VBSR Day in the Statehouse
For over three decades, VBSR has been a legislative driving force, utilizing the strength of the business community to effect change in the Vermont Statehouse. Our enduring commitment has been to steer our state toward a new paradigm for a just, thriving and transformative economy for all people and the planet. As both the values-led voice on business issues and the business voice on values-led issues, we’re proud of the many legislative successes our members have helped shape.
We invite you to add your voice, help move the needle on critical issues facing Vermont — and to celebrate the incredible work of over 30 years in the Vermont Statehouse!
Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR) members and Vermont B Corp Collective (VBCC) members have the option to register for two parts of the day on March 25th, including a forum with 2026 Lt. Governor candidates in partnership with Common Good Vermont.
Part 1: VBSR Day in the Statehouse
Wednesday, March 25th from 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Montpelier, VT
REGISTRATION REQUIRED BY MONDAY, MARCH 23rd
Do you know your elected officials in Montpelier? Do they know you? Each year, VBSR members come together at the Statehouse to urge bold action on our Advocacy Agenda and to lift-up the values-driven business voice.
As we see challenges in housing, healthcare, childcare — and increased threats to our democracy — VBSR and the VBCC are here to support you in using your voice and meeting your collective action requirements! Now is the time to utilize your VBCC and VBSR membership to speak directly with Vermont legislators on the issues that matter most to your business!
Join fellow business leaders on March 25 to engage directly with Vermont legislators and make your voice heard!
AGENDA
- Welcome and Brief Training
- Pizza Lunch and Meeting your Legislators!
- A forum with 2026 Lt. Governor candidates
Words from the Candidates – A VBSR Lt. Governor Forum In partnership with Common Good Vermont
VBSR knows that democracy is good for business. This year we are hosting a candidate forum featuring candidates who have declared their candidacy for Vermont Lt. Governor in the 2026 election. The Lieutenant Governor of Vermont acts as the second-highest executive officer, presiding over the Vermont Senate and casting tie-breaking votes. Elected every two years, they step in if the Governor is out of state or incapacitated.
Join us at in Montpelier to hear directly from:
- Molly Gray
- Esther Charlestin
- Ryan McLaren
During the forum, candidates will have the opportunity to share their vision for Vermont, and how we can create a just, thriving, and transformative economy that works for all people and the planet. Each will be encouraged to highlight what they will do to defend democracy if elected and provide insights into how businesses can engage in the democratic process.
The event will start with a welcome from Chelsea Bardot Lewis, VBSR’s Executive Director, with brief statements from the candidates before the forum begins. Each candidate will then have 2 minutes to respond to questions on topics ranging from housing to healthcare, with 15 minutes for an audience Q&A to end the event. VBSR is proud to co-host this event with our member Common Good Vermont.
DISCLAIMER: Common Good and VBSR are both nonpartisan organizations who do not endorse candidates or political parties.
Meet the Candidates
Esther Charlestin
People first.
Esther Charlestin is a community leader, educator, and small business owner running for Lieutenant Governor of Vermont. She is the founder of Conversation Compass LLC, an education and strategy consultancy that helps organizations strengthen communication, leadership, and inclusive decision-making. Esther has spent her career bringing people together to solve complex challenges. Her work has included supporting families through the reunification process between children and parents, particularly within marginalized communities navigating complex systems.
She has served as Dean of Climate and Culture in the Addison Central School District, Assistant Director of Community Standards at Middlebury College, and Residence Director at Middlebury College. Esther also served as an elected official on the Middlebury Selectboard, where she worked on local policy, community engagement, and strengthening trust between residents and local government.
Esther currently serves as Chair of the Vermont Commission on Women and as a Director-at-Large of the National Association of Commissions for Women, where she serves on the Policy and Governance Committee. Through this work, she collaborates with leaders across the country to advance policies that strengthen economic opportunity and ensure women’s voices are present where decisions are made.
In 2024, Esther made history as the first Black woman in Vermont to win a major party nomination for governor. Her campaign for Lieutenant Governor is grounded in listening to Vermonters across the state and working collaboratively to address the issues that matter most to families and businesses, including affordability, workforce development, education, and building a stronger, more inclusive economy.
Esther is a wife and proud mother of two who believes deeply in Vermont’s promise as a place where families, workers, entrepreneurs, and communities can thrive together.
