Wellspring House Welcomes New and Returning Members to Board of Directors

Wellspring House is pleased to announce two additions to its Board of Directors: Leo Zerilli of Gloucester, MA, who rejoins the board following his return to the North Shore, and Luke McCabe, Vice President, Senior Business Banking Relationship Manager at Bank of America.

Wellspring House’s mission is to inspire families, adults, and young adults across the North Shore to achieve employment and financial security through stable housing, education, job training, and career readiness. This year, Wellspring served more than 2,000 individuals, including families, young adults, and adults, across more than 20 cities and towns on the North Shore.

“Luke and Leo join our board at an important moment for Wellspring House, as housing costs and financial pressure continue to rise for families across the North Shore and beyond,” said Joan Quinlan, Chair of the Wellspring House Board of Directors. “Luke and Leo bring exactly the kind of financial discipline, governance experience, and community commitment we need as we continue our work helping our neighbors build economic stability through stable housing, education, and employment – and a lasting foundation for self-sufficiency. We are thrilled to welcome them to the board.”

Leo Zerilli is an independent board leader with nearly 30 years of leadership experience in global wealth and investment management. He is the former President & CEO of Manulife Investment Management (Canada), where he held full P&L accountability across the firm’s investment, wealth management, and advisory businesses in Canada and the United States. Earlier in his career, he served as Chief Investment Officer of the John Hancock Group of Funds.

Zerilli has extensive board experience across public, private, and nonprofit organizations in North America, Europe, and offshore jurisdictions, including service as Chair of Manulife Group of Funds (Canada) and as a director of John Hancock Investment Advisors. He is a seasoned audit committee chair and holds an NACD Directorship Certification, along with an MBA, magna cum laude, from Boston University and a BA from Colgate University.

Zerilli previously served on the Wellspring House Board from 2019 to 2022, before relocating for his role leading Manulife Investment Management in Canada. Having recently returned to Gloucester, Massachusetts, he is rejoining the board and resuming his commitment to the North Shore community.

“I am thrilled to rejoin the Board of Directors at Wellspring House after a few years away,” said Zerilli. “Wellspring’s mission to foster job training, education, skill development, and economic independence addresses a root cause of hardship and remains vital to the strength of our community. It is a privilege to return at this pivotal moment, and I look forward to working alongside such dedicated leaders to advance our shared goals.”

Wellspring’s board also welcomes Luke McCabe, Vice President, Senior Business Banking Relationship Manager at Bank of America, where he works with business owners across Northeastern Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire to strengthen cash flow, support growth, and build long-term financial stability — coverage that spans much of the North Shore community Wellspring serves. He began his banking career in 2017 with J.P. Morgan in New York City before joining Bank of America’s Middle Market Regional Credit team as an underwriter in 2021. He holds the CFA designation.

Before entering financial services, McCabe served on active duty as an officer in a U.S. Army paratrooper unit, an experience that continues to shape his approach to leadership, teamwork, and service. He lives in Kensington, NH, with his wife and their two young sons.

“I am honored to join the Board of Wellspring House and look forward to supporting its mission,” said McCabe. “Wellspring House has built an incredible reputation for helping individuals and families achieve housing stability and long-term self-sufficiency, and I am excited to contribute to that important work.”

McCabe and Zerilli join Wellspring House’s Board of Directors as the organization continues its work providing housing, education, and stability to individuals and families throughout the North Shore.

Wellspring House is governed by an all-volunteer Board of Directors, whose members serve staggered three-year terms and contribute their time, expertise, and professional skills to guide the organization’s reach across the region. Board members are drawn from Gloucester, Cape Ann, and the broader North Shore, reflecting Wellspring’s long-standing commitment to community-rooted governance.

Leo Zerilli and Luke McCabe join Wellspring House’s Board of Directors

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About Wellspring House:

For over 45 years, Wellspring House has been inspiring families, adults, and young adults throughout the North Shore to achieve employment and financial security through comprehensive, integrated programs in education, job training, career readiness, and housing stability. This year, Wellspring worked with more than 2,000 individuals across 20+ cities and towns, helping them build living-wage careers and safer, more secure futures.

To learn more about this critical, life-changing work or how to support it, visit wellspringhouse.org.

A Wonderful Surprise for Wellspring House from the Cummings Foundation

Wellspring House received a wonderful surprise earlier this week – a $50,000 unrestricted gift from the Cummings Foundation through its “Making a Difference Dollars” program which recognizes grantee organizations for exceptional community impact.

The nomination came from longtime Foundation volunteers who visited Wellspring this spring to learn about the organization’s new digital literacy program, embedded in our ESOL classes. In its first year, the program provided 111 computers and 70 internet hotspots to students at no cost – because English proficiency and technology skills together open the door to economic mobility. The volunteers were so moved by what they saw and so attuned to the financial challenges a program like this can face, that they recommended Wellspring for this additional support, presenting the award to President and Executive Director Melissa Dimond on July 13.

Cummings Foundation Site Volunteers Barbara Layne and Betsy Harper presenting Wellspring House’s President Melissa Dimond a check for $50K for its work throughout the North Shore

What struck them most, they shared, was Wellspring’s deep commitment to meeting each person where they are and helping them find their own financial footing, whatever challenges stand in the way.

“This was a wonderful and very generous surprise,” said Dimond. “We are very grateful to the Cummings Foundation for their ongoing support and belief in our work.”

The gift builds on the Foundation’s generous, multi-year investment in Wellspring in support of helping families and individuals achieve financial stability. The Cummings Foundation supports nonprofit organizations in Greater Boston and beyond, and its continued partnership recognizes Wellspring’s impact throughout the community.

Because the Cummings Foundation’s Make a Difference Dollars are unrestricted, Wellspring can make strategic decisions, respond to emerging barriers, and sustain innovations like the digital literacy program. With the Cummings Foundation’s continued partnership, Wellspring will expand access to education, job training, and career pathways, helping more North Shore families achieve the financial security they deserve.

To learn more about Wellspring’s programs — or to join the Cummings Foundation in supporting this work — visit wellspringhouse.org