Staff

Karen Beardsley, AA

Finance Manager

Karen has been with Southern VT AHEC since 1999 where she started as an Administrative Assistant.

In addition to her duties as Finance Manager, Karen also administers the Primary Care Educational Loan Repayment Program.

Karen received her degree in psychology from the Community College of Vermont.

Peg Bolgioni, BA

Marketing & Communications Manager

Peg creates, implements and directs the marketing and communications programs for the organization. With over 20 years in both the public and private sectors, Peg has experience in creative and persuasive writing, social media, media relations, content management, and public relations. Peg is a storyteller with the ability to communicate messaging that drives a deeper human connection to a brand.

Peg received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Vermont.

Peg resides in Rutland, is an avid reader, foodie, and serves on the boards of Rutland South Rotary Club and the Dolly Parton Imagination Library at Rutland Free Library.

Katina Cummings, BS, MS

Project Director, Community Health Workers

Katina comes to us from our sister organization, Northern Vermont AHEC, where she served as the Health Workforce Program Manager. In that role, she led the continuing education program for VT health professionals statewide and spearheaded the organization’s work in advancing equity-oriented health care. She also provided support to UVM medical and other health professions students in their rural community health improvement projects.

Katina has been active on the State’s Community Health Worker Steering Committee and participated for several years on the VT Farm Health and Safety Coalition.

 A trained and experienced educator in diverse service settings, Katina has provided technical assistance and training for interprofessional service teams in trauma-informed and culturally and linguistically appropriate health care service delivery. She is a licensed and active IDI Qualified Administrator (QI), to assess individuals and groups in their intercultural development along the Intercultural Development Continuum (IDC). Katina holds a B.S. degree in Political Science and History and a master’s degree in Planning from M.I.T.

Marty Hammond, BA, M.Ed

Oral Health Project Coordinator

A former Executive Director of Southern Vermont Area Health Education Center (SVTAHEC), Marty returned to the agency in 2019 in a new, part-time position as Oral Health Project Coordinator. In her new role, Marty will support community-based oral health initiatives throughout the southern Vermont health service area. Oral health is an important component of overall well-being. To date, Marty and SVTAHEC have helped improve oral health access through supporting school-based preventive dental initiatives in the Springfield and Bennington areas, and a new dental clinic in Brattleboro. 

Marty also participates in the Vermont Oral Health Coalition and is the Vermont Grassroots representative to the National Oral Health Progress and Equity Network (OPEN).  She earned a B.A. in History and an M.Ed in Educational Leadership from The University of Vermont.

Emilie Johnston, AA

Community Health Worker Coordinator, Southern Vermont

Emilie has joined Southern Vermont AHEC as our Community Health Worker Coordinator for the southern part of Vermont. She brings a wealth of healthcare experience to her role. Emilie served as a medic with the United States Air Force and then worked in the Emergency Department at the White River Junction VA Medical Center.

Emilie earned an associate’s degree in applied science, and is also a personal fitness trainer/fitness instructor and nutrition coach. Emilie has a passion for health and wellness plus a great love for the outdoors. She enjoys hiking, running, and kayaking. Emilie is also a mother to three children.

Leah Kittredge, BA, MPH

Community Health Worker Coordinator, Northern Vermont

We are pleased to announce the addition of Leah Kittredge as our Community Health Worker Coordinator for Northern Vermont. Leah comes into this position with exceptional skills and experience. She began her work in public health with the Vermont Department of Health as a grant monitor and Research and Evaluation Coordinator in the field of HIV Prevention, collaborating with community-based organizations to implement HIV prevention interventions with populations at considerable risk for HIV and to collect data on these clients that was culturally appropriate. Leah also spent 2 years with the National Health Service in Shrewsbury, England as a health promotion practitioner, managing the Making Every Contact County Program, which involved working with medical and mental health staff to make the most of their contacts with clients to discuss health lifestyle and refer to appropriate resources for help in making a positive behavioral change.

