About Wellspring

Wellspring was founded in 1977, and rapidly earned accreditation by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Hospitals & Healthcare Organizations—the standard-bearer for such centers nationwide.

Inspections & Accreditation by the Joint Commission continue uninterrupted, and both Wellspring and the Arch Bridge School proudly display the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Accreditation. Joint Commission accreditation verifies that a health care provider meets “the most rigorous quality and safety standards of care for their patients and communities.”

In 2011, the Arch Bridge School at Wellspring received accreditation by The New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) — the standard-bearer for quality K-12 schools in the Northwest.

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Inspections & Accreditation by NEASC continues uninterrupted and provides “Confidence that students, parents, the public, government, community leaders, and other institutions are assured a school has the resources to provide a high-quality learning experience.”

In addition, Wellspring & the Arch Bridge School are approved by the Connecticut Department of Education, the Connecticut Department of Children and Families, and the Connecticut Department of Public Health. We have also been approved by the Departments of Education in Massachusetts, New Jersey, Delaware, and New York. We are approved by many other states on a student-by-student basis.

The Wellspring Foundation is accredited by The Joint Commission, licensed by the State of Connecticut, and approved by the states of New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and Massachusetts.

Our Treatment Philosophy

Inherent in every individual is a wellspring of personal being that is unique, unrepeatable, and special. At Wellspring, we help adolescent girls and young adult women get back to the wellspring of their own being to develop healthy relationships with oneself, with others, and with the wider world.

Uniqueness and Dignity

All of Wellspring’s programs are founded on a belief in the uniqueness and dignity of the individual. We strive always to see, know, and reach the essential person in our care.

What we seek in therapy, counseling and education is not external social adjustment alone, but to help the person access what is inherent in personality and giftedness‚—the “wellspring” of one’s own being—that is ultimately the basis for a stable and creative individual life.

Developing Healthy Alternatives

We believe that symptoms of mental illnesses are problems to solve, rather than conditions of existence that define a person to be labeled and carried as a burden.

We address symptoms as patterns of psychological and emotional response and as biological vulnerabilities developed to cope with suffering. While symptoms can meet certain needs, ultimately they are unhealthy solutions that “work” at a terrible cost. Our shared work is to identify and confront symptoms clearly and to empower the individual and family to develop healthier alternatives. While they restore themselves and their relationships, they also restore their mental health.

Environment Matters

Unlike many residential mental health facilities, Wellspring offers a nurturing, home-like environment for long-term mental health care.

Individuals and families are willing to make deep changes only when they feel safe enough to be emotionally vulnerable and risk new ways of relationship with self and others.

The physical environment of Wellspring, with its natural beauty and warmth, supports our intimate programs, while engaging students, clients, and families in professionally sophisticated multi-dimensional treatment.

Healing from All Angles

Every person and family is unique and different and no single approach works the same for everyone. Therefore, we approach each person in as comprehensive and intensive a way as possible.

Notably, in our residential therapy programs and school programs, we use verbal, non-verbal, cognitive, expressive, and experiential pyschodynamic and evidence-based methods. Because therapy is not life, but rather learning to approach life with consciousness and responsibility, we strive to provide a therapeutic environment of experiential programs and relationships for our residential clients and school students, giving depth and immediacy to their healing and restorative processes.

A Team Effort

Family relationships, trainings, visits, and therapies remain a cornerstone of Wellspring programs. All parents of our younger clients are expected to work as part of the “team.” Family therapy is a weekly occurrence at minimum and can be accomplished either in-person or via telehealth.

Importantly, Wellspring and the Arch Bridge School take great care to evaluate, train, and supervise our staff. We assure that all persons working in our program meet standards of excellence. We work hard to meet the needs of those we serve with caring, compassion, and strength, and with the intensity and appropriate relational connectedness necessary to support a return to their families, schools, and communities.

Our commitment in all of our programs is to meet each individual person, student, and family with honesty, intelligence, respect, strength, and care in a deeply healing endeavor.

