What brought you to Vermont ?
I first came to Vermont when I was 9 on a family trip . I attended a Ben & Jerry ’ s Festival where 10,000 Maniacs performed , and I succumbed to a terrible sunburn . My cousins and I also raced down the Alpine Slides at Bromley Mountain . Towards the end of the trip , I declared , “ I ’ m going to move here someday !”
52 VERMONT MAGAZINE
I ’ m originally from Long Island , New York . While some up here might call me a “ flatlander ,” I ’ d say I ’ m more of a “ granola ” than a “ city ” girl . I moved to Vermont after I graduated SUNY Plattsburgh with a degree in Public Relations in 2009 . I arrived “ across the pond ” on the other side of Lake Champlain to pursue a social media marketing internship at New Breed Marketing . From there , I interned at MyWeb- Grocer while working in HR at Vermont Student Assistance Corporation ( VSAC ). I learned a lot about myself , my ethics , and my desire to gain new “ soft ” and “ hard ” skills while working as a Marketing Manager for a company that owned businesses in VT , NH , and ME . I am also thankful for the years I spent at a busy design firm , Lisaius Marketing in Burlington , where I made lifelong friends and found mentorship .
After my time working in the for-profit world , I decided that I wanted to transition into the nonprofit sector , where I ’ ve been working for the past five years . I worked as the Director of Marketing and Events for the Vermont Retail and Grocers Association and Vermont Specialty Food Association , and I learned an incredible amount about the hardworking business owners that make up the economic foundation of this state . Most recently , I discovered my passion for working to secure health equity while working as a Community Development Manager for the American Cancer Society . Unfortunately , due to the pandemic , my position and several hundred others were recently eliminated .
As a long-term resident of the state of Vermont , I am incredibly grateful to live in a place where my network and state employees have been so helpful during these unexpected times of transition in my career . I ’ m sure that there are a lot of young professionals in my position now – looking towards the future to decide how to best move their career forward in these uncertain times . I feel fortunate to live in a state where there are so many wonderful opportunities and resources to pursue the career that I want to build for myself .
What keeps you here ?
I love the natural beauty of Vermont . There are so many opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors . During college , I was a member of the “ Outdoors Club .” I also formed my own group of female hikers . Now that I ’ m in Vermont and have access to the Green Mountains – and an eight-year-old rescue dog named Joules – I really enjoy exploring summits of all durations and elevations year-round . Some of my fondest experiences are the views from Stowe Pinnacle Trail , and the Robert Frost Trails by Butler Lodge . Vermont is a wonderful place to live and work , especially if you are dedicated , driven , curious and passionate about finding a good work-life balance . In addition to its vast landscape of employment opportunities , Vermont has an equally vibrant network of community organizations that provide wonderful opportunities for people who want to volunteer and make a social impact . I ’ ve learned so much by offering my services to my community by working at local events , managing volunteers , chairing a committee , and consulting with groups on how to be more intentional and impactful . There are so many potential networking and educational opportunities that can come from being of service to others . Vermont is a place that allows you to pour hope and love into your local community - and receive it right back !