Our Story
Beyond the Bell Tours is inspired by the stories that go untold in Philadelphia. Our tours are designed to include and share the incredible stories of women, people of color, queer folks, and Indigenous peoples who have made Philadelphia the city that we know and love. The tours have always been and will always be a love letter to the city of Philadelphia. Founded in 2018, Beyond the Bell is now proudly a top-ranking tour company in the Philadelphia area. We hope to meet you soon.
Our People
Rebecca (she/hers)
Co-Founder
Meet Rebecca! She enjoys the outdoors (hiking and biking) as well as the indoors (eating, sleeping, reading, and watching TV). Even though Rebecca was born and raised in the Philadelphia area, she's constantly discovering new things in the city. Rebecca majored in Romance Languages in college and is multilingual. Rebecca wrote her thesis about inclusive tourism and has presented her research internationally. She's passionate about the intersection of tourism and social justice. When Rebecca is not giving tours, she works at a local Middle School teaching Social Studies.
Joey (he/they)
Co-Founder
Meet Joey! Joey grew up on the southern coast of Maine and came to Philadelphia to attend Haverford College. After studying economics and taking one too many design thinking workshops with Rebecca, she convinced him to join the effort to tell more stories about Philadelphia. Seven years later, he is still falling in love with the incredible Philadelphians who have made the city and country a better place. Outside of Beyond the Bell, he works to advance libraries, supports the Quaker community of Philadelphia, and plays tennis.
Shawn (he/him)
Tour Guide
Meet Shawn — a proud New Orleans native now living in Philadelphia. Shawn gives the Badass Women's History Tour. With a background in mission-focused work, Shawn is passionate about uncovering the untold stories of trailblazing women who shaped history, broke barriers, and made their mark — often without the recognition they deserved. His goal is to create a fun, thought-provoking experience highlighting the brave, unstoppable women who helped shape and build the city of Philadelphia as the one we know today. Join him for a tour that’s as bold and inspiring as the women we celebrate!
Danny (He/Him)
Tour Guide
Danny is an educator with over a decade of experience helping people connect with ideas, stories, and the world around them, and has called Philadelphia home for nearly ten years. What they love most about Philly is its honesty. Philadelphia doesn’t hide who it is; its stories, both old and new, are just waiting to be experienced. They’re passionate about helping others see the city this way too, guiding them to notice the details, uncover hidden meanings, and experience those “aha” moments that bring Philadelphia to life. When not touring or teaching third graders to read, Danny enjoys a good wander through their South Philly neighborhood, trying the next new pastry shop, and the vibrant food scene and nightlife of Philly.
Alice (she/her)
Tour Guide
Alice is a true Philly original, with deep roots here and a big belief that no city has more heart. A history teacher for over 20 years, she loves how Philadelphia keeps its past alive everywhere you look. When not teaching or leading tours, she’s helping young people get registered to vote and supporting local civic engagement. She also loves biking through the city, wandering Philly’s wild green spaces, catching live music, and cheering on her beloved teams (Go Birds!). Come explore the city with Alice, and she’ll show you Philly’s soul, one story at a time.
Matthew (he/him)
Tour Guide
Matthew was born and raised in Philadelphia. He has worked in tourism for 5 years. His favorite thing about living in such a vibrant city is the nightlife, live music, and passion. The city of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection is more than just a name. One of the things that makes him an amazing tour guide is his ability to speak and connect with people, his passion for the material, and his sense of humor. Matthew has been an actor, event host, performing artist, and a Philadelphian since he was born. He hopes to see you soon.
Zoe (she/her)
Tour Guide
Zoe grew up in the Philadelphia area, and her Philly roots go back generations. She loves how small the city is and how easy it is to explore different neighborhoods--eating food and enjoying the unique Philly hospitality. She is a macro social worker and has spent her career in mission-driven organizations, advocating for and effecting change in her community. She loves baking, hiking, street festivals, and covering her kitchen table with unfinished puzzles.