Wellspring Named Yale Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship Training Site

We are proud that Wellspring is an official training site for the Yale Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship, an ACGME-accredited program. This collaborative world-class partnership reflects Wellspring’s longstanding commitment to clinical excellence and the advancement of mental health in Connecticut, the nation, and beyond.

As a training site, Wellspring provides Yale fellows with an immersive experience in our integrative setting, offering treatment for young individuals with mental health and substance use disorders. This affiliation not only enhances the learning journey of the fellows but strengthens patient care by bringing to campus the most current trends in treatment and the leading minds in the field and supports ongoing professional development for Wellspring’s staff. Wellspring Chief Medical Officer Jessica Zoltani, MD serves as the supervising attending for the Yale trainees, prioritizing a patient-centered educational experience grounded in evidence-based practice. By fostering a culture of continual learning and clinical advancement, Wellspring continues to support the advancement of mental health treatment in both academic and community settings.

Wellspring Welcomes New CEO

Wellspring is delighted to introduce Chief Executive Officer, Pete Mumma, MS, MBA.

Pete brings to Wellspring more than 34 years of experience enhancing and transforming behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment services across inpatient, residential and a full continuum of outpatient settings across New England, the Mid-Atlantic region, and nationally. Most recently, Pete served as the Vice President of Clinical Operations, Behavioral Health for Hartford Healthcare Fairfield region. Prior to that role he served as the President and CEO of the Phoenix House New England and the Senior Vice President and New England Regional Executive as part of the national Phoenix House organization. In addition, Pete has held numerous senior leadership positions at regional hospital and healthcare systems, including LifeBridge Health, Penn Medicine/Lancaster General Health, The Oaks Behavioral Health Hospital at New Hanover Regional Medical Center and the University of Maryland’s Medical System.

Pete holds a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Goucher College, a Master of Science in Counseling Psychology from the University of Baltimore, and a Master of Business Administration with a dual concentration in Healthcare Administration and Healthcare Finance from York College of Pennsylvania.

Pete’s appointment marks a significant milestone for Wellspring as we continue expanding our delivery of excellence and enhancing care quality.

Pete Mumma, MS, MBA

CEO

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Pete brings to Wellspring more than 33 years of experience enhancing and transforming behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment across inpatient, residential and a full continuum of outpatient settings across New England and the Mid-Atlantic region. Most recently, Pete served as the Vice President of Clinical Operations, Behavioral Health for Hartford Healthcare Fairfield region. Prior to that role he served as the President and CEO of the Phoenix House New England and the Senior Vice President and New England Regional Executive as part of the national Phoenix House organization. In addition, Pete has held numerous senior leadership positions at regional hospital and healthcare systems, including LifeBridge Health, Penn Medicine/Lancaster General Health, The Oaks Behavioral Health Hospital and the University of Maryland’s Medical System.

Pete holds a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Goucher College, a Master of Science in Applied Psychology from the University of Baltimore, and a Master of Business Administration in Healthcare Administration with a dual concentration in Healthcare Finance from York College of Pennsylvania.

Pete’s appointment marks a significant milestone for Wellspring as we continue expanding our reach and enhancing care quality. Please join us in welcoming him to our team!

Jessica Zoltani, MD

Chief Medical Officer

Director of Psychiatric Services

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Dr. Zoltani is a Harvard- and Yale-trained psychiatrist, triple board-certified in adult, child, and addiction psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. Dr. Zoltani received her medical degree from Jefferson Medical College in 2012. She subsequently completed adult psychiatry training at the University of Pennsylvania, followed by a fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, with training at both Massachusetts General Hospital and McLean Hospital. She also completed a fellowship in addiction psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine, where she remains on the clinical faculty as an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry.

Prior to joining Wellspring, Dr. Zoltani worked at Yale for 7 years, including roles in both young adult and addiction treatment teams, as well as serving as the Associate Medical Director for Adolescent and Young Adult Addiction Services at the Yale New Haven Psychiatric Hospital. Dr. Zoltani’s areas of clinical expertise include complex co-occurring disorders, psychotherapy, autism spectrum disorder, and affirming care for LGBTQIA+ patients.  She has published and presented at national conferences on topics including substance use disorders, personality disorders, and the psychiatric care of adolescents and young adults. In addition to expertise in adult and pediatric psychopharmacology, Dr. Zoltani prioritizes a patient-centered approach and has additional training in mindfulness, dialectical behavioral therapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, fitness training, and participating in a long-standing book club.

