Valley Quest

Editor's Note: Many thanks to Kevin Peterson, Director of Economic Development for the New Hampshire Community Development Finance Authority, who offe [...]

Join Us for a Community Conversation About Housing in Claremont

Housing and the Future of Claremont: What types of housing does Claremont need to have a thriving community for all those who live and work here? [...]

LaValley Building Supply is the BOM

Celebrate as we recognize LaValley Building Supply as the May Local First Alliance Business of the Month For more than 50 years, LaValley Building [...]

Long-Standing Stewards: Heroes & Leaders 2018

Every spring, Leadership Upper Valley, a program of Vital Communities, hosts a Heroes & Leaders celebration to recognize individuals who make sign [...]

Join Us April 8 for Flavors of the Valley!

Meet, eat, and buy at Flavors of the Valley, the Upper Valley's local food tasting expo. Buy advance discount tickets, see a vendor list, and joi [...]

Let’s get together to make something good happen

Re-making our transportation system will shift us toward better, cleaner, and more equitable living. Imagine useful, affordable, and accessible vi [...]

Trail Break taps + tacos is the BOM!

Celebrate the hot, new eatery in White River Junction as Local First Alliance Business of the Month in January! Visit Trail Break taps + tacos [...]

Weatherize Events in January

Weatherize Round Two kicks off this month across the Upper Valley region. What is Weatherize? Vital Communities partners community volunteer t [...]

Green Real Estate Network Kick Off

Working together to empower home buyers and sellers throughout the Upper Valley to understand home energy costs and invest in energy efficiency. O [...]

Vital Communities Open House in Review

About 100 people attended Vital Communities’ Open House on Friday, December 1. It was an evening of meaningful connection as Vital Communities staff [...]

