Senior Staff

Vanessa Buss

Vanessa began coaching as a volunteer with the Club in 2000 and in January of 2022 she came onboard as the CEO. She has enjoyed a wide variety of job experiences and believes that her journey has brought her to final destination with the Club. She previously served as the Quality Program Lead for Peace Harbor Hospital and prior to that she and her husband were the owner/operators of Central Coast Watersports. She is a Rotarian, served on the Board for Habitat of Humanity, & is the Vice President of the Western Lane Fire & EMS Association.

Vanessa is an extremely proud member of the Florence community and feels blessed to have had the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of the people in her community especially the youth, as her passion for children has always been her motivation in supporting the needs of the youth in the community. Vanessa has lived in Florence her whole life and is proud to hold the title of first baby of the New Year in 1971! She and her husband, Stecher, have been married for 21 years and have a daughter Hailey and 2 sons Hayden, and Mason.  

Sammi Lewis

Sammi joined the Boys & Girls Club of Western Lane County in June of 2022. She has a lengthy history of working with nonprofits and other business involved in the community. She studied Business Management at Oregon Institute of Technology and got her practical experience at The Running Y Ranch Resort in Klamath Falls where she fell in love with smoking meats and cheeses, (just don’t ask her to bake a pie!) When she’s not cooking, she’s busy writing a fantasy novel and a recipe book, that she’ll maybe even get published one day.

Sammi has lived and worked in Florence over 20 years and is happy to call Florence her home. She has 2 daughters and a son who all live nearby, 2 spoiled rescue dogs and a cat that thinks he’s a dog. What brings her the most joy is her brilliant and beautiful granddaughter who’s 9, a smart and sassy grandson who is 5, the 2 grandchildren on the way, her 5 granddogs and 1 grandcat. 

Sam Woosley

Sam has a long history with the Boys & Girls Club of Western Lane County. She became a Club member at age 7 and played on the basketball, flag football, and soccer teams. When she was 16, she became a volunteer coach for basketball, flag football, and indoor soccer. In 2009 she was hired on as a youth development professional and has spent the last 8 years as the elementary site director and last 2 years as the sports coordinator. Sam is passionate about the Club and the kids’ lives she gets to play a part in. Sam loves her community and is a board member on the Siuslaw Baseball Softball Association and is grateful for the opportunity to serve the youth that live here.    

Sam grew up in Florence and is proud to be a 4th generation Siuslaw High School graduate. She has played in the Florence Adult Softball League for the last 13 years and currently serves as VP of the Association. Sam has a 6-year-old daughter, Carter Jo, who is her absolute pride and joy. She loves spending time with her. They enjoy crabbing, fishing, hunting, and baking together. Sam is an animal lover and currently has a house chicken!

Morningstar Helvey

Morningstar has been with the Boys & Girls Club of Western Lane County since September of 2019. Her education and background are in Early Childhood Education, and she has worked professionally with children ages 0 – 5th grade for 23+ years. She has a passion for promoting childhood literacy, getting kids out into nature, and providing hands on experiences that are both fun and educational.

Morningstar and her family moved to Florence in 2018. She and her husband Robert have 2 amazing adult children, Sage and Nick. Morningstar and her husband love to adventure on the weekends and explore the Oregon coast through walks on the beach, trails in the woods, and road trips to surrounding areas. She has recently developed a new love for kayaking as it provides many peaceful moments where she can observe nature and animals in their native element.

Jessica Knapp

Jessica has been with the Boys & Girls Club of Western Lane County since 2018. She attended a Club in California when she was a kid and introduced her kids to the Club here in Florence. Jessica has an extensive history of volunteering with different agencies, being an independent business owner, operating a business with her husband, and helping her children and now grandchildren grow into wonderful people. 

She has spent countless years being the class mom, serving on the PTA, and mentoring youth. Her latest adventure in life has been raising a lab puppy that she compares to a rambunctious toddler. When she’s not at work Jessica enjoys spending time with her family, going on hikes, watching football, and relaxing.

Naomi Healy, MS, CTRS

Naomi also has a lengthy history with the Boys & Girls Club movement. As a kid she attended a Club in Texas (when it was still called the Boys Club) and then many years later worked with the same organization for almost 7 years. Naomi joined the Boys & Girls Club of Western Lane County in June of 2022.  

Naomi holds a BS in Kinesiology and a MS in Therapeutic Recreation and is a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist. She has over 20 years of experience working with organizations that promote diversity & inclusion, healthy youth development, strengthen resiliency skills, and teach wellness tools to youth of various backgrounds. She is a Merit Badge Counselor with the Boy Scouts and has held various certifications as an American Red Cross instructor and others for adventure-based activities.