WHO WE ARE
Leadership
CHNA 27's activities are governed by a volunteer steering committee.
Our steering committee is elected by the general membership as positions become available. Elections are held every year in June. The bylaws determine the terms of each position on the steering committee.
Learn more about our steering committee members below.
Mary Jo French, LICSW
Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Outpatient Care Coordinator
Mary Jo has been in this position for 3 years as of July 2018. She received her Masters of Science degree in Social Work from Salem State University and an undergraduate degree from Emmanuel College in Boston, in Psychology Rehabilitation Counseling. She is a Class of 2016 alumnae of the Community Leadership Institute, Cape Cod. This leadership team introduces participants to the topics and leaders affecting the Cape’s future in business, healthcare, government, social services, arts and other areas. Since joining Spaulding, Mary Jo has initiated two post-concussion support groups with the Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts. Her employment history includes working for Family Services of Greater Boston, Joslin Diabetes Clinic, St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in the Dialysis Unit, Hospice Services of Massachusetts and Visiting Nurse Association of Cape Cod.
Mary Jo lives in Sandwich with her husband David, two daughters Madeline and Erin and a little dog named Max. Mary Jo has been an active volunteer with the Sandwich Public Schools PTSA, Sandwich Women’s Club as well as for multiple fundraisers in Massachusetts for various causes. She grew up in Newton Center, MA and has lived in San Diego, CA, Boston, Somerville, Salem, MA.
Beverly Costa-Ciavola
Cape Cod Neighborhood Support Coalition, Director
Since 2009, Beverly Costa-Ciavola has been the Director at Cape Cod Neighborhood Support Coalition, whose mission it is to prevent child abuse and neglect by supporting families with information, education and resources. For over 2 decades she has worked in the field of prevention and education, formerly as the Director of Outreach, Education and Prevention at Independence House, doing work around the issues of domestic and sexual violence.
Most recently, Beverly has been heavily involved in child sexual abuse prevention and suicide prevention, having been trained in many prevention models that address the stigma surrounding the issues and how prevention and intervention reduce the occurrence of these issues. She is a founding member of the Cape & Islands Suicide Prevention Coalition and the Enough Abuse Cape Cod Child Sexual Assault Campaign. She also works diligently to provide support and access to services for grandparents raising grandchildren, and fathers who want to provide active parenting to their children.
She began her college career in 1992 at Cape Cod Community College as a divorced single parent living in a domestic violence transitional housing program with her 5 year old son, graduated with High Honors and as a member of Phi Theta Cappa in 1994, and then graduated Cum Laude in 1997 from Tufts University with a degree in Social Psychology.
Laura Smith
Oakdale Farms/Lane Gardens & UMass Dartmouth, Farmer and STEM Educator
Laura is a fifth-generation farmer and owner of Oakdale Farms and Lane Gardens in Dighton, Rehoboth, and Seekonk. The farms perform safe and environmentally friendly practices producing vegetables, fruits, herbs, chicken eggs, as well as value-added products for the local community through venues such as home delivery, farmers’ markets, CSA Farm Shares, grocery stores, wholesalers, and the farm’s own Country Barn & Garden Shop located in Rehoboth. Besides farming, Laura is an education consultant and adjunct professor at the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth in the STEM Education and Teacher Development Department.
Laura is passionate about growing produce naturally to help maintain the healthy soils in the farmland as well as educating adults and children about agriculture and the importance of eating well and a healthy lifestyle. Laura participates as a board member to SEMAP (South Eastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership) and MSELA (Massachusetts Science Education Leadership Association), as well as the MA Food System Collaborative HIP Campaign Coalition.
Patrick Logan
Beacon Public Safety, Security Consultant
Patrick Logan has worked in the Public Sector for many years in various positions including as a social worker for the MA Department of Children & Families and at Cape Cod Community College where he served as an important member of the Crisis and Life Management (CALM) team. Patrick is also the principal consultant for his small business, Beacon Public Safety.
Patrick earned his Master’s degree at Southern New Hampshire University and his undergraduate degree at Westfield State College. He is also a decorated veteran of the United States Army and volunteers his free time with the US Coast Guard Auxiliary and the Boy Scouts of America.
Ann Burke
Ann has worked as Fenway Health’s Violence Recovery Program’s Cape Cod advocate and counselor for over 6 years. Ann is RN and has her Master’s degree in counseling psychology. Ann facilitates the Transgender Social Support and is on multiple committees representing the LGBTQIA+ community. Ann started the non-profit Cape & Islands Trans Resource Fund in April of 2021. This fund provides needed financial resources for the Trans community of the Cape & Islands.
The VRP provides counseling, advocacy & groups for survivors of Domestic
Violence/Intimate Partner Violence, Sexual Assault, Hate Crimes, Police Misconduct
and Asylum Seekers (who have been victims of anti- LGBTQIA+ violence in their home countries) We also provided trainings. The VRP is grant funded so all services are free.
Members + Community Partners
CHNA 27 is open to anyone interested in working with others to improve the health and well-being of local residents and communities.
Individuals from the community can join our membership and participate in our monthly general meetings.
Currently, CHNA's membership represents over 45 community partners across the Cape and Islands.
Learn more about our community partners here.