Laurie Collins, MSHA

Chief Operating Officer

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Coming soon.

Krystyna Pasquariello

Director of Education, Arch Bridge School

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Drawn to the therapeutic education model of Arch Bridge School, Krystyna moved from her native New Hampshire nine years ago to begin her career as a Social Studies teacher.  She arrived with special education teaching experience, triple-state teaching certifications, a Master’s Degree in Secondary Education, and notable musical and theatrical experience. That said, what rose to the top was her unwavering commitment to help our students learn and thrive. Krystyna sprints with an undercurrent of curiosity, creativity, and enthusiasm. A born leader, she is certified as an administrator and working towards completing her Special Education certification and is our new Director of Education!  Both at work and at home, she is a lifelong learner. She loves to explore new music, new restaurants, and new places.  She has traveled to Croatia, Iceland, South Africa, Poland and many European countries. She and her husband hope to resume travel and they have a few places on their list – New Zealand, Thailand and Viet Nam. When she wants to relax, she finds a yoga mat or escapes in the company of a few super hero friends from Harry Potter, Marvel comics, Lord of the Rings, Start Wars and Star Trek.

Amy Langevin

Director of Operations

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Coming soon.

Vikki Palmer, RN

Director of Nursing

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Coming soon.

Nancy Thurston

Director of Admissions

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Coming soon.

Katie Arsenault

Director of Business Development

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Coming soon.

Cathy Nagle, LPC

Program Director

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Wellspring is more than just a place of work for Cathy. It is a community with a mission so closely aligned to her own that she has stayed tethered to Wellspring for 12 years, working with our three residential programs, Wellspring’s Arch Bridge School and outpatient. Her clinical approach is rooted in Wellspring’s relational model, and her calm and centered demeanor makes those around her feel safe, heard and open to emotional growth. Cathy sees the world through the eyes of building relationships and making connections. When she knits (and boy does she knit!), she connects with her grandmother who first inspired her love of fiber arts. When she discovered roller derby, she joined a local team of friendly and open-minded women were united in their no-judgement, ‘come as you are’ approach to the sport. In short, when Cathy makes connections, she does it thoughtfully and with gusto. She has a master’s degree in counseling and art therapy, and enjoys live music, hiking, going to fiber festivals, and spending time with her family and friends. She and her husband are proud parents of an adorable 11-month old son who is on the brink of taking his first steps! When asked if her Wellspring experience will make her a better parent, she responds, “It already has.”

Sara Osborne, LPC, LADC

Assistant Program Director

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Sara joined Wellspring in 2014 as a per diem milieu counselor, a position she held for four years before leaving to explore and pursue a career in community substance use, and mental health treatment that ranged from macro level prevention initiatives to direct care in clinical care.  In 2024, she found her way back to Wellspring as a Psychotherapist and Assistant Director of Angelus House.

Sara has a master’s degree in community psychology from Sacred Heart University and clinical mental health counseling from University of Bridgeport. In addition to her work at Wellspring, Sara maintains a small private practice with a focus on providing EMDR and consultation.  She is working towards completing her PsyD in Clinical Psychology.  Sara enjoys attending live music concerts, spending time in nature, photography and finding joy in laughter.

Alyssa Nielsen, MD

Psychiatrist

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Dr. Nielsen is a licensed physician currently completing her psychiatric residency at Yale. She received her medical degree from University of Florida College of Medicine with Distinctions in Research and Quality Improvement and Patient Safety. She has experience in treating a variety of patient populations – including children and adolescents – through her training at Yale Psychiatric Hospital, Yale New Haven Hospital, Connecticut Mental Health Center, and the West Haven VA Medical Center. She is excited to bring knowledge from these enriching training experiences into her care at Wellspring.

