What is CARE for the Cape & Islands

CARE for the Cape & Islands™ was founded in 2012. CARE seeks to encourage, support, and create opportunities for visitors and residents to donate their “time, talent, and treasure” to help preserve and protect our region’s exquisite natural beauty, plant and wildlife habitats, Cape & Islands culture and history.

What is CARE’s Mission

CARE for the Cape & Islands™ mission is to inspire stewardship to preserve and protect the natural environment, cultural and historical treasures of Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket.

Why Cape Cod and the Islands?

Cape Cod and the Islands’ scenic beauty and pristine coastline are enjoyed and appreciated by millions of visitors each year, presenting a need to protect its unique qualities.  This program will help sustain the region’s fragile ecosystem, culture and heritage that draw visitors and residents to vacation, work and live.

Ultimately, CARE for the Cape & Islands™ seeks to tap travelers’ growing interest in and support of eco-tourism and green-travel, and their philanthropic inclinations to help ensure the long-term sustainability of the Cape & Islands as a national treasure and travel destination.

How does it work?

CARE for the Cape & Islands educates and facilitates relationships among travelers, businesses, local organizations, environmental initiatives, and residents.  Working with local businesses, CARE creates opportunities to contribute to efforts to promote long-term environmental conservation and cultural heritage preservation. Visit the various pages of the “What We Do” section of our website to learn more about our accomplishments. Visit “How to CARE” to find ways that you can get involved. Visit our project criteria page to learn about our funding themes and proposal guidelines. Download our CARE Profile.

Adam Gracia:

Since 2005, Adam Gracia has worked nationally and locally in the nonprofit industry with a focus on raising support for community resources, affordable housing, and disease research.

Raised on Cape Cod, Adam is a graduate of Sandwich High School. After receiving a Bachelor of Arts in both Mass Communication and English from Westfield State University he completed a Master of Arts in Management and Leadership from Webster University.

“Preserving and protecting the natural environment, cultural and historical treasures of our region isn’t just essential to our future;
it’s good business,” said Adam. “Whether the Cape and Islands is your home or home away from home it is its uniqueness that brought you here. CARE for the Cape & Islands provides the inspiration and means to ensure our community will thrive for generations to come.”

Moving back to Cape Cod in 2016 Adam resides in Chatham with his family and advocates for a more inclusive community through engagement with Cape Cod Young Professionals, Philanthropy Partners of the Cape and Islands, and Leadership Cape Cod. He is also a veteran with service in the Army National Guard and in the Ukrainian Foreign Legion.

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Haley O’Neil:

Haley O’Neil is the Program Manager, where she leads initiatives that inspire environmental stewardship and sustainable tourism throughout the Cape and the Islands. With a background in hospitality as well as a bachelor’s degree in marine biology and sustainable aquaculture, Haley combines industry expertise with a passion for protecting coastal ecosystems. While working in the service industry she saw how much waste was created on a regular basis. Thus her commitment to sustainability grew through volunteering with environmental advocacy organizations, where she focused on promoting better practices in the service industry. Through her work with a local environmental advocacy organization Sustainable Practices she successfully passed environmental bylaws at town meetings. She is inspired by Jane Goodall’s words, “You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make,” Haley is dedicated to fostering partnerships and developing innovative programs that benefit both the community and the environment.

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Jill Talladay:

Jill founded CARE (Creating A Responsible Environment) for the Cape & Islands in 2012 inspired by her work with the Center for Responsible Travel (CREST) and while attending the third Travelers’ Philanthropy Conference held in Costa Rica. Having lived on Cape Cod for many years, she observed a need to find a balance between the economic benefit it receives from the millions of annual visitors to the region with taking care of its fragile destination. Her vision was to help connect visitors, residents and businesses with opportunities to support the long term sustainability of Cape Cod and the Islands of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard.

