Our Team

Kathleen Shine-O’Brien, LMHC, has a private practice specializing in grief counseling and is the lead clinician at Sharing Kindness. In her former roles as the assistant director of health services at Massachusetts Maritime Academy and the program director for the Garrett Lee Smith Campus Suicide Prevention Grant, she found suicide prevention work to be one of her passions. Kathleen facilitates peer support groups and co-facilitates movement and journaling workshops for grieving families. Our programs reflect Kathleen’s training in The Dougy Center Model, an internationally recognized peer grief support program for children, teens, young adults, and their families. Kathleen has a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work from Elms College and a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from Lesley University.

Kris earned her PhD in Mathematics from the University of Florida and has extensive experience in teaching and advising. She has supported diverse student populations, including military-connected and first-generation students, through academic planning, mentoring, and connection to wellness resources. Kris is trained in suicide prevention and mental health first aid, bringing both skill and compassion to her work. In her role as Program Coordinator at Sharing Kindness, she helps coordinate peer grief support groups, Hope Squad outreach in local schools, and community events such as the Suicide Awareness Walk. Kris is dedicated to fostering resilience, connection, and belonging across Cape Cod and the Islands.

Lannan is a local freelance writer, editor and social media manager whose work has appeared in magazines and newspapers throughout Massachusetts and New England. As digital marketing manager, Lannan curates content on the Sharing Kindness website and social media pages, sharing the nonprofit’s message and promoting its work in suicide, grief and mental health awareness and support. 

Lisa is a seasoned project manager, educator, and social work professional-in-training with a distinguished career spanning over three decades. She earned her doctorate in Experimental Social Psychology from Tufts University and has since applied her expertise in research, evaluation, and program management across diverse educational and mental health settings. 

Lisa served as an elementary school adjustment counselor in Bridgewater-Raynham, supporting students’ social and emotional development. She is currently pursuing her Master of Social Work at Bridgewater State University with a focus on working with children and families impacted by trauma and completing her specialized-year internship at Sharing Kindness. Lisa brings to her work a combination of analytical rigor, empathy, and leadership, grounded in a lifelong commitment to equity, education, and community well-being. 

Melissa was raised in Watertown, New York, but has called the Cape home for many years. She attended the State University of New York (SUNY) Oswego, and obtained a certificate in accounting from Cape Cod Community College. Currently Melissa works as a bookkeeper for Nauset Marine. Melissa loves spending time with her family, especially her nephew and twin nieces. Melissa joined Sharing Kindness as a volunteer, serving as the youth coordinator of the annual Cape & Islands Suicide Awareness Walk, and became a board member in 2018. Melissa’s involvement was inspired by the death of her best friend Paul by suicide, and she is humbled and honored to be a part of such an incredible organization.

Sam Walters joined the board in honor of his younger brother Jeremy, the son of Sharing Kindness’ founders, who died by suicide in 2016. That loss shaped Sam’s deep empathy for those affected by grief and mental health struggles, and drives his commitment to suicide prevention. Professionally, Sam operates a holding company that acquires and operates small businesses, employing over 50 people. A graduate of Loyola Marymount University (Finance, 2018), Sam brings both lived experience and strategic insight to support the organization’s growth and impact.

Michelle is a financial advisor with Edward Jones with over 20 years in the banking industry. Originally from the Philippines, Michelle has called Cape Cod home for over 22 years. She says, “It has given me so much – I want to give back in return. I choose to volunteer with Sharing Kindness to pay forward the blessings I’ve received and to share my journey of grace, grief and gratitude. Even in grieving there is always something to be grateful for, and if my story can help even one or two people, then I know I’ve left this place better than I found it.”

Michelle also serves on the Steering Committee of the YMCA Teen Achievers and the Financial Empowerment program of WE CAN.

