In Memory of Elaine Trumpetto
December 7, 2020
It is with great sadness that we share the news of Elaine’s passing… Many of us have had the honor of knowing Elaine and have been on the receiving end of her thoughtful guidance and unyielding support. Elaine’s purposeful and strategic leadership of CAPE and her tireless dedication to prevention have allowed us to develop long-lasting, meaningful partnerships and to demonstrate the power of prevention in our community.
It is CAPE’s priority and passionate objective to continue to advance prevention initiatives and goals. Our mission to be the leading substance use prevention and recovery provider in the Mid-Hudson region will persevere. To faithfully honor Elaine’s service in our community, we will continue to pursue programming and education that works towards increasing the well-being, safety, health and wellness of all individuals and communities impacted by substance use.
CAPE has a long and distinguished history in Dutchess County. Founded in 1987, with just three staff members and a state grant to provide prevention services to schools, the agency set forth on a path to introduce substance use prevention resources and programming in our community. From 1987 to the present, we have seen the growth of our agency through grants, programming, fee-for-service, contracts, and partnerships. We currently have fourteen hard-working employees, a devoted board, and investment from our community, which has allowed for continued prosperity. Our long history is a testament to CAPE’s importance and lasting influence in the county. For a more detailed account of our agency’s history please visit https://capedc.org/strategic-plan.
With the unfortunate loss of our outstanding leader and friend, Elaine Trumpetto, we will need to do more than just continue business as usual. During this time, we must recognize that increasing outreach, education, service, and resourcefulness are essential. We will strike a delicate balance in the next few weeks in our commitment to these goals as we mourn our loss and pay our deepest respects to her family. We know that this is what Elaine would have wanted.
Regina Hernandez will be undertaking the role of site director for the agency to oversee daily operations and agency functions. Regina has had the valuable benefit of Elaine’s support and mentoring for over 7 years. Ms. Hernandez is prepared to take on this leadership role for the agency. She has the full backing and support of CAPE’s board and prevention partners, who will provide assistance in this transition. Regina had already been working with Elaine on succession planning, in preparation for assuming this role upon Elaine’s retirement in January 2021. The loss we have experienced in Elaine’s passing is tremendous. Regina would like to express her utmost gratitude for the privilege of having worked under the professional guidance of Elaine. CAPE is organized and prepared to move forward.
CAPE will continue to provide prevention counseling, community education, evidenced-based programming, and recovery support. CAPE offers telehealth services, virtual programming, and virtual events/forums. We have a comprehensive prevention resource directory available on our website. We are open and here for the communities we serve. If you have any questions, requests for programming, or are in need of assistance, please reach out to a CAPE staff member, our site director, or our board: https://capedc.org/staff-contacts/.