Upcoming Events

	May 2018
Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
		1	2	3 Heroes & Leaders Celebration Heroes & Leaders Celebration Starts: 5:30 pm Ends: May 3, 2018 - 9:00 pm Location: Quechee Club, 3268 Quechee Main St, Quechee, VT 05059, USA More details... •	4 VT Walk/Bike Summit VT Walk/Bike Summit Starts: 9:00 am Ends: May 4, 2018 - 5:00 pm More details... •	5 Norwich Farmers' Market Norwich Farmers' Market May 5, 2018 @ 9:00 am - 1:00 pm Norwich Farmers Market, 301 US Route 5, Norwich, VT 05055, USA Details: http://www.norwichfarmersmarket.org/ See more details •
6	7	8 Upper Valley Energy Committee Roundtable Upper Valley Energy Committee Roundtable Starts: 5:00 pm Ends: May 8, 2018 - 8:00 pm Location: Montshire Museum of Science, 1 Montshire Rd, Norwich, VT 05055, USA Description: Our 11th Annual Gathering of Energy Committee volunteers from across the Upper Valley. Join us for an evening of inspiring stories and connections. More details... •	9 Leadership Upper Valley Environment Session Leadership Upper Valley Environment Session Starts: 12:00 am Ends: May 9, 2018 - 11:59 pm More details... •	10 Leadership Upper Valley Board of Governors Meeting Leadership Upper Valley Board of Governors Meeting Starts: 4:15 pm Ends: May 10, 2018 - 4:45 pm More details... •	11 Spring Business Leaders Breakfast on Housing Spring Business Leaders Breakfast on Housing Starts: 7:30 am Ends: May 11, 2018 - 9:30 am More details... •	12 Norwich Farmers' Market Norwich Farmers' Market May 12, 2018 @ 9:00 am - 1:00 pm Norwich Farmers Market, 301 US Route 5, Norwich, VT 05055, USA Details: http://www.norwichfarmersmarket.org/ See more details •
13 National Bike to Work Week National Bike to Work Week Starts: 12:00 am Ends: May 18, 2018 - 11:59 pm More details... •	14 National Bike to Work Week National Bike to Work Week Starts: 12:00 am Ends: May 18, 2018 - 11:59 pm More details... Business of the Month: LaValley Building Supply Business of the Month: LaValley Building Supply Starts: 12:00 am Ends: May 28, 2018 - 11:59 pm More details... • •	15 National Bike to Work Week National Bike to Work Week Starts: 12:00 am Ends: May 18, 2018 - 11:59 pm More details... Business of the Month: LaValley Building Supply Business of the Month: LaValley Building Supply Starts: 12:00 am Ends: May 28, 2018 - 11:59 pm More details... • •	16 National Bike to Work Week National Bike to Work Week Starts: 12:00 am Ends: May 18, 2018 - 11:59 pm More details... Business of the Month: LaValley Building Supply Business of the Month: LaValley Building Supply Starts: 12:00 am Ends: May 28, 2018 - 11:59 pm More details... • •	17 National Bike to Work Week National Bike to Work Week Starts: 12:00 am Ends: May 18, 2018 - 11:59 pm More details... Business of the Month: LaValley Building Supply Business of the Month: LaValley Building Supply Starts: 12:00 am Ends: May 28, 2018 - 11:59 pm More details... Lebanon Farmers' Market Lebanon Farmers' Market May 17, 2018 @ 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm Colburn Park, 51 N Park St, Lebanon, NH 03766, USA Details: https://lebanonnh.gov/806/Farmers-Market See more details • • •	18 National Bike to Work Week National Bike to Work Week Starts: 12:00 am Ends: May 18, 2018 - 11:59 pm More details... Business of the Month: LaValley Building Supply Business of the Month: LaValley Building Supply Starts: 12:00 am Ends: May 28, 2018 - 11:59 pm More details... Upper Valley Curb the Car Day Upper Valley Curb the Car Day Starts: 7:00 am Ends: May 18, 2018 - 8:30 am Description: On May 18, the rest of the country is celebrating National Bike to Work Day, but here in the Upper Valley we’re taking it a step further with Curb The Car Day. So, bike or walk if that’s for you. Or take the bus, vanpool, or carpool. Or even skateboard or kayak. Stop by one of the Curb the Car Day stations listed below between 7 and 8:30 am for breakfast snacks, socializing, and more. Downtown Norwich Upper Valley Haven Lebanon City Hall In front of the Hanover Inn Tuck School of Business Dartmouth-Hitchcock employees who BIKE or WALK can stop by the Live Well/Work Well table from 6:30 - 9 am for a $5 meal voucher for the main dining hall. More info at http://vitalcommunities.org/transportation/bike-to-work-2018/ More details... Chelsea Farmers' Market Chelsea Farmers' Market May 18, 2018 @ 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm N Common, Chelsea, VT 05038, USA Details: http://www.chelseafarmersmarket.org/ See more details Newport Farmers' Market Newport Farmers' Market May 18, 2018 @ 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm Newport Common, Newport, NH See more details • • • • •	19 Business of the Month: LaValley Building Supply Business of the Month: LaValley Building Supply Starts: 12:00 am Ends: May 28, 2018 - 11:59 pm More details... Norwich Farmers' Market Norwich Farmers' Market May 19, 2018 @ 9:00 am - 1:00 pm Norwich Farmers Market, 301 US Route 5, Norwich, VT 05055, USA Details: http://www.norwichfarmersmarket.org/ See more details Mt. Tom Farmers' Market Mt. Tom Farmers' Market May 19, 2018 @ 9:30 am - 12:30 pm Mount Tom, Mt Tom, Woodstock, VT 05091, USA Details: https://www.facebook.com/Mt-Tom-Farmers-Market-1034410693250229/ See more details • • •
