Leadership

Teresa Woolson

Founder

Woolson founded Friends of Recovery Oswego County as the needs arose through over a decade volunteering with local, state and federal agencies, coalitions, Boards of Directors, community agencies, consortiums, and forums. She has been passionate about helping families since the death of her 19-year-old son, Victor Orlando Woolson, in 2012 from synthetic drugs in Oswego. Woolson founded the VOW Foundation in his name. She graduated from Oswego High School and retired from Operation Oswego County after 38 years.

Fun Fact: I'm a great-grandmother and recently started quilting. 

Ellen Lazarek

Board President

Lazarek currently works at Oswego County Opportunities as the Prevention Services Coordinator and has been with OCO for 25 years in various roles. The consistent theme for Lazarek has been working with youth/young adults and those who are members of marginalized communities. When Lazarek is not working, she volunteers as the board president of Friends of Recovery Oswego County, Inc., and has been engaged with the organization since the planning stages of our organization. She also volunteers as a board member for the Fulton YMCA. Lazarek likes to work with partners to identify issues in our community and collaboratively create solutions.

Fun fact: I brought my first stray cat home from the bus stop on my 1 day of kindergarten. His name was Henry & I had him into adulthood. I currently have a house full of 4 cats (Stuart, Jasper, Greta, & Peach) and 1 dog (Vinnie) that I brought home from the shelter or were strays that followed me home.

Trisha DeWolf

Interim Vice President and Treasurer

DeWolf currently serves as the Interim Vice President and Treasurer of Friends of Recovery Oswego County. She is a dedicated educator and wellness advocate with a professional background in mental health counseling and community-based substance use prevention. DeWolf also serves as the Assistant Dean of Students for Alcohol and Other Drug Education at SUNY Oswego. In addition to her role with Friends of Recovery, she is an active board member of Farnham Family Services and participates in several local coalitions and advisory committees. A lifelong resident of Oswego County, DeWolf is deeply committed to reducing the stigma surrounding substance use and expanding access to supportive services, believing that collective community action is key to lasting change.

Fun fact: I am an avid theme park and rollercoaster enthusiast! I love going to new parks and trying out new thrill rides

Christine Prevost

Interim Secretary

As a charter board member of Friends of Recovery Oswego County, Prevost has observed the growth and expansion of services in just a few short years. She brings over 30 years of adult education & training, strategic planning and leadership development experience to the Board. "My connections to close friends and family members who struggle with their own recovery daily is what draws me to this work. The Recovery Community provides an essential element to sustaining a person's recovery efforts: supportive relationships."

Fun fact: I have been a professional cellist in the Orchestra of Northern New York for 37 years

Karen Ferguson

Board Member

Ferguson is a retired not-for-profit leader, after serving nearly twenty years in various sectors of the not-for-profit space. She joined the board because she believes it is critically important for our community that people dealing with substance use disorder (whether current, recent past or in long term recovery) and anyone impacted by SUD to have a safe space to be in. Ferguson is excited about the opportunity the organization offers to our community.

Fun fact: I try to lead my life around my belief in kindness and compassion.

Megan Walradth

Board Member

Walradth is the Training Coordinator at Farnham Family Services. With over a decade of experience in behavioral health, she specializes in training development, recovery-oriented systems of care, and workforce capacity building. Walradth is passionate about promoting inclusive, person-centered approaches that support long-term recovery and community wellness.

Fun Fact: My favorite part of my job is watching someone realize, “I can actually use this tomorrow.”

Jamie McLaughlin

Board Member

McLaughlin is the Marketing and Communications Coordinator for Oswego Health, bringing 15 years of experience in management, marketing, and graphic design. He specializes in creating impactful communications that support community outreach and healthcare education. McLaughlin is proud to serve on the board of directors for an organization that supports individuals and families impacted by addiction, a mission he is deeply passionate about.

Fun Fact: My partner and I have two dogs, Boober and Biggie.

Jessica Woolworth

Board Member

Jessica bring insight to the Howard shaped by her experiences with her journey through navigating the painful loss of family members due to the opiate epidemic. Her lived experiences fuels her commitment to breaking stigma, advocating for harm reduction, and building systems that meet people where they are at. Jessica has worked to establish Jamie’s bags to help others and honor the memory of her late brother. Jessica works in homeless services and likes to spend time with her family that include her 3 beloved children. Jessica’s kids are involved in cheer and sports and when she’s not working or volunteering she’s filling the role of cheer mom and baseball mom.

Fun fact: My dogs are like my kids.

Virginia Bough

Executive Director

Bough, who holds a bachelor’s degree in human development from SUNY Oswego, has worked in the human services field for more than 30 years, including local agencies Oswego County Opportunities (OCO) and Catholic Charities. Most recently Bough worked at ACR HEALTH in Syracuse where she was involved with community education, community collaboration, and capacity building. She is excited about the opportunity to support and collaborate with people who use substances, emphasizing a commitment to compassionate, person-centered care and community empowerment.

Fun fact: I love animals and have had pot belly pigs, snakes, and rabbits as pets.

vbough@foroswegocounty.org