Aurora Berger (she/her) of Strafford, Vermont, is a queer and disabled artist, writer, and educator. Aurora has a background in disability theory and is an active member of several organizations working toward improved conditions for disabled people. She has a number of published chapters and essays, and has exhibited her artwork nationally and internationally, including the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington, DC and the United Nations in New York City.
Krista Coombs (she/her) of Bennington, Vermont grew up in the Berkshires of Massachusetts and has lived in Montana, Seattle, Philadelphia, and multiple towns in Vermont; since 2016, she has resided in Bennington.
Krista practiced as an acupuncturist for 20 years before becoming disabled after a COVID infection, and now works part-time at Vermont Center for Independent Living as a Long COVID Advocate in the Pandemic Equity Department. Krista has served in the NIH RECOVER initiative since its beginning in 2021 as a Caregiver Representative on multiple committees and focuses her efforts on pregnancy and pediatrics. She is the Director of Policy/Programs with COVID-19 Longhaulers Advocacy Project and does Congressional advocacy and outreach.
Dan Coutu (he/him) grew up in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom where he still resides. He is an avid outdoorsman, a long-time scout leader (40+ years), and a hunter education instructor. Living in one of Vermont’s most economically depressed areas really drives home the importance of community and people helping one another. He continues a long family legacy of supporting community for the well-being of all.
He is a Navy veteran, software engineer, and the vice-chair of Vermont’s Commission on Native American Affairs. He is also a board member of Vermont’s Land Access and Opportunity Board that focuses on the creation of equity with regard to access to housing and land.
Lydia Diamond (she/her) of South Burlington, Vermont's (she/her) advocacy is art. Public perspective is artistic expression of new spoken words. As an advocate of racial, social and equitable justice for women and children first, Lydia, a grandma of seven, wears many hats in her community. She's been through challenging times and uses her experiences to help others. She has served on the Burlington school board and was a candidate for South Burlington city council. Lydia is part of EmergeVT's 2024 class, where she's honing her leadership skills. She's involved with groups like FreeHerVT, WILPF, and the Vermont Baby Supplies Bank, all working towards social justice and community support.
Patricia Fontaine (she/her) has a Masters in Counseling Psychology and Transformative Language Arts, Patricia Fontaine taught Women’s Studies and social justice for 20 years. She currently teaches classes using expressive art and writing as a creative refuge for those living with illness and their care partners.
Fontaine was a founding member of the Equity and Diversity Committee in the Town of Shelburne (2021), and currently serves on that committee as Co-chair. She is a member of Showing Up for Racial Justice BTV.
Mary Gerisch (she/her) of Bennington, Vermont is a Lakota woman who lives in Bennington, Vermont. She is currently serving as Housing Chair on the Rutland NAACP Board and a Board member of the National Center for Law and Economic Justice. She is active in the State Continuum of Care Board as a Bennington Representative. In the past she has served on various Boards of Directors including Vermont Worker’s Center, Rights and Democracy, Turning Point Center, and Bennington County Coalition for the Homeless.
Mary has been a health care, housing and human rights advocate for many years on a state, national and international level. Mary was the co-chair of the United States Human Rights Network’s Universal Periodic Review task force for Geneva and nationwide advocacy, and also the co-chair for the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in the same arena for the past 10 years.
Elizabeth Harrington (she/her) earned a Masters in Rehabilitation Counseling and Graduate Certificate in Diversity, Equity, and
Inclusion Leadership. Harrington has a background in social and restorative justice, early childhood education, and advocacy for domestic and sexual violence survivors . Since 2015, she retains the
nationally recognized Certified Rehabilitation Counselor credential, maintaining her dedication to serving individuals with disabilities.
As a first-generation college graduate, Bi-racial woman, and
Master Certified Life Coach, Harrington combines the core insight of intersectionality of cultures, gender and societal norms and specialized training to create space for authentic dialogue. She lives in the Northeast Kingdom where she enjoys kayaking, eating local foods, and making pottery.
