Heather Fitzpatrick
President & CEO at Wellspring Family Services- Claim this Profile
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Topline Score
Bio
Glenn Harrington
I know of no one better to provide leadership at Wellspring! Heather is a dynamo!
Ethan Norris
I regularly consider myself lucky to have the chance to work with and get to know Heather. A number of years ago I stepped into the Board Chair role of an organization that was losing money at a perilously unsustainable rate. In fact, we were honestly closer to closure of significant programs than many people realized. Heather rolled up her sleeves and got to work in an interim role, while members of the board initiated the search for our new CEO. It didn't take long for us to realize that the right person to lead the organization was right under our noses. Heather brought financial vigor, strategic vision, and a strong team to our organization. Fast forward to today, Heather's sleeves are still rolled up, revenues have more than doubled, our cash situation has improved, employee morale has increased dramatically, and as the ultimate indication of her success - we are serving six times as many households in a sustainable manner. It has truly been a remarkable turnaround! I don't thank her enough for the hard work she has done and the hard work she continues to do. Thank you Heather!
Glenn Harrington
I know of no one better to provide leadership at Wellspring! Heather is a dynamo!
Ethan Norris
I regularly consider myself lucky to have the chance to work with and get to know Heather. A number of years ago I stepped into the Board Chair role of an organization that was losing money at a perilously unsustainable rate. In fact, we were honestly closer to closure of significant programs than many people realized. Heather rolled up her sleeves and got to work in an interim role, while members of the board initiated the search for our new CEO. It didn't take long for us to realize that the right person to lead the organization was right under our noses. Heather brought financial vigor, strategic vision, and a strong team to our organization. Fast forward to today, Heather's sleeves are still rolled up, revenues have more than doubled, our cash situation has improved, employee morale has increased dramatically, and as the ultimate indication of her success - we are serving six times as many households in a sustainable manner. It has truly been a remarkable turnaround! I don't thank her enough for the hard work she has done and the hard work she continues to do. Thank you Heather!
Glenn Harrington
I know of no one better to provide leadership at Wellspring! Heather is a dynamo!
Ethan Norris
I regularly consider myself lucky to have the chance to work with and get to know Heather. A number of years ago I stepped into the Board Chair role of an organization that was losing money at a perilously unsustainable rate. In fact, we were honestly closer to closure of significant programs than many people realized. Heather rolled up her sleeves and got to work in an interim role, while members of the board initiated the search for our new CEO. It didn't take long for us to realize that the right person to lead the organization was right under our noses. Heather brought financial vigor, strategic vision, and a strong team to our organization. Fast forward to today, Heather's sleeves are still rolled up, revenues have more than doubled, our cash situation has improved, employee morale has increased dramatically, and as the ultimate indication of her success - we are serving six times as many households in a sustainable manner. It has truly been a remarkable turnaround! I don't thank her enough for the hard work she has done and the hard work she continues to do. Thank you Heather!
Glenn Harrington
I know of no one better to provide leadership at Wellspring! Heather is a dynamo!
Ethan Norris
I regularly consider myself lucky to have the chance to work with and get to know Heather. A number of years ago I stepped into the Board Chair role of an organization that was losing money at a perilously unsustainable rate. In fact, we were honestly closer to closure of significant programs than many people realized. Heather rolled up her sleeves and got to work in an interim role, while members of the board initiated the search for our new CEO. It didn't take long for us to realize that the right person to lead the organization was right under our noses. Heather brought financial vigor, strategic vision, and a strong team to our organization. Fast forward to today, Heather's sleeves are still rolled up, revenues have more than doubled, our cash situation has improved, employee morale has increased dramatically, and as the ultimate indication of her success - we are serving six times as many households in a sustainable manner. It has truly been a remarkable turnaround! I don't thank her enough for the hard work she has done and the hard work she continues to do. Thank you Heather!
