Contributors

Michael Allen and his wife, Cait, joined the Queen Village community in March 2019. Michael is chief operating officer of Wills Eye Hospital, and Cait is the director of engagement at the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority and the current QVNA president.

Austin Bening thinks Queen Village is pretty cool. He makes videos and writes things for a living. He smells nice sometimes.

Jamie Bischoff is an editor and retired copyright and trademark lawyer, who has lived in Queen Village for the past 37 years.

A Row House blogger, Suzanne Dreitlein has been a Queen Village resident since 2007. She enjoys living in a 19th-century row cottage, wearing 18thcentury clothing, and writing about the great things going on in QV!

Shannon Maldonado is the founder and creative director of the home and lifestyle shop YOWIE. As an entrepreneur and board member of both the Fleisher Art Memorial and the South Street Headhouse District, Shannon seeks to create an intersection between creativity, community, emerging artists, and makers. YOWIE is located at 716 S. 4th Street. Their upcoming flagship will open at 226 South Street later this year.

Friends of Jefferson Square Park volunteer Nicole Michaud has been volunteering with the group since 2016. She conducts volunteer winter pruning throughout the park as well as identifying and removing spotted lanternfly eggs an endless labor of love.

A certified tour guide, Jim Murphy is the author of Real Philly History, Real Fast, published by Temple University Press. His free history blog is available at realphillyhistory.com.

Donna Pancari has been a neighbor to Weccacoe Playground since 2005. She and her husband, Kevin Parker, have volunteered with the Friends of Weccacoe for 15 years and also volunteer their time to manage the signups for the tennis court. In 2021, Donna and Kevin took over as co-chairs of the FOW and today organize regular cleanups of the grounds and support tennis activities.

Hilary Young is a Queen Village mom and owner of Hilary Young Creative, a brand strategy and marketing consultancy.

Maureen Brady Weir is a resident of Queen Village and a member of The Friends of Moyamensing Point. A communications director by trade, she is currently working towards her certification as a Pennsylvania Master Naturalist. Contact Maureen directly at mbradyweir@gmail.com. For more information on the PA Master Naturalist program visit pamasternaturalist.org.

Formally trained in cultural anthropology and clinical social work, Margie Weiner now focuses on researching and writing historically oriented features for neighborhood publications like News of Academy House and Center City Quarterly. A former Queen Village resident of Little Monroe Street, she found researching the Neziner building was the culmination of a long-time fascination with the building.

Karen Winey moved into Philadelphia in 1992 and joined Old Pine Church in 2016. There, along with members and small-business owners Robin Goldfedder and Wolf Arendt, they began looking for ways to connect with the community, particularly during these exciting renovations designed to preserve the building and improve access. ■