Cheryl Boghosian is an accomplished daughter of Hanover and wears the title of hometown girl with pride. Central to that is her family, her work, and her volunteer efforts in the community.

Raised in Hanover and a graduate of Hanover High School, class of ’77, she attended the Rhode Island School of Design and Syracuse University. After college she worked in Boston for the A.DerMarderosian Design Firm before returning to Hanover in 1983 to collaborate with her parents in the family interior design company, Gilberte Interiors. She thought it would be for only a few years, but instead stayed and raised two children with her husband Neil within the close embrace of her extended family.

Family First

“I can’t think of a better place to live. Family is an important part of my life,” Cheryl says. “It’s my foundation. It’s what I grew up with and what continues to ground me. It’s such a gift that I have been able to work and spend so much time with my family.” She cherishes the fact that her son and daughter have such a close connection to their grandparents and cousins. They are grown now and live in Boston and Seattle, but when they return home for visits “is when I’m happiest,” Cheryl says. “Watching them with their cousins thoughtfully discussing their careers and the world around them brings me immense joy.” She says she loves it when her house is full “because it reminds me that this is what truly matters; life is back in balance.” She adds that it makes raising kids easier when you have the support of family nearby. “You see how much your children get from that and how important family becomes. They’re always looking forward to being together.” 

Family is also the backbone of Gilberte Interiors, founded by her parents in 1967. Working in a family business can be complex, Cheryl acknowledges, but “I’ve had the opportunity to develop our business with my parents, my husband, my brother Aharon, and a dedicated team that feels like family. Partnering with my brother has been a defining and rewarding highlight of my professional journey.” It’s not just work for her. “Design is both my career and my passion. It’s a way of seeing the world that never really turns off. I’m constantly inspired by new ideas and the details that shape how we experience the world around us.”

A Passion for Our Community

Teaming up with friends at the annual Team Tennis to Smash Cancer event.

Growing up in a tight-knit family has also inspired her extensive volunteer work in Hanover. “I’m very community-oriented. When I was growing up you knew everyone down the street, you knew all the business owners, and that’s how you operated. You help and take on anything you can. I was on the board of the Hanover Chamber of Commerce, in the Rotary, co-chaired the capital campaign for the Montshire Museum outdoor park, and have been involved with various other service organizations.” 

Volunteering at the Prouty alongside her son Nathan

She became interested in the Friends of Dartmouth Cancer Center when her then-young son wanted to ride the Prouty, the annual fundraiser for Dartmouth Cancer Center where participants can take part in biking, rowing, walking, or golfing events. She walks the Prouty every year, and about 10 years ago joined the board of the Friends of Dartmouth Cancer Center. She is now co-chair of the board and volunteers and helps plan many of the Friends of Dartmouth Cancer Center events, including the Team Tennis to Smash Cancer yearly fundraiser. The Fourth of July parade is another high-profile event that Cheryl has been involved with for many years. “The Friends and Prouty are in the parade. We put together a float and are part of the fun. I walk in it and get other people to walk in it.”

Sports, Friendships, and Nonprofit Work

In her rare time off, Cheryl likes to row and play tennis. “I have competitively rowed with the master’s program of the Upper Valley Rowing Foundation and now I have my own single-shell that I row on my own. I haven’t competed in about four years. We have a house on the Connecticut River that we use in the summer, and I row whenever I can now. I miss competitive rowing, but tennis has been a great substitute because there’s a court down the street from where I live, so it’s easy to fit it in.” Cheryl belongs to the Storrs Pond Red Team, where she plays during the summer at the Storrs Pond Recreation Area, and in the winter she plays at least once a week at the indoor facilities at Dartmouth College.

Not surprisingly, Cheryl is a proponent of taking advantage of all the cultural and outdoor activities the area has to offer. “You just go do it,” she says. “My attitude about life here is try anything and be part of as much as you can take on because you do find joy in that.

“Because of my parents I have a real sense of being part of a community,” Cheryl says, which she attributes to being raised in a family-centered Armenian culture. “That foundation influences how I shape my life today—through sports, friendships, and nonprofit work. Whether it’s tennis, rowing, book group, or my involvement with organizations, that shared sense of purpose and collaboration is incredibly fulfilling. It gives meaning to why you’re here. It just adds to the fabric of your life.”