VYCC is fueled by an energetic team of talented individuals

Breck joined the VYCC team in 2008 and became Executive Director in 2016. Helping every young person learn from the beauty, mystery, and challenges of the natural world drives Breck in his work. He finds inspiration in the creativity, resolve, and corps spirit that young people bring to VYCC. That VYCC focuses on enrolling traditionally underserved populations is especially compelling. Prior to VYCC Breck was an outdoor educator and Director at Keewaydin Camp, a classroom teacher and Dean of Students at a small prep school, and a development professional in higher education. He also spent three fun years adventuring out west and traveling the globe before returning to his east coast roots. Breck holds degrees from Lawrence University and Saint Michael’s College. Outside of work, he lives in the hills of Huntington, where he and his wife Margaret try to keep up with two daughters. Hockey, running, apple trees, good books, and fresh powder are all areas of keen interest.

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Hapy joined VYCC in 2015 with over 20 years of finance and operations experience managing Small Dog Electronics, an Apple Computer sales and service company he founded with his father. Hapy has degrees from Northwestern University in Philosophy and Economics. He lives with many rescued dogs in Fayston. Hapy is a USA Hockey Ice Hockey referee and competes as a professional “heavy” athlete in the Scottish Games. Any spare time outside of that, he is honing his craft as an artisan blacksmith at his shop in Fayston.

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Had Leah spent her teenage years in Vermont, she would have found her way to VYCC earlier in life.  Growing up in New Mexico, Leah explored and made peace with adolescence among the ridges and canyons of the Rockies.  She moved to Vermont to attend Middlebury College and fell equally in love with Vermont.  It’s Leah’s belief that young people seek a sense of belonging to place and community and are eager to contribute and build skills. With this in mind, Leah co-founded Vermont Commons School, where she learned along with students in the classroom, on the trail, and in the community.  Leah’s love of the natural world as habitat and classroom led her to a master’s degree in Ecological Planning at UVM. Each morning, Leah cracks the shades and begins dreaming about the days’ adventures.  Joining VYCC and its mission feels like both coming home and looking at each day’s possibilities.

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Christine believes in the transformative power of food and farming to connect communities and create positive lasting change. From working with farmers in New York State and Oregon, to leading food security programs in India and Africa, to working with Indigenous youth entrepreneurs in the Arctic, Christine led a variety of youth development and agricultural training programs before her path led her to VYCC. In her role as Director of the Food & Farm Program, she is passionate about creating opportunities for young people to hone their skills while engaging in meaningful service work. She believes the best learning often happens when in the field or kitchen through the alchemy of working with the land and with one another towards a common goal. In her free time, Christine loves adventuring outdoors with her family, learning new languages, and teaching herself to play her ever-growing collection of musical instruments.

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Katie finds the best way to build community and form relationships is over a delicious meal.  Her passion for growing, cooking, and eating food stems from her childhood growing up on a farm in Iowa. Shortly after graduating from undergrad at Iowa State University, she began her first Conservation Corps experience and was hooked! This eventually led to serving an AmeriCorps term in Montpelier, where she quickly fell in love with Vermont’s natural beauty, agricultural landscape, and food culture. Knowing the hard work and growth that come from an AmeriCorps term, she is excited to watch the impressive accomplishments made by the VYCC team each season. With an MS in Food Systems from UVM and a background in nutrition education, food security, and food access, Katie is ready to share her passion for food with anyone willing to listen. When not in the kitchen, you can find her spending time with her partner Zach and their two dogs, Arlo and Sage. Katie served a 1-year staff position as an ex-officio member of the Board of Directors in 2023.

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Christopher is driven by a passion for connecting people through good food and stewardship of the land. Christopher grew up in Worcester, Massachusetts, and graduated from Clark University with a degree in Environmental Studies. They worked on multiple organic vegetable production farms around New England before joining the Regional Environmental Council in Worcester, where they managed a large urban community garden program and worked to increase food access for members of underserved communities. More recently, Christopher worked for Burlington’s Parks and Recreation department as the Conservation Project Manager, where they supported community gardeners and conservation site volunteers. Christopher believes that when we choose to invest in our relationship with the natural world, everyone benefits, and they are dedicated to increasing opportunities for people to grow and share food. Christopher enjoys practicing martial arts, cross-country skiing, herbalism, and gardening. They live in central Vermont with their wife and their dog, Darwin.

