Values Ambassador Spotlight: Alyssa Tucker

Value: Leadership     |     Nominated by: Riccardo Harris

Leading by Example with Empathy and High Expectations

G2 is home to Heartspring’s youngest students, which means there’s a lot of energy, unpredictability, and countless small victories in the home. For more than 15 years, Alyssa has built her leadership on staying connected to the children and staff she serves.

Her leadership is not from behind a desk, but beside her team, in the day‑to‑day moments that build trust and shape her team’s dynamic.

“When others see that you can lead with heart and still maintain excellence, it changes the culture.”

— Rachel Willard-Waterhouse

Alyssa’s leadership shows up most clearly in how she cares for people. She leads with a balance of high expectations and deep empathy, believing firmly that, “It starts with us.”

One example that stood out to her nominator, Director of Residential Services, Riccardo Harris, was how she responded when a staff member unexpectedly missed work.

Rather than stopping at routine procedures, Alyssa personally went to the staff member’s home to check on him and understand what was going on since his absence was out of character.

“Her willingness to step outside of the proverbial box demonstrates her genuine care for her staff, the students we serve, and the responsibility she carries as a leader.”

— Riccardo Harris

For families, Alyssa’s communication, warmth, and consistency build trust that lasts.

Her supervisor, Rachel Willard-Waterhouse, says, “Families don’t just feel informed — they feel reassured. They feel supported. They feel good about their child being here at Heartspring.”

Alyssa acknowledges that she wasn’t always ready to lead a team of her own, because she had to learn how to be the best team player first. But even if she couldn’t always see it in herself, her supervisors encouraged her to keep applying for leadership roles and to believe in her abilities.

“I’ve been here since I was 21, and this job has made me grow.”

— Alyssa Tucker

She nearly quit after witnessing her first behavior, and while she acknowledged that this job isn’t always easy, she said that you have to keep coming back for it to get better. At the end of the day, the work we do matters to the families who depend on us most, and it’s too important to attempt it half-heartedly.

“What stands out most is her integrity,” says Willard-Waterhouse. “She owns her mistakes, learns from them, and models accountability. Alyssa doesn’t just talk about our values — she lives them.”

Alyssa’s commitment to provide students with a safe home and a happy childhood in our Therapeutic School’s Residential Program supports students’ and staff’s long-term growth, connects families, and builds futures. Her Values Ambassador nomination is a testament to the power of leading by example.

At Heartspring, we value excellence, celebration, leadership, service, possibility, and integrity.

Our Values Ambassadors put Heartspring’s mission into action — going above and beyond to empower children to realize their full potential, support families, and help young people build skills for life beyond our campus.