The Land Access and Opportunity Board, established by the Legislature to promote equitable access to housing, land and economic opportunities in Vermont, has appointed local change makers Jean Myung Hamilton and Ornella Matta-Figueroa as co-directors of the organization.
Hamilton, who will serve as director of program development, brings to the position more than 20 years of community development program management in Vermont. Prior to this appointment, she helped launch and manage community empowerment programs like Vermont Everyone Eats, Shiftmeals and the Knoll garden at Middlebury College.
Matta-Figueroa, who joins the board as the director of advocacy and community engagement, has a strong background in fostering positive social change. Her recent work has focused on developing shared leadership models and creating programs and retreats to teach young people and adults trauma-informed community connection skills.
"We are thrilled to welcome Jean and Ornella as the first staff and co-directors of the Land Access and Opportunity Board," said board member Dan Coutu. “Since the creation of our board by the Legislature in 2022, we have worked deliberately to establish a strong foundation for the challenging and essential work that we have been tasked with."
The Land Access and Opportunity Board is administratively hosted by Vermont Housing and Conservation Board.