“We can make a life better, even if only for a moment”: Reflections from 2024 Emerging Leader Kris Plante

Vernon resident Kris Plante, finance manager at Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation and board member of the Women’s Freedom Center, has been named a 2024 Southern Vermont Emerging Leader, along with 23 other young people from across the Bennington and Windham regions. Individuals were nominated based on their work as community leaders and volunteers and for their professional accomplishments and commitment to serving the region, and were presented with awards in May at the Southern Vermont Economy Summit in Dover.

Each year since 2018, the Southern Vermont Young Professionals (a program of Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation) and the Shires Young Professionals have sought to highlight and honor young adults in their roles as leaders and change-makers in the Southern Vermont economy and community through the Emerging Leaders awards. Over 100 local leaders have been given an Emerging Leaders award since the beginning of the program, and 35 of those have subsequently been recognized statewide through Vermont Business Magazine’s Rising Stars awards as well.

Read more about the other awardees at www.sovermontzone.com/emerging-leaders. Nominations for the 2025 cohort will open in January. 

What Kris’s nominator had to say: Having known and worked with Kris since 2018, I have had the pleasure of seeing her growth both personally and professionally. Kris has a strong desire to learn and take on new challenges, and she is not afraid to think outside the box about a resolution. In addition to Kris’s desire for growth and learning, she also has a soft place in her heart for others. This carries forward to her furry (& not so) friends, the people she works with, and others she may have met in the community.  Kris is passionate about her beliefs, standing tall in the face of conflict, and her compassion is evident in her daily work.

Kris’s Reflections

We can make a life better, even if only for a moment

Growing up as a military brat, I moved around a lot and saw struggles around me regardless of where we were stationed. My family volunteered with toy drives, food drives, clean up events, animal shelters, etc., and I learned that even if we are surrounded by bad things, we can make a life better, even if only for a moment. 

This is the philosophy I live by – when I volunteered at animal shelters; supported those I helped supervise while we were dealing with a challenging boss; delivered signs, collected signatures, helped create care packages with Planned Parenthood; attended rallies for BLM and Women’s Rights; work for nonprofits; serve on the board of the Women’s Freedom Center; adopt furbabies to give them better homes; and continue to search for, learn about, and fight for causes I care about.

I am happy that I get to contribute and watch Vermont evolve

Through my work I support BDCC’s mission and contribute to the future vision for the state; from educating high school students on opportunities and pathways after graduation in our region; to helping refugees prepare for and get jobs; to helping small and large businesses, sole proprietors, and new businesses with technical assistance and/or loans; and so much more.

The Women’s Freedom Center is a vital resource that provides support and advocacy for all survivors of domestic and s—–l violence. I am proud to serve on the board to help survivors in our community. I also volunteer for the Southern VT Natural History Museum so I can help care for their non-releasable wildlife and educate kids and adults in fostering a commitment to caring for nature and the creatures that live in it. 

Vermont is moving towards being a younger, more diverse state where everyone is welcome and able to thrive and I am happy that I get to contribute and watch it evolve.

Living here feels like living in a postcard 

My partner and I moved to Southern Vermont in 2015 after graduating from college, even though neither of us had ever spent much time here and we didn’t have any family or friends in the area. I was excited that my preconceptions were accurate and that we had chosen somewhere to live that recognizes bodily autonomy and cares about the environment and improving the lives of current and new Vermonters. It didn’t take long to be captivated by the charming towns, quirky seasons, and focus on local, high-quality products. Living here feels like living in a postcard and I’m happy we made the leap.

About Southern Vermont Young Professionals

The Southern Vermont Young Professionals is a workforce initiative of Southeastern Vermont Economic Development Strategies (SeVEDS) and the Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation (BDCC). Our mission is to attract, retain and support Young Professionals in Southern Vermont by providing engaging opportunities and networking through social and educational events, and volunteer opportunities. The YP initiative is increasingly important to Southern Vermont’s businesses and communities as a strategic approach to growing the size of the region’s workforce and increasing the number of younger households in the region. For more information please visit: https://brattleborodevelopment.com/sovtyps/