Learning, Enterprise, Hospitality. 

These watchwords that describe Wellspring and its mission could easily be applied to Kay’s long history with the organization.  The search and ultimate naming of Kay O’Rourke as Wellspring’s Executive Director had seeds sown early in Wellspring’s history. 

In 1982, Kay was a graduate student.  She reached out to have a conversation with Founder Rosemary Haughton about a book Rosemary had written.   Rosemary invited Kay to come and visit and it was the beginning of Kay’s path to Wellspring’s door.  As Kay says “When you walk through Wellspring’s doors, Life comes out to meet you.  Anger, despair and grief are met with compassion, kindness, understanding – and that makes everything possible.”  Kay has been a part of developing Wellspring’s mission, history, and broad reaching policies.  During her first months with Wellspring’s Movement for North American Mission program, she learned about the action and reflection model that is so necessary for personal and social change to happen.  She left Wellspring House to help start-up the Tug Valley Recovery Shelter,  a domestic violence shelter in West Virginia.

Over the years, Kay has returned to Wellspring in many capacities, most recently as the Director of Hospitality.  Perhaps more than her roles as family advocate, board treasurer, or director of economic development, the Director of Hospitality was charged with maintaining the warmth and welcome that distinguishes Wellspring from other shelters, and from other social service organizations.  Because Wellspring is a home, and a movement, and a place of refuge, the choice of Kay as the keeper of hospitality, after her years of learning and enterprise, is a fitting route to the office of Executive Director.

“Wellspring envisions the just society as one in which the earth and all her people are cared for in a spirit of hospitality.  It is hospitality that makes all the difference.  For hospitality implies openness to the unknown and it is fearless…This spirit has always been the source of Wellspring’s power.” Kay O’Rourke, Executive Director, Wellspring House, Inc.

Kay brings to Wellspring House a wealth of experience in both the non-profit and for profit sectors.  Her education and experience include:

• Wellspring House

×           Movement for North American Mission

×           Administrative Team and Family Life Advocate

×           Director of Economic Development, Consultant

×           Treasurer of the Board

×           Director of Hospitality

• Director of Marketing, Third Sector New England

• Director of Database Marketing and Customer Relationship Management, ROXY.com

• President, Imagination! Inc.

MBA, Northeastern University (Boston, MA)

MA, Regis Collge (Denver, CO)

BS, Delaware Valley College of Science and Agriculture (PA)