20 Business of the Month: LaValley Building Supply Business of the Month: LaValley Building Supply Starts: 12:00 am Ends: May 28, 2018 - 11:59 pm More details... •	21 Business of the Month: LaValley Building Supply Business of the Month: LaValley Building Supply Starts: 12:00 am Ends: May 28, 2018 - 11:59 pm More details... •	22 Business of the Month: LaValley Building Supply Business of the Month: LaValley Building Supply Starts: 12:00 am Ends: May 28, 2018 - 11:59 pm More details... •	23 Business of the Month: LaValley Building Supply Business of the Month: LaValley Building Supply Starts: 12:00 am Ends: May 28, 2018 - 11:59 pm More details... •	24 Business of the Month: LaValley Building Supply Business of the Month: LaValley Building Supply Starts: 12:00 am Ends: May 28, 2018 - 11:59 pm More details... Lebanon Farmers' Market Lebanon Farmers' Market May 24, 2018 @ 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm Colburn Park, 51 N Park St, Lebanon, NH 03766, USA Details: https://lebanonnh.gov/806/Farmers-Market See more details UVTMA Monthly Meeting UVTMA Monthly Meeting Starts: 4:00 pm Ends: May 24, 2018 - 5:30 pm Location: Lebanon City Hall, North Park Street, Lebanon, NH (unless otherwise noted) Description: We meet in the West Meeting Room, by the City Council Chambers. We typically NO NOT meet in August and December. More details... • • •	25 Business of the Month: LaValley Building Supply Business of the Month: LaValley Building Supply Starts: 12:00 am Ends: May 28, 2018 - 11:59 pm More details... Chelsea Farmers' Market Chelsea Farmers' Market May 25, 2018 @ 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm N Common, Chelsea, VT 05038, USA Details: http://www.chelseafarmersmarket.org/ See more details Newport Farmers' Market Newport Farmers' Market May 25, 2018 @ 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm Newport Common, Newport, NH See more details • • •	26 Business of the Month: LaValley Building Supply Business of the Month: LaValley Building Supply Starts: 12:00 am Ends: May 28, 2018 - 11:59 pm More details... Norwich Farmers' Market Norwich Farmers' Market May 26, 2018 @ 9:00 am - 1:00 pm Norwich Farmers Market, 301 US Route 5, Norwich, VT 05055, USA Details: http://www.norwichfarmersmarket.org/ See more details Claremont Farmers' Market Claremont Farmers' Market May 26, 2018 @ 9:00 am - 1:00 pm Visitor Center Green, Claremont, NH Details: https://www.facebook.com/ClaremontFarmersMarketnh/ See more details Randolph Farmers' Market Randolph Farmers' Market May 26, 2018 @ 9:00 am - 1:00 pm Gifford Medical Center, Randolph, VT 05060, USA See more details Wilmot Farmers' Market Wilmot Farmers' Market May 26, 2018 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Wilmot Flat, Wilmot, NH 03287, USA See more details Mt. Tom Farmers' Market Mt. Tom Farmers' Market May 26, 2018 @ 9:30 am - 12:30 pm Mount Tom, Mt Tom, Woodstock, VT 05091, USA Details: https://www.facebook.com/Mt-Tom-Farmers-Market-1034410693250229/ See more details Springfield Farmers' Market Springfield Farmers' Market May 26, 2018 @ 10:00 am - 1:00 pm 300 Clinton St, Springfield, VT 05156, USA See more details • • • • • • •
27 Business of the Month: LaValley Building Supply Business of the Month: LaValley Building Supply Starts: 12:00 am Ends: May 28, 2018 - 11:59 pm More details... •	28 Business of the Month: LaValley Building Supply Business of the Month: LaValley Building Supply Starts: 12:00 am Ends: May 28, 2018 - 11:59 pm More details... Vital Communities Holiday Vital Communities Holiday Starts: 12:00 am Ends: May 28, 2018 - 11:59 pm More details... • •	29	30 Woodstock Farmers' Market Woodstock Farmers' Market May 30, 2018 @ 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm Woodstock Farmers Market, 979 W Woodstock Rd, Woodstock, VT 05091, USA Details: https://www.woodstockvt.com/events/market-on-the-green See more details •	31 Lebanon Farmers' Market Lebanon Farmers' Market May 31, 2018 @ 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm Colburn Park, 51 N Park St, Lebanon, NH 03766, USA Details: https://lebanonnh.gov/806/Farmers-Market See more details Hartland Farmers' Market Hartland Farmers' Market May 31, 2018 @ 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm Hartland Public Library, 153 US-5, Hartland, VT 05048, USA Details: http://hartlandfarmersmarket.blogspot.com/ See more details Community Conversation - Claremont Housing Community Conversation - Claremont Housing Starts: 5:30 pm Ends: May 31, 2018 - 8:30 pm Location: Goodwin Community Room, Sugar River Technical Center, 111 South Street, Claremont, NH More details... • • •

