2023

August

VCW Adopts Policy Statement that Supports Transgender Individuals in Vermont (8/22/23, Health eCareers)
In June 2023, the Vermont Commission on Women (VCW) voted to adopt a policy statement that supports transgender individuals. The statement was developed by the Commission’s Health Equity Committee and in response to the record number of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation that has been introduced across the country this year. While Vermont has seen less legislation of this than other states, the state is not without opportunity to take action to ensure the civil rights of our LGBTQ+ community members. 

 

July

Vermont Human Rights Commission appoints new Executive Director Big Hartman (7/24/23, Vermont Biz)
Before joining the HRC, Hartman operated a solo law practice called Welcoming Workplaces that was focused on preventing workplace harassment through workplace trainings and management consultations. In 2019, Welcoming Workplaces contracted with the Vermont Commission on Women to compile resources and develop online content for the VCW’s workplace harassment prevention website.

 

June 

New laws in Vermont that start July 1: Gun purchases, adoption records, distracted driving and more (6/26/23, Vermont Public)
Adults who were adopted, and their direct descendants, will be able to request a copy of their original Vermont birth certificate. A new law restores access If the adoption was finalized in Vermont, adoptees will also be able to obtain identifying information about the biological or former parents — unless the parents have formally requested by July 1, 2023 that their information not be released.

Brenda Bradley Bisbee
Once in Vermont, Brenda helped found the Vermont Women’s Fund. She also advocated for and succeeded in bringing forward an amendment to the Vermont Constitution, approved by the voters on November 8, 1994, to revise its language to be gender inclusive. Governor Dean recognized Brenda in 1995 with an award for outstanding volunteer community service with the Governor’s Commission on Women.

 

May

Vt. lawmakers put universal paid family leave efforts on hold (5/8/23, WCAX)
A universal paid family leave plan is on hold at the Statehouse as lawmakers focus their end-of-session efforts on passing an ambitious child care reform package. Paid leave and child care were two major Democratic priorities this session but lawmakers, first reported by VTDigger, have opted for the Senate’s version of a bill that invests millions in child care subsidies and wages. Backers of paid family leave say they are confident the bill will be picked up next year.

 

April

Vermont Becomes 8th U.S. State to End Child Marriage (4/20/23, Tahirih Justice Center)
Today, Governor Phil Scott signed a law that ends child marriage in the state by raising the legal age for marriage to 18 without exceptions. This victory makes Vermont the 8th state to completely end child marriage and comes after years of advocacy by the sponsor, Rep. Carol Ode, and advocates in Vermont to ensure that children can no longer be coerced into marriage.

Lawmakers get ready for a busy final month (4/12/23, The Commons)
With just a few weeks left in the 2023 session in Montpelier, members of the Windham County legislative delegation look at what has been accomplished and what’s still to be done.

 

March

Cary Brown: It took until March 14 for the average woman to earn what a man did last year (3/31/23, VTDigger)
Every spring, a day comes around known as Equal Pay Day (or as we at the Vermont Commission on Women often like to refer to it, “UNequal Pay Day”). This is a symbolic day chosen to represent the point in the year to which women need to work in order to earn as much money as men earned the previous year. 

Cary Brown: Equal Pay Day (3/27/23, Brattleboro Reformer)
Symbolically, Equal Pay Day illustrates what’s known as the gender wage gap. In 2022, the average woman in the U.S. made 77 percent of what the average man made. The situation is even worse when we look at what’s happening for different groups of women. Black women, for instance, make 64 percent of what white men make. Indigenous women make 51 percent, Latinas 57 percent, Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander women 80 percent, and mothers 62 percent. These groups are not monolithic and tremendous variations in pay exist within them.

COMMENTARY: SBA supports women-owned businesses (3/23/23, Waterbury Roundabout)
During Women’s History Month, we have the opportunity to recognize the profound impact women make in every facet of our lives, community, and history. Specifically, the acknowledgment of both the successes and systemic challenges women face in the workforce and participation in our economy as owners and leaders within the small business ecosystem.

Cary Brown: Equal Pay Day (3/21/23, Manchester Journal)

Healthy Living founder shares her experience as a woman in business (3/12/23, WCAX)
Vermont is one of the top five states in the country for women-owned businesses, averaging 15% growth in the past decade according to the Vermont Commission on Women. Healthy Living founder Katy Lesser spoke with us about starting her business back in 1986. She opened up about how being a woman affected her experience, and shared her thoughts on what barriers she believes women entrepreneurs still face.

Scott appoints 106 Vermonters to state boards and commissions (3/9/23, Vermont Business Magazine)
Governor Phil Scott today announced he appointed 106 individuals to State boards and commissions in January and February of 2023.

House passes ban on child marriage (3/4/23, Waterbury Roundabout)
A new bill would move the legal age for all marriages in Vermont to 18 years old, the age of consent, mirroring moves in other state legislatures this year to ban child marriage. Under existing law, minors 16 years of age and older can legally marry in Vermont with the written consent of one parent.

 

February

Vermont legislators look to ban child marriage, joining other states this session (2/28/23, VTDigger)
A new bill would move the legal age for all marriages in Vermont to 18 years old, the age of consent, mirroring moves in other state legislatures this year to ban child marriage. Under existing law, minors 16 years of age and older can legally marry in Vermont with the written consent of one parent.

Vermont legislators look to ban child marriage, joining other states this session (2/23/23, VTDigger)
A new bill would move the legal age for all marriages in Vermont to 18 years old, the age of consent, mirroring moves in other state legislatures this year to ban child marriage. Under existing law, minors 16 years of age and older can legally marry in Vermont with the written consent of one parent.

Kellie Campbell: What will it take to help women return to work? (2/13/23, VTDigger) 
As we face a post-pandemic world, the data doesn’t immediately shift back — in order to get many back to work, we must understand that the realities faced during Covid have a lasting impact. Legislative policies on deck for this session intersect with some of the most critical supports women (and healthy communities) need to return to the workforce. Items such as paid family and medical leave and child care-related policies that support both families and child care workers are critical to getting women back to work. 

Vermont advocates call for legislature to pass paid family leave (2/7/23, WAMC Northeast Public Radio)
A bill has been introduced in the Vermont House to create a paid family and medical leave program and expand provisions to include domestic and sexual violence.

 

January

Powerful, acclaimed new documentary featuring former Vermont Representative Kiah Morris, denounces online misogyny (1/26/23, VTDigger)
Four years after being forced to resign from her seat as a Vermont State Representative, Kiah Morris returns to tell her story in the new record-breaking documentary Backlash: Misogyny in the Digital Age, soon to be released in the U.S.

Commission appointments (1/18/23, Rutland Herald Community)
Three women have been appointed to serve on the Vermont Commission on Women, the state’s nonpartisan commission working to advance rights and opportunities for women and girls. Gov. Phil Scott appointed Annie Mackin, of St. Albans, chief media relations officer at the University of Vermont Health Network. The Senate Committee on Committees appointed Esther Charlestin, of Middlebury, a first-generation Haitian American. Speaker of the House Jill Krowinski appointed Brenda Churchill, of Bakersfield, legislative liaison for the LGBTQIA Alliance of Vermont.

Three Vermonters appointed to the Vermont Commission on Women (1/12/23, VTDigger)

 

2022

December

Governor appoints 52 to state boards and commissions (12/21/22, Vermont Business Magazine)
Governor Phil Scott today announced he’s appointed 52 individuals to State boards and commissions in November and the first half of December.

Rutland Herald Community News (12/22/22, Rutland Herald)
Vermont Commission on Women — Esther Charlestin, of Bridgeport, current dean of students at Middlebury Union Middle School and previous member of the Middlebury Select Board and Middlebury’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Workgroup; and —Kellie Campbell, of Georgia, chief information officer for the Vermont State Colleges System and recently served on the Executive Board for Vermont Women in Higher Education. GetSetUp

Times Argus Community News (12/22/22, Times Argus)

Vt. lawmakers to tee up universal paid family leave bill (12/8/22, WCAX)
Advocates for universal paid family and sick leave in Vermont say they plan to push Vermont lawmakers to pass a plan when they return to the Statehouse next month. It comes as Governor Phil Scott this week tried to get a jump on lawmakers by rolling out his own voluntary plan.

Vermont Democrats Prepare a Push for Paid Family Leave (12/8/22, Seven Days)
In Vermont, women make 93 cents for every dollar earned by their male counterparts, according to the National Women’s Law Center. Women are more likely to take time off from work to care for loved ones, said Cary Brown, the executive director of the Vermont Commission on Women.

Democrats to continue push for universal paid leave (12/8/22, Champlain Valley News)

Women-owned businesses trying to earn your money this holiday season (12/6/22, WCAX)
Holiday shopping is well underway and one Vermont nonprofit is challenging people to support women-owned businesses. The Vermont Women’s Fund is an organization helping Vermont women achieve economic sufficiency. According to the group, there are 2,720 women-owned businesses in Vermont. Group leaders are using that new data to create a benchmark and see how the women-owned businesses are doing in the years to come.

 

November

Number of female-owned businesses in Vermont growing (11/26/22, WCAX)
The number of female-owned businesses is increasing in the Green Mountain State, according to data by the Vermont Commission on Women.

Woman-owned enterprises in Swanton discuss difficulties and achievements (11/25/22, Bollyinside)

Swanton woman-owned businesses talk challenges and successes (11/24/22, Saint Albans Messenger)
By pure coincidence or true grit, nearly every small business on Swanton’s Merchant’s Row is owned or operated by a woman.

Women learn power tools and other skills as part of nonprofit Vermont Works for Women (11/21/22, Burlington Free Press)
When Julia Bessy first walked into a workshop held by the nonprofit Vermont Works for Women, she had never picked up a power tool before. "I actually have a visual impairment. So I cannot see like the average person sees. So coming into this, I was like, 'Oh my goodness. How do I do power tools as a visually impaired person?'" Bessy said.

 

October

Speaker of the house seek public appointees to environmental justice advisory council and commission on women (10/19/22, Manchester Journal)
There are also two openings, a four-year term and a two-year term, as commissioner of the Vermont Commission on Women. The panel is an independent, nonpartisan state government commission governed by 16 commissioners with the mission of advancing rights and opportunities for women and girls in Vermont.

Community News, Open Seats (10/14/22, Rutland Herald)
The Vermont Senate Committee on Committees and the Speaker of the House are holding a public application process to fill open seats on the newly formed Environmental Justice Advisory Council and the Vermont Commission on Women.

Vote for democracy: It makes the American experiment work (10/13/22, Stowe Reporter)
If there is one lesson to take from the six years between 2016 and this year’s midterm elections that are only weeks away, it is that nothing is guaranteed, even things we had been told the Constitution guarantees, like our privacy rights, including bodily autonomy and marriage equality.

Attorney General Candidates Square Off At Forum (10/6/22, Caledonian Record)
Cary Brown moderator, Charity Clark, Democrat, left, and Michael Tagliavia, Republican, candidates for Vermont Attorney General.

 

September

Melinda Moulton Has Blended Business Savvy and a Hippie Ethos to Transform Burlington (9/27/22 updated, Seven Days)
Over the years, Moulton's influence has extended well beyond the waterfront. The nearly two dozen nonprofit boards on which she's served attest to her wide-ranging interests and passions. They include Audubon Vermont, the American Civil Liberties Union of Vermont, the Burlington Business Association, the Intervale Center, Lund, the Vermont Commission on Women, the Vermont Folklife Center, the Williston Community Justice Center — and, notably, Planned Parenthood of Northern New England.

League of Women Voters to Host Lt. Governor Forum (9/26/22, Caledonian Record)
The two major party candidates participating in the Forum are Senator Joe Benning (Republican-Caledonia) and David Zuckerman (Progressive/Democrat). Ian Diamondstone (Green Mountain Party) has been invited. Tom McKone, former Executive Director of the Kellogg-Hubbard Library, will serve as moderator.

League of Women Voters of Vermont Plans Attorney General Candidate Forum (9/24/22, Caledonian Record)
The League of Women Voters of Vermont will host an in-person Candidates Forum for Attorney General on Thursday, Sept. 29 at St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 1171 Main Street, from 7-8:30 p.m. A meet-and-greet is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

Forum for Lt. Governor Candidates Wednesday (9/20/22, Chester Telegraph)
The forum is sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Vermont, Vermont Commission on Women, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, Burlington Chapter and the St. Johnsbury Athenaeum. LWV regularly sponsors candidate forums as part of its mission of encouraging informed and active participation in government.

 

August

Melinda Moulton Has Blended Business Savvy and a Hippie Ethos to Transform Burlington (Seven Days, 8/31/22)
Over the years, Moulton's influence has extended well beyond the waterfront. The nearly two dozen nonprofit boards on which she's served attest to her wide-ranging interests and passions. They include Audubon Vermont, the American Civil Liberties Union of Vermont, the Burlington Business Association, the Intervale Center, Lund, the Vermont Commission on Women, the Vermont Folklife Center, the Williston Community Justice Center — and, notably, Planned Parenthood of Northern New England.

Lifting Up Women in Public Service: Accelerated MPA student Alaura Rich works to advance women in public service careers (University of Vermont, 8/6/22)
Since then, she has spent considerable time in Vermont’s state capitol through her internship in the Lieutenant Governor’s Office and as a legislative intern for the Vermont Commission on Women, a nonpartisan state agency, where she tracked proposed legislation of importance to Vermont women and families. 

Push to get more Vermont women in leadership roles paying off (8/1/22, WCAX)
“Brown says it’s imperative to keep building a bench of women serving at the local level to advance them through a pipeline to higher office. ‘I’m hopeful that we will see these numbers change even more in the future and that we’ll get to a point where we’re not even having conversations like this anymore, but we’ve still got a ways to go before that happens,” Brown said. Brown says advancing women to local, state and national leadership translates to the advancement of policies that reflect the needs of Vermont’s 50% female population.

 

July

Don’t wait until no one’s left to speak for you (7/21/22, Stowe Reporter)
Lisa Senecal is a writer, host of The Lincoln Project’s “We’re Speaking” streaming show, co-chair of the Vermont Commission on Women, board member of the Clarina Howard Nichols Center and member of Allies for Accountability, a citizens’ action group founded to hold public officials accountable and support survivors of sexual assault. She lives in Craftsbury.

 

June

League of Women Voters holds U.S. rep forum (6/23/22, The Other Paper)
Eight major party candidates are vying for nomination of Vermont’s lone congressional seat, now open as Congressman Peter Welch runs to replace retiring U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy. Participants confirmed for the forum are Sen. Becca Balint (Democrat-Windham District), Sianay Chase Clifford (Democrat), Lt. Gov. Molly Gray (Democrat), Liam Madden (Republican), Louis Meyers MD (Democrat), Ericka Bundy Redic (Republican), and Anya Tynio (Republican).

League of Women Voters holds U.S. rep forum (6/23/22, Vermont Community Newspaper Group)
Moderating the panel will be Cary Brown, executive director of the Vermont Commission on Women.

New member of Commission on Women Appointed (Bennington Banner, 6/8/22)
“I would look forward to helping with the Vermont Commission on Women because I know that one of the focuses is single rural mothers,” they said. Hilliard wants to ensure these mothers have access to resources.

View from 423 Main: We do it … all; women-in-business summit was mountain of encouragement (Brattleboro Reformer, 6/8/22)
“Women coming together and being able to support each other, it’s incredibly powerful,” said Cary Brown, executive director of the Vermont Commission on Women, in a conversation this week.

View from 423 Main: We do it … all; women-in-business summit was mountain of encouragement (Bennington Banner, 6/8/22)
Women-owned businesses often employ fewer workers, Brown said. If they employed at the rate of men-owned companies, about 10,500 new jobs could be created. That's good for everybody.

Celebrating Standout Students (The University of Vermont News, 6/22)
Community and international development major Alaura Rich has been recognized as the 2022 Lawrence K. Forcier Outstanding Senior. The award is given annually to one student in the CALS graduating class for their academic excellence, character and leadership abilities.  Arriving at UVM as a first-generation student from St. Johnsbury, VT, Rich has excelled academically and established a strong presence both on campus and around the state.

 

May

Alex Hilliard of Poultney Appointed to the Vermont Commission on Women (VTDigger, 5/25/22)
The Senate Committee on Committees has appointed Alex Hilliard of Poultney to serve on the Vermont Commission on Women, the state’s nonpartisan commission working to advance rights and opportunities for women and girls.

Alex Hilliard of Poultney appointed to Vermont Commission on Women (Manchester Journal,5/24/22)
Priorities for Hilliard include diversity, athletics and outdoor recreation, and economic opportunities. Holding a master's degree in business from Green Mountain College, Hilliard has worked in several civic organizations and steering committees for boosting the local community. Hilliard created "Lakes Region Women in Business Mixers" to help connect self-identified women and nonbinary individuals for a light-hearted and social networking experience.

Alex Hilliard of Poultney Appointed to the Vermont Commission on Women (Vermont Business Magazine, 5/24/22)
Hilliard is a personal trainer, entrepreneur, and parent of three. 

Alex Hilliard of Poultney Appointed to the Vermont Commission on Women (Bennington Banner, 5/24/22)
As owner and operator of VT AthletaFit, a year-old personal training studio business located on the second floor of the Reclaimed-Poultney Community Skills Center, Hilliard offers in-person or virtual personal training sessions, coaching advice for well-rounded fitness, and training to prepare for sports or for an active lifestyle.

Can the U.S. close a gender pay gap widened by the pandemic? (NewsNation, 5/16/22)
“Trying to get everybody on the same page is sometimes challenging,” said Cary Brown, executive director of the Vermont Commission on Women, a non-partisan government agency involved in the effort. “But these are all things that can have kind of the indirect ripple effects on the amount of money that women are earning.”

Vermont Conversation: Fighting for abortion rights to honor her late mother's struggle  (VTDigger, 5/16/22)
Moulton, now 72, has been a lifelong advocate for women’s rights. Moulton has served on the board of Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, been a member of the Vermont Commission on Women, helped lead the 2017 Vermont Women’s March and is currently vice president of the board of the ACLU of Vermont.

Ralph Wright: Phil Hoff should have a statue on the Statehouse steps  (VTDigger, 5/16/22)
Appointed a Governor's Commission on Women.  Created Vermont's ETV. Transformed the state college "normal" schools in the State College system

Hazel Brewster Wants to Help Young Women Excel (Vermont Community Newspaper Group, 5/5/22)
In April, Brewster was appointed by Scott to serve on the Vermont Commission on Women, a government agency that brings together accomplished women from across the state to advance rights and opportunities for women. She is among the youngest of the women serving on the commission.

Hazel Brewster Wants to Help Young Women Excel (Vermont Community Newspaper Group, 5/5/22)
In April, Brewster was appointed by Scott to serve on the Vermont Commission on Women, a government agency that brings together accomplished women from across the state to advance rights and opportunities for women. She is among the youngest of the women serving on the commission.

 

April

Nancy Kaplan of Burlington appointed to the Vermont Commission on Women   (VTDigger, 4/14/22)
Kaplan is a Research Navigator at The University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine.  Her work connects Vermont clinicians and providers with the resources at the Northern New England Clinical and Translational Research Network to enable them to conduct health related research in their communities.

Hazel Brewster of Stowe appointed to the Vermont Commission on Women  (Vermont Business Magazine, 4/4/22)
Born and raised in Morrisville, Brewster is a 2019 graduate of the University of Vermont and has since earned a master’s degree in public policy and global affairs from the University of British Columbia.

Hazel Brewster of Stowe appointed to the Vermont Commission on Women  (VTDigger, 4/4/22)
“It’s an honor to be appointed to this position by Governor Scott,” said Hazel Brewster. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to represent the next generation of Vermont women and to aid in efforts to ensure our state is a place where all women can thrive.”

 

March

Unparalleled advocate for Vermonters with disabilities Deborah Lisi-Baker dies  (VTDigger, 3/25/22)
Launderville, her longtime co-worker at the Center for Independent Living, remembered a poetry reading late last year Lisi-Baker did for a Vermont Commission on Women event. Lisi-Baker read her poem “Looking for Breakthroughs,” about advocating for attendant care. “Everybody had tears in their eyes. I think it was just one of those beautiful moments,” Launderville said.

Nearly 200 businesses sign Vermont Equal Pay Compact  (WPTZ-TV, 3/24/22)
“I’ve never encountered an employer who was trying to have pay inequity. There are so many cultural obstacles and so many engrained practices – often that employers don’t have any control over,” said Cary Brown, the executive director of the VT Commission on Women.

What Matters This Week: Cary Brown  (Local 22 & Local 44, 3/24/22)
Cary Brown is the executive director of the Vermont Commission on Women, and is also with the equal pay initiative called Change the Story, which will sunset at the end of the month after 7 years.

