The Harvard Street Neighborhood Health Center is pleased to announce Mary-dith Tuitt, to lead its Veteran’s Center, developing new programs and support services to veterans and their families. Tuitt served 14 years as a Navy jet mechanic, first on active duty and then in the Reserves. Archival research shows that as of 2010, she was the first female African American Aviation Machinist Mate (jet mechanic) in the US Navy.
Born on the island of Montserrat, she moved to Boston at a young age with her three brothers. She attended Boston public schools and graduated from Boston Technical High School in 1985 and went into the United States Navy after one year of delayed entry.
For more than 10 years, Tuitt served as chief of staff to former state Rep. Gloria L. Fox where she managed operations of her office and represented her in the State House and in the community. She has worked as constituent services coordinator for Boston City Councilor Charles Yancey and has worked on various political campaigns since 1997.
“I am very excited to join the family of Harvard Street Neighborhood health as the new Veteran’s Center Program Manager,” said Tuitt. “I hope to outreach to my veteran sisters and brothers in the neighborhoods and throughout the region and offer them a one-stop center of resource and assistance, as well as critical health care options. The Vet Center is open to all veterans, military attached, and dependents.”
Active with organizations and groups that focus on veteran and women issues, she has served as a commissioner on the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women, vice president of the National Association of Commissions for Women, a member of the MA Women Veterans Network Steering Committee, commander of the Wm E. Carter American Legion Post 16, member of the Organization of African American Veterans, a public relations officer for Montserrat Progressive Society of Boston and is on the Board of Fair Foods Boston.
Tuitt is a mother of two, sister to four brothers (one a United States Marine), grandmother and aunt.