While in medical school, Dr. Nielsen ran a free weekly primary care clinic specializing in providing gender-affirming care for LGBTQIA+ individuals. She also started a free monthly psychiatry clinic that has since expanded to operate bi-monthly at multiple sites. Particular areas of interest in Dr. Nielsen’s current clinical work include psychodynamically-informed care, affirming care for LGBTQIA+ patients, and working with patients with chronic and/or serious mental illness. Her non-clinical interests include investigating patient and family perspectives of mental health care – of which she has published multiple papers on – and medical education. She has additional training in various therapy modalities, including cognitive behavioral therapy, psychodynamic therapy, couples therapy, and group therapy. Dr. Nielsen prides herself on providing patient-centered and thoughtful care to individuals of all backgrounds. Outside of work, she enjoys weightlifting, baking, spending time with her husband and two cats, and exploring the abundance of beautiful nature in CT.

Leann Mitchell, LCSW

Clinician

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Coming soon.

Jeff Culhane, MS

Program Director

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Jeff joined Wellspring in 1994 and serves as the Program Director for Beauvais House, our adolescent girls program. In this role, he coordinates the integration of traditional, clinical and therapeutic milieu programs and activities. He also carries a clinical caseload as a therapist leading expressive groups.

Prior to his current role at Wellspring, Jeff was Clinical Supervisor at Wellspring’s Arch Bridge School. In that role, he supervised all clinical services of the Arch Bridge School and provided clinical direction to both the therapeutic school and parent programs.

Jeff is trained in Attachment, Expressive and Adlerian therapies. He earned his BA in Psychology from Southern CT State University and his MS from Southern CT State University. In his spare time Jeff is an assistant coach for youth soccer and enjoys sports, traveling, outdoor activities, writing, music, and spending time with his wife and two children.

Liz Bunovsky, LMFT

Psychotherapist

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Liz joined Wellspring in 1999 as a Primary Therapist in our adolescent girls program.  Her role includes providing individual and family therapy, and leading substance abuse groups. Liz also sees clients through our outpatient counseling center.

Prior to joining Wellspring, Liz was the Outpatient Clinic Coordinator for Gilead Community Services, and worked in the partial hospitalization and inpatient programs at Natchaug Hospital. Liz has been a practicing Master’s Level Clinician for 22 years.

She earned her BA in Philosophy and MA in Marriage and Family Therapy at The University of Connecticut, and is licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of CT. She has been a Girl Scout troop leader for 6 years, and is the proud mom of 2 children.

Holly Savage

Psychotherapist

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Holly is a primary therapist at Beauvais House, our adolescent girls program. She conducts individual, group and family therapy and runs our mind and body group. Her work has been informed by trainings in Jungian Sand Tray, eating disorders, women’s issues and relational treatment modalities.

Prior to her role here at Wellspring, Holly worked at Natchaug Hospital’s adolescent crisis unit and for Trinity College’s counseling center, bringing over 25 years of experience to Wellspring.

Holly earned her BFA from Southampton College, her BA in Psychology from Southampton College, and her MA in Clinical Practices in Psychology from the University of Hartford. She is a participant in the NPR Charter of Compassion, and is involved with the organization Free Tibet. Holly’s work is informed by Buddhist practices. In her free time, Holly enjoys spending time in her garden.

Juliane Armentano, LPC

Psychotherapist

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Coming soon.

Sarah Vogt

Milieu Supervisor

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Coming soon.

Angela Allen

Milieu Counselor III

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Coming soon.

Aby Torlan

Psychotherapist

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Coming soon.

Barbara Stolarik

Assistant Director of Education

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Coming soon.

Sabrina Tiso, LCSW

Clinical Supervisor

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Sabrina joined the Wellspring team in 2002 and is the Clinical Supervisor of the Arch Bridge School’s Middle and High School Programs. Her responsibilities include coordinating intake interviews, communicating with prospective parents and Local Education Agencies, assisting in administrative decision making, and leading clinical groups for day students. She also supervises the School Clinicians who provide therapeutic support throughout the school day.

Her previous positions at Wellspring include the roles of Behavioral Specialist and School Social Worker.

Sabrina obtained her BA in Psychology at Fairfield University and her MSW at Columbia University. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Certified School Social Worker. Sabrina is a dessert aficionado and accomplished baker.