Molly Gray
Molly Gray is a Democratic Candidate for Vermont Lt. Governor. Up until recently, she served as the Executive Director of the Vermont Afghan Alliance, a statewide non-profit working to support and assist Afghans resettling in Vermont.
Previously, Molly served as Vermont’s 83rd Lt. Governor, completing her term in January 2023. From 2018 to 2020, she served as a Vermont Assistant Attorney General while also teaching international human rights law as an adjunct professor at Vermont Law and Graduate School. Before that, Molly worked in Geneva, Switzerland for the International Code of Conduct Association, an international initiative aimed at overseeing the compliance of security contractors with human rights.
Molly launched the Association’s human rights monitoring program and led monitoring missions into East Africa, Nigeria and Iraq. Gray also previously worked for the International Committee of the Red Cross where she managed relations with Congress and led field missions to Haiti, Uganda, Georgia, the Western Balkans and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Molly began her career as an aide to U.S. Representative, now Senator, Peter Welch (D-VT).
Molly was born and raised in Newbury, Vermont on her families’ vegetable and dairy farm. Molly holds an LL.M in International Law from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, a J.D. from Vermont Law School, and a B.A. from the University of Vermont. After graduating law school Molly served as a law clerk to the Honorable Peter W. Hall on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
Molly lives in Burlington with her husband, son and stepsons.
Ryan McLaren
A life shaped by service and resilience.
I grew up in Vermont, raised by parents who believed in service and community. My education in public schools and people who invested in me shaped who I am and how I lead.
Service has been the throughline of my life. I served in AmeriCorps, worked on local school boards, and coached youth and high school sports. I’ve worked for a Vermont Governor, in state government, and alongside Senator Peter Welch as a senior aide. These roles have given me ample experience and have grounded me in the everyday realities families face. For the past decade, I’ve worked to defend Vermont values and protect our democracy during one of the most turbulent periods in our nation’s history.
In 2017, my life changed forever. While skiing at Mad River Glen, I was paralyzed. Doctors told me I might never walk again. But step by step, day by day, I made progress. Recovery was slow, but I didn’t quit. I didn’t give up. And I still haven’t. That resilience and refusal to quit is something Vermonters understand deeply.
It’s the same spirit we need right now.
As Lieutenant Governor, I’ll fight for a Vermont where working people aren’t left behind, where opportunity is possible, and where leadership means showing up, especially when things are hard.
PART 2: Socially Responsible Businesses Reception
Wednesday, March 25th from 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Cedar Creek Room at the Statehouse
REGISTRATION REQUESTED BY MONDAY, MARCH 23rd
Advocacy starts with a handshake! Socially responsible business leaders and employees are invited to join us in the Cedar Creek Room from 4:00 – 6:00 PM with refreshments and appetizers to fuel meaningful conversations. Share your experience as a Vermont business, ask questions, and connect on the issues that matter most.
Building relationships with lawmakers strengthens our democracy and it’s crucial for legislators to hear directly from business leaders to drive change. No prior experience is needed to participate! VBSR will support you before, during, and after the event, including the optional training below.
This reception will also include podium comments where you'll hear from VBSR's Public Policy Manager Johanna de Graffenreid, representatives from VBSR's Public Policy Committee, VBSR's Executive Director Chelsea Bardot Lewis, and legislative leadership that have worked alongside VBSR in our advocacy including Senate Pro Tempore Baruth, Lt Governor Rodgers, and Speaker of the House Jill Krowinski.
(Optional) Advocacy 101: The Business of Democracy with the American Sustainable Business Network
Thursday, March 19th from 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM, Virtual
As a business leader in the B Corp community, you aren't just an observer of the economy—you are an architect of its future. You possess the boots-on-the-ground expertise and the stories required to drive systemic change. But is that influence reaching the halls of power where the rules of the game are written? As we kick off 2026, this workshop serves as your strategic entry point. We will demystify the advocacy process and provide the concrete tools you need to transition from a business leader to a confident voice for public policy. As members of the B Corp community, you are uniquely positioned to advocate for sustainable business policy. You will leave with a clear understanding of how to advocate for policies that support the B Corp vision of businesses that prioritize people and our planet in everything they do, ASBN’s complementary vision of an inclusive and regenerative economy, and how you can take action supporting those policies that contribute to your business success.
Thank you to Norwich Solar and The Alchemist for generously supporting VBSR Day in the Statehouse!
Are you interested in sponsoring this event? If so, please contact Jeremy Gerber at jeremyg@vbsr.org for details.