Shelly Lustrup: Sustaining Growth Through Passion, Balance, And Culture

Shelly Lustrup has been with NAMI Metro Suburban for 9 years, during which she assisted in the launch of the first NAMI Living Room in west Cook County. Promoted to Associate Director, Shelly oversaw the expansion of NAMI’s Employment Program, CRSS Internship Hub, and Drop-in Center. In 2024, as Chief Operating Officer, Shelly was instrumental in successfully launching two 24/7 Crisis Living Rooms, doubling the size and impact of the organization. She has also been instrumental in implementing a new program to assist persons discharged from Madden State Hospital to receive peer-based support and community services. 

Shelly began her career in Minnesota as a Case Manager working with individuals who were housing insecure to obtain apartments in scattered-site programs, while providing targeted case management and wrap-around services. Later, Shelly was in a Program Director role leading a transitional housing program for fifty women who had recently completed treatment. 

Shelly Lustrup holds a Master’s in Social Work and obtained her LCSW in 2013. She is actively involved in community workgroups, crisis response collaborations, and providing clinical supervision to those seeking social work licensure.

In this episode, Philip and Shelly Lustrup discuss: 

• Pursuing passion as a driver of growth
• Balancing expansion with intentional decisions
• Prioritizing empathy and individualized support
• Preserving culture while adapting to change

Lightbulb Moments:

• Passion for mission-driven work sustains motivation, supports career advancement, and strengthens organizational impact.
• Sustainable growth requires careful evaluation of opportunities, ensuring alignment with resources and team capacity.
• Recognizing unique experiences and meeting others with kindness fosters stronger connections and organizational resilience.
• Successful scaling depends on maintaining core values and culture while planning for uncertainty and embracing necessary pivots.

“We all carry invisible weight, and it may be mental health related, it may be physical health related, it may be family, circumstantial, whatever it is. And so it’s really not—it shouldn’t be that difficult for us to just meet each other with kindness, because you don’t know what someone’s going through.” - Shelly Lustrup

Connect with Shelly Lustrup: 

Website: https://namimetsub.org/shelly-lustrup/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelly-lustrup-lcsw-839096161/ 

Connect with Philip: 

Website: https://www.fornarolaw.com/ 

Podcast Website: htt