Jill received her Masters in Tourism Administration with a concentration in Sustainable Destination Management from The George Washington University in 2011, earning the Dr. Philip Ogilvie Academic Excellence Award. She became a member of the Climate Reality Leadership Corps in 2015, trained by Al Gore in Toronto, ON. Jill served for many years as co-Chair of the Yarmouth Recycling and Solid Waste Committee and has been a strong advocate to Refuse, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. She is passionate about using green practices and works hard to educate her friends as well as the public on simple steps they may take to make a difference on a daily basis. CREST presented Jill with the Legacy of CARE award in 2024 during the World Tourism Day Forum held in Atlanta, GA.

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Heather is a co-founder, chair, and board member of the local non profit Cape Cod Ocean Community. She transitioned to full-time Cape Cod living in 2018 after spending 30 years in high-tech corporate careers focused on organizing people and resources to outstanding outcomes. Heather serves as a volunteer board member on the Cape Cod Tech council, as well as local committees in her town of Wellfleet. Heather has also been a concerned citizen advocate for shark safety measures inspired by adopting technologies. Heather is instrumental in organizing and executing programs to bring information closer to Cape Cod, building key alliances, and sponsoring projects to continue moving the needle on changes. Heather is passionate about outdoor activities and achieving work-life balance. Her commitment to CARE for the Cape and Islands will help to assure our natural resources are protected in the days ahead and inspire others to join up for change.

Jim recently returned to living on the Cape from various teaching and administrative duties in higher education in New England and New York state. While living on the Cape previously, Jim was the founding Executive Director of the Zammer Hospitality Institute at Cape Cod Community College, as well as an active member of the faculty. Keeping his technical skills sharp, Jim also worked at local restaurants, including the Naked Oyster. 

Jim’s primary focus during his teaching career was on developing and nurturing both technical and critical thinking skills for his students. Here on Cape Cod, those critical thinking skills involved a natural intersection with sustainable business activities and the overwhelming importance of the economic impact of the hospitality industry 

Jim earned a BS from the University of New Hampshire and an MBA from Southern New Hampshire University.

Ryan has spent his whole life visiting the Cape, as his family history dates back to his Great Grandfather who was a Naval signal operator at Highland Light in Truro. He is  currently living full-time on Cape Cod.  

Sublime Vizions LLC, a clothing and apparel company founded by Ryan, raises funds and awareness for local non-profit organizations such as Paw’s New England  Dog Rescue, Cape Cod Ocean Community, and CARE for the Cape & Islands.  

He has over a decade of sales, sales management, and consulting experience within the technology, biotech, pharmaceutical, and financial services industry, working  closely with the world’s top financial institutions, software and hardware vendors, and  professional services firms. He has held securities and insurance licenses including FINRA Series 6, 7, 63 &  65, Life, Heath, NMLS, Property and Casualty. 

Ryan received his MBA and BS from the University of Massachusetts, with  focuses on Marketing and Business Information Systems, respectively. He was inducted  into the Hall of Fame’s class of 2012 for his success in men’s basketball serving as captain  and coach. 

Jill founded CARE (Creating A Responsible Environment) for the Cape & Islands in 2012 and served as executive director until 2024. Her vision was to help connect visitors, residents and businesses with opportunities to support the long term sustainability of Cape Cod and the Islands of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard. She received her Masters in Tourism Administration with a concentration in Sustainable Destination Management from The George Washington University in 2011, earning the Dr. Philip Ogilvie Academic Excellence Award. She became a member of the Climate Reality Leadership Corps in 2015, trained by Al Gore in Toronto, ON. Jill served for many years as co-Chair of the Yarmouth Recycling and Solid Waste Committee and has been a strong advocate to Refuse, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. CREST presented Jill with the Legacy of CARE award in 2024 during the World Tourism Day Forum held in Atlanta, GA.

Dave has worked at Cape Cod Community College for over 35 years in a variety of teaching, student support and administrative positions. As Dean he was responsible for the Student Life area for many years and was involved in the creation of the Sustainability Club. He continues to teach as an adjunct faculty member. He has also worked at the Cape Cod YMCA, the Cape Cod Literacy Council, and the Boston Community Schools. Dave enjoys walking the beaches, gardening and spending time with family and friends. He has a Bachelor’s Degree from UMass Amherst, where he first became involved in environmental activism as part of the Soap Commandos, who organized to ban the sale of phosphate laundry detergents. He also has a Master’s Degree in Education form the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Executive Director, Chatham Chamber of Commerce. Skilled at developing collaborative partnerships, Angela’s marketing expertise and leadership advocating for small business will help ensure CARE’s continued growth and success.

