Fountain House, the national mental health nonprofit, is proud to announce the appointment of Tracy L. Welsh as its new Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. In close partnership with the senior leadership team, Welsh will be responsible for facilitating growth across the organization and driving investment in efficient, integrated systems and processes that support Fountain House’s core programs serving people with mental illness.
Welsh comes to Fountain House with more than 20 years of nonprofit leadership experience. She was previously the Chief Operating Officer of JASA, a $125-million direct services organization that ensures aging New Yorkers have the support they need to maintain their autonomy in their homes and communities. Her distinguished career also includes serving as the Chief Operating Officer and CFO of SAGE, the country’s largest organization dedicated to improving the lives of older LGBTQ+ adults, as well as the Executive Director of HIV Law Project.
Prior to HIV Law Project, Welsh provided legal services to low-income communities throughout New York City. At Gay Men’s Health Crisis, she successfully litigated hundreds of cases on behalf of people living with HIV/AIDS. She subsequently assumed leadership of the HIV Advocacy Project at Queens Legal Services, which doubled in size and reputation during her tenure.
“It’s a tremendous honor to be joining Fountain House at this critical juncture in its growth and strategy,” said Tracy L. Welsh, new COO of Fountain House. “With a storied history that has consistently centered and advocated on behalf of people with mental illness, Fountain House is uniquely positioned to tackle mental health at a systems level and I couldn’t be more excited to support their efforts to bring about change.”
“Bringing someone of Tracy’s caliber to Fountain House truly signals a sea change for our organization and we couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome her to the Fountain House family,” said Dr. Ashwin Vasan, President and CEO of Fountain House. “Her leadership will be crucial as we work to scale our mental health services and fight for policy changes that prioritize and invest in mental health at a national level.”
Welsh holds a Juris Doctorate from CUNY School of Law and a Masters in Public Administration, Advanced Management and Finance from Columbia University. Her official start date as COO of Fountain House is December 1.
To learn more about Fountain House and how it’s transforming the way the world sees and treats people living with mental illness, visit FountainHouse.org.
Fountain House
Fountain House is a national mental health nonprofit fighting to improve health, increase opportunity, and end social and economic isolation for people living with serious mental illness. Founded in 1948 in New York City, Fountain House originated the clubhouse model in community mental health that has been replicated across the five boroughs, and more than 300 times in nearly 40 U.S. states and in 30 countries around the world.