Montpelier City Clerk John Odum to Run for Secretary of State  (Seven Days, 3/14/22)
Odum is married to Cary Brown, the director of the Vermont Commission on Women.

 

February

What do you think about the state expanding access to birth records for those adopted? (Burlington Free Press, 2/21/22)
Should the state make it easier for those adopted to obtain information about their birth? The Vermont Commission on Women asks community members impacted by adoption to fill out a survey about their thoughts as a bill is being considered in the Legislature, (H.629), that would expand access to birth records.

Burlington Girls Soccer community reflects after USWNT settlement (WCAX, 2/25/22)
Seahorses made waves in 2019 with #EqualPay shirt.

Four District 3 Candidates Speak Out (Montpelier Bridge, 2/24/22)
Vying for his seat are Alice Golz, a school crossing guard, and Cary Brown, executive director of the Vermont Commission on Women.

So long, farewell: After 7 successful years, Change The Story will sunset March 31 (VTDigger, 2/27/22)
Although Change The Story is sunsetting at the end of March, the work will continue. And there is plenty of work to be done. We must ensure we emerge from this pandemic building structures into our system that help equalize, rather than exacerbate, the disparities that have existed for too many years.

Vermont child care disruptions pushing women out of jobs, says payroll company (Burlington Free Press, 2/18/22)
Lack of affordable and accessible options for child care is a key reason cited by the Vermont Commission on Women for the state's gender wage gap.

Kellie Campbell: What’s needed for women to return to the workforce (VTDigger, 2/7/22)
Let’s not rush to get back to the way things were. As we seek hope and look for normalcy, let’s understand we can and should do things better

Guest Column: A return, better than normal (Williston Observer, 2/3/22)
Unemployment claims from the U.S. Department of Labor suggest Vermont women faced unemployment rates higher than men during Covid. Data from April and May of 2020, just after Covid hit, revealed over 80 percent of U.S. adults who weren’t working because they had to care for their children who were not in school or daycare were women..

Women and the workforce (Rutland Herald, 2/4/22)
With increased awareness and attention to these inequities, we’re seeing public policy conversations about labor in our state evolve and focus on changing the status quo, responding to and supporting women and BIPOC workers. This is progress, but we have more to do.

Covid exacerbates, highlights inequality of working women (Chester Telegraph, 2/2/22)
The fact is that many of the shortages we are witnessing in the workforce today are an outcome of women leaving the workforce.

Women's workforce challenges pre-date COVID (Manchester Journal, 2/2/22)
Unemployment claims from the U.S. Department of Labor suggest Vermont women faced unemployment rates higher than men during COVID. Data from April and May of 2020, just after COVID hit, revealed over 80 percent of U.S. adults who weren’t working because they had to care for their children who were not in school or daycare were women.

Help Vermont women re-enter the workforce post-pandemic (Valley News, 2/2/22)
Dr. Kellie B. Campbell, Ed.D., is co-chairwoman of the Vermont Commission on Women.

 

January

Women's workforce challenges pre-date COVID (Bennington Banner, 1/31/22)
With increased awareness and attention to these inequities, we’re seeing public policy conversations about labor in our state evolve and focus on changing the status quo, responding to, and supporting women and BIPOC workers. This is progress, but we have more to do.

Health Impact Assessment: A Missed Opportunity for MCH Professionals in Their Quest to Address the Social Determinants of Health | SpringerLink  (Maternal and Child Health Journal, January 2022)
The only example of an HIA (Health Impact Assessment) that clearly indicated inclusion of a Title V agency considered impacts of potential changes to paid sick leave policy in Vermont (Vermont Department of Health, 2015). In that HIA, led by the Vermont Department of Health, representatives from the Division of Maternal and Child Health were listed as stakeholders, along with the Vermont Commission on Women, several school nurses, and a local child care facility.

Op-ed: Covid exacerbates, highlights inequality of working women (Chester Telegraph, 1/2/22)
The fact is that many of the shortages we are witnessing in the workforce today are an outcome of women leaving the workforce.

Women and the workforce (Vermont Business Magazine, 1/31/22)
Nationwide, COVID is impacting women disproportionately. In Vermont, before COVID, women were at least four times more likely than men to reduce their hours or leave the workforce for a period of time to care for children and aging family members.

Women's workforce challenges pre-date COVID (Bennington Banner, 1/31/22)
With increased awareness and attention to these inequities, we’re seeing public policy conversations about labor in our state evolve and focus on changing the status quo, responding to, and supporting women and BIPOC workers. This is progress, but we have more to do.

Election Season Heats Up: Whitaker Takes On Watson for Mayor, Others Compete for Open Seat  (Montpelier Bridge, 1/27/22)
Cary Brown is the executive director of the Vermont Commission on Women.

Vermont Could Send Its First Woman to Congress; 3 Vying for the Job (NECN, 1/13/22)
"At some point, we will have 50-50 representation across the board," said Cary Brown, the executive director of the Vermont Commission on Women, a nonpartisan group that advocates for opportunities for women and girls. "And then we’ll know we’re successful — when our leadership reflects our population."

 

2021

December 2021

Podcast | Local News (Times Argus and Rutland Herald, 12/17/21)
The Vermont Commission on Women this week released “Latina (Un)Equal Pay,” the fifth in a series of podcast conversations examining the ways sexism, racism, homophobia and ableism create larger wage gaps for women of color, women living with disabilities, and members of our LGBTQ+ community.

Latina (Un)Equal Pay podcast conversation released by Vermont Commission on Women (VTDigger, 12/16/21)
This conversation features Marita Canedo, the Milk with Dignity Program Coordinator at Migrant Justice; Amanda Garcés, the Director of Policy, Education and Outreach at Vermont Human Rights Commission; and Drea Tremols, business owner of Soul Vibration Massage Therapy.

Vermont’s first female member of Congress is looking like a sure thing  (The Boston Globe, 12/13/21)
The chances are starting to look overwhelming that Vermont voters will send a woman to Congress for the first time, and, boy, it’s about time.

 

November 2021

Governor makes key appointments at the NRB and Department of Liquor and Lottery  (Vermont Business Magazine, 11/29/21)
Governor Phil Scott today announced that he has appointed Sabina Haskell as the chair of the Natural Resources Board (NRB), Wendy Knight as commissioner of the Department of Liquor and Lottery (DLL), and Andrew Collier as deputy commissioner of DLL….Knight is also a former journalist and author who has written 100+ articles for the New York Times and four non-fiction books.  She currently serves on the Vermont Commission on Women, and on the board of directors for the Vermont Outdoor Business Alliance, as well as their equity and diversity committee.

Governor Phil Scott Makes Key Appointments  (Governor Phil Scott, 11/29/21)
“I am grateful for the opportunity to lead a team of hardworking, innovative, and collaborative employees whose dedication to one another, and their fellow Vermonters, helps the Department contribute over $75M annually to the state,” said Knight

VT Rep. Peter Welch Running for US Senate (NECN, 11/21/21)
Vermont is the only state to have not yet elected a woman to serve in Congress, a fact the nonpartisan Vermont Commission on Women has lamented. "Vermont should never be last in something like this again," Lisa Senecal insisted in August 2020. Senecal co-chairs the commission, which works to advance opportunities for women and girls. "Women's voices are important," Senecal said in that interview. "We are representing more than 50% of the population in our state, that does not have female representation at the federal level, and that really has to change."

Women with disabilities: Vermont Commission on Women’s new (Un)Equal Pay podcast conversation  (VTDigger, 11/18/21)
Sarah Launderville, Executive Director of the Vermont Center for Independent Living, moderates this dialogue with guests Deborah Lisi-Baker, Winnie Looby, Cara Sachs, and Laura Siegel in the new podcast in the Vermont Commission on Women’s (Un)Equal Pay Day series.

 

October 2021

Our stress is real | Editorials  (10/2/21, Rutland Herald )
A new survey is confirming what we already know to be true: COVID is taking a toll on our households.  Conducted between October 2020 and February 2021 by a team of researchers from University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst College, and Indiana University, survey questions focused on employment, business operations, household finances, labor productivity, child care and education, mental and physical health, and substance use.

Our stress is real | Editorials  (10/2/21, Eagle Times)
According to the release associated with the announcement of the survey results, “Researchers asked respondents what policies or resources would be most helpful to manage the impacts of COVID-19. One-time stimulus payments and greater access to mental health services were the top recommendations cited overall by Vermonters. Vermont respondents were significantly more likely than national respondents to indicate the need for greater access to technological support.”

 

September 2021

UMass Amherst-led Team of Researchers Reveals COVID’s Impact on Vermont Households  (UMass Amherst, 9/30/21)
Umass Amherst-Led Team Of Researchers Reveals Covid’s Impact On Vermont Households

WTSA News For Your Thursday, September 30th  (WTSA FM, 9/30/21)
Survey respondents had clear recommendations for policies and resources that would improve their overall well-being: economic relief via stimulus payments, extended unemployment benefits, increased access to childcare; increased access to mental health supports; and greater access to technology. The survey was done between October 2020 and February 2021 by a team of researchers from University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst College, and Indiana University.

Vermonters report household impacts of COVID-19  (Vermont Business Magazine, 9/29/21)
Survey data clearly show the incidence of mental health concerns were inversely proportional to income. Twenty-one percent of respondents from households making less than $30,000/year reported severe anxiety and depression, with each successive income bracket reporting lower anxiety and depression scores.

Co-Chairs Lead VCW  (Times Argus, 9/24/21)
The Vermont Commission on Women (VCW), independent non-partisan commission advancing rights and opportunities for Vermont women and girls, begins work this fall under a new leadership structure from one to three Chairs. Lisa Senecal was re-elected to the position and is joined by fellow Commissioners Kiah Morris and Kellie B. Campbell.

Co-Chairs Lead VCW  (Rutland Herald, 9/24/21)
The Vermont Commission on Women (VCW), independent non-partisan commission advancing rights and opportunities for Vermont women and girls, begins work this fall under a new leadership structure from one to three Chairs. Lisa Senecal was re-elected to the position and is joined by fellow Commissioners Kiah Morris and Kellie B. Campbell.

Freedom-loving Americans will save us from authoritarianism (VTCNG, 9/16/21)
Yes, I am talking about those who still refuse to be vaccinated against contracting COVID-19. The data is there. If you’ve become distrustful of the U.S. government, you can look to countries around the globe who have high vaccination rates and lower rates of hospitalizations and deaths. And let’s not forget that they also have fewer instances of “long COVID,” which symptoms seems to range from the frustrating to the completely demoralizing and nearly unbearable.

Co-chairs Lisa Senecal, Kiah Morris and Kellie B. Campbell lead Vermont Commission on Women  (VTDigger, 9/13/21)
“The need for our work on so many fronts, health and safety, economic security, racial and gender equity, leadership, public life and education, has only become more apparent and urgent over this last year,” said Senecal. “We’re excited, energized and ready to move forward in this new collaborative approach.”

Co-Chairs Lisa Senecal, Kiah Morris, and Kellie B Campbell lead Vermont Commission on Women  (Vermont Business Magazine, 9/14/21)
The change was supported by Commissioners as a way to share decision making and leadership responsibilities.

Make our economy work for women  (Valley News, 9/11/21)
Last week’s Sunday Focus article (“Falling Backward,” Sept. 5) documented how the pandemic set back women’s progress in the global workforce, knocking 54 million women out of work.
We’ve also learned that the rate of women’s participation in the U.S. workforce has dropped to a 33-year low. This is due in large measure to the choice that many women faced in 2020: keep their job or care for family members in a health crisis.

An opportunity and an imperative: Vermont’s economy depends on women  (Brattleboro Reformer, 9/10/21)
Workforce access has always been a problem for women; COVID made it worse. The pandemic did not create a gender gap in the economy; it exposed and exacerbated an unfair system.

Vermont’s economy depends on women  (Mountain Times, 9/8/21)
One of the greatest challenges affecting the future of Vermonters is our disappearing labor force. In April 2021, Vermont’s labor force shrank to its lowest size in nearly 30 years. Women in Vermont have faced unemployment at higher rates than men, according to U.S. Department of Labor data.

Community groups launch campaign to support Vermont women in the workforce  (MyChamplainValley.com FOX44 & ABC22, 9/6/21)
Vermont Works for Women and six community partners used the Labor Day holiday to launch a campaign to support women in the workforce. 
The campaign is called #MakeWorkWorkForUs.  “We are really hoping this campaign brings together policy makers, employers, community members, to recognize what is facing women across Vermont,” said Rhoni Basden, executive director for Vermont Works for Women. “What are the barriers to women going back to work, re-entering work and starting work?”

Brown-Smith-Basden-Nordhaus-Richards: Vermont’s economy depends on women  (VTDigger, 9/6/21)
This commentary is by Cary Brown, executive director of the Vermont Commission on Women; Meg Smith, director of the Vermont Women’s Fund; Rhoni Basden, executive director of Vermont Works for Women; Jessica Nordhaus, director of Change The Story VT; and Aly Richards, CEO of Let’s Grow Kids.

Brown, Smith, Basden, Nordhaus, Richards: Economy depends on women | Commentary  (Times Argus, 9/2/21)
Workforce access has always been a problem for women; COVID made it worse. The pandemic did not create a gender gap in the economy; it exposed and exacerbated an unfair system.

Labor Day message: Vermont’s economy depends on women — Waterbury Roundabout  (Waterbury Roundabout, 9/4/21)
We have an opportunity and an imperative in Vermont to create an economy that works for everyone, including women. That’s why our organizations — the Vermont Commission on Women, Vermont Works for Women, the Vermont Women’s Fund, Change The Story VT, and Let’s Grow Kids — have come together to focus on solutions to support women in fully participating in the workforce with a campaign we’re calling #MakeWorkWorkForUs.

Celebrating Vermont Pride Week, Vermont Commission on Women issues LGBTQ+ equal pay podcast conversation  (VTDigger, 9/2/21)
HB Lozito, the Executive Director of Out in the Open and Representative Taylor Small, the Pride Center of Vermont’s Director of Health & Wellness speak with Vermont Commission on Women (VCW) Commissioner Sarah Mell in this third podcast in the Commission’s (Un)Equal Pay Day series.

Cary Brown, Meg Smith, Rhoni Basden, Jessica Nordhaus & Aly Richards - Caledonian Record  (Caledonian Record, 9/2/21)
Vermont child care workers earn, on average, $34,000 a year, usually without ... Vermont Works for Women, the Vermont Women's Fund, Change The Story VT, ...

An opportunity and an imperative: Vermont’s economy depends on women  (Bennington Banner, 9/1/21)
To be clear: This is not a women’s issue. When women work, Vermont’s economy thrives. It is an issue that spans across industry, region, and demographics, affecting us all. Researchers estimate, for example, that if women earned wages equal to that of men who are comparable (in terms of age, education, and number of work hours) women’s higher earnings would add an additional $1.2 billion to Vermont’s economy.

 

August 2021

‘Education’ bills sweeping country want us to ignore facts (VTCNG, 5/27/21)
Preventing educators from educating students about our history as a means to deny current systemic racism will be just about as successful as teaching abstinence-only sex education has been in reducing teen pregnancy.

Businesses Struggle To Find Workers As Vermont Labor Force Hits Historic Lows  (VPR, 8/11/21)
A study by the Vermont Commission on Women found that women in Vermont were more likely than men to go on unemployment during the pandemic. According to national statistics, they’re also leaving the workforce at higher rates than men.  “We’ve really thought a lot about that question of, ‘why?’ And I don’t have an easy answer to that,” Brown said. “I will that say that finding out why is a much bigger, more complicated question to answer than the a lot of the data that we have available to tell us.”

Commission on Women, Rinktoberfest, Museum, Community Farm (wdevradio.com)  (Podcast | Vermont Viewpoint with Ric Cengari | WDEV, 8/5/21)
Cary Brown of the Vermont Commission on Women begins the program by discussing the pandemic’s continued impact on women, paid family and medical leave and affordable child care

Campaign makes case for paid leave  (Eagle Times, 8/3/21)
On Thursday, the Vermont FaMLI (Family and Medical Leave Insurance) Coalition — a group of more than 25 organizations, including the Vermont Main Street Alliance, Vermont Commission on Women, and Voices for Vermont’s Children — launched its “We Believe in Paid Leave” campaign, a video series that highlights stories of small-business owners around the state who support a national paid family and medical leave program.

Campaign makes case for paid leave  (Rutland Herald, 7/30/21)
Akshata Nayak, a small-business owner from Jericho, said paid leave would be a game-changer for sole-proprietors like herself, as well as the many frontline workers who put their health and safety at risk during the pandemic.  “We need a national solution that will provide for all workers, all small businesses; provide enough compensation and time for it to be effective (and) provide for all kinds of leave, including personal, family and parental leave,” she said.

 

July 2021

Senate makes appointments to Community Broadband Board, Cannabis Advisory Committee, and Commission on Women  (Vermont Business Magazine, 7/22/21)
The Committee also re-appointed Lisa Ryan to the Vermont Commission on Women. Ryan serves as the Director of Domestic Violence Response Systems at Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence. She served on the Rutland City Board of Aldermen and is the former First Vice President of the Rutland Area Branch of the NAACP.

When women come forward, we need to believe them (VTCNG, 7/22/21)
One of the greatest fears any person has who considers coming forward with an allegation of sexual harassment, assault or domestic violence is that she will not be believed. One of the highest barriers against being believed is that perpetrators of sexual violence do not harass every person or even every woman they encounter.

Vermont's gender wage gap ranked lowest in the country  (VTDigger, 7/7/21)
“It’s really important to recognize the hard work that Vermont has been doing, particularly in the past 10 to 15 years or so to try to address the wage gap. We’re seeing those efforts really pay off in Vermont, and we can feel really proud of that,” Brown said. Brown credits much of the state’s progress over the years to recent changes in legislation, noting Vermont “has one of the stronger equal pay laws in the country” to protect against gender-based discrimination, and Act 126, which ban employers from asking potential new hires about their past salaries.

 

June 2021

New Initiative Launched To Close Vermont Pay Equity Gap (WAMC, 6/10/21)
A partnership of women’s advocacy groups launched a new initiative this week aimed at helping Vermont employers close the pay equity gap.Change the Story Vermont is a multi-year partnership between the Vermont Commission on Women, Vermont Works for Women and the Vermont Women’s Fund focused on improving women’s economic status.

Alex Farrell named deputy housing commissioner  (Vermont Daily Chronicle, 6/9/21)
Vermont Commission on Women. Lisa Senecal of Stowe; Delaney Courcelle of South Burlington. Vermont Economic Progress Council. Michael 

Governor Scott names over 120 to boards and commissions (Vermont Biz, 6/9/21)
Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today announced the appointments of two deputy commissioners ... Vermont Commission on Women.

Free Toolkit Helps Small Businesses Examine Pay Equity  (NBC Connecticut, 6/9/21)
Cary Brown of the Vermont Commission on Women said long-standing structural factors need to be addressed in order to bring about change.

Vermont groups take new approach to gender pay equity  (WCAX, 6/8/21)
Dom Amato spoke with Cary Brown, executive director of the Vermont Commission on Women, about the new effort.

Vermont Group Launches Free Tool Aimed at Rooting Out Workplace Inequities: The toolkit can help employers with up to 400 workers analyze their approach to pay equity (NECN, 6/8/21)
Advocates for equity in the workplace launched a new online toolkit and resource manual that offer ways for employers to look at the pay they’re giving workers to see if men, women and people of color are on level playing fields professionally.

Change The Story VT partnership launches free new pay equity resource  (VTDigger, 6/8/21)
On Tuesday over the lunch hour, over 250 people gathered virtually for the launch of the new Leaders for Equity and Equal Pay (LEEP) Toolkit. The Toolkit is a unique and powerful DIY resource, containing an excel-based Equity Management Tool and a companion Playbook, that provides Vermont’s small to midsize employers with information and methodology needed to conduct in-house, ongoing gender and racial pay equity reviews

Change The Story Vt partnership launches free pay equity resource  (Vermont Business Magazine, 6/8/21)
The COVID pandemic disproportionately impacted women, with more than 2 million women leaving the workforce over the last year. The LEEP Toolkit will provide smaller organizations with the methodology and resources to lead the way out of the “she-cession.”

Knight: Rebuilding an equitable economy  (Rutland Herald, Times Argus 6/5/21)
Phil Scott to serve a four-year term on the Vermont Commission on Women, an independent, nonpartisan state ... to develop a roadmap for small- to medium-sized employers to address gender and racial pay equity

Leaders for Equity and Equal Pay (LEEP) Toolkit launch (Podcast | Vermont Viewpoint with Ric Cengari | WDEV, 6/4/21)
Al Johnson-Kurts, Communications Director for Change The Story VT and VCW's Cary Brown address pay equity and the new tool they are launching in partnership with Vermont Works for Women and the Vermont Women's Fund.

