The Most Powerful Thing You Can Do Is Show Up: Stella Libby

Sometimes helping someone isn’t about doing something for them. It’s about standing beside them long enough for them to discover what they can do themselves.

Stella Libby learned that lesson early, accompanying her grandfather as he volunteered with Maine Adaptive. Years later, while coaching Special Olympics athletes, she watched a skier attempt a bigger trail after Stella and others convinced her she could. That same belief in meeting people where they are now shapes Stella’s work with Best Buddies—and her plans for a career in veterinary medicine.

In this conversation, Stella reflects on why genuine inclusion requires more than simply saying everyone is welcome, what 2,500 people gathered around a shared purpose taught her about community, and why caring for an animal sometimes begins with listening to the person who loves it. Across very different settings, her philosophy remains remarkably consistent: pay attention, understand what someone needs, and show up.

Join Dr. Lisa Belisle for this conversation with Stella Libby today on Radio Maine.