Urban College’s Foundation Committee
The Foundation Committee supports Urban College’s fundraising efforts and overall mission. The Committee, comprised of longtime changemakers and business leaders in the Greater Boston community, are entrusted to advise the College on its philanthropic activities and expand its network to meet its goals.
Meet the Inaugural Foundation Committee:
Committee Chair: Tom O’Brien, CEO - The HYM Investment Group
Thomas O’Brien is the Founding Partner and Managing Director of HYM, where he leads major projects like Boston Landing, Bulfinch Crossing, and Suffolk Downs. He has held senior roles at JPI and Tishman Speyer and co-chaired the Massachusetts Business Immigration Coalition. Tom remains active in civic efforts supporting equity and opportunity for Boston’s youth.
Vice Chair: Nivia Piña, Owner - Tres Islas Restaurant Group
Nivia Piña-Medina is a Puerto Rican-born chemist, educator, and entrepreneur. She holds degrees in Industrial Biotechnology, Biochemistry, and Education from the University of Puerto Rico, Brandeis University, and UMass Boston. A former Boston Public Schools teacher, she now co-leads Tres Islas Restaurant Group Corp. A Howard Hughes Scholar and Girl Scout Gold Awardee, Nivia brings passion, leadership, and island pride to Boston’s culinary scene.
Treasurer: Darrell Byers, CEO - Byers & Associates
Darrell Byers is a seasoned nonprofit executive and champion for entrepreneurship, equity and community development. A Boston native, he began his career at WGBH and WBUR, and went on to hold advancement leadership roles at UMass Boston, Harvard Graduate School of Education, and Georgetown University Medical Center.
He later served as Chief Advancement Officer at Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco and is now the CEO of Byers & Associates. Darrell also serves as Vice Chair of the Board for the Partnership for Financial Equity.
Committee Members: Miriam Crispo, Co-Owner - TMG Marketing
Miriam Crispo is the Co-Owner of TMG Marketing, a boutique consultancy known for high-impact strategies and elevated event experiences. She collaborates with entrepreneurs, corporate teams, and mission-driven organizations to deliver campaigns that resonate.
Born in Florida to immigrant parents from Trinidad and Italy and raised in Miami, Miriam’s multicultural roots and competitive spirit shaped her path. A former NCAA swimmer and captain of the Bahamian National Team, she qualified for the 2016 Olympics while at Arizona State University.
Today, she channels that same drive into helping clients grow, connect, and stand out.
Committee Members: Kristin McGurn, Esq. - Partner, Labor & Employment, Seyfarth
Attorney Kristin G. McGurn is a Partner at Seyfarth, where she advises and defends employers in complex labor and employment matters, with a focus on health care, life sciences, and financial services. She is an experienced litigator in wage-and-hour, discrimination, and class action cases.
Kristin co-chairs Seyfarth’s Health Care practice and holds leadership roles in the American Health Lawyers Association and firmwide diversity initiatives. She earned her JD from Northeastern University and her BA from the University of Connecticut, magna cum laude.
Secretary: Peter Ebb, Esq., Retired Partner - Ropes & Gray LLP
Attorney Peter Ebb is a retired partner from the law firm of Ropes & Gray, where he specialized in Labor & Employment litigation and counseling, as well as Education Law and Public Law. He was a practice group leader for 11 years and served as a member and chair of the firm’s Conflict of Interest Committee.
Peter was Chair of the Urban College Board of Trustees from 2012-2024 before assuming his current position as a Trustee. The Ebb family are long-standing major donors to the College.
Committee Members: Dr. Connee Counts
Connee Counts is a Developmental Psychologist and Professor Emerita at Lesley University, where she was a faculty member for 20 years. At Lesley, she directed a large federal grant held by ABCD, Urban College and Lesley to take Early Childhood Educators through a Bachelors’ Degree at Lesley.
She is a member of the Advisory Committee at the Boston Children’s Museum and the Education Committee at the Huntington Theatre. Previously, she was a high school teacher and Learning Disabilities Specialist. She sits on several non-profit boards that support the healthy development of youth and families. She has four grandchildren.
Committee Members: Martin J. Walsh - Former U.S. Secretary of Labor
Secretary Walsh has spent his life fighting for working people, as a labor leader, as a public official and as a private citizen. The son of Irish immigrants, Marty was born and raised in Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood.
Walsh was elected into the MA House of Representatives (1997), Mayor of Boston (2013), U.S. Secretary of Labor (2021), and now serves as the Executive Director of the National Hockey League Players’ Association (2023).
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