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Marley loves all things growing food and feeding others. She began farming on a small student farm in Connecticut and has since learned on an organic co-op in Quebec and as an Americorps Production Leader at VYCC in 2024. Marley holds a degree in social work from the University of Connecticut, where she developed her passion for growing food in a socially just and equitable manner. When she isn’t observing seed magic at the farm, Marley enjoys lounging by the river and playing board games with her friends.

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Jake believes that to be interested in food but not in food production is clearly absurd. Luckily, he gets to work with aspiring young farmers to explore that interest and produce delicious food for the Health Care Share. It’s his hope that these young farmers will go on to build a food system that is sustainable, just, and equitable. Jake spent the 2016 growing season with VYCC as a crew leader and was blown away by the dedication of the corps members and their development into an efficient, knowledgeable farm crew. In the few years since Jake has been learning more about growing good food and building good soil on farms all across the Country. After the work day, Jake spends his time volunteering as an EMT in Richmond and trying to get his dog to behave.

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Natalie finds joy in exploring curiosity, learning, and growing alongside others and finds that working outside in the dirt is the best way to create this environment. Growing up she grew snap peas and green beans diligently, and this passion slowly transformed into a love of farming. After studying environmental-sociology with a focus on rural food networks, Natalie went on to gain experience in backcountry caretaking, guiding, herbal farming, and environmental education. Through these experiences Natalie grew her passion for developing relationships with folks over a shared love of the land. She is excited to get her hands dirty and grow with everyone and everything around her! When not at the farm, Natalie can be found exploring Vermont by foot, bike, or swimming hole, eating sweet potatoes for every meal, and strumming around on her mandolin and fiddle.

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Claire loves finding joy in a day and so far, farming is where she has found the most! She loves the way the work brings people closer to themselves and each other. Farming has been her passion since high school in Connecticut, where she was lucky to participate in her school’s agriscience program. This led her to completing a degree in Environmental Science at Saint Michael’s College. She has worked on several farms of different systems and scales, from fruit farming in Hawaii, market gardening in Maine and rotating herds of cattle and sheep in Vermont. Claire was a crew leader at VYCC in the 2023 season and is so excited to continue to build soil and community here. Away from the farm she loves bird watching, dancing in her kitchen, watering her plants and playing with her cats Raccoon and Possum.

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Grace has been working on organic farms since 2020. She loves the fulfillment that comes from providing sustainably grown food to her community. She believes that improving access to fresh, local produce is one of the best ways we can improve both our personal health as well as the health of our planet. As a lifelong athlete, she also finds immense joy from a day spent outside working the land and getting dirty. She studied math at Middlebury College, and after several years working in Boston, as well as a season picking strawberries in New Zealand, she found her way back to Vermont in September 2024. Grace is tremendously excited about combining her love of data with her passion for agriculture in the Food and Farm Program. When she isn’t farming or crunching numbers, you can expect to find Grace running, hiking, and exploring Vermont’s many trails!

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Pearl returns for her second season at VYCC after leading summer crews in 2024. Pearl is a recent graduate of Middlebury College and has been farming for most of her life. In high school, Pearl raised sheep and beef cattle in Midcoast Maine. When she moved to Vermont, Pearl worked part time milking dairy cows and has now graduated to the plentiful veggie fields and spacious chicken coops at the Farm at VYCC! Pearl’s favorite part about working with crews at the VYCC is the opportunity to problem solve within community. She can’t wait to get out on a tractor this season! 

