LEBANON — Longtime WISE leader Peggy O’Neil will retire by the end of the year.
O’Neil has led the Lebanon-based nonprofit organization, which advocates for and supports survivors of domestic violence since 2003, according to a Friday news release.
“This work is deeply personal, and what has sustained me most is the commitment of the people here, to show up for one another and for survivors with care and integrity,” O’Neil, of Cornish, said in the release. “It has been an honor to be part of this shared effort toward ending violence.”
When O’Neil joined WISE in May 2003, it had six employees and a $300,000
annual budget, according to the release. Now, it has 20 employees and its yearly budget is more than $2 million.
“Thanks to Peggy’s vision and stewardship, WISE is stronger than ever and well-
positioned for the future,” Jenny Levy, who chairs WISE’s board of directors, said in the release.
During her 23 years of leadership, O’Neil supported expanding numerous programs, including volunteer opportunities, prevention and outreach, and legal services. WISE, which was founded in 1971, also purchased three buildings. One became the organization’s program center and the other two are emergency shelters.
She has established partnerships with other organizations including Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center to establish its Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) program. She also strengthened relationships with area law enforcement agencies in the 23 communities WISE serves in New Hampshire and Vermont.
The board is in the early stages of launching a national search for O’Neil’s successor, Betsy Kohl, WISE’s director of communications and development, said in a Friday phone interview. The goal is to have someone in place by the end of the year.
