Our Team
Clinical Team

Judy Jones
DNP, FNP-BC
Accepting New Patients

Marcia Denine
WHNP
Not Accepting New Patients

Karen Gauvin
FNP
Accepting New Patients

Jenna DelSapio
PPCNP-BC
Accepting New Patients Ages 3-19

Susan McSweeney
FNP
Not Accepting New Patients

James Aram
MD
Accepting New Patients
Dr. Aram is originally from upstate New York where he took care of generations of families in a traditional private practice setting. He is a graduate of St. Lawrence University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and the University of Texas at San Antonio where he received his M.D. degree. He did his internship and residency at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Health Center in Syracuse New York prior to establishing his practice. He is board certified in Family Medicine and Geriatrics. His practice was recognized for utilizing consumer-oriented health programs like the Patient Centered Medical Home, CMS sponsored CPC+, along with Enhanced Primary Care to improve performance metrics and outcomes using health information technology and data analytics. He is married with two sons.

Judy Merion
MD, Psychiatrist

Thomas Coye
RN, Clinical Supervisor

Karen Dumont
RN, Patient Care Manager
Karen brings 49 years of nursing experience to the team at IHC. She graduated from Northern Essex Community College in 1972. She moved to the Island in 1980 with family and managed Misty Meadows horse farm while still working as a nurse. Her love of horses continues to this day with her own horse. Karen worked as an emergency room nurse and she was certified in that field. For many years she worked as a nursing supervisor at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Her other expertise is in management and she was a supervisor at a rehab center in Weymouth. Karen left the island for seven years to work at Boston City Hospital before returning to the Island the raise her daughter. Although she tried retirement, Karen has returned to nursing to continue contributing the community.

Gretchen Mayher
RN, Patient Care Manager

Lori Perry
RN, Patient Care Manager

Taynara Goncalves
Medical Assistant

Karlyn Hill
Medical Assistant

Riley Jackson
Medical Assistant
Riley was born on Martha’s Vineyard and after a brief period of living off the island she returned permanently in 2013. She previously worked as a pharmacy clerk for many years before becoming a medical assistant at Island Health Care. In her free time she enjoys photography and spending time in nature.

Kimberly Marques
Medical Assistant
Kimberly comes to Island Health Care from the Health Assisting program at MVRHS and has completed the Massachusetts Nursing Assisting course, which includes 75 hours of classroom instruction and 21 hours of clinical. Kimberly is fluent in Brazilian Portuguese and plans to further her education to become an RN.
Public Health Team

Lila Fischer
RN, Public Health Nurse

Alexis Babaian
Population Health Specialist
Alexis has been visiting the Island since her childhood and holds fond memories of gathering with cousins on South Beach. Originally from Worcester, MA, Alexis blends her early lived experiences connecting immigrant communities and minority populations with food access and affordable housing with her academic training in equitable global food systems and nutrition policy. Alexis holds a dual Bachelor’s of Arts and Science in International Affairs and Economics from Northeastern University and a Master’s of Science in Applied Nutrition and Food Policy from the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition. She is also a member of the Food is Medicine MA Research Task Force and has collaborated on advocacy and research efforts with the Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation at Harvard Law School. On Island, Alexis has worked on food access and nutrition education programming with the Island Grown Initiative and now focuses her efforts on public health resilience and efficiency as a Population Health Specialist with the Inter-Island Public Health Collaborative.

Haley Dolan
Public Health Equity Specialist
Haley grew up outside of Boston and spent her summers on the Island. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 2019 where she studied Biology and Spanish. During her time as an undergraduate, she worked in medical research labs, different healthcare settings, and as an elementary school Spanish teacher. This is where she developed a passion for community health, teaching, and helping others. After finishing school, her love of adventure took her to Madagascar where she worked as an English teacher for the Peace Corps. She is excited and grateful to have the opportunity to serve the Island community!