Credentials
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Not-for-Profit Certificate I
Association of International Certified Professional AccountantsNov, 2019- Nov, 2024 -
Not-for-Profit Certificate II
Association of International Certified Professional AccountantsNov, 2019- Nov, 2024 -
Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA)
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)Jul, 2012- Nov, 2024 -
Certified Public Accountant
Washington State Board of AccountancyJun, 1993- Nov, 2024
Experience
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Wellspring Family Services
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United States
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Individual and Family Services
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1 - 100 Employee
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President & CEO
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Oct 2018 - Present
Since 1892, Wellspring Family Services has served families in crisis in the Puget Sound region. Our focus is on preventing homelessness through improved employee stability (through the Wellspring Employee Assistance Program and Counseling Services) and eviction prevention. We work to resolve homelessness through our Housing program and defray the cost of rent by providing families with access to clothing and other essential supplies in our free Family Store. We address the impact of homelessness on children in our Early Learning Center, Washington State’s only program committed to addressing the trauma associated with homelessness. As CEO, with the help of the exceptional leadership team at Wellspring, I guided the organization through a financial turnaround and reorganization, closed and restructured divisions, facilitated the development of a new strategic plan for the organization, crafted and led execution on biannual operations plans, improved our employee Net Promoter Score from the teens to the high 60s, restored operating capital, overhauled our board governance structure, more than tripled the number of households served, grew services into Pierce and Snohomish Counties, and more than doubled the annual operating budget (from $12 million in 2017 to $27 million in 2020).
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Interim CEO
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Jan 2018 - Sep 2018
At the request of the board of directors, stepped in as interim CEO. Led the team of 100 employees through operational planning and internal reorganization to support the organization's core purpose: ending the cycle of family homelessness. Facilitated development of a new strategic plan. Previously served as a part-time, interim CFO/COO from July through December 2017.
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MarketFitz, Inc.
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United States
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Advertising Services
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1 - 100 Employee
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President & CEO
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Feb 1998 - Sep 2018
Collaborated with clients to diagnose and overcome previously unidentified barriers to success and develop strategies that clear the path for exceptional performance. For example, I: ◦ Served as Interim CEO/CFO/COO for a nonprofit human services agency on the brink of financial failure. Led budgeting process to address financial instability and improve accountability. Facilitated development of operations plan and to provide direction for next two years. Led strategic planning process to chart a new course for the organization. ◦ Defined new competitive position for large construction-industry client that facilitated an increase in pricing and expansion of lucrative business niches. ◦ Restructured the award-winning communications team for one of Washington State’s larger healthcare systems. Reduced costs by 40% while maintaining exceptional performance. ◦ Discovered, through market research, the previously unidentified key to increasing new customer acquisition and increasing repeat purchasing behavior among patrons of a performing arts organization. Collaborated with them to develop programs which grew the patron base by 10.8%, increased repeat purchase behavior by 31.6% and boosted revenues by 13.5% per annum. ◦ Developed financial models and facilitated a board retreat to help an organization overcome its struggle to develop effective fund development plans. ◦ Persuaded a professional service firm to abandon a costly promotions campaign in favor of a targeted program that generated 2,700% ROI. ◦ Evaluated potential financial returns on a proposed development campaign through market testing. Adjusted expectations and modified approach. Developed the company’s research-based Alignment Map methodology that optimizes returns on go-to-market investments. Authored "Marketing Management for Non-Marketing Managers: Improving Returns on Marketing Investments," requested and published by American Institute of CPAs in 2013.
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Deloitte
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Business Consulting and Services
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700 & Above Employee
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Director of Marketing & Communications
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Dec 1994 - May 1998
• Recognized for creating innovative approaches to meeting the firm’s regional business objectives.• Collaborated with national marketing team to develop similar programs in other offices.• Taught effective marketing management practices as a guest speaker at the firm’s national marketing conference.
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Senior, Tax Department
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Sep 1992 - Dec 1994
A licensed CPA, Heather's practice focused on benefit plans, not-for-profit organizations, and other tax-exempt entities. Heather also worked on individual tax returns, and was a member of the international tax group.
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Education
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1990 - 1992
University of Washington - Michael G. Foster School of Business
MBA, HR & Marketing -
1988 - 1989
Fulbright Scholar
Marseilles, France -
1984 - 1988
Colgate University
BA, French, Economics -
1977 - 1984
Lakeside School
High School
Community
