2024 Board of Directors
Carolyn Gilbert (she/her), Chair
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Carolyn is an eighth generation Vermonter, person of color, and Bennington resident. Raised in Thetford and Montpelier, she left Vermont for college and spent her twenties living in Albany, London, and Washington, DC. In 2021, she relocated to The Shires with her partner where she works remotely for DAI, a USAID government contractor, working in proposal writing. Carolyn loves Southern VT for its natural beauty, close knit community, and ability to make a difference.
She has a bachelor's in International Relations (Macalester College) and Master's in International Development (The London School of Economics). She also serves on the Vermont Land Trust's board.
Current Term: 2024 - 2026
Courtnay Wilson (she/her), Vice Chair
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Courtnay (she/her) has been living in Bennington with her husband and two dogs since 2019. She has been working in Bennington at The Memory Clinic since 2015 and is a Licensed Psychologist in the State of Vermont, specializing in Geriatric Neuropsychology. Courtnay is a member of the clinical team responsible for the assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and management of patients at The Memory Clinic.
Courtnay has a Bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience and Psychology, a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology, and a Doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology.
In her spare time, Courtnay enjoys going for walks and hikes, playing tennis, traveling, trying new restaurants and food, and baking delicious treats! Courtnay joined the SYP board in 2022, and has planned several mixers, but focuses on volunteer events as she has a passion for helping members of her community while trying to make The Shires a better place to live.
She loves living in a small tight knit community, and enjoys networking and connecting people to others. Courtnay also serves on the board of Lake Paran.
Current Term: 2024 - 2026
Beth Wallace (she/her), Past Chair
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Beth is a native Vermonter and remote worker living in Shaftsbury, Vermont. She is the past Chair of the Shires Young Professionals Board of Directors and has a long history of serving on various non-profit and school boards.
Beth returned to her hometown to raise her family, and currently enjoys spending time with her fourteen year old daughter, yellow lab, four chickens and one bunny. She loves all that Southern Vermont has to offer from lakes and trails to a vibrant live music scene, and especially enjoys welcoming new Vermonters and helping to make community connections.
Current Term: 2023 - 2025
Beth Sturgeon (she/her), Secretary
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Beth moved to Pownal in 2021 from St. Louis MO with her Pownal-native spouse Nate, her mother Sharon, and dog Lizzie. She's since adopted a 2nd Chance dog named Bruiser. Beth works in corporate sustainability, calculating carbon emissions for ESG reporting. She's passionate about mitigating climate change, protecting the natural world, and local and national politics.
In her free time, she enjoys hiking, paddle boarding, and exploring all Vermont has to offer! Beth is grateful to SYP for making moving here so rewarding, and is excited to contribute to SYP's work.
Service: 2023 - 2025
Will Deveneau, Treasurer
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Bill is an attorney and tax consultant who has lived in Bennington since 2004. Before founding Veracity Financial Group LLC, a law practice, along with multiple e-commerce ventures, he was a Vermont state trooper.
Deveneau's law practice focuses on tax, estate planning, probate, and business matters while his consulting firm focuses on tax, financial analysis, interim CFO services and business turnarounds and restructuring.
He is the ongoing treasurer for the Shires Young Professionals.
Current Term: Ongoing
Jill Arkind (she/her)
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Jill Arkind (she/her) lives in Bennington with her family. Originally from Massachusetts, she spent her twenties in Portland, Oregon pursuing her master's degree and beginning a career in public health and health information technology. She returned to the east coast to settle in Vermont and currently works as a Principal Consultant at NYSTEC, a non-profit consulting organization in New York.
Some of her many favorite things about Southern Vermont are the strong sense of community, endless outdoor adventures, and the Blue Benn's sourdough French toast.
Current Term: 2022 - 2024
Asher Edelson (he/him)
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Asher is a resident of Bennington and loves living in Vermont. He teaches social studies at the Vermont School for Girls, serves on the Southwest Vermont Regional Technical School District Board, and has many roles within the Vermont Democratic Party, including being Chair of the Vermont Democratic Disability Caucus.
Asher has been active with Shire Young Professionals since 2019 and enjoys the camaraderie that comes with being involved. He hopes that more young people with disabilities will become active in their communities.
