Our Members and Staff

Leslie Domínguez-Santos has a long career in community-based work and advocacy, particularly with and for Latinx and immigrant populations. She worked in Chelsea, MA for many years, most recently as the Director of Development with GreenRoots, an environmental justice organization. She raised millions of dollars for critical environmental justice work in Chelsea and East Boston to address air, water, and soil contamination; build community gardens and an urban farm; fight for energy democracy and transit justice; work towards a community land trust; renovate parks and establish green space. During the peak of the pandemic, she helped to establish the One Chelsea Fund which raised and distributed $1.4 million towards COVID19 relief directly to Chelsea residents. 

Her recent groundbreaking report, COVID-19 in Chelsea: A Glance Into One of the Hardest Hit Cities and the Role of Intersecting Social Determinants of Health takes a strengths-based perspective in highlighting residents’ experiences, providing critical data and research on the social determinants of health, and demanding change through a series of policy recommendations. This report, combined with her resident-centered macro social work approach, garnered her the 2022 Distinguished Alumni Award from the Boston College School of Social Work.  

Her previous work, both in Chelsea and in Chicago, IL, includes efforts towards Illinois’ pioneering anti-human trafficking legislation, state and Federal legislative efforts to expand affordable and supportive housing (with wrap-around services) supporting meat packers in their fight for better working conditions, and building the administrative and fundraising capacity of immigrant groups and other grassroots coalitions. 

Leslie and her family have lived on Cape Cod for 16+ years. Locally, Leslie has served on the Board of Directors for the Duffy Health Center and the Bridgeview Montessori School. She has been a Girl Scouts leader for over a decade.

George “Leo” Blandford is the director of Community Based Care, at Outer Cape Health Services. Leo works in a department designed to incorporate community outreach services into the medical health setting. The goal of the program is to support access to a full range of primary health care, behavioral health, substance treatment, and community social services to residents in Lower and Outer Cape communities to promote overall health and well-being.

Over the past twenty-years, Leo has worked at the American Red Cross National Headquarters where he supported business operations in the international relief and development programs, which included a three-year field placement in Sri Lanka working on tsunami relief efforts. More recently, he has worked in a range of social services in Massachusetts, including youth and families through the Children’s Behavioral Health Initiative, outpatient behavioral health therapy, homeless outreach, and has experience with two state agencies at the Department of Children and Families and the Department of Mental Health as a clinical social worker.

Leo identifies as an Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) and uses pronouns such as he, his, and him.

Daniel moved to Brewster, MA the first week of September 2021, after many years of dreaming with living on the Cape. Daniel is now working for the Town of Brewster as the Human Resources Generalist.

Daniel had a long career in Health Services as a Social Worker. He began in New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center on a short-term, teaching psychiatric unit. He then spent many years in AIDS services, in New York City and Westchester County. He then was the director of various shelters: for the homeless population and for domestic violence victims. He ended his career in Social Services as the Director of Counseling Services for two hospices in Westchester County.

Daniel is thrilled to be living with his husband and their chocolate lab in Paradise. Daniel is Cuban and his husband is Colombian. Their dog is bi-lingual. Daniel has had a lifelong commitment to Social Justice and hopes to bring that passion to the Human Rights Advisory Committee of Barnstable.

Rick Draper and his wife, Barbara, have been permanent residents of Brewster for nine years though their association with Cape Cod stretches back over 50 years. Rick is a retired educator, and an active member of the Cape Cod Chapter NAACP. He also was recently elected to the Nauset School Board Committee.

Tina Games joined the staff of the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women (MCSW) as the Regional Commissions Director in January 2022. Having served almost six years as a Regional Commissioner on the Cape Cod and Islands Commission, two years as Chair, she has a strong understanding and appreciation for the advocacy work being done on behalf of women and girls across the Commonwealth through 11 regional commissions. Prior to joining MCSW, Tina worked as a creative consultant for women looking to make their mark in the world through artistic and literary endeavors. She is the author of two books, Journaling by the Moonlight: A Mother’s Path to Self-Discovery (2010) and Journaling by the Moonlight: Unearthing Your Creative Calling in Midlife (2024).

Tina has a background in public relations, communications, development, and advocacy – and has worked as a consultant to several nonprofit organizations serving women, girls, education, and the arts. She has also served in leadership positions on a number of boards and commissions, both regionally and nationally, and currently serves on the Monomoy Regional School Committee as Vice Chair and as a division chairperson for the Massachusetts Association of School Committees. Tina has lived on Cape Cod with her family for over a decade, after relocating from Alexandria, Virginia where she served on the Commission for Women for six years. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Speech-Communication from North Carolina State University.

