Hunger Free Vermont is pleased to announce the election of two new board members, Thomas Paron and Shane Rogers. “I am pleased with the strong community interest in supporting Hunger Free Vermont's mission by serving on the Board of Directors. We are excited to have Shane and Tom join the Board knowing that they both bring strong skills that will enhance our work,” said Catherine Davis, President of Hunger Free Vermont’s Board of Directors.
Thomas Paron is a semi-retired financial services executive who specialized in defined contribution plans and TPA services for the K-12 educator market for 35 years. Today, he is the President of Compass Capital Management (CCM), servicing over $700 million in assets. He was also a Principal of National Financial Partners (NFP) from January 2006 to August 2015. (CCM is a Bluespring Wealth Partners firm). He has been on numerous not-for-profit boards and financial services advisory boards. He is an active investor in early-stage startups and real estate. “Food security is and should be a basic human right,” Tom said. “Hunger Free Vermont provides a vital human right service to Vermont's citizens in need. I am proud to be affiliated with this mission.”
Shane Rogers is the Strategic Communications and Network Weaver with the New England Grassroots Environment Fund where he works building equitable and inclusive environmental systems that work for people through effective narrative building and collective communications. He had previously been steeped in the Vermont food system as the Farm to Plate communications manager at the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund. Shane is also the co-director for New Leaders Council – Vermont, a progressive training institute for up-and-coming leaders, a community organizer, and a former journalist. Shane believes that, “Hunger Free Vermont understands that in order to end the injustice of hunger and malnutrition for all Vermonters we need to upend and reimagine the systems that underpin these issues as well as addressing the immediate needs they cause. I am excited to support this work further as a member of the Hunger Free Vermont Board.”
Hunger Free Vermont’s mission is to end the injustice of hunger and malnutrition for all Vermonters. Since 1993, their experienced staff have developed carefully integrated strategic initiatives designed to make sure that everyone in Vermont has consistent and readily available opportunities to eat the healthy food required to thrive every day. They help community organizations, schools, and childcare providers understand and make the most effective use of the federal nutrition programs that feed children through childcare, school, afterschool, and summer meal programs; and families and adults through 3SquaresVT (known nationally as SNAP) and WIC. Learn more at www.hungerfreevt.org.