Harrington is excited and humbled to be chosen to serve our community as a committee member
for the Vermont Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Her role will be an honorary witness at Truth
Telling sessions to be held at various locations throughout the state. This aligns with her deep
commitment to honor and respond appropriately to trauma, resilience, and healing.
Randy Kritkausky, (he/him) President of ECOLOGIA. Enrolled Tribal Member of Citizen Potawatomi Nation.
Matthew LeFluer (he/him) of Alburgh, Vermont is an individual of color with learning differences and skills. Born with neurodiversity, Matthew sees Vermont in a world with a different perspective. Matthew is a person that is friendly and kind who you get to know easily and comfortably. Matthew supports diversity, inclusion, acceptance and a sense of belonging throughout his lifestyle and other individual's lifestyle interact with suggestions, ideas and recommendations. With collaboration and cooperation key to our survival moving forward as one community, one state, with kindness, compassion, understanding and acceptance for all who live and contribute here in the Vermont Green Mountain State we all love and call home.
Faye S. Longo (she/they) is a neuro-spicy, Indigenous (Blackfoot), Italian, pansexual, cisgender woman, unpartnered mom of 2, with close proximity to whiteness. She has firsthand lived experiences of generational poverty, trauma, mental illness, addiction/recovery, violence and all the stigma that comes with these intersecting identities. Faye also carries 15 years of professional experience in the nonprofit and social service sectors. She holds a BA in Organizational Psychology, a graduate certificate in nonprofit management and leadership, and is a certified financial coach.
Faye is currently the Director of Organizing and Community Engagement with the VT Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence and is earning her Master in Social Work from Boston University. She is a founding member of Vermont's LGBTQIA2S+ Pride & Prosperity Network and the Founder and Key Visionary of Live Dream Lead Inspire, LLC; where she works with individuals, groups, and organizations in identifying, addressing, and overcoming internal symptoms and external systems of oppression. In her spare time, Faye loves to forage, wild craft, and write.
Margaret Powers (she/her) of West Dover, Vermont who goes by her nickname, "Peg." A proud Vermonter by choice married to a lifelong Vermonter; Lyman and Peg are the owners of Lyman 's Specialties, L.L.C., also known as Lyman 's Country Style. This is not her only act. Mother, grandma, wife, daughter, special education educator, retail sales manager, and town treasurer, to name a few.
Throughout her life, Peg has remained steadfast in defending those not seen or heard because of their circumstances, abilities, or beliefs, or how one is attentive to oneself. For the last fifty-seven years Peg has been involved in Native American rights and understanding, sparked by having been married to a Native Alaskan for several years. Listening, seeing, helping give voice; words she lives by.
Diane Stevens is a semi-retired Physical Therapist with over 44 years of experience working directly with individuals addressing various physical issues. For the last portion of her career she specialized in Pulmonary and Oncology Care, assisting in the development of the Steps to Wellness Oncology Rehabilitation and was the first physical therapist in the pulmonary rehabilitation program, working with individuals with multiple diagnosis including post Covid-19 sequelae. Diane is an avid wildlife/nature photographer. You can frequently find her traversing the woodland, kayaking with her camera, or hunkering down waiting to capture what nature has to offer. In her semi-retirement, she has also dedicated herself to documenting the rich Vermont Abenaki Culture through photography and 3-D scanning, working closely with Vermont Abenaki Artists, archeologists, individuals with private collections, and Tribal citizens.
