Mission & History

In 1993, a small group of volunteers helped a local woman undergoing breast cancer treatment and realized that living with a serious health condition in the geographically remote towns of the Outer Cape was not easy to do alone. Inspired by the AIDS Support Group and their friend Ann Maguire’s advocacy at the national and state level for breast cancer research funding – the group formed Helping Our Women.

The core values of compassion, assistance and support that brought together the first group of volunteers remain the foundation on which the staff and leadership at Helping Our Women carries out our mission to educate, empower and support women living with chronic or serious health conditions in the towns of Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro and Provincetown.

Today, HOW is the trusted resource center for women living with chronic or serious health conditions in the rural towns of the Outer Cape. With offices in Provincetown and the newly opened Ann Maguire Women’s Wellness Center in Eastham, we are expanding our social connection and wellness programs to all women in response to the loneliness epidemic and the ongoing health disparities all women face when accessing healthcare.

Our core programs for registered members with a documented health condition continue and include: transportation to medical and wellness appointments; financial assistance to low-income women to offset the economic burden of living with a chronic health condition; personalized support accessing benefits and other resources, as well as medical advocacy as requested; food access programs, including a small food pantry in Provincetown and a personal care products pantry in both centers. 

We serve anyone who identifies as a woman, non-binary, or trans and we have an open door policy to provide information, resources, and referrals to all community members.

Our vision is a future where HOW promotes the health and wellness of all women living on the Outer Cape. To achieve this vision, we expanded our services to include two Women’s Wellness Centers that will bookend our service area from Eastham to Provincetown. Both centers offer connection, compassion, community, and resources to build resilience and help restore and maintain a road to optimal health for the women we serve as registered members and for all women joining our social connection and wellness programs.

Join the Helping Our Women community as an Annual Business Sponsor: learn more about 2024 Sponsorship Opportunities.

Meet Helping Our Women

Meet Our Team

Gwynne Guzzeau

Executive Director

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 Bateman

Development & Communications Manager

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

Mary Berry

Office Manager

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

Cathy McDonough

Client Services Manager

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 Medina

Food Pantry Manager

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

Monica Montoya-Quintero

Program & Multi-Lingual Services Manager

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

Lisa Philips

Volunteer Coordinator

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

Pam Mahoney

Volunteer Resource Developer / AmeriCorps VISTA 2024-2025

Pam joined HOW in June 2024 after learning about our organization at a local job fair. We are excited to recruit a local professional into the Volunteer Resource Developer / AmeriCorps VISTA role because it eases the challenge of finding housing. More importantly, we are looking forward to benefitting from Pam’s diverse experience as we broaden our volunteer offerings with the opening of the Ann Maguire Women’s Wellness Center in Eastham.

Maddie Kahle

Food Project Coordinator / AmeriCorps VISTA 2024-2025

As our Community Food Project Coordinator VISTA, Maddie will be facilitating HOW’s Mobile Food Pantry Program, SKIP Lunch Deliveries, pantry drives, and more! During her time at HOW, she will work to build our capacity with a focus on increasing food access by expanding collaborations with partner agencies where the primary mission is food access. Maddie is originally from Annapolis, MD, has a BA in Ecosystem Science & Policy and Economics, and is incredibly passionate about sustainable food systems.

Victor Kamil

Volunteer Resource Developer / AmeriCorps VISTA 2022-2023

Volunteer Resource Developer / AmeriCorps VISTA (2022-2023).  Victor brought his attention to detail and can-do attitude to coordinating volunteers, organizing events, and meeting HOW community members. He helped launch our on-line volunteer platform and expand our capacity for volunteer outreach and engagement by creating in-depth monthly newsletters.

Elise Huang

Food Project Coordinator / AmeriCorps VISTA 2021-2022

Community Food Program Coordinator / AmeriCorps VISTA (2021-2022). Elise relocated from Columbus, Ohio to Cape Cod as part of a pandemic-inspired career pivot. HOW’s nutrition and food programs benefitted immensely from her skills and passion for food, holistic health, and wellness.

Alex Nelson

Volunteer Resource Developer / AmeriCorps VISTA 2021

Alex served for 6 months as our AmeriCorps VISTA Volunteer Resource Developer (2021) and worked as Development & Communications Coordinator before moving onto a full-time position with our community partner Outer Cape Community Solutions.

Katie Brandon

Food Project Coordinator / AmeriCorps VISTA 2020-2021

Community Food Program Coordinator / AmeriCorps VISTA (2020-2021). As the first Food Program Coordinator for HOW, Katie pursued new sources of food donations and identified resources to share with our clients. A 2018 graduate of Boston University (B.S.), she used her AmeriCorps tuition award to pursue a Master’s in Public Health at University of Nevada in Reno.

Chloe Heidepriem

Volunteer Resource Developer / AmeriCorps VISTA 2019-2020

Volunteer Resource Developer / AmeriCorps VISTA (2019-2020). Chloe grew up on Cape Cod in Orleans and graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst Honors College in the spring of 2018. She built capacity in our volunteer program and with Katie Brandon, created the “HOWIES” annual award show recognizing our volunteers (Helping Our Women’s Inspiring and Exceptional Supporters) which continues to evolve as each new VISTA builds on the original vision. Chloe used her education award to pay off some student loans and she used the one-year federal hiring preference to help land a job with AmeriCorps.

