Female Founders Speakers Series

About the Series: Since 2016, VCET’s Female Founders Speaker Series has served as a platform for entrepreneurs from across Vermont and elsewhere to tell their stories. At VCET, we believe that storytelling is one of the most impactful tools for inspiring the business owners and female founders of tomorrow. Hosted and moderated by Nicole Eaton, the series is held at Burlington’s beloved Hotel Vermont.

Season 9 concludes with Olympians

Watch now

Fast Facts!

32 Events to date

87 Speakers

Past Events

Season 1

Energy
Dori Wolfe, Wolfe Energy
Beth Sachs, Vermont Energy Investment Corporation

Design and Manufacturing
Corinne Prevot, Skida
Sascha Mayer and Christine Dodson, Mamava

Tech
Marguerite Dibble, GameTheory
Ann Pettyjohn, Green Mountain Software

The Arts
Natalie Miller, Vermont Comedy Club
Bess O’Brien, Kingdom County Productions

Food and Beverage
Jen Kimmich, The Alchemist
Allison Hooper, Vermont Creamery

Season 2

Makers Matter
Sarah Beal, Common Deer
Jennifer Kahn, Jennifer Kahn Jewelry
Britt Witt, Red House
Tessa Valyou, New Duds

Sustainability and Personal Care
Akshata Nayak, The Orange Owl
Kate Williams, 1% for the Planet, Vermont Yak Company
Montana Burns, Atlas Acupuncture
Magda Van Dusen, Brio Coffeeworks

Building a Global Brand in Vermont
Donna Carpenter, Josee Larocque, Anne Marie Dacyshyn, Beth Steele, and Elysa Walk, Burton Snowboards

Season 3

Forestry and Wood Products
Jess Glasscoe, Vermont Farm Table
Colleen Goodridge, Goodridge Lumber
Carina Driscoll, Vermont Woodworking School

Libations
Dani Casey, Foam Brewers
Sas Stewart, Stonecutter Spirits
Deirdre Heekin, La Garagista Farm + Winery

Journalism and Press
Paula Routly, Seven Days
Anne Galloway, VT Digger
Nicole Ravlin, People Making Good PR

Season 4

Athletes
Orla Walsh, Spartan Race, Broken Skull Challenge, Million Dollar Mile
Barbara Ann Cochran, B.A. Cochran Coaching
Laura Farrell, Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports

Restaurateurs
Cara Chigazola Tobin, Honey Road
Jaclyn Major, Butch & Babe’s
Eliza Greene, Homestyle Hostel & Main & Mountain

How to Make The Best Ideas Win Jules Pieri, The Grommet

Season 5

Education Technology
Josie Jordan, LiFT Learning
Kelly Scannell, Upright Education
Stephanie Zak Jerome, Visual Learning Systems

Starting a Farm
Gabby Tuite, Old Road Farm
Brooke Giard, June Farm
Rose Thackeray, Union Brook Farm
Amber Skye Arnold, SUSU CommUNITY Farm

Pivot
Wangene Hall, Global Village Cuisine
Marina McCoy, Waste Free Earth
Jean Hamilton, ShiftMeals

Season 6

Creative Agencies
Isora Lithgow, Isora Lithgow Creations
Katie Rutherford, Ruthless & Wellington
Julie Jatlow, Fuse Marketing

Investors
Caroline McBride
Allison Maino, JH Capital, The Dudley Fund
Louisa Schibli, Milk Money & NNEWIN

Tech!
Dani Giandomenico, IXIS Digital
Lisa Groeneveld, OnLogic
Narine Hall, InSpace

Season 7

Vermont’s New Manufacturers
Jane Sandelman, Vermont Dry & Cure Technologies aka Cannatrol
Carey Strobeck, 4T2D & Fourbital Factory
Diane Abruzzini, Rigorous

Motherhood
Mieko Ozeki, Radiance Studios & Vermont Womenpreneurs
Alyssa Blask-Campbell, Seed & Sew

Film & Media
Lauren-Glenn Davitian, CCTV, The Center for Media & Democracy
Monica Donovan, JAM Creative & Heady Vermont
Orly Yadin, VTIFF

Season 8

B Corps
Erin Fagnant, KSV
Sascha Mayer, Mamava
Emily Doyle, Ursa Major
Mari McClure, Green Mountain Power

Authors
Miranda Beverly-Whittemore
Lindsey Stoddard

Creating Culture
Premila Peters, Data Innovations
Julie Lineberger, WheelPad
Katie & Willa Clark, Beta

Season 9

Outdoor Products
Claire Zhu, Hootie Hoo
Corinne Prevot, Skida
Carina Hamel, Bivo

Economic Power
Gwen Pokalo Hart, Center for Women and Enterprise
Jane Swift, Education at Work
Ruth Steinmetz, Steinmetz

Olympians
Carissa Gordon Gump, Weightlifting, Beijing 2008
Jennifer Kessy, Beach Volleyball, London 2012
Ty Walker, Slopestyle Snowboarding, Sochi 2014

Other Events

25k Start Here Challenge, 2018
Summer Socials (x2)