Wendy Knight: Vermont needs to rebuild an equitable economy (VTDigger, 6/1/21)
While we emerge from the pandemic as the country’s best example of Covid leadership and management, we also have the opportunity to lead by example in gender parity and pay equity. Now is the moment to reimagine how we want to live and work and to be intentional about inclusivity and equity as we rebuild our economy.

 

May 2021

‘Education’ bills sweeping country want us to ignore facts (VTCNG, 5/27/21)
Preventing educators from educating students about our history as a means to deny current systemic racism will be just about as successful as teaching abstinence-only sex education has been in reducing teen pregnancy

Vermont Women's Fund announces $331000 in 2021 annual grant round (Vermont Biz, 5/24/21)
Using Change The Story data to identify and support funding opportunities. Change The Story is the partnership between the Women’s Fund, Vermont Commission on Women, and Vermont Works for Women that provides data-driven solutions for fast-tracking women’s economic well-being in the state. 

Officials cast doubt on claim that 73% of Vermont’s unemployment claims came from women (VT Digger, 5/5/21)
Cary Brown, executive director of the Vermont Commission on Women, has been tracking that claims data since the start of the pandemic. She keeps a particular eye on how great the disparity is in Vermont, as compared to the rest of the nation...'What unemployment numbers don’t capture are the people who are no longer looking for work, for the people who’ve just left the workforce entirely,’ she said. ‘And we know that women did that at a much much higher rate than men did in response to pandemic conditions.'

Alarming Stat About Women Seeking Unemployment Was Likely Wrong (Seven Days, 5/3/21)
The Vermont Commission on Women’s COVID-19 dashboard says women are more vulnerable to an economic hit from the pandemic because they make up 81 percent of Vermont’s tipped wage earners — the highest rate in the country. So their work was disrupted more by pandemic-related closures...The commission also says women in Vermont are more likely than men to be in part-time positions and make up a disproportionate share of the people earning less than $11 an hour, making them less likely to qualify for benefits like paid leave or unemployment insurance.

 

April 2021

Judge Lest Ye, or Your Daughters, Sisters, Friends, Be Judged  (Stowe Reporter, 4/29/21)
The importance of understanding these double standards is not only because the hypocrisy is of otherworldly proportions, but also because it is 2021 and the double standards exist at all.

We’ve Been Shortchanging Female Inmates for a Long Time  (VT Political Observer, 4/29/21)
The hearing featured Cary Brown, executive director of the Vermont Commission on Women, testifying before the House Corrections and Institutions Committee. She was giving the VCW’s views on the process for building a new women’s prison, which is about to get underway.  During her testimony, Brown mentioned a 2012 report on the women’s prison, co-authored by several nonprofits and agencies concerned with women’s issues. It was entitled “Reclaiming Lost Ground for Vermont’s Incarcerated Women: The Disturbing Conditions at the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility.”

A generation's worth of progress being undone' as many women left or lost work during COVID (Subscriber Access Only: Burlington Free Press, 4/28/21)
"It's a generation's worth of progress being undone," said Cary Brown of the Vermont Commission on Women. The disproportionate effects of the pandemic on female workers are sure to have long-lasting ramifications for Vermont communities and the economy.

Mayor Weinberger Appoints Kerin Durfee as New Director of City Human Resources Department (Burlingtonvt.gov, 4/21/21)
In June 2020, the City Council appointed Kerin to the serve on the Burlington Police Commission. As a Commissioner, she also serves on the Joint Committee for Public Safety. She was appointed to the Vermont Commission on Women by outgoing Speaker of the House, Mitzi Johnson, in November 2020.

Report finds striking disparities that affect people of color in Chittenden County (VTDigger, 4/18/21)
The report also included statistics, originally published in January by the Vermont Commission on Women, that demonstrate the disproportionate impact the pandemic has had on women. Women were responsible for 63.8% of unemployment claims made in January, and 73% of Vermonters who lost their jobs between mid-November 2020 and early January were women. The commission also found that the poverty rate for Black women in Vermont is 27% — worse than the national poverty rate for Black women and twice that of white women. “Covid didn’t create any of these problems. It just exposed these problems,” Lisa Senecal, chair of the Vermont Commission on Women, told VTDigger in January.

Liquor and Lottery Appointees (Rutland Herald, 4/17/21)
She is a former craft beer store owner, journalist and author, and currently serves on the Vermont Commission on Women…Knight has over 20 years of corporate and entrepreneurial experience in the advertising, marketing, food and beverage, health care, media, nonprofit and publishing industries, including as Vermont’s commissioner of the Department of Tourism and Marketing and vice chair of the Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economic Collaborative. She is a former craft beer store owner, journalist and author, and currently serves on the Vermont Commission on Women.

'This Way Up' to focus on women entrepreneurship (Eagle Times, 4/17/21)
“...there’s huge potential for women entrepreneurs to create new businesses, significantly increase their revenues, and hire an employee or two—and we haven’t adequately focused on their needs and barriers until now,” said Meg Smith, director of the Vermont Women’s Fund. “With the right tools and technical assistance, women entrepreneurs can help grow Vermont’s economy along with their own communities. And with job losses among Vermont women among the highest in the nation, this is the time to expand women entrepreneurship in our state.”

Vermont National Guard severs ties with guardsman accused of sexual assault (VTDigger, 4/15/21)
Lawmakers asked Knight how the Guard could improve its performance on preventing sexual assault. The most effective means, Knight replied, is to work harder to recruit women and use more creative approaches to doing so. “Historically, in my time at this organization, we think too small. We haven’t gone big enough,” Knight said. “At no point have we, as an organization, gone to the Vermont Commission on Women, to the Legislature, to the [Vermont] Business Roundtable, all of the key players in Vermont, inclusive of state government, and said, ‘Can you help us grow the Guard? Can you help us grow diversity?’”

Lisa Carlson: Support Your Local Harvest Of The Month Program  (Caledonian Record, 4/16/21)
I recently had the pleasure of meeting with several members of our community to discuss a new program at Caledonia Central Supervisory Union (CCSU). CCSU is working with Green Mountain Farm to School as part of a grant opportunity with NOFA-VT (Northeast Organic Farming Association) to expand farm to school programming in the district. The program is called Vermont Harvest of the Month (HOM), and the committee was formed with the purpose of sharing information and materials for use in the classroom, cafeteria, and community, to promote the use of local, seasonal Vermont foods. That’s the short explanation. There is a lot to this program, and there are a lot of ways communities can be involved…Lisa Carlson serves on the health and safety committee as a member of the Vermont Commission on Women.

Scott appoints Haskell and Knight as deputy commissioners at Department of Liquor and Lottery (Vermont Business Magazine, 4/9/21)
Wendy is also a former journalist and author who has written 100+ articles for the New York Times and four non-fiction books, two of which won notable awards in their respective fields, and has appeared on ABC News, CNN, and NPR. Knight currently serves on the Vermont Commission on Women, and on the board of directors for the Vermont Outdoor Business Alliance, as well as their equity and diversity committee.

Let’s leave a legacy of grace, patience, caring  (VTCNG, 4/8/21)
Let’s try to leave a legacy of grace, patience and caring for ourselves and for those around us that leaves future generations with the sense that, when we all needed one another the most, we found ways to take care of one another and move forward together.

Governor Phil Scott Announces 168 Appointments to State Boards and Commissions (Office of Governor Phil Scott, 4/2/21)
Vermont Commission on Women. Wendy Knight of Panton.

 

March 2021

New video podcast focuses on the economic impact of COVID-19 on women (Vermont Biz, 3/27/21)
Guests on this podcast include educator Lara Scott, the director of Mobilization of Volunteer Efforts (MOVE) at Saint Michael’s College, and Sarah MacDonald, assistant director and classroom educator at the Early Learning Center in Colchester.  The conversation is introduced by VCW's executive director Cary Brown and moderated by VCW Commissioner Kellie Campbell, Chief Technology Officer at Vermont Tech and Chair of VCW’s Education and Human Development committee.

2 Vermont police agencies join national movement to recruit women (WPTZ, 3/27/21)
Founders of the initiative point to research showing women officers tend to use less force, are less likely to get their departments sued, and often achieve more positive outcomes for victims — especially in cases involving sexual violence.

3 Vt. Police Agencies Join National Movement to Recruit Women | The 30x30 Initiative aims to see 30% of police recruit classes be women by the year 2030 (NECN, 3/26/21)
Cary Brown, the executive director of the Vermont Commission on Women, said in an interview Friday that she is glad the 30x30 effort emphasizes workplace culture and measures to ensure women in law enforcement can thrive professionally.
"It's not just how many women you have working on your force," Brown said. "But are they being promoted at the same rate as men? Do they have the same opportunities for advancement?"

March 24 is Equal Pay Day for Women | New video podcast focuses on the economic impact of COVID-19 on women  (VTDigger, 3/25/21)
Based on median earnings for full-time, year-round workers, women are paid 82 cents for every dollar paid to men. Vermont Commission on Women (VCW) presented the second in a series of (un)Equal Pay Day video podcast conversations on March 24th, the day into the year women need to work before their earnings catch up to those of men in 2020 due to the wage gap. This podcast conversation centers on the ways COVID-19 impacts decisions that women and their families are making.

News For Your Thursday, March 25^th (WTSA, 3/25/21)
Vermont Commission on Women presented the second in a series of Equal Pay Day video podcast conversations on Wednesday, the day into the year women need to work before their earnings catch up to those of men in 2020 due to the wage gap. The commission hopes to raise awareness about pay equity, and the ways racism, sexism, homophobia, and ableism intersect, creating much larger wage gaps for women of color, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and women living with disabilities.

March 24 is Equal Pay Day for Women | New video podcast focuses on the economic impact of COVID-19 on women  (VTDigger, 3/25/21)
Based on median earnings for full-time, year-round workers, women are paid 82 cents for every dollar paid to men. Vermont Commission on Women (VCW) presented the second in a series of (un)Equal Pay Day video podcast conversations on March 24th, the day into the year women need to work before their earnings catch up to those of men in 2020 due to the wage gap. This podcast conversation centers on the ways COVID-19 impacts decisions that women and their families are making.

Police pulled from Brattleboro Union High School  (The Commons, 3/24/21)
Skarzynski continued to say he has spoken with a former colleague, Lisa Ryan of Rutland, who has served on the Vermont Commission on Women and as program manager of the Rutland County Community Justice Center.

Not speaking out just amplifies the hate (VTCNG, 3/18/21)
There is an ongoing debate over whether it is important for the media and individuals to call out the outrageous, incendiary statements of politicians and people in the media, or if speaking out in opposition merely risks amplifying their hate.

VCW Executive Director Cary Brown on WVMT's Morning Show (WVMT, 3/15/21)
Conversation topics include why Vermont is one of the hardest hit states for women's unemployment.

Adjutant general, women leaders speak with Vermont Commission on Women (Joint Force Headquarters - Vermont National Guard Public Affairs, 3/12/21)
Vermont Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Greg Knight and several women leaders within the Vermont National Guard spoke via teleconference with members of the Vermont Commission on Women March 10.   In opening remarks, Knight said he has taken action to create a diverse climate and to provide an environment where innovation can thrive.

VT LG Hosts Discussion On Economic Status Of Women (WAMC, 3/10/21)
Change the Story VT has been collecting and reporting on Vermont-specific data for six years. Executive Director Jessica Nordhaus said they also use 

Lt. Governor Molly Gray hosts 'Seat at the Table' on the economic well-being of Vermont women (VTDigger, 3/9/21)
Jessica Nordhaus of Change the Story VT noted that more data on the impact of COVID-19 on Vermont women will be available in the weeks ahead, 

March 9 is Equal Pay Day for Asian American & Pacific Islander women (VTDigger, 3/9/21)
Vermont Commission on Women launches the first podcast in new series ... VCW hopes to raise awareness about pay equity, and the ways racism, ...

Less inequity would lead to a better Vermont, according to women's panel (Rutland Herald, 3/9/21)
Xusana Davis, Vermont executive director of racial equity, talked about Equal Pay Day. “Equal pay day is the date on which a woman would have ...

Lt. Gov. Gray marks International Women's Day with focus on pandemic (Local 22/44 News, 3/8/21)
Vermont's Lt. Governor Molly Gray — the fourth woman in Vermont's history to ... Equal Pay Day for Indigenous women in America is September 8.

Relief Funds Could Help Women and People of Color Make Economic Headway (Seven Days, 3/9/21)
“It's really strikingly much worse than it is in the rest of the country,” said Cary Brown, director of the Vermont Commission on Women, noting that the burden of caregiving and helping with homeschooling have fallen disproportionately on women. “About four times as many women as men have just left the workforce completely. They've just thrown in the towel and said, ‘This is too much. I'm not doing it anymore.’ That’s going to have lifelong repercussions for those women and their families.”

"Seat at the Table" – The Economic Well-Being of Vermont Women  (Office of the Lieutenant Governor, 3/8/21)
Cary Brown - Executive Director, Vermont Commission on Women. Jessica Nordhaus - Director, Change the Story VT. Meg Smith - Director, Vermont ...

 

February 2021

By the way for Feb. 18 (Addison County Independent, 2/18/21)
She has held several leadership positions in Scott’s administration, including Vermont Tourism and Marketing Commissioner. Knight is now the chief marketing officer of Knight Automotive and a consultant to On the Fly, a women-led collective supporting Vermont hospitality and tourism businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Wendy Knight of Panton appointed to Vermont Commission on Women  (VTDigger, 2/17/21)
Governor Scott has appointed Wendy Knight of Panton to serve a four-year term on the Vermont Commission on Women (VCW), the state’s non-partisan commission working to advance rights and opportunities for women and girls.

Wendy Knight of Panton appointed to Vt. Commission on Women  (Sun Community News, 2/17/21)
She’s held several leadership positions in Governor Scott’s Administration, as Vermont Tourism and Marketing Commissioner, as a strategic lead for the state’s economic development initiative Think Vermont, and as Vice Chair of the Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economic Collaborative, a private-public initiative to grow the economy and preserve our natural resources.

Wendy Knight of Panton appointed to Vermont Commission on Women  (Vermont Business Magazine, 12/16/21)
Commissioner Knight is a communications and marketing executive with over 20 years of government, corporate and entrepreneurial experience in advertising and marketing, food and beverage, healthcare, media, non-profit, and the publishing industries.

Black history is every American’s history, warts and all (VTCNG, 2/11/21)
We’re really talking about shielding white children from learning the history of white Americans’ treatment of Black people. But I am supremely confident that white kids can handle the truth, too.

The COVID-19 economy has kept an outsized number of women out of the workforce (Valley News, 2/6/21)
Many of these industries were immediately impacted when the pandemic first hit and will also be slower to come back, predicted Cary Brown, executive director of the Vermont Commission on Women. Brown said the pandemic has illustrated systemic inequalities that were already there, such as working women in Vermont tending to earn less money and being more likely to live in poverty than men.

 

January 2021

9to5: Story of a Movement Q &A (Vermont PBS podcast, 1/28/21)
Following a sneak preview of the film from Independent Lens,Vermont PBS and Vermont Works for Women hosted a Vermont community question and answer event about the fight for workplace equal rights for women in the 1970's and the work yet to do featuring Janet Selcer the co-founder of 9to5 Boston, Cary Brown Executive Director of Vermont Commission on Women and moderated by Rhoni Basden the Executive Director of Vermont Works for Women.

Must See, Must Do  (Seven Days, 1/28/21)
In fact, "the movie was married to a movement," says Fonda in a trailer for the new Independent Lens documentary 9to5: The Story of a Movement. Vermont PBS presents an online viewing on Thursday, January 28, of this inspiring film about a push for equality led by a group of Boston office workers in the 1970s. A Q&A with film subject Janet Selcer and Vermont Commission on Women executive director Cary Brown follows

Column: Vermont Media Must End Gender Bias In Its Coverage Of Women  (Valley News, 1/28/21)
This year, a series of candidate profiles highlighted a woman candidate’s “youthful and petite appearance” and her “bulbous cheek bones and shockingly flawless skin.” Her male opponent, in contrast, was described with dignity as a “classic northern New England politician.”

Local Media Reckons With Its Own Racism And Sexism  (Vermont Conversation with David Goodman | VTDigger podcast, 1/27/21)
We discuss sexism and racism in the Vermont media with two media leaders and two signatories of the letter to the Vermont media. Alex MacLean, partner and president of Leonine Public Affairs, and Kiah Morris, Movement Politics Director for Rights and Democracy Vermont and a member of the Vermont Commission on Women, both signed the letter to the Vermont media. Cathy Resmer, deputy publisher of Seven Days, and Anne Galloway, founder and editor of VTDigger, acknowledged the need for change.

Vermont percentage of unemployed women higher than any other state  (VTDigger, 1/27/21)
“Nationally, women are leaving their jobs at much higher rates than men are. It’s too much to juggle. Family responsibilities have only gone up with the pandemic.”

The press plays essential role in perception  (Mountain Times, 1/27/21)
Editor’s note: this commentary, signed by more than 50 Vermonters, was sent Monday, Jan. 25, to news organizations throughout the state.Vermont is the only state in the nation which has never elected a woman to Congress. Only one woman has served as governor. We have never elected a woman of color to any legislative leadership position or statewide office. This is our story and it casts a long shadow on our nationally perceived status as a leader on issues of equality.

Of those collecting regular unemployment in Vermont, 73% are women  (VTDigger, 1/26/21)
“Nationally, women are leaving their jobs at much higher rates than men are. It’s too much to juggle. Family responsibilities have only gone up with the pandemic.”

Group Calls On Vt. Newsrooms To Address Gender Bias, Lack Of Diversity In Coverage  (VPR, 1/26/21)
Mitch Wertlieb: Your letter cites some specific examples of reporting by Vermont media outlets that essentially fail the standard that prompted the letter in the first place. Can you give us some examples of what you've seen or heard in local media that illustrates the problems identified in your letter?

Women Can Now Enlist in Combat Roles in Vermont Army National Guard  (NECN/WPTZ, 1/26/21)
“It’s high time that doors everywhere are opened for women,” Brown said Tuesday in an interview with NECN.  Brown praised the Vermont National Guard for working to achieve the new recruitment milestone.  “I would also say, though, they need to be aware — and I know that they are — that it’s one thing to bring women in, it’s another thing to keep them,” Brown said. “You have to make sure that you have an environment that is welcoming, an environment where people are not going to be assaulted or harassed, and are not going to be made to feel unwelcome or undeserving.”

Women bear workplace burden of pandemic, commission says  (Vermont Daily Chronicle, 1/25/21)
Occupational segregation plays a large role in the increasing number of female unemployment claims. While travel bans and social distancing orders have pushed businesses to either lay off employees or shut down, workers in the service industry are left with no other option but to file for unemployment. Individuals with occupations such as food service, home health aides and housekeepers have been hit the hardest and are also female dominated.

Letter to Vermont journalists calls for an end to gender bias in the media (VTDigger, 1/25/21)
“Generally, I think the Vermont press corps does a great job,” said Vermont Commission on Women executive director Cary Brown. “This isn’t meant to be a condemnation or a really broad-based criticism.”  But, she added, the Vermont news media could still benefit from “a heightened awareness” of gender bias in its work.  “We like to think of ourselves as being really different, but when it comes to bias we’re often very similar to everywhere else,” Brown said.

Open letter to Vermont Press Corps  (Vermont Biz, 1/25/21)
We hope you will engage in internal conversations within your organizations about the issues of sexism, gender bias and racism in reporting, and commit to the challenging work of reckoning with the unconscious biases that affect our public narratives every day. We have the greatest respect for your work, your dedication to factual and ethical reporting, and hope to work with you toward this goal.

Vermont Cavalry Squadron can now directly recruit women  (Eagle Times, 1/23/21)
The move was praised by Cary Brown, executive director of the Vermont Commission on Women. “I know they’ve recently hired a diversity officer who’s paying attention to this, so we’re very optimistic, but there’s a lot of work still to do,” she said. “I would say I really applaud them for opening up as many roles as possible to women.”The commission last met with the Vermont National Guard in January 2019, she said, and is scheduled to meet with Maj. Gen. Greg Knight, adjutant general, of the Guard, in March for an update on how things have been for women in the organization.

In a survey, minority business owners say local chambers ‘too white’  (VTDigger, 1/22/21)
Women business owners have several dedicated groups — such as the Vermont Commission on Women, the Center for Women and Enterprise, and the Vermont Women’s Business Network — that maintain databases and send out information about opportunities, Reed noted.

