Abigail Spanjers is the Executive Director of The La Crosse Lighthouse Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in La Crosse, Wisconsin that operates a Peer Run Respite and Warmline for individuals navigating mental health, substance use, and other life-interrupting challenges. Since taking leadership in 2022, Abigail has restructured the organization to reflect grassroots, peer-centered values, emphasizing equity, shared leadership, and lived-experience expertise.

Certified as a Wisconsin Peer Specialist (2021) and in Intentional Peer Support (2023), Abigail was named the 2024 Shining Star Award recipient by the Mental Health Coalition of the Greater La Crosse Area and presented at both the Wisconsin Peer Recovery Conference and National Association of Peer Supporters Annual Conference.

Drawing from her lived experiences with long-term substance use recovery, mental health challenges, incarceration, and survival of domestic violence, Abigail brings deep empathy and authenticity to her work. She believes lived experience holds wisdom that formal education cannot replicate and champions non-clinical, peer-led alternatives that promote autonomy, connection, and recovery. Outside of work, she enjoys gardening, gaming, and spending time with her animal companions.