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 Matt is passionate about agroecology, appropriate technology, and spending time in and next to bodies of water. After graduating UVM in 2022, where he was awarded funding for research in the Lintilhac Plant Biomechanics lab, Matt became an apprentice with the Savana Institute where he developed an interest in animal agroforestry systems. Before joining VYCC, Matt was livestock manager and shepherd at a farm on the Maine midcoast where he experimented with tree fodders, egg layer/compost systems, and hedgerow grazing. He believes that decentralized food and energy systems are a critical part of addressing and adapting to a changing climate. Outside of work, Matt enjoys playing folk and English (where he was born) traditional music, sailing, and cooking dinners with his friends.

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Bio coming soon!

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Ethan is absolutely thrilled to be joining VYCC for the 2025 season. A graduate from Skidmore College with a degree in biology and experienced working outdoors, Ethan is dedicated to making a positive impact on the environment and is inspired by VYCC’s commitment to sustainability. Ethan had the chance to test his abilities while serving with the Western Colorado Conservation Corps in 2024. While in Colorado, Ethan faced the elements and learned that when it comes to sun, rain, bugs, and blisters, prevention and protection are the best medicine. Ethan also understands the importance of team building. As a member and captain of the Skidmore College Swim Team, Ethan learned the value of leading by example and making sure everyone is at their best physically and mentally. Ethan also has a love of photography, and is excited to explore the area around Richmond! 

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  Returning to VYCC for a second season, Leila decided that Vermont holds a special place in her heart. She wants to help the community by doing what she loves, being self-sufficient. She has a deep belief in the mental health benefits that growing plants brings to one’s soul. Helping others makes her happy and Leila can’t wait to help corps members grow to their fullest potential. Going from Crew Member to Crew Leader is a big jump, but she feels she has what it takes to be a great role model for the 2025 crew. Growing can be fun and rewarding; let’s show our hunter gatherer ancestors how it’s done! 

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Bio coming soon!

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Clare joins VYCC as a graduate of SUNY Binghamton, where she studied English and Spanish. After finishing her B.A. in 2020, she became an Outdoor Educator with Nature’s Classroom. Clare worked on the company’s Lakeside Connecticut campus, where she was responsible for teaching visiting student groups about conservation, survival skills, the importance of locally sourced foods, and leading hikes. A lifelong lover of the natural world, Clare became passionate about sharing her knowledge with students and their chaperones during this experience. She spent the 2022-2023 school year in Spain, where she taught English in a bilingual elementary school and traveled throughout Europe. She is an avid trail runner, reader, and maple creemee fan, a taste cultivated by her family’s yearly trips to Vermont from their hometown of Buffalo, New York. Clare is excited to bring an adventurous and educative spirit to the Food and Farm program at VYCC! 

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Nicky has been working in conservation and food sustainability since 2021. This is Nicky’s fourth service term with AmeriCorps, previously serving in Colorado and then Washington state. In Colorado, they worked with Rocky Mountain Youth Corps doing trail maintenance and chainsaw work. In Washington state, Nicky worked as a food and garden educator at Common Threads Farms. It was at Common Threads that they developed a love for growing food and sharing that food with others. Their interest in being a part of the Health Care Share at VYCC is what led them to this position and they are very excited to get to jump into it the season. Nicky is also very excited to dive into all the outdoor activities New England has to offer and can’t wait to go hiking and camping this summer! 

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Zoe began her career on a 4–acre organic production farm in Massachusetts, working in the fields and in the farm’s commercial kitchen. Eager to discover more of her major, Natural Resource Management, she flew out to California to work on a saw crew soon after graduation. Once she discovered her love of forestry she moved to Colorado to intern with the Forest Service on their timber crew. After spending a year in the Rockies, she is extremely excited to move back to New England where she feels at home. Zoe is no stranger to camping for extended periods or working in harsh conditions, so she will happily welcome the crews into the kitchen for a relaxed cooking experience. She believes that fresh food is the key to a happy and healthy life. 