Vermont Cavalry Squadron can now directly recruit women  (Rutland Herald, 1/21/21)
The move was praised by Cary Brown, executive director of the Vermont Commission on Women. “I know they’ve recently hired a diversity officer who’s paying attention to this, so we’re very optimistic, but there’s a lot of work still to do,” she said. “I would say I really applaud them for opening up as many roles as possible to women.”  The commission last met with the Vermont National Guard in January 2019, she said, and is scheduled to meet with Maj. Gen. Greg Knight, adjutant general, of the Guard, in March for an update on how things have been for women in the organization.

Women bearing the brunt of Covid-19  (St. Albans Messenger, 1/19/21)
I had the opportunity to attend a meeting of the Vermont Commission on Women one evening, and I greatly appreciated hearing the data that was presented on how COVID-19 is disproportionately impacting women in Vermont, which I learned more about the next day in a joint Committee hearing with the House Commerce and Economic Development Committee and the Joint Fiscal Office. The focus of that meeting spotlighted Vermont having the highest unemployment claims for women in the US and the lack of childcare reinforcing those numbers, both crucial issues that face Vermont families. By Rep. Hango.

New Climate, Social Justice And Jobs Coalition Launches In Vermont (WAMC, 1/19/21)
Rights and Democracy Movement Politics Director Kiah Morris is a member of the Vermont Commission on Women. She hosted the virtual launch of Vermont Renews.  “Our current systems are deeply dysfunctional, rooted in historical oppressions and fragile. And when those fragile systems break it is the Vermonters who have been systemically kept out of the places of power that are the most impacted: Abenaki and indigenous persons, racial and ethnic minorities, LGBTQIA ( Outright Action International: LGBTQIA – Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and/or Questioning, Intersex, and Asexual and/or Ally) individuals, individuals with disabilities, senior citizens, New Americans and our migrant community, our youth and our young adults, our poor and our working poor are the ones who carry the weight of policies of systems gone wrong.”

WDEV Vermont Viewpoint: 251 Club of Vermont and Vermont Women’s Fund  (Vermont Viewpoint | WDEV Radio podcast, 1/11/21)
We hear about the work of the Vermont Women’s Fund, which supports the self-sufficiency, and economic and social equality of Vermont’s women and girls.

Event Promotes Awareness of COVID-19 Impact on Vermont women (Vermont Business Magazine, 1/8/21)
The Vermont Commission on Women (VCW) starts the new legislative session with a public event examining how the COVID-19 pandemic impacts economic aspects of women’s lives, especially for women of color in our state.

Event Promotes Awareness of Covid-19 Impact on Women  (VTDigger, 1/7/21)
VCW’s Legislative After-Dinner Coffee & Conversation event, taking place Thursday evening, January 14th from 7:00 – 8:30 PM, features a panel discussion with experts, an exploration of issues in small group conversations, and a wrap up Q & A session

Legislative After-Dinner Coffee & Conversation: The Disproportionate Impact of COVID-19 on Women (Rutland Herald, 1/6/21)
VCW’s Legislative After-Dinner Coffee & Conversation event, taking place Thursday evening, January 14th from 7:00 – 8:30 PM, features a panel discussion with experts, an exploration of issues in small breakout room conversations, and a wrap up Q & A session. Panelists will include new VCW Commissioner Kiah Morris, Executive Director of Mercy Connections Lisa Falcone, and UVM Professor of Economics Stephanie Seguino.

 

2020

December 2020

Morris, Durfee Appointed to VCW (Sun Community News, 12/28/20)
Outgoing Speaker of the House Mitzi Johnson has appointed Kiah Morris of Bennington and Kerin Durfee of Burlington to serve on the Vermont Commission on Women (VCW), the state’s commission working to advance rights and opportunities for women and girls.

How we love our essential workers … or do we?  (Stowe Reporter, 12/30/21)
Never in the history of the word “essential” has it been used so frequently to mean so very much and so precious little as it has in 2020…
The pandemic has taken a disproportionate toll on Black and brown communities, and women. As we should all know by now, the disparities exposed by COVID-19 have always been there and far too many among us benefit from them.

Kiah Morris and Kerin Durfee appointed to Vermont Commission on Women (VTDigger 12/23/20)
“We’re thrilled to have Kiah and Kerin,” said VCW Executive Director Cary Brown, “and we’re especially grateful to have a Commission that more fully represents Vermonters, recognizes the necessity of dismantling structural inequities and injustice, and moves us toward a vision of Vermont that embraces all its people.”

Speaker announces appointments to Vermont Commission on Women  (VTDigger, 12/22/20)
Speaker of the House Mitzi Johnson is pleased to appoint Kiah Morris and Kerin Durfee to the Vermont Commission on Women (VCW), effective immediately.  Both will join the non-partisan state government commission composed of 16 commissioners from all regions of the state that advise the legislative and executive branches on issues related to the rights of women and how to foster economic opportunity for them.

Alison Lamagna: What Women Really Want for the Holidays: A Better Future  (VTDigger, 12/21/20)
The Vermont Commission on Women's Covid-19 dashboard indicates that women filed 74% of unemployment claims in October 2020.

Hard to See People as ‘Other’ When it’s a Neighbor, Family (Stowe Reporter, 12/10/20)
Representation matters. Shattering glass ceilings. These phrases are most often used when talking about future opportunities little girls and young people of color can envision for themselves, but it is so much more than that.

A Discussion with the Chair of Vermont’s Commission on Women (The Forum|Westminster College, 12/8/20)
In this Westminster College podcast series, Forum contributor Riley Levine sits down with Lisa Senecal: Chair of the Vermont Commission on Women, co-founder of the Maren Group, host of Lincoln Project TV’s “Vote For America” and host and creator of upcoming LPTV show “We’re Speaking.”  Senecal talks about what it means to serve as the chair of the Vermont Commission on Women, and her experience running the Maren Group: A collective working to eradicate sexual assault and harrassment in the work place. She also discusses what it’s like to be a host and creator of political television series for The Lincoln Project.

“We Still Have a Long Way to Go” (Norwich Record: The Alumni Magazine Of Norwich University)
Vermont Commission on Women Executive Director Cary Brown M’10 on the continued pay gap for women, glass ceilings, glass cliffs, and the transformative power of Generation Z.

 

November 2020

We Care 2, Member-Directed Giving: Green Mountain United Way (VSECU, 11/24/20)
A majority of our current sites employ essential workers whose lives have been dramatically impacted by COVID-19. In Vermont, 91% of nurses in VT are women, and 82% of other health care workers are women. 47.1% of VT households headed by women with minor children under 5 years old are in poverty vs 14% male-headed households with children under 5 years of age are in poverty. 26.9% of black women in VT are living in poverty. This is twice the rate of white women in poverty and higher than the national average for black women.  *Data source: Vermont Commission on Women

 

October 2020

At Trial, Inmate Alleges Unsanitary Conditions in Women's Prison Showers (Seven Days, 10/21/20)
Inmates have complained for years about conditions at Chittenden Regional. In a February 2012 report, community leaders associated with the Vermont Commission on Women and other area nonprofits wrote that there were “recurring worms and sewer flies in the shower drains” of the facility.

All Female Board a Rarity in Vermont  (Rutland Herald, 10/20/20)
It’s hard to pin down any one reason for the gender disparity on select boards. Brown said some of it may have to do with how society still views women’s roles in child care and leadership. Women in government, she said, hasn’t yet been completely normalized…‘But in general the kinds of things that keep women from serving are conflicts with family responsibilities and things like being able to have child care so you can go to select board meetings at night on a regular basis,’ said Brown.

Schubart: Criminal justice reform in Vermont, real progress (Vermont Business Magazine, 10/14/20)
The newest player on the block is the Women’s Justice and Freedom Initiative, founded and headed by Ashley Messier, formerly incarcerated at the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility, and then a lead organizer for ACLU-VT’s Smart Justice Campaign , as well as the Vermont organizer for the National Council of Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls, and a newly appointed member of the Vermont Commission on Women.

The House race for Chittenden-8-1: Marybeth Redmond (St. Albans Messenger, 10/13/20)
A former journalist, professor at Saint Michael’s College, and partner in Vermont Story Lab, Redmond serves on the Vermont Commission on Women and is a co-founder of writing inside VT which gives a written voice for the incarcerated women in Vermont’s prisons. Redmond was named the 2020 Vermont Mother of the Year by American Mothers, Inc.

A Call to Exempt Menstrual Products from Sales Tax (Rep Colburn Webpage/Mikaela McSharry, a University of Vermont legislative Intern, fall 2020)
I’m sharing this fantastic research authored by Mikaela McSharry, a University of Vermont legislative intern. (Citation) Vermont Commission on Women. Taxation of Menstrual Supplies in Vermont Info Sheet, 2019.

 

September 2020

Senecal: Justice Ginsburg's Genius was that she Taught us How to Row (VTDigger, 9/27/20)
Justice Ginsburg’s legacy of legal arguments and victories as an attorney, and her majority opinions on the Supreme Court, changed lives and our country for the better. Yet, despite her great body of work, we remain a flawed nation with inequities that cannot be left to stand. She moved us closer to being “a more perfect union” as our Constitution’s preamble describes, but Justice Ginsburg left us all with much to do. And that’s the superpower of the leader type of hero: She taught us how to row toward shore, while lifting others and teaching them along the way.

Giving Back: Vermont Works for Women Equity, Empowerment, & Excellence (Vermont Magazine, September 2020)
Vermont Works for Women also works to close the pay gap between male and female workers in Vermont through its involvement in the “Change the Story” initiative. Partnering with the Vermont Women’s Fund and the Vermont Commission on Women, VWW collaborates with policymakers, philanthropists, and key community partners to fast-track the economic progress of working women in Vermont.

Week in Review (Norwich Newsroom, 9/25/20)
An information session on state and local government internships will run 10 to 11 a.m., featuring guests from Vermont’s Governor and Lt. Governor’s Office, the Vermont Chamber of Commerce, the Vermont Commission on Women and the Vermont Fuel Dealer’s Association.

New statistics show women disproportionately impacted by pandemic  (WVNY/WFFF Local 22/44, 9/8/20)
Lisa Senecal, Chair of the Vermont Commission on Women says that in Vermont, 91% of nurses, 82% of health care workers, and 82% of personal care workers are women.

Kellie Campbell & Hannah Lane: Women bear brunt of Covid child care and education  (VTDigger, 9/2/20)
Policy decisions regarding education and child care are gendered. That is a fact that must not be ignored. As public schools in Vermont reopen using a variety of learning models, data signals working women stand to bear the brunt of the impacts. Women experience this from multiple sides: They continue to be primarily responsible for the majority of child-rearing and caregiving, and they make up the vast majority of Vermont’s teachers and child care providers. Many educators will feel this burden doubly, balancing their careers and the needs of their students with the needs of their own children.

Late Summer Legislative Session and Covid-19 Challenges For Women  (Dave Gram Show | WDEV Radio podcast, 9/1/20)
Later, Kellie Campbell and Cary Brown of the Vermont Commission on Women talk about how the challenges created by the pandemic have fallen disproportionately on women.

 

August 2020

COVID-19, Women, Child Care and Education (Sun Community News, 8/30/20)
Kellie Campbell is chair of the Vermont Commission on Women's Education & Human Development Committee and Hannah Lane is a policy analyst 

Kellie Campbell and Hannah Lane: Women should not bear full brunt of COVID's impact on education, child care (Brattleboro Reformer, 8/28/20)
Economic support for families with lost earning potential due to COVID's impacts must be built in to ensure success. Vermont parents need adequate.

Kellie Campbell and Hannah Lane: COVID-19, Women, Child Care And Education (Manchester Journal, 8/27/20)
Policy decisions regarding education and child care are gendered. That is a fact that must not be ignored. As public schools in Vermont reopen using a variety of learning models, data signals working women stand to bear the brunt of the impacts. Women experience this from multiple sides: they continue to be primarily responsible for the majority of child-rearing and caregiving, and they make up the vast majority of Vermont's teachers and child care providers.

Campbell & Lane: COVID-19, women, child care and education (Vermont Business Magazine, 8/27/20)
Many educators will feel this burden doubly, balancing their careers and the needs of their students with the needs of their own children.

Women’s Legislative Caucus: Support relief payments to undocumented workers, families (VTDigger, 8/27/20)
We, the undersigned members of the Women’s Legislative Caucus, support the creation of a Coronavirus Relief Fund for immigrant and undocumented workers and their families in Vermont.  Our caucus works closely with the Vermont Commission on Women to address issues that impact the economic security of Vermont families, and we represent a range of political perspectives.

Senecal: Our American history is what makes nomination of Kamala Harris so consequential (VTDigger, 8/27/20)
Lisa Senecal of Stowe is a columnist for VTDigger. A fourth-generation Vermonter who grew up in Orange, she is a writer, co-founder of the Maren Group and chairperson of the Vermont Commission on Women.

Suffrage anniversary commemorations highlight racial divide  (WCAX-TV, 8/26/20)
Former Gov. Madeleine Kunin discusses her experiences and Vermont's history of women in politics. “There are 7 million more women in the U.S., in this country, than men. We hold the power to change our laws, our leaders, our lives and the world. And although this year marks the first 100th year of suffrage, it doesn’t need to take another 100 years to make those changes a reality,” said Lisa Senecal, the chair of the Vermont Commission on Women

Vt. Gathering Commemorates Women's Voting Rights, Yet Advocates Hope for More Achievements  (WPTZ-TV NBC, 8/26/20)
Vermont is the only state to not yet elect a woman to the U.S. House or U.S. Senate.  "Vermont should never be last in something like this again," said Lisa Senecal, the chair of the nonpartisan Vermont Commission on Women, which works to advance opportunities for women and girls. "Women's voices are important. We are more than 50% of the population in our state, that does not have female representation at the federal level, and that really has to change."

State leaders reflect on suffrage centennial (VTDigger, 8/25/20)
Vermont Commission on Women Director, Cary Brown. “One hundred years after White women received the right to vote, I will be the first woman of ...

DNC delegates voice hope and ‘terror’ about 2020 election (Vermont Conversation with David Goodman | VTDigger podcast, 8/19/20)
VCW Commissioner Lisa Ryan served as a delegate for Bernie Sanders and was interviewed.

Ashley Messier of Jericho appointed to Vermont Commission on Women  (VTDigger, 8/18/20)
The Vermont Commission on Women is the only entity in Vermont that expressly considers the broader implications of state policy and budget ...

Families Face Tough Decisions About School, Childcare and Jobs (Seven Days, 8/15/20)
A recent report from the Vermont Commission on Women found that 43.9 percent of separated women in Vermont live with minor children, compared ...

Families Face Tough Decisions About School, Childcare and Jobs  (Kids Vermont, 8/10/20)
Women are often hardest hit when it comes to childcare issues. A recent report from the Vermont Commission on Women found that 43.9 percent of separated women in Vermont live with minor children, compared with 21.6 percent of separated men. "Nationally, women are four times more likely than men to take time off from work when children are sick," the report continues. Experts believe childcare needs contribute to the wage gap between men and women, which persists in Vermont.

 

July 2020

New Report Examines Impacts of COVID-19 on Vermont Women (The World, 7/21/20)
“The economic downturn associated with the pandemic makes women more vulnerable to financial instability,” said Cary Brown, the commission’s executive director, “Our dashboard reveals that a higher percentage of April’s unemployment claims were made by women: 46% vs. 40% by men.  Our state has the highest percentage of women working at tipped wage jobs in the U.S.: 81% of those workers are women, and those jobs were largely shut down.  Nationwide, women-owned businesses are more likely to be small and in service sectors most impacted by the crisis, like personal or retail services.”

Sarah Mell of Winooski appointed to Vermont Commission on Women  (VT Biz, 7/15/20)
Mell has worked not only in a variety of academic settings, but as an independent consultant, and in nonprofit organizations, including Planned Parenthood of Northern New England and HOPE Works. About joining the Commission at this time, they observed, “If COVID-19 has done anything for our state, I think it has made it clear that our community is both resilient and in need of a new focus on dismantling systems that separate us, and creating connections for us to grow together.”

Vermont grants for women, minority-owned businesses  (Sun Community News, 7/12/20)
The Vermont Commission on Women is assisting with outreach efforts to Vermont’s small minority and women-owned businesses to let them know about new grant money available through Vermont's Economic recovery Grant program. These grants are for 51% women-owned and minority-owned businesses with zero to five employees. That includes people who are self-employed.

Commission on women report  (Vt Business Magazine, 7/9/20)
the covid-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted women in vermont, according to a recent report by the vermont commission on women. Women make up 81% of vermont's tipped wage earners, the highest rate in the country, are more likely to be in roles deemed as "essential". Additionally, women make up a disproportionate share of those earning less than $11 an hour and those in part-time positions. This makes them less likely to qualify for benefits like paid leave or health insurance.

Vermont grants for women-owned and minority-owned businesses (Vt Business Magazine, 7/9/20)
The Vermont Commission on Women is assisting with outreach efforts to vermont’s small minority and women owned businesses to let them know about new grant money available through the state of vermont's economic recovery grant program. These grants are for 51% women-owned and minority-owned businesses with zero - five employees. That includes people who are self-employed. Grant applications will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis, and applications opened July 6.  Businesses should apply using the vermont agency of commerce and community development (accd)'s recovery grant resource center at: accd.vermont.gov/covid-19/economicrecovery-grants. Technical assistance is available from the partnership for fairness and diversity and the center for women and enterprise, and more information is also available from our website and newsletter.

Concerning data on how covid-19 affects women in vermont (WCAX-TV, 7/3/20)
There are concerning new numbers surrounding covid-19 and its impact on women in vermont. Our celine mcarthur spoke with the executive director of the vermont commission on women to break down the numbers and find out what it all means.

Smith et al: Reshape child care, Women's Work  (Rutland Herald, 7/1/20)
Now is the time for Vermont to realign its resources to build a child care system to support our children and working families, to combat gender and racial inequity in the workplace and to aid Vermont’s economic and social recovery from this devastating pandemic.

New report examines disproportional impact of pandemic on Vermont women (Mountain Times, 7/1/20)

 

June 2020

Smith, Brown et al.: Reshape Child Care – and ‘Women’s Work’ – for Good  (VTDigger, 6/30/20)
Our coalition committed to equity and advancing women’s economic power in our state is calling for Vermont to commit to solving our child care crisis. We believe Covid-19 relief funds should be targeted to address child care as an economic, workforce development issue because a strong Vermont requires a robust and affordable system of high-quality child care. We must pay early educators livable wages that reflect their expertise and value their work.

Report: COVID-19 Disproportionately Impacts Women's Health, Work & Financial Security (Podcast: Vermont Edition on VPR, 6/30/20)
A new state report finds women in Vermont have been disproportionately affected by the coronavirus. The COVID-19 disease itself has affected their personal health, but the economic downturn associated with the pandemic has also seen a uniquely large impact on women's financial stability and economic security. This hour, we'll take a close look at the report's findings with Cary Brown, executive director of the Vermont Commission on Women and Brattleboro Rep. Emilie Kornheiser, a member of the commission working on possible legislative solutions.

Vermont Women and COVID19  (Kaiser Health News, Kaiser Family Foundation,  6/29/20)
Women across vermont may be disproportionately impacted by the covid-19 pandemic, according to a recent report compiled by the vermont commission on women. The report, released thursday, collects data around the demographics of frontline workers, the number of women who have tested positive for covid-19 in vermont, and economic and social challenges tied to the shutdown of businesses.

New report examines impacts of COVID-19 crisis on Vermont women (MSN, 6/27/20)

New Vermont report highlights gender disparities in COVID-19 impact  (Burlington Free Press, 6/27/20)
Women across Vermont may be disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a recent report compiled by the Vermont ...

Act 250 and COVID-19’s Effects on Women (Podcast: Dave Gram Show by WDEV Radio, 6/26/20)

OpEd: Vermont should use the pandemic to reshape child care and women's work for good  (Vt Biz, 6/26/20)
Meg Smith, Director, Vermont Women's Fund. Cary Brown, Executive Director, Vermont Commission on Women. Rhoni Basden, Executive Director, ...

New report examines impacts of COVID-19 crisis on Vermont women (VTDigger, 6/25/20)
“The economic downturn associated with the pandemic makes women more vulnerable to financial instability,” said Cary Brown, the commission's ...

Report: COVID impacting women more than men  (Rutland Herald, 6/25/20)

Report: COVID impacting women more than men (Times Argus, 6/25/20)

News for your Friday  (WTSA, 6/26/20)
The Vermont Commission on Women just released a new data dashboard report focusing on the ways the COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately and uniquely impacted women. For those who work in childcare and for those that rely on childcare to work, the loss of jobs and access have real and potentially lasting economic impacts for women. June 1^st marked the first date childcare programs could reopen, but with limitations on numbers of children and challenging new health protocols. Some programs are closing, further limiting availability. Before COVID-19, over 70% of Vermont children 6 and under had all available parents in the labor force – the need for more quality affordable care is now likely greater than ever.

