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Katherine Fitzwater, 36, will begin working alongside Steve Bissonnette, current president of VISTE, on August 3, before officially stepping into the role when Bissonnette retires in the coming months.
Volunteers in Service to the Elderly or VISTE provides transportation, supplemental groceries, hot meals, and personal care boxes to seniors over 70. Bissonnette said in 2025, they served just under 5,000 people, including their oldest client who is still living in her own home at 106.
“There is no VISTE anywhere else on the planet,” he said. “I think we represent the best of this community in terms of the philanthropic nature, the volunteer ethic, the compassion, and willingness to get involved.”
“Katherine uniquely represents that bridge between those that are current volunteers and donors that have known the Fitzwater family name for years and will recognize that, and then the next generation, where Katherine has already established herself as an upcoming leader and as well networked in the community through Junior League and The United Way,” Bissonnette said.
“It’s just such an honor to be able to take on a leadership position with an organization that does so much good for so many people in our community,” Fitzwater said. “The support that VISTE is able to provide seniors to help them continue to stay independent in their own homes for as long as possible is something I feel like everyone can relate to.”
The next generation
Bissonnette called the board’s decision to hire Fitzwater “forward-thinking.”
“We have a strong base of support from people that have been engaged with this team for the past 43 years,” Bissonnette said. “But if we’re really looking forward, we’ve got to continue to engage in that group, but also we need to be looking to the next generation.”
He said that he thinks Fitzwater’s youthful energy will be a welcome change at VISTE, but she will still have a lot to learn. “I came into the organization in this position after six years on the board, and there was still a big learning curve for me,” he said.
“The main thing is she’s teachable, and I know she’ll continue to grow into the position over time, and I think we’re in this for the long haul, and I think Katherine will be too.”
They plan to work out a timeline for Fitzwater’s transition during a July meeting with the organization’s executive committee. But in the meantime and beyond, Bissonnette plans to stay in Lakeland and stay engaged with VISTE.
“As I look to our board and advisory board to just be a phone call away, I suspect that I’ll be in that relationship with Katherine for quite a while,” he said.
A growing need
“I’ve personally been able to experience through family members and close family friends just some of the challenges that can come with aging and the support that’s needed,” Fitzwater said. She said sometimes it can be difficult for families to provide enough support, especially when they don’t live in the same community as their loved ones or if they’re working full time.
She said the support VISTE provides allows seniors to age as gracefully as possible.
Fitzwater said her seven years of experience with United Way, most recently as director of public relations and social media, will inform her new role.
She worked closely with United Way’s Community Impact Team and executive leadership to develop the United Community Indicators Dashboard — the resource that guides LkldNow’s Insight Polk reporting. Fitzwater has also served on LkldNow’s board of directors since 2021.
“I’ve been able to really learn a lot about the needs of the community,” Fitzwater said.
“Polk County is rapidly growing, and with that comes an aging population. A lot of people come to Florida to retire, and it’s lovely, but then at some point they may need additional assistance, and VISTE and the volunteers are able to provide that support to help them through that process,” she said.
Fitzwater said needs are high among those who United Way describes as ALICE — asset limited, income constrained, employed.
According to 2023 data, 56% of households aged 65 and older in Polk County fell below the ALICE threshold, with almost 39,000 designated as ALICE and more than 14,000 living in poverty.
“As the ALICE population ages and gets into their 70s and 80s, obviously their financial situation often times just becomes tighter, and so the need for support as they age is so critical,” she said.
Fitzwater hopes to use her background in communications to ensure that all residents who fall within VISTE’s service area are aware of the organization. “I feel like a lot of people know about VISTE in Lakeland, but they also serve Bartow, Fort Meade, Mulberry,” she said.
Bissonnette said the organization averages about 82 new client applications every month.
“The two constraints that we most commonly face are either the volunteers or the funding,” Bissonnette said. “Sometimes, depending on the service, it could be both.”
VISTE needs “to continue to educate people to make sure they know about VISTE and how they can connect in whatever way works for them,” Bissonnette said. “Katherine brings out a whole new area of networks, of connections, of people in the community that she already knows and that know her.”
“Being able to bring my experience in storytelling and social media marketing, along with events and fundraising, I think will help VISTE get to the next level,” Fitzwater said.
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