Steering Committee

The success of the Legacy Project can be attributed to the knowledge and expertise of the Steering Committee. Composed of 15 representatives from the business, educational, non-profit and governmental sectors, this group is charged with ensuring that the project continues to address the 5 major themes that define our community’s common vision. The original steering committee was appointed in May 1999 by then-Mayor Peter Clavelle.

Co-Chairs

The Legacy Project Steering Committee is overseen by co-chairs Joe Speidel and Penrose Jackson, and Immediate Past Chair Dr. Jane Knodell. Penrose is Director of Community Health Improvement at Fletcher Allen Health Care, Vermont’s academic medical center. As Director of Community Services, Penrose oversees a myriad of community health initiatives, including the provision direct grants to community-based organizations. Before joining the Legacy SC, Penrose served 13 years on the Champlain Initiative Steering Committee.

Joe, UVM’s Director of Local Government and Community Relations, has over 10 years of experience in higher education and community relations. As Director, Joe promotes collaboration between the University of Vermont and the local government and community members around common issues and interests. He is a 2009 graduate of the Snelling Center’s Vermont Leadership Institute. Joe’s community involvement includes the Champlain Initiative, the Burlington Community Coalition, Vermont Stage Company, and Mobius, the Mentoring Movement.

Dr. Knodell is a long-standing member of the Steering Committee, immediate past Co-Chair, and currently UVM’s interim Provost. Dr. Knodell was named Interim Provost and Senior Vice President for the University of Vermont in May 2009. A professor of economics, Dr. Knodell has served in a variety of key administrative positions at UVM including: special assistant to the provost, associate provost for budget and capital planning, interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and chair of the Department of Economics. Dr. Knodell conducts research and teaches in the fields of money and banking, macroeconomics, and economic history. She applies the tools of economic history, institutional analysis, and monetary economics to understanding the evolution and performance of monetary institutions over time. She also served on the Burlington City Council from 1995 to 2009.

2010 Legacy Steering Committee:

Jane Knodell – Immediate Past Chair, University of Vermont

Joe Speidel - Chair, University of Vermont

Jeanne Collins - Burlington School District

Kelly Devine - Burlington Business Association

Michel George – Champlain College

Penrose Jackson – Fletcher Allen Health Care

Larry Kupferman – Burlington Community & Economic Development Office

Martha Maksym – United Way of Chittenden County

Andy Montroll – Burlington Planning Commission

Melinda Moulton – Main Street Landing Company

Emma Mulvaney-Stanek – Burlington City Council