Marsha Doran

Administrative Assistant

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Coming soon.

Leslie Persson, LCSW

School Clinician

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Leslie began her career at a Los Angeles based organization whose mission was to build safe, nurturing and resilient families. She worked with teenage girls who had experienced homelessness, family abuse and the ensuing mental health issues that come with childhood trauma. The focus of the work was resource driven, and Leslie saw that as a sign to build up her counseling toolbox with a master’s degree in Social Work – a perfect complement to her bachelor’s degree in Psychology. When Leslie describes her work as a School Clinician, her narrative Is a veritable gift to the Wellspring and Arch Bridge School community: “I help young people get out of their struggles to build better lives for themselves.” Not only does Leslie empower her students, she also inspires her two daughters to be their best. She beams with joy when she shares stories about her 13-year old fraternal twins, and describes them as kind and smart. Leslie makes a conscious effort to balance work and family with personal time. She subscribes to a steady routine of weight training and running and never misses an opportunity to feel grateful for life and for her work at Wellspring. She loves to bake, travel and LOVES to speak French.

Kendra Pfahl

Special Education Teacher

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Kendra, our Consumer Math and Study Strategy teacher, is naturally inclined to introduce real-life practicality and loads of fun to her day-to-day curriculum.  An animal lover at heart, Kendra enjoys taking her students to Wellspring’s barn- the home of our goats, sheep, chickens and our bunny rabbit, Willow, that she helped bring to campus several years ago.  When you see her on campus, ask her to tell you about the 8-day journey she took on a horse across Ireland!

Frank Robacker

Special Education Teacher

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Frank joined the Arch Bridge School at Wellspring in 2015 as the Assistant Director of Education.  In this role he supervised and evaluated staff and Teachers but Frank’s true passion was working closely with the students providing behavioral and instructional support.  Frank made the decision in 2019 that he would prefer to follow his heart and stepped into the role of Special Education Teacher.

Frank grew up in Branford, Ct and acquired a Master in Education and became CT State Certified in Social Sciences, Special Education and Intermediate Administration and Supervision. Frank was the Director of Education for Road High School in Waterbury/Wallingford, Summit School in Manchester, Lake Grove in Durham, Deborah-Tennant Zinewicz School in Norwich and Natchaug Hospital School. He is a peer reviewer for the New England Association of Schools and a CT TEAM Mentor for beginning Teachers.

Frank’s personal passions are birding, Piano Improvisation, NBA, his children and grandchildren and promoting diversity.

Kellie Ahearn

Science Teacher

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Kellie started at the Arch Bridge School at Wellspring in 2008.  She teaches Biology, Life Science, Earth Science and Physical Science.

Sara Markman

Science and Math Teacher

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Sara joined the Arch Bridge School at Wellspring as a Science and Math Teacher in the summer of 2021.  In her free time she is also a Religious School Teacher at Congregation Kol Haverim in Glastonbury CT.

Before Wellspring Sara worked at the Science Faculty at The Loomis Chaffee School in Windsor, CT after graduating with her Master of Arts degree in Curriculum and Instruction at the University Of CT Neag School Of Education.

Sara is a member of the American Chemical Society (ACS) and the American Association of Chemistry Teachers (AACT).

Sara’s hometown is in Wethersfield, CT and she is the proud owner of two dogs.

Rebecca Hoyt

Social Studies Teacher

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Rebecca joined the Wellspring team in November of 2021 and is the Social Studies Teacher of the Arch Bridge School’s Middle and High School Programs. Her responsibilities include creating dynamic and multimodal lessons that help students to process and build a greater understanding of the essential ideas of social studies; working with students to develop core academic skills such as analytic writing and issue debating; working with the special education team to develop options for students with specific academic needs.

She earned an Artium Baccalaureus in German Studies and Government: International Relations at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, a Juris Doctor in Law at Lewis & Clark Northwestern School of Law in Oregon and a Master’s of Science in Education at the University of New Haven in Connecticut.

