Staff and Board

Ellen Kahler
Executive Director
(802) 828-5320

Ellen Kahler became the Executive Director of the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund (VSJF) in late 2005. She is a graduate of Bucknell University in Pennsylvania with a BA in Political Science and from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University with a Masters in Public Administration.

Prior to joining the VSJF, Ms. Kahler was the Executive Director of the Peace & Justice Center in Burlington (1990 to 2002). Her most well known work through the Peace & Justice Center — the Vermont Job Gap Study and the Vermont Livable Wage Campaign — won statewide attention around the issue of basic family needs, livable wages, and under-employment.

After graduating from the Kennedy School for Government in 2003, Ms. Kahler created and directed the Peer to Peer Collaborative, an initiative that assists founder CEOs of small, Vermont-based manufacturing and natural resource based companies. For its first two years, the Collaborative was sponsored by the Vermont Business Roundtable. In January, 2006 the Collaborative became a core technical assistance program of the VSJF.

Ms. Kahler was a recipient of a three year leadership development fellowship through the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (1994-1997) and was a member of the Snelling Center for Government’s Vermont Leadership Institute class of 1997.

Ms. Kahler currently serves on the Boards of the Clean Energy Development Fund, Sustainable Forest Futures, the Vermont 25x’25 Initiative Steering Committee; the Vermont Sustainable Agriculture Council and Vermont Works for Women. She served on the Board of Directors for the Vermont Community Foundation (2001-2009), the Advisory Board of the VT-Small Business Development Center (2008-2009), on the Vermont Council on Rural Development’s Rural Vermont Energy Council (2006-2007) and as a Commissioner on the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission (1998-2002).

Janice St. Onge
Deputy Director
(802) 828-0398

Janice St. Onge is Deputy Director of the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund and Peer to Peer Collaborative. Janice brings economic and business development as well as financial experience to the organization, having served in the technology and financial services industries, as well as higher education and state government sectors during her 20-year career.

Prior to joining the VSJF, Janice served as the Director of the Vermont Business Center (VBC) at the University of Vermont where she was responsible for business outreach, and the sales, development and delivery of the VBC's executive education programs. Prior to joining the University, Janice served as Technology Business Development Director for the Vermont Department of Economic Development. She was responsible for managing Vermont's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Outreach Program. Before joining the State of Vermont, Janice was the Director of Human Resources and Senior Manager of Customer Service for Kea Technologies, an e-commerce fulfillment business in Williston, where she directed human resource strategic planning and policies, employee relations, performance management, employment law issues and company-wide recruiting efforts.

In addition to other senior level roles at Kea, Ms. St. Onge has 9 years experience in the financial services industry, in retail management, commercial real estate lending and organizational development. Janice graduated in 1986 from the University of Utah with a bachelor's degree in Marketing and minor in French. She is a graduate of the 2004 Vermont Leadership Institute program, a Snelling Center for Government initiative. A Stowe resident, St. Onge serves on the board of the Vermont Environmental Consortium, as well as the board of the Vermont Investors Forum and is on the client selection committee for the Vermont Center for Emerging Technologies, a technology incubator initiative affiliated with the University of Vermont.

Scott Sawyer, PhD
Research, Evaluation & Communications Coordinator
(802) 828-1260

Scott joined VSJF in 2003. He has bachelor's degrees in Environmental Studies and Sociology from Pitzer College, a master's degree and Ph.D. in Sociology from Washington State University. His Ph.D. dissertation was titled, "The Politics of Reliability: A Sociological Examination of the State of Vermont's Response to Peak Oil and Climate Change." His responsibiltiies at VSJF include research on sustainable development, market development, biofuels, peak oil, climate change, on-farm energy production, sustainable forestry, sustainable agriculture, program and grant evaluation, and website management. His main project at the moment is the Renewable Energy Atlas of Vermont. His primary interest is helping Vermont prepare for, mitigate against, and adapt to the consequences of peak oil and climate change.

