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Bodi ya wakurugenzi
Carolina Lukac
Communications Committee Member
Carolina connected with the Family Room in 2015 through her job as the Garden Education Manager at the Vermont Garden Network. Her professional career has focused on guiding children and adults in garden-based learning with an emphasis on using ecological practices to grow nourishing food and strengthen communities. She brings substantial knowledge in the non-profit sector, along with experience working with people from diverse age groups and backgrounds.
Carolina was born and raised in Mexico City and deeply values her bilingual and bicultural upbringing. Her motherhood experience, along with professional training in Waldorf early childhood education, have given her a profound appreciation for young children. Carolina lives in Burlington with her partner and their five year old son.
Carolina connected with the Family Room in 2015 through her job as the Garden Education Manager at the Vermont Garden Network. Her professional career has focused on guiding children and adults in garden-based learning with an emphasis on using ecological practices to grow nourishing food and strengthen communities. She brings substantial knowledge in the non-profit sector, along with experience working with people from diverse age groups and backgrounds.
Carolina was born and raised in Mexico City and deeply values her bilingual and bicultural upbringing. Her motherhood experience, along with professional training in Waldorf early childhood education, have given her a profound appreciation for young children. Carolina lives in Burlington with her partner and their five year old son.
Pam Shea
Fund Development Committee Member
Pam has worked with children and families for many years and in varied capacities. Currently she is a clinician at Howard Center Early Childhood Program with a specialization in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy. Pam is excited to be part of the Family Room board because it aligns deeply with her personal commitment to building authentic connections, creating inclusive communities, and empowering families. In her spare time, Pam enjoys gardening, world cooking, kayaking, and being silly whenever possible.
Pam has worked with children and families for many years and in varied capacities. Currently she is a clinician at Howard Center Early Childhood Program with a specialization in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy. Pam is excited to be part of the Family Room board because it aligns deeply with her personal commitment to building authentic connections, creating inclusive communities, and empowering families. In her spare time, Pam enjoys gardening, world cooking, kayaking, and being silly whenever possible.
Charlotte Safran
Secretary of the Board, Family Advisory Council Chair
Charlotte is a mother of three whose journey with the JSM Family Room began when she was studying Early Childhood Education at UVM. Her journey continued when she brought her children to family room programming, finding a place of solace, belonging, and community like no other. Charlotte works at the VT Dept. of Health, where she serves as the Family and Community Partnerships Program Manager. She has been on the Family Room board since 2022 and currently holds the position of Board Secretary as well as Chair of the Family Advisory Committee. Charlotte lives in Burlington with her children and enjoys walking, biking, reading, and cooking with her partner Tino.
Preferred pronouns: She/her.
Charlotte is a mother of three whose journey with the JSM Family Room began when she was studying Early Childhood Education at UVM. Her journey continued when she brought her children to family room programming, finding a place of solace, belonging, and community like no other. Charlotte works at the VT Dept. of Health, where she serves as the Family and Community Partnerships Program Manager. She has been on the Family Room board since 2022 and currently holds the position of Board Secretary as well as Chair of the Family Advisory Committee. Charlotte lives in Burlington with her children and enjoys walking, biking, reading, and cooking with her partner Tino.
Preferred pronouns: She/her.
Belen Martindale
Communications Committee Chair
Belen works as an independent Graphic Designer and Illustrator. She is from Guadalajara, Mexico, and came to Burlington, VT in 2014.
Her family found a place in the Family Room in 2019, which worked out to provide a strong framework of support in community, friends, and education that allowed her to more easily weather the trials of being a new parent, especially being far from her family that she loves.
Belen has been on the Family Room board since 2022. She believes that supporting the positive development of children and their families is the foundation for building a stronger community and is interested in using her position to learn and share her experience and knowledge that will contribute to this goal.
She loves hiking with her husband and daughter and playing board games at home. Another passion of hers is caring for her garden, where she loves to grow peppers, tomatoes, and tomatillos that later uses to make salsas. Lately, she has been very interested in learning about food preservation techniques. She aspires to combine these interests, in her quest to find the ideal salsa recipes to share with friends and savor during the chilly Vermont winter months.