Principal, Living Whole Coaching – Essential to CARE’s transition and growth in 2024, Maggie brings expertise in organizational behavior and strategic planning.

Steve Smith, a Telecommunications Industry veteran of 40 years has held sales and sales leadership roles with service providers like AT&T & Verizon, equipment manufacturers such as Tellabs as well as multiple startups. Steve was an early pioneer of fiber and broadband adoption beginning  in 1987 with LDX NET and the National Telecommunications Network Consortium, a partnership of innovative early fiber carriers and most recently with OpenCape locally.

Steve is passionate about using his skills to help improve life on Cape Cod from infrastructure and digital equity, the economy and sustainability. He has held multiple roles at the Cape Cod Technology Council including board member and Executive Director, sits on the Orleans Economic Development Committee and the board of Lower Cape TV. He is an avid bicyclist and kayaker and spends as much time as he can with his grandchildren.

Business Development Executive, OpenCape Corporation – Joining the Advisory Board for the first time, Kevin is a prominent advocate for environmental sustainability.

Dr. Jane Ward, a retired USAF Colonel and career ophthalmologist, transitioned from a distinguished military career to focus on public health and sustainability. With an MPH from George Washington University, she co-founded the NIH “Health in Buildings Roundtable,” advocating for healthier built environments. A LEED Green Associate, Jane champions green building practices, emphasizing clean air technologies to enhance indoor air quality. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she collaborated with experts to promote better ventilation and air quality monitoring.

Based in Centerville, MA, Jane serves on the Town of Barnstable Infrastructure and Energy Committee, the Cape Cod Tech Council and its Green Tech Committee, the Unitarian Church of Barnstable Green Sanctuary Committee, and the Faith Community Environmental Network. She advocates for clean water and herring conservation on Cape Cod. Jane enjoys teaching, permaculture gardening, rowing, cycling, hiking with her Lab, Rosie, and traveling with her husband and their three daughters.

Senior Vice President, Strategic Development, Clean-Seas, Inc. – After a short hiatus, John returns to CARE, bringing his extensive experience in nonprofit management and community development. 

Communications Intern

The CARE Communications intern will provide assistance on a wide variety of nonprofit communications projects. Interns will have the opportunity to learn about nonprofit marketing, media relations, and content creation across all communications channels, including email, digital, and social media. The ideal candidate is an enthusiastic storyteller looking to gain experience in the nonprofit sector and contribute to an organization focused on sustainable development and management of tourism.

Development Intern

The CARE Development intern will provide assistance on administrative projects, as well as provide general support when needed for CARE programming. The Intern will work with the development team to help archive and organize individual and grant files, assist with database clean up and management, assist with the creation of and distribution of development materials, provide support for the launch of and tracking of fundraising campaigns, and help promote all sponsorship opportunities.

CARE accepts Communications & Development applications on a rolling basis. Applicants should submit a cover letter, resume, and a writing sample. More details and an application form may be found here. 

CARE is based in Cape Cod, MA. In some instances we will consider applications from candidates who prefer completing an internship remotely instead of in person. To conduct remote work, interns must have reliable access to the Internet and be available for check-ins via phone and video conferencing.

As the internship is unpaid, preference will be given to students seeking academic credit. Graduate students are preferred, though consideration will be given to exceptional undergraduates. Interns are for a minimum of 15h/week (20 preferred) for two months minimum, primarily during business hours. The internship entails close collaboration with CARE’s board, staff and volunteers. 

CARE is committed to the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and equal employment opportunity for all without regard to race, color, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

Contact Information:

P.O. Box 638, Yarmouth Port, MA 02675

508-760-8187, info@careforthecapeandislands.org.