Jeanne Shumrak
Food Equity Registered Dietician
Jeanne is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian, boasting a wealth of clinical experience in acute care and rehabilitation environments. Beyond her clinical work, Jeanne has leveraged her expertise as a consultant, leading educational classes on a wide array of nutrition-related subjects. These include weight management, diabetes, cardiac disease, renal disease, health education, food equity management, among others. Throughout her career, Jeanne has worked extensively with ALS patients, ventilator-dependent patients, and a variety of medically compromised patients requiring feeding tubes, total parenteral nutrition, and end-of-life care. Jeanne holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from Drexel University, complemented by a Master of Science Degree in Education from Simmons University. Jeanne and her husband Peter have been proud homeowners in Martha’s Vineyard for over 30 years. The couple is blessed with two children, two grandchildren, and a rescued Labrador, Sunshine.

Taylor Jackson
Health Equity Community Health Worker
Taylor was born and raised on the island. She is currently a Junior at Bucknell University. Taylor is studying Psychology and plans to graduate with a minor in Legal Studies and Sociology. In the summer prior to her junior year of high school, she was a student volunteer at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital in the pediatrics department under Dr. Melanie Miller’s supervision. This hands on experience inspired her to further develop her interest in medicine and hone in on a future career in the field. During her free time, she enjoys painting, running, and cooking! Through her internship at Island Health Care, she has gained a better understanding of health care operations, public health, and the social determinants of health. She is so thankful to be starting a position as a Health Equity CHW and to have the opportunity to work among her lifelong community and learn how to creatively increase equitable health care for under supported island residents.

Grace Ruksznis
Health Equity Community Health Worker
Grace Ruksznis is a senior at Denison University. She is from Connecticut and has been coming to Martha’s Vineyard all of her life. At Denison, she is studying for a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Biology with the hope of going to nursing school after graduation. She is also a member of the sailing club and in her free time enjoys running, yoga, reading, and cooking. She is excited to be a Health Equity CHW at Island Health Care.
Patient Access Team

Julia Santos
Medical Interpreter

Lynn Weber
Medical Interpreter
Allison Luduvino De Oliveira
Medical Interpreter

Rebecca Flanders-Clements
Patient Access Manager
Leo Leoncio
Patient Access Representative
Abigail Willoughby
Patient Access Representative

Mary-Beth Pate
Lead Referral Coordinator

Lindsey Mercier
Referral Coordinator
Lindsey joined IHC in September 2022. She was born and raised on Martha’s Vineyard and has two daughters. She previously worked as an Administrative Assistant at the Edgartown Water Department. Lindsey works remotely from Maine, where she recently moved with her husband.

Priya Esposito
Electronic Health Records Data Manager

Tracy Figueroa
Medical Records Clerk

Brian Morris
Mental Health / Substance Use Disorder Access Coordinator
A transplanted New Yorker, Brian is first and foremost an active and grateful member of the Martha’s Vineyard recovery community. He is also a recent recipient of a Masters in Rehabilitation Counseling from UMass Boston’s School of Global Inclusion & Social Development; previously, Brian earned his BA in Sociology from Princeton University. Before coming to Island Health Care, he was Supervisor of the Recovery Coach program at Martha’s Vineyard Community Services. Here at IHC, he advocates for those disenfranchised Island populations with substance use disorders and/or mental health issues. Brian is also a Certified Peer Recovery Coach, a Community Health Worker and was awarded a Martha’s Vineyard Vision Fellowship in both 2016 and 2019. At present, he is working on his doctoral degree at USC’s Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work.

Ana Amaro
Community Health Worker
Ana Amaro was born in Vitoria, Brazil and she moved to the island when she was 13. Ana completed the Massachusetts Nursing Assisting Course, which consists of 75 hours in the classroom and 21 hours of clinical practice. Ana is bilingual in English and Portuguese and she’s excited to help her Island community. In the future she plans to pursue a medical degree.