Preferred pronouns: She/her
Belen works as an independent Graphic Designer and Illustrator. She is from Guadalajara, Mexico, and came to Burlington, VT in 2014.
Her family found a place in the Family Room in 2019, which worked out to provide a strong framework of support in community, friends, and education that allowed her to more easily weather the trials of being a new parent, especially being far from her family that she loves.
Belen has been on the Family Room board since 2022. She believes that supporting the positive development of children and their families is the foundation for building a stronger community and is interested in using her position to learn and share her experience and knowledge that will contribute to this goal.
She loves hiking with her husband and daughter and playing board games at home. Another passion of hers is caring for her garden, where she loves to grow peppers, tomatoes, and tomatillos that later uses to make salsas. Lately, she has been very interested in learning about food preservation techniques. She aspires to combine these interests, in her quest to find the ideal salsa recipes to share with friends and savor during the chilly Vermont winter months.
Preferred pronouns: She/her
Mick Leddy
Co-Chair of the Board, Finance Committee Member
Mick is a partner at the Burlington law firm McNeil, Leddy & Sheahan. In his law practice he has represented a wide array of clients, working with municipalities, non-profit entities, school districts, as well as individuals and small businesses, to address a range of issues and needs. Mick believes in family and community, and is proud to be a part of the Janet S. Munt Family Room team. He was born and raised in Burlington, and after stints in Massachusetts and Ohio, now lives in Essex with his wife and three children.
Mick is a partner at the Burlington law firm McNeil, Leddy & Sheahan. In his law practice he has represented a wide array of clients, working with municipalities, non-profit entities, school districts, as well as individuals and small businesses, to address a range of issues and needs. Mick believes in family and community, and is proud to be a part of the Janet S. Munt Family Room team. He was born and raised in Burlington, and after stints in Massachusetts and Ohio, now lives in Essex with his wife and three children.
Brooke McFarlin
Co-Chair of the Board, Fund Development Committee Chair, Communications Committee Member
Brooke began her career in real estate in 2022, following her tenure as a Business Manager for a Burlington, VT physical therapy and functional training facility. With a passion for green home construction and sustainable living, Brooke spends her free time educating herself on the future of sustainable building materials, exploring Vermont with her two dogs and partner, and renovating her South Burlington home.
Preferred pronouns: She/her.
Brooke began her career in real estate in 2022, following her tenure as a Business Manager for a Burlington, VT physical therapy and functional training facility. With a passion for green home construction and sustainable living, Brooke spends her free time educating herself on the future of sustainable building materials, exploring Vermont with her two dogs and partner, and renovating her South Burlington home.
Preferred pronouns: She/her.
Amity Baker
Treasurer of the Board, Finance Committee Chair
Amity is a CPA and partner at JMM & Associates, a public accounting firm in Colchester, VT where she specializes in auditing not-for-profit organizations. Before becoming a CPA, Amity had a checkered professional past doing everything from teaching English in Taiwan, to digging test pits with an archaeological firm, to being a church secretary.
Preferred pronouns: She/her.
Amity is a CPA and partner at JMM & Associates, a public accounting firm in Colchester, VT where she specializes in auditing not-for-profit organizations. Before becoming a CPA, Amity had a checkered professional past doing everything from teaching English in Taiwan, to digging test pits with an archaeological firm, to being a church secretary.
Preferred pronouns: She/her.
Lindsay Longe
Finance Committee Member
Lindsay is the Executive Director of Philanthropy at the UVM Cancer Center. She works with patients and their families, community members, and alumni of the UVM Larner College of Medicine to raise money for patient care, education, and research. She is passionate about the importance of positive early childhood experiences, family connections, and community.
Preferred pronouns: She/her.
Lindsay is the Executive Director of Philanthropy at the UVM Cancer Center. She works with patients and their families, community members, and alumni of the UVM Larner College of Medicine to raise money for patient care, education, and research. She is passionate about the importance of positive early childhood experiences, family connections, and community.
Preferred pronouns: She/her.
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