VYCC is fueled by an energetic team of talented individuals

Breck joined the VYCC team in 2008 and became Executive Director in 2016. Helping every young person learn from the beauty, mystery, and challenges of the natural world drives Breck in his work. He finds inspiration in the creativity, resolve, and corps spirit that young people bring to VYCC. That VYCC focuses on enrolling traditionally underserved populations is especially compelling. Prior to VYCC Breck was an outdoor educator and Director at Keewaydin Camp, a classroom teacher and Dean of Students at a small prep school, and a development professional in higher education. He also spent three fun years adventuring out west and traveling the globe before returning to his east coast roots. Breck holds degrees from Lawrence University and Saint Michael’s College. Outside of work, he lives in the hills of Huntington, where he and his wife Margaret try to keep up with two daughters. Hockey, running, apple trees, good books, and fresh powder are all areas of keen interest.

Pronouns: he/him

Hapy joined VYCC in 2015 with over 20 years of finance and operations experience managing Small Dog Electronics, an Apple Computer sales and service company he founded with his father. Hapy has degrees from Northwestern University in Philosophy and Economics. He lives with many rescued dogs in Fayston. Hapy is a USA Hockey Ice Hockey referee and competes as a professional “heavy” athlete in the Scottish Games. Any spare time outside of that, he is honing his craft as an artisan blacksmith at his shop in Fayston.

Pronouns: he/him

Had Leah spent her teenage years in Vermont, she would have found her way to VYCC earlier in life.  Growing up in New Mexico, Leah explored and made peace with adolescence among the ridges and canyons of the Rockies.  She moved to Vermont to attend Middlebury College and fell equally in love with Vermont.  It’s Leah’s belief that young people seek a sense of belonging to place and community and are eager to contribute and build skills. With this in mind, Leah co-founded Vermont Commons School, where she learned along with students in the classroom, on the trail, and in the community.  Leah’s love of the natural world as habitat and classroom led her to a master’s degree in Ecological Planning at UVM. Each morning, Leah cracks the shades and begins dreaming about the days’ adventures.  Joining VYCC and its mission feels like both coming home and looking at each day’s possibilities.

Pronouns: she/her

Christine believes in the transformative power of food and farming to connect communities and create positive lasting change. From working with farmers in New York State and Oregon, to leading food security programs in India and Africa, to working with Indigenous youth entrepreneurs in the Arctic, Christine led a variety of youth development and agricultural training programs before her path led her to VYCC. In her role as Director of the Food & Farm Program, she is passionate about creating opportunities for young people to hone their skills while engaging in meaningful service work. She believes the best learning often happens when in the field or kitchen through the alchemy of working with the land and with one another towards a common goal. In her free time, Christine loves adventuring outdoors with her family, learning new languages, and teaching herself to play her ever-growing collection of musical instruments.

Pronouns: she/her

Katie finds the best way to build community and form relationships is over a delicious meal.  Her passion for growing, cooking, and eating food stems from her childhood growing up on a farm in Iowa. Shortly after graduating from undergrad at Iowa State University, she began her first Conservation Corps experience and was hooked! This eventually led to serving an AmeriCorps term in Montpelier, where she quickly fell in love with Vermont’s natural beauty, agricultural landscape, and food culture. Knowing the hard work and growth that come from an AmeriCorps term, she is excited to watch the impressive accomplishments made by the VYCC team each season. With an MS in Food Systems from UVM and a background in nutrition education, food security, and food access, Katie is ready to share her passion for food with anyone willing to listen. When not in the kitchen, you can find her spending time with her partner Zach and their two dogs, Arlo and Sage. Katie served a 1-year staff position as an ex-officio member of the Board of Directors in 2023.

Pronouns: she/her

Christopher is driven by a passion for connecting people through good food and stewardship of the land. Christopher grew up in Worcester, Massachusetts, and graduated from Clark University with a degree in Environmental Studies. They worked on multiple organic vegetable production farms around New England before joining the Regional Environmental Council in Worcester, where they managed a large urban community garden program and worked to increase food access for members of underserved communities. More recently, Christopher worked for Burlington’s Parks and Recreation department as the Conservation Project Manager, where they supported community gardeners and conservation site volunteers. Christopher believes that when we choose to invest in our relationship with the natural world, everyone benefits, and they are dedicated to increasing opportunities for people to grow and share food. Christopher enjoys practicing martial arts, cross-country skiing, herbalism, and gardening. They live in central Vermont with their wife and their dog, Darwin.

