Liz Robinson / Board Member Spotlight

Elizabeth Robinson has served on VCET’s board for the last 15 years. After growing up in South Burlington, Elizabeth made the trip down Route 7 to study at Middlebury College, where she earned her degree in 1984. For the past couple of decades, Elizabeth has worked at her alma mater to establish well-run entrepreneurship and innovation programs; in 2023, the college’s Innovation Hub was named in her honor. In this Q&A, Elizabeth reflects on her contributions to Middlebury College, her connection to VCET, and her favorite things