Program Director

Caitlin is a full-time resident of Martha's Vineyard with family ties to the island that span five generations. Before moving to the island, Caitlin spent six years developing and managing non profit programs in the Boston area. Like so many people, Caitlin has been moved by friends and family working to overcome cancer. She is overjoyed to be able to curate experiences that foster connection and relaxation for families in need on an island she knows and loves. Caitlin is also a performing musician, an amateur birder and a novice bread maker.

Founder and President

Before founding Vineyard Havens, Jeanne worked in the for-profit world in both the finance and retail sectors. After graduating from Harvard Business School, Jeanne held a variety of general management positions including Chief Marketing Officer and President at a Fortune 500 company. Jeanne’s life was turned upside down one April afternoon in 2010 when her then four-year-old son collapsed suddenly while playing tag in the backyard. A few hours later, he was diagnosed with cancer. The next few years were filled with treatments, scans, hospitals and worry. It was during this time that the seeds of Vineyard Havens were planted. Jeanne watched other exhausted parents struggling to keep up with medical bills, missed work and financial pressure as “normal” family time together - like vacations - disappeared. Today, Jeanne’s son is now a healthy teen. But, even though life has returned to normal, Jeanne will never forget how special “normal” really is!

Kyle never stops racing forward.

After spending much his time as a teenager creating videos for YouTube, he decided to pursue a film degree at Emerson College. As a student, he landed a gig as a cameraman and producer covering his favorite sports team, the Boston Celtics. When videography wasn’t enough, he taught himself to code his junior year and switched majors.

After graduating, Kyle joined the Celtics front office as a developer and currently manages the team website and other digital platforms.

As he pursued his dreams, he took up running to find some peace and calm amid a demanding lifestyle. Three marathons and countless 5Ks later, Kyle is an unabashed running junkie

But when he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in 2021, he had to put his racing shoes away. As he pushed forward with his treatment, he knew exactly what he was going to do once he was back to full strength. In November 2022, Kyle traveled to Philadelphia and ran the city’s marathon in 3:21:00.

Whether it was short weekend getaways or trips overseas, being able to travel as he underwent treatment fueled his optimism through the tough times. It’s why Kyle wanted to get involved with Vineyard Havens and help other families keep pushing. He understands first-hand the power of respite.

‘I had opportunities to go on vacation during chemo and those escapes, no matter how brief, were huge for my spirits. Not all families facing cancer have that luxury though, and that’s where Vineyard Havens comes in.’

Sarah makes people her business. Literally.

She is the Chief People Officer for Staples Stores, Inc. and, for the last two decades, she has held various HR positions in companies from New England to Oregon to Texas and back again! Fossil, Inc. and Orchard Brands are among several companies lucky enough to have had Sarah as part of their leadership teams.

In everything she does, Sarah brings authenticity, transparency and a whole lot of heart. Despite her C-suite career and all the responsibility that goes with it, Sarah makes time for other important things like creating a culture of inclusion and equal access to education for all by having served on the board of her local school district’s Special Education PAC for many years.

The two most important men in Sarah’s life are Nate (her partner) and Tate (her adorable son). In their spare time, she and her family can be found playing tennis, cooking, playing outside with their giant pup Mavis Mae or doing anything water-related: especially swimming and fishing!

At Staples, Sarah’s HR leadership spans 20,000 associates and she sees more than most of us:

“In both my personal and professional life, I have seen the devastating impact a cancer diagnosis has on both the patient and their family. As the mom of a child who was critically ill at birth, I know - firsthand - what it means to spend days, weeks and months in a hospital setting for both patients and caregivers alike. The gift of rest, joy and togetherness which Vineyard Havens gives is simply priceless.”

Sarah is a graduate of Plymouth State University (with honors) and the Human Resources Executive Program at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan.

TJ knows what it takes to build and grow organizations. A retired executive with the Thule group, TJ held VP and Director positions in both Product Development and Marketing for 33 years. He played a strategic role in growing the Thule North America business from 30 individuals and $10 million in revenue to 400 employees and sales of $250 million.

An active member of several industry organizations including the Outdoor Industry Association, Conservation Alliance, and National River Cleanup (American Rivers), TJ’s strong passion for sustainability and the environment were leveraged in developing Thule’s industry leading sustainability initiatives and targets.

Born and raised in Larchmont, NY, TJ is a graduate of SUNY Oneonta with a BS in Geography. He and his recently deceased wife, Amy, raised two sons -Keith and Russell - in Rye, NY. An active outdoor enthusiast, TJ spends as much time as possible road and mountain biking, playing golf, fishing, paddleboarding, kayaking and gardening.

