Vermont Family Network welcomed three new members to its Board of Directors in September. These individuals all have a variety of backgrounds and experiences that will tremendously benefit the non-profit organization that promotes better health, education, and well-being for all children and families with a focus on children and young adults with special needs.
“We are very fortunate to have these three outstanding women join our Board,” said Pam McCarthy, President/CEO of Vermont Family Network. “Vermont Family Network’s Board has evolved significantly over the past year and we are proud to have such a diverse group of Board members with a wide variety of talents that will enable our organization to effectively and efficiently meet to the growing and changing needs of families across the state.”
Kristen Bigelow-Talbert is a Project Coordinator and the lead Navigator at Bi-State Primary Care Association. She lives in Montpelier with her husband and two young children. Kristen was first involved in the developmental disabilities arena when her niece experienced significant developmental delays before her first birthday. Kristen became involved in mental health and disabilities during her employment at Washington County Mental Health, where she was a Case Manager for fifteen consumers. Kristen was first introduced to Vermont Family Network when her son was diagnosed with Down Syndrome at 2 months of age. Over the past several years, Kristen has become increasingly involved in health care, and recently obtained her Masters of Science in Healthcare Management. She has expertise in Vermont Health Connect, as well as quality improvement techniques, and maternity care. Beyond her full time job, Kristen is a certified Birth Practitioner, and loves providing accurate, evidence-based information to expectant parents. Kristen is very excited to be a part of the VFN board, with the opportunity to give back to the organization that provided so much information and support to her during the tumultuous time after her son’s diagnosis.
Katie Cuttitta has been an educator for the past 20 years both as a special educator as well as an elementary education teacher. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Cincinnati and became certified in Elementary Education grade K-8 and Special Education K-12. In 1993 she was hired to teach a multi-age 1st and 2nd grade class in Chase Maryland where she taught for 3 years. Katie moved to Vermont in 1996 and has been working as a special education teacher grade K-8. She teaches in Williston and has spent many years in both Allen Brook and Williston Central School. Katie completed her Master’s in Education at Saint Michael's College in 2003, with a concentration in reading fluency. Katie resides in Williston with her husband and two children.
Jeanine Bunzigiye has lived in Vermont for the past 13 years. She has served the Burlington Housing Authority since 2008 where she has been a case manager. Jeanine has been a strong advocate in the immigrant and New American community in Chittenden County. She speaks 4 languages which enable her to reach out to the non-English speakers in our community. Before coming to the Burlington Housing Authority, Jeanine worked with many local agencies to help many of the New Americans and immigrants in the area focusing on social, economic, and social justice issues. Jeanine has also worked in the Burlington School District for the past 4 years where she has been an advocate for the New American community and people of color. One of Jeanine’s roles as a case manager is to make sure that the families she is helping are able to settle with no trouble. In her role, Jeanine facilitates challenging conversations, meetings, and workshops around cultural competency. Jeanine helps dozens of agencies around the state to be inclusive and more culturally competent. She makes sure that the transition phase is smooth and quick. Jeanine has a BA in Political Science with a minor in Pre-law and Business Management from Johnson State College. Jeanine lives in South Burlington.