VWF Council and Staff
The Vermont Women's Fund is governed by a diverse Council of women from around Vermont. We seek representatives of all ages, from all corners of the state, each bringing their own unique blend of experiences and skills from their professional and personal lives. Our Council is a "working board," actively involved in all aspects of the organization's grantmaking, fundraising, and general operations. Council members serve three year terms and, after taking one year off, may be appointed to serve again in future years. In addition to the Council, the Women's Fund also employs two full time staff.
Council Members ~ 2011/2012
Brenda Bisbee - North Fayston
Brenda has had a lifelong interest in women’s issues. Prior to retiring, she enjoyed a career as an elementary school teacher followed by work at the Wellesley College Center for Research on Women. Brenda has been active with board and volunteer work for a number of organizations over the years, including Vermont Humanities Council, Vermont Stage, Vermont Works for Women, Planned Parenthood, and Vermont Commission on Women. Family is a focal point of her life, and when not volunteering she attends to a large family with ten grandchildren.- Abigail "Apple" Faulkner - East Montpelier
Apple was raised in Massachusetts, attended Sterling College in Craftsbury Common, Vermont, and graduated from the University of California at Santa Cruz in 1988. Her interests include reproductive rights, environmental issues and the cultivation of progressive philanthropy. Since her marriage and move to Vermont in the early 1990’s, Apple has been busy raising two children and volunteering in her community. She lives in East Montpelier with her husband, Hobie Guion, a “green” builder, and their children. - Ann Fielder (Chair) - Brattleboro
Ann Fielder is an organizational development consultant, coaching executives and leadership teams. She recently retired from Planned Parenthood of Northern New England where she held many leadership positions -most recently the Sr. Advisor for Organization Development and Communications. She has lived in the Brattleboro community for nearly 40 years and currently serves on several council's and committees including the United Way Community Impact Committee, which she facilitates, the Brattleboro Retreat Advocacy Council, the Brattleboro Town -Human Services Committee. Additionally, she is a Founding member and board member of the Rural Woman's Leadership Institute of Vermont. - Mary Grace - Morrisville
Mary is the Director of the Vermont Reads Institute at UVM, a research faculty position at the university. She holds a masters degree in Education from Saint Michael's College with an emphasis on adult education and family literacy. Before working with VRI, Mary was the Director of Literacy Programs at the Vermont Humanities Council, and prior to that was the Media Coordinator for the US Biathlon Association, an Olympic sport federation. She lives with her husband and two daughters in Morrisville. - Julie Hendrickson - Montpelier
Julie holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Education from UVM and an MBA in Marketing from Babson College. She worked for Sentinel Financial Services Company (SFSC), an affiliate of National Life for 14 years, the last 4 as the President and COO of SFSC. After a brief break, Julie took a position at New England Culinary Institute where she worked for 5 1/2 years, first as VP of Marketing and Admissions and then as COO. For the past three years she has been managing her family's foundation and spending time with her recently retired husband. Julie has four grown children and loves to cook, travel, read, play tennis, hike, and cross-country ski. - Judith Irving - Brookfield
Judith is a partner in Fat Toad Farm, her family’s goat dairy, which produces artisan cheese and caramel. From 2004 to 2009 she stewarded the Vermont Women’s History Project for the Vermont Commission on Women. Prior to her work at the Commission, Judith was Executive Director of Vermont Interactive Television for sixteen years, during which time she founded the Women in Technology Program and the Vermont Academy of Science and Technology. She now works as an independent consultant, primarily in the fields of education, health care and strategic planning, and has served on many boards in the state over the years. Judith is a graduate of Middlebury College and received her Masters Degree in Organizational and Foundation Studies from UVM. - Gretchen Kruesi - Burlington
Gretchen has nearly 10 years of experience working on campaigns, policy, advocacy, marketing and grassroots organizing. Currently, she is the Online Marketing Manager for Chelsea Green Publishing. She began volunteering in high school, focusing on young women’s empowerment, advocacy for domestic and sexual assault victims, and access to reproductive rights. She is currently on the board of Vermont Access to Reproductive Freedom. During her free time you'll find her running, hiking, horseback riding, playing disc golf and debating. - Elisabeth Kulas - Clarendon
Elisabeth has worked in the non-profit affordable housing industry in Vermont for 20 years. She is currently the Executive Director of the Housing Trust of Rutland County and also serves as the real estate developer for the organization. She has been active in the State’s affordable housing networks, the Vermont Affordable Housing Coalition and the Vermont Housing and Conservation Coalition. In her spare time she loves to garden, cook, read and be active with her family and dogs. - Marissa Parisi - Shelburne
Marissa is the Executive Director of Hunger Free Vermont. She is considered an expert in developing sustainable programs, strategic planning, organizational development, and fundraising for nonprofits. Prior to joining Hunger Free, she was the Director of Donor Relations at Planned Parenthood of Northern New England. Marissa is passionate about investing in women as leaders and creating a world where women are equally represented. She enjoys time with her husband and their cats, dog, and a new bee hive. - Sylvia Robison - Burlington
Sylvia has served on a wide variety of nonprofit boards. She is a past Chair of the Vermont Symphony Orchestra Board and currently serves as VSO Governing Board Secretary and Chair of the Governance Committee. She is also past Chair of the Vermont Humanities Council and the State Board of Libraries. Books, history and music are her passions. Sylvia is a founding member of Bella Voce and sings with the VSO Chorus. She received an honorary Doctorate of Letters from Middlebury College in 2000. - Sarah Suscinski - Barre
Sarah is a founding Staff Attorney of Safeline – Orange County’s and upper Windsor’s local domestic and sexual violence organization. She graduated from Carnegie Mellon University and Case Western Reserve University School of Law. Sarah moved to Vermont after completing a fellowship in which she did federal death penalty appeals for indigent clients in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. Prior to joining Safeline, Sarah worked as the Chittenden County Field Director for Bernie Sanders’ 2006 Senate Campaign. She began her legal career in Vermont as an associate at Downs Rachlin Martin. Sarah lives in Barre, where she is an active member of her community. She enjoys reading, knitting, sewing, and playing with her two mini-dachshunds, Petunia and Molly Brown. - Sarah Waring - Montpelier
Sarah was born and raised in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont and loves working hard and playing outside. She earned her B.A. from Haverford College, and her M.A.A. from the University of Maryland. She has worked in the non-profit world in conservation, land use planning, and rural development, as well as for the Bureau of Land Management in Washington, DC helping to integrate social science methodology into federal natural resource management plans. In 2003 Sarah managed a comprehensive statewide public dialogue project for the Vermont Council on Rural Development. Currently she works for Farm & Wilderness Foundation as the Program Director, managing six outdoor education summer camps and year-round workshops and retreats. Although she has lived in various places on the East Coast and in the Rocky Mountains, Sarah is proud to call Vermont home.
STAFF
- Catherine Kalkstein - Director