Pronouns: they/them

Jake believes that to be interested in food but not in food production is clearly absurd. Luckily, he gets to work with aspiring young farmers to explore that interest and produce delicious food for the Health Care Share. It’s his hope that these young farmers will go on to build a food system that is sustainable, just, and equitable. Jake spent the 2016 growing season with VYCC as a crew leader and was blown away by the dedication of the corps members and their development into an efficient, knowledgeable farm crew. In the few years since Jake has been learning more about growing good food and building good soil on farms all across the Country. After the work day, Jake spends his time volunteering as an EMT in Richmond and trying to get his dog to behave.

Pronouns: he/him

Natalie finds joy in exploring curiosity, learning, and growing alongside others and finds that working outside in the dirt is the best way to create this environment. Growing up she grew snap peas and green beans diligently, and this passion slowly transformed into a love of farming. After studying environmental-sociology with a focus on rural food networks, Natalie went on to gain experience in backcountry caretaking, guiding, herbal farming, and environmental education. Through these experiences Natalie grew her passion for developing relationships with folks over a shared love of the land. She is excited to get her hands dirty and grow with everyone and everything around her! When not at the farm, Natalie can be found exploring Vermont by foot, bike, or swimming hole, eating sweet potatoes for every meal, and strumming around on her mandolin and fiddle.

Pronouns: she/her

Claire loves finding joy in a day and so far, farming is where she has found the most! She loves the way the work brings people closer to themselves and each other. Farming has been her passion since high school in Connecticut, where she was lucky to participate in her school’s agriscience program. This led her to completing a degree in Environmental Science at Saint Michael’s College. She has worked on several farms of different systems and scales, from fruit farming in Hawaii, market gardening in Maine and rotating herds of cattle and sheep in Vermont. Claire was a crew leader at VYCC in the 2023 season and is so excited to continue to build soil and community here. Away from the farm she loves bird watching, dancing in her kitchen, watering her plants and playing with her cats Raccoon and Possum.

Pronouns: she/her

Hank grew up in New Jersey but found Vermont home for his undergraduate studies at Saint Michael’s College. Hank graduated in May of 2023 with an Environmental Studies and History degree. Shortly afterward he moved to Des Moines, Iowa to work with Conservation Corps Minnesota and Iowa as an AmeriCorps Crew Member in the Iowa Water Trails Crew. As a part of that crew, he worked to cut out and clear logjams, map boat accesses, and aid in disaster relief efforts. While working with CCMI he aided in the disaster efforts for Super Typhoon Mawar in Guam and the Maui Wildfire in Hawaii. After his term with CCMI Hank returned to the Green Mountain State to work with VYCC. His experience in Vermont throughout college beckoned for him to return. Hank is excited to lead his crew to success out in the field and continue his work in conservation!

Pronouns: he/him

Saoirse is excited to set up roots in Vermont by serving as a Year-Round Crew leader for VYCC. Having studied Anthropology and Global Health, she is interested in the interactions between humans and nature and how we can best work with the land. Before accepting a position at VYCC, Saoirse was working seasonal jobs around the country, volunteering for Worldwide Workers on Organic Farms (WWOOF), and serving as a leader for the Wisconsin Conservation Corps. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, swimming in rivers, playing ukulele, and climbing on rocks in the forest.

Pronouns: she/her

David is excited to be starting as a Year Round Crew Leader with VYCC this season. After graduating from the University of Maryland in 2021, he spent two years serving with the Maryland Conservation Corps. In this position he gained an appreciation and love for conservation work, having the opportunity to dig trail, chainsaw, respond to wildfire incidents, and work with different crews across the state of Maryland. He is now excited to live, work, and explore in Vermont and looks forward to all the different projects he will get to work on this year. David loves spending time outside, and in his free time he enjoys running, biking, and backpacking.

Pronouns: he/him

Bill is passionate about stewarding healthy and resilient forests while assisting corps members in developing skills that will enable them to become future conservation leaders. He brings with him experience from a diverse array of outdoor fields including wildland fire, search and rescue, land stewardship, and guiding. In his free time Bill can be found snowboarding, rock climbing, and exploring the backcountry.

Pronouns: he/him

Kalyn comes to VYCC with a well-rounded perspective of what it is like for every new AmeriCorps member. She found her love for the outdoors during her time as an AmeriCorps crew member in Alaska. After her internship she worked on the National Park Service trail crew at Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. Some of Kalyn’s favorite memories during her time at Rocky were getting to work with the youth corps, while teaching them the skills and knowledge it takes to complete various projects in the backcountry. Kalyn is passionate about conservation and is excited to help new crew members find their own paths, while gaining confidence in themselves and the work they are doing. Kalyn is from Florida so summer is her favorite season. After work she can be found camping, trail running, dancing to some live music, singing, or visiting a local swimming hole.