Benita Griffin-Dobel
Community Health Worker / Peer Recovery Coach

Georgianna Johnson
Community Health Worker / RN
A native of New York City, Georgianna is passionate about cultivating and promoting community health initiatives, and is excited to bring her skills and talents—including a recent nursing school degree—to IHC’s mission of delivering high-quality care and positive health outcomes by way of a strong and symbiotic relationship with the Island community.

Allison Searle
Revenue Cycle / Human Resources Manager
Alicia Searle
Revenue Cycle / Human Resources Coordinator

Declan McBride
Facilities Manager
Declan McBride returned to the United States from Surrey, England to study Sociology at Wittenberg University, where his senior thesis focused on institutional racism surrounding Ohio Election Law. After college, Declan moved to Martha’s Vineyard where he partnered with his grandfather, Sheldon Hackney and Patricia Sullivan, both southern historians, to research and write the autobiography of C. Vann Woodward. Soon thereafter, Declan joined with Barney Zeitz, a local artist specializing in stainless steel sculptures and stained glass windows. While the duties varied, it mainly consisted of restoring crumbling church windows to their original beauty. Declan also served two years for Americorps in Birmingham, Alabama. During his service, he provided free tax preparation for low and middle income families and individuals and was a Debate Coach for the Speakfirst Debate team, a group of elite students from Birmingham city schools, which competed across the Southern states.
Management Team

Cynthia Mitchell
CEO

James Wolff
MD, Chief Medical Officer

Deborah Noble
RN, MSN, Chief Clinical Officer
Deborah is a Registered Nurse with over 30 years of healthcare experience. A 1985 graduate of Bristol Community College, Deborah has furthered her education throughout her career, earning a BSN from Chamberlain University and an MSN in Community Health Nursing from Liberty University. She began her career as an ER nurse and is also experienced in post-acute care, including short term rehabilitation, long term care, and home health care. Most recently she was a member of the leadership team at Southcoast Health, holding positions in quality and safety and clinical management for Southcoast Physicians Group. In 2021 Deborah was honored by Southcoast with the Eagle Leadership award as “Leader of the Year” in recognition of her management of the Central Clinical Support Team in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Deborah has recently relocated to Edgartown, fulfilling a lifelong dream of living and working on the beautiful island of Martha’s Vineyard where she has spent many years visiting family and friends. She loves spending time with her family, especially her three daughters and four grandchildren, and also enjoys reading, nature hikes, music, and travel. Deborah is grateful for the opportunity to be part of the team at IHC serving the healthcare needs of the island community.

Gayle Poggi
RN, Chief Quality Officer

Kathleen Samways
DPT, PT, Chief Public Health Officer

Joan Menard
Chief Data & Information Officer

Shimmy Mehta
Chief Financial Officer

Lucy Hackney-Burns
Chief Operating Officer
TestMV COVID-19 Test Site Team
Donna McElroy
Lead Clinical Observer
Donna’s father was in the army so she frequently moved throughout the United States while she was growing up. This sparked a passion for traveling and exploring, which led her to join the Peace Corps in 1976. Donna spent the next two years in Brazil with the Peace Corps before working at a Project HOPE land base in northeastern Brazil. After returning to the U.S., she worked as an RN both in Oncology and with Hospice. In 2007, she again worked with Project HOPE in the Marshall Islands, which rekindled her love of traveling. Upon returning to the states, she became a Travel Nurse, which is how she first came to Martha’s Vineyard. After leaving Martha’s Vineyard in 2016, she realized that the Island’s beauty and charm were as much in the hearts of the Islanders as in the forests and on the beaches. Being terribly homesick for Martha’s Vineyard, she was finally able to return in 2019, and one year later was hired by IHC to work at the COVID-19 test site. Donna has never enjoyed any job as much as this one and is grateful to work with such a positive and supportive team. Donna is especially grateful to work under the leadership of Owen Burns, who’s work ethic, positive attitude, and genuine care for the Test Site team and entire Island community create a team culture that she is thankful to be a part of.