Oped: Vermont Should Use the Pandemic to Reshape Child Care and Women's Work for Good  (Vermont Biz, 6/26/20)
We must consider the alarmingly disparate impact of COVID-19 on Black and Brown communities, and remember that women of color are disproportionately employed in essential and low wage jobs. Equitable access to high-quality early childhood education is one key component to addressing the deeply rooted racial disparities in our nation.

New report examines impacts of COVID crisis on Vermont women (Vermont Biz, 6/25/20)
Vermont Commission on Women (VCW) is a non-partisan state commission working to advance rights and opportunities for women and girls. Sixteen ...

Final Reading  (VTDigger, 6/5/20)
Cary Brown, executive director of the Vermont Commission on Women, said the bill would not only benefit women candidates who historically have had to bear the brunt of child-rearing responsibilities.  “That is one of the teeny little tiny steps we can take to shift the culture a little bit,” Brown said, referring to the adoption of the bill. “So the expectation is that parents are equally taking care of children and it’s not falling disproportionately on women.”

Vermont Works for Women’s The Riveter  (June 2020 edition)
Our partner, The Vermont Commission on Women, has compiled a resource list containing the voices of black women, anti-racist tools and resources you can use, and news about what Vermont is doing to combat systemic racism.

 

May 2020

Austerity + cuts to government spending prove ineffective in restoring growth after a crisis - and actually increase inequalities.
(Powerpoint Presentation: UVM Economics Professor Stephanie Seguino’s presentation to the Women’s Legislative Caucus “Alternatives to Budget Cuts: Evidence-based principles to guide legislative decisions.”)

COVID-19 and a Laundry List of Economic Inequities (Video & Podcast: WVEW’s Montpelier Happy Hour show with Olga Peters, 5/22/20)
Podcast link | Video link
A conversation highlighting COVID-19 response inspired policy changes to reduce income inequality with Rep. Emilie Kornheiser and Cary Brown of the Vermont Commission on Women, and UVM Prof. Stephanie Seguino

As the Covid-19 economic crisis unfolds, Vermont women stand to be hit hardest  (VTDigger, 5/13/20)
Vermont women make up a majority of workers on the frontline and in some of the sectors hardest hit by the pandemic...“We know where women are starting, which is that more of them are concentrated in low wage jobs, more of them are tipped workers." Cary Brown, VCW

Women's Suffrage: One Event, Many Perspectives (Front Porch Forum, 5/12/20)
Ethan Allen Homestead Museum, in partnership with League of Women Voters of Vermont, the Vermont Commission on Women, and Vermont ...

Cary Brown: In VSC Debate, Center on Equity and Access (VTDigger, 5/4/20)
…but as in so many aspects of our society right now, the Covid-19 pandemic has brought challenges to the forefront that the Vermont State Colleges System has faced for decades. In this area as in others, the challenges we face also present opportunities to think creatively about what recovery should look like for all Vermonters. How we respond will demonstrate if we have the vision and resolve to address long-standing inequities, enabling us to create a state that emerges stronger and more resilient.

 

April 2020

Vermont and the Equal Rights Amendments: A Case Against Exceptionalism  (Vermont History, journal of the Vermont Historical Society)
Marilyn S. Blackwell, Ph.D., independent scholar, author, and teacher focused on the history of the Equal Rights Amendment in Vermont for this detailed piece, published in 2019 and available to the public in 2020.  Informative and illuminating, this story delves into the complexities of this effort, which took place during the late 1970’s and 1980’s, and prominently features the work and members of VCW, then named the Governor’s Commission on the Status of Women (GCW).  “Rather than an exceptional case, Vermonters’ engagement with the ERA involved a complex interplay between national and state political and social developments.”

After the virus, I hope for the Great Balancing (Stowe Reporter, 4/16/20)
If there’s anything good that can come out of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s that obstacles and inequities were laid bare for those who had been privileged enough to ignore them.

 

March 2020

Equal Pay Day Recognizes Gender Wage Gap and COVID...  (Vermont Journal, 3/30/20)
In Vermont, the median annual income for women who work full-time is $41,146. That’s about $8,000 less than the median annual salary of men, equating to a loss or a “wage gap” of 16 cents to every dollar earned. While the gender wage gap in Vermont has narrowed over time, progress is slow: in 2007, the wage gap was about 16 cents on the dollar. Since then it has risen almost as much as it has dropped.

Hannah Lane: The Gender Wage Gap for Doubters (VTDigger, 3/26/20)
We have identified three key contributors to the gender wage gap: occupational segregation; time out of the labor force; and gender norms, bias, discrimination, and violence. 

Votes for Women: 100 Years After Suffrage Movement  (The Other Paper, 3/26/20)
Jessie Forand of South Burlington’s Other Paper wrote this excellent article on the March 19th Vermont Historical Society’s Third Thursday presentation by VSCA’s Lyn Blackwell and Rachel Onuf on the Vermont suffrage movement.   

Equal Pay Day Recognizes Gender Wage Gap And COVID-19 Impact  (Vt Business Magazine, 3/26/20)
“Of course, in addition to the wage gap, we’re concerned about income and job loss for Vermont women and their families, and the long term economic impact of COVID-19,” said Cary Brown, Executive Director of the Vermont Commission on Women. “We know from our partnership initiative Change The Story VT’s latest report, Women, Work, and Wages in Vermont, that women make up 53.5% of Vermonters who earn less than $11.00 an hour.  Those women aren’t students; their median age is 38 years old, and 28% have at least some post-secondary education.  We also know from this research that over 81% of Vermont’s tipped workers are women -  the highest rate in the nation.  Lower-wage and tipped workers are experiencing dramatic income and job loss as businesses close to prevent coronavirus spread.”

Lead the Way for Equal Pay: Tools and Strategies to Change the Story on Pay Equity, VCW webinar for our Equal Pay Compact Signers (Video: VCW's YouTube channel, 3/19/20)
New and current Compact signers were cordially invited to this special event the morning of Thursday, March 19th via video conference.  Features host VCW Commissioner Kerry Secrest, with our director, Cary Brown, Tiffany Bluemle of our Change The Story Vt partnership initiative, and featuring Ariana Wammer of Burton Global, Kadie Brenes of PC Construction, and JP Ishaq of OnLogic talking about gender equity in the workplace.  Huge thanks for technical assistance to our VCW Commissioner, Kellie Campbell.

Mary Daly: The Angst Of The New Corona Virus (Caledonia Record, 3/17/20)
For the past two mornings I have been at NVRH screening visitors at their front door. I was told that the numbers of visitors is down from the normal. We were all thankful for that. Everyone understood the need to be screened and cooperated nicely. Know that I am a retired nurse with 50 years of experience prior to retirement.

PC Construction Signs on to Vermont Equal Pay Compact during Women in Construction Week (VTDigger, 3/12/20) 
PC Construction announced today that it has joined over 180 other Vermont companies in signing on to a Vermont Equal Pay ...

VHFA signs Vermont Equal Pay Compact (Vermont Housing Finance Agency, 3/13/20)
The Vermont Commission on Women offers signers support and strategies for creating an equitable workforce. “VHFA is excited to show its support for ...

As The Coronavirus Spreads, What Happens To Vermont’s Hourly Workers? (VTDigger, 3/11/20)
School closures or child care closures because of illness are going to be a real scramble for families who cannot work from home,” said Sue Minter, executive director of Capstone Community Action, an organization that works with low-income Vermonters.

State Resource To Help Address Sexual Harassment In Workplace (VT Business Magazine, 3/8/20)
Cary Brown, Executive Director of the Vermont Commission on Women, has announced new resources available now from the Workplaces For All public education program, workplacesforall.vermont.gov, to make workers, employers, and all Vermonters aware of laws that apply to them, their legal rights, methods of reporting, where to find information, strategies for prevention, and ways to address sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace 

Website Available To Help You Understand Workplace Rights (Mountain Times, 3/4/20)
The Vermont Commission on Women announced that new resources are available from the Workplaces For All public education program at workplacesforall.vermont. gov.

 

February 2020

Harvey Weinstein Case and Democratic Primaries (Podcast: Dave Gram Show, WDEV Radio, 2/25/20
Lisa Senecal of the Vermont Commission on Women joins Dave to talk about the verdict in the Harvey Weinstein case. Middlebury College political science Prof. Matthew Dickinson talks with Dave about the road ahead in Democratic primaries.

Business funding available for Vt. women (Addison County Independent, 2/24/20) 
... leadership work, including the work of its partnership with the Vermont Commission on Women and Vermont Works for Women: Change The Story, 

Rhoni Basden: Gender pay gap starts with allowances (VTDigger, 2/23/20)
The most recent Change The Story Women, Work and Wages in Vermont

Society grapples with two realities of Harvey Weinstein  (Stowe Reporter 2/20/20)
The evidence is in. Closing arguments have been made. It’s now up to 12 people to decide the fate of fallen Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein.  

League of Women Voters of Vermont’s Criminal Justice in VT Speaker Series: Racial Bias in Criminal Justice (Video: ORCA Media, 2/20/20)

A new kind of medicine (North Star Monthly, 2/25/20)
The first time I heard the term Functional Medicine (FM) was soon after my mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease. Article by VCW Commissioner Lisa Carlson.

Equal Pay Advocacy Skates Into Essex (Essex Reporter, 2/10/20)
CTS is a multi-year initiative which aims to align philanthropy, policy, and program to fast track women’s economic well-being in Vermont. Along with Vermont Works for Women, it partners with the Vermont Women’s Fund and the Vermont Commission on Women. Change the Story launched in 2015 with a project to collect baseline data related to women’s work, wages, business ownership--as well as in civic, political, education, and corporate leadership roles.

Vermonters Discuss Civil Rights (Video: Northwest Access TV, 2/5/20)
Local Educator Jason Barney hosted this discussion on Martin Luther King Jr. Day at the NWA Studio. Guests were Faith Leader Roy V. Hill II, VT Works for Women Executive director Rhoni Basden, Change the Story Communications Director Aly Johnson-Kurts and MVSD educator Jeff Benay. Race, poverty, wage equality all highlighted as part of this thoughtful and powerful presentation. 

Vermont Research News: Transportation, lottery tickets ... (Vermont Business Magazine,  2/4/20)
Women are the primary earners in 47% of Vermont families, according to Change the Story VT’s updated report on “Women, Work, and Wages in Vermont.” The report focuses on women’s economic status and includes statistics on the gender wage gap in Vermont, exploring factors that lower women’s earnings.

 

January 2020

League of Women Voters of Vermont’s Criminal Justice in Vermont Speaker Series: Implicit Bias (Video: ORCA Media, 1/22/20)  

Grants offered to help women train for careers (Addison County Independent, 1/30/20)
The Vermont Women's Fund was established in 1994 as an enduring ... A council of women from around Vermont advises the fund and participates in its ... of Change The Story: women and girls on the pathway to viable careers.

New data key to closing the gender pay gap  (Vermont Community Newspaper Group, 1/23/20)
The Vermont Commission on Women, a state agency that works to advance opportunities for girls and women, has been around for 55 years.

Cary Brown: #MeToo At Work (VTDigger, 1/23/20)
ur phone rings at the Vermont Commission on Women nearly every day with people calling looking for help, information, and support. Many of those calls come with stories about sexual harassment at work. We hear from people whose bosses or coworkers are harassing them; we hear from individuals who have witnessed harassment; we hear from employers who are looking for ways to protect their employees and cultivate a great workplace. 

Jogbra Developers Say Invention Promotes Women's Empowerment  (Video: WCAX, 1/22/20)
Tiffany Bluemle is director of Change the Story, a local organization working to fast track women's economic well-being globally. She says the Jogbra was about speaking up about the ongoing fight for equal rights.  "It has enabled women a kind of physical freedom that is, I think, symbolic of freedom in general. The ability to make choices for yourself about what you want to do with your body," she said. 

Women don’t make a ‘choice’ to earn less than men  (Stowe Reporter, 1/23/20)
A couple decides that they are ready to start a family. They both work in the same field, same experience and qualifications, but the man in t… 

Funding for organizations that support career pathways for women  (Vermont Journal 1/16/20)
... its grant-making and leadership work, including the work of its partnership with the Vermont Commission on Women and Vermont Works for Women ... 

Nitka’s notes from the Statehouse  (Vermont Journal, 1/31/20)
A very nice honor was bestowed on a Vermont Legislator this month. Representative Mary Beth Redmond of Essex was named Vermont Mother of the Year by American Mothers Inc. She is the 61st recipient of the award and was granted it for her work in the Legislature, the Women’s Caucus, and for serving on the Vermont Commission on Women. She has also worked for various nonprofit organizations supporting women and girls, new Americans, and incarcerated populations. She is married and the mother of two sons. 

 Wonder Women of the NEK (North Star Monthly, 1/30/20)
“Change the Story,” is an initiative designed to fast-track women’s economic status in Vermont. It is associated with the Vermont Commission on Women, the Vermont Women’s Fund, and Vermont Works for Women. In 2017, Change the Story produced its fourth in a series of reports regarding Vermont women and leadership in sectors of political, civic and professional circles. Highlights were that 50 percent of Vermont Universities and Colleges have female presidents and female participation in the Vermont General Assembly is the second-highest in the country. Three of five of the Vermont Supreme Court Justices are women.

Funding Available To Support Career Pathways For Women And Girls (St. Albans Messenger, 1/10/20)   

Essex Junction’s Marybeth Redmond named 2020 Vermont Mother of the Year  (St. Albans Messenger, 1/9/20)
Marybeth Redmond of Essex Junction was announced on Jan. 9 as the American Mothers, Inc. (AMI) 2020 Vermont Mother of the Year--becoming the 61st recipient of the accolade.

New Resource Helps Vermonters Address Sexual Harassment, Workplace Discrimination (Caledonian Record, 1/18/20)
Cary Brown, executive director of the Vermont Commission on Women, announced new resources available today from the Workplaces For All public education program, workplacesforall.vermont.gov, to make workers, employers, and all Vermonters aware of laws that apply to them, their legal rights, methods of reporting, where to find information, strategies for prevention, and ways to address sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace.

New state resource to help address sexual harassment and workplace discrimination  (Vermont Business Magazine, 1/9/20)
Cary Brown, Executive Director of the Vermont Commission on Women, has announced new resources available today from the ...

New state government resource to help Vermonters address sexual harassment and workplace discrimination (VTDigger, 1/10/20)
In addition to the website, the Workplaces For All public education program includes radio and television public service announcements, social media and search engine advertising, and printed informational materials. These materials and resources have a fresh look, featuring new photography of Vermont workplaces.

News For Your Thursday, January 9th (WTSA)
The Vermont Commission on Women has a new public education program, work places for all dot vermont dot gov. The goal is to make workers, employers, and all Vermonters aware of laws, and ways to address sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace. The campaign is a result of legislation which allocated funds to the Vermont Commission on Women to assist workers, employers, and members of the public.

Why are so many women poor? Breaking out of the gender poverty trap  (Podcast: The Vermont Conversation w/David Goodman, WDEV Radio, 1/15/20)
Why are women a disproportionate share of Vermonters in poverty? Why are 4 out of 10 women who work full time unable to meet their basic needs? Why do women earn 84 cents for every dollar earned by a man? What does it cost a young mom to take a few years off to raise kids? These questions and more are the focus of a report on Women, Work & Wages from Change the Story Vermont, an initiative to align policy, program, and philanthropy to fast-track women’s economic status in Vermont.

Funding available to support career pathways for women and girls  (St. Albans Messenger, 1/10/20)
A council of women from around Vermont advises the Fund and participates in its grantmaking and leadership work, including the work of its partnership with the Vermont Commission on Women and Vermont Works for Women—Change The Story—an initiative seeking to fast-track women’s economic security in Vermont.

Sexual harassment, Water Quality and Agriculture (Podcast: Dave Gram Show, WDEV Radio, 1/9/20)
Chair Lisa Senecal and Executive Director Cary Brown of the Vermont Commission on Women join Dave for a discussion about new resources and possible legislation to combat sexual harassment in the workplace.

Vermont Women's Fund Helps Girls' Soccer Team Open #EqualPay DAF  (Philanthopy Women, 1/5/20)
The young players sought out logistical and strategic support from Change The Story VT, an initiative fueled by the Vermont Women’s Fund, Vermont Commission on Women, and Vermont Works for Women that is committed to fast-tracking women’s economic security to benefit women, their families, and the Vermont economy.

Watch Kate Troiano’s video about Change the Story’s Work (Video: 4 minutes) ​ ​

 

2019

December 2019

Change The Story VT launches report on women's economic status  (Local 22/44 News, 12/19/19)

Report highlights women’s economic struggles  (Times Argus, 12/18/19)

Advocates say new data is key to closing the gender pay gap   (VtDigger, 12/18/19)

Report highlights women's economic struggles  (Eagle Times, 1/18/19)

How a Vt. group is working to change the gender wage gap   (WCAX, 12/18/19)

Commission on Women issues statement in response to allegations of abuse in prison (VT Biz, 12/17/19)

Vermont Commission on Women’s statement on the allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse of Vermont’s incarcerated women  (VTDigger, 12/17/19)

Vt. Commission on Women responds to prison abuse scandal  (WCAX, 12/15/19)

Making it in Vermont: Fat Toad Farm (VtDigger, 12/8/19)

Vermont equal pay movement lands in top year-end magazines (VT Biz, 12/11/19)

UVM Student video about the Work of Change The Story, featuring VCW Chair Lisa Senecal, among others.

 

November 2019

Vermont Commission on Women welcomes Anna Brouillette (Vermont Biz, 11/5/19)

Ed Adrian: Soccer, equal pay and the secret lives of seahorses (VtDigger, 11/5/19)
Four of the team members then took off their jerseys to reveal #EqualPay T-shirts, developed in coordination with Change The Story Vermont a local ...

Keeping Kids Healthy  (North Star Monthly, 11/27/19)
Former President Harry Truman said, "A Nation is only as healthy as its children."  Article by VCW Commissioner Lisa Carlson.

Vermont Women's Fund welcomes three to statewide council (Vermont Biz, 11/5/19)
Change The Story, started in 2015, is a three-way collaboration with the ...

League of Women Voters of Vermont's Criminal Justice in VT Speaker Series: Prison Healthcare (Video | ORCA Media, 11/19)

 

October 2019

League of Women Voters of Vermont’s Criminal Justice in VT Speaker Series: Impact of Incarceration: Women, Families, Society (Video | ORCA Media, 10/9/19)

Talk of the town  (Times Argus, 10/2/19) 
Cary Brown, executive director of the Vermont Commission on Women, will moderate Wednesday’s discussion, which will feature panelists Ashley Messier, smart justice organizer for the ACLU of Vermont, Rep. Marybeth Redmond, D-Chittenden, and Kassie Tibbott, coordinator of the Community Legal Information Center.

Resident report: Where locals love to see leaves (Stowe Reporter, 10/10/19)
Writer, member of Vermont Commission on Women, Stowe resident Lisa Senecal Hiking up to Sterling Pond is amazing. If not on foot, the drive from Stowe to Bristol over the Appalachian Gap is spectacular and, if the weather cooperates, ending at Bristol Falls for a swim is one of life’s great pleasures.

Missy Kraus: Finding my path north: From Wall Street to Shelburne Road (VtDigger, 10/8/19)
I believe it is incumbent on those of us who make it through to turn around and encourage others along their path. One way I do this is by serving on the Vermont Women’s Fund, an organization that supports programs to address women’s economic needs and advance gender equity. Among our primary initiatives is Change The Story, a multi-year strategy in collaboration with Vermont Works for Women and the Vermont Commission on Women to fast-track women’s economic status statewide.

Panel discusses issues facing incarcerated women in Vermont (Local 22/44 TV, 10/9/19)
Cary Brown of VCW moderated this discussion of incarcerated women.

 

September 2019

Victoria Foster joins Northern Counties Health (Stowe Today, 9/26/19)
... at the Riverside Life Enrichment Center, supporting older Vermonters, and had an internship at the Vermont Commission on Women, collecting data ...

Gov. Scott appoints member to Vermont Commission on Women  (VTDigger, 9/18/19)
(Montpelier) – Governor Phil Scott has appointed Nancy Brooks of St. Albans to serve on the Vermont Commission on Women (VCW), the state's

Tiff Bluemle: A drive for diversity starts with data (VTDigger, 9/15/19)
If we’re serious about attracting and nurturing diversity, we’ve got to make public the data that public and private organizations can collect.

