Erica Metzger Hare is a non-profit leader with a demonstrated history of strategic leadership in the healthcare, human services and higher education industries in Vermont and New York. Erica is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College (BA) and the Stern School of Business at New York University (MBA).  

Erica began her career in her native New York City at Accenture as a consultant in the strategy practice where she specialized in guiding companies through regulatory changes. Eager to spend her time in mission-driven settings, Erica shifted her focus to academic medical centers and managed financial and administrative operations in a variety of roles for the next decade at Mount Sinai Hospital, NYU Medical Center and Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center.

Upon moving to Vermont, she worked at Vermont College of Fine Arts in Montpelier for 10 years as the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, overseeing many financial and operational expansions with a portfolio that included banking, financial reporting, human resources, alumni affairs and fundraising.

In 2019 Erica joined Aspire Living & Learning, an $80M multistate human services agency headquartered in Berlin, VT, as its Chief Financial Officer. Aspire is one of the largest nonprofits based in Vermont, and employs 1,200 people in five states serving hundreds of adults and children with disabilities in residential and day-program settings, as well as providing early-intervention and school-based services for children with autism.

Erica serves on the Vermont Commission on Women, as the Treasurer of Beth Jacob Synagogue in Montpelier, and as an alumnae admissions representative at Mount Holyoke College. When she is not working or volunteering, Erica enjoys spending her time singing jazz music and exploring the many outdoor wonders of Vermont with her family and the myriad animals who share their land and home.

Heidi Mohlman Tringe is a seasoned policy, legislative affairs, and communications professional with extensive experience in both Vermont and Washington, DC. She joined the Montpelier, VT, government and public relations firm MMR, LLC, in August 2010 and became a Partner in 2011. At MMR she advises clients on diverse policy issues on both a state and national level.

Heidi was a member of Vermont Governor Jim Douglas’ senior staff from January 2008 until July 2010, where she served as his liaison with the National Governors Association, the White House and federal agencies, Vermont’s Congressional delegation, and Vermont agencies and departments including the Agency of Human Services (AHS), the Department of Labor, the Department of Banking, Insurance, Securities & Health Care Administration, and the Lottery Commission. Before joining the Governor’s staff she worked for two years at AHS as Principal Assistant, responsible for policy development, legislative affairs, and communications. 

She moved to Vermont in October 2005 after serving in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy as Director of Legislative Affairs, where she worked on federal research and development policy, the President’s Moon-Mars Initiative, and the confirmation of NASA Administrator Michael Griffin. From 2001 to February 2004, Heidi was the Communications Director for the US House of Representatives Committee on Science, helping to coordinate the Committee’s work on the investigations into the collapse of the World Trade Center towers and the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster, among other issues. From 1996 to 2001, she held a number of positions in the office of US Senator Jim Jeffords (R-VT), including Education Policy Research Assistant, Deputy Press Secretary, and Press Secretary for his 2000 reelection campaign. She grew up in Vermont and attended Montpelier High School.

Heidi currently serves as a Member of the Vermont Commission on Women, and on the Board of Trustees of the Vermont College of Fine Arts. She volunteers at Main Street Middle School, Montpelier High School, the Central Vermont Skating Association and at the Old Meeting House Church in East Montpelier. She enjoys travel, skiing, hiking and tennis with her family and friends.

Mentorship Program Coordinator

Kristin Cantu is co-owner and producer at Well Told Films  a Montpelier-based documentary film and video production company. Kristin has been working in journalism for nearly a decade, starting in the print & multimedia fields, eventually transitioning into documentary film production and podcasting. She also has extensive experience managing projects and events for individuals and companies. Kristin is known as a go-to problem solver, who clients rely on to manage multi-faceted projects large and small with the ability to adapt on the fly to changing circumstances. Her strengths as both a taskmaster and storyteller help her collaborate with clients to shepherd projects from concept to completion and through all the steps in between. Kristin is passionate about collaborating with and creating community among entrepreneurial and professional women. A gap year in college taking part in the Americorps program, City Year Boston, instilled in Kristin the importance of community involvement. Since then, Kristin has spent her off hours volunteering for organizations such as Hike It Baby, Girls On The Run, and Art & Science In One—a nature journaling program for elementary school students. 

Graphic Designer

Vicki Kuskowski has been working as a graphic designer since 1998. Early in her career, her love of books led her to the New York publishing industry where she worked on staff as a book designer for St. Martin’s Press and Perseus Books Group. In 2001 she migrated to California and became a senior artist at the University of California Press. To this day, she continues to design books on a freelance basis for a variety of publishers.

In 2006 she transitioned to marketing design and became the art director for Juniper Ridge. Thus began her interest in the natural products industry and her love of organic and sustainable goods. After seven years in California, she moved to Vermont to put down roots and work as the senior graphic designer for Zutano.

When a marketing manager position opened for the herbal tincture company Urban Moonshine in 2015, Vicki jumped at the opportunity. Urban Moonshine was acquired by Traditional Medicinals tea in 2017 and she became a senior designer for both brands.

Vicki loves the world of herbalism, walking in the woods, laughing with her family, reading, crafting, and visiting new places. She has over twenty years experience designing the things around her and adores new projects and challenges.