Top row, left to right: Joan Lenes, Kanika Gandhi, Rep. Kathleen James, Helen Head, Liz Gamache, Liv Peña, Alex MacLean, Shaina Kasper, Monique Priestley, Brenda Churchill. Bottom row, left to right: Rep. Katherine Sims, Lynn Fox, Samantha Sheehan, Mia Schultz, Anne Lezak, Liz Schlegel, Kerin Durfee, Sue Minter, 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:
Alex MacLean†
Peacham, VT
President of Public Relations at Leonine Public Affairs / Former Gubernatorial Campaign Manager
Anne Lezak
Burlington, VT
Consultant / Strategist / Teacher / Editor, ADL Consulting / Chair, Vermont Democratic Party
Brenda Churchill*†
Bakersfield, VT
Liaison, LGBTQIA Alliance of Vermont / Bakersfield, VT Select Board Member / Justice of the Peace
Dottie Deans†
North Pomfret, VT
Former Chair, Vermont Democratic Party
Helen Head†
South Burlington, VT
Former State Representative, South Burlington, Vermont
Joan Lenes†
Shelburne, VT
Former State Representative, Shelburne, VT
Kanika Gandhi*
South Burlington, VT
Clinician, Spectrum Youth & Family Services
Rep. Katherine Sims*†
Craftsbury, VT
State Representative, Orleans-4 / Nonprofit Consultant, KS Consulting
Rep. Kathleen James*†
Manchester Center, VT
State Representative, Bennington-4
Kerin Durfee*
Burlington, VT
Human Resources Director, City of Burlington, VT
Liv Peña*
South Burlington, VT
Networks and Learning Practice Coordinator, Building Movement Project
Liz Gamache*
St. Albans, VT
Director of Business Development & Donor Relations, United Way of Northwest Vermont / Former Mayor of St. Albans, VT
Liz Schlegel
Waterbury, VT
Executive Director, The Alchemist Foundation
Lynn Fox
Charlotte, VT
Former Instructor and Presidential Spouse, St. Lawrence University / Former Senior Advisor, Federal Reserve Board
Mia Schultz†
Bennington, VT
Catalyst Leadership Coordinator, Rights & Democracy Vermont / President, Rutland-Area NAACP
Rep. Monique Priestley*
Bradford, VT
State Representative, Orange-2 /
Owner, The Space on Main, Bradford, VT
Samantha Sheehan*†
Hancock, VT
Communications Director, City of Burlington / Former Campaign Manager, Molly Gray for Congress /
Former campaign manager, Lt. Governor Molly Gray and Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger
Shaina Kasper
Montpelier, VT
Policy Manager, T1International
Sue Minter†
Waterbury Center, VT
Executive Director, Capstone Community Action, Inc. / Former Vermont Gubernatorial Candidate (2016) /
Former Secretary, Vermont Agency of Transportation
Emerge Vermont Alum*
Emerge Vermont Instructor†