Samantha Bell Finds Roots in the North End

North End Patch’s feature, "Meet Your Neighbors," is just that -- discovering more about fellow residents or people who work in the neighborhood and make this community a nice place to live.

Who?

Samantha Bell of Salem Street

What?

Communications executive, volunteer soccer coach with NEAA

Her story:

Sam Bell has loved the North End for as long as she can remember so it was the obvious choice for her to live here after starting her first professional job.

She was born and raised in Melrose but grew up visiting this part of the city often with her one of her best friends, Christina, whose father, Jerry Maffeo, owns Martini’s on Hanover Street.

“We were always spending time here when we were younger for feasts,” Sam said. “I also worked each summer when I was in college as a waitress for Joe’s American Bar and Grille on the Waterfront so I've always known the area very well.”

An account executive for O’Neill and Associates in Boston, Sam moved into her own apartment on Salem Street a little over a year ago.

And she has already become a part of the neighborhood.

Putting down roots in the North End

Next Saturday, Sam will begin coaching youth soccer through the North End Athletic Association.

She’s looking forward to meeting the young athletes and sharing her love of the game that she learned when she played as a forward in high school and on an intramural team while attending the University of New Hampshire.

Now 24 years old, Sam said she’s also discovered the joy of shopping in the North End.

“I love the boutiques here,” she said. “You see things you can’t find anywhere else.”

She and her roommate make the rounds of all the restaurants and cafes.

“We try to go to a different one every time we go out,” Sam said.

She has her favorites, though, which include The Daily Catch on Hanover Street, Trattoria Il Panino on Parmenton Street and Neptune Oysters on Salem Street.

“I’ve never had a bad meal in the North End,” Sam said.

Finding the right career

But life isn’t all about shopping and dining out. Sam realizes how lucky she is to have a job that is meaningful and enjoyable to perform.

Recently, she was promoted from account coordinator to an account executive at O'Neill and Associates and is thrilled to be embracing new responsibilities.

Sam was always interested in communications and chose it as her major in college.

“I wanted to learn all aspects of the field and found that I really enjoyed public relations because it encompasses so many aspects of connecting with people and organizations,” she said.

What she most loves about her job is meeting new people, building relationships with them and writing.

Sam explained that O’Neill and Associates works with a lot of non-profit organizations and she particularly enjoys seeing various groups feel pride in their accomplishments.

And her company encourages community involvement that is also an aspect of her work that provides Sam with a sense of joy.

“We all figure out what we’re interested in and bring it back to O’Neill and Associates,” Sam said.

Her particular outreach is as a tutor once a week and a member of the Leadership Advisory Council for Cristo Rey Boston High School in Dorchester.

“It’s wonderful school for low-income kids that brings together academics with a corporate work-study program,” Sam said. “Four students from the school work at O’Neill in exchange for their tuition.”

In her free time, Sam gets together with friends and sees her family for dinner almost each week in Melrose.

In addition, she loves social media.

“I always want to know what’s going on and enjoy finding out about it in real time,” she said.

About this column: "Meet Your Neighbors" is a feature profile of a resident or person working in the North End. If you know of anyone who readers should learn about, get in touch by emailing Susan.danseyar@patch.com