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"The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to

think critically. Intelligence plus character- That is the goal of true education."
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Meet Our Team

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Teacher

Kate Stover

Kate grew up in a small mountain town in Colorado. She has a B.S. in Geography and Environmental Science as well as a B.A. in Education from the University of Colorado. She moved to Oregon 5 years ago and has worked with youth in a variety of settings including teaching at Northwest Youth Corps, Looking Glass Family Services and other youth mentor programs. Kate joined the Wellsprings family in 2020 as a part time science teacher, where she is already making waves for her engaging classes. Kate is often exploring the outdoors and seeking adventure.

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Teacher

Brad Goss

Brad first came to Wellsprings in 2013 to assist in Math and Writing classes. A University of Oregon graduate with a degree in English, Brad taught a popular Literature class throughout the 2014/15 school year. He began teaching full-time in the fall, 2015, offering a wide range of language arts classes.

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Kitchen Coordinator

Anna Lankutis

Anna serves a vital and universally-appreciated role as our Kitchen Coordinator. Although Anna started in the fall, 2015, she is the parent of a 2003 graduate and has been somewhat associated with the school since 2001! Anna retired after 26 years of work in many phases of community social work and children’s programs. She loves working in the kitchen and serving students, and is delighted to be able to give back to the school in this special way.

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Teacher

Bob Schlichting

Bob has a B.S. in Special Education K-12 and Secondary Psychology with a minor in Sociology/Anthropology. For four-plus years he worked at Aerie Academy as headmaster, counselor, and instructor. Prior to that, Bob worked in Lewiston, Idaho, at Northwest Children’s Home as a Special Education instructor dealing with socially and emotionally disturbed children. Bob has been teaching Math, Psychology, Human Sexuality, Music History, and other classes at Wellsprings since the fall of 2001.

Our Board of Trustees

Our current Board combines a mixture of long-serving Trustees with relatively new members

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John Etter

John of Portland, Oregon is a very devoted member of the Eugene Friends Meeting. He attended Scattergood Friends School in Iowa, which he considers as having yielded experiences that continue to direct his life in positive ways. To help other high school students gain similar benefits, John has been an enthusiastic supporter of Wellsprings since its founding in 1994. His younger daughter, Angela, was in the first graduating class in 1996. John is a retired landscape architect, having spent many years with the city of Eugene planning and designing parks, planning bike paths, and consulting on urban beautification.

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Lisette Ewing

Lisette has been a Special Education teacher since 1984. She has taught in Illinois, Idaho, S. Carolina and Oregon, headed a professional organization, and been part of state working groups in her field. Lisette has published articles and lectured internationally about art for blind and visually impaired students. A profile in the newsletter of the Eugene Friends Meeting, which she attends, noted that “those who know her can’t miss her passion and pizzazz!” The individualized curriculum for alternative learners at Wellsprings fits Lisette’s educational philosophy very well. She joined the Board in September 2011.

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John Morse

John joined the Board in October 2017. A retired California public school educator of thirty-nine years, he has served as a teacher, school principal, director of instruction and assistant-superintendent for instructional services. John has had diverse experience developing and supporting high-quality alternative programs for students. He is very committed to the mission of Wellsprings and in helping all students reach their intended personal, graduation and/or post-secondary training goals. John is a team player and enjoys working positively and collaboratively with all members of this unique school community to ensure student success.

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Susan Macomson

Susan has worked in the Arts all her life. She was a pre-school teacher for 20 years, and also taught teachers how to teach art. Back in the day Susan was a climbing guide as well as a member of Portland Mountain Rescue, and also worked with Portland Juvenile Services helping kids develop leadership skills through outdoor programs. Currently she is doing a lot of work on environmental and justice issues. Susan joined the Board of Trustees in February, 2017. She looks forward to bringing her art and all the parts of her life to share with the Wellsprings community.

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Dr. Kristen Wright

Dr. Wright (Kris) is a parent of a 2021 Wellsprings graduate. Kris works with incoming families on navigating the referral process. As a board member, she focuses on research, community outreach, recruitment, and assessment. She is thrilled to still be a part of the Wellsprings Friends community, and eternally grateful to the staff and board at Wellsprings for embracing her child and reinvigorating their love of learning. Kris holds a PhD in Communication and Media. She is particularly interested in identifying barriers for marginalized groups and activating initiatives to break down obstacles, embrace differences, practice active listening, and appreciate diverse perspectives and experiences.

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Bill Goldsmith

Bill is recently retired after over 50 years in various administrative roles, most recently twelve years as business manager and athletic director at Oak Hill School. His daughter Rachel Wolfe-Goldsmith, a successful activist mural artist, found a welcoming and supportive educational home at Wellsprings and graduated in 2008. Currently Bill finds pleasure in playing pétanque, coaching girls basketball and growing tomatoes.

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