Go to the Full Calendar

Our
Core
Values

About Us

Vital Communities’ agenda and programs emerge from, and are driven by, regional needs and community interests.

As a neutral convener, Vital Communities brings diverse people and organizations together to devise and implement collaborative solutions.

Vital Communities takes on issues where regional coordination and leadership can achieve results.

Greatest Hits

Editor's Note: Many thanks to Kevin Peterson, Director of Economic Development for the New Hampshire Community Development Finance Authority, who offered the keynote speech at our May 3 Heroes & Leaders celebration. Read his complete remarks ...more

Be a Friend, Get Sweet Deals

The food is fresh, the market is fun, and the deal is sweet! Support Your Farmers' Market with the NEW Friend of the Market Card! Buy a Friend of the Market card ($20) at your participating farmers' market and take ...more

The Connecticut River and its Watershed

Since this year’s Super Quest explores the Upper Valley’s aquatic features in all their myriad forms, this makes for an opportune time to focus on that greatest of all our region’s waterways, the Connecticut River. ...more

Featuring Your Friends & Neighbors!

Recognize anyone? Thanks to some dedicated bus riders with bright smiles and great stories, we've put together this poster series promoting Advance Transit's real-time system (scroll down to see them all). These are all REAL ...more

Thank you, Chris!!

Chris, back row, with Quest writing students at Sam's Overlook on the Unity Mountain Trail, Unity, NH This spring we have had the great pleasure of working with Chris Jayne. A Hanover-native, Bowdoin College graduate who grew ...more

About the Upper Valley Transportation Management Association (UVTMA)

The Vital Communities Transportation Program convenes the Upper Valley Transportation Management Association (UVTMA), a membership-based group of workplaces, transportation providers, municipalities, and planners. Dues-paying members are eligible for customized programs and services for their town or workplace. Join ...more

Long-Standing Stewards: Heroes & Leaders 2018

Every spring, Leadership Upper Valley, a program of Vital Communities, hosts a Heroes & Leaders celebration to recognize individuals who make significant contributions to the greater Upper Valley region. This year, Heroes & Leaders is ...more

Join Valley Quest as a Summer Intern!

Are you passionate about the Upper Valley? Do you feel motivated to share our region's special places with the community at large? Love working with people of all ages? Vital Communities is looking for a ...more

May BOM: LaValley Building Supply

Celebrate as we recognize LaValley Building Supply as the May Local First Alliance Business of the Month For more than 50 years, LaValley Building Supply has been serving our region with professional building supplies and services, ...more

Zero Waste for the Win!

We had an amazing Flavors of the Valley, our annual local food tasting expo, with a record-breaking 1,200 attendees! From savory to sweet, the flavors were out of this world and all of them oh ...more

Get Stoked on Automated Wood Heat!

Boiler on its last legs? Looking to opt out of fossil fuels? Come learn about today's self-stoking automated wood heat! Opt out of oil with delivery of local wood pellets and whole home wood heating ...more

Member Spotlight: Lyme Green Heat

When Lyme native Morton Bailey started his business, Lyme Green Heat he was just a guy in a truck delivering bagged wood heating pellets to residential customers around the Upper Valley heating their homes with pellet stoves. Today this ...more

Valley Food & Farm is Hiring!

Do you love food, farmers' markets and fun? The Valley Food & Farm team is looking for a seasonal project coordinator. View the job description here or call Beth at (802)291-9100 with ...more

Remembering Shawn Donovan

With great sadness we announce that Lebanon resident Shawn M. Donovan, one of the co-founders of the Upper Valley Transportation Management Association (UVTMA), passed away on February 19 at age 70 – see the obituary ...more

Copeland is the BOM!

Join us as we celebrate Copeland Furniture as the March Business of the Month (BOM)! Visit The Copeland Company Store in Bradford, VT March 9-24, congratulate them for being an anchor business that strengthens the Bradford ...more

Weatherize Events in January

Weatherize Round Two kicks off this month across the Upper Valley region. What is Weatherize? Vital Communities partners community volunteer teams with local contractors to help Weatherize participants complete cost-effective home energy improvements. These upgrades save residents money on ...more

Green Real Estate Network Kick Off

Working together to empower home buyers and sellers throughout the Upper Valley to understand home energy costs and invest in energy efficiency. Over 50 real estate professionals from across the Upper Valley will gather on January ...more

30 Local Leaders Graduate from Leadership Upper Valley

Vital Communities celebrated its Leadership Upper Valley Class of 2017 on June 14, in a commencement ceremony at Harpoon Brewery. Thirty of the region’s emerging local leaders graduated from the 10-month professional and personal development ...more

Vital Communities Staff

Tom Roberts

Executive Director

Tom Roberts joined Vital Communities as Executive Director in February 2015. A resident of Cobb Hill Cohousing in Hartland, Vermont, Tom has more than a decade of successful leadership experience in Upper Valley nonprofits, including as a Senior Philanthropic Advisor at the Vermont Community Foundation, and prior to that as Executive Director at the Ottauquechee Health Foundation in Woodstock. Before moving to the Upper Valley in 2002, Tom worked as an attorney both in a small litigation and government practice firm, and for the Homeless Advocacy Project with the Bar Association of San Francisco. He has worked in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors on issues of justice, housing, children, and healthcare. He holds a B.A. in English from Stanford University, a law degree from the University of California’s Boalt Hall School of Law, and is a graduate of the Vermont Leadership Institute.

