East Brunswick, NJ — Wellspring Center for Prevention announces the upcoming retirement of its longtime Executive Director and CEO, Ezra Helfand, after 19 years of dedicated service to the agency and the communities of Middlesex and Monmouth counties. His last day in the role will be on April 25, 2025.
Since joining the organization in 2006, when it was still known as NCADD of Middlesex County, Ezra has been a transformational leader, guiding the agency through a major rebranding, program expansion, and a period of sustained financial growth. Under his leadership, Wellspring more than doubled its annual budget, strengthened school- and community-based prevention programs, and became a trusted name across New Jersey in health education, clinical services, and professional training.
Before his work in prevention, Ezra had a successful career in marketing, where he led high-impact campaigns for Pan Am, Caesars Atlantic City, and the New York and New Jersey State Lotteries. His background in strategic communication and brand development later became instrumental in elevating Wellspring’s visibility and reach.
Ezra served as Executive Director and CEO beginning in 2016, managing a team of 29 professionals and an annual budget exceeding $2.5 million. He worked to ensure the agency’s financial sustainability, expand access to critical services, and build partnerships that extended Wellspring’s mission into dozens of schools, neighborhoods, and coalitions across the region.
“This work has meant everything to me — not just as a professional, but as a person. I’ve seen firsthand the difference prevention, education, and support can make,” Ezra shared. “As I step into the next chapter, I want that work to continue stronger than ever.”
Launching the #19for19 Campaign
In lieu of a retirement party, Ezra has requested that the Wellspring community come together in a more meaningful way: by supporting the work he has spent nearly two decades advancing.
To honor his service, the agency has launched the #19for19 campaign, with the goal of raising $19,000 — one thousand dollars for each year Ezra has served — to sustain and expand the very programs he helped build, including prevention education, school-based clinical services, and workforce training.
A New Chapter of Leadership Begins
Wellspring is also pleased to announce the appointment of Nuris Rodriguez-Pabon as the organization’s next Executive Director and CEO. Nuris brings over 20 years of experience as a public health administrator, with a career spanning government, community, and healthcare sectors.
She currently serves as CEO of Hope & Esperanza Community Health Center, where she has led with compassion and strategic vision. A Licensed Clinical Social Worker in both New York and New Jersey, Nuris has held leadership roles in organizations such as Women in Need, Inc. and the New Jersey Department of Health. Her deep experience in mental health services, coupled with her passion for improving health outcomes in underserved communities, makes her an outstanding choice to lead Wellspring into its next chapter.