Brooks named to Vermont Commission on Women  (Rutland Herald, 9/14/19)
Gov. Phil Scott has appointed Nancy Brooks of St. Albans to serve on the Vermont Commission on Women, the state’s non-partisan commission working to advance rights and opportunities for women and girls.

Brooks named to Vermont Commission on Women  (Times Argus, 9/14/19)
Gov. Phil Scott has appointed Nancy Brooks of St. Albans to serve on the Vermont Commission on Women, the state’s non-partisan co…

Governor Scott announces 25 boards and commissions appointments made in August   (Vermont Biz 9/14/19)
Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today

Politics, Honey Beer, and the Ascension of Women  (Dave Gram Show, (WDEV Radio, 9/13/19)
Lisa Senecal and Cary Brown of the Vermont Commission on Women stop in to talk about sexism in the media, culture and politics. (In podcast, starts at minute 52).

Governor Scott Announces 25 Boards and Commissions Appointments Made in August  (Vermont Business Magazine, 9/9/19)
Vermont Commission on Women:  Nancy Brooks of St. Albans and Heidi Tringe of Montpelier

Governor Phil Scott Announces 25 Boards and Commissions   (Vermont.gov 9/9/19)
Governor Phil Scott today announced he appointed 25 Vermonters to state boards and ... Nancy Brooks of St. Albans; Heidi Tringe of Montpelier.

Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center to host Margaret Atwood interview screenings   (VtDigger, 9/9/19)
At a moment in popular culture when issues of feminism, gender equality and social justice are at the forefront, join us for the opportunity to hear an extraordinary discussion with Margaret Atwood.  Atwood’s novels are sarcastic jabs at society as well as identity quests, and role reversal and new beginnings are recurrent themes in her novels.  They are also the drive behind the efforts of our partner organizations who support, advocate and tirelessly advance rights for girls and women in our communities, including...VCW..

Sister, Can You Spare $400?  (Ms. Magazine, 9/4/19)
Yet women today make all the difference, says Change the Story—an alliance of the Vermont Women’s Fund, The Vermont Commission on Women, and Vermont Works for Women whose new Champions of Change campaign has already persuaded more than 140 Vermont businesses to sign on to the Vermont Equal Pay Compact pledging to improve women’s paychecks.

Mary Daly: Independence Should Be For Everyone  (Caledonian-Record, 9/3/19)
Mary Daley, of Barnet, is a former nurse, a member of the Medical Reserve Corp., and serves on the Vermont Commission on Women.

 

August 2019

Women's Equality Day is Monday: Here's where Vermont still falls behind  (BurlingtonFreePress, 8/26/19)
Women are not expected to achieve equal pay until 2048 based on current trends, according to the Status of Women 2015 report.

Jen Oldham: If you give a girl a power tool …  (VTDigger, 8/1/19)
Vermont Works for Women's Director writes this second in a series of monthly Vt Digger commentaries by Change The Story partners examining pay equity.
.… the confidence and knowledge she gains broadens her horizons and uniquely informs how she navigates her future, in a world likely to remain rife with bias.

PPI CFO, Erica Hare, recently appointed to a four-year term on the Vermont Commission on Women (ippi.org, 8/6/19)
“I’m really looking forward to being a part of the furtherance of the work of the mission of the Commission on Women and contribute in any way that I can and be honored to do that,” stated Hare.

 

July 2019

Berlin Woman Appointed to Vt. Commission on Women (Times Argus, 7/29/19)
Hare said she applied for the position to join the commission because, as a finance professional, the commission is a data- and research-driven organization that gathers information about opportunities for women. “I think they’re viewed as a really central resource for information and referral (for women),” Hare said. “I was impressed and have obviously admired their work from a distance and was impressed with their work on data, and really that they are looked to as experts in the state on the status of women in a variety of economic and other measures. I was thrilled to imagine being a part of that.

The Institute of Professional Practice, Inc. Hires New Chief Financial Officer  (VTDigger, 7/28/19)
The Institute of Professional Practice, Inc. (IPPI) has hired Erica Hare as the agency’s new Chief Financial Officer. Erica will lead IPPI’s financial strategy as the agency continues to expand its service reach, unify its financial processes, and plan for future growth and development.

Lisa Senecal - Sexual Harassment: Why You Should Care About It, Even If You Don't - (Video, Ignite Talks Burlington, posted 7/18/19)
VCW Chair Lisa Senecal addressing this issue at Ignite, where speakers have five minutes to talk on a subject accompanied by 20 slides, for 15 seconds each, automatically advanced.

Hare of Berlin Appointed to the Vermont Commission on Women (Vermont Business Magazine, 7/18/19)
The Senate Committee on Committees has appointed Erica Hare of Berlin to serve a four-year term on the Vermont Commission on Women. Ms. Hare is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College and the Stern School of Business at New York University. A dedicated nonprofit leader, Ms. Hare spent her early career managing financial and administrative operations at several Academic Medical Centers in her native New York City.

Vermont Commission on Women Announces New Addition (VTDigger, 7/24/19)
Upon moving to Vermont, she worked at Vermont College of Fine Arts in Montpelier for 10 years as the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. In 2019 Ms. Hare joined the Institute of Professional Practice, a $75M multistate human services agency headquartered in Berlin, as the Chief Financial Officer.

What Matters This Week: Lisa Senecal (Local 22/44 News, aired 7/14/19)
A fourth-generation Vermonter, Lisa Senecal said she developed her voice as a women’s advocate while attending Norwich University, where she was one of just a few civilian women on campus.  She’s a founding partner in a consulting firm that specializes in helping businesses and organizations reduce the risk of sexual harassment and other forms of gender discrimination in the workplace.

Women's Commission Leaders and PFOA (Podcast: Dave Gram Show on WDEV, 7/12/19)
Host Dave Gram starts this radio show with two leaders of the Vermont Commission on Women — Chair Lisa Senecal and Executive Director Cary Brown — talking about a range of issues for the first hour.

US Women's Soccer Win Shines Spotlight on Gender Disparity (WCAX, 7/9/19)
As the U.S. Women's National Soccer team celebrates it's back-to-back World Cups, the discussion about equal pay is kicking into high gear. Vermont officials say the victory is a catalyst for change. "People can really clearly see this as an example where it seems like, they're doing kind of the same. Why aren't they being paid the same?" said Cary Brown with the Vermont Commission on Women.

Workplace Harassment Video Guidance Available (Addison County Independent, 7/8/19)
Cary Brown, Executive Director of the Vermont Commission on Women, said, “far too many people in Vermont feel they are facing the untenable choice of putting up with sexual harassment at work or leaving their job. This tool can help both employers and workers know their rights, understand the law, and create a workplace where all are respected.”

Facing Obstacles Is Universal For Women (VTDigger.org, 7/2/19)
Newly-elected VCW Chair Lisa Senecal wrote this commentary - the first in a series of monthly Vt Digger commentaries by Change The Story partners examining pay equity.
The data doesn’t lie and what it reveals is that most women’s path to the summit is replete with obstacles that put women at an economic and cultural disadvantage. The harm that causes is not limited to women; it damages us all.

AG Releases Educational Tool for Small Businesses on Preventing Sexual Harassment  (Vermont Biz, 6/28/19)
Produced with assistance from WCAX TV, the video contains a roundtable discussion moderated by Tabitha Pohl-Moore, President of the Rutland Area Branch of the NAACP, and features Cary Brown, Executive Director of the Vermont Commission on Women, as well as Shirley Jefferson, Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Diversity at Vermont Law School.  The video defines workplace sexual harassment, explains Vermont employers’ obligations to appropriately respond to claims of sexual harassment, and provides links to resources such as the Vermont Department of Labor’s model sexual harassment policy.

AG Releases Educational Tool For Small Businesses On Preventing Sexual Harassment In The Workplace (VTDigger, 6/28/19)
Cary Brown, Executive Director of the Vermont Commission on Women, stated, “far too many people in Vermont feel they are facing the untenable choice of putting up with sexual harassment at work, or leaving their job. This tool can help both employers and workers know their rights, understand the law, and create a workplace where all are respected.”

 

June 2019

'I Felt I Had An Obligation': New Chair Of Vermont Commission On Women And Her #MeToo Moment (VPR, 6/25/19)
Senecal, who was appointed to the commission by Governor Phil Scott in September 2017, was unanimously elected chair by her peers. She says she will continue the work the commission has done for the past 55 years

Lisa Senecal To Head Commission On Women (Stowe Today, 6/20/19)
Lisa Senecal of Stowe is now chair of the Vermont Commission on Women, an independent non-partisan state commission dedicated to advancing ...

Vermont Commission on Women Elects New Chair (VTDigger, 6/14/19)
Ms. Senecal, elected unanimously, takes the helm from Marcia Merrill of Jericho. Ms. Merrill steps down after ten years, leading the only entity in Vermont expressly considering broad implications of state policy and budget priorities for women in our state.

Lisa Senecal Elected Chair of VCW  (Vermont Biz, 6/14/19)
Reflecting on her new leadership role, Ms. Senecal said, "The honor of being appointed to the VCW by Governor Scott might only be surpassed by being elected Chair of the Commission by my fellow commissioners. Their faith in me is greatly appreciated. I'm looking forward to working closely with the outstanding staff of the Commission and my fellow commissioners to advance the rights and opportunities of women and girls in Vermont - which happens to be what's best for our overall economy and Vermonters of all genders."

Advice for Graduates (VTDigger, 6/13/19)
... commentary is by Lisa Senecal, of Stowe, who is co-founder of The Maren Group, a writer, and a member of the Vermont Commission on Women

Burlington Middle School Students Build Support For Tax-Exempt Feminine Hygiene Products (BurlingtonFreePress.com, 6/12/19)
The Vermont Commission on Women has yet to take a formal stance on H.29. Policy Research Analyst & Business Manager Hannah Lane...

Kim Nolan: Bringing Mindfulness to the Forefront  (Shelburne News, 6/6/19)
Recently, the 51-year-old Nolan was given another opportunity to showcase her leadership skills when she was appointed to a position on the Vermont Commission on Women. The 16-person commission engages in education, coalition building and advocacy.  “I grew up with the ‘Anything boys can do, girls can do better’ T-shirt,” she said. “We’re moving forward but women still earn 78 cents to a man’s dollar. This is a way to be active and affect change and that feels great.”

A Call For Public Input: State Of Vermont Sexual Harassment And Workplace Discrimination Prevention Project (VBSR)
The Vermont Commission on Women is currently compiling online educational resources and a directory about work-related discrimination and sexual ...

 

May 2019

Tampon Tax Bill Sits in Committee  (The Bridge, 5/21/19)
According to the Vermont Commission on Women, “The average woman will spend $1,773.33 on tampons in her lifetime, if she also uses panty liners for backup, that adds another $443.33 to her lifetime cost. The state and local option sales taxes amount to $124.13 on tampons, and another $31.03 in tax on panty liners per lifetime.”

Vermont Women’s Fund announces $103,000 in competitive grants (Vermont Biz, 5/18/19)
In addition to its annual competitive grant round, the Women’s Fund is the lead funder of Change The Story. This initiative is the result of a partnership of three statewide organizations that also includes the Vermont Commission on Women and Vermont Works for Women.

Girl Scouts Take On Tampon Tax (Essex Reporter, 5/16/19)
The Vermont Commission on Women estimates that an average woman will spend upwards of $1,770 on tampons in her lifetime – with an additional $440 if she uses panty liners for backup.  The taxes on these two products amount to an average payment of $155, the commission says, while women with heavier flows or longer periods likely to pay significantly more.

On the Waterfront: Change The Story Vermont  (CCTV | Channel 17, 5/15/19)
Host Melinda Moulton is joined by Tiffany Bluemle from Change the Story VT, Cary Brown, Executive Director of the Vermont Commission on Women, and Jen Oldham, Executive Director of Vermont Works for Women.

Meeting Celebrates Anniversary Of Salary History Law (Bennington Banner 5/13/19)
The new statute breaks a pattern of chaining future salaries — and eventually, retirement benefits — to often low-balled past salaries, by prohibiting employers from asking job candidates for their salary history. It is now imbedded in Vermont Labor Law as 21 V.S.A. 495m.

Giving Prisoners The Right To Vote Isn’t A Fringe Idea. It’s Already Happening  (Huffington Post, 5/10/19)
“It’s written into our constitution. It’s really, part of our fundamental core values that people have the right to vote and that democracy works best when everybody has access to it,” said Cary Brown, the executive director of the Vermont Commission on Women. “It’s really more a matter of why would we take that away from people without a compelling reason.”

VT Commission on Women to Celebrate Advances in Pay Equity (Vermont News Guide, 5/7/19)
A year ago this month, Governor Phil Scott signed into law legislation that moves Vermont a step further to pay equity. On Monday, May 13, the Bennington Branch of the American Association of University Women will host a public meeting to celebrate a stubborn victory that will have an enduring impact on the economic lives of Vermont workers, particularly women.

Vermont has always allowed prisoners to vote (Stowe Today, 5/2/19)
Lisa Senecal is co-founder of The Maren Group, a writer, and member of the Vermont Commission on Women. She lives in Stowe and is a Vermont native.

 

April 2019

On Minimum Wage, What We Know is that We Don't Know  (VTDigger, 4/29/19)
Brown said twice as many women as men receive public support in Vermont. Among workers earning less than $12.16 an hour, every $1 increase in hourly wages reduces the likelihood of receiving means-tested public assistance by 3.1%.

Vermont Tops Ranking For Gender Equality, But Experts Say More Work Needed (VTDigger, 4/2/19)
Vermont is, however, the only state that has not elected a woman to a seat in Congress.

The Vermont Women's Fund Announces $103000 In Competitive Grants (VTDigger, 4/19/19)
This initiative is the result of a partnership of three statewide organizations that also includes the Vermont Commission on Women and Vermont Works 

VT Ranked Top in Gender Equality, But Experts Say There's Work to Do (Middlebury Campus, 4/18/19)
Vermont has been ranked number one overall for 2019 in Bloomberg's ... According to a report issued by Change the Story (CTS), a Vermont-based ...

H.57: Senate Panel Hears Pro, Con Opinions (Rutland Herald, 4/17/19)
Sharon Toborg, of Vermont Right to Life, said the bill allows for what she ... Cary Brown, executive director for the Vermont Commission on Women,

Bluemle & Brown: Gender Equality Rankings Don’t Tell the Whole Story  (VTDigger, 4/9/19)
VCW's Cary Brown with partner initiative Change The Story's Tiffany Bluemle, take a deeper look into Bloomberg News ranking VT best state for gender equality based on five categories, including pay ratio by gender, female labor force participation, college degree attainment, health care coverage and women in poverty.

All Things LGBTQ   (ORCA Media video, 4/9/19)
“I ran for office to be able to tell the stories of my community in a compelling way…a lot of people have been left behind…”  Emilie Kornheiser, (starts minute 44).

Equal Pay Day: Closing the Gender Gap (WPTZ, 4/2/19)
Gov. Phil Scott today signed a proclamation recognizing April 2, 2019, as Equal Pay Day in Vermont, highlighting the gender pay gap between men and women’s earnings and the importance of promoting women’s equality in the workforce.

These Vermont Women Are Changing How We Think and Drink  (Newsweek 4/3/19)
Women are gaining traction in Vermont's booming beverage industry, ... quotes a report from Change The Story VT, an advocacy group for women in ...

Vermont Tops Ranking for Gender Equality, but Experts Say More Work Needed  (VTDigger, 4/3/19)
Cary Brown, the executive director of the Vermont Commission on Women, applauded the state's number one ranking. “We've ranked pretty highly in ...

Governor Phil Scott Signs Equal Pay Day Proclamation (Governor Phil Scott - Vermont.gov 4/2/19)
Governor Scott signed the proclamation at an Equal Pay Day event, joined by members of the Vermont Commission on Women, the Legislature and ...

 

March 2019

Blackwell: Lenore McNeer for Women's History Month (Vermont Public Radio, 3/26/19)
In the '70s no one worked harder than social activist Lenore McNeer to ensure that Vermont ratified the federal ERA - the federal amendment to ...

State Blocking Release of All Inmate Records At Women's Prison  (VTDigger.org, 3/3/19)
“The Women’s Caucus and the Vermont Commission on Women jointly have taken women’s incarceration and conditions and treatment of inmates…as a very high priority over the next two years,” she said.

 

February 2019

Running for Peacham Selectboard - Mary Daly (Caledonian Record, 2/27/19)
I went to nursing school and worked as a Registered Nurse for 48 years. During that career I was promoted to various management positions from Head Nurse to Assistant Director of Nursing. Since returning to Vermont I have joined the Medical Reserve Corp, was appointed to the Vermont Commission on Women by Governor Scott and am on the Peacham Energy Committee.

Vote for Lisa Ryan (Mountaintimes, 2/27/19)
She has just been appointed serve on the Vermont Commission on Women, representing Southern Vermont.

Vermont Commission On Women Announces New Appointee (VTDigger.org, 2/24/19)
The Senate Committee on Committees has appointed Lisa Ryan of Rutland to serve on the Vermont Commission on Women.

Lisa Ryan of Rutland appointed to the Vermont Commission on Women (VTDigger.org, 2/21/19)
(Montpelier) – The Senate Committee on Committees has appointed Lisa Ryan of Rutland to serve on the Vermont Commission on Women. Lisa Ryan ...

Who Wants To Wait Generations For Fair Treatment? (Stowe Reporter, 2/21/19)
Lisa Senecal is co-founder of The Maren Group, a writer, and member of the Vermont Commission on Women. She lives in Stowe and is a Vermont native

Alderwoman Ryan appointed to Commission on Women  (Rutland Herald, 2/19/19)
Rutland-born, Rutland-raised, Alderwoman Lisa Ryan was chosen by the Office of the Lieutenant Governor to represent both Addison-Bennington and Rutland County as the newest appointment to the Vermont Commission on Women — the only commissioner for southern Vermont.

Lisa Ryan of Rutland Appointed to Vermont Commission on Women (Vermont Business Newsbriefs, 2/19)
Lisa Ryan is the Program Manager of the Rutland County Community Justice Center at BROC Community Action, where she provides restorative justice practices, including Circles of Support and Accountability (COSA) and Restorative Circles, to the offender population. This work involves addressing crime and conflict through dispute resolution, training community volunteers, and overseeing reentry and reparative programs.

Gov. Scott Announces Boards And Commissions Appointments  (VTDigger.org, 2/7/19)
Vermont Commission on Women Heidi Tringe of Montpelier Edward Adrian of Burlington Lisa Carlson of Danville.

Editorial: Another Good Week  (Caledonian Record, 2/9/19)
Over the past week we’ve enjoyed reporting on the vast and varied achievements of local people improving our community…Governor Phil Scott appointed a number of locals to state boards and commissions including...Lisa Carlson of Danville Vermont Commission on Women.

#Metoo Aftermath: A Vermont Story Of Challenging The Culture Of Sexual Harassment & Assault  (Podcast | The Vermont Conversation with David Goodman, 2/6/19)
In June 2018, Stowe entrepreneur Lisa Senecal broke her nondisclosure agreement by publishing an explosive account of her sexual assault and harassment by Craig DeLuca, president of Inntopia. Her story, “The NDA Protected Our Predator. I’m Breaking My Silence, Because Women Deserve Better,” appeared in the Daily Beast. Senecal discusses the fallout of her revelations, a subsequent lawsuit by another woman against DeLuca and Inntopia, and the role of men in ending the culture of sexual harassment and assault. Senecal is a co-founder of The Maren Group and a member of the Vermont Commission on Women. She also serves on the board for the Stowe Education Fund and the Clarina Howard Nichols Center which serves survivors of domestic violence and their families.

Guard leader candidates promise reforms to promote and protect women  (VTDigger, 2/6/19)
Baczewski promised to appoint a gender equality adviser, work with the Vermont Commission on Women and come up with a plan to advance gender equality.

More Than 400 Gather For Breakfast Discussion About Empowering Women, Elected officials and state leaders were among the attendees  (WPTZ, 2/5/19)
Hundreds of people packed the University of Vermont's Davis Center Tuesday morning for an event called the Breakfast of Champions. The goal was to start a dialogue and change the story about how women are treated in the workplace and beyond. The discussion was spearheaded by the Vermont Women's Fund and Change the Story, two nonprofits focused on improving women's economic .

Adjutant General Candidates Pledge to Confront Sex Harassment in Vermont National Guard  (Seven Days, 2/5/2019)
“We can’t be afraid to be bold to advance gender equality,” he told members of the House Committee on General, Housing and Military Affairs, and the Senate Committee on Government Operations. Baczewski proposed hiring a gender equality advisor — which he said would be a director-level position — partnering with the Vermont Commission on Women, and creating a “cross-cultural council” to advise the guard.