Dan Kupferman joined the BCHRAC in 2022. He retired from a career as a parking consultant in 2020 and joined the Mashpee Inclusion and Diversity Committee, where he writes a monthly column in the Mashpee Enterprise. He also joined CommonGoodGoverning, seeking to elect US House candidates who appear to be good public servants/servant leaders/believers in our Democracy.

He also serves on the board of directors at Linking Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Knowledge (L.I.N.K.), committed to raising awareness of the true history and culture of the Wampanoag people.

Dan also serves as Vice President of the Samaritans on Cape Cod and the Islands and is a member and past president of Upper Cape Toastmasters. He has lived in Mashpee with his wife, Maryann Murphy, for more than 25 years. They love going to the movies and try to see every Oscar-nominated film every year.

Travis Mapp is an educator with years of experience, locally and internationally, in using literature as a tool to open deeper discussions about humanity, equality, and rights. He currently teaches 8th grade English at a Charter School in New Bedford. He has worked with marginalized populations in New Bedford and in Washington D.C. He has conducted fundraising for many years on behalf of his HBCU and Black Greek letter fraternity. He is an immigrant from Trinidad. He has become active in the Falmouth community and was recommended by the Falmouth League of Women Voters to apply for the BCHRAC.

Nina Tepper has aligned her life’s work with the goals of the Barnstable County Human Rights Advisory Commission (BCHRAC) both as an educator and community peace & justice activist. She is a retired public schools teacher, parent of three beautiful daughters and grandparent of six extraordinary grandchildren.
Currently, Nina is the coordinator of the Cape Cod Veterans for Peace (VFP), Voices of Peace poetry contest, now in it’s 30th year. This contest provides young students an opportunity to honestly express their feelings toward building better relationships, for a better world. Staying consistent with her lifelong values and skills, Nina continues teaching as a volunteer ESL tutor for immigrants on Cape Cod. She also works as an Assistant Warden and voter poll worker in Barnstable and is an active member in the NAACP. Nina continues to participate in other support work with Cape Cod community groups committed to preserving our democracy, human rights and recognizing the power and beauty of celebrating our diversity as the strength and promise of our Nation.

Patrick Downey originally from central Massachusetts, is a Barnstable resident whose work centers on equity, recovery, and the dignity of underserved populations. He is the Founder and President of Guiding Light Recovery Inc and previously Co-Founded and led another Cape Cod non-profit, both grassroots efforts focused on supporting individuals affected by homelessness, substance use disorders, and systemic barriers to opportunity.

Patrick also serves on the Barnstable Human Services Committee and the Barnstable County Regional Network on Homelessness Policy Board. He brings a strong professional background in mental health and substance use services, with experience in mobile crisis intervention, community-based health centers, detox and rehabilitation facilities. He is a strong proponent on harm reduction and direct outreach.

He holds an Associate’s Degree in Human Services from Cape Cod Community College and is completing his Bachelor of Science in Psychology at Bridgewater State University along with his LADC2, with plans to pursue an MSW and LADC1.

Patrick’s perspective is informed not only by formal training but lived experience navigating volatile environments. He joins the Commission with a practical, community rooted perspective and a willingness to do the work. When not working or helping the community, Patrick enjoys reading, relaxing with his cat Hazel, and riding motorcycles.

Amy Fleischer is a 7th grade science teacher at Nauset Regional Middle School, where she has taught since 2015. Prior to that, she served as Education Director at Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, developing and leading environmental education programs. She holds a BA in English and Sociology from the University of Connecticut, an MA in Writing and Publishing from Emerson College, and an M.Ed from Lesley University. Her goal is to help students understand how the natural world works so they can become informed citizens capable of making thoughtful decisions for themselves, their families, and their communities.

Ms. Beach is a long-time resident of Yarmouth. She is a family therapist and founding director, with her husband, of Bridges Associates, Inc. a 501c3 organization dedicated to helping children and adults take charge of their lives. She thanks Barnstable County for a valuable 7-year experience working with local non-profits and the Cape & Islands Youth Empowerment Initiative.

Suzanne Bergeron has been visiting Cape Cod since the 1970s. She moved here permanently after her retirement from a long teaching, research, and academic leadership career focused on economic and social rights for women and DEI education. She is active in a number of international organizations focused on gender and economic justice, and also devotes much of her time to mentoring students and young scholars from historically underrepresented groups. 