Current Term: January 2024 - January 2026
Cristina Perez Ayala (she/her)
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Cristina Perez Ayala joined the SYP Board in December 2022, a year and a half after moving to North Bennington, VT from Monterrey, México. With a Bachelor's in Political Science, and a Masters in Humanities, she has mostly engaged academically and professionally in the field of education, and continues to do so to this day with her work at the Department of Special Events within the Office of Institutional Advancement at Bennington College.
In 2022 she made her move to North Bennington official by buying a house where she currently lives with her husband and two german shepherd dogs. She is an avid reader, and also very into yoga. Currently, she volunteers hours when she can to the Solomon Wright Public Library in Pownal, the Bennington Museum, the Park McCullough House, and (since her 1st time in 2021) a recurrent volunteer in Garlic Town.
Service: 2022 - 2024
Kaiya Kirk (she/her)
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Kaiya was born in Austin, Texas, raised in Los Angeles, California and has found home here in Vermont. She is the Production Manager of Bennington Theater, Bookseller at The Bennington Bookshop, and Lead Wine Educator with couch + cork. She’s a passionate theater-maker, grade-A bookworm, and wine lover! She is passionate about creating community wherever she goes and, like water, takes the shape of her container.
You can typically find her covered in flour singing show tunes at the top of her lungs into a wine bottle fashioned as a microphone.
Current Term: 2023 - 2025
Steven DeTeso (he/him)
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Steven is a recent transplant to Southern Vermont and The Shires after spending most of his life in the Greater Boston area. He relocated to North Bennington in 2023 to start a new chapter with his partner. With extensive experience in the hospitality industry, Steven has successfully transitioned into entrepreneurship. He is currently the co-owner and managing partner of Bennington Bagel Company.
When not working, Steven enjoys running and hiking with his partner and their dog, swimming in local rivers and lakes, and connecting with his community through volunteer projects.
Current Term: 2024 - 2026
Sarah Blizzard (they/them)
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Sarah Blizzard (they/them) moved to Bennington County in 2019 after finishing their EdD in Higher Education from University of Denver. Since then, Sarah has founded their own coaching and consulting firm (Blizzard Solutions, LLC), worked in Student Life at Bennington College, worked in Multicultural Affairs at Berkshire Community College in Pittsfield, MA, settled down in Shaftsbury, and begun working for Greater Bennington Community Services (GBCS).
Sarah is a self-proclaimed academic geek who loves discussing multicultural organizational change, issues of diversity and inclusion, and professional/personal development (Sarah is certified in Myers-Briggs assessments and is a Gallup-certified Strengths Coach).
When not working, they enjoy writing, playing piano, crocheting, and spending time with their partner (Henry) and dogs (Olaf and Earl). Sarah loves calling Southwestern Vermont home.
Current Term: 2024 - 2026
Franklin Cody (he/him)
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Frank is a lifelong Vermonter who grew up in Bennington. He is a 5th generation Bennington resident and a 7th generation Vermonter. After graduating from Mount Anthony Union High School, Frank went to the University of Vermont and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics.
Currently, Frank works in the Office of Governor Phil Scott as a junior staffer, and splits his time between Montpelier and Bennington. He is also a member of the Vermont Army National Guard, and is working to commission as a 2nd Lieutenant by September, 2024.
Southern Vermont is special to Frank because of its tight communities, beautiful outdoors, and rich history. In his free time, Frank loves to find ways to get outside, including playing soccer, running, and downhill or cross-country skiing.
Service: 2024 - 2026
Zoey Wagner (she/her)
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Zoey is a new resident of Bennington. She grew up in Montoursville, PA and Alpharetta, GA. In 2022, she graduated summa cum laude from Hobart and William Smith Colleges, where she majored in Architecture and minored in Writing Colleagues. During her time at HWS, Zoey studied abroad in Rome, Italy and Galway, Ireland.
Zoey is an architectural intern at Centerline Architects, assisting architects and designers on projects of all sizes. In her free time, she enjoys singing, working out at the YMCA, exploring various art forms, and spending time with friends. Zoey is thrilled to call Southern VT her home and serve on the SYP board.
Service: 2024 - 2026
Sponsoring Organization: Southwestern Vermont Chamber:
The Southwestern Vermont Chamber of Commerce directly supports and sponsors the Shires Young Professionals group through technical assistance, networking, and capacity.