About Umbrella

In 1976, a small group of women called a community-wide meeting to discuss the lack of women’s health services in St. Johnsbury. Umbrella was born from that meeting. While it did not become the women’s health center envisioned by the founding mothers, the organization has addressed a broad range of issues impacting women and families, including violence against women,  early care and education for children, and gender equity.

 

Umbrella’s mission is to cultivate a Northeast Kingdom where all people thrive free from abuse and oppression.  We believe that oppression and the systemic abuse of power is at the root of domestic and sexual violence, stalking, teen dating violence, human trafficking, as well as violence related to gender or sexual orientation – which in total we characterize as gender based violence.  We seek to embody a world where those who have been disempowered by poverty, discrimination and other obstacles are able to live peaceful, self-directed lives.

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Our Values

We embody Community

We know our community. We engage with our organizational partners and residents in order to be responsive to their needs. We cultivate internally in the organization what we want to see externally in our world. We work at creating a healthy community where all voices are heard and valued.

 

We imagine Social Change

We imagine a world where there is justice and all people are free from oppression and abuse. We work towards changing and challenging the systems and conditions that have maintained inequality. We imagine social change and we work towards it.

 

We look for Opportunity

We are scrappy and we look towards opportunities to support our clients wherever they may lie. We are innovative and forward looking and think in new ways about old problems.

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Leadership Team

Amanda Cochrane, Executive Director

Tracey Doore, Finance Director

Vaunne Masse, Director of Economic Empowerment

Roxie Rivard, Director of Advocacy North

Lisa Avery, Director of Advocacy South

Henekis Stoddard, Director of Social Change

Olivia Plunkett, Director of Innovation 

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Board Members

Marc Bouchard

Martha Cavanaugh

Ilene Dickinson (Secretary)

Carol Lyon (Treasurer)

Alex MacLean

Susan Mescher

Erin Narey (Chair)

Monica Pineda Hernandez

Jane Pompeo

Liz Prohaska

Drusilla Roessle

Dale Steen

Danielle Sussmann Turo

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See our 2019 Annual Report.

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See our 2020 Annual Report

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See our 2021 Annual Report