Biografías del personal

Maureen St. Cyr

Maureen St. Cyr is the Executive Director at Massachusetts Fair Housing Center. Prior to joining MFHC, Maureen was the Coordinating Attorney for fair housing work at Community Legal Aid in Worcester, Massachusetts, where she represented clients with housing discrimination claims in state housing and superior court, federal court, and before administrative agencies. She also played a central role in developing the agency’s fair housing mission, guiding strategy, mentoring staff members, and served as a face of the fair housing project throughout the community. Maureen is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Law School and clerked for the Vermont Superior Court. She is honored to carry out the vital mission of MFHC.

Meris L. Bergquist, Directora Ejecutivo

Meris Bergquist es abogada y directora ejecutiva del Centro para la vivenda justa de Massachusetts, la organización de vivienda justa más antigua de Massachusetts. Se especializa en la representación de víctimas de discriminación en la vivienda ante agencias administrativas y en tribunales federales y estatales. En 2005, Bergquist prevaleció en un caso histórico de la Ley de Equidad de Vivienda que amplió los derechos de vivienda justa para las mujeres víctimas de violencia doméstica. Es una conferenciante frecuente en las universidades del área y en la Escuela de Derechos de la Universidad Western New England. Ha escrito artículos sobre cuestiones de vivienda justa, incluyendo un artículo del 2018, "Cómo la Ley de Prevención y Control de Envenenamiento por Plomo de Massachusetts codifica la discriminación sistémica contra familias con niños en violación de la Ley Federal de Vivienda Justa". En 2011, recibió el premio Paul F. Premio Batch, Jr. del Centro Stavros por servicio ejemplar a personas sordas y en 2018 recibió el Premio Drum Major por el Avance de los Derechos Civiles en Massachusetts.

Puede comunicarse con Meris al 413-539-9796 ext. 108 o mbergquist@massfairhousing.org.

Elizabeth (Annie) Connor, Senior Staff Attorney

Annie joined the Massachusetts Fair Housing Center in 2020. She comes to MFHC from the City of Somerville Mayor’s Office, where she served as the Director of Intergovernmental Affairs and Legislative Liaison under Mayor Joseph Curtatone, earning a Citation from the City Council for her work. Prior to that, Annie spent five years in the courtroom with the Committee for Public Counsel Services as a public defender in Roxbury, Dorchester, and Worcester, MA. A graduate of Northeastern University School of Law, Annie also holds a master’s degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and a bachelor’s degree from Vassar College.

Annie can be reached at 413-539-9796 ext. 107 or aconnor@massfairhousing.org.

Vineeth Hemavathi, Staff Attorney

Vineeth joined the staff of the Massachusetts Fair Housing Center in 2021. He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina School of Law and the University of Kansas. In law school, Vineeth was the Managing Editor of the North Carolina International Law Journal where he earned the Seymour Werfel Award for his outstanding service. Prior to joining MFHC, Vineeth worked at Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma representing indigent victims of domestic violence. Vineeth has also worked in national security, taught middle school language arts at a low-income school, and served as a field organizer on a presidential campaign.

Vineeth can be reached at 413-437-0094 or vhemavathi@massfairhousing.org.

Libby Reinish, Staff Attorney

Libby joined the Massachusetts Fair Housing Center in 2021 after serving as a law clerk for Justice Gregory T. D’Auria at the Connecticut Supreme Court. She graduated with high honors from the University of Connecticut School of Law, and also holds a master’s degree in Food and Agriculture Law and Policy from Vermont Law School. During law school, Libby was a Steiger Fellow at the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection and interned in the Civil Rights and Consumer Protection Divisions of the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office. Before her legal career, Libby advocated for media reform and technology justice at the Free Software Foundation and Free Press, and helped build community radio stations at the Prometheus Radio Project.

Libby can be reached at 413-539-9796 ext. 111 or lreinish@massfairhousing.org.

Bailey Cummings, Staff Attorney

Bailey joined the Massachusetts Fair Housing Center in 2023. She is a graduate of Boston University School of Law and the University of Vermont. Prior to law school, Bailey worked in the nonprofit reproductive healthcare field and in LGBTQ+ community organizing. During law school, Bailey participated in clinics dealing with Compassionate Release for incarcerated people and legislative drafting and interned for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. As an attorney, Bailey has worked in the areas of real estate law and eviction defense.

Bailey can be reached at (413) 437-0770 and bcummings@massfairhousing.org.

Faizia Sharif, Testing Coordinator

Faizia joined the Massachusetts Fair Housing Center in August of 2020 after graduating with her bachelor's degrees in Journalism and English from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the Spring of 2020. During her years in college, Faizia gained experience in Legislation while interning at the Massachusetts State House, and through finding her passion in advocating for those who continue to face discrimination. Faizia trains and recruits testers while building and conducting tests to dismantle the discrimination that takes place during the housing process. Faizia plans to further her career in Fair Housing by going to Law School in a couple of years. She speaks both English and Urdu fluently, and reads Arabic and Farsi.