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Henry returns to VYCC after working last fall season as a sawyer with one of the forestry crews. As a sawyer, Henry learned a lot about what it took to work effectively as part of a team in challenging conditions. Prior to working as a sawyer at VYCC, Henry worked as a visitor engagement associate at the New York Aquarium, where he taught about coastal animals, as well as hosted chats talking about the sharks the aquarium had on display. In addition to this, Henry also worked as a teacher’s assistant at Tiegerman school, where he was vital in helping students retain information inside the classroom. Henry also tended to the family garden growing up, planting and caring for different crops, tomatoes, brussel sprouts, peppers, and stonefruit, such as peaches and plums. Henry is excited to bring his expertise and knowledge to VYCC this season! 

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Elliot is returning to VYCC as a Food and Nourishment Crew Leader after serving on the Advanced Backcountry Trails Crew in 2024. With years of experience working on organic farms, and growing up on a farm himself, Elliot has a passion for organic agriculture and an appreciation for the value of fresh organic food. With a year of culinary experience both in the classroom and in restaurants, Elliot is excited to lead crews turning nutritious, holistically grown produce into delicious food. 

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Kelly is so excited for her second season at the VYCC! Last year, Kelly served as a Summer Crew Leader for our farm crews – “Lettuce Disco!” While she loved serving with a crew, Kelly is thrilled for her new role as a Community Health Leader. In the past, Kelly implemented an undergraduate research collective for her college where she wrote newsletters, coordinated and facilitated workshops, and collaborated on several research projects where she primarily conducted data collection, analysis, and visualization/interpretation. She is stoked to apply these skills to her new role. In her free time, Kelly is an avid square dancer, bowler, and crafter! She loves to spend her weekends talking to and consuming media with her senior cat, Fish, while working on a craft project together. 

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Bill is passionate about stewarding healthy and resilient forests while assisting corps members in developing skills that will enable them to become future conservation leaders. He brings with him experience from a diverse array of outdoor fields including wildland fire, search and rescue, land stewardship, and guiding. In his free time Bill can be found snowboarding, rock climbing, and exploring the backcountry.

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Originally a Midwesterner, Scout moved to Vermont in 2023 and served as a Conservation Crew Leader for 2 field seasons, where they found their true passion at the intersection of human connection and the natural environment. Scout is all about making people laugh, building community, and using our bodies to do work that has a real impact on the world around us. From their time as a special educator, Scout learned and truly believes that we all have capacity, given proper support, to do anything we set our minds to. They’re devoted to the protection of our Earth and the inclusion of all people in work they are passionate about. Scout is non-binary, has massive pride in their identity, and encourages everyone they meet to have confidence in who they are. When not building trails and connections, Scout can be found rock climbing, lifting weights, or dancing to Lady Gaga.

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Tommy joins VYCC with a background in regenerative agriculture, conservation, and outdoor education. In this role, he is excited to work to connect people to their environment, build resilient communities, and steward our natural lands. He grew up in the Adirondacks, and after attending the University of Vermont, has lived and worked in Northern California, New Mexico and New York City. His experiences have cultivated a strong belief in the value of building a sense of place within your community and the natural world. Currently, he lives in Burlington, VT and enjoys spending time outside, throughout all the seasons, as well as tinkering on his long list of projects.

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Anna is excited to be a part of VYCC and join a team of passionate and knowledgeable individuals. She believes that providing opportunities for people to engage in the natural world, whether that be through corpsmember service, outdoor recreation or more, will build a deeper sense of environmental appreciation within communities. Anna has worked in conservation projects across the lake in the Adirondacks as well as out west in Wyoming, developing skills in trail building, habitat restoration, and leadership that she is excited to share.  She hopes to build meaningful partnerships and create positive corpsmember experiences.  Now living in Burlington, in her free time Anna enjoys skiing and baking in the winter. In the summer she is likely hiking or swimming and soaking up the sun!

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Patrick believes in the power of possibility. A common thread throughout Patrick’s career is the quest for possibility – whether in the mountains of Arizona managing forest restoration operations, launching multicultural community programs, or reimagining “waste” through research and entrepreneurship.  At all scales, from scrappy start-ups to multi-billion-dollar organizations, in private businesses and non-profits, and from abstract theory to manual labor, Patrick has worked to find alternatives to impossibility. Patrick gleaned this outlook during his first season with a Corps in the Southwest, observing how perseverance, teamwork, and creative thinking could overcome obstacles.  It was inspiring to see members rise to these challenges and gain their own new perspectives and pathways. As Program Director, Patrick creates these same types of experiences for youth through growing the program, building partnerships, and supporting a fantastic team to run the program each season.  Patrick enjoys exploring Vermont by ski and bicycle, and operates a small farm with his partner while restoring a 200+ year old farmhouse.

