Meet Laura Whitaker | Executive Director of ESP

We had the good fortune of connecting with Laura Whitaker and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Laura, is there a quote or affirmation that’s meaningful to you?
“Not all of us can do big things, but we can all do small things with great love.”-Mother Teresa

I adore this quote as it has been relevant in every part of my adventured career with ESP.

I did not set out to do big things. Taking over a nonprofit organization serving individuals with disabilities at age 19, Big things just were not an option for me. It was about survival, not only for me but for the individuals we served and the beautiful organization they love. ESP provides transformational opportunities for individuals with disabilities and their families as we change communities for the better.

The founder passed away with pancreatic cancer. I had no experience, I was simply trying to make it through my sophomore year in college at the University of Georgia. So I started small: one donation and one program at a time, for the 40 people I loved at ESP and their families. And as the years came by, the waitlists grew, the need for after-school programs for kids with special needs and parents in need of respite came. One small act after the next, we grew the organization, raised $3 million on the heels of a recession to build a 14,000 sq. ft building to serve kids on the waiting list – now serving thousands.

Big things happen through small moments with great love. In business, we tend to dehumanize our organizations without even realizing it. One of my favorite things about operating a business in nonprofit is that we talk about love, and hope, and courage. Through it, I have found that every human needs those things and all businesses could benefit from bringing love back into business. Small decisions should start with big love. Big decisions should start with big love. When people are loved well, big things happen.

Over the last few years I have watched our social enterprise grow from Georgia to San Francisco California. The mobile coffee cart, run by adults with disabilities, goes into organizations providing unexpected connection and joy. We did not set out to grow. We set out to meet the need locally of businesses who needed joy and adults with disabilities who needed jobs. I have watched thousands of lives change because of these unfiltered, beautiful moments. Individuals of all abilities, changing the lives of individuals without disabilities.

All the while, small moments with great love, are becoming big things that are changing the world.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
In 2003, as a Freshman at the University of Georgia, I began volunteering at ESP (Extra Special People) in my free time. At the age of 18, I had the opportunity to experience a transformative weekend ESP program under Martha Wyllie’s (ESP Founder) leadership. They called ESP the Hidden Gem of Watkinsville. Programs and recreational opportunities for individuals with disabilities were limited, and was serving 60 individuals at the time through 6 weeks of summer camp and 1 weekend club program a month. Martha was diagnosed with cancer within a year of me getting involved and passed away soon after her diagnosis. Months following her passing, I received a call that changed my life: I was asked to step up and fill her role. At the age of 19, simply trying to get through my Sophomore year finals, I said YES to the position not truly knowing what I was getting myself into. I quickly found myself in the front seat of fundraising, recruiting, coordinating with families, marketing, and everything in between. Almost 17 years later, it continues to be the biggest honor to be serving as Executive Director, overseeing a multitude of programs and family support, spreading ESP mission, and providing transformative opportunities to over 600 families throughout the state of Georgia and beyond.
And of course there were challenges and will continue to be challenges (Lookin’ at you, Covid19). The first “challenge” that I quickly had to meet was raising $50,000 to cover program funds when I accepted the position. My fundraising muscle had to be worked faster than expected, but is now one of my favorite parts of my job. That is the beauty of challenges: they shape you and your leadership. I had to lean into the support of community members, businesses, and other organizations. I certainly did not envision the ESP that is today when I first came in. Rather, I became addicted to bridging the gap between needs of this population and a community who could support them. That has led ESP to what it is today. ESP’s mission is to continue creating opportunities for people with disabilities and their families, changing the community for the better. Here at ESP, we recognize how transformative it is to be a part of something bigger than ourselves, and surrounding yourself with and celebrating people of all abilities- which is truly what I would like the world to know about ESP. This organization is a place that isn’t just for people with disabilities, but the entire community.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Oh goodness, I do love a good girlfriend weekend. It is good for the soul. I have been in Athens for about 20 years now but the beautiful thing about Athens is that just as the students constantly change, so do the experiences around town. This would be my go-to: a check-in at Hotel Indigo (downtown) followed by an afternoon walk to see the eclectic atmosphere and shops that the downtown has to offer like Cheeky Peach and Empire South along with a Vanilla Chai from Jittery Joes (coffee shop). Downtown Athens meets the beautiful campus of the University of Georgia, which we would definitely walk, look at the architecture and people watch. And for dinner, there are so many amazing restaurants and crawl options. My overall top down-town go-tos would be starting off at Creature Comforts (brewery), heading to the upstairs of The Place (southern cuisine) for dinner and ending with Last Resort (best cake menu in town), and Hybar (rooftop bar on the Hyatt hotel downtown). I would take my bestie to brunch the following morning for a giant biscuit at Mama’s Boy (breakfast/brunch). We would find Java Joy wherever their morning booking may be and then enjoy our coffee while walking at the State Botanical Gardens or Bear Hollow Zoo. You could also never go wrong with a dinner in Five Points at Butcher & Vine Athens or a concert at the Georgia Theatre/visiting the rooftop!
And of course, we would most certainly sneak a trip just down the road to ESP. We have real magic here, but one has to experience it for themselves to really believe it (virtual wink).

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would love to dedicate my shoutout to my children. As a full-time working mom, they have not known any different. But there have been many times where throwing in the towel and choosing to focus on my children sounded like the best idea. In every circumstance, it has been my children, in their own way as they have grown, that have reminded me why I am serving my community. Their pride in the work that I do has reminded me numerous times that they are watching, they are admiring and they are doing to be better human beings for it, even if I rarely make it to the carpool line on time!

Website: https://espyouandme.org

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurahopewhitaker/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawhitaker/

Image Credits
Sarah Kennedy (headshot of Laura only)