Jan Demers, Executive Director of CVOEO to retire

The Board of Directors of Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity (CVOEO) is announcing the retirement of executive director, Jan Demers, on July 10, 2020. Since 2010, Jan has overseen ten programs at CVOEO—which provides services and advocacy, from food shelves, housing and fuel assistance to financial asset development, early childhood education, to fair housing, tenant and mobile home park resident rights and responsibilities in four counties (Addison, Chittenden, Franklin and Grand Isle). The organization’s tagline “Bridging gaps, Building futures,” is an excellent description of the vision that has guided Jan’s deep commitment to social justice and serving the most vulnerable people in the community over the last decade.

During her tenure, Jan has received many accolades, including the Con Hogan Award in 2019, awarded by the Vermont Community Foundation. In selecting Jan, The Con Hogan Award selection committee noted that their choice was based on her effectiveness in making a difference by working in coalitions, being transparent and willing to have tough conversations, and understanding and applying data to achieve targeted results.

In 2015, Jan was awarded the United Way of Northwest Vermont’s Community Impact Award along with John Collinsworth from UVM Medical Center, and John Caulo and Tom Bonnette of Champlain College for their collaboration in creating Burlington’s first low-barrier warming shelter – a model that has since been replicated in 10 communities throughout the state. Throughout the cold winter months, Jan was on hand with staff and volunteers every morning and evening to personally open and close the shelter.

In accepting the award for the team, Jan said: “I want to tell you about George. George is 24 years old and has had a very difficult life. One evening we were all visiting with each other at the warming shelter and George said, ‘This is a community.’ ” Jan nodded in the affirmative and gesturing to her fellow collaborators and the audience at large said, “This is a community.”

Board President, Nina Harrington, speaks for the entire board: “We want to thank Jan for her decade of selfless dedication to the most vulnerable members of our community as well as her diligence in creating a culture at CVOEO of compassion, transparency, collaboration and integrity. She will be missed, but her legacy will continue.”

Jan grew up in Burlington and graduated from Rice Memorial High School and the University of Vermont; a varied job history informs her work and relationships at CVOEO. During the 20 years after college she was a milk tester in Groton, substitute teacher at Morristown Elementary and educator at the Lamoille Area Vocational Center, assistant to the Morristown Select Board, and executive director of the Lamoille Valley Chamber of Commerce. Prior to taking the helm at CVOEO in 2010, she also worked in sales for the American Management Association, directed domestic violence intervention services for a community action agency, and was executive director of a five-county hospice and palliative care agency in upstate New York.

As one staff member put it: “Service is Jan’s life blood. She will always be a vital member of the Vermont community. We’re sorry we cannot give Jan a celebration to say good-bye because of the pandemic. What if everyone in the community sent her a card in the mail? Now that would be a send-off.”

Cards and well-wishes can be sent to Jan Demers at CVOEO, PO Box 1603, Burlington, VT 05402 and [email protected].