Wellspring welcomes Banks, Cassier to board of directors
Wellspring, the domestic violence and sexual assault services resource for Saratoga County residents, recently announced the welcoming of Cerri Banks and Margaret Smith Cassier to its board of directors.
Banks is the dean of students and vice president for student affairs at Skidmore College. She received her Ph.D. in cultural foundations of education and a certificate of advanced women’s studies from Syracuse University. She specializes in sociology of education, cultural studies, multicultural education and qualitative research.
Additionally, Banks has an extensive background in higher education and has won an array of honors, awards and scholarships over the course of her career. Her book, Black Women Undergraduates Cultural Capital
and College Success, documents the academic and social success of black women undergraduates as they negotiate dominant education and social discourses about their schooling lives.
Smith Cassier is the president and owner of Airosmith Development, Inc ., a certified woman owned- business founded in 2004 that specializes in site acquisition and engineering for commercial wireless providers, broadband companies, utility and government entities. In 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, Airosmith Development was awarded the designation as one of Inc. 5000’s fastest growing companies in the United States.
Furthermore, Smith Cassier is a strong supporter of organizations that advocate for the advancement of women and children. She began her career as an adult educator, which included the development and facilitation of GED and workforce development educational programs. She experienced firsthand the benefits organizations such as Wellspring offer the local community.
“Wellspring is at a transformative point within the organization after announcing the development of our new facility in October,” Wellspring executive director Maggie Fronk said in a press release. “We have a fully engaged, dynamic board of directors who are committed to advancing our vision to end relationship and sexual abuse in our community. We are thrilled to bring two new board members onto the team who have the skills to help us achieve both immediate and long-term goals.”
Wellspring’s executive board of directors consists of president Erica Fuller, vice president Karen Sosler, treasurer John Pecora and secretary David Cumming. Additional board members are Jake Behuniak, Stephanie Collins, Andi Dolinsky, Giovanna D’Orazio, Dean
Kolligian, Tom Meaney, Kevin Ronayne, Margaret Roohan and Linda Toohey.
Wellspring’smission is to support survivors and engage the community to end relationship and sexual abuse. Each year, Wellspring’s crisis intervention and survivor services support more than 1,000 clients - providing safe housing to adults and children either fleeing or homeless because of domestic violence, as well as comprehensive support in the formof counseling, legal advocacy, and case management. The Wellspring staff provides prevention and education programs to schoolaged youth, as well as training and educationprograms for parents, faith-based congregations and professional organizations.
More information about Wellspring’s mission, services and programs is available online at www.wellspringcares.org or by calling 518- 583- 0280.
“Wellspring is at a trans formative point within the organization after announcing the development of our new facility in October. We have a fully engaged, dynamic board of directors who are committed to advancing our vision to end relationship and sexual abuse in our community. We are thrilled to bring two new board members onto the team who have the skills to help us achieve both immediate and long-term goals.”
— Maggie Fronk, Wellspring executive director