Our Team
Staff
Alex Lehning, MA (he/him)
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Alex has served in nonprofits and classrooms for over a decade, and is dedicated to fostering cultures of well-being in both communities and organizations. He is an advocate for suicide prevention education as well as student mental health. In addition to his work at VCPI, he is also an instructor with the Community College of Vermont and a historian of medicine. A trained death doula, Alex holds a BA in History from the University of Maine, a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Marlboro Graduate College, and an MA in History from the University of Vermont. Alex is a member of the American Counseling Association, the American College Counseling Association, and the American & Vermont Mental Health Counselors Associations.
Gabriela Heermans, MSc. (she/ her)
POLICY & PROGRAMMING FELLOW
Gabriela graduated with a Master of Science from the Erasmus + Global-MINDS (Mobility, Inclusion, and Diversity in Society) program of the European Union. This program has allowed her to gain hands on skills and knowledge in cross-cultural research methods. Under a Fulbright research Grant she was awarded, she headed a research project to support the initiatives of organizations with humanitarian objectives working both at national and international levels. She is currently working towards her master’s in clinical mental health counseling and works as a School Services Clinician with the Howard Center.
Ana Cristina Saam, M.Ed. (she/her/hers)
POLICY & PROGRAMMING FELLOW
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.
Leadership Team
2023-2024
Annamarie Cioffari, PhD
Vermont State University
Laura Flint, MSW
Vermont Department of Mental Health
Emma Harrington, MS
Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems
Mary McQuiggan, LICSW
Vermont Program for Quality Improvement in Healthcare
William Keithcart, MA, LADC, MAC, SAP
Long Trail Counseling
Matt Wolf, BA
Vermont Afterschool