About the Team
Learn more about our team – or Choc Stars, as we call them!
Valerie Beck, President, Founder, and Chief Executive Chocolate Lover
Favorite Chocolate: "Yes! We are living during a chocolate renaissance!"
Valerie has been a chocolate maniac her whole life, refusing to drink milk in kindergarten if it wasn't chocolate milk. She graduated from Harvard College and Harvard Law School, with her chocolate fascination a constant presence in her life. For example, whenever she traveled, the first thing she would do was seek out the best chocolate shops and bakeries, whether she was visiting Paris, Venice, New York, or anywhere else. Living in Europe for 5 years, she traveled in her free time to the great chocolate cities and towns. She started bringing friends with her on these "chocolate tours," and when she returned to the States she realized that we have such wonderful chocolate shops and cafes right here that there should be a tour to spotlight them and to connect chocolate lovers with the best chocolate items. There was no chocolate tour, so she started one, and now operates tours in Philadelphia, Boston, and Chicago.
Taryn Collins, Chocolate Route Designer
Favorite Chocolate: Dark Chocolate
Taryn is the new Chocolate Route Designer for Boston Chocolate Walking Tours! When she's not out scouting new routes and trying delicious chocolate, Taryn works for a small start-up travel company where she is an owner services specialist.
Diana DiCostanzo, Tourguide
Favorite Chocolate: Milk chocolate and the Champagne Truffles from Teuscher
Diana is very proud to be a Boston Chocolate Walking Tours tourguide! When she's not leading people around Boston and enjoying chocolate, you can find her involved in various theatrical and musical activities. She is an actress/director/writer and singer/songwriter in the Boston area. Her other passion that rivals that of chocolate is her love of animals, specifically her 6 puppies at home! (Though she never mixes the two). In her spare time she enjoys writing songs, catching up on her DVR, and playing her new pink ukulele...oh and of course, eating chocolate!
Eliza Duggan, Tourguide
Favorite Chocolate: Dark Chocolate
Eliza loves being a Boston Chocolate Walking Tours tour guide because she loves Boston, loves meeting people, and above all, loves chocolate! She has fallen in love with the city as a student at Boston College. She shares her passion for chocolate with her mother, who started a small chocolate company in mid-coast Maine for which she has worked for several years. Eliza loves the opportunity to meet other chocolate lovers from all over, in a city with a rich chocolate history. When not leading chocolate tours she is a student at Boston College and an intern with Our Bodies Ourselves in Boston. In her spare time she loves to sing with her a cappella group and explore the city!
Margie Li, Tourguide
Favorite Chocolate: Dark chocolate
Margie loves Boston! And she thinks the best way to learn a city is walk around and eat chocolate! She grew up near Boston and her favorite childhood memories are of going to Kimball's for some chocolate ice cream. Margie joined the Boston Chocolate Walking Tours team in October of 2010. She is currently a graduate student at Harvard studying Chemistry.
Kourtenaye (Kaye) Monroe, Tourguide
Favorite Chocolate: Dark Chocolate Truffles
Kaye is a west coast translpant to Boston from Las Vegas! She just couldn't stay away because she fell in love with beauty of the architecture, the history and the culture here in Boston. She's also in love with the many gastronomic delights the city has to offer, especially chocolate! Her favorite part about being a Boston Chocolate Walking Tours tourguide is seeing the smiles on everyone's faces as they enjoy their chocolate and then get to walk off the calories! When not leading tours, Kaye sings in a band, volunteers in theater and works as an office assistant.
Vanessa Moyen, Tourguide
Favorite Chocolate: Dark Chocolate with Orange
Vanessa is about to graduate from Emerson College with a BFA in Musical Theatre. She loves entertaining people, telling stories and eating chocolate! She loves being a chocolate tourguide because she gets to share her passion for chocolate with people from all over the world and try new and interesting chocolates! Vanessa is also a working actress.
Jenny Nelson, Photo Manager
Favorite Chocolate: Dark Chocolate
Jenny joined the Boston Chocolate Walking Tours team in July 2010. She is also a tourguide in Chicago! She loves being a Chicago Chocolate Tours Tourguide because she loves to entertain people and finds its even more fun to entertain people when the subject is chocolate! When she is not touring, she is a performing artist and dancer in the Chicago area.
Cindy Nguy, Weekend Manager
Favorite Chocolate: Dark Chocolate Truffles
Cindy is thrilled to be a part of the Boston Chocolate Walking Tours Team because she loves chocolate and she loves meeting people! When not working as our weekend manager, she is a community manager at a consumer insights research company.
Jake Sargent, PR/Marketing Intern
Favorite Chocolate: Champagne Truffles
Jake joined the Boston Chocolate Walking Tours team in December of 2010. He spends most of his time studying. However, when he can find the time he loves to hike, play his guitar, ride his bike, and hang out with his friends.
Some Choc Stars, left to right: Margie Li, Katie Marcincuk, Carol Parker, Alys McAlpine.