Pronouns: she/her

Patrick believes in the power of possibility. A common thread throughout Patrick’s career is the quest for possibility – whether in the mountains of Arizona managing forest restoration operations, launching multicultural community programs, or reimagining “waste” through research and entrepreneurship.  At all scales, from scrappy start-ups to multi-billion-dollar organizations, in private businesses and non-profits, and from abstract theory to manual labor, Patrick has worked to find alternatives to impossibility. Patrick gleaned this outlook during his first season with a Corps in the Southwest, observing how perseverance, teamwork, and creative thinking could overcome obstacles.  It was inspiring to see members rise to these challenges and gain their own new perspectives and pathways. As Program Director, Patrick creates these same types of experiences for youth through growing the program, building partnerships, and supporting a fantastic team to run the program each season.  Patrick enjoys exploring Vermont by ski and bicycle, and operates a small farm with his partner while restoring a 200+ year old farmhouse.

Pronouns: he/him

Leona is thrilled to join VYCC and to be back in the Northeast. She is passionate about workforce development, leadership development, and conservation. Leona brings with her an extensive leadership background, graduating from the United States Military Academy with a degree in Environmental Geography and serving for seven years as an Army Engineer Officer during a challenging and complex time in our military’s history. Most recently, she has spent time raising her three boys, exploring alternative education models with her kids, and leading volunteer efforts in her community. She is excited to rejoin the workforce and hopes to use her work and life experiences to help grow the Parks Restoration Crew (PRC) program while supporting the missions of both VYCC and Forest Parks and Recreation (FPR). Leona enjoys hiking, running, family time, and good coffee. She is looking forward to cross country ski adventures with family and friends this winter.

Pronouns: she/her

August Tallmadge has a long history with VYCC, first coming to the Richmond barn when he was five years old and his older brother was joining a Youth Camping Crew. Since then, August has had various roles from Crew Member, to Crew Leader, to Field Supervisor. Now, as Conservation Program Coordinator, August brings a diverse skillset and life experiences to the Conservation team. In addition to his work with VYCC, August has a degree in Economics with a minor in Arabic, has lived in Jordan, and runs marathons.  His passion for the outdoors shows through his love of hiking, fungi and gardening. In his free time August also loves to read, paint, and of course run. He is excited to bring his love of cooking and knowledge of trail work to Conservation crews and VYCC Staff.

Pronouns: he/him

Tell us a story about something cool you keep at your desk and why! I have a dog bed underneath my desk for my pooch to ignore when he comes into the office. What’s special to you about living in Vermont? Cheese, mountains, gardens, community, biking, snow. What was your first job? Stocked shelves and pushed carts at a local grocery store. What is an everyday thing you do to lessen your carbon footprint?  I bike when possible, I eat mostly vegetarian, and I buy the majority of my clothes second hand. What was a recent favorite book of yours? What are you listening to? I just started reading Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein. I’ve recently been on a classical kick listening to all of Dmitri Shostakovich’s symphonies.

Pronouns: he/him

Naomi joined VYCC’s engagement team in 2012. In working alongside crews and talking with alumni, Naomi is inspired by the deep and lasting impact VYCC has on each and every Corps Member. Naomi took a “gap year” of sorts from VYCC to dabble in the marketing agency world and returned to the Corps in January 2019. Her professional experience also includes nonprofit management in Vermont and beyond. Forever looking ahead to the next cohort of Corps Members, and looking around at the evolving needs of our youth, her work with VYCC’s remarkable community of supporters is at once purposeful and fun! She holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University at Albany, is an avid snowboarder and music lover.

Pronouns: she/her

Kate believes in the transformational power of learning and service experiences. In her role as the Director of the Serve Learn Earn collaboration between VYCC, VT Works for Women, Vermont Audubon, and ReSource, Kate is excited to connect folks to experiences that will build confidence, courage, and skills, while expanding opportunities for future careers. Before returning to her home state, Kate spent nine years in the Mississippi Delta working with young leaders at the Sunflower County Freedom Project—a nonprofit focused on social justice that connects students with educational opportunities. Before that, she paced the sideline as the women’s basketball coach at Grinnell College in Iowa. She loves volunteering, baking sweet treats, and hiking in the Green Mountains. She currently lives in Johnson with her partner, Mike, and is hoping to get a dog in the very near future.

