Ever since Carol Sullivan became the leader of the Mary-Ellen McCormack tenant taskforce, she has kept a cone in the door to her office. Her door is always open and her fellow residents know they are always welcome to come in, ask questions or give input.

Carol has been a leader in the Mary-Ellen McCormack community for more than a decade. Sullivan worked in the private for much of her life, but after she was laid off in the early 2000’s, she started noticing things in her community that needed improvement. She decided at that point that it was time to get involved.

She joined the Task Force in 2004. When the Executive Director was reinstated at a community meeting in 2011, Carol was elected that same night.

“I am very passionate about what I do here. I like making sure the tenants always come first” says Sullivan, “I love to get input from the residents and ideas about what we can work on next”

Carol spends her days working diligently with the other members, and emphasizes the importance of having a strong and active Task Force that works together as a team. Currently, the Taskforce has teamed up with eight community partners, including Boston Police, Renewal Church of Boston, South Boston Neighborhood House, and Smart from the Start, to bring different activities and events to the Mary-Ellen McCormack residents. Carol and the Task Force have hosted an array of events such as Halloween and Valentines parties, health fairs, bingo nights, and parenting and toddler groups.

Along with bringing excitement and engagement to the community, Carol has been a strong advocate and tenant voice in discussions with WinnCompanies, the developer partner working with BHA to upgrade and redevelop the Mary-Ellen McCormack community. Since the announcement of redevelopment, Winn has held office hours in the Task Force office for residents to pop in and ask questions or share concerns. Carol believes this was the best option because it is a convenient spot for residents to pass by whenever they need. It is extremely important to her that the tenants stay updated on the process of the redevelopment and are able to ask questions when needed.

After she joined the task force, Carol noticed that the office where the Task Force office needed an update and felt that the group needed a better space to focus on the community. Over the last three years, Carol and her team have been working to re-do the taskforce office; bringing in new furniture, painting, and organization on the inside and outside of the building.

Carol loves bringing her community together and building a strong community. She plans to continue working with the rest of the task force to make the Mary-Ellen McCormack a better place for residents.