About the Collaborative
Inter-Island Public Health Excellence Collaborative
Enhancing the health and well-being of Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket , and Gosnold residents through collaborative efforts and innovative public health strategies.
Our Mission and Vision
The Inter-Islands Public Health Collaborative is committed to enhancing the health and well-being of residents across Martha’s Vineyard, Gosnold, and Nantucket. Our mission is to ensure equitable access to healthcare services, promote wellness, and address pressing health issues through collaborative efforts. Our vision is a community where every individual has the opportunity to achieve optimal health.
Advisory Board Members
Drew Belsky
IIPHEC Advisory Board Chair
Health Agent, Tisbury
Alexa Arieta
IIPHEC Advisory Board Vice Chair
Health Agent, Oak Bluffs
Brice Boutot
Health Agent, Edgartown
Brice Boutot is the Health Agent for the Town of Edgartown, a position he has held since July of 2024. Before that, he was the island-wide Health Inspector for IIPHEC. Brice is passionate about promoting human and environmental health outcomes. He specializes in permitting and inspecting food, housing, and wastewater treatment systems.
Sarah Toste
Assistant Health Agent, West Tisbury
Sarah Toste, Assistant Health Agent for the town of West Tisbury since November 2023 and a voting member on the IIPHEC advisory board. Sarah is passionate about community health and creating conditions that are fair, accessible, and culturally responsive so that everyone can thrive.
Anna McCaffrey
Health Agent, Chilmark
Marina Lent
Health Agent, Aquinnah
Marina Lent is a longtime public health official on Martha’s Vineyard, working as the sole public health staff member for the Town of Chilmark from 2008 to 2022, she is now the Health Agent for the Town of Aquinnah. Areas of focus are tick-borne illness and alpha-gal allergy (with Aquinnah one of the hardest-hit areas in the state), and challenges of substance use disorder and behavioral health.
Jerico Mele
Deputy Director of Health & Human Services, Nantucket
Jerico Mele is the Deputy Director of Health and Human Services for the Town of Nantucket and was formerly its Director of Human Services. He has served the Town of Nantucket for 5 years, and participated in IIPHEC for two*. His formative experience in public health was during the pandemic, meaning he is passionate about vaccination and behavioral health.
Stewart Young
Finance Committee Chairman, Gosnold
Stewart Young is a Selectboard and Board of Health member for the Town of Gosnold. He has been involved in town affairs for twenty years and recently joined IIPHEC. He is also a Principal with LandVest, Inc. and was a Principal in the Environmental, Health, and Safety practice at Arthur D. Little, Inc. His key areas of public health concern are tick-borne diseases and climate change.
Shared Staff
Patrick Roden-Reynolds
Shared Tick Biologist
Carrie Welch
Shared Health Inspector
Betsy VanLandingham
Shared Infectious Disease Case Investigator
Betsy VanLandingham, RN, BSN works as Infectious Disease Case Investigator for the six municipalities on Martha’s Vineyard. She is a seasoned former Emergency Room nurse who turned to public health five years ago in response to the COVID pandemic. Tick Borne diseases are a particular interest of hers due to the high number of confirmed and suspect cases occurring during the warmer months. She keeps in close contact with the health agents, assists with vaccination clinics, and works with hospital providers and local schools to monitor and respond to highly contagious vaccine-preventable diseases that have occurred here.
Caitlyn Winders
Shared Services Coordinator