Pronouns: she/her

Jens comes to VYCC with a background in environmental policy and corporate climate and environmental action. Focused on creating regenerative impact through his work, he is passionate about advancing climate resilience and environmental stewardship across various areas of society. Jens believes it is now more important than ever to bridge and strengthen local communities and their ecosystems while supporting and growing the leaders of the future – the core reason he was drawn to VYCC. Originally from the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, Jens fell in love with the outdoors from a young age, taking a deep interest in primitive living skills, ecological conservation, and outdoor recreation. After moving to Vermont in 2014 to study at Green Mountain College, Jens worked as an analyst and consultant in the energy industry, focused on climate technologies and strategies for clean energy deployment. He brings to VYCC a depth of experience in project management and stakeholder relations, and is excited to support the organization’s fundraising and development activities. Outside the barn, Jens is a musician, art lover, and culinary enthusiast.

Pronouns: he/him

Bo is dedicated to creating opportunities for young people to learn and grow. He first joined VYCC as a Crew Member when he was sixteen. After four weeks building bridges on the Catamount XC Trail, he was a changed person. He knew he had to come back. Bo returned the following year for a season of trail-building, invasive species management and organic farming. Those two summers were a formative experience that have guided his path ever since. For seven years, he taught in public, private and therapeutic schools. He’s now back at VYCC where he builds partnerships that connect young people with the land and their community. Other interests include: reading, running, and performing in rock bands around Burlington.

Pronouns: he/him

Kay believes spending time outside is the best way to learn more about the places we play, work and live in. She has followed her passion for hands-on experiential learning and access to the outdoors from the high peaks of the North Cascades of Washington to the Green Mountains of Vermont (and back again!). Kay is drawn to fostering curiosity and building community. She would consider herself a “Jill of all trades” with her diverse set of skills, a knack for creative problem solving, and positive outlook. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, split-boarding, camping, and adventuring outside in any way she can with her husband and dog.

Pronouns: she/her

William seeks to use his 20+ years of business and book retail management experience to support VYCC’s mission and operations. After 17 years away, including working as the Business Manager at Linden Waldorf School in Nashville TN, he returned to Vermont – where his heart has always called home. William is passionate about outdoor recreation, books, americana music, maps, microbreweries, and is a longtime shareholder at Mad River Glen. Ask him about it!

Pronouns: he/him

Believing in the magic of nature and the strength found in community, Jon’s path serendipitously led him to the role of Facilities Coordinator at VYCC. A lifelong love of growing food and flowers guided Jon to graduate from the Pennsylvania State University in 2005 with a degree in Agricultural Science and a minor in Horticulture. Since then, Jon has found himself working in various construction or farm-related industries on both coasts of the country, where he has accumulated a wide range of skills that make him a versatile member of the VYCC team. Growing as an individual and as a community member has always been a primary focus throughout Jon’s life and professional career. “The earth being our home and the youth being its future” is a sentiment that drives Jon to foster healthy and strong relationships with anyone whose path intersects with his. Jon deeply loves hiking mountains, dipping in streams, and hanging out around a fire especially when his three daughters are there as well.

Pronouns: he/him

Excited to jump back into the Corps world at VYCC, AmeriCorps has had its hooks in Rosemary since her first year of service in the foothills of Appalachian Ohio. As a member of the Ohio Stream Restore Corps, her service was focused on strengthening localized food systems, building economic resilience, expanding access to outdoor recreation, and increasing landfill diversion. Rosemary was also a Chesapeake Conservation Corps Member from 2016-2017 in Baltimore, Maryland, where she got a crash course in managing restoration projects and writing grants. These experiences have shaped her enthusiasm about the transformative power of service on young adults’ personal and professional development, the invaluable benefits to the communities they serve, and just how much dang fun it is to be a Corps Member! Rosemary returned to her east coast roots this summer to WWOOF in the Shenandoah Valley after using her Segal AmeriCorps Education Award to earn her master’s degree in Communication Studies from the University of Montana. She’ll likely share with you the most recent factoid she learned from a podcast or bring your attention to any cool birds flying nearby.

Pronouns: she/her

Lane joins the VYCC team for the first time as the Program Equipment Coordinator. He began his conservation journey in 2018 right across Lake Champlain with the Adirondack Corps. Since then he hasn’t taken a season off from the corps! Lane has done everything from leading youth crews in the southwest, coordinating historic preservation projects in the Hudson Valley to teaching technical skills like chainsaw and wilderness medicine in Colorado. Lane is passionate about building community and increasing access and equity within the outdoors, as well as sharing his experience and knowledge with anyone that will listen. When he isn’t working, you’ll find Lane screaming on scary parts of the mountain bike trail, battling white water in his canoe or selling his most recent car. He’s excited to work and learn among a team of passionate experienced professionals.

Pronouns: he/him