Board of Directors

For Board Stories, click here.

Jennifer Archambault, MSM, PHR
President
Jennifer serves as the VP of Human Resources at the Visiting Nurse of Chittenden and Grand Isle Counties (the VNA). She provides leadership, direction and oversight of all Human Resources functions for the VNA and participates in matters related to the operation and strategic direction of the Agency. Jennifer has a passion for talent management, workforce and leadership development, and building Human Resource initiatives and strategies that maximizes the strengths, potential and talent of employees. Prior to joining the VNA, Jennifer worked for Copley Health Systems in Morrisville, where she was VP of Human Resources and Corporate Compliance, supporting 500 employees. Previously, Jennifer spent six years as Director of Human Resources at Franklin County Home Health Agency in St. Albans and held positions in HR at the UVM Medical Center prior to that. She attended St. Michael’s College as an undergrad and holds a Master of Science in Management: Healthcare Administration from New England College. Jennifer lives in Fairfield with her husband and three sons. When she’s not busy attending various sporting events with her family, Jennifer is an avid reader and also serves as a trustee on the Board of the Fairfield Community Library.

Deborah S. Bedrin
Vice President
Debbie has been a teacher at the Grand Isle School since 1972 and currently teaches 3rd grade. She is a graduate of Burlington High School and the University of Vermont. She lives in Grand Isle where she has been active in many educational and non-profit organizations. Those related to her passion for teaching include serving on the Vermont-NEA Board of Directors, treasurer, president and chief negotiator for the Grand Isle Educators Association, and has served on several state educational committees for scholarship and teacher of the year. Health care non-profit experience includes serving as past president of the Grand Isle Rescue, EMT for Rescue, and volunteer for many years at the Vermont Respite House. Debbie also serves on the YMCA of Vermont Board of Directors and has been active with Camp Hochelaga and their reunion committee.

Kevin Coté, CPA
Treasurer
Kevin returns to our Board of Directors after two terms from 2007-2013 including serving as Treasurer and President. Kevin serves as a Vice President at Beecher Carlson Insurance Services, LLC. He provides Captive Insurance Management services to large public companies and smaller non-public companies. Prior to joining Beecher Carlson, Kevin worked for the Visiting Nurse Association of Chittenden and Grand Isle Counties (the VNA), where, over the course of eleven years he worked his way from an Accounts Receivable Clerk to Accounts Receivable Manager. He then joined Johnson Lambert, LLP, an audit firm specializing in audits of captive insurance companies. Kevin obtained his CPA license during his four years at Johnson Lambert. He holds his Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Champlain College and has served on a number of boards and committees over the years. Kevin and his wife, Trish, are avid concert goers and never miss a chance to see The Boss (Bruce Springsteen).

Elizabeth Cote, Director of the University of Vermont AHEC Program Office
Board member, Ex-Officio
Liz Cote is the Director of the University of Vermont College of Medicine AHEC Program Office in Burlington. Established in 1996, UVM AHEC works to strengthen Vermont’s community health systems and the health of Vermonters in a partnership with three regional AHEC centers throughout the state. AHEC works to increase the supply, stability and education of Vermont’s health care workforce, particularly in under-served areas. Known for its work in partnering with other entities in the state to meet these goals, Liz represents AHEC as co-chair of the Health Care Workforce Development Partnership, a member of the Vermont Health Care Reform Commission, the Vermont Blueprint for Health and Chronic Care Initiative, the Vermont Department of Health Primary Care Collaborative, the Bi-State Primary Care Association Government Relations Committee, and the Vermont Educational Loan Repayment Program for Healthcare Professionals, among others. Throughout Liz’s career she has shown leadership in many education, training, and workforce development initiatives.  She is a graduate of Wheaton College in Norton, MA.

Midori Eckenstein, MS1
Board Member
Midori is a first year medical student currently studying at the University of Vermont (UVM) College of Medicine.  She grew up in South Burlington and received her BS in Microbiology from UVM.  As a high school student, Midori participated in Champlain Valley AHEC’s MedQuest program and attributes it to starting her pursuit of becoming a health care provider.  While at UVM she was a member of the Prehealth Enhancement Program (PEP) and the Women’s Varsity Soccer team.  Between college and medical school, Midori spent a year in South Africa as a programs intern for the non-governmental organization Grassroot Soccer, where she taught young adults about protecting themselves and their community against HIV/AIDS.  Midori is excited to be back in her home state of Vermont, and enjoys being outdoors as much as she can.

