Something you can say of all entrepreneurs is that they see opportunities and they take action. At age 29, this is exactly what Cheryl did when she started Pack & Ship, a company which she founded and grew to nearly a million dollars in annual sales. It was the beginning of the consumer shipping industry; UPS, FedEx, and others made shipping possible, but they didn’t give you boxes, nor tell you how to ship fragile items. With Cheryl’s leadership, Pack & Ship outgrew their space three times, serving the community for over 17 years.

Ready for a change, Cheryl sold 2 of the 3 company divisions and went on to pursue degrees from University of Vermont and Goddard College, focusing on both international development and pedagogy. These merging interests led her to the Andes, where she supported women in a micro-enterprise program, where she saw first-hand how the right skills and support around starting a business could transform the lives of the women and their families.

Cheryl has maintained a long-time interest in social justice issues. She knew that if given similar opportunities to learn the business tools that she had learned—and the women in the Andes—incarcerated women in Vermont would also be able to take action to gain economic stability and transform their lives.

When she discovered the original LIFE program in Oregon and the dramatic reduction in recidivism rates as a result of completing this course, she knew a replicated version would be an empowering program to bring to Vermont communities.

Anju Krivov is a thought leader, entrepreneur, and educator with over 24 years of experience in innovative environmental biotechnology development, environmental pollution mitigation, bioenergy, waste nutrient recovery, supply chain, networking, and strategic business partnerships. At GSR Solutions – a clean technology company on a mission to provide solutions to convert waste into value, she has been leading one of the three Farm to Fly F2F2 national level initiatives supported by the US Department of Agriculture and supply chain partners. She led several waste to energy and nutrient recovery project teams supported by the US Department of Energy, US Department of Agriculture, US Environmental Protection Agency, EPSCoR, National Science Foundation, NASA, and several state initiatives and stakeholders.

Her unwavering efforts led the company to be selected by two global challenges, the Nutrient Recycling Challenge and the Terraton Challenge. She also serves as an adjunct faculty at the University of Vermont, where she has been teaching courses on ‘Bioenergy, Biomass to Biofuels’, ‘Waste to Energy’, ‘Food Waste to Value’, and ‘Nutrient Recovery Solutions’ and bringing together experts from both the public and private sectors to provide real-world hands-on education. She has recently edited/authored the second edition of her globally distributed textbook, Bioenergy – Biomass to Biofuels and Waste to Energy published by Elsevier Inc./Academic Press. She has published over 40 industry articles, scientific papers, book chapters, & sections in peer reviewed journals & books. She has also served as an advisor to the Buckminster Fuller Institute’s Fuller Challenge and continues to explore novel ways to realize triple bottom line solutions for a circular economy.

Kate Blouin has been an RN for over 15 years. She is passionate about advocating for and building a community for people in recovery to foster connections that empower individuals on their journey to healing. Her professional and personal experience with addiction provides a deep understanding of the challenges faced during the recovery process. She strives to create inclusive environments where everyone feels valued and supported. Her mission is to inspire hope and resilience through collaborative efforts, providing resources and encouragement to those seeking transformation. Together, we can cultivate a strong, supportive community that uplifts and guides each person toward their fullest potential.

A long-time student of social change, Andrea works as a behavior change-marketing consultant in the field of Public Health, and teaches in the Masters of Public Health program at the Larner College of Medicine at UVM. She writes and speaks on topics related to optimizing the health of mind, body and spirit, and creates programs for people ready to take action, including Breaking Free from Sugar.

Karen is a dedicated advocate for transformative justice and sustainable agriculture, bringing a wealth of experience in participatory and engaged approaches for systematic data collection that informs policy and program development. Her passion for fostering sustainable food systems has been evident throughout her extensive career.

With a background in academia, Karen has held multiple teaching and advising positions at the University of Vermont (UVM), where she has actively contributed to undergraduate education focused on food systems. She has also served as the Evaluation Director for a USDA Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates program at the UVM Institute for Agroecology (IfA). As a founding and coordinating member of the UVM Contemplative Practices Learning Community, Karen has played a pivotal role in bringing together academic staff, faculty, and students to explore contemplative praxis in higher education.

Her commitment to holistic education extends to her work as a policy program co-director for Food Solutions New England (FSNE), an outreach program of the Sustainability Institute at the University of New Hampshire. In her role at FSNE, Karen focuses on integrated, cross-sector policy approaches to drive sustainable agriculture and food systems transformation across New England. Her career trajectory reflects a commitment to engaging people in ways that nurture human well-being while challenging dominant worldviews. Karen's contribution to systems transformation toward sustainability, equity, and resilience is a testament to her dedication and vision.

As a board member, Karen would bring a unique blend of academic, evaluative, and policy expertise, making her an invaluable asset to our nonprofit's mission and goals. Her ability to bridge theory and practice, coupled with a passion for justice and sustainability, positions her as a driving force for positive change in our organization.

As an advocate for the underserved and disenfranchised, Elyse leans into her 15-year experience within education and hospitality to help rebuild a sense of purpose and hope within the community. Knowing first-hand how one bad choice will forever alter the trajectory of one’s life, she is committed to easing the difficulties and struggles for those reintegrating post incarceration.

Charlotte is an author and an attorney with a focus on family law, personal injury, medical malpractice and consumer fraud litigation. In the 1980’s Charlotte was a task force chair with the Vermont National Organization for Women. In the 1990’s she served on the board and as president of the Franklin County Family Center. From 2002-2012 she served on the executive committee of the Vermont AFL-CIO in a position responsible for advancing women’s leadership in the labor movement. Charlotte has taught economic development and politics at Johnson State College. She recently completed her third term on the Vermont Commission on Women.