Top row, left to right: Joan Lenes, Brenda Churchill, Kanika Gandhi, Lynn Fox, Abby Blum, Sharon Richards, Shaina Kasper. Bottom row, left to right: Julia Barnes, Mary Sullivan, Kate Lapp, Anne Lezak, Sianay Chase Clifford, Liz Schlegel, Dottie Deans.
We are so proud to introduce Emerge Vermont’s Cabinet. These amazing and diverse women hail from all over Vermont. Many have served in local, state or national government. All are deeply involved in their communities—some for decades, and some who are just starting out. Some are alums of our training programs. And all are committed to Emerge Vermont’s mission of recruiting and training more Democratic women to run for office, so that we can create a democracy that is truly reflective of our state and nation.
Meet our Cabinet Members:
Julia Barnes†
Colchester, VT
CEO, The Movement Cooperative
Abby Blum
Vergennes, VT
Associate Director of Development, The Nature Conservancy
Brenda Churchill*†
Bakersfield, VT
Liaison, LGBTQIA Alliance of Vermont / Bakersfield, VT Justice of the Peace
Sianay Chase Clifford
Essex, VT
Visiting Professor, Champlain College School of Social Work / Former Congressional Candidate
Dottie Deans†
North Pomfret, VT
Former Chair, Vermont Democratic Party
Lynn Fox
Charlotte, VT
Former Instructor and Presidential Spouse, St. Lawrence University / Former Senior Advisor, Federal Reserve Board
Kanika Gandhi*
South Burlington, VT
Clinician, Spectrum Youth & Family Services
Shaina Kasper
Montpelier, VT
Policy Manager, T1International
Kate Lapp*†
Winooski, VT
Former Data Director, Vermont Democratic Party / Campaign Manager, Kesha for Congress
Joan Lenes†
Shelburne, VT
Former State Representative, Shelburne, VT
Anne Lezak†
Burlington, VT
Consultant / Strategist / Teacher / Editor, ADL Consulting / Chair, Vermont Democratic Party
Sharon Richards
Charlotte, VT
Former Library Media Specialist/ Development, Lake Champlain Waldorf School
Liz Schlegel
Waterbury, VT
Executive Director, The Alchemist Foundation
Mary Sullivan†
Burlington, VT
Former State Representative, Burlington, VT / Former National Democratic Committeewoman
Emerge Vermont Alum*
Emerge Vermont Instructor†