In addition to our program staff and advocates, the Wellspring Board of Director’s work and dedication makes it possible for our team to better serve survivors in Saratoga County. Between responding to COVID-19, announcing our new facility coming in October 2021 and continuing to help survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in our community, our board has been crucial in moving our organization forward.

This month we are shining a light on our incredible board president, Erica Fuller. Erica has served on the Wellspring Board of Directors for six years, officially starting in 2016 after jumping right into leading the fund development committee as co-chair. Erica immediately showed great dedication and was committed to learning how to be an effective board leader. In 2016, she passed on a three-day weekend skiing trip with her family to join our executive director in attending a training by Dan Pallotta on how to lead a board through bold goals for big outcomes. The training prepared her to take the helm at this transformative point in Wellspring’s history.

Since her time on the Wellspring Board, Erica joined a variety of committees, including the property committee, which gave her insights into our need for a new location. After showing our team her willingness to hit the ground running, she became the board vice president in 2018 and president in 2019. She is a strong leader and powerful voice in our community—and we had the pleasure of interviewing Erica to learn more about her work with Wellspring.

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself. How have you been keeping yourself busy these days?

Erica: “My name is Erica Fuller and I live in Saratoga Springs with my husband, Scott, two children, Jackson (age 10) and Helen (age 7), and black lab, Bertie. We have been spending a lot of time on the ski slopes this season. The mountains and fresh air are a particular blessing this Winter.”

2. How did you initially get involved with Wellspring?

Erica: “I learned about Wellspring through friends who served on the board and initially volunteered to help organize an event in 2012. I was so impressed by the organization of the agency, clear communication of its mission and devoted staff and board members. I knew it was an organization that I wanted to continue to support in the future and officially joined the board in 2016.”

3. Why is Wellspring’s mission important to you?

Erica: “After volunteering for Wellspring’s event and learning more about their work, I had a dear friend who needed their services. I was so grateful for Wellspring because I knew their highly-skilled staff could help. Wellspring’s holistic approach through both crisis services and prevention education creates many avenues to seek services, which increases accessibility.”

4. Is there an inspiring moment you’d like to share from your time working with Wellspring?

Erica: “The culmination of the organization’s years of effort to find, plan and fund a new location is a collection of several inspiring moments. 2020 has certainly brought many, many challenges, but Wellspring has continued to serve our community during the pandemic AND continued with its new building project. The community support for Wellspring is strong and inspiring.”

Learn more about Wellspring’s new facility coming in October 2021 >>

5. What is one thing you’d like the community to know about Wellspring?

Erica: “Wellspring offers a huge range of services to our community and follows the many tentacles of impact from abuse both in response to the crisis as well as to prevent it.  The range of services is intentional and impressive.”

6. As you learned more about the agency’s work, was there anything that surprised you?

Erica: “Abuse is a watershed event in one’s life and impacts many aspects. I was surprised to learn about all the reasons people stay in abusive relationships and how Wellspring uses those reasons to develop programs and services to help people leave.”

7. Boards oversee long-term planning for an agency, what excites you most about Wellspring’s work in the future?

Erica: “Wellspring’s new location will increase their visibility while also reaching more people for both survivor services as well as prevention education. The new building is certainly an exciting step for Wellspring, but the services and programs that will happen IN the building are what will really propel Wellspring into its next phase. This is truly the launchpad for Wellspring and I am deeply grateful for the hard work of many that made this next phase possible.”

Want to know how you can help Wellspring?

The most effective way to help Wellspring’s mission to end relationship and sexual abuse in our community (especially during the COVID-19 pandemic) is by providing monetary donations. The people who seek our help have needs that are urgent and different. Your generosity will directly help survivors and their families by provide crucial services—whether that be financial education, crisis intervention, counseling, immediate or long-term housing support, educational programs, foster homes for pets and more.

Support Wellspring >>

 

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