Faizia can be reached at (413) 351-9495 or fsharif@massfairhousing.org.

Adam Caplan-Bricker, Paralegal/Civil Rights Investigator

Adam joined the Massachusetts Fair Housing Center in August 2021. He graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2016 with a bachelor's of science in theoretical mathematics and music, after which he attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst Labor Center for a masters in labor studies. Prior to joining MFHC, Adam has worked as a legislative and economic researcher in the labor movement, for unions including the Massachusetts Building Trades Council and the Maine State Employees Association.

Adam can be reached at (413) 539-9796 ext. 113 or at acaplan-bricker@massfairhousing.org

Savannah Larrier, Civil Rights Specialist

Savannah joined the Massachusetts Fair Housing Center in May 2023. She graduated from Howard University with a bachelor’s degree in Strategic, Legal and Management Communications in 2023. Prior to joining MFHC Savannah interned at a lobbying firm in Washington, D.C and on a congressional re-election campaign. Previously, Savannah worked at Way Finder's and interned for a property management company.

Jean Boutin, Intake Specialist

Jean has a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a master’s in human resource development. In the late ‘60s, Jean taught junior high social studies in the inner city of Bridgeport, CT, where she began to understand the complex needs of a racially diverse, low-income community. Jean then spent 11 years in Chile where she became an LPN through Chile’s National Health Service. In Chile, Jean collaborated with the Human Rights Commission of Chile to organize a network of empowerment support groups for women in shanty towns in Santiago. She was also active in the organized resistance to the military dictatorship of Agusto Pinochet.

More recently, Jean worked for the Department of Children and Families (DCF) in direct service of families living in sub-standard housing in Western Massachusetts. She is fluent in both English and Spanish.

Jean can be reached at 413-539-9796, ext. 101 or jboutin@massfairhousing.org.

Alexandria Snyders Dykeman, Americorps Legal Advocate


Alexandria joined the Massachusetts Fair Housing Center in September 2022 as an Americorps Legal Advocate, after interning with MFHC during the summer of 2021. In June 2022 she graduated from the University of Toronto with an Honors Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science. Previously she has worked at an immigration law firm and as a social events director for a state house campaign. Additionally, she has interned for a pro-choice non-profit and for a city councilor, and has campaigned with a voting rights organization.

Meghan Lauer, AmeriCorps Legal Advocate

Meghan joined the Massachusetts Fair Housing Center in September 2021. Previously, she completed a year of service at Great Oaks Charter School in Bridgeport, CT where she provided youth with academic support and afterschool programming. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Central Connecticut State University; she is a President’s Citation Award recipient and Social Work Department Honors Awardee. While in college, Meghan interned at the National Association of Social Workers and her college’s Office of Diversity. These experiences helped her to find her passion for advocating with clients for their equity and inclusion in education, housing, and beyond. Meghan plans to further her advocacy skills and education by seeking a master’s degree in Social Work and Woman and Gender Studies.

Julio Torres, Bilingual Civil Rights Specialist

Julio joined the Massachusetts Fair Housing Center in November 2021. He graduated with high honors from the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) with a bachelor’s in pre-law. During his years in college, he was the Adult Student Council President. In his position, he fought to obtain funding for single mothers to have child care services and be able to attend evening courses. He was also a member of the Campus Senate and a member of the Law and Regulations Committee of UPR, where he lobbied to keep tuition costs affordable. He is fluent in both English and Spanish.


Krystal Kilhart

Krystal joined the Massachusetts Fair Housing Center in July 2022. They graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with dual Bachelor's degrees in Anthropology and Women, Gender, Sexuality Studies in 2019. Krystal trains and recruits testers while building and conducting tests to dismantle the discrimination that takes place during the housing process. Prior to joining MFHC Krystal worked with LGBTQ older adults and in public libraries.

Krystal can be reached at kkilhart@massfairhousing.org.

Rosa Tobin, Communications Associate

Rosa joined the Massachusetts Fair Housing Center in January 2022. They graduated from Western Washington University with a bachelor's in English literature in 2017. More recently they completed a certificate in Documentary Studies through Duke University’s Center for Documentary Studies, and graduated from Michigan State University with a master's degree in digital rhetoric and professional writing. Prior to joining MFHC Rosa spent over seven years working in higher education.

Claire Trivax, Administrative Assistant

Claire recently joined the Massachusetts Fair Housing Center in May 2023. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Classical Studies from Hope College in 2016. In 2018, she received a Master’s Degree in Classics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is currently in the process of obtaining her MFA in Playwriting from Smith College. Claire has spent the last three years working in the legal field.

Seong Gillespie, Americorps Legal Advocate

Seong joined the Massachusetts Fair Housing Center in September 2023. He graduated from Wagner College with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Civic Engagement in 2023. Prior to joining MFHC, Seong interned at Catholic Charities Refugee Resettlement Program in New York City.

Seong can be reached at seong@massfairhousing.org.