VBSR Names New Board Members
Rachel Carter and Claudia Marshall Welcomed to Leadership Roles
Burlington, VT – Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR) announced today that Rachel Carter of Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund (VSJF), and Claudia Marshall of Gardener’s Supply Company have joined the organization’s board of directors.
“We are thrilled to welcome these two forward-thinking, creative, businesswomen to our board of directors,” said VBSR’s executive director Jane Campbell. “As pioneers and supporters of both the Farm to Plate and Local First movements, it is an added bonus to our organization that these appointments will allow for better representation from those sectors on our board.”
With the additions of Carter and Marshall, VBSR has seen seven new board member appointments over the past three years, something Campbell says is a strength of the organization. “To grow, you need a healthy mix of new ideas and historical knowledge, and we’re doing a good job of finding that sweet spot.” Campbell also noted that the statewide organization with more than 750 members now has representation from six counties, including Chittenden, Washington, Lamoille, Windsor, Windham and Rutland.
“Social responsibility is such a big part of our mission at Gardener’s Supply Company, and I’m excited to bring that energy to the board of VBSR,” said Claudia Marshall.
“Sustainable economic development is core to both VBSR and VSJF missions,” said Rachel Carter. “I look forward to helping bridge communication barriers to advance economic, social, and environmental change and deepen collaborations between private sector businesses, non-profit organizations, and government agencies.”
Campbell noted that Carter and Marshall are stepping up to fill the seats of outgoing board members Michael Burak (Burak Anderson & Melloni) and Avram Patt (Down Patt Consulting). “We are so grateful for Michael Burak and Avram Patt and their years of dedication to our organization. It’s never easy to lose board members of as high caliber as Michael and Avram, but we are excited about Rachel Carter and Claudia Marshall and know that they will fill those shoes seamlessly.”
Rachel Carter is the communications director at VSJF, a non-profit organization committed to sustainable economic development in agriculture and food system, forest product, waste management, renewable energy, and environmental technology sectors. In this role, Rachel manages consumer education and marketing initiatives for the Farm to Plate Network’s collective work implementing Vermont’s food system plan. Carter owned and operated a public relations, social media, and grassroots marketing business from 2006-2013 and has been recognized as the 2008 Vermont Young Careerist of the Year and a 2010 Vermont Business Magazine Rising Star.
Claudia Marshall is a life-long communications professional, with experience in traditional and social media. She combines that experience with a long-time interest in community outreach and social justice. Marshall is currently the Director of Good Works and Public Relations at Gardener’s Supply Company in Burlington, VT. Her work includes distributing 8% of the company’s profits to causes that make the world a better place through gardening and sustainable agriculture. Before moving to Vermont in 2013, she was an award-winning writer, reporter and news anchor in New York City for CBS News and ABC News on both radio and television, and she spent a dozen years hosting the public radio station, WFUV, featured frequently on NPR.
To learn more about VBSR or read the complete biographies of the organization’s current board and staff members, visit www.vbsr.org.