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Sarah Brock

Energy Program Manager

Energy

Sarah Brock joined Vital Communities in 2013 as our Energy Program Manager. Through her work Sarah provides support for our region’s 40+ local energy committees, engaging with dozens of volunteers and clean energy businesses in programs like Solarize Upper Valley, Weatherize Upper Valley, and the Upper Valley Green Real Estate Network. Prior to joining the Vital Communities team, Sarah was an Environmental Philanthropy Associate with the High Meadows Fund, a supporting organization of the Vermont Community Foundation. Sarah now lives in Warner, New Hampshire, with her husband Zach and her chickens. When she's not busy advocating for energy efficiency, Sarah enjoys playing the trombone and taking walks in her backwoods to look for signs of New Hampshire's abundant wildlife.

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Rachel Darrow

Finance and Events Manager

Rachel Darrow joined Vital Communities in November 2016 after two years as Finance Manager of Opera North. Prior to moving to Lyme, N.H., she worked for more than eight years with the Greensboro Jewish Federation in Greensboro, N.C., most recently serving as Director of Finance and Human Resources. She graduated summa cum laude with a BA in English from the University of Maryland University College and an MA in Liberal Arts from St. John's College. Rachel currently serves on the United Way Campaign Cabinet, dances with The Raqs Salaam Dance Theater, and enjoys spending time with her three goats.

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Bethany Fleishman

Transportation Program Manager

Transportation

Bethany Fleishman was born at the old Mary Hitchcock hospital in Hanover, N.H., grew up in West Hartford, Vt., and now lives in Hartford Village, where she can see the White River and the trains from her window. She has a biology degree from St. Lawrence University and has worked in public health outreach, as a line cook in San Francisco, a pastry chef in Hanover, and as a member of the Town of Hartford Selectboard. She serves on the board of directors for both Advance Transit and Upper Valley CarShare and is a lifelong bike commuter.

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Lauren Griswold

Valley Quest and Volunteer Coordinator, Valley Food & Farm Program Assistant

Valley Quest Food & Farm

Lauren Griswold joined Vital Communities in May 2017 to coordinate Power of Produce (POP) clubs at Upper Valley farmers' markets and farmstands. In August 2017 she became our Valley Quest and Volunteer Coordinator, in addition to her role as the Valley Food & Farm Program Assistant. Lauren grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and graduated from the University of Vermont in 2011 with a Bachelor's degree in English and Environmental Studies. Her passion for sustainable agriculture took her out West, where she served as a garden educator in Bend, Oregon. After an enriching chapter in the high desert, Lauren is thrilled to be back in central Vermont. She is passionate about the rich communities and natural beauty of the Upper Valley, and enjoys engaging the next generation with wonder and enthusiasm about this special place. In her free time, Lauren can be found mountain biking, cross country skiing, gardening, knitting, and savoring meals with friends and family.

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Paige Heverly

Energy and Transportation Project Coordinator

Transportation Energy

Paige Heverly joined Vital Communities in 2017 as the Energy and Transportation Project Coordinator. Hailing from the suburbs of Philadelphia, she moved to Vermont in 2011 and earned a joint BA in Renewable Energy and Ecological Design and Environmental Studies from Green Mountain College. After completing her Master of Energy Regulation and Law from Vermont Law School, Paige worked in energy efficiency consulting in Portland, Oregon. Her love of local food systems, the White River, and the Green Mountains brought her back to the Upper Valley to work on regional issues with localized solutions. Paige is passionate about closing ecological loops and treating waste as food. In her free time, she enjoys baking homemade English muffins, weeding her garden, and writing letters to her pen pals.

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Nancy LaRowe

Local First Manager and Valley Food & Farm Coordinator

Food & Farm

Nancy joined Vital Communities as the Valley Food & Farm Coordinator in 2014. She works to support and grow our local food system and economy. Nancy has lived, worked, and farmed in the Upper Valley for more than 25 years and believes our community is healthier and stronger when our connections to food and the farms that produce it stay vital.

Nancy's informal job title is Farmer-in-Residence: she also runs a pasture-based cattle farm in Norwich, Vt. Nancy is on the Board of the Norwich Farmers' Market, and a retired Norwich volunteer firefighter and EMT. She loves puttering in the garden, hiking with her dog, and visiting farmers' markets.

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Elyse Payson

Assistant to the Executive Director

Elyse Payson first became acquainted with Vital Communities after mistaking a Valley Quest treasure box for litter while out hiking. She joined the Vital Communities staff in July 2017 as Assistant to the Executive Director, with many years of administrative and management experience at Dartmouth-Hitchcock, MedU, and as a private consultant. A lifelong resident of the Upper Valley, Elyse enjoys hiking with her children, including on Valley Quests.

