Staff

Brian Shupe, Executive Director.  Most recently Brian served as Sustainable Communities Director and Deputy Director at VNRC. Brian has over twenty years of professional planning experience. He began his career in Florida, where he received an M.S, in Urban and Regional Planning from Florida State University.  Since moving to Vermont in 1988, he has served as Executive Director of the Mad River Valley Planning District and Director of Planning and Zoning for the Town of Stowe. For nearly ten years he was a partner with Burnt Rock Inc., Associates in Community Planning. Burnt Rock provided an extensive range of services to local governments, state and regional agencies, non-profit organizations, and citizen groups. Brian came to VNRC from Smart Growth Vermont, where he served as Director of Programs. Throughout his career, Brian’s professional focus has been natural resource protection, growth management, and sustainable development. Brian lives in Waitsfield with his wife, Valerie, where he is involved with several community organizations. 802-223-2328 x120 • bshupe@vnrc.org • Twitter: @brianvnrc Areas of Expertise: All things Vermont Natural Resources Council; Act 250; land use; community planning and design; sustainable development; smart growth and zoning.

Nancy Davila-Groveman, Finance and Operations Director. Nancy enjoys having a diverse background to draw from as Finance and Operations Director at VNRC.  She holds a B.S. in Psychology from Marian College in Wisconsin and a Master of Fine Arts in Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Previously, Nancy held jobs at the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, where she worked for several years on air policy issues and did community outreach on capital construction projects. She was also a Legislative Assistant at the New York City Council. Nancy landed her first job in Vermont at the Vermont Department of Public Service, where she advocated on behalf of ratepayers. Then, she worked as a Senior Production Editor on high-end academic and science journals for many years, and was instrumental in the start-up and success of a technology company. In her spare time, Nancy likes to hike and cross-country ski in Groton State Forest and canoe on Vermont’s rivers, lakes and ponds. She lives in Marshfield with her husband, son and dog. 802-223-2328 x110 • ndavila@vnrc.org

Jamey Fidel, General Counsel & Forest and Wildlife Program Director. Jamey has a B.S. in Environmental Studies and a Minor in Wildlife Biology from University of Vermont’s School of Natural Resources, and a J.D. and M.S. in Environmental Law from Vermont Law School.  In his capacity at VNRC, he leads the legal program, and forest and wildlife programs, including the Forest Roundtable which is a quarterly meeting of diverse stakeholders focused on forest policy and forest management and conservation issues in Vermont. Jamey also works with communities across Vermont promoting planning, zoning, and non-regulatory strategies for forestland and wildlife habitat conservation. Jamey worked previously as Conservation Director of the Aspen Wilderness Workshop, Project Director of Public Counsel of the Rockies, and Biological Inventory Coordinator of Pitkin County, Colorado. He and his wife Rachel live in Waitsfield with their daughter Ayla and son Jude. 802-223-2328 x117 • jfidel@vnrc.org Areas of Expertise: Forest policy; wildlife policy; forest fragmentation; land use planning; land conservation; forestland taxation policy; wood energy policy; environmental law; legislative lobbying; and the Forest Roundtable.

Brian (B.T.) Fitzgerald, Dam Project & Vermont Dam Task Force Coordinator.  B.T. grew up in Pittsford, where his home range spanned the Castleton River and Otter Creek watersheds. After serving in the U.S. Coast Guard, he earned B.S. and M.S. degrees in biology and ecology from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry at Syracuse. He worked in streamflow protection and river restoration at the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources for seventeen years, focusing on regulation of hydroelectric projects and water withdrawals, mitigating the impacts of dams on Vermont’s rivers, and dam removal. Since retiring at the end of 2013, he has been working with VNRC and the Vermont Dam Task Force to remove dams and restore Vermont’s rivers. In his spare time, he enjoys exploring mountains and wild places on foot and by boat, birding, and reading about rivers and history. 802-223-2328 x123 • bfitzgerald@vnrc.org Areas of Expertise: Dam removal and safety efforts; and FreeVTRivers initiatives.

Kelsey Gibb, Office Associate. Kelsey grew up in Rutland, VT and attended Colgate University, where she majored in Sociology and Anthropology. After college, she worked for a solar company in the Roaring Fork Valley of Colorado, developing a passion for clean energy and sustainability. Kelsey joined VNRC in September 2018 and is excited to be back in her home state. 802-223-2328 x126 • kgibb@vnrc.org

Stephanie Gomory, Communications Director. Stephanie joined VNRC in April 2018 after working for several years in public relations, helping a diverse portfolio of organizations tell their stories to the media and to the public. In part, she amplified the work of nonprofits and investigative journalists, helping them influence readers and lawmakers, often around issues of environmental justice and ecological devastation. Previously, Stephanie worked in book publishing and as a copywriter. She holds a Masters in Public Administration from Baruch College, City University of New York, and a B.A. in English and French from Wesleyan University. Stephanie enjoys walking in the woods (especially in the snow), cooking, swimming, and all manner of arts & crafts projects, and is a board member of Slow Food Vermont. She lives in Montpelier with her husband Constantinos. 802-223-2328 x121 • sgomory@vnrc.org

Jon Groveman, Policy and Water Program Director. Jon previously held the positions of Water Program Director and General Counsel at VNRC before being asked in 2011 to serve as General Counsel for the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources under the Shumlin Administration. Last year, Governor Shumlin appointed him to Chair the Natural Resources Board (NRB), which administers the Act 250 program, Vermont’s statewide land use program. In addition to his past work at VNRC and in the Shumlin Administration, Jon served as Director of the Vermont Water Resources Board, Director of the Law Center for the Vermont League of Cities and Towns, and Act 250 Land Use Attorney for the State of Vermont.  802-223-2328 x111 • jgroveman@vnrc.org  

Areas of Expertise: Water quality; dam removal and safety efforts; Clean Water Act; Vermont water pollution control laws; wetlands; public records; Act 250; land use; toxic chemical reform; hazardous waste; and the Water Caucus.

