NHCT Honors Two Changemakers at the 2026 Strengthening Families Summit
Every year, New Hampshire Children's Trust pauses to recognize people whose work makes a lasting difference for children and families across our state. This November, we're honoring two incredible individuals, Heather Lefoll and Stephanie Lesperance, at the 14th Annual Strengthening Families Summit on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, at the Grappone Conference Center in Concord.
2026 Lucy Fowlkes Breed Award: Heather Lefoll
Heather Lefoll will receive this year's Lucy Fowlkes Breed Award, which honors volunteers who provide direct service to families at a New Hampshire nonprofit.
As Board Chair of the Women of the Mountains Birth Initiative (WOMB Initiative), Heather has given countless hours strengthening the organization's mission of enriching and empowering women through information, resources, and community. Beyond her leadership role, she's a hands-on presence in direct service through the Nursing Nook and the Doula Collective, supporting pregnant and parenting families with breastfeeding resources, peer support, and community outreach across northern New Hampshire.
Heather is known as a trusted mentor and connector, someone who builds relationships and brings people together to strengthen the resources families rely on. Her work carries forward the same spirit Lucy Fowlkes Breed brought to founding the "New Moms" group at the Children's Place and Parent Education Center: showing up for families, again and again, exactly when they need it.
2026 Dr. Robert Chamberlin Award: Stephanie Lesperance
Stephanie Lesperance will receive the Dr. Robert Chamberlin Award, given to an individual whose work has made a statewide impact on children and families through direct care, policy, or funding, and who has at least ten years of service in New Hampshire.
For nearly 30 years, Stephanie has built statewide systems of support for families, starting as an AmeriCorps reading tutor and growing into one of the state's most effective builders of family-centered programming. During her 25+ years at the Education Alliance for New Hampshire (formerly Campus Compact NH), she wove together federal grants and private funding into a coordinated network reaching families from Berlin to Manchester. She wrote and secured New Hampshire's first Statewide Family Engagement Center Grant in 2022, brought free One Trusted Adult training to staff and paraprofessionals statewide, and helped establish family friendly school designations with the NH Department of Education.
When federal funding cuts closed the Education Alliance, Stephanie fought to keep essential programs running, including securing funding to sustain the Dolly Parton Imagination Library in Coos County. She continues this work today as a board member of Manchester Proud.
Like Dr. Robert Chamberlin, known as the father of NH's Family Resource Center movement, Stephanie has spent a career strengthening the systems families across the state depend on.
We hope you'll join us at the Strengthening Families Summit on November 3rd to celebrate Heather and Stephanie in person. Registration details and the full Summit agenda are available at nhchildrenstrust.org.
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