Cheryl Van Epps (she/her) is honored to participate in the work of the VTRC as a survivor of a brain injury (BI) from a complex head injury and of medically-induced trauma. After the health system failed to provide Cheryl the quality patient care she needed, she sought out her own healing path, guided by the knowledge and inspiration she found from within her own community. She conducted her own research into the medical literature to learn what quality BI care should have looked like. She brings to VTRC work her volumes of patient experience stories from her work advocating with and for BI patients in peer support groups, VT Brain Injury Association conferences, VT BI Advisory Board, national patient safety organizations, UVMMC nursing councils and committees, campaigns and rallies for free universal healthcare. Knowing that healthcare is just one of many systems that are causing harm to folks, Cheryl wants to expand her advocacy efforts to other communities who are most affected by providing opportunities to: share stories, build community networks, conduct needs assessments, find ways we align as allies in our fights, being present and participating in local VT Racial Justice Alliance and VT Abenaki events. Cheryl encourages us all to dig deeper, ask questions why our systems are failing us, analyze the politics and economics underlying the system dysfunction. We must determine the power structures and harmful forces at play that create and maintain these systems that oppress, exploit, and cause trauma to our people to understand the depth and breadth of the problem. Why is a nation, so rich in resources as ours, so poor in providing public services for its people?
Cheryl's past life experiences include: graduate biomedical research, teaching, coaching youth ice hockey. Her current hobbies include researching her family history, gardening, interior decorating, woodworking and being a loving Mom to her son.
Winnie Wilkinson (she/her) is a resident of St. Albans, Vermont, located in Franklin County. As a board member of the St. Albans City Advisory Committee which was formed after George Floyd was murdered by a police officer, Winnie believes in peacefully protesting any and all injustices. She is on the Northwestern Medical Center Patient Advisory Board and the Planning Community of St. Albans Juneteenth celebrations. Also, Winnie is one of the founding members of the Venders in Taylor Park, St. Albans.
Winnie's goal in participating as a Committee Member on the VTRC is to be part of the process and help to educate for the positive changes necessary in our communities, welcoming all involvement in the process of the VTRC.
FORMER COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Brenda Gagne, (she/her) of Highgate Center, Vermont is a citizen of the St Francis/Sokoki Band of Missisquoi Abenaki. As a married, mother of 2 daughters and one step-daughter, Brenda has 3 amazing granddaughters that are her world. She wears many hats in the community as the coordinator of the Abenaki Circle of Courage, Inc. for the last 31 years. She teaches youth from kindergarten to 6th grade and has had volunteers who have been through the program 7th - 12th grades. They teach traditional dance, drumming, singing, flute, arts and crafts, along with traditional foods through the seasons. The school is about generosity, independence, mastery and belonging.
Brenda is also president of the PAC (parent advisory committee) that over sees Title VI Indian education. Brenda is the chief of Missisquoi, the largest tribe in Vermont. In her free time, Brenda loves spending time with her girls and traveling.
Sister Sankofa (she/her) of Montpelier, Vermont was a small business visionary, creator, and owner of SD Communications and Marketing Consulting Group LLC. She is also one of the Assistant Directors of CROs (Community Resilience Organization). Her innovative business venture offers social justice programs, small business consulting, networking events, event facilitation and creation, and talent promotion to conscious-minded businesses, organizations and artists in Vermont and beyond.
Sister Sankofa was committed to increasing equity opportunities toward BIPOC homeownership while helping people heal their financial trauma. She produces financial liberation programs and is the creator of the Money Matters: Financial Liberation and Wellness series, for which she was awarded "2023 Innovator of the Year" by the Central Vermont Economic Development Corporation. Sister Sankofa is also active with An Economy of Our Own as a collaborator and program presenter.
Commemorating Sister Sankofa: The Vermont community gained a powerful ancestor and we wanted to honor her as TRC committee member and collaborator. Sister Sankofa, formerly known as Shanda Williams, passed away in January of 2025 unexpectedly. She will remain a part of this process through the words and ideas she contributed as we move forward. Thank you for helping us dream. Rest in power Sister Sankofa.
Community Advocate and Reparations Activist Sister Sankofa, 50, Dies - The Montpelier Bridge
Community Advocate and Reparations Activist Sister Sankofa, 50, Dies - The Montpelier Bridge
Sister Sankofa, also known as Shanda Williams, died unexpectedly in late January at the age of 50. Sankofa was a self-described “changemaker, reparations activist, equity strategist, and BIPOC [Bla...