The International Association of Insurance Professionals (IAIP) named Elizabeth Stillwell of D.E.W. Construction Corp. the Risk Management Professional of the Year for Region I at its conference held in Essex, Vermont on April 5, 2014. Region 1 covers New England, New York and Pennsylvania.

The award is given at the local, regional, and national level annually to recognize an IAIP member who has demonstrated superior knowledge in their field and professional advancement through educational pursuits.

The Burlington Emergency Shelter is pleased to announce the promotion of team member Allison D. Mills, now the organization's Development & Marketing Director. Mills, a Vermont resident since 2012, is highly passionate about helping the community she lives in flourish and believes that the social services play an integral role in the revitalization and sustainability of the Vermont economy.

The Lodges Communities and Owner and Operator The Bullrock Corporationn have announced the following promotions: Andrew Thomas has been promoted from his position as VP of Development to President of the Lodges Communities and The Bullrock Corporation. In addition, Cathy Stroutsos has been promoted from her position as Marketing Director to Senior Director of Marketing for the Lodges Communities. Finally, Scott Smith has been hired as the CFO for the Lodges Communities and The Bullrock Corporation. Scott was formerly the CFO for the Vermont Teddy Bear Company.

James J. Gozzo, Ph.D., President of Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, announced today that Harry L. Chen, M.D., Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Health, will be the commencement speaker at the second graduation ceremony of the school’s Colchester Campus. This year’s event will take place on Sunday, May 18, 2014 at 1:00 p.m. at the Champlain Valley Exposition.

The Converse Home, announced the election of board members: Mary Ellen Spencer, of Shelburne, she previously served as Executive Director and also

worked for the accounting firm KPMG.; Dr. Marga Sproul, M.D. South Burlington, a Family Medicine physician with Colchester Family Practice and

an Associate Professor Emeritus in the College of Medicine. Dan Stanyon, Colchester, Sr. Relationship Manager with the Merchants Trust Company, was

elected Chair of the Board. The Converse Home is a private, non-profit assisted living community in Burlington.

MorrisSwitzer~Environments for Health is pleased to announce the following new architectural team members:

Frank Chang, AIA, LEED AP BD+C

Frank brings 35 years experience in residential, commercial, and healthcare design to the Boston, MA office. In addition to his design experience he is also a technical building envelope specialist and has been a registered architect in Massachusetts for over 30 years. Frank has his undergraduate degree from University of Pennsylvania and a Masters of Architecture from Harvard University Graduate School of Design.

Jamie Gravel

Five Vermont Law School students have been selected for the 2014-15 class of Albert Schweitzer Fellows for their service-based, health-related projects to create positive change within local communities.

Eight Vermonters and Vermont organizations have been nominated for the 2014 GMP-Zetterstrom Environmental Award, which will be presented May 6 at a ceremony in the Vermont Statehouse.

Three Vermont Tech faculty—Michelle Stearns, Meredith Roberts, and Mary Hill—have been accepted into the Vermont Nurse Leadership Fellows program. More than 50 Vermont nurses were nominated for the new program and the 25 winning nominees were announced at the Vermont Organization of Nurse Leaders’ Summit on April 3-4 in Stowe, VT.

Starr Strong took a meandering path to health care.

Raised in Connecticut, she studied eastern religion at Beloit College in Wisconsin and went on to travel in India and Nepal and work a variety of jobs, including for a childhood lead prevention program in Massachusetts and counseling troubled teens.

Despite a complete lack of experience in medicine, as a white person traveling in India and Nepal she was often called upon by villagers to help with illness, she said. “They bring you their wounds. They bring you their sickness. I found that I loved it.”