EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Matt has been with the organization since 2014, where he has developed deep expertise in employee ownership while serving in a variety of roles before becoming Executive Director. Matt received his MA in History from UVM in 2011, where he studied economic history and the origins of cooperative finance. He's involved on a volunteer basis with a number of co-op projects, including as a board member of two real estate co-ops, as chair of an investment club, and as a member of a credit union supervisory committee. Matt lives in the New North End of Burlington with his partner and their son, and in his free time enjoys gardening, tinkering with electronics and sustainable energy tech, and spending nice days rolling around town on his bike at a leisurely pace.

COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH COORDINATOR

Ryan joined VEOC in summer 2021 to take responsibility for communications, marketing, and outreach efforts. Prior to joining the team, he kept busy covering city politics as a journalist and traveling and teaching English abroad in France. He received an MA in Literature from Texas State University in 2017 and a BA in Writing from The University of Texas in 2014. His free time involves exploring the region on foot or bike or just being outside in Burlington’s Old North End, where he lives with his partner, son, and a quite large cat.

PROGRAM AND OPERATIONS GENERALIST

Joining VEOC at the end of 2022, Annie (they/them) is the newest addition to the team. At Real Pickles Cooperative, Annie helped steward the cooperative conversion during their 12 years as production manager and worker-owner. They also consult with other cooperative businesses and potential conversions outside of Vermont through the USFWC’s Coop Clinic. Their formal education includes a BA in Geology from Carleton College, a certificate in Environmental Education from the University of Washington, and a certificate in Training, Facilitation and Consulting from the sadly defunct Center for New Leadership at Marlboro College. The other main inspirations in Annie’s facilitation and training practice include Training for Change and AORTA: Anti-Oppression Resource and Training Alliance. They are a proud athlete on Malia’s Dragon Boat racing team. They bike to work from Winooski where they live with some of their family, including the two best cats and a very young human.

PROGRAM & RESEARCH SUMMER INTERN

Matt is a 2016 Graduate of the University of Vermont, with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. After graduation, Matt worked at Vermont State Parks, spending summers and falls on Mount Mansfield. From there, he transitioned to work in the trucking industry in an accounting role. In 2023, Matt enrolled at Champlain College to pursue his Accounting Degree and is expected to completed in 2025.