Rachel St. Germain

Volunteer Resource Developer / AmeriCorps VISTA 2018-2019

Volunteer Resource Developer / AmeriCorps VISTA (2018-2019). Rachel’s year of service as HOW’s first AmeriCorps VISTA was the beginning of a successful partnership with AmeriCorps. Her graphic design skills were a critical contribution to HOW during her year of service, as was her steady manner navigating an organizational shift in staffing at the end of 2018 due to retirements or moves out-of-state. She used her education award to pay off some student loans and she continues to support HOW as a donor and volunteer when her schedule allows.

Jayne Carvelli-Sheehan, MSN, R.N.C.S., Chair

Sr. VP, Beth Israel Lahey Health
Boston and Provincetown, MA

As Chair of the Board, Jayne’s insights from the healthcare industry are guiding HOW to a new level of engagement and vision for women’s wellness and well-being.  Jayne lives in the Boston metro area and in Provincetown when she can make it down for a long weekend or for remote work. 

Marianne Thomas, Vice Chair

Executive Search Consultant, retired
Wellfleet, MA

Vice Chair of the Board, Marianne was recognized as the 2020 HOW Volunteer of the Year for her exceptional dedication to direct services for the women we serve. She has done everything from provide rides on, accompany women to healthcare appointments, and even served as a pall-bearer at one of our members funerals during the first months of the pandemic. Her insights into the everyday lives of the women we serve rounds out our strategic thinking and planning. 

Julie Britt, Clerk

Executive Director, retired
Boston and North Truro, MA

Julie offers knowledge and vision from a career in Higher Education Administration as HOW prepares to open new offices in Eastham. As well, Julie brings extensive board experience having served on multiple boards. Julie lives in the Boston metro area and North Truro.

Mia Cliggott-Perlt, Treasurer

Operations Manager, Chip Capelli Accounting
Provincetown, MA

Mia serves on the Provincetown Planning Board, and other local committees. She interned at HOW in 2019 as part of her graduate school program. Mia’s connections to the local community and a younger generation of professionals represent the kind of engagement across generations that will keep HOW sustainable and moving forward. 

Pam Drolsbaugh

Retired Nurse
Eastham, MA

Pam volunteers on a regular basis – providing rides to our client members. Her insights into the needs of clients, informed by her years as a nurse have helped drive our focus on developing a new Peer Wellness Coaching program for which we’ve just received funding to begin planning. 

Jenna Howe

Birth Doula & Lactation Consultant
Truro, MA

Jenna recently became a full-time Truro resident and a first-time mother who understands from  personal and professional experience just how important community and support is for a young family. She will be working to expand HOW’s programming and outreach to mothers and anyone living with children on the Outer Cape, along with strengthening our partnerships with organizations that are already engaged in this important work. 

Susan Kurtzman

Jobi Pottery, Owner
Truro, MA

Former Director of the Truro Historical Society, Susan brings insights from her non-profit work, as well as  her prior careers as a creative director for McCann, a leading NYC creative agency, and as an educator. Susan’s broad range of skills and insights will help guide our outreach and growth. 

Madeleine Larson

Registrar and Collections Manager, Provincetown Art Association & Museum
Chatham, MA

Madeleine’s connections to the local community and a younger generation of professionals represent the kind of engagement across generations that will keep HOW sustainable and moving forward.  Also she has worked at the Town of Provincetown’s early childhood care program, so she brings to the Board an immediate familiarity about the needs of young families working and living on the Outer Cape.

Lourdes Rodriguez-Nogues

Psychologist, retired
Provincetown, MA

Lourdes brings decades of experience supporting the emotional well-being and mental health of Boston area LGBTQ professionals, in particular. She serves on the Board of Dignity USA and we are fortunate to have her depth of knowledge about emotional and mental health, especially now, as we continue to navigate the challenges of adjusting to the pandemic – as a staff, as an organization, and as a Board. 

Joachim Sandbichler

Patio American Grill & Pepe’s Wharf, Owner
Provincetown, MA & Miami, FL

Joachim is a long-standing supporter of HOW whose annual fundraising efforts have contributed significantly to HOW’s growth. A part-time resident of Provincetown and Miami, he’s looking forward to using his business skills to help HOW move forward for continued success in the next 30 years.  

Berta Walker

Provincetown, MA

Donald & Barbara Edwards

Provincetown, MA

Betty Villari

(1942-2017)

Barbara Knapp

Former Vice President and Mortgage Loan Officer at Cape Cod Five (d. 2024)

Wellfleet, MA

Lori Meads

President and CEO at Seamen’s Bank
Provincetown, MA

Deborah Shell, LICSW

Psychotherapist
Wellfleet, MA

Nancy De Luca

Professor Emeritus, University of Massachusetts-Lowell
Provincetown, MA

Marianne Clements

Human Resources Professional, retired
Provincetown, MA

Ann Maguire

Real Estate Developer, Political Strategist, Community Organizer (d. 2023)
Marblehead, MA

Need Help?

If you or someone you love could benefit from the services offered by HOW, please contact us to learn more about what HOW can do for you.

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