Community Voices for Health

The Community Voices for Health bloggers represent area agencies and organizations dedicated to improving the health of people living in our region of Massachusetts. They volunteer their time to contribute posts to this blog. Below you will find some more detailed information about each of these incredible individuals.

Meet the Community Voices for Health bloggers:

Maria Almeida – Maria is a Program Coordinator with Greater Brockton Healthy Families. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Bridgewater State College and brings a unique perspective to her role, emphasizing empathy and understanding. This academic background has not only equipped Maria with theoretical knowledge but has also fostered a deep sense of dedication to creating positive change in the lives of others. Known for being compassionate and dedicated, Maria strives to make a difference, whether collaborating with colleagues, engaging with community members, or developing innovative strategies for program enhancement. She enjoys focusing on providing effective interventions that support individuals and families in the journey towards overall health and happiness.

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Meaghan Avery – Meaghan is the Healthy Living Program Director for the Old Colony YMCA Association. She has been with the YMCA for about eight years. She originally started her journey wanting to be a nurse in a hospital setting but once in training she realized that she wanted to be in a role that would help people avoid hospital visits. She found her way into studying Community Health and Wellness and has MKRobinson55 immersed herself in that world ever since. She enjoys learning new things and keeping up with the constant and ever-changing health promotion and overall wellness field. We are living in a time where wellness is seen as both mind and body, and she loves exploring ways to achieve full-body wellness. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family, being outside, lifting weights, traveling with friends, cooking, enjoying good foods, and appreciating all life has to offer!

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Tina Cardosa – Tina is a registered nurse of 25 years, a graduate of the University of Massachusetts Boston class of 1998, and holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. The bulk of her career has been in primary care at the Boston Medical Center where she has worked with large immigrant populations and marginalized groups.

In 2016, Tina founded Cape Verdean Women United, a nonprofit organization that unites, educates, and empowers youth and families of all cultures by inspiring healthier, more viable communities.  Its programs are geared towards mental health awareness and violence prevention education, especially domestic violence in our community. They have also realized their mission abroad through their oral health initiatives in Cabo Verde.

Tina was the first Cape Verdean female to run and win a seat on the Brockton City Council where she served one term and in 2021 she became the first female Cape Verdean to run for Mayor of Brockton. She enjoys traveling, long walks in the park, a good series on Netflix, and having dinner and great conversations with friends.

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Dennis P. Carman – Dennis has been serving as the President & CEO of the United Way of Greater Plymouth County since March 2006.  Before being recruited to United Way, Mr. Carman served for twelve years as the Executive Director of the MainSpring Coalition for the Homeless based in Brockton providing emergency shelter and transitional services for homeless families and single adults. Prior to his work at MainSpring, Dennis served for five years in various positions in the field of substance abuse treatment services.

Dennis was awarded a full fellowship to the Ohio State University where he earned both a master’s degree in Social Work and a master’s degree of Arts in Public Administration graduating in 1984.  Dennis earned his Bachelor’s Degree of Arts graduating in 1982 from Stonehill College.

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Tayla Carter, MS, RD, LDN – Tayla is a Registered Dietitian (RD) at the Signature Healthcare Outpatient Nutrition Clinic. Tayla received her Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics and Master of Science in Nutrition and Food Science from the University of Rhode Island and completed her Dietetic Internship at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Tayla has been an RD since 2019 and has worked in long-term care, rehab, and acute-care inpatient settings. More recently, she has enjoyed working in the outpatient clinic, seeing patients, and teaching cardiac rehab nutrition group classes. Tayla loves working with her patients to develop individualized nutrition plans and empowering them to reach their health and nutrition goals. When she is not working, Tayla loves teaching and practicing yoga, cooking, gardening, and hiking with her husband and dog.

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Georgina Correia – Georgina is a Program Supervisor at Brockton Healthy Families and has a passion for promoting well-being and a background rooted in family-oriented services. As the proud parent of three wonderful children, Georgina understands the significance of a healthy and nurturing environment. She has a personal commitment to family values that is reflected in both professional and personal spheres. Balancing the responsibilities of parenthood with a thriving career, Georgina exemplifies resilience and determination. In her work at Greater Brockton Healthy Families, she plays a pivotal role in overseeing and enhancing programs designed to improve the overall health and nurturing environment of families within the community. Georgina leads a team of dedicated Home Visitors, ensuring that every initiative is executed with precision and compassion.

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Nicole M. Long, LICSW – Nicole is the Chief Executive Officer for Old Colony Elder Services (OCES). She began her career at OCES in 2005. She holds a Master of Social Work (MSW) from Bridgewater State University and is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW). She serves as a Commissioner on the Board of Directors for the Plymouth Housing Authority, is a member of the Plymouth Selectboards Senior Task Force, Plymouth Networking Group (PNG), and is an Equine-Facilitated Psychotherapist at Wildhearts Therapeutic Equestrian Program in West Bridgewater. Nicole is a 2019 recipient of the Cape & Plymouth Business’ 40 Under 40 Awards. In her role as CEO, Long’s primary focus is to maintain and grow both community and funding relationships.  During her time as CEO, the agency has experienced growth and program expansion. Under Nicole’s leadership, most recently, OCES received the “Covid-19 Hero Award” in 2022 from the Community Services of Greater Brockton and OCES’ Housing Programs expanded to cover four new housing sites which now span across greater Plymouth County.

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Katelyn McSweeney, LCSW (Licensed Certified Social Worker)

Katelyn serves as the outpatient OBGYN social worker at Signature Healthcare between three offices: East Bridgewater, Easton, and Brockton. Katelyn manages the Healthy Beginnings Program, which supports folks who require medical care, psychosocial support, financial counseling, translator services, and more. The program’s purpose is to identify women in Brockton and surrounding towns in need of early prenatal care. Patients are linked to obstetricians and midwives to provide that care. Healthy Beginnings aims to provide culturally competent maternal care which addresses maternal health disparities to provide equitable care for all.

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Eoin Moriarity – Eoin Moriarty is a family medicine physician assistant. As a family med PA, he acts as a Primary Care Provider for a panel of patients where he performs annual physicals, follow-ups, and sick visits. He aspires to act as a resource for patients who are worried about their health. He is from the South Shore and is currently working at Signature Healthcare in Randolph, MA. Outside of work, he enjoys going to the gym, spending time with friends and family, as well as walking his English bulldog. His goal in writing for this blog is to not only educate but to encourage patients to better manage their healthcare. If you’re interested in establishing care with Eoin, please do not hesitate to call our patient services at 1-844-742-2778 or online at signaturehealthcare.org.

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Lindsay Schwartz, RD, LDN – Lindsay is a Registered Dietitian (RD) at the Signature Healthcare Outpatient Nutrition Clinic. Lindsay has been an RD since 2016 and has experience in inpatient and outpatient settings. She is passionate about nutrition and loves to share her knowledge and expertise with her patients. Lindsay helps patients with a variety of conditions, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease. Lindsay provides a personalized approach to nutrition counseling to help her patients set and achieve their goals. Outside of work, she enjoys walking outside, going to neo-soul concerts, and spending time with her husband, family, and friends.

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Kylie Spiro – Kylie is the Communications Coordinator for BAMSI, a Brockton-based non-profit organization. She received her Bachelor of Science in Business Communication from Stevenson University in Owings Mills, MD, in 2017. She has over 5 years of experience in producing and reviewing quality health-based copy supported by research. Kylie joined BAMSI in October 2023 to help support internal and external communications. In her spare time, she enjoys doing Pilates, walking on the beach, and spending time with her husband and golden retriever, Kiwi.