VT Women Fund and Change the story VT hosts 'Breakfast of Champions'  (MyChamplainValley.com FOX44 & ABC22, 2/4/19)
The Vermont Women's Fund and Change The Story VT are hosting a "Breakfast of Champion' with special guest speaker Ted Bunch to talk about ...

As lawmakers select a new leader of the Green Mountain Boys, candidates focus on treatment of women (VTDigger, 2/1/19)
Baczewski said he would hire a gender equality adviser — modeled on a psychiatric health director he worked with as wing commander — who would hold leadership accountable to meaningfully addressing the cultural problems in the Guard. He also said he would seek a closer organizational relationship with the Vermont Commission on Women, ideally by placing a Guard leader on the commission’s board. And he would create a “cross-sector” team to look at Guard data and figure out how to move forward with policies and programs that address sexual assault and discrimination.

Business Women–Vermont  (Business People-Vermont, February 2019)
A tribute to 13 of the extraordinary women we've covered: Penrose Jackson, Nancy Lang, Hinda Schreiber-Miller, Lisa Lindahl, Linda Vail, Rosalyn Graham, Janice Ryan, RSM, Gretchen Morse, Mary Alice McKenzie, Melinda Moulton, Pamela Polston, Cathy Resmer, and Paula Routly.

On the Rights Side of History (Business People-Vermont, February 2019)
Pat Heffernan, co-founder of Marketing Partners Inc., in Burlington, continues her commitment to encouraging a better understanding of the economic, social, and political forces governing gender inequality. Under Marketing Partners’ trade name Research Partners, she and Laura Lind-Blum recently collected and analyzed the data for Vermont Women and Leadership, the fourth in a series of reports published by Change the Story on topics related to women’s economic status, in league with the Vermont Women’s Fund, the Governor’s (VT) Commission on Women, and Vermont Works for Women.

 

January 2019

Opposition gains momentum in debate over abortion rights bill  (VTDigger, 1/30/19)
“Women’s access to birth control, including abortion, is tied to increased labor force participation, higher earnings, more advanced careers and better financial conditions for their children and families,” said Cary Brown, executive director of the Vermont Commission on Women.

Vermont state senator to propose constitutional amendments  (WCAX, 1/27/19)
A Vermont state senator is expecting to introduce two separate constitutional amendments in the next two weeks.  Senator Ginny Lyons said one specifies equal treatment for large groups of people. The other protects what she calls "reproductive liberties."

Breakfast of Champions: Talking with men about gender in the post-#MeToo workplace Feb 5  (VTBiz, 1/25/19)
The Vermont Women’s Fund and Change The Story VT will co-host a special breakfast on Tuesday, February 5, from 7:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. at the University of Vermont’s Davis Center featuring guest speaker Ted Bunch. Ted Bunch is the co-founder of A CALL TO MEN, a violence prevention organization dedicated to helping men find ways to create a culture of respect, equity, and value for all—in the workplace and in schools.

Vt. Women's Fund to co-host gender-issues focused breakfast  (Rutland Herald, 1/23/19)
The breakfast is being led by a host committee of 27 male business and community leaders including Mayor Miro Weinberger, Senator Michael Sirotkin, Burlington City Councilor Ali Dieng, and UVM Director of Athletics Jeff Schulman.

Vt. Women's Fund to co-host gender-issues focused breakfast (Times Argus, 1/23/19)
The initiative also engages with employers through their Business Peer Exchange, with men through Champions for Change efforts, and with all Vermonters using their signature Let’s Talk Gender conversation toolkits. Change The Story is a partnership initiative of the Vermont Commission on Women, Vermont Works for Women, and the Vermont Women’s Fund.

Driving Change in States to Combat Sexual Harassment (Center for American Progress, 1/15/19)
Meanwhile, Vermont’s recent legislation—passed in May 2018 and effective July 1, 2018—may be the most innovative and comprehensive existing law that addresses sexual harassment. It prohibits employment contracts from including forced arbitration or other clauses that require employees to waive their rights to litigate sexual harassment claims; prohibits settlement agreements from preventing an employee’s disclosure of sexual harassment to a government agency or cooperation with legal proceedings related to their claim of sexual harassment; and prohibits retaliation against employees for making a claim of sexual harassment.

“Rise and Thrive.” What This State Fund is Doing to Fuel Women's Success  (Inside Philanthropy, 1/11/19)
One of VWF’s other core activities is serving as one of three women-focused organizations that form an initiative called Change the Story (CTS), which will remain a focus in 2019 and beyond. The other two are the Vermont Commission on Women, an independent state government commission that educates the public and government on women’s issues, and Vermont Works for Women, a nonprofit that supports women’s economic success.

Inntopia Pays Accuser to Close Case and Avoid Trial (Stowe Reporter, 1/10/19)
Lisa Senecal, a Stowe resident and a member of the Vermont Commission on Women, authored a piece last June in the online magazine The Daily Beast claiming that DeLuca had also sexually harassed her during a job interview.

Vermont Commission on Women to Develop Education and Outreach Program   (VTDigger, 1/2/19)
In 2018, the Vermont General Assembly passed Act 183, directing the Vermont Commission on Women, in consultation with the Vermont

 

2018

December 2018

VCW issues requests for proposals for Sexual Harassment Public Education & Outreach Program (Vermont Biz, 12/23/18)
In 2018, the Vermont General Assembly passed Act 183, directing the Vermont Commission on Women, in consultation with the Vermont Attorney General and the Vermont Human Rights Commission, to develop a public education and outreach program designed to make Vermont employees, employers, and members of the public aware of...

AAUW Members Lobby to Advance State Pay Equity Laws (aauw.org, 12/19/18)
Those compelling remarks clearly had an impact. “A staffer from the Vermont Commission on Women later told us that our testimony was the decisive one that swung the committee into a unanimous affirmative vote before sending it to the full House,” said Mackaman, a freelance writer who is past president of AAUW’s Bennington branch and the current secretary of the state’s AAUW chapter. (Botzow, who has held many AAUW leadership positions over the year, is the current president of the Bennington branch. And Hutchins, a retired physicist, is the elected Administrator of AAUW Vermont.)

Influx of Freshman Lawmakers Reshapes Makeup of House  (VTDigger, 12/16/18)
While some of the incoming members have never worked in government, others are coming in with vast experience. One of the incoming members, Emily Kornheiser, D-Brattleboro, has worked in Vermont’s Department for Children and Families as a community development specialist and serves as a commissioner of the Vermont Commission on Women

Funding available for programs that support career pathways for women and girls  (Vermont Biz, 12/14/18)
A council of women from around Vermont advises the Fund and participates in its grantmaking and leadership work, including the work of its partnership with the Vermont Commission on Women and Vermont Works for Women—Change The Story—an initiative seeking to fast-track women’s economic security in Vermont.

Governor Scott Appoints Danville Resident to the Vermont Commission on Women  Caledonian Record,  12/13/18)
... and Heidi Tringe of Montpelier to serve on the Vermont Commission on Women (VCW), which works to advance rights and opportunities for women and girls.

Governor appoints Ed Adrian, Lisa Carlson and Heidi Tringe to the Vermont Commission on Women   (Vermont Biz 12/12/18)
He looks forward to bringing the knowledge and insight gleaned from these experiences to assist the Vermont Commission on Women in any way ...

Funding available for support of women and girls   (VTDigger, 12/12/18)
A council of women from around Vermont advises the Fund and participates in its grantmaking and leadership work, including the work of its partnership with the Vermont Commission on Women and Vermont Works for Women—Change The Story—an initiative seeking to fast-track women’s economic security in Vermont.

Ed Adrian, Lisa Carlson, Heidi Tringe appointed to the Vermont ...  (Vermont Digger, 12/12/18)
Governor Phil Scott has appointed Ed Adrian of Burlington, Lisa Carlson of Danville, and Heidi ...

Human Rights Exhibit opens at Fletcher Free Library  (VTDigger, 12/5/18)
“The exhibit captures the spirit of activism in Vermont,” added Charlotte Dennett, another member of WILPF. “Of course, we could not cover everything that has occurred since the Declaration was signed in 1948, but we did our best to make it representative of the different groups and individuals who have helped make Vermont a beacon for human rights.”

Kim Nolan appointed to the Vermont Commission on Women  (VTDigger, 12/5/18)
Commissioner Nolan holds a Ph.D. in Leadership and Change from Antioch University and a M.Ed. from Boston University in Counseling Psychology. She has been a champion for women’s rights and issues of gender equity since grade school student council. She is ordained as a Buddhist Chaplain and is a lifelong activist for social change and an advocate for human rights.

Kim Nolan of Shelburne appointed to Vermont Commission on Women  (Shelburne News, 12/1/18)
Kim Nolan of Shelburne has been appointed to a four-year term on the Vermont Commission on Women. Vermont House Speaker Rep. Mitzi Johnson, D-South ...

Is welfare reform killing women? Felicia Kornbluh on the female face of Poverty   (Podcast | The Vermont Conversation, 12/1/18)
Dr. Kornbluh is a member of the board of directors of Planned Parenthood of Northern New England and has served as a member of the Vermont Commission on Women.

Grad and Dolan win in Washington-7 (Times Argus, 12/3/18)
An attorney and educator, she practiced law in the public and private sector. She was a founding member of Emerge Vermont, led the Vermont Commission on Women and served as a member of many state and local boards. She is an alumna of the Snelling Institute for Leadership.

 

November 2018

Nolan of Shelburne appointed to the Vermont Commission on Women  (Vermont Business Magazine, 11/27/18)
The Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives, Mitzi Johnson, has appointed Kim Nolan to serve a four-year term on the Vermont Commission on Women. Ms Nolan is an Executive Leadership Team member and Senior Director of City Market Co-op, a community-owned food cooperative with two locations in Burlington.

Nolan Appointed to Commission  (Rutland Herald, 11/24/18)
Kim Nolan, of Shelburne, was appointed to serve a four-year term on the Vermont Commission on Women.

Number of Women Headed to Vermont Statehouse Drops by One  (Seven Days, 11/19/18)
Cary Brown, executive director of the Vermont Commission on Women, said she's "beyond impatient" to send a woman to Congress. But she isn't disheartened by the outcome in state legislative races because “we are starting from such a high place.” In June 2018, Vermont was tied with Arizona for having the highest percentage of women — 40 percent — in its state legislature, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Current Members : The Tower Society : University of Vermont
Mehanna Borostyan - former intern at Vermont Commission on Women…I plan to attend Law School with a focus on International Human Rights after completing my undergraduate studies. I plan to work as a legal advocate for women in the Middle East.

Business People Vermont: Faces & Places   (Business People-Vermont, 11/3/18)
The Senate Committee on Committees appointed Kellie B. Campbell, an associate director in information technology at St. Michael’s College, to the Vermont Commission on Women.

 

October 2018

Creator of Technology Pipeline for Girls Speaks at the Vermont Women’s Fund Event Oct. 30^th  (Vermont Business Magazine, 10/27/18)
The Women’s Fund is also the lead funder of Change The Story, an initiative that addresses women’s economic security in the state in partnership with the Vermont Commission on Women and Vermont Works for Women.

Attorney General Donovan combats gender pay gap  (VTDigger, 10/12/18)
In Vermont, women experience a wage gap of 16 cents on the dollar as compared to men. According to the Vermont Commission on Women, women make up 45% of Vermont’s full-time workforce, and 43% of women working full-time do not earn enough to meet basic expenses.

Conference focuses on shift away from ‘same old, same old’ for women’s work (VTDigger, 10/11/18)
In 2002, there were 49 women in road construction out of a workforce of 977 – just 5 percent. This summer, there were 92 out of 1,077, or 8.5 percent, said Lori Valburn, chief of the Vermont Agency of Transportation’s Civil Rights and Labor Compliance office.

Vt. Commission On Women Hears Health Care, Economic Concerns In State Survey  (Morning Edition | Vermont Public Radio, 10/10/18)
What are the main concerns of women in Vermont and which of their needs are not being met? Those are some of the central questions the Vermont Commission on Women is asking residents in a listening project that's been going on for several months.

#MeToo Anniversary  (Dave Gram show/WDEV Podcast, 10/8/18)  
We mark the anniversary of the “#metoo” movement gaining widespread currency with a conversation with Lisa Senecal of the Vermont Commission on Women and Robert Appel, former executive director of the state Human Rights Commission.

Challenges facing women intertwined  (St. Albans Messenger, 10/2/18)
The issues of childcare, education, transportation and trauma all intersected Thursday night during a forum discussing economic issues facing Franklin County women.  The event was part of the Vermont Commission on Women’s Listening Project, a statewide survey aimed at assessing and addressing the needs that aren’t being met for Vermont women.

AG joins amicus brief on gender pay gap (Vermont Biz, 10/3/18)
According to the Vermont Commission on Women, women make up 45% of Vermont's full-time workforce, and 43% of women working full-time do not ... and 43% of women working full-time do not earn enough to meet basic expenses.

 

September 2018

VT Listening Project: The Hidden Side of Women’s Lives in Our Community (ibrattleboro, 9/26/18)
Join Brooks Memorial Library on Wednesday, September 26 at 6 pm as the Vermont Commission on Women presents: The Hidden Side of Women’s Lives, a special event highlighting their statewide listening project, which is designed to help voice the concerns of women around the state. Brattleboro Commissioner Emilie Kornheiser and Saxtons River Commissioner Carol Buchdahl will be present, as well as Commission Director Cary Brown.

The Hidden Side of Women’s Lives in Our Community (Keene Sentinal, 9/24/18)
6 p.m., Brooks Memorial Library, 224 Main St., Brattleboro

Vermont Commission on Women’s Listening Project Events in Brattleboro and St. Albans Sept 26 & 27  (Vermont Biz, 9/22/18)
What do health care, child care, paid family and medical leave, mental health and retirement have in common?  According to preliminary results from Vermont Commission on Women’s statewide Listening Project survey, these are the top areas of concern for women in our state. The Commission will focus on these and other topics at two upcoming events in St. Albans and in Brattleboro.

Are the needs of Vermont women being met?  (Brattleboro Reformer, 9/21/18)
September 26, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Brooks Memorial Library, the Vermont Commission on Women presents "The Hidden Side of Women's Lives in Our Community.

Sharing The "Hidden Side Of Women's Lives": The Vermont Commission On Women Hold Listening Tour  (WKVT Radio | Green Mountain Mornings | Soundcloud Podcast, 9/18/18)
The Vermont Commission on Women will be in Brattleboro, September 26. What do women care about? What do they struggle with? How can the Commission foster change?

Morning Discussions Encourage Mindfulness  (Stowe Today, 9/13/18)
Stowe's first Mindful Mornings talk took place in July, and featured Cary Brown of the Vermont Commission on Women, who spoke on justice.

VT Listening Project: The Hidden Side of Women’s Lives in Our Community (iBrattleboro)
Join Brooks Memorial Library on Wednesday, September 26 at 6 pm as the Vermont Commission on Women presents: The Hidden Side of Women’s Lives, a special event highlighting their statewide listening project, which is designed to help voice the concerns of women around the state. Brattleboro Commissioner Emilie Kornheiser and Saxtons River Commissioner Carol Buchdahl will be present, as well as Commission Director Cary Brown.

The Go Far Blog from Union Bank  9/19/18  (Union Bank, 9/19/18)
Women-owned businesses are crucial to the growth of Vermont’s economy. According to recent figures from Vermont’s Commission on Women, there are 23,417 women-owned businesses in the Green Mountain State, with a total of 36,326 employees and approximately $2.2 billion in annual revenue between them.

Survey Digs Deep Into Factors Influencing Women’s Lives (Rutland Herald 9/1/18)
The project is soliciting views of Vermont women and men, asking them to weigh in on the most important economic and social issues that affect the lives of women and their families. The goal is to establish a set of policy goals to present to state lawmakers when they return to work in January.

Kellie Campbell Appointed to Commission on Women (Rutland Herald 9/1/18)
Campbell is an associate director in IT for Saint Michael’s College, and directs hybrid and online programs for the Accelerated Summer College.

 

August 2018

‘Manhood’ Should Not Mean What It Does Now  (Stowe Today, 8/30/18)
It’s important to remember that the frequency of false reports of sexual harassment and assault are extremely low. The risks and often the price paid by survivors who speak out are great.

NEK Native Appointed to the Vermont Commission on Women (Caledonian Record, 8/25/18)
“I was raised by a single mother, and surrounded by women who worked hard to provide for their families and overcame many barriers. They were and are my inspiration to be a voice for others. I also feel the years I lived in the Kingdom, and now just north of Burlington, ground me in just how beautifully diverse Vermont is. We cannot assume the challenges, or opportunities, are the same for women throughout the state.”

Kellie B. Campbell of Georgia Appointed to Vermont Commission on Women (VTDigger, 8/23/18)
Ms. Campbell has a strong background in business, technology, education, leadership and management, completing her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, her Master of Science in Business Management and Administration, and will complete her Doctor of Education, focused in higher education administration, this year.

Kellie Campbell of Georgia appointed to Vermont Commission on Women (Vermont Business Magazine, 8/22/18)
Addressing the Commission’s objective, to advance rights and opportunities for Vermont women, Ms. Campbell said, “We live in an era where our roles of advocacy cannot just be our voices, but our actions through policy and change. Strides have been made, but more work faces us. The chance to carry this work out in my home state, where I was born and raised, is very exciting.”

Vermont Women: Are Your Housing Needs Being Met? (CVOEO’s Thriving Communities, 8/18)
The Vermont Commission on Women is seeking feedback on issues that matter most to Vermont women. The Listening Project survey asks what needs aren’t being met, what most affects women’s abilities to provide for themselves or their families, and what can be done to help. This is an opportunity to share your thoughts on all types of issues, including housing. To post your comments, go to https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/vcw2018listeningproject

Vermont Commission on Women Launches Survey to Focus on Vermont Women’s Issues  (VTDigger, 8/10/18)
The Vermont Commission on Women (VCW) has launched a short public survey called the Listening Project, designed to help focus future work on issues that matter to Vermonters. The survey asks what needs aren’t being met for Vermont women, what most effects their abilities to provide for themselves or their families, and what can be done to help.

The State of Women's Lives in Vermont  (WKVT Radio | Green Mountain Mornings | Soundcloud Podcast,  8/9/18)
Brattleboro area VCW Commissioner Emilie Kornheiser discusses VCW’s Listening Project.

Stuart Seeks A Return To The Statehouse (Brattleboro Reformer, 8/9/18)
Stuart participated in an effort to get the Vermont Commission on Women to look at places where women are working but also not working. The idea, she said, is to get females into well-paid positions and possibly alternative careers.  "That data will be ready in January of 2019," she said. "And that was a first step in trying to solve the problem of women being well represented in certain industries."

Vermont Bans 'No Rehire' Clauses  (Society for Human Resource Management, SHRM.org, 8/7/18)
..."We're following that line of thinking and looking at this [law] as way to ensure fairness, particularly in a small state like ours," Brown said. "The repercussions could be significant to somebody signing one of these agreements and then finding their local employment options severely curtailed. There are only so many jobs people can choose from, and only so many employers available. A lot of our employers are retail and restaurant chains and franchises."

 

July 2018

Listening Project Guides Future Work Of Vermont Commission On Women (Caledonian Record, 7/31/18)

Women Take Charge in Bristol  (Addison Independent, 7/26/18)
...according to the 2016 Status Report on Women's Business Ownership and the Vermont Economy released by advocacy group Change the Story.

In A Move To Empower Victims Of Sexual Harassment, Vermont Law Takes Aim At Common Legal Practice  (PBS NewsHour, 7/22/18)
A new law that went into effect in Vermont this month sheds light on a a little-known legal practice in private sexual harassment settlements that some say punishes the victim... said Cary Brown, executive director of the Vermont Women's Commission

Employers In These 3 States Just Leapt Ahead In The Talent Race (Fast Company, 7/1/18)
By closing the gender pay gap, companies gain an edge in hiring and retaining women. Laws aimed at doing that take effect in three states today.

The Business Peer Exchange Changes the Story  (VT Woman, Summer 2018)
For almost three years, some of Vermont’s most progressive, socially responsible employers have been putting their heads together to root out gender bias and make our state one of the best places for women (and men) to work.

 

June 2018

VT Commission on Women Seeks Public Input (Valley News, 6/29/18)
Called the Listening Project, the survey asks what needs aren’t being met for Vermont women, what most affects their abilities to provide for themselves or their families and what can be done to help.

Vermont's 2017-2018 Legislative Session - What Did It Mean for Women?  (WKVT Radio | Green Mountain Mornings | Soundcloud Podcast,  6/28/18)
Cary Brown, executive director of the Vermont Commission on Women, outlines legislation of note for women. She also touches on the buzz issue: affordability.

