Mission & History

Gwynne joined HOW in 2018, committed to updating our story as a rural public health agency addressing the health equity issues of living as a woman, non-binary, or trans person with chronic or serious health conditions on the Cape where she grew up. Gwynne’s passion for HOW’s mission is informed by her own lived experience managing chronic and serious health conditions. A life-long learner and student of organizational development and systems thinking, Gwynne previously served as Executive Director for the Gestalt Institute of International Study where she served as faculty and received her Professional Coach certification. Always an advocate, her career has spanned many avenues, working in education, law, small business and holding public office. She earned a JD from Georgetown University Law Center, an MS in Education from Wheelock College Graduate School, and a BA from Wellesley College. When not at work, Gwynne enjoys writing, beach walks and time with friends.

gwynne@helpingourwomen.org

Julia joined HOW in 2022 as a consultant and appreciates the mission and community of supporters so much that she joined the team as an official staff member in early March 2023. She has been living and working on Cape Cod since 2014, and has spent the last 15 years working in nonprofit fundraising and community engagement supporting non-profits here on Cape Cod and throughout New England, including Calmer Choice and Mass General Hospital. One of her favorite jobs was shellfishing in Barnstable Harbor because she could watch the sunrise and sunset over Sandy Neck Beach but ultimately, she ended up back in nonprofit work because she enjoys supporting organizations that uplift the community. Julia is active in the Cape Cod recovery community and volunteers as the secretary and communications manager for a regional advocacy committee. She finds great purpose in her monthly visits to incarcerated women to spread a message of hope. You can find her every morning walking the beach or in the woods with her dogs, Gus and Gracie. She enjoys her personal mindfulness practice, going to live music shows, getting lost on long runs, gardening, and spending time with her life partner, Leif.

julia@helpingourwomen.org

After years of summer vacations with family in Dennisport, Mary discovered the Outer Cape as an adult and fell in love.  She moved to Wellfleet in 1994, married and raised two girls, now young professionals living in NYC. Mary has previously worked in office management for several years at Fidelity Investments and for the Turner Construction Corporation. Prior to joining HOW in 2018, she has served as office manager at the Gestalt Institute of International Study in Wellfleet for nearly a decade. In her free time, Mary loves the outdoors and traveling, especially to any place with a beach and good food.

mary@helpingourwomen.org

Originally from Easthampton, MA, Cathy moved to the Outer Cape in 1991 on a whim. Captivated by the raw beauty of the ocean and dunes, the sense of community and a certain special guy in Wellfleet, she knew she was here to stay! Cathy enjoys helping people and that has been consistently reflected in her varied work history. Her career has taken her down several paths, including sales manager at Karol Richardson, licensed Realtor with Sweetbriar Realty and a lengthy tenure as a patient coordinator at the Wellfleet Dental Group and most recently for the last 7 years as the office Manager of the Outer Cape Dental Group. When not at work, Cathy enjoys running and hiking the trails of the CCNS, gardening, surfing, traveling or spending time with family and friends. Cathy lives in South Wellfleet with her husband Tom and their dog Maisy and is thrilled to make a home cooked meal when either of their 2 grown kids make their way home.

cathy@helpingourwomen.org

Annette’s volunteer work in our pantry developed into a part-time job and we are fortunate to benefit from her decades of retail experience managing and presenting product in our small food and personal care pantry. Her influence extends to our client services and wellness programming.

annette@helpingourwomen.org

Originally from Colombia, Monica now lives in Eastham where she is an active member of the community. She has two boys enrolled in Eastham Elementary where she is a School Committee member. As HOW’s new Program & Multi-Lingual Services Manager, she will be strengthening our relationship with the Spanish speaking community on the Outer Cape. She will be working on programming and events and will be based at the Ann Maguire Women’s Wellness Center in Eastham.

monica@helpingourwomen.org

Before joining  HOW in 2018, Lisa moved from Cape Hatteras, NC to Provincetown with her husband, daughter and 2 dogs. Lisa was a health educator for 13 years in NC and before that she worked for the American Heart Association in Kailua-Kona, HI. She is a native of Cape Cod and enjoys being back home on the Cape with family, playing tennis and traveling.

lisa@helpingourwomen.org