Rebecca has recently returned to her hometown of New Milford, CT after living in Norwich for 6 years. Some great discussions have been formed as a result of her making herself known to her students as a huge fan of board/card/RPG games and anime.

Donald Amodio

English Teacher

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Coming soon.

Steve Smith, MBA

Math Teacher

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Coming soon.

Kristen Sastri

Adminsitrative Assistant

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Coming soon.

Mike Prokop

Vocational Coach and Tutor

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Coming soon.

Amy Pedersen

School Clinician

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Coming soon.

Elena Sileo

School Clinician

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Coming soon.

Cassandra Beauvais, DVM

Land and Animal Program

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Cassandra joined the Wellspring team in 1999 and is currently the Animal Program Coordinator. She works with residents and students in our unique land and animal programs and oversees the health and daily care of the farm animals on each of our campuses.

Prior to her current responsibilities, Cassandra was one of the original Milieu Counselors in our children’s program. She has also worked with at-risk youth in farm and forestry work at the Smokey House Center in Danby, Vermont.

Cassandra obtained her BS in Natural Resources from Cornell University and her DVM at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. She also holds a certificate in animal-assisted therapy from University of Denver’s Graduate School of Social Work. She currently serves on the Bethlehem Conservation commission and spearheads Wellspring’s recycling efforts.

Marty Newell

Adventure Program

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Coming soon.

Dominic Mastro

Environment Manager

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Coming soon.

Stephan Sundlof

Maintenance Supervisor

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Coming soon.

Ronnie McQueeney

Health Information Systems Coordinator

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Coming soon.

Timothy Keegan

Information Technology Coordinator

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Coming soon.

Chez Ruiz

Human Resource Generalist

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Coming soon.

Kristine Moschetta

Human Resource Generalist

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Coming soon.

Donna Dickinson

Receptionist

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Coming soon.

Greg Miller

Maintenance Assistant

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Coming soon.

Tarah Zeiner

Staff Accountant

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Coming soon.

Joel Balisciano

Accounts Payable/Payroll

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Coming soon.

Tony Pietrafesa

Kitchen Coordinator

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Coming soon.

Dominic Mastro

Environmental Manager

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Coming soon.

Jill Hogan, MA
Board Chairperson
Mother of four. Specializes in intercultural Management. Former Executive Director of Loka Institute

James Donaghy, MBA, CPA
Board Vice Chairperson
Chief Executive Officer and Principal, Holding Capital Group

Cynthia Hallenbeck, MBA
President, Alercyn Inc. providing interim CFO services for non-profits

Thomas W. Jasper, MBA
Board Treasurer
Managing Partner, Manursing Partners LLC

Michael Ackerman
Retired Owner of The Pantry, Washington Depot

Babette Basil
Retired. International business and finance, including Vice President at CitiBank and Managing Partner at US and Russian Products and technology

Phyllis Beauvais, PhD
Retired, Co-Founder of Wellspring and Psychotherapist

Rachel Berkowitz
Vice President in Foreign Exchange Sales at the Morgan Stanley

Elizabeth Kilbourn Graham, MPA
Director of Budget and Planning, Judicial Branch, State of Connecticut

Gerard Smith

Melodee Morrison, LCSW
Retired – private practice, formerly Chief Social Worker, Columbia Presbyterian Hospital

Monsignor Robert F. Tucker
Retired Pastor, St. Anthony’s Church, Litchfield and St. Thomas of Villanova Church

At Wellspring we help people find themselves again.

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21 Arch Bridge Road
PO Box 370
Bethlehem CT 06751

Phone: 203-266-8000
Fax: 203-266-8030
gro.g1784449650nirps1784449650llew@1784449650ofni1784449650

Accreditation

Wellspring and the Arch Bridge School are accredited by The Joint Commission and NEASC, licensed by the State of Connecticut, and approved by the states of New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. Delaware and other states on a case-by-case basis.

Wellspring is a member of the American Residential Treatment Association, Connecticut Association of Private Special Education Facilities, and the National Association for Therapeutic Schools and Programs.

Wellspring is a nonprofit, tax exempt 501(c)(3) organization.

CT Tax Reg #: 3658242-000 | EIN: 06-1014227

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