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• Delores "Dee" Rollins, Executive Director
Born in Hallowell, Maine, the "Gem of the Kennebec," Dee earned a BS degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Maine, plus a certificate in Mediation Conflict Management from Woodbury College. "Dee" has 27 years experience in the Executive Search field, nine as Vice-President of the Vermont Recruitment Center - under the aegis of the Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems - recruiting primary care physicians to Vermont. She previously managed the Restorative Re-entry Program at the Montpelier Justice Center. Along with her 5 years of volunteering at Project Independence (prior to becoming Executive Director in 2006), Ms. Rollins has also done volunteer work for Girl Scouts USA, Home Share Vermont, is Past-President of the Central Vermont Medical Center Auxiliary, and Corporate Member of CVMC. Her hobbies include playing her trumpet, skiing, walking her two Golden Retrievers and golf.
• Linda Kuban, Assistant Executive Director
Born and raised in Washington, VT, Linda went to the Washington Village School, graduated from Spaulding High School and Thompson School of Nursing. She is an EMT with First Branch Ambulance in Chelsea for 27 years. Linda has been with Project Independence since July 1996 as staff nurse and now as Assistant Director. Linda has 2 sons who are married and live in Barre Town with her five grandchildren. She has been the Emergency Management Director for Chelsea for the past 7 years. Linda and her husband, Ed, have lived in Chelsea for 40 years. In her spare time she likes reading and being with her grandchildren.
• MaryAnne Cerasoli, Office Administrator
Born in Bellows Falls and raised in Barre, MaryAnne has an A.S. Degree in Secretarial Science from Husson College in Bangor, Maine. She worked for Farmers Home Administration (now Rural Development) for 24 years, as a loan assistant processing legal cases. After leaving the Federal Government, she started a word processing business out of her home and still maintains her word processing business on a part time scale. She worked at the Vermont Recruitment Center, recruiting physicians for Vermont hospitals for 5 years until it closed. MaryAnne and her husband, Joe, live in East Montpelier and work various Knights of Columbus activities. She loves spending time with the family, traveling, flower gardening and crafts. She makes baby sweater sets for the CVMC Hospital Auxiliary Gift Shop and heads up a group of individuals knitting and crocheting hats, shawls and scarves for chemo patients, which she says is a very rewarding project.
• Pam Bresette, Head Chef
Pam was raised in Barre and now lives in South Barre. She has 3 beautiful children. She worked for Dell's Pizza & Pasta for 23 years and at the Capitol Plaza in Montpelier as head chef. Now Pam works for Project Independence and at the same time, operates her own cleaning service. She likes to collect antiques and is always busy on one project or another!
• Carol Griffith, LNA, Activities Leader/Dementia Care
Carol was born, raised and continues to live in Barre with her husband, Royce. They are the parents of 3 children and 3 grandchildren. Carol began working with the elderly 40 years ago in area nursing homes and came to Project Independence from Berlin Health and Rehab. Carol worked at Berlin Health and Rehab for 34 years - 20 years as an LNA and 10 in the Activity Department mainly in dementia programming. She says she reached her lifelong goal of setting up a much needed dementia unit, which was the Brighter Days Alzheimers program and was the head of the program for the last 4 1/2 years at Berlin Health and Rehab. Carol has always had a stong commitment helping these individiuals and their families stricken by Alzheimers. Carol's volunteer work includes: Co-facilitator of the VT Alzheimer's Association Support group in Barre, the Central VT Alzheimer's Memory Walk coordinator for many years and came to Project Independence as a volunteer. "I enjoy my work at Project Independence very much and find it very rewarding. I am looking forward to forming an early onset support group for P.I.'s families & friends." Carol's spare time is spent with her grandchildren, flower gardening and restoring antiques.
• Judy Letourneau, RN/Health Coordinator
Judy received her LPN license from Thompson School of Practical Nursing in July of 1968 and graduated from Vermont College in May of 1990. Her work experiences include: Central VT Hospital, McFarland House and Central VT Home Health & Hospice, spanning a total of 42 years in nursing. Judy lives in Orange with her husband of 42 years and has 3 children and 4 grandchildren. Her hobbies include gardening, crafts, sewing and camping.