Originally from Philadelphia, Christian attended UMASS Amherst, where he majored in Physics and was a member of the nationally ranked UMASS Cycling Team. He gained an early understanding of business and customer service, in addition to physics, when he developed a small, high-end bicycle manufacturing company, Rhygin, that he founded as an entrepreneurial college senior.

With over 25 years in real estate — mainly in Cambridge Massachusetts — Christian has been featured in national and local media, including segments on “This Old House” on PBS and in the New York Times and The Boston Globe, among others.  Christian has lived in the Boston area since 1993. He and his wife Marni love their trips to the Cape. When not working, Christian can be found coaching his son Isaiah’s soccer team or tinkering in the garage on a vintage car or motorcycle. Christian brings his business acumen to the Board to support Sharing Kindness as we work towards developing our Grief and Healing Center.

 Alexis is a native Cape Codder who feels privileged to give back to the community that raised her. After graduating from Nauset Regional High School in 2011 and Connecticut College in 2015, Alexis returned to her hometown as a Spanish teacher at Orleans Elementary before moving to the high school. She truly appreciates building strong community connections with her students and their families and has seen firsthand how suicide, loss, and grief have affected those around her, inspiring her to become more involved in starting the conversation. She also chairs the Orleans Affordable Housing Trust and welcomes the opportunity to promote Sharing Kindness’ goal of making the world a better place through promoting a grief-sensitive community.

Andrea Merianos, a Middleboro native now living on Cape Cod, graduated cum laude from Bridgewater State University with a BS in Business Administration. She joined Cape & Coast Bank (formerly The Cooperative Bank of Cape Cod) in 2018 and is now Assistant Vice President, Learning and Development Officer. Andrea holds a training certificate and DiSC Certification (2025), and completed both the bank’s “Leading The Way” program (2023) and the Community Leadership Institute (2024). She supports the bank’s mission of “Powering local” by serving clients, colleagues, and the Cape Cod community. Passionate about growth and service, Andrea brings her leadership and development skills to Sharing Kindness, helping build a grief-sensitive, suicide-aware community.

David Samuel was born and raised in Scranton, Pennsylvania and graduated from Syracuse University in 1984 with a B.A. in History. Dave spent his college summers living and working on the Cape, and has continued to visit as often as he can since. While his friends and colleagues appreciate his incredible fund of knowledge, particularly history, Dave’s day job is as a gaffer (on a set, that’s an electrician!) for movies and commercials. His work is frequently based in New York City, but has taken him around the world. Dave and his wife, Maura, have an adult son, Dylan, and love spending time together reading, cooking and traveling. Dave has been a supporter of Sharing Kindness since its inception and a board member since 2020. Looking through the lens of his own life story, Dave acknowledges the traumatic loss of friends and aquaintances to suicide and is committed to the nonprofit’s mission and vision.

Having lost his young brother-in-law to the public health crisis of youth suicide, Jason has been an involved with Sharing Kindness as a volunteer since 2017. A professional baseball player at the time, Jason carried his devotion to suicide awareness into his career by launching a successful suicide awareness event at his AAA ballpark. After a call to the big leagues, followed by a season in the Korean Baseball League, he returned stateside and started law school. Graduating from Boston College Law School in 2021, he joined Holland & Knight in Boston, where he has provided pro bono work for nonprofit organizations. Jason and his wife, Maddie, often visit family on the Cape with their two sons. As a member of the board of directors, Jason hopes to reach young Cape Codders, including student athletes, to raise awareness of suicide.

Matthew White is a former U.S. Army Ranger (dog handler) dedicated to supporting veterans and their families. Born on Cape Cod, his life was shaped by tragedy when his father died by suicide at age nine. Lacking support, he struggled before finding purpose in the military, where he built resilience, discipline, and a drive to give back to others. Now he channels his experience into advocating for mental health awareness and suicide prevention, particularly among veterans and their families. Committed to ensuring no family endures the pain his did, Matthew is a passionate leader in the fight for veteran support, hope, and healing.