has seen many neighborhood changes in recent years which continue at breathtaking speed.

With his career as a registered engineer and his ability to thoroughly understand building and zoning codes, Vince believes his experience in these areas will benefit the community and help to protect and improve the experience of living in the Friendship neighborhood.

When Gillian moved to Friendship three years ago, she was thrilled to experience a similar vibrant, community-oriented spirit to her former Northside neighborhood. Since then, her fondness for the area continues to grow through her enjoyment of local gems like the Octopus and pollinator gardens, local eateries, and Baum Grove's vibrant asphalt art. She served as the Lead for the 2024 Friendship Neighborhood Yard Sale, and as a member of this neighborhood, Gillian is committed to contributing to FCG's efforts to maintain and enhance the quality of life for all residents. 

Professionally, Gillian leverages her legal degree managing customer operations for technology startups. In addition to FCG, she is involved with several nonprofits, including Breakthrough T1D, the Children’s Institute of Pittsburgh, and Humane Animal Rescue. In her spare time, you can usually find Gillian with her husband, Jeremy, and their dog, Hudson, spending time outdoors and catching live music and performances around the city.

Shay Park (they/them) has called Pittsburgh home for 15 years and has resided in the Friendship and Bloomfield neighborhoods since 2020. As a current graduate student of a Master’s in Information and Library Science program, their graduate work focuses in part on information literacy and universal design. They are driven by a deep commitment to accessibility and the belief that everyone should be able to find, understand, and use the resources they need with ease. Shay also has a lifelong love of design sparked by spending summers as a teen working for their mother’s graphic design and typesetting business. Additionally, Shay is passionate about the preservation and expansion of social services that benefit their Pittsburgh neighbors and in harnessing the power of local communities. They were most recently employed as Data Manager at Just Mediation Pittsburgh, a nonprofit organization serving low-income tenants and their landlords in housing-related disputes with the goal of relationship-building, transformative conflict resolution, and diversion from eviction court.

Sierra Weir is an artist, scientist, and environmental educator who has lived in Friendship for nearly two years. She grew up in Pittsburgh before living in Ohio and Louisiana for six years and is happy to be back and rebuilding relationships. She currently works for Three Rivers Waterkeeper, which aims to improve the quality and accessibility of our waterways. Sierra has displayed artwork at the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden, and serves as a member, volunteer, and Scholarship Chair for the Western Pennsylvania Mushroom Club. She has participated in the Friendship Yard Sale by selling art and antiques in the Grove, attended the wonderful House Tour last year, and routinely wears out the Neighborway by foot, bike, or roller-skates.

In her free time, Sierra maintains small raised-garden beds and has been helping maintain Baum Grove for the past year. Since the Grove is less than a block from her apartment, she was excited at the opportunity to get involved when spring clean-ups started happening last year. She enjoyed weeding, mulching, and planting with the team before and after the 2023 Friendship Flower and Folk Festival, and helped out the rest of the season too, adopting the herb garden in particular. She looks forward to co-chairing the Baum Grove Committee to help with beautification, events, and clean-ups.