Stefani Hartsfield
Board member
Stefani is the Support And Services at Home (SASH) Operations Manager at Cathedral Square Corporation. Her primary focus is on consistent implementation of the SASH platform statewide. Stefani oversees training and development of the SASH teams in Vermont, as well as project manager for the Central Clinical Registry functionality in the SASH system and integrating it with collaborative care and Health Information Technology in Vermont. Stefani began working in training and organizational development in 1995 and has trained in a variety of areas including organizational change, system implementation and effective team performance in the private and non-profit sector. Prior to Cathedral Square, Stefani worked for the State of Vermont’s Agency of Human Services as an Employment Consultant to help match individuals with disabilities with sustainable jobs. Stefani received her B.A. in Psychology from Occidental College.

Amy O’Meara, DrNP, MS, WHNP-BC
Board member
Dr. O’Meara is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Nursing, UVM College of Nursing and Health Sciences and a women’s health nurse practitioner at Planned Parenthood of Northern New England. She completed her MS at Boston College in 2006 and her DrNP at Drexel University in March of 2014. Her dissertation was entitled Simulation Learning Modalities among Nurse Practitioner Students using Herpes as a Case Exemplar. Dr. O’Meara has a strong interest in reproductive health care and creative learning modalities that encourage student engagement. She is currently studying for her Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner certification with UVM. She teaches in the undergraduate, graduate, and RN to BSN programs. Dr. O’Meara has a B.A. in Anthropology/Paleopathology from California State University, her M.S. from Boston College’s William F. Connell School of Nursing and her DrNP from Drexel University.

Helen Riehle
Board member
Helen Riehle joined the Board of Directors in October 2016. Previously Helen provided leadership to our organization as the Executive Director. Prior to joining Champlain Valley AHEC in 2011, Helen was the executive director of the Vermont Program for Quality in Health Care, served in the Vermont State Legislature and taught middle school. As a legislator, Riehle chaired health and welfare, administrative rules and health access committees in the House and Senate. Helen is the Chair of the South Burlington City Council. She has also been active on numerous non-profit and higher education boards in the Chittenden County region including UVM, Burlington College, and Vermont Public Television. She lives in South Burlington with her husband, Ted Riehle.

Sandra W. Rosa, BS, RPh.
Board member
Sandy is a registered Pharmacist and graduate of the University of Rhode Island, College of Pharmacy. After a 40 year career in Community Pharmacy, she is now Coordinator for Experiential Education on the Vermont Campus of the Albany College of Pharmacy in Colchester. She also serves on the Professional Advisory Board of the Epilepsy Foundation of Vermont. Sandy lives in Alburgh, Vermont on the banks of beautiful Lake Champlain and is the proud grandmother of Sophia, 5 and Jackson, 2.

Michelle Stearns, MSN, RN
Board member
Michelle serves as an administrator for two Vermont Technical College nursing school locations. She is responsible for site coordination, budget development and administration, staff supervision, collaboration with clinical agencies, and student advising. She is involved with multiple campus wide committees including innovation and entrepreneurship. Michelle is actively involved in the development of simulation labs throughout the state for the college, and integration of simulation into curriculum. She is a facilitator of simulation for nursing, respiratory therapy and dental hygiene programs. She has covered state wide coordination for college simulation labs since 2014. Michelle is a member of STTI, AONE, ANA, Vermont State Nurses Association, INACSL, serves on the steering committee of the Chittenden County Medical Reserve Board and is a member of the advisory board of the Hannaford Career Center. She has worked in critical care at what is now the University of Vermont Medical Center and worked as a case manager with Addison County Home Health & Hospice while working with wellness promotion and tele-health. Michelle is a native Vermonter, a first generation college graduate, graduating from UVM’s nursing program, then Norwich University’s Master’s program and is currently enrolled in a doctoral program. She lives with her husband and son on the same family farm where her husband grew up.