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Saoirse is returning to VYCC this year as the Forestry Project Supervisor, having served as a Year Round Crew Leader in 2024. She is excited to support the VYCC forestry crews, and to grow herself as an educator and learner in the world of conservation and outdoor work. Saoirse has worked on various farms around the world, falling in love with working outdoors, seasonal work, and eventually discovering conservation corps work in Wisconsin. Saoirse is interested in the interactions between humans and nature and how we can live in reciprocity with the earth we belong to. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, swimming in rivers, playing ukulele, and climbing on rocks in the forest.

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Leona is thrilled to join VYCC and to be back in the Northeast. She is passionate about workforce development, leadership development, and conservation. Leona brings with her an extensive leadership background, graduating from the United States Military Academy with a degree in Environmental Geography and serving for seven years as an Army Engineer Officer during a challenging and complex time in our military’s history. Most recently, she has spent time raising her three boys, exploring alternative education models with her kids, and leading volunteer efforts in her community. She is excited to rejoin the workforce and hopes to use her work and life experiences to help grow the Parks Restoration Crew (PRC) program while supporting the missions of both VYCC and Forest Parks and Recreation (FPR). Leona enjoys hiking, running, family time, and good coffee. She is looking forward to cross country ski adventures with family and friends this winter.

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August Tallmadge has a long history with VYCC, first coming to the Richmond barn when he was five years old and his older brother was joining a Youth Camping Crew. Since then, August has had various roles from Crew Member, to Crew Leader, to Field Supervisor. Now, as Conservation Program Coordinator, August brings a diverse skillset and life experiences to the Conservation team. In addition to his work with VYCC, August has a degree in Economics with a minor in Arabic, has lived in Jordan, and runs marathons.  His passion for the outdoors shows through his love of hiking, fungi and gardening. In his free time August also loves to read, paint, and of course run. He is excited to bring his love of cooking and knowledge of trail work to Conservation crews and VYCC Staff.

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Keith grew up an hour west of Philadelphia (Go Birds!) in a rural, farming community. He studied geology and environmental science in college. During college summers, Keith worked at several environmental education camps. After college, Keith joined the Student Conservation Association Adirondacks Corps. Working there, he discovered an awesome opportunity to work and live outside in a professional setting. After the Adirondacks, Keith went west to work on trails in Arizona and California for a few seasons. Keith first came to VYCC in the summer of 2017 working as a crew leader. Keith especially enjoyed the community building aspect of VYCC. After the season, Keith moved south to Louisiana where he helped open the Louisiana Conservation Corps. While the fishing and seafood were phenomenal, Keith missed cold weather and was excited to move back to Vermont in 2019. In his free time, Keith enjoys paddling, gardening, watching sports, cooking, and hiking with his dog, Oscar!

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Conservation work is Andy’s passion. Being a steward of public lands is something that they strive to do every day. Andy hopes to help guide people into trail work and nurture a relationship with the environment and all it has to offer. Andy’s masonry, grip hoist, cross-cut, and backcountry trail experience has built them into a seasoned trail worker. 

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 Anika is excited to join VYCC as a Year Round Crew Leader. She graduated from UNC Chapel Hill with a BS in Environmental Science. While at UNC she got the opportunity to study landscape ecology in Montana. Here she got to hike, camp, and study in and around Glacier NP and loved every second of it. Additionally, she worked as the Natural Areas Conservation Intern at the NC Botanical Gardens and as a Botany seasonal with ACE/BLM on the coast of Oregon. She loved getting to work with endangered species and working to restore native habitats. Anika enjoys being outside, hanging with friends, and UNC basketball. She can’t wait to have an amazing season and continue doing what she loves! Go Heels!!  

