The 34th cohort of the Lake Champlain Chamber’s Leadership Champlain program celebrated its graduation at Main Street Landing in mid-June. Every year since 1988, Leadership Champlain has brought together a group of midcareer professionals who are interested in deepening their connections to Vermont, building their leadership skills and profile, and making an impact in their community.
“This cohort deserves high praise not just for their ability to roll with the punches through some challenging and uncertain times during the pandemic, but also their ability to stay engaged.” said Program Director Alex Bunten. “It can be hard to balance community work with family and professional obligations, but this group showed real commitment to doing the work and making Vermont a better place for all. I look forward to following their continued accomplishments.”
Leadership Champlain participants engage in retreats, full-day seminars, service projects, discussion groups and community tours from September to June. The Class of 2022 completed service projects for Aunt Dot’s Place, CCTV Center for Media & Democracy, Champlain Valley Head Start, Governor’s Institute of Vermont, Let’s Grow Kids, Mercy Connections, Pathways Vermont and Vermont Adult Learning.
Graduates included Diana Abdinoor, University of Vermont Medical Center; Raquel Aronhime, Mercy Connections; Lisa Barron, UVM Health Network Home Health & Hospice; Fran Briand, Gallagher Flynn & Co.; Connor Chapman, Gordon's Window Décor; Sarah Childs, St. Michael's College; Jeff Covey, Main Street Landing Co.; Scott Driver, NorthCountry Federal Credit Union; Pam Eaton, Paul Frank + Collins PC; Maria Echevarria, Tetra Tech ARD; Vanessa Santos Eugenio, City of Burlington.
Also: Erica Ferland, Burlington Electric Department; Krystina Gotsch, New England Federal Credit Union; Cady Goudreau, Competitive Computing; Charlotte Hackett, Tetra Tech ARD; Alex Hango, PC Construction; Katy Hayden, Vermont Federal Credit Union; Pete Hull, Colchester Police Department; Eric Kratochvil, Burlington Police Department; Ryan Long, Primmer Piper Eggleston & Cramer PC; Meg Mitchell, People's United Bank; Ryan Nick, JL Davis Realty; Scott Pellegrini, Bolton Valley.
Also: Gretchen Roberge, Wake Robin; Sarah Rock, Spherion Staffing and Recruiting; Meryl Schneider, EZ-Probate; Adam Seaver, People's United Bank; Meghan Brady Smith, Vermont Air National Guard, Air Force; Nancy Stetson, City of Burlington; Mary-Katherine Stone, University of Vermont Medical Center; Kelly Taylor, VGS; Ellie Wallace, Revision; and Weiwei Wang, Vermont Professionals of Color Network.