Administrative Consultants and Leadership
Allison Fresher
Co-Executive Director
Allison Fresher was appointed the Co-Executive Director of A Sacred Place on March 1, 2025, after serving as its Financial Consultant since January 2018. She has over 35 years of finance and management experience, having retired from Bank of America as a Managing Director and executive with national responsibilities. Allison’s involvement in spiritual endeavors is diverse, including serving as a lay chaplain for Connecticut Hospice for 4 years and providing life skills training to incarcerated men at Connecticut’s Osborn Correctional Institution. She is active at her church, St. John’s Episcopal Church, Essex, CT, where she recently served as its Minister of Worship Life, trust investment committee chairperson and secretary of the endowment committee, among other activities. Allison is a member of the Verger’s Guild of the Episcopal Church and a Board Member of the Episcopal Church Women of Connecticut. She enjoys volunteering for ASP’s various programs, most recently serving on the volunteer team for Caregiver and Me.
She lives with her family in Haddam, CT.
Ann Derouaux-Welch
Co-Executive Director
Ann Derouaux-Welch was appointed the Co-Executive Director of A Sacred Place on March 1, 2025, after serving on the Board of Directors.
Ann comes to a sacred place with a history of serving in prison and parish ministry. Her early years were spent as a Pastoral Associate in Baltimore’s inner city. This position included outreach to the women’s prison in Baltimore and to incarcerated men in the Jessup correctional facility.
She also participated in a pilot project run by the Sisters of Mercy called Francis House. It was one of the first halfway houses to serve women leaving prison.
After receiving her degree from Andover Newton Theological School, she served in leadership positions, including Director of the Council on Aging and Supervisor of Continuing Education at a hospital. Later years were spent as a facilitator for women’s groups and an energy therapist.
Our Board
Elizabeth Buhler
Director
Elizabeth (Liz) Buhler received an Associates Degree in Computer Science from Thames Valley State Technical College in 1976 and a Bachelors Degree in Business Management from Eastern Connecticut State University in 2009. She retired in 2022 after working 46 years in the Information Technology field.
After joining Niantic Community Church in 1986, Liz became involved in many programs with their part-time Pastor, the Reverend Laurie Etter, who was also serving as the Chaplin at York Correctional Institute. Liz worked for several years with Laurie on the Host Home Program and the Christmas Toy Project and other events that included the women at York. One of her favorite tasks was making panels from squares made by the women at York to create an Aides Quilt that was part of the NAMES Project displayed on the National Mall. As one of the founders of A Scared Place, Laurie introduced Liz to their many programs. Liz has been a long time supporter of A Scared Place and now has the time to become involved in The Storybook Project.
Liz believes we need to address recidivism and help the women at York change. She is excited to be part of the work A Sacred Place is doing and looks forward to being part of providing Programs of Hope for Incarcerated Women.
Marissa Crean
Director
Marissa Crean received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Bryant University and a Master of Science in Taxation from the University of Hartford. She began her career as a Certified Public Accountant in public accounting in RI and CT.
Marissa leveraged this experience when she transitioned her career to corporate finance in the property casualty insurance industry, where she held leadership positions overseeing significant business initiatives.
Recently retired from the corporate world and formed her own career coaching business, Marissa is currently the President of the Alumni Leadership Council for Bryant University and serving on a new Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Subcommittee for Women on campus. She has been involved with the Alzheimer’s Association, CT Chapter since 2007, having served on their Board of Directors as Audit Committee Chair, Finance Chair, Vice President and President, and is currently volunteer committee lead for Public Policy and Advocacy.
Rhode Van Gessel, A.AS Graphic Design
Director
Rhode graduated with an A.AS Degree in Applied Graphic Arts & Science from Springfield Technical Community College. Since then she has joyfully applied her skills as designer and art director for various corporations, advertising agencies and design studios.
In 1991, she formed Rhode vanGessel Design – consulting and designing for myriad New England based clients.
Rhode joined ASP as a volunteer Prayer Partner in 2009.
She is thrilled to be able to offer design and advertising help for A Sacred Place and other non-profit groups, participate as an active volunteer for Storybook, and especially honored to be a member of the ASP Board of Directors.
Rhode considers her relationships within A Sacred Place and York CI continuously life-altering, sacred and priceless.
With Sincere Appreciation to our Former Leaders
The Rev. Laurie Etter
The Rev. Valerie Dixon
Sister Elaine Deasy
Sister Patty Cook
The Rev. Charlotte White
Susan York
The Rev. Dianne Warley
Marty Purdy
Barbara Lisien-Juliano
A Sacred Place, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit organization dedicated to providing rehabilitative programs and educational opportunities for incarcerated women in Connecticut.
Contact
A Sacred Place, Inc.
61 Main St.
Suite 1nb
Old Saybrook, CT 06475
Information regarding the Barbara Mahon College Fund:
barbaramahonfund@gmail.com