People with intellectual and developmental disabilities need services and supports they can count on. Not just today, but next year and the year after that. Delivering on that takes more than good intentions. It takes an organization that’s planning ahead, making smart decisions, and growing in a way that protects what people have come to rely on.
That’s exactly what Aspire Living & Learning is focused on.
“This isn’t a moment to wait and see,” says CEO Erica Hare. “The people we support deserve an organization that’s thinking ahead, making smart decisions, and growing in a way that protects what they’ve come to rely on. That’s the standard we hold ourselves to.”
That’s exactly what Aspire’s three-year strategic plan is built to do, strengthening the workforce, expanding access to services, and deepening community connection. And growth is central to it, not as a milestone to hit, but as a responsibility to ensure more people can access the right support without sacrificing quality.
“We’re not growing for the sake of growing,” Erica says. “Every decision we make has to trace back to the people we serve. That’s non-negotiable for us.”
Meet John Whittemore
To help actualize that plan, Aspire has appointed John Whittemore as Associate Vice President of Growth and Advancement.
“John understands this work from the inside out,” Erica says. “That matters enormously. We needed someone who could help move our strategy forward without losing sight of what’s actually happening on the ground.”
John has worked directly alongside Aspire’s programs and teams, and that experience informs how he approaches this role. His operational understanding helps him navigate leadership decisions that are informed by the real impacts of the people receiving support and the teams delivering the service.
“I know the faces. I know the names,” he says. “I’ve seen the smiles, and sometimes the tears. Those experiences remind me who all of this is really for.”
In his new role, John oversees business development, advocacy, and philanthropy. Together those areas form the connective tissue between Aspire’s mission and its ability to grow, bringing in the right partners, pursuing the right opportunities, and securing the resources that make it all possible.
“People in operations are dealing with real-life situations every day,” John says. “When someone raises their hand about a challenge, I understand where they’re coming from.”
Here for the Communities That Count on Us
The landscape around Home and Community-Based Services is shifting, and Medicaid funding pressures are real. Aspire is not waiting to see how that plays out.
“The organizations that will still be here serving their communities in ten years are the ones making hard decisions now,” Erica says. “We take that responsibility seriously. The families we work with are counting on us to get this right.”
The work happening now, the planning, the partnerships, the investment in workforce, is how Aspire makes sure it can keep showing up for the communities that count on it.
“I want people to see Aspire as a pillar in their community,” John says. “Not just a place where services happen, but a place that contributes to something bigger.”
“That’s exactly the vision,” Erica adds. “We want to be the kind of organization that communities feel lucky to have. That doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because we build it intentionally, one good decision at a time.”