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Carole Petrillo

Bookkeeper and Office Manager

Carole Petrillo joined Vital Communities in 2013 as Bookkeeper, Office Manager, and Human Resource Manager. She is also a longtime yoga instructor and practitioner. Since arriving in Vermont in the 1980s, Carole has sought work and play where it contributes to services to lead a healthy lifestyle. Working at Vital Communities is a team effort to practice these goals in the workplace and in our community. Carole takes pleasure in contributing to make the office run smoothly and helping to support Vital Communities’ great programs. Carole grew up in Buffalo, N.Y., where she embraced winter – her favorite season. When not working, you can find her enjoying the adventures of skiing endless wooded trails with Jimmy, her partner and best friend. During all the other seasons, look for her on some mountaintop in the White Mountains or the Adirondack Mountains, her favorite playgrounds.

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Allison Rogers Furbish

Communications and Database Manager

Allison Rogers Furbish joined Vital Communities after a decade-long career in local journalism and public relations in the Upper Valley. A native of Lebanon, N.H., she has a BA in Human Ecology from College of the Atlantic, an MBA in Sustainable Business from Green Mountain College, and a passion for telling stories that help make the community more sustainable and vibrant. She was the Founding Editor of The Lebanon Times, a hyperlocal newspaper launched in 2013 to cover the “good people, good places, and good things happening” in the city. She lives in Canaan, N.H., where she enjoys the sights and sounds of nature, explores the local trails and waterways, and is slowly learning to garden with her husband and two children. Outside of work, she loves to bake, eat, read, hike, ride her bike on the Northern Rail Trail (with kids in tow!), and spend time with her family.

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Beth Roy

Valley Food & Farm Manager

Food & Farm

Before joining Vital Communities, Beth Roy worked in the environmental and place-based education fields for 17 years in various positions around New England including at the Vermont Institute of Natural Science and as the Director of Education at the Nature Museum in Grafton, Vt. Beth is also on the boards of the Vermont Science Teacher Association (VSTA) and the Vermont State-Wide Environmental Education Programs (SWEEP), a coalition of dozens of individuals and organizations promoting sustainability and environmental education in Vermont. Beth is a New Hampshire native and lives in Hartland, Vt., with her husband and two children. When Beth is not working you will find her exploring the woods around her home with her family or cooking up a new taste test (made of local foods, of course!) for her children.

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Rob Schultz

Leadership Upper Valley Manager, Director of Development

Leadership UV

Rob Schultz is the Leadership Upper Valley Manager and Director of Development at Vital Communities. Most recently, he served as Area Coordinator for Granite United Way in the Upper Valley Region. Rob was Executive Director of COVER Home Repair in White River Junction for 9 years. Before working at COVER, Rob was Executive Director for the Farm & Wilderness Foundation for 8 years; helped start a corporate training center for PT Timah in Sumatra Indonesia; and ran programs for Outward Bound in Minnesota, Texas, and New Mexico. He is a graduate of Earlham College and has done graduate work at University of Maryland in International Political Economy. He lives in Hanover with his partner Diane. He sings with Thetford Chamber Singers and is an avid carpenter, cellist, wilderness traveler, and gardener.

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Becka Warren

Valley Food & Farm Communications Coordinator

Food & Farm

Part of Vital Communities' Valley Food & Farm team since 2012, Becka fosters relationships that keep agriculture a daily part of community life in the Upper Valley. She works with current and future farmers, businesses, schools, and partners across Vermont and New Hampshire to build connections that support farm viability and keep our landscapes working. Becka lived in Seattle for many years, where she worked for the Washington State University Small Farms Program, Cascade Harvest Coalition, Seattle Tilth, and area vegetable farms. Becka is also a writer, founding and writing Ask Umbra at gristmagazine.com until 2009. She holds a BA from Brown University and lives in Hartland, Vermont, with her family.

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What's Happening

Upcoming Events

May 2018

Greatest Hits

Photo Gallery

Program NEWS

Vital Communities Staff

Tom Roberts

Sarah Brock

Rachel Darrow

Bethany Fleishman

Lauren Griswold

Paige Heverly

Nancy LaRowe

Elyse Payson

Carole Petrillo

Allison Rogers Furbish

Beth Roy

Rob Schultz

Becka Warren

Want more information?