Meet Our Director's
Introducing where it all began.Our Director's provide leadership, oversight and accountability to ensure our mission continues succeeding.Together our Director's bring a diverse range of professional skills, lived experience, and community knowledge across mental health, addiction recovery and domestic violence. They are committed to creating a safe, inclusive, and respectful organization where individuals and families can access support without judgement.
ZACKARY SELLARS
For me, the mission of For USS is deeply personal. My passion for domestic violence awareness, mental health advocacy, and recovery comes from experiences that have shaped my life and given me a desire to help others know they are not alone.
Growing up, I lived in a home where domestic violence was present. Those experiences affected me deeply and left lasting trauma, but they also gave me a purpose: to stand up, speak out, and advocate for people and families affected by domestic violence. I want others to know that their experiences do not have to define their future and that there is strength in reaching out for support.
Mental health awareness is also personal to me. Through my own experiences with mental health challenges, I understand how important it is to feel heard, supported, and valued. That understanding has made me a passionate advocate for breaking the stigma surrounding mental health and creating a community where people feel safe asking for help.
Recovery is another cause that is close to my heart. I grew up seeing addiction affect members of my immediate family, including my brothers and my father. Those experiences taught me an important lesson: a person struggling with addiction is not a bad person. Addiction is a disease, and recovery can be an incredibly difficult fight. Behind every struggle is a person who deserves compassion, encouragement, support, and the opportunity to build a healthier future.
These experiences are part of why For USS exists.
I want to use what I have lived through to help bring awareness, provide encouragement, connect people with resources, and remind others that they do not have to face life's hardest moments alone.
At For USS, we stand for those affected by domestic violence, mental health challenges, and addiction and recovery.We stand for healing. We stand for hope. We stand for second chances.
We stand For USS— because every person deserves to be heard, valued, supported, and given hope for a better tomorrow.
NATALIE KRISTOFF
From an early age I knew my purpose was to give back. My first charitable endeavor was simple: a lemonade stand where I also sold small hand made clay figurines of wolves. All the proceeds went to charities helping wolves, through advocacy and even sometimes vet care. This love of giving back was nurtured into a way of life by my parents. They encouraged me to join the Young Philanthropists Club at my high school. I learned so much about grants, 501C3s, and the charity world in general.
After college and a brief respite from the nonprofit space while getting my sociology degree, I was deeply inspired by the work my mother does in this sector. She works tirelessly to help fund research on the chronic illness I suffer with- Lyme Disease. When I sew how bravely and tirelessly she fought for me it solidified my need to so the same for others.
As much as I have had a charmed and amazing life, there have been some dark spots. The darkest have directly prepared me for this mission we undertook to create For Uss. I have a history with mental health issues, stemming from my chronic Lyme disease. History with a violent partner and unimaginable domestic abuse. Addiction has also touched me and I am proud to say I have been sober two years now. All of these things are deeply important and personal to me as someone who was able to get to the other side and find a way out.
All this led me to reflect on WHY I was able to survive these things when so many people do not.It all came down to three things- support, resources, and understanding.
This is what For Uss is all about. Recognizing that people are not struggling due to a failure of character and connecting them to the resources and support they desperately need.