Naomi (she/Her)
Tour Guide
Naomi hails from the Philadelphia area and loves to talk about Philadelphia history to just about anyone who can hear her. She studied history and education at university and has worked as an educator in museums, schools, and on tour buses. Outside of history education, her special interests are in music and philosophy. She also spends time volunteering in the Middle East Gallery of the Penn Museum of Archaeology.
Mike (he/him)
Tour Guide
Mike is a proud Philadelphia region native who loves showing visitors what makes Philadelphia so wonderful, including its vibrant nightlife and restaurant scenes! He has worked as an educator for over a decade and loves to bring the stories of history alive. Through impactful storytelling, he hopes to bring the experiences of Philadelphia's unsung heroes to life for those on the tour. When not giving tours, Mike enjoys restaurants, theater, film, and travel.
Ashley (she/her)
Tour Guide for the Our Market Tour
Originally from upstate New York, Ashley came to the Philadelphia area for graduate school six years ago and has not left. By day, she teaches high school history at a Quaker school. Outside the classroom, Ashley loves helping people discover the stories and neighborhoods that make Philadelphia so easy to love. Ashley is particularly interested in the ways that public art and storytelling allow people to connect more deeply with the city. When she's not giving tours, you can find her in the 9th Street Market, enjoying The Woodlands, gardening, cooking, making ceramics or prints, reading, exploring local swimming holes, or bleeding Kelly Green.
Photo Credit Kevin Nguyen/ Our Market Media Team
Melissa (she/her)
Tour Guide for the Our Market Tour
Melissa's childhood at her mother's nail salon, where she witnessed the challenges faced by a Vietnamese small business owner, inspires her dreams today. Melissa works to translate divisions, co-founding her own startup Panbo to support Philly's small local businesses and recently joined Our Market Project to help amplify the city's immigrant voices through storytelling. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, her education has taken her from a job on D.C.'s Capitol Hill to the Galápagos Islands, South Africa, Vietnam, and Argentina—but nothing compares to being home in the great city of Philadelphia. Melissa's current sidequest is to talk to all 39,600 small businesses in the city, especially the ice cream shops on hot days.
Collaborators
Wilfredo (he/they)
Drag Me Philly Collaborator
Wilfredo is a proud queer, Latinx interdisciplinary artist, cultural producer, consultant and leader. He is the Founder and CEO of Communitas Arts & Culture, LLC. His 20-year career includes work with several notable organizations, including Disney Theatrical Productions, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, CultureWorks Greater Philadelphia, and the Philadelphia Latino Arts & Film Festival. He received his M.A. in Producing & Directing Theatre from NYU. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Philadelphia Cultural Fund. He is currently a fellow at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Culture of Health Leadership Institute for Racial Healing. As the Executive Producing Director of the Drag Arts Oral History Project, Wilfredo collaborates with Beyond the Bell Tours for their Drag Me Philly Tour.
Michelle (she/her)
Our Market Tour Collaborator
Michelle Angela Ortiz is an award-winning visual artist, skilled muralist, community arts educator, and filmmaker who uses her art as a vehicle to represent people and communities whose histories are often lost or co-opted. Through community arts practices, painting, documentaries, and public art installations, she creates a safe space for dialogue around some of the most profound issues communities and individuals may face. Her work tells stories using richly crafted and emotive imagery to claim and transform spaces into a visual affirmation that reveals the strength and spirit of the community. Michelle is the creator of the Our Market Project and has commissioned the Our Market Tour from Beyond the Bell Tours.
Erike (she/her)
Our Market Tour Collaborator
Erike De Veyra is a designer, project manager, and founder of Design Gym, demystifying design to designers of all ages and levels through tools, activities, workshops, experiences, and providing expertise to increase access and representation in the design industry. Erike uses her twenty years of training and experience in architecture to design and develop initiatives, public programs, and experiences for clients and the design curious. Erike is currently the Our Market Project Program manager. She is collaborating with Beyond the Bell Tours for the Our Market Tour.
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