The University of Vermont Board of Trustees elected Cynthia Barnhart (pictured) as chair and welcomed four new members following a special meeting on March 3. Barnhart succeeds Ron Lumbra, who served as chair since 2020 and will remain a member of the board.
Barnhart, who has served as board vice chair since 2020, is provost, the Abraham J. Siegel Professor of Management Science and professor of operations research at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She is a civil engineering graduate of UVM and holds a master's in transportation systems and a doctorate in civil engineering from MIT.
Joining Barnhart on the board's leadership team are Donald McCree, vice chairman and head of commercial banking at Citizens Financial Group, who was elected vice chair, and former state Rep. Catherine “Kitty” Toll, who was reelected secretary.
“A warm welcome to our newest trustees, and congratulations to Cynthia Barnhart on her election as chair," said interim UVM President Patricia Prelock. "She is the ideal trustee to lead the board as the university looks to build upon our strengths in the coming years.”
New members who officially joined the board on March 1 include:
- Jason Maulucci, director of policy development and legislative affairs in the Office of the Governor, appointed by Gov. Scott to a six-year term.
- State Sen. Scott Beck and state Rep. John Bartholomew, each elected by the Vermont General Assembly to six-year terms.
- McKenzie Hart, a UVM sophomore, appointed by the Associate Directors for the Appointment of Student Trustees to a two-year term.
Vermont state Rep. Carol Ode was reelected to a second consecutive six-year term.