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From a small age, Gray has always had a passion for nature and conservation work. She grew up in sunny California, where many afternoons were spent outside hiking, biking, and catching critters. From there, she moved to Colorado to study wildlife and fisheries, where her interest in the preserving the natural world truly took root. Afterwards, she worked for Colorado Parks and Wildlife, which further cemented her desire in getting the public involved in conservation. She’s excited to bring her skills to the team at VYCC for the 2025 and 2026 seasons. 

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Joseph is making their debut as a Year Round Crew Leader coming from Southern California. They worked in the Shasta Trinity Alps with the Backcountry Trails Program and the California Conservation Corps. Legend goes that the first tree they felled was a fifty foot Doug Fir with a crosscut. When Joseph isn’t doing conservation work, they’re traveling on their bicycle, seeking out the next best vegan ice cream. “My intention today is that of yesterday, to be a better person than I was the day before.” 

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Rose is excited to return to her Vermont roots and to join VYCC and Serve Learn Earn. She brings a passion for addressing the social determinants of health through work that promotes the social, economic and physical well-being of individuals, families, and communities. In her role as Data and Engagement Manager for the Serve Learn Earn collaboration between VYCC, Vermont Works for Women, Audubon Vermont, and ReSOURCE, Rose is excited to bring her love of using data to explore the impact of SLE programs on individuals and communities. Rose earned a degree in Applied Developmental Psychology in Baltimore, Maryland and has more than a decade of experience working with teams from diverse backgrounds to examine the influence of programs on individual and family well-being. Rose lives with her husband and felines: Lexi and Harry. In her spare time Rose enjoys walking, hiking, swimming, biking, and time with family.

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Devon joins the VYCC community with more than 10 years of nonprofit experience with a focus on development and community engagement. As a Senior Corps Member with City Year Boston and then on staff at Boston Cares, Devon planned and led large scale service projects across the city, mobilizing thousands of corporate volunteers and building to a career centered around civic engagement. Devon honed her fundraising skills as the Director of Institutional Giving at a Boston Harbor Islands based Outward Bound chapter and then moved north to Burlington in 2023 to become the Director of Development with the Vermont Symphony Orchestra. Born and raised in southern Vermont (“the Brattleboro area”, as she says), Devon has been excited to once again call the Green Mountain State her home, and to leverage her drive and experience to support an organization that invests in the skill development and education of other passionate people.

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Katelynn is a strong believer that experiences where young people get to work together in service of others and the natural environment will have a positive impact on their futures. After college Katelynn spent a year in California and Idaho serving with AmeriCorps NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps) which cemented her belief in the power of service-learning experiences. Before joining VYCC, she spent three years in Colorado working for a food bank with an emphasis on providing nutritious food and nutrition education. In her free time, she loves hiking, playing soccer, reading, and volunteering.

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Kate believes in the transformational power of learning and service experiences. In her role as the Director of the Serve Learn Earn collaboration between VYCC, VT Works for Women, Vermont Audubon, and ReSource, Kate is excited to connect folks to experiences that will build confidence, courage, and skills, while expanding opportunities for future careers. Before returning to her home state, Kate spent nine years in the Mississippi Delta working with young leaders at the Sunflower County Freedom Project—a nonprofit focused on social justice that connects students with educational opportunities. Before that, she paced the sideline as the women’s basketball coach at Grinnell College in Iowa. She loves volunteering, baking sweet treats, and hiking in the Green Mountains. She currently lives in Johnson with her partner, Mike, and their dog, Kerry.

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Jens comes to VYCC with a background in environmental policy and corporate climate and environmental action. Focused on creating regenerative impact through his work, he is passionate about advancing climate resilience and environmental stewardship across various areas of society. Jens believes it is now more important than ever to bridge and strengthen local communities and their ecosystems while supporting and growing the leaders of the future – the core reason he was drawn to VYCC. Originally from the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, Jens fell in love with the outdoors from a young age, taking a deep interest in primitive living skills, ecological conservation, and outdoor recreation. After moving to Vermont in 2014 to study at Green Mountain College, Jens worked as an analyst and consultant in the energy industry, focused on climate technologies and strategies for clean energy deployment. He brings to VYCC a depth of experience in project management and stakeholder relations, and is excited to support the organization’s fundraising and development activities. Outside the barn, Jens is a musician, art lover, and culinary enthusiast.