Netaka White
Biofuels Director
(802) 828-0040, Tuesday and Wednesday
(802) 388-1328, Monday, Thursday, Friday

Netaka is a business development and marketing consultant and the Biofuels Director at Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund (VSJF). After attending Southern Oregon University, Netaka began his entrepreneurial career starting and managing several small businesses, both wholesale and retail. Prior to joining VSJF, he was the co-founder of Vermont Biofuels Association and served as its Executive Director from 2004-2008 and between 2002 and 2004 he worked as Director of Marketing for Vermont Family Forests, developing value-adding opportunities for local forest products. Netaka serves on the Board of Renewable Energy Vermont, the Vermont 25x'25 committee and the Vermont Sustainable Agriculture Council. He lives with his family in Salisbury.

Heather Pipino

Finance / Office Manager

(802) 828-1121

Heather works with the director and staff in the financial management of the organization in such areas as fiscal planning, project finances, and budget and federal grant reporting. Previous to joining VSJF in January of 2009, Pipino served as the fundraising coordinator at the Vermont Workers’ Center–Jobs With Justice, and as grants manager at the Battered Women’s Services and Shelter. She also assisted the Peace and Justice Center in Burlington, Vermont, with foundation proposals, bringing a strong social justice and fundraising background to her current work. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Goddard College.

Board of Directors

The VSJF Board of Directors consists of eleven members. Seven private sector members are appointed by the Governor with consent of the Vermont Senate, while the Secretary of the Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD) appoints three others. The Secretary of ACCD or his/her designee fills the eleventh seat.

