The Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund (VSJF) announces that the Vermont Prosperity Project has changed its name to the Wellbeing Economy Alliance of Vermont (WEAV), and has hired Drusilla “Dru” Roessle as program manager for the initiative. The changes reflect a renewed focus on redefining prosperity by centering social and ecological wellbeing.
WEAV is a collaborative initiative supported by a network of partner organizations, including VSJF, the University of Vermont’s Gund Institute for Environment, Abundant Sun LLC, Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility, the Wellbeing Economy Alliance and the Vermont Council on Rural Development.
“The name WEAV reflects our shared vision for an economy rooted in care, equity and resilience,” said Ellen Kahler, executive director of VSJF. “It speaks to our purpose of bringing people, organizations and systems together to support a thriving Vermont where wellbeing is the measure of success.”
Looking ahead to 2026, WEAV will focus on strengthening statewide collaboration by connecting networks, organizations and communities already advancing wellbeing-centered economic practices. Through storytelling, policy engagement and leadership development, the initiative aims to expand its impact and support systems-level change across sectors.
Welcoming Dru Roessle as WEAV Program Manager
Dru Roessle, WEAV Program Manager at the 2025 Vermont Farm to Plate Gathering.
As program manager for WEAV, Roessle will support member organizations and diverse partners to align efforts that transform Vermont’s economy to one that centers the wellbeing of people and the planet. Supported by a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation, she brings more than 10 years of experience in facilitation and collaboration for systems change.
In relation to the role, Dru said, “WEAV embodies the belief that Vermont’s economy should be designed to foster a high quality of life for everyone who lives here. I know this belief is widely shared, and I’m excited to connect with people across the state advancing economic justice and community resilience in different ways and at different scales. At the heart of WEAV is an effort to find the common patterns in our visions for what can be possible in Vermont.”
Roessle brings more than a decade of experience in facilitation, performance improvement, and systems change. Roessle has worked with community organizations, government agencies and philanthropic partners to align strategies and measures of success with organizational values and community goals. She played a key role in the passage of Vermont’s Outcomes of Well-Being law, in 2014 to establish a cross-sector, measurable agenda for Vermont, and has led statewide efforts to make data about wellbeing and government programs accessible for community organizing and planning.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in English and women’s and gender studies from the University of Vermont and a professional certificate in restorative justice from Vermont Law School. Roessle is currently pursuing a master’s degree in leadership for sustainability at UVM. She has served on several nonprofit boards focused on advancing wellbeing in Vermont, including the Vermont Women’s Fund Council, Vermont Access to Reproductive Freedom, WholeHeart and Umbrella.
For more information, please visit WEAV and VSJF websites.
About The Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund
The Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund (VSJF) is a nonprofit organization committed to nurturing sustainable economic development to benefit Vermont’s people, communities, and environment. Through business assistance, network development, strategic planning, and supply chain coordination, VSJF supports innovation and resilience in agriculture and food systems, forest and fiber products, renewable energy, environmental technology, and waste management. VSJF was created by the Vermont Legislature in 1995 to partner with state government, private sector businesses, and nonprofits to catalyze systems-level change and build a thriving, equitable, and ecologically sound future for Vermont.