• Jane White, LPN/Social Worker
Jane is married to David (whom she met while doing a Home Share) and lives in Montpelier. Jane grew up in Chelsea, VT and graduated from Chelsea High School, Putnam Memorial Hospital School of Practical Nursing (for her LPN) and Southern VT College (for Social Work/Gerontology). She has worked in Randolph and Bennington, VT as an LPN and now Barre as an LPN/social worker. Her family lives in Chelsea, Montpelier and Waterbury, VT and Enfield, NH. Jane is currently President of the Practical Nurses Association of VT. She loves working with elders and their families. Jane's hobbies are scrap booking, crocheting and she loves spending time with family and friends..
• Tammy Mattote, LNA
Tammy has been an LNA for 32 years. She has been married to her husband Mark since 2004 and they make their home in Williamstown. Tammy has two grown boys -- Jeffrey lives in South Barre and Jason lies in West Lebanon. Tammy and Mark have a cabin cruiser on Lake Champlain and spend every weekend on the boat. She loves to travel the lake and fish in her spare time, likes to read, knit, work in her flower garden, and has recently taken up quilting and sewing. Tammy says she loves her job at present and likes working with many different ages.
• Claire Benoit (NA) Nursing Claire began working with elders 40 years ago in a nursing home. From there she went to home care and worked with folks from Home Health & Hospice. Claire gave up home care to come to Project Independence while still working at CVMC, sitting with fall-risk and dementia patients. Claire and her husband Bernard live in East Barre. She likes the variety of needs at Project Independence and working with others to meet that need. Two of Claire's grandchildren have worked at Project Independence - each for two summers. One of the grandchildren was a server at the Open House Celebration.
• Elizabeth (Betty) Blouin, RN, Nursing/Podiatry
Betty says she is a grateful employee of Project Independence. In her free time, Betty loves to read, walk, pray, spend time cooking and inviting lots of people to enjoy what she cooks. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends and truly appreciates the people she works with and cares for. Betty says "I like to pay attention to the moment and try to help wherever I can. I love Project Independence, the people I serve and the people I serve with. I am very grateful for the opportunity to use the skills I have. Thank You!"
• Tom Wales, Nursing
Tom graduated from South Burlington High School and joined the Air Force where he trained to be a Medical Technician. His last year was in Obstectrics and his highlight was delivering a baby by himself. After his discharge, Tom went to work for IBM in Essex Jct., VT, where he trained to be an Electronics Technician. He repaired computers, electronic test equipment, and designed and built hardware for final test of Analog Mixed Signal & RF Parts. Tom had one patent accepted prior to retiring in 2002. Tom was also a member of the Air National Guard, retiring in 1980. He was a medical and x-ray technician and he used to do physicals for pilots and all enlisted personnel. After retiring from IBM, Tom worked on electronics for the Tour Bus industry, repairing, selling and marketing audio video equipment. His next career was getting a CDL B license and driving for Green Mountain Transit. He picked up individuals going to Project Independence for over 2 years until he joined our staff. He has been working for Project Independence for 1 year and says "it's a great job". Tom plays guitar as a hobby and he likes to hike, snow shoe and cross country ski. He also loves to go to live music concerts.
• Amanda Koledo, LNA
Amanda began work at Project Independence in 2009 as an LNA. She married Chris in September and Barre with her two cats. They are expecting their first child in April. She received her LNA license three years ago and loves working with the elderly. In her spare time, Amanda says she enjoys spending time with her family doing outdoor activities, sewing and knitting.
• Ella Burnham
Ella was born and raised in Montpelier. She graduated from St. Michael's College in 2006 with degrees in English and Reliqious Studies. After graduation, she enlisted in the Jesuit Volunteer Corps and for two years, worked with non-profit agencies in San Antonio, TX and Washington, DC. After returning to Vermont, Ella decided to enter the nursing field and plans on eventually becoming an RN. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, music, hiking and spending time with family and friends.
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Staff/Directors