Nanci Lepsic has worked as an
educator, administrator, occupational therapist and ski instructor. She and her husband Tom also raised four
children adopted from the Vermont Department for Children, Youth and
Families. The youngest, a ski racer,
just graduated from Rice Memorial High School with plans to attend St.
Michael’s College.
Nanci
grew up in a Polish-American family in Buffalo, New York. Her father didn’t have the opportunity to
attend college, but he made sure his daughters did. Nancy earned a
degree in Occupational Therapy from SUNY-Buffalo in 1983. She went
on to earn her MBA while working as an administrator in the healthcare
industry. She taught college-level courses in New York, Pennsylvania
and Vermont.
“I
started my career working in a program in the Adirondacks for clients with
developmental disabilities,” Nanci said.
The experience offered valuable learning experiences and chance
encounters with all sorts of wildlife, including a black bear.
Nanci
loves to ski. She began teaching in an adaptive skiing program at
Kissing Bridge when she was 17. Moving
on to positions at Big Tupper and Whiteface, she then realized her dream of
being a Ski Bum, teaching at a United States Army Recreation Base in
Germany. An interesting historical fact is
that the military’s ski lodge was a farm during the Third Reich frequented by
Adolf Hitler and his entourage.
Nanci
retired at 40 to have more time and energy to address the special needs of her children. One
of them was a client of Backpack,---Laraway’s public school based
behavioral intervention program---during middle school. She has helped these promising young
people gain a strong foothold in building positive futures for
themselves. They are now 26, 21, 20 and 18 years of age and, as of
this month, all have graduated from high school and are employed.
“I
was looking for what to do next when Greg (Stefanski) called,” Nanci said.
We
are so glad Nanci answered the call to join our Board!