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Bo is dedicated to creating opportunities for young people to learn and grow. He first joined VYCC as a Crew Member when he was sixteen. After four weeks building bridges on the Catamount XC Trail, he was a changed person. He knew he had to come back. Bo returned the following year for a season of trail-building, invasive species management and organic farming. Those two summers were a formative experience that have guided his path ever since. For seven years, he taught in public, private and therapeutic schools. He’s now back at VYCC where he builds partnerships that connect young people with the land and their community. Other interests include: reading, running, and performing in rock bands around Burlington.

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Kay believes spending time outside is the best way to learn more about the places we play, work and live in. She has followed her passion for hands-on experiential learning and access to the outdoors from the high peaks of the North Cascades of Washington to the Green Mountains of Vermont (and back again!). Kay is drawn to fostering curiosity and building community. She would consider herself a “Jill of all trades” with her diverse set of skills, a knack for creative problem solving, and positive outlook. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, split-boarding, camping, and adventuring outside in any way she can with her husband and dog.

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William seeks to use his 20+ years of business and book retail management experience to support VYCC’s mission and operations. After 17 years away, including working as the Business Manager at Linden Waldorf School in Nashville TN, he returned to Vermont – where his heart has always called home. William is passionate about outdoor recreation, books, americana music, maps, microbreweries, and is a longtime shareholder at Mad River Glen. Ask him about it!

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Believing in the magic of nature and the strength found in community, Jon’s path serendipitously led him to the role of Facilities Coordinator at VYCC. A lifelong love of growing food and flowers guided Jon to graduate from the Pennsylvania State University in 2005 with a degree in Agricultural Science and a minor in Horticulture. Since then, Jon has found himself working in various construction or farm-related industries on both coasts of the country, where he has accumulated a wide range of skills that make him a versatile member of the VYCC team. Growing as an individual and as a community member has always been a primary focus throughout Jon’s life and professional career. “The earth being our home and the youth being its future” is a sentiment that drives Jon to foster healthy and strong relationships with anyone whose path intersects with his. Jon deeply loves hiking mountains, dipping in streams, and hanging out around a fire especially when his three daughters are there as well.

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Excited to jump back into the Corps world at VYCC, AmeriCorps has had its hooks in Rosemary since her first year of service in the foothills of Appalachian Ohio. As a member of the Ohio Stream Restore Corps, her service was focused on strengthening localized food systems, building economic resilience, expanding access to outdoor recreation, and increasing landfill diversion. Rosemary was also a Chesapeake Conservation Corps Member from 2016-2017 in Baltimore, Maryland, where she got a crash course in managing restoration projects and writing grants. These experiences have shaped her enthusiasm about the transformative power of service on young adults’ personal and professional development, the invaluable benefits to the communities they serve, and just how much dang fun it is to be a Corps Member! Rosemary returned to her east coast roots this summer to WWOOF in the Shenandoah Valley after using her Segal AmeriCorps Education Award to earn her master’s degree in Communication Studies from the University of Montana. She’ll likely share with you the most recent factoid she learned from a podcast or bring your attention to any cool birds flying nearby.

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Lane began his conservation journey in 2018 right across Lake Champlain with the Adirondack Corps. Since then he hasn’t taken a season off from the corps! Lane has done everything from leading youth crews in the southwest, coordinating historic preservation projects in the Hudson Valley to teaching technical skills like chainsaw and wilderness medicine in Colorado. Lane is passionate about building community and increasing access and equity within the outdoors, as well as sharing his experience and knowledge with anyone that will listen. When he isn’t working, you’ll find Lane screaming on scary parts of the mountain bike trail, battling white water in his canoe or selling his most recent car. He’s excited to work and learn among a team of passionate experienced professionals.

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