SANTA BARBARA — Cottage Health has named Helen Matthews, MD, Medical Director of Cottage Ob/Gyn Clinic, where she will help shape the next chapter of women’s healthcare on the Central Coast as part of the growing Cottage Center for Women’s Health.
Ob/Gyn care supports patients in preventive care, reproductive health, pregnancy, menopause and gynecologic conditions. As Medical Director, Dr. Matthews is focused on strengthening access to comprehensive Ob/Gyn care and supporting the overall healthcare experience for women, with care coordinated across specialties. Her leadership will help advance the patient-centered approach of Cottage Center for Women’s Health, connecting women with the individualized services, expertise and support they need.
“Women deserve care that meets them where they are.” said Dr. Matthews. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to help strengthen this care for women in our community, care that spans from routine visits to milestones. We are here to help empower women with knowledge about their health at every life stage.”
Dr. Matthews joined Cottage Health in 2025 and is board certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She has more than 20 years of experience, including routine and high-risk obstetric cases. Dr. Matthews offers specialized care that includes minimally invasive and robotic surgery procedures, diagnostic hysteroscopy and office-based procedures such as IUD placement and biopsies.
She earned her medical degree from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Maryland. She is also a Menopause Society Certified Practitioner (formerly NAMS).
Cottage Health continues to expand services to support patients across every age and stage of life.
Dr. Matthews will participate in an upcoming virtual event introducing the Cottage Center for Women’s Health, a growing initiative designed to create a more connected, coordinated healthcare experience for women with care that covers brain health, Ob/Gyn, rheumatology and urogynecology.
The public is invited to this upcoming virtual event hosted by Cottage Health:
Redefining Women’s Health
Thursday, July 30, 2026 | 4 – 5 p.m.
Register at: cottagehealth.org/womenshealth
Join Dr. Jane Varner, Medical Director for Cottage Center for Women’s Health, and a panel of women’s health experts for a special online event introducing a new approach to women’s care in our community.
Topics:
• The vision behind the new Cottage Center for Women’s Health and what it means for our
community
• Continuum of care for every age and stage of life
• Brain health, menopause, Ob/Gyn, rheumatology and urogynecology
• Physician Panel Q & A
Panelists:
• Jane Varner, MD, Medical Director, Cottage Center for Women’s Health
• Stephanie Handler, MD, Urogynecologist, Cottage Health Urogynecology Clinic
• Helen Matthews, MD, Medical Director, Cottage Ob/Gyn Clinic
• Nicole Moayeri, MD, Medical Director, Cottage Santa Barbara Neuroscience Institute
• Anne Rodriguez, MD, Medical Director, Cottage Health Gynecology Oncology
• Courtney Stull, MD, Rheumatologist, Cottage Rheumatology Clinic
About Cottage Health | CottageHealth.org
Cottage Health is a not-for-profit health system providing advanced medical care on California’s Central Coast. In the past year, its hospitals in Goleta, Santa Barbara and Santa Ynez Valley cared for 20,833 inpatient admissions, 93,281 emergency department visits and 1,971 newborn deliveries. With more than 700 physicians, including specialists typically found only at university medical centers, Cottage offers expert, comprehensive care. As a teaching institution, it trains physicians through residency programs in medical, surgical, pediatric and radiology specialties. Cottage Health is home to the Central Coast’s only Level I adult and Level II pediatric trauma center and an advanced comprehensive stroke center. Its specialty services include Cottage Children’s Medical Center, Cottage Rehabilitation Hospital, the Santa Barbara Neuroscience Institute, Cottage Heart & Vascular Center, Cottage Center for Orthopedics and Cottage Center for Women’s Health. Beyond its hospitals, Cottage expands care through primary and specialty clinics, urgent care centers and 24/7 provider access via Cottage Virtual Care.