Leadership Champlain, the flagship leadership-development program of the Lake Champlain Chamber, has elected Jess Lukas as chair and Michele Karode as vice chair of its advisory board.
Lukas, director of aquatics at the Greater Burlington YMCA and a graduate of the leadership program, has served on the board since 2023. She succeeds Kim Anderson, who will remain on the board. Karode is manager of outreach operations at the University of Vermont Office of Engagement and Leahy Institute for Rural Partnerships.
The advisory board also welcomed four new members this year: Michelle Buswell, senior wealth adviser and senior vice president at Wilmington Trust; Kevin Cofelice, manager of supply planning and production control at GlobalFoundries; Sharon Lifschutz, director of development at Lund; and Sandra Lucia, marketing strategist at Vermont Gas Systems.
“Our advisory board brings extraordinary value to Leadership Champlain,” said Alex Bunten, director of workforce and education at the Lake Champlain Chamber. “Their commitment, industry insight and mentorship are essential to the program’s continued success and growth.”