ANNIE’S PAGE: The Work of Sandra Fournier, MSN, RN
Sandra Fournier, MSN, RN “Take chances. Allow reasonable risk.”
Honoring Compassion and Capability
By Craig Escudé, MD, FAAFP, FAADM, FAAIDD
“People with developmental disabilities are equal citizens to you and me. When they’re offered opportunities, they often rise above what we expected.”
— Sandra Fournier, MSN, RN
A Lifelong Commitment to Capability and Inclusion
Sandra Fournier’s nursing career began long before she ever held the title of “nurse.” As a young professional designing custom wheelchairs and adaptive medical equipment, she discovered both the ingenuity and inequities within the systems serving people with disabilities. “That’s how I came to understand both the barriers and the potential people with disabilities have when given the right tools,” she reflects.
After earning her Associate Degree in Nursing in 1996, followed by bachelor’s and master’s degrees, Sandra immersed herself fully in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Her professional trajectory includes service as a residential nurse, Director of Nursing, Assistant Vice President, and now Chief Nursing Officer at Crystal Springs in Assonet, Massachusetts, where she oversees adult and children’s nursing, rehabilitation, and adaptive design services. Her leadership integrates clinical excellence with advocacy, ensuring that people with disabilities are seen as equal citizens, deserving of the same opportunities and expectations as anyone else.
Believing in Opportunity—and Rising Beyond Expectation
At the core of Fournier’s philosophy lies a deep belief in equality and possibility. “When people are offered opportunities,” she says, “they often rise above what we expected.”
That belief guided one of her most memorable success stories—a young man transitioning from a children’s residential program to adult services. Because the adult system lacked 24-hour nursing, Sandra designed a gradual, person-centered teaching plan that allowed him to learn self-administration of his daily human growth hormone injections. The result preserved his independence and dignity while demonstrating how creative problem-solving can replace unnecessary institutionalization. “It was about ensuring he could live his life in the community,” she recalls. “He rose to the challenge because someone believed he could.”
Exposure to the “Normal Life”
Fournier’s work at Crystal Springs and throughout her career is driven by one central goal: to ensure people with disabilities experience ordinary life in extraordinary ways. “Exposure to normal life is essential,” she explains. “People deserve to go out on field trips, to horseback riding, to connect with animals and other people.”
Her programs prioritize access, creativity, and partnership. In Rhode Island, she helped create a pharmacy delivery service staffed by people with disabilities providing employment, visibility, and connection. “They were serving the community, earning wages, and being recognized,” she says. “That’s what inclusion really looks like.” Another program paired people with a citywide initiative to clean abandoned properties, blending public service with community integration and pride.
Lessons in Humanity and Leadership
When asked about the lessons she’s learned, Sandra pauses before answering. “Not to be afraid of the unknown,” she says. “Take chances. Allow reasonable risk. Don’t be overly cautious about change.” She emphasizes that empowerment often means stepping back: “We can’t be paternal. We’re not here only to protect, we’re here to engage, to enlighten.”
For Sandra, nursing has never been confined to clinical care. “People think of nurses as caregivers,” she reflects, “but nursing is advocacy too. It’s about opening doors.” Over the years, she has directed major federal grants expanding healthcare access and continues to consult on developmental disability policy and practice.
Her influence extends beyond her organization to public health initiatives, such as improving cancer screening accessibility for people with IDD, and to the broader message that every life deserves equal care.
Sandra Fournier’s career embodies the spirit of the Annie Sullivan League—unwavering belief in human potential and steadfast dedication to those who are too often overlooked. Through her advocacy, leadership, and innovation, she reminds us that the path to human exceptionality is paved with both compassion and courage.
It's our honor to welcome Sandra Fournier as the newest inductee into the Annie Sullivan League.
About the Author
Dr. Craig Escudé is a board-certified Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American Academy of Developmental Medicine and President of IntellectAbility. He has more than 20 years of clinical experience providing medical care for people with IDD and complex medical and mental health conditions. He is the author of “Clinical Pearls in IDD Healthcare” and developer of the “Curriculum in IDD Healthcare,” an e-learning course used to train clinicians on the fundamentals of healthcare for people with IDD.