Ms. Evans and her husband retired to the Cape after spending over 40 years enjoying weekends and summers here. She has taught in elementary schools internationally as well as in MA, PA, and OH and served as the head Administrator in several schools. Diversity and inclusion has been the underpinning of her work with families, students and faculty in elementary schools.

Dr. Faiman-Silva is a Professor Emerita at Bridgewater State University, Anthropology. In addition to her work on gender and ethnic studies, she is an active community member, working with Independence House, the Common Start Coalition, the Coalition for Social Justice, and No Place for Hate Falmouth. She was the 2021 recipient of the Tim McCarthy Human Rights Award.

Ms. Feretti is currently serving her third term as the Chairwoman for the Wampanoag Herring Pond Tribe. As Chairwoman, she has focused on protections for sacred sites and ancestral burial grounds, tribal archival research, advocacy for tribal rights and self-determination, mental health, addiction prevention, and youth empowerment. She is a licensed Real Estate Sales Associate, affiliated with Jack Conway & Company. She also is a Select Board Member in the Town of Bourne, and serves on numerous local boards and coalitions.

After a career in New York City, that started in 1990 with magazines and over a decade as an agent for international fashion photographers and creative directors, Ms. Kremer is now known as a small Cape Cod business owner, interior designer, member of the Orleans Finance Committee and a co-conspirator and ally of People of the Global Majority, trans, queer and LGBTQIA+2S with a special interest in D.E.I initiatives.

Betsy retired in 2025 from a 25-year corporate career followed by 12 years as the owner of a fitness business. Throughout her working life, she was an activist for diversity, equity and inclusion, particularly in the successful campaign for marriage equality. Post retirement, she volunteers with organizations dedicated to community empowerment, equity, and environmental justice. She and her wife enjoy golf, travel, and the beauty of Cape Cod.

Gretchen comes to the Barnstable County Human Rights Commission with a deep commitment and love for her community. Her strong volunteer record spans 20 years on the Cape, most recently elected to a second 3-year term on the Sandwich Public Library Board of Trustees, serving as vice-chair. She is part of the Coordinating Committee for Sandwich For All, helping to organize and lead events promoting community conversation and education that focus on equity and inclusion. She has led several Active Bystander Workshops for community members and town department heads; (training by Barnstable No Place for Hate). She has also served on the DEI committee for Sandwich Middle High School.

She has volunteered extensively with the Sandwich Public School system over the last two decades. Her favorite title so far is “costume mom”: she is part of a team that acquires and coordinates costumes for the theater department’s spring and fall shows for the last four years (including a State nomination for best costumes for Hadestown April 2025). She has taught art history to 3^rd-6^th graders, and has organized various fundraisers for the music and theater departments as well as the PTA, organizing teams of both teenagers and adults.

Gretchen’s background is in Elementary Education, she holds a BSEd from Adelphi University in Garden City, NY. She was a classroom teacher for over 15 years in NY, CT and MA. She was lucky enough to be preschool teacher to each of her three (now adult) children. Gretchen is a part-time blogger, enthusiastic crafter, and an avid reader. She and her family live in Sandwich where there are currently not enough bookshelves in her house.

Mrs. Santos is the Insurance and Asset Coordinator for the Town of Barnstable. Born in Ohio, raised in California and a Cape Codder for over 40 years. Mrs. Santos is also a Justice of the Peace, a volunteer for the Cape Cod and Islands Boy Scouts for more than 20 years; a former board member of Big Brothers / Big Sisters Cape Cod. She provides a voice for many in support of victims of domestic violence, hunger, homelessness, and immigration with the assistance of the incredible resources available in Barnstable.

Ms. Walker served as the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the Town of Provincetown. Her career spans 30 years in educational enrollment management where she has worked with various groups, boards, and committees to highlight and enhance opportunities for students of color, and LGBTQ+ students. Before coming to her position in the Provincetown Town Hall governance, Donna worked to promote ways faculty and staff could bridge the divide in policies that created barriers for school-based marginalized communities.

Ms. Younger Blackburn is a poet, public speaker, social media marketer, business connector, and social activist. She hosts Driven Women: Cape Cod’s Conference for Women, and Conversations that Matter. She is a social justice advocate, particularly of inclusion for people with diverse abilities, such as her nineteen-year-old son, Chase, who has Down Syndrome (#includeme). She has served on numerous community boards of directors and received numerous awards of distinction for her work.