Meet a Board Member: Denise Cusack

Denise Cusack

How long have you been a member of HWB? How else are you involved?
I joined HWB in 2015, and in 2016-2017 was the HWB website coordinator. I became the volunteer Executive Director in September of 2017, and worked as ED over the past 5 years, I  created the US Donation Distribution Network, US Seed Grants, HWB Podcasts and Webinar series, several e-guides, and more in my time as ED. In October of this year (2022), I stepped down as ED, and joined the HWB Board. I am continuing to volunteer with HWB as a Board Member, US Donation Network Coordinator, US SeedGrant Coordinator, and helping as Social Media Coordinator. 

What drew you to HWB as a member and board member? 
I had started the #HappyFlowerProject in 2015 to grow flowers (and veggies and herbs) for the local food pantry with my kids. I was also working towards my RH designation with the AHG under a mentor, and working as an herbalist with clients. In these roles I saw lack of health access, lack of healthy food access, and a need for holistic and herbal health and wellness access for all. I began looking for other ways to get involved and do more mutual aid and herbal health access on a larger scale. In my searches I found HWB and joined right away. I connected with the Volunteer Coordinator, and stepped up as a volunteer to redesign the website, and get the membership form online! I also started volunteering as the Clinical Herbalist for the Veterans Resiliency Holistic Clinic, serving Veterans in a multidisciplinary holistic wellness clinic model (from 2017-2022). The rest, as they say, is history!

Tell us more about yourself!
I am a clinical herbalist, certified aromatherapist, medicinal herb grower & plant conservationist, writer, artist, designer, and Permaculture and Advanced Social Systems Designer (PDC). Our small family farmette, Lunar Hollow Farm, is a  a permaculture and regenerative garden botanical sanctuary in the United Plant Savers Botanical Sanctuary Network. I grow food and medicine for my family, as well as medicinal herbs for HWB Free Clinics and save seeds for our HWB Seed Grant program. I live in rural Wisconsin with my 2 teenagers, husband, dog, 2 cats, 5 chickens, and tens of thousands of plants.