clara and Vanguard Skin Specialists are proud to announce the 2019 Extraordinary Woman - Becca Wesselman. With many excellent nominations, the decision was not easy this year. Thank you for the great submissions and the opportunity to learn the stories of some incredible women. Becca nomination demonstrated that she truly embodies what we look for in an Extraordinary Woman - 

• A woman who gives generously and sacrificially to others
• A woman who makes a meaningful difference in her family and community
• A woman who resides in the counties where we have offices -- El Paso, Pueblo, or Teller County

Here is the nomination submitted for Becca:

It is my pleasure to nominate Rebecca (Becca) Wesselman as an extraordinary woman whose grace and caring and compassion serve as a model for our entire community.

Following the loss of her son, Ian, Becca struggled to make meaning of his death and strove to make a difference in the lives of others. Becca, who worships at Gateway Presbyterian Church in Colorado Springs (which is a member faith community of Westside CARES), came to volunteer with us in the spring of 2018. She immediately demonstrated a natural leadership and affinity for working with people on the most difficult days of their lives, making her an essential component of our smooth daily operations. Since starting with us, Becca has taken on the most difficult volunteer role within the agency – hospitality and front desk – and often performs that role twice a week. She has also stunned and delighted us by stepping into additional responsibilities, including: decorating for the holidays, event preparations, community cleanups, staffing the front desk for our weekly doctor’s clinic, and deep-cleaning our facility on a regular basis. When she meets with neighbors, she always wants to go that extra mile to ease someone’s burden.

Beyond her activities at Westside CARES, Becca has also started a local chapter of GRASP, which stands for Grief Recovery After a Substance Passing, so she can help other bereaved parents navigate the treacherous terrain of grief. An outspoken advocate for ending the opioid epidemic and allocating community resources to programs that support people who are struggling with addiction – or life in general – Becca has devoted her life to ameliorating the conditions of poverty – of the heart, of the soul, and of actual resources. None of these activities prevent Becca from being an incredible mother to her daughter Leah or wife to her husband Mark.

Becca Wesselman is an extraordinary woman for all these reasons and for another reason: none of what she does for other people originates from a desire to receive credit for her innate kindness and compassion. She is genuinely one of the most humble, thoughtful (and effective!) people with whom we’ve ever had the pleasure to work. Becca has transformed her own loss into immeasurable gains for our collective community and the individuals in it, and she is one of those human beings whose gentle spirit quietly touches everyone with whom she comes into contact. Our world is better because she’s in it..

Each year, clara and Vanguard Skin Specialists honor a woman who has made significant contributions to her family and to her community. We want to recognize her accomplishments and also feature women who inspire all of us to become more generous.

Over the past years, we have been fortunate to spend time with some amazing women. Becca is joining the following group of past Extraordinary Women:

• 2013 – Dawn Ignatius
• 2014 – Lupita Hastings
• 2015 – Anita Sepp
• 2016 – Amy Boles
• 2017 – Jane Hegstrom

On behalf of clara and Vanguard Skin Specialists, join us in congratulating Becca!