“Martha’s Vineyard has been a cherished part of our family life for over 30 years. It’s where we vacationed every summer with extended family at our home in Katama and now West Tisbury where I reside full time. The magic of MV is where Amy and I found some sense of peace and joy during our darkest days while she battled leukemia in ‘21-22. Vineyard Havens’ mission has obviously resonated deeply with me and the family. I look forward to supporting VH in any capacity and bringing that much needed time of peace and joy to other cancer families.”

CFO/Treasurer

It would be wrong to call Christine just “a numbers person”.

She’s served as the CFO for some of the largest, most innovative companies in New England, and beyond, since 1999: Staples, Covetrus and, most recently, Presdio.

Before becoming part of the C-suite, Christine was a Corporate Controller, a General Merchandise Manager and, at the very beginning of her career, a CPA at Ernst & Young. Hers is a language of budgets, KPI’s and operational excellence - and Vineyard Havens is all the better for it.

A graduate of Miami University in Ohio, Christine spends her free time volunteering and is a member of several non profit boards. You can also find her out for a walk with her husband, daughter and their two yellow labs - Chica and Sonrisa.

We asked Christine to share - why Vineyard Havens? Why does she choose to donate her valuable time to our mission?

“Unfortunately, I’ve had several family members and friends impacted by cancer. It was unbelievably difficult to watch loved ones go through all of the emotional and physical effects of their cancer journey. Being a part of Vineyard Havens allows me to give back to a cause that is near and dear to my heart.”

To say that Elle has “lived a thousand lifetimes in one” is an understatement. Prior to moving to Martha’s Vineyard in 2009, Elle worked in theatre and television - both on the artistic and business sides - in New York.  

After deciding to make the island her home, Elle’s never looked back. She’s been practicing real estate on Martha's Vineyard since 2012. She started working with Tea Lane Associates in 2016 and got her broker's license in 2020. She’s known for her diplomacy, negotiating skills and tenacity.

Elle is also no stranger to serving her community and others. She’s been a member of the School Advisory Committee for West Tisbury Elementary School and a Deacon at the West Tisbury Congregationalist Church. She’s an active member and advocate for the Coalition to Create a Martha's Vineyard Housing Bank, and a Facilitator for the town of West Tisbury's Master Plan Visioning Project.

And if all this wasn’t enough? Elle is a certified yoga instructor and published writer. Her world, unfortunately, has also been touched - more than once - by cancer:

“There have been too many loved ones near and dear to me devastated by cancer. The child of a dear friend, my sister in law, my father, a young and vibrant friend. I’ve celebrated remission with some of my friends and family, I’ve grieved loss with others.  The one thing that is constant during the cancer journey is that time and love is cherished and precious. As soon as I became involved with Vineyard Havens it was clear that time and love was what was being gifted. These trips are tiny, exquisite moments of love and joy. I’m honored to help in the delivery of this program.”

Elle lives in West Tisbury with two teenagers, five chickens, a scruffy dog and a partner who is a Special Education teacher at the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School. 

Starting things. Growing things. Fixing things. This is Christine.

As part of the pre-IPO team at Staples, she opened a new store every 36 hours and went on to oversee all aspects of marketing during her thirty year career. Christine rode the wave from start up, to a $25B public company, to eventually, a mature industry.

Throughout her tenure, Christine managed to carve out important charitable work, including the launch of the “Staples for Students” program. This program provided scholarships for students in need as well as free school supplies for hundreds of thousands of children who couldn’t afford to buy them. It was a success.

Today, Christine is busy renovating several of her family’s vacation homes scattered throughout New England. She’s an avid reader who loves spending her free time outdoors, especially near the water - any water: ocean, lake, stream - she loves them all! Christine maintains a running and Pilates practice to offset her love of ice cream (especially chocolate chip cookie dough). In the winter, Christine sets her alarm crazy early, sacrificing beauty sleep just to catch a World Cup alpine skiing or biathlon race (since most are held in Europe).

Like many, cancer has been a part of Christine’s life since she lost her father to the disease when she was just 19:

“Back then I didn’t really understand much about cancer and what I saw was that the treatment seemed almost worse than the disease. My father’s battle was short, but we were lucky. We had a family cottage where we spent time together through the few short weeks before he passed. While a long time ago, I remember us all being able to relax and enjoy sitting out on the deck in the sunshine. Fast forward many years later, and my mother was diagnosed with cancer and needed to undergo surgery. Her biggest wish was that she could recuperate at the family cottage. We were able to make that happen for her, and she thrived.

