Wellspring House Board of Directors 2022-2023
OFFICERS
Melissa A. Dimond, President and Executive Director
Patricia Fae Ho, Board Chair
Michelle Langille, Vice Chair
Pete Michaels, Treasurer
Ingrid Mitchell, Clerk
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Anthony Barbuto
Karim Benali
Cathy Bilotta
Steve Cohen
Rosemary Costello
Sheila Dykstra
Bonnie Fendrock
Julia Frost
Purvi Harley
Amy Kingman
Bernadette Orr
Jenny Perkin
Joan Quinlan
Nicole Twomey
Gonzalo Verdugo
Jennifer Warry
Leo Zerilli
. . .
Nancy Schwoyer, President Emerita
Rosemary Haughton, Emerita
Lucy (Jackie) Littlefield, Emerita
President & Executive Director: Melissa A. Dimond
Melissa A. Dimond came to Wellspring House as the organization’s Executive Director in 2015. She is a 23-year veteran of the non-profit sector. Since she began working in the Boston area in 1993, Melissa has devoted her energies to a number of domains: domestic violence intervention, working in health care environments with people who are living with addiction, HIV, and other chronic illness, and large scale community nutrition projects. From 2009-2015, Melissa was the Manager of Community Initiatives at the Massachusetts General Hospital Chelsea HealthCare Center. As the leader of a comprehensive “Healthy Communities” coalition, Dimond successfully led efforts to build collaborations between MGH Chelsea and more than 40 local non-profits, municipal departments, public schools, and local businesses. Prior to joining MGH Chelsea, she was the Founding North Shore Regional Director of The Food Project, Inc.
Melissa holds a Master of Science in Public Health from the Harvard School of Public Health and is a graduate of Washington University, St. Louis, MO. She has served as a founding advisory board member for the Cape Ann Farmers’ Market since 2006 and is a former board member at Stoneridge Children’s Montessori School in Beverly and Temple Ahavat Achim in Gloucester. From 2009-2012 she served on the Health Services Allocations Committee for the North Shore United Way. Melissa lives in Gloucester, where she has been a resident for 18 years.

Wellspring is Searching for Exceptional
Candidates to Join Our Board of Directors!
Wellspring House is guided by the vision of a just society where every member of our community thrives. Our mission is to inspire families and adults on the North Shore to achieve employment and financial security through stable housing, education, job training and career readiness.
The Board of Directors is the governing body of Wellspring and is responsible for supporting and overseeing the fulfillment of Wellspring’s mission to the community, setting direction for Wellspring through strategic planning, providing financial oversight and ensuring Wellspring has the resources to carry out its mission.
Key Service Details and Expectations
- Board members serve a three-year term beginning in July
- Eligible for re-election to a second three-year term
- Board meets as a full group six times a year (all meetings currently held via Zoom)
- Board members also serve on at least one board committee
All submitted applications are reviewed by Wellspring’s Governance Committee, and candidates who meet current recruitment needs will be contacted by the committee to be considered for approval by the full board. The selection of the best candidates is driven by the desire to ensure that the board is comprised of diverse, engaged leaders who not only bring a range of essential skills and experiences but also reflect the communities Wellspring serves.
We welcome nominations of individuals with skills and experience in finance, governance, communications and non-profit administration, and with a connection to Eastern Essex County, though all qualified nominations are most welcome.
Tell us about yourself, your skills and your connection to Wellspring by downloading our 2023 Directors Application and submitting it by email to COTG@wellspringhouse.org.