State Agencies Team Up To Promote Legal Protections For Pregnant Workers (Vermont Public Radio, 6/22/18)
Several state agencies in Vermont are teaming up to promote new legal protections for pregnant workers. The new state law — which went into effect on Jan. 1, 2018 — protects workers who ask for "reasonable accommodations” related to pregnancy.

Vermont Commission on Women: the Listening Project  (WOOL.fm, 6/18/18)
The Vermont Commission on Women (VCW) has launched a short survey (called the Listening Project) designed to help them focus their future work on issues that matter to Vermonters. The survey asks what needs aren’t being met for Vermont women, what most affects their abilities to provide for themselves or their families, and what can be done to help.

As Grads Face Future, Feds Rip Families Apart  (Stowe Today,  6/21/18) 
Lisa Senecal is co-founder of The Maren Group, a writer, and member of the Vermont Commission on Women. She lives in Stowe and is a Vermont ...

Inntopia's reputation in Vermont challenged after harassment allegations  (Burlington Free Press, 6/11/18)
Inntopia also signed Vermont's equal pay compact, a pledge to close the gender wage gap. Allegations raised in recent weeks have challenged Inntopia's claims about itself — particularly regarding women. Two women, Alison Miley and Lisa Senecal, have alleged sexual misconduct by a former president at the company.

#MeToo in Vermont: Stowe woman speaks about what going public is like in a small town (Burlington Free Press, 6/7/18)
Senecal, who was recently appointed by Gov. Phil Scott to Vermont's Commission on Women, grew up in Orange. She moved to Stowe after attending Norwich and living in New Hampshire for a short time. She said she raised her two sons in Stowe, and they've attended Stowe's schools. While Stowe is considered a tourist destination for its mountains, outdoor activities and restaurants, Senecal said it's still very much a small town.

Second woman accuses former Inntopia executive of sexual harassment  (VTDigger, 6/6/18)
Her family has supported her decision to speak publicly about her experience. Her teenage sons, she said, “have been mature beyond their years and are exactly the type of young men I hoped they were growing up to be.”  She ceased her job search, and she has poured herself into her new volunteer work with the Vermont Commission on Women, where she has helped to spearhead new sexual harassment legislation that was signed into law last month.

Second accuser names former Inntopia executive  (Stowe Today, 6/6/18)
Lisa Senecal, a Stowe resident and a member of the Vermont Commission on Women, on Saturday authored a piece in the online magazine The Daily Beast claiming that Craig DeLuca, Inntopia’s former president and chief operating officer, sexually harassed her during a job interview.

Sexual harassment law takes effect July 1 (Bennington Banner, 6/5/18)
Gov. Phil Scott signed an anti-sexual harassment bill into law on May 30 that improves statewide sexual harassment reporting, bans policies that make it difficult for survivors to report misconduct and kick-starts an education campaign to foster safer internal reporting by victims inside companies.

The NDA Protected Our Predator. I’m Breaking My Silence, Because Women Deserve Better (The Daily Beast, 6/2/18)
Craig DeLuca, then the president of Inntopia, dangled a job—and demanded sex. Only after agreeing to a settlement did I discover that I’m not the only person he did this to.

May 2018

Sexual Harassment Silencing Banned In Workplace  (Shelburne News, 5/17/18)
The legislation bans two common practices that many say have the effect of silencing those who have faced harassment. It outlaws any requirement that employees or prospective employees waive their rights to disclose incidents of sexual harassment, and bans employers from dismissing employees once a settlement is reached on a complaint.

Law Prohibiting Inquiries About Salary History Enacted  (VT Digger, 5/16/18)
Cary Brown, Executive Director of Vermont Commission on Women, provided testimony in both the House and the Senate on this bill and its relationship to the gender wage gap. She stated, “When the pay at a new job is based on the pay at an old job, this can force women, and especially

Diversity Is Our Strength, Landrieu Tells St Mike’...  (Vermont Biz, 5/15/18)
The Katherine Fairbanks Memorial Award and Father Prevel Memorial Award are for the woman and man, respectively, “demonstrating commitment and achievement related to the intellectual, spiritual, moral and social values of Saint Michael’s College.” Fairbanks winner was Summer Colley of Colchester, VT, who majored in political science with minors in psychology, philosophy and gender studies. Her college career demonstrated passion for social justice, as she lead the campus Peace and Justice Club, interned with the Vermont Commission on Women and Vermont Works for Women, was a writing coach, worked with local refugees and the Student Global AIDS Campaign, and kept a stellar GPA with election to honor societies.

Salary History Law Takes Effect July 1   (Bennington Banner, 5/14/18)
... women of color, to carry pay discrepancies with them from job to job," said Cary Brown, executive director of the Vermont Commission on Women.

Vt. Passes Work Harassment Bill    (Valley News 5/12/18)
The legislation would provide the Vermont Commission on Women with $125,000 to develop public service announcements, electronic training ...

Senate Passes Bill To Fight Sexual Harassment In The Workplace  (VTDigger, 5/11/18)
The lead sponsor, Rep. Sarah Copeland-Hanzas, D-Bradford, began working on the bill in December with representatives of the commission and the state attorney general’s office

Closing the Pay Gap in Vermont  (Lyndon State News Video, 5/18)
Coverage and interviews from VCW's St. Johnsbury salary negotiation workshop - one of three in spring of 2018.

Secrecy Is Sticking Point in Rewrite of Statehouse Sexual Harassment Policy (Seven Days, 5/2/18)
"That's huge," said Cary Brown, executive director of Vermont's Commission on Women, which was created to advance rights and opportunities for women. "It will mean that the expectations are much more clearly understood." Lawmakers also propose to remove some of the burden from victims.

 

April 2018

Lt. Governor Zuckerman’s Lunchtime Town Hall on Women in Leadership  (Facebook Video, courtesy Lt. Governor Zuckerman, 4/25/18)
Guests:  Cary Brown, Executive Director of the Vermont Commission on Women and Representative Diana Gonzalez of Chittenden-6-7. Lt. Governor Zuckerman and his guests discuss the economic wellbeing of Vermont women, electing women to public office, and female leadership in the youth movement.

Vermont Commission on Women - Listening Project (Essex Junction.org,  4/27/18)
We are doing this survey to learn about what is working well, and what is not working well. Anything you share with us will help us understand how we can best help ...

Businesses wary of wage increases: House committee passes bill that would bump base pay  (Stowe Reporter, 4/26/18)
A Vermont House committee has advanced its version of a minimum wage bill approved by the Senate earlier this legislative session, despite .... Cary Brown, executive director of the Vermont Commission on Women ... Main Street Alliance of Vermont supports gradually increasing the minimum wage.

Star Teacher Held Back by Vermont's Child Care Crisis  (Seven Days, 4/23/18)
Cary Brown, executive director of the Vermont Commission on Women, points out that many in the state are currently sounding the alarm about the shortage of workers. Why not help parents who want to work stay employed? “If we're worried about our workforce declining,” she says, “we need to take ...

Legislative Reminders Of Inequality  (Mountain Times, 4/18/18)
The problem begins right out of college – with men being offered 6.6 percent more than women. And, in a study which analyzed job offers – with the same job/same title, 69 percent of the time men were offered more in compensation. The Vermont Commission on Women and the Change The Story project have been very helpful in further illuminating this persistent problem and highlighting this opportunity for change.

The Art of Salary Negotiation  (WCAX, 4/17/18)
Negotiating your salary can be really tricky, especially for women who are routinely underpaid. That's why career and business coach Lindsey Lathrop-Ryan hosts workshops just for women to help them through the process.

Emilie Kornheiser Hoping to Build a Better Community  (Brattleboro Reformer, 4/17/18)
As a volunteer, she's currently a Brattleboro town representative for District 1, the vice president for the Brattleboro Food Co-op board of directors, a founding member of the Windham County Action Network, and a Vermont Commission on Women member.

Senate Looking at Paid Family Leave Proposal  (JD Supra, 4/12/18)
According to a study done for the Vermont Commission on Women, 20,000 people in Vermont are taking leaves of absence from work annually to care for a newborn or other family member, and only 3,500 more would take advantage of a paid family leave program if one is created.

Scott signs equal pay proclamation (WCAX, 4/11/18)
Gov. Phil Scott signed the official announcement Tuesday, declaring it "Equal Pay Day." The event was meant to represent how far into the current year women must work to earn as much as a man did last year. "This disparity affects women of all education fields, of all backgrounds, in all fields, at all levels in the workplace. It starts right out of school and it just widens after children enter the family," said Cary Brown with the Vermont Commission on Women.

Ex-University of Vermont computer specialist takes gender discrimination lawsuit to trial (Burlington Free Press, 4/9/18)
"The public and the media are invited to attend," McCloskey wrote in an email announcing a court date and its timing with Equal Pay Day. The date, April 10, "symbolizes how far into the year women must work to earn what men earned in the previous year due to the gender wage gap," according to Vermont Commission on Women.

Public hearings on wages, paid leave (Stowe Reporter, 4/5/18)
The Vermont Commission on Women, the League of Women Voters of Vermont and Business and Professional Women Vermont invite community members to join an annual gathering of advocates on the morning of Equal Pay Day, Tuesday, April 10, at the State House in Montpelier to help bring attention to the gender wage gap.

 

March 2018

Changes in perception after #MeToo (Stowe Reporter, 3/29/18)
Copeland-Hanzas is the main sponsor of H.707, the bill the House approved March 14 that would help people report workplace sexual harassment. Stowe resident Lisa Senecal, a member of the Vermont Commission on Women, worked on the bill, and told her story about a nondisclosure agreement to help strengthen the bill.

Safeline, Inc. Announces New Board Members (Valley News, 3/23/18)
Safeline, Inc., an organization that serves victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse throughout Orange and northern Windsor Counties, has appointed of two new members to its board of directors.  Hannah Elle Lane, of Braintree, Vt., is on the staff of the Vermont Commission on Women in Montpelier.

Walters: Vermont Dead Last in Sending a Woman to Congress (Seven Days, 3/21/18)
Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant appointed Cindy Hyde-Smith to fill a vacancy in the U.S. Senate on Wednesday. When she takes office on April 1, Vermont will become the only state in the union to have never sent a woman to Congress.  "This is not a distinction to be proud of, but I actually feel optimistic about the future," said Cary Brown, executive director of the Vermont Commission on Women. "I think we're poised really well. Women are flying up the ranks politically. We don't have to worry about retaining that distinction for long."

Report Ties Lack of Child Care to Long-Term Income Disparity  (VT Digger, 3/14/18)
In marking International Women’s Day, groups also press for passage of paid family leave legislation.  Marybeth Christie Redmond of the Vermont Commission on Women has been working for the past 15 years with a Burlington woman who is a refugee and single mother of five. During that time, she said, she has watched this woman work tirelessly to make ends meet and take care of her children.

Report looks at child care, the economy and gender equity in Vermont ...  (Vermont Business Magazine, 3/9/18)
Ensuring Vermont has enough high-quality, affordable child care is essential to supporting gender equality in the workplace, according to a new report co-authored by Let's Grow Kids (LGK) and the Vermont Commission on Women (VCW).

Women, Work and Child Care  (WCAX, 3/8/18)
Is there a need to level the playing field for working women? A new report from Let's Grow Kids and the Vermont Commission on Women suggests on this International Women's Day that women in Vermont need more support when it comes to child care to truly be on a path to equity.

Press Conference: Women Work and Child Care (Facebook Video, courtesy Let’s Grow Kids, 3/8/18) 
Coverage of this International Women’s Day press conference releasing the Let’s Grow Kids and Vermont Commission on Women co-authored white paper.

David | The Vermont Conversation with David Goodman  (The Vermont Conversation, 3/8/18)
The Vermont Commission on Women reports that 60 percent of women say they've experienced sexual harassment at work, and most of those say they have experienced retaliation for speaking up about it. Rep. Sarah Copeland-Hanzas (D-Bradford) is lead sponsor of a bill to change Vermont's sexual harassment laws to ban ...

Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace Fellowship (3/7/18)
VCW’s former intern Emily Meyers was awarded the Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace Fellowship, established in 1987 to recruit and train the next generation of policy and advocacy leaders on a range of international peace and security issues by providing recent college graduates with an opportunity to work with one of the participating public-interest organizations in Washington, DC. The fellowship bridges the gap between academia and the working world by providing an entree to socially-conscious people eager to learn about and contribute to the world of public-interest organizations.

Faces & Places March 2018  (Business People Vermont, 3/5/18)
Gov. Phil Scott appointed Mary Daly of Peacham to serve on the Vermont Commission on Women. She retired from Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital as occupational health nurse in 2013.

Business People Vermont  (3/18)
Rep. Mitzi Johnson, Speaker of the House, appointed two commissioners to the Vermont Commission on Women. Marybeth Christie Redmond, a partner in the Vermont Story Lab project, which trains nonprofit communicators to weave storytelling through the fabric of their organizations, and Emilie Kornheiser, the early childhood action plan director at Building Bright Futures.

 

February 2018

Political Experts, Advocates Stress Gender Equality In Elections   (WPTZ 2/27/18)
Jen Oldham, executive director of Vermont Works for Women …”Why aren’t women in these jobs that will get them greater economic stability? …Start collecting better data.How are our workforce dollars being spent?  How many women are going into apprenticeship programs?  How many women are going into training programs, leading to higher paying jobs?

CU to celebrate Women's History Month   (Rutland Herald, 2/21/18)
Cary Brown, executive director of the Vermont Commission on Women, and Tiffany Bluemle, former executive director of Change the Story: Advancing Women, Powering the Economy, will host a panel discussion on pay inequity as a local and global issue on Thursday, March 29, time to be determined.

Democracy Eventually: A Conversation with Emilie Kornheiser  (WVEW Radio – Brattleboro community radio station  | Podcast, 2/18/18)
An interview with Brattleboro Community member, Emilie Kornheiser about the Vermont Commission on Women, building resilient communities, and the recent Agency of Human Services proposal for a new Prison in VT.

Rickey Gard Diamond with VCW’s Cary Brown – Book Launch at Bear Pond Books, Montpelier 
Screwnomics (She Writes Press), hometown book launch celebration and discussion on the state of women's economics with author Rickey Gard Diamond and Vermont Commission on Women Director Cary Brown.

Castleton University to Celebrate Women's History Month (Rutland Herald, 2/21/18)
Cary Brown, executive director of the Vermont Commission on Women, and Tiffany Bluemle, Director of Change the Story host a panel discussion on pay inequity as a local and global issue on Thursday, March 29.

Sexual Harassment Bill Aims To Protect Victims' Rights   (Vermont Public Radio's Vermont Edition, 2/15/18)
Call-in discussion: Sixty percent of women say they've experienced sexual harassment at work, according to the Vermont Commission on Women, and three out of four of those women report experiencing retaliation for speaking up. Now House lawmakers are updating Vermont's sexual harassment ...

Castleton Celebrates 2018 Women's History Month · Castleton ... (Castleton News and Media, 2/21/18)
Cary Brown, the Executive Director of the Vermont Commission on Women, and Tiffany Bluemle, the former Executive Director of Change the Story: Advancing Women, Powering the Economy, will detail the steps Vermont has taken to improve women's economic progress

Vermont Senate Introduces Equal Rights Amendment To Constitution  (WPTZ, 2/15/18)
Some worry not enough included to protect Native Americans, people of color

Scott Places Rush Order On Equal Pay, But Law Still Would Take Effect July 1  (Barton Chronicle 2/15/18)
Phil Scott has told the leaders of both the Vermont House and Senate that he wants the Legislature to act quickly to pass equal pay bills, so he can sign them into law before Town Meeting Day on March 6. In a letter sent to Speaker of the House Mitzi Johnson and Senate President Pro Tem Tim Ashe, ...

Vermont Furthers Equal Pay Act  (The Middlebury Campus, 2/14/18)
Cary Brown, the executive director of the Vermont Commission on Women, an advocacy group for gender equality, told VT Digger that the wealth lost due to the wage gap “is around 3.3 percent of the state's GDP.” The money could bolster the state economy and provide security to the more than 20,000 ...

The Vermont Commission on Women is seeking (CVOEO News, 2/13/18)
The Vermont Commission on Women is seeking individuals who have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace who are willing to share their experience...

VBSR: House Committee Tackles Salary History in Equal Pay Bill ...  (VBSR-Common Good, 2/5/18)
The Senate Committee on Economic Development, Housing, and General Affairs has introduced S.275, a bill that would expand the wage discrimination provisions of the Fair Employment Practices Act to prohibit employers from requesting an applicant’s history. H.294 and S.275 would both prohibit employers from ...

Legislation will help prevent sexual harassment (Stowe Today, 2/1/18)
The attorney general and the Human Rights Commission will expand and make it easier for victims and bystanders to report and the Vermont Commission on Women will get the word out through outreach and education programs. Will these measures end sexual harassment in Vermont?

 

January 2018

Bill Would Encourage Sexual Harassment Victims to Speak Up ...  (US News and World Report, 1/25/18)
The Vermont Commission on Women has heard from women about sexual harassment that is making it difficult — sometimes impossible — for them to do their jobs, said executive director Cary Brown. "For many women in Vermont, sexual harassment can be an insurmountable obstacle that gets in the way of supporting ...

Tripartisan Group Unveils Sexual Harassment Bill | Off Message (Seven Days, 1/25/18)
"We hear directly from women across the state with stories of how sexual harassment is making it difficult or even impossible to do their jobs," said Cary Brown, executive director of the Vermont Commission on Women. "Every time a woman cuts back her hours or takes time off from work or is driven out of her job entirely, her ...

Bipartisan Coalition of Vermont Lawmakers Backs #metoo Legislation  (Bennington Banner, 1/26/18)
Sexual harassment is harming the ability of women to earn a living, advocates say, and new legislation will give them the added protections they need to combat misconduct in the workplace. Cary Brown, the head of the Vermont Commission on Women, says sexual harassment has made "it difficult, or even impossible, ...

Permanent Fund | for Vermont's Children (1/26/18)
Executive Director, Vermont Commission on Women. “We need all our kids to become the productive, creative, contributing adults that they have the potential to be — and the Permanent Fund has built a strong campaign, with a full diversity of contributing partners, that can get us there. Please join us as we work together to ...

#MeToo Bill Gets Vermont Support (Vermont Business Magazine, 1/25/18)

Bipartisan Coalition Of Vermont Lawmakers Backs #Metoo Legislation  (VTDigger, 1/26/18)

Vermont Bill Would Encourage Sexual Harassment Victims to Speak Up  (WCAX, 1/25/18)

#Metoo Inspires Workplace Protection Bill in Montpelier  (WPTZ, 1/25/18)

Vermont Lawmakers Take on Sexual Harrassment, Hope to Empower Victims to Step Forward (WVNY/WFFF, 1/25/18)

#Metoo Sparks Tri-Partisan Push to Reform How Harassment Is Reported In Vermont  (Vermont Public Radio, 1/25/18)

Bill Would Encourage Sexual Harassment Victims to Speak Up (Caledonian Record, 1/25/18)

Bills Aims to Protect Sexual Harassment Victims  (Times Argus, 1/25/18)

Vt. Bill Would Encourage Victims to Speak (Valley News, 12/25/18)

Walters: Tripartisan Group Unveils Sexual Harassment Bill (Seven Days, 1/25/18)

Video: 'A Culture Of Silence And Shame' In Sexual Harassment Cases (Burlington Free Press Video, 1/25/18)

Bill Would Encourage Sexual Harassment Victims To Speak Up (Burlington Free Press, 1/25/18)

Bill Would Encourage Sexual Harassment Victims to Speak Up (U.S. News & World Report, 1/25/18)

#MeToo Inspires New Legislation in Vermont Statehouse (NECN, 1/25/18)

Is #MeToo a Movement or a Moment? (Daily Beast, 1/2/18)
Women have known too many men who say all the right things, only to do all the wrong things. Unless actions replace hashtags and value signaling, we’ll see old power structures and patterns of behavior remain as entrenched and unequal as ever—along with a healthy new dose of mistrust and resentment with which women will contend.

How States are Rethinking Sexual Misconduct Policies After Months of Complaints (PBS News Hour, 1/11/18)
Judy Woodruff explores what's driving the movement with Fatima Goss Graves of the National Women's Law Center, Melissa Silverstein of Women and Hollywood, Lisa Senecal of Vermont Commission on Women and Leigh Gilmore of Wellesley College. In the past year, at least 14 legislators in 10 ...

Vermont Senate Leadership Pushes Pay Equity Bill (WCAX, 1/12/18)
A bipartisan group of lawmakers say it would prevent employers from asking for salary history when you apply for a job. The Vermont Commission on Women says women in this state earn 84-cents for every dollar that men do. And one lawmaker told us if that changed the poverty rate would drop by 57-percent, and the increase in wages would equal one billion dollars.