In Memoriam

Hanna Still, beloved Trustee since the 1994 founding of the school, passed away on July 11, 2012.  For nearly two decades, Hanna provided tireless support and leadership for the Wellsprings mission.  She will be dearly missed.

Click here to read about Hanna's life, see photos, and learn about the Hanna K. Still Memorial Fund, in our Autumn 2012 newsletter.

Cheryl Armstrong brings more than twenty years of professional fundraising and executive leadership experience with non-profit and higher education organizations to the Board, which she joined in May, 2012.  Cheryl’s passion is building relationships, and linking those who want to make a difference with the opportunity to do so through philanthropy.  She is a trained life and business coach, and has been an entrepreneur.  She is passionate about the mission of Wellsprings and is eager to make a difference in the Wellsprings community.  A native of Eugene, she returned to live here in 2009 after many years living and working in Michigan.  Cheryl currently serves as a regional director of development for Michigan State University.

James Fox is well acquainted with all aspects of life at Wellsprings. His son Mani was a very popular student at Wellsprings, who died suddenly at the age of 16. James and his wife, Miya, set up the Mani Shimada Memorial Fund to support the school and “the golden heart of teens.” Eager to contribute to the welfare of the school, James joined the board in May of 2004. He comes with a firm perspective to support youth, with a history of organizational expertise, financial experience and a deep spiritual and human commitment. James is Director of Special Collections at the University of Oregon library.

John Etter 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.

Lisa Marcus began serving as a Trustee in July 2010, right after her son Geoffrey graduated from Wellsprings. As a result of Geoffrey’s wonderful and positive experience here, Lisa was eager to join the Board to help ensure that other young people could have the same opportunity. Lisa has worked as a legal assistant in Eugene since she and her family moved here from Montana in 2001. Her other community activities include outings with the Obsidians outdoor activity group and singing with several choral groups.

Lisette Ewing 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. 

May-Britt Jeremiah is the newest Trustee, having joined in autumn, 2012.  A multi-lingual native of Denmark, she has lived and worked in five different countries.  Her work experience includes various positions at universities and language schools in the U.S. and Japan.  A trained midwife and doula, May-Britt owned and operated a doula services company in San Francisco.  Since 2005, she has been the Business Manager of the University of Oregon’s Theatre Arts Department and University Theatre.  She has volunteered at many organizations, and has served as a board member and officer on eight boards in two states.  May-Britt’s personal philosophy centers on “a keen interest in educating the whole being as a life-long process.”