“I deeply understand how time with family and friends is important - not just for the cancer patient, but also for the family and friends. I love that Vineyard Havens’ mission is to give families the respite they need in places of beauty and ease. I know first hand the difference it makes.”

Marc is a retail industry and e-commerce veteran, building strong relationships with vendors and operators wherever he’s worked. He understands how things get done and he brings a strong, fiscally responsible focus to any organization who is lucky enough to have him on their team. A merchant and an operator, both online and off, Marc has unique insight into sustainable growth and budget management.

But it’s the outdoors where Marc is happiest. He’s an accomplished fisherman (both fresh and saltwater) and a nature lover. Alaska (sans cruise-ship) remains one of his favorite trips. In his early retirement, he’s also discovered the joys of carpentry as he works on home restoration and renovation.

Recently, Marc’s father lost his 11 month battle with pancytopenia. As Marc reflects:

“Here is what I learned: cancer doesn’t discriminate. My father was a dedicated husband and father, gave back to and supported the community through 30+ years as a police officer/detective, and 10+ years on the Town Council. He did a lot of work with the senior citizen community. He did not deserve to be sick. No one does. But I feel lucky that we were able to spend a lot of time together while he was in treatment and my hope is that others going through a cancer diagnosis have the opportunity to do the same. Vineyard Havens makes that happen.”

Vinnie is no stranger to growing small organizations into something big.

He graduated from Fordham University in New York with a degree in Economics and Management. Soon after, he made the risky move of joining a brand new retail concept that no one had ever heard of before: Staples.

From retail operations to merchandising to management, Vinnie played an important part in the company’s rapid growth during his 32 years there.

In 2019, Vinnie decided to retire so he could spend more time with his family, including his two grandsons, Vincent (the fourth!) and Charlie. He travels whenever he can and, in his spare time, he chairs the Chip-in for Cancer Golf Tournament - our largest fundraiser of the year.

Vinnie’s commitment to our mission is personal:

“Unfortunately, I’ve had several family members and friends impacted by cancer. It was unbelievably difficult to watch loved ones go through all of the emotional and physical effects of their cancer journey. Being a part of Vineyard Havens allows me to give back to a cause that is near and dear to my heart.”

Ellen is a true Bostonian, born and bred. She’s a graduate of Boston Latin School, Wellesley College and Harvard Business School.

Ever the planner, Ellen has spent most of her 30 year career working in the Retirement Services Business at Fidelity and TIAA, serving in various leadership roles.

An avid traveler (five different continents at last count), yogini, reader, and aunt to 16 nieces and nephews, Ellen has been a committed philanthropist for most of her adult life. Most recently, she started the Michael F. Wortis Scholarship Fund to support kids ages 8-16 who have a passion for golf.

Ellen’s life has been deeply touched, twice, by cancer. First, in 2017, her mother was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma but “she is currently stable and celebrates each doctor’s visit with a Dunkin Donuts coffee and a warm coffee roll!” Most recently, Ellen lost her long-term partner and professional golfer, Mike, to prostate cancer in 2020 and it’s in his honor that she established a scholarship fund in his name.

“I’ve learned over the years that no one can predict the future, but we can treasure the present and be grateful for every day we have.”

Being part of the Vineyard Havens Board gives Ellen the chance to help other people going through an experience that she understands all too well:

“I want our Vineyard Havens families to know that there are advocates like us who care, who are cheering them on and want to give them a well deserved break!”

Finance. Family. Fitness. Philanthropy. Chrisann checks all the boxes.

As a graduate of Boston College, Chrisann entered the financial services industry and, 30 years later, she never left. She’s a CFP and has worked for many of the major banks. Since 2009, she’s been the 1st VP with RBC Wealth Management.

Family and fitness loom large in Chrisann’s life. She resides in Concord with her husband and two boisterous English Bull Terriers, Henry and Morgan (who’s a budding star on the AKC circuit!). Golf is more than a hobby (10 handicap, anyone?) along with yoga, gardening, hiking and some serious workouts in the gym.

But it’s Chrisann’s philanthropic work that consistently manages to find its way to the top of her To Do list. For years she served on the Boards of both The Boston Police Foundation and Big Brother/Big Sister Metro West. She’s also a regular host for GrubStreet’s LitUp Gala.

After losing several friends and family to cancer, the Vineyard Havens mission resonates with Chrisann:

“I don’t believe anyone makes it to middle age without cancer touching their lives in some way. This is why my decision to join the Vineyard Havens board was an easy one. The chance to help families suffering through cancer feel some sense of joy and peace? That’s just nourishment for my soul and a reminder of our shared humanity.”