Ian Hitchcock, Community Organizer. Ian served for a year as VNRC’s AmeriCorps Member and Community Energy and Climate Action Coordinator, helping to start and strengthen town energy committees across the state. As Community Organizer, he works to educate the public on our environmental campaigns, building the support we need to advance a pro-climate, pro-environment policy agenda, and help elect environmental climate champions to public office. Ian holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies from Marlboro College. His senior thesis examined climate change from an interdisciplinary perspective, combining historical, literary, and ecological perspectives. He grew up in Dubois WY, where his appreciation for the natural world was strengthened by taking long walks in the woods behind his house. Ian previously worked in Senator Bernie Sanders’ office, with Renewable Energy Vermont, and as a canvasser with the Vermont Public Interest Research Group. Ian lives in Richmond and enjoys hiking, writing, and playing the saxophone in his free time. 802-223-2328 x118 • ihitchcock@vnrc.org

 

Colin Keegan, Membership & Outreach Coordinator. Colin has more than a decade of experience in stakeholder engagement as an environmental educator, project manager, and community organizer. He holds a Masters in Environmental Policy and Sustainability Management from the New School and a B.A. in Social Science from Ramapo College of New Jersey. As an undergraduate, he conducted research into the impact of lead contamination on the health of a nearby community, as well as the environmental and social effects of urban sprawl. While earning his masters, Colin worked for an energy consulting firm, managing a feasibility study to design and build a microgrid for a group of New York City hospitals with the purpose of incorporating renewables, improving energy efficiency, and ensuring resilience in the event of a grid outage. Colin lives in Montpelier, and enjoys hiking, gardening, stand-up paddle-boarding, and reading about all things science and nature. 802-223-2328 x119 • ckeegan@vnrc.org

 

Kate McCarthy, Sustainable Communities Program Director. Kate holds a Master of Regional Planning from Cornell University, and a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology from Rice University. Her work at VNRC focuses on building sustainable, compact communities, with the goal of providing residents with transportation, housing, and employment options, while also supporting working lands and wildlife habitat. She does this by helping towns with planning and zoning, collaborating on research projects, and getting involved in policy at the state house. Prior to VNRC, Kate worked as a regional planner for the Windham Regional Commission in Brattleboro, where she focused on town technical assistance, supported the Brownfields program, and oversaw the Commission’s energy program. She has also worked with GrowSmart Maine. Before beginning her career in planning, Kate worked in the field of international education in Washington state. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners and serves on her local development review board. Kate lives in Montpelier with her husband, Tom and son, Will, and enjoys hiking, knitting, and cycling. 802-223-2328 x114 • kmccarthy@vnrc.org • Twitter: @katevnrc

Areas of Expertise: Act 250; big box development; interchange development; land use planning; smart growth; sprawl and preventing sprawl; transportation policy; Transportation for Vermonters coalition; and zoning.

Johanna Miller, Energy & Climate Program Director, also serves as the coordinator of the Vermont Energy and Climate Action Network, the statewide network of town energy committees and the partners who support them. In these roles, Johanna works from the grassroots to the Legislature to help advance clean energy and climate action programs and policies. Johanna is a member of Governor Phil Scott’s Climate Action Commission and also serves on the Clean Energy Development Fund board, the Vermont Energy Education Program board, the Vermont System Planning Committee and the Montpelier Energy Advisory Committee. Prior to joining VNRC in 2005, Johanna spent five years working as an organizer and policy expert for a statewide environmental policy and advocacy organization in Michigan – the Michigan Land Use Institute. Johanna is a graduate of the University of Vermont and lives in Montpelier; a home base from which she and her family love to ski, hike, camp, bike, garden and travel. 802-223-2328 x112 • jmiller@vnrc.org • Twitter: @johannaVNRC

Areas of Expertise: Energy and climate policy, including efficiency, renewables, and carbon pricing; community engagement and organizing around energy and climate action; comprehensive energy planning; transportation policy; clean energy project implementation; Energy Independent Vermont coalition; Vermont Energy & Climate Action Network (VECAN); and clean energy financing and funding.

Stephanie Mueller, Director of Development. As a VNRC staff member for over ten years, Stephanie brings a broad, diverse knowledge of VNRC’s history, foundation contacts and donors to the table. Her previous positions include fundraising work for the Jackson Hole Land Trust, the Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance and the Northern Rockies Conservation Cooperative. Stephanie completed a double major in environmental studies and creative writing from St. Lawrence University. She lives in Burlington with her husband, son Owen and daughter Sadie. 802-223-2328 x113 • smueller@vnrc.org