Leah holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology & Communication Science from the University of Connecticut and a Master’s in Public Health from the University of Essex. She is passionate about health promotion, working to achieve health equity for all, and a strong proponent of universal health care.

Leah also works as a Parent Connector for the PJ Library of VT, where she leads events for families with young children and has been working to create a community of these families in the Montpelier area.

Leah is also the proud mother of three young children.

Carol Knight

Health Careers Coordinator

As a Certified Medical Coder and former LNA, Carol brings robust experience in healthcare support positions to her role as Health Careers Coordinator for the organization’s programs and special projects (e.g., medical student housing and primary care survey). Carol studied at the Community College of Vermont and received her Certified Professional Coding license in 2013.  She has specialized skills in medical records, insurance authorization and billing, and medical coding.

Carol lives with her husband and dog, Luna, in North Springfield where they enjoy long walks on the many nearby trails. She also enjoys reading, jigsaw puzzles, cross stitch, biking, and volunteering for local organizations.

Amanda Richardson, BA, MA

Director of Health Careers Exploration

In her role, Amanda provides health careers exploration programming to middle and high school students in Southern Vermont by collaborating with educational institutions and organizations which support health professions training. Amanda is a sociologist with professional background in education. Prior to joining SVTAHEC, Amanda established Castleton University’s McNair Scholars Program designed to open educational pathways for underrepresented college students. In addition to experience in expanding educational opportunities, Amanda’s background includes over 15 years in survey research and data collection methods. Amanda holds a Master of Arts degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Macalester College. Amanda lives in Rutland and enjoys reading, walking her two dogs, and spending time with her friends and family.

Ana Saam, M.Ed

Coordinator Chittenden County, Community Health Workers

Ana was born and raised in Colombia. After arriving to the US in 2007, Ana has worked to understand how systems like hospitals, court houses and school districts work to ensure the rights of vulnerable populations and take responsibility for educating their staff on best practices. While completing her master’s degree at the University of Vermont, Ana found a passion for Restorative Practices and Emotional Intelligence, which propelled her to acquire more knowledge and experience to protect vulnerable populations. Ana holds degrees and certificates for advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Neurodevelopmental Disabilities; Leadership Effectiveness, Mental Health First Aid, among others. As interpreter and multicultural broker, Ana works connecting immigrant populations with resources, providing them with education and guidance about their rights and opportunities and advocating for their needs. As a community health worker, Ana works advancing community development by providing case management, workshops, and activities to help community members understands their and advocate for themselves. Ana accumulated over 10 years of experience of pioneering and promoting initiatives to foster inclusion and belonging.  

Jennifer L. Scott, PsyD, ABPP

Executive Director

Dr. Jennifer Scott is a licensed clinical psychologist and a well-established educator and administrator in the field of higher education. She has contributed to the fields of psychology and education with numerous presentations, publications, and professional service and has been recognized at the local and state levels for excellence in teaching and clinical practice. 

Jennifer earned her doctorate in clinical psychology from Xavier University in Cincinnati, OH.

As a leader, educator, clinician, and advocate, Jennifer is committed to the education and training of students and young professionals, creating opportunities for all to succeed, and serving the needs of individuals, families, and communities. She lives in Rutland and enjoys spending quality time with her family, connecting with friends, reading, hiking, and watching football.

Susan White, BA

Director of Health Careers Preparation & Practitioner Support

Susan develops, coordinates, and evaluates Southern Vermont Area Health Education Center’s College Student Healthcare Internship Program, (C-SHIP) for undergraduate students interested in health careers. She also works with students from The Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine at the University of Vermont on interdisciplinary community health care projects; leads the annual survey of primary care practices in Addison, Bennington, Rutland, Windsor, and Windham counties; finds opportunities to support rural primary care practices and practitioners and students enrolled in health professions programs in Vermont.  Susan received her BA in Political Science from Macalester College and previously worked in membership and alumni development in nonprofits and educational organizations.