Nancy Wood (Chair) is the principal of Home, Farm & Garden Research Associates, LLC. Until November 2007 she was the Executive Director of the Burlington Business Association, a membership association that promotes the economic vitality of the City of Burlington. She received her masters degree in 2002 at the University of Vermont in the Department of Community Development and Applied Economics where her research focused on the economic impact of the tourism sector and the interdependence of farming and tourism in Vermont. She was the publisher of the Vermont Times from 1993 – 1995, represented the south end of Burlington in the Vermont House from 1991 – 1993 and on the Burlington City Council from 1987 – 1989. From 1982 to 1990 she owned and operated Apple Mountain, a retail store on the Church Street Marketplace that specializes in Vermont products. Over the years she has served on a variety of boards including the Lake Champlain Regional of Commerce, the Church Street Marketplace Commission, the Vermont Criminal Justice Training Council, the Intervale Foundation and the Board of Advisors of the University of Vermont College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of GBIC and the Burlington Legacy Project Steering Committee. Nancy is a resident of Charlotte.
Edward J. Kiniry (Vice Chair) was the CEO Tubbs Snowshoe Company before retiring. A native Vermonter, Mr. Kiniry has spent much of his career manufacturing and marketing consumer goods. He spent fifteen years as President and CEO of WinterQuest LLC where he was credited with rebuilding the worldwide sport of snowshoeing through the companies Tubbs and Atlas brands. During his ownership Mr. Kiniry was recognized by the state of Vermont as both the Small Business Person of the Year and subsequently as the Vermont Exporter of the year. In 2003, he sold the company to K2 Inc. and retired from active participation in the business. Previous work experience includes senior level management at Wilson Sporting Goods and Allied Van Lines and as the President in a regional business brokerage firm head-quartered in Vermont. Mr. Kiniry has a BA from the University of Vermont and an MBA from Loyola University.
Lenae Quillen-Blume (Secretary/Treasurer) is the State Director of the Vermont Small Business Development Center. Lenae has an MBA degree from James Madison University and a BS in social work from Madison College. Before coming to Vermont in 1995 she was an instructor at the College of Business at James Madison University, teaching business policy, statistics and computer applications. Prior to that she worked in financial services for the Harrisonburg, VA, Department of Social Services. In Vermont, Lenae has been an instructor for the Upper Valley Community College of Vermont and director for Southeastern Vermont Microbusiness Development program. Before Lenae became the State Director, she served as a Business Advisor and as the Assistant State Director for the VtSBDC. Lenae has also served on numerous boards and committees.
Brendan Cosgrove is the Organizational Development Coordinator and Legislative Liaison for the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources (ANR). Brendan has been coordinating efforts with senior management, internal and external stakeholders on the legislatively-mandated organizational change process currently underway at the Agency of Natural Resources. A seventh-generation Vermonter, Brendan has experience in both the public and private sectors. Prior to joining the Agency of Natural Resources, he worked on policy issues at the Vermont Legislature as a government relations specialist from 2000 to 2002 and as Director of Business Development for the Greater Burlington Industrial Corporation from 2002 to 2004. He has worked in government relations, public relations and has been engaged with a broad array of policy issues in the Vermont legislature. He is currently pursuing a Masters in Public Administration from Saint Michael’s College.
Joan Goldstein is the Executive Director of the Green Mountain Economic Development Corporation. She served for several years as a Business and Technology Advisor for the Vermont Small Business Development Center and as an adjunct accounting, economics, and small business management instructor for Community College of Vermont and the Vermont Technical College. Joan previously conducted business for herself as an eBay selling consultant and she also brings a wide perspective from her 20 plus years in the financial services industry with international sales, marketing, client and project management experience. She has an MBA in Finance and an undergraduate degree in Economics.
Kevin Harper is the Founder and former CEO of Autumn Harp, Inc., a natural cosmetics manufacturer located in Bristol, Vermont. Under Kevin's leadership, the company grew to over $11 million in sales and 80 full-time employees. Kevin sold the company in 2001 to a local entrepreneur who has been successful at growing the business and adding employees. Since leaving Autumn Harp in 2003, Kevin has assisted small businesses with their development through the Peer to Peer Collaborative and one-on-one coaching / consulting. He is part owner of the Bristol Bakery and serves on the Board of the Vermont Community Foundation.
David Lane currently serves as Deputy Secretary for the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets. Responsibilities include strategic initiatives to support and grow Vermont’s three billion dollar agricultural industry. He and his wife also run a bed and breakfast, raise cattle and llamas, and keep busy in the spring with the family sugaring operation in South Hero.
Kelly Launder relocated to Vermont from Michigan to join the Department of Public Service in 2004 as an Energy Efficiency Specialist. Kelly has 9 years of energy efficiency and renewable energy program experience. She served as staff to the Commission on Wind Energy Regulatory Policy, appointed by Governor Douglas in July 2004. She has also served on the Michigan Public Service Commission Renewable Energy Program Committee and the Lansing Board of Water and Light-Green Power Advisory Board. Kelly has a B.A. in Communications and a M.S. in Resource Development from Michigan State University.
David Marvin is owner of Butternut Mountain Farm, a diversified, value-added producer and processor of maple syrup products. Syrup from his 1,000 acre farming operation and hundreds of other producers is processed and marketed by 50 employees to customers worldwide. The company also provides forestry consulting services to 250 clients on over 50,000 acres. David has served on numerous volunteer boards including: maple industry organizations, Copley Hospital, Lamoille Industrial Development Council, UVM College of Agriculture, Vermont Land Trust, VYCC, Vermont Sustainable Agriculture Council, and VNRC. Presently, he serves on boards for Shelburne Farms, the Northern Forest Center, and the Vermont Studio Center. He is a former town of Johnson lister and presently serves as town cemetery agent.
Bill Noyes is the Deputy Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Economic Development. Before joining the Department, Bill spent nine years as Deputy Adjutant General for Vermont, working on day-to-day operations of the Vermont National Guard. Previous to that Bill spent twenty-seven years in the broadcast industry at WSNO/WORK Radio in Barre, including the last seven years as general manager.
Bruce Shields, PhD. Bruce is a third generation returnee of the Great Westward Migration, with roots in the Northeast Kingdom. After 20 years in the world of academia, he became partner in a small roughcut sawmill, worked as executive director of the group now known as Vermont Forest Products Association, briefly sold disability insurance, worked for a temp agency, and "privatized" the Morrisville AGWAY store when it was dropped from the ownership of the AGWAY Cooperative. A long time officer of the town of Eden, he has a keen interest in the interplay between private and public investment, helping his Rotary Club host two different delegations of Russian entrepreneurs for multi-week study tours.

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