The Highfield Hall Staff

Lisa Walker
Executive Director | Chief Development Officer
Tel: 508-495-1878 ext. 311

Lisa has over 25 years of experience in fundraising and non-profit management. She began her career at the Brookline Arts Center. She then travelled west where she worked as Associate Director of Development for the Humanities Division at UCLA and then Director of Development at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego. Eventually home beckoned, and Lisa made her way back to the Cape where she has return to her roots in the arts at Highfield Hall & Gardens. She lives in Sandwich with her two kids, and three dogs.

Jennifer Murphy
Director of Operations
Tel: 508-495-1878 ext. 306

Jennifer will spearhead all logistics tasks and duties for Highfield including but not limited to the volunteers, functions, wedding sales and gift shop to name a few areas. Her experience is well suited for Highfield having spent some of her working years at the Seacrest and Ocean Edge managing functions.

Gail Blakely
Culinary Director, Emeritus

Gail Blakely has been teaching cooking and writing about food for over 35 years. She is best known as the longtime food writer for The Enterprise newspapers, where her column, Gourmets and Good Eaters, is published weekly. She currently hosts “Falmouth is Cooking” on local television. Gail is an enthusiastic home cook and baker who is passionate about sharing her knowledge regarding all things culinary with others in the Highfield kitchen.

Ella Cavanaugh
Member Services Coordinator

George Chapman
Landscape Director

George has worked in horticulture for 50 years and is an avid home gardener. George loves working with Highfield Hall & Garden volunteers resorting and maintaining the grounds of this historic Falmouth gem.

Cedith Copenhaver
Program Associate
Tel: 508-495-1878 ext. 303

Cedith moved to Woods Hole from California where she managed the Docent Program at the Oakland Museum of California, in conjunction with Education and Programs. Previously, she had worked in the Research and Evaluation department at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. Although she began her career as a research scientist, she found that her passion lay in museum work after years of volunteering at several institutions. She is delighted to continue and expand upon the variety, diversity and depth of programming at Highfield Hall, thereby enriching the wider community.

Kim Courchesne
Director of Member & Donor Relations
Tel: 508-495-1878 ext. 310

Kim Courchesne comes to Highfield Hall & Gardens with 25 years of experience in the Sales & Marketing arena. Her management expertise in the book publishing industry and her proven track record of partnering with independent businesses throughout the world gives her a unique approach to the position of Membership Manager at Highfield Hall. “I love the combination of art and nature that Highfield Hall & Gardens offers my family.”

Ashley Heaton
Administrative Assistant, Exhibitions & Interpretation
Tel: 508-495-1878 ext. 307

Joanne Ingersoll
Director of Exhibitions & Interpretation
Tel: 508-495-1878 ext. 316

Joanne comes from a museum background with expertise in textiles, decorative arts, and fashion history. She holds a B.A. in the History of Art from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and M.A. degrees from the State University of New York, in Museum Studies and in History of Textiles. She has held curatorial positions at several museums including the Baltimore Museum of Art, 10 years as Curator of Textiles at The Museum at FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology), and 5 years as Department Head and Curator of Costume and Textiles at The Museum of Art, at RISD. She lives with her family on a 5th generation organic farm in Bourne.

Mandy Irwin
Program Director
Tel: 508-495-1878 ext. 303

Mandy joins Highfield with a strong background in education both teaching and administration. Mandy recently relocated to Falmouth and will continue to build on the Highfield program schedule and bring interesting topics to our broad constituent base.

Kate Rickard
Culinary Director

Kate has created, owned, and operated local hospitality businesses for over 15 years including bakeries and restaurants. She has over 30 years of experience working with chefs, home cooks and kids. Kate’s professional training began at Johnson and Wales University, and went on to include study abroad in Belgium, Switzerland, and England, and at the L’ecole du Vin de Bordeaux in France. Kate combines her deep knowledge of culinary techniques, ingredients, and trends, with a love for engaging people around cooking as she leads Highfield’s culinary program.

Larry Silva
Facilities/Maintenance Manager

Eva Walsh
Program Coordinator
Tel: 508-495-1878 ext. 301

House Managers

Sally Byrne

Janet Chakarian

Anna Holmes

Jean Wentzell