BDCC Staff Profile: Laura Sibilia

BDCC Staff Member Name: Laura Sibilia

Position Title: Director of Economic and Workforce Development

Program(s): Community Outreach and Communications for all of the BDCC Programs

Where were you born? Fairhaven, MA

Where do you currently live? Goose City (East Dover), VT

What did you do before you came to the BDCC? I was the Executive Director of the Mount Snow Valley Chamber of Commerce.

What inspires you about your current work? That we have empowered and are empowering people from across this rural region of VT to change our future. The work I am most involved in, which is the SeVEDS/Economic Development side of things, is the work that has come out of grass-roots efforts with small businesses, nonprofits, etc. As a region, we have been figuring out what the levers are to be pulled to change our future. We aren’t dealing with a lot of professional, outside people trained in exactly how this work is supposed to go. This is us, the real people who live here. I was a waitress before I moved into the leadership roles that led me here.  All of these folks we have been and are working with are the real folks who live here and are learning how to read data, how to figure these things out. When people see that they are doing something significant that is having an impact, that inspires them and me to keep going.

Tell us about the hobby/activity from your photo, what do you love about it? I love to cook. I come from a large family. I make Thanksgiving Dinner every year for somewhere between 30-40 people. What I love about it is that it is an opportunity to give something to the people I love. I also like the challenge of cooking for a crew. It is very satisfying to put a hot Thanksgiving Dinner on the table for that many people having it come out super well.

What is a unique fact about you that people might not know? I can carry seven loaded plates at one time. If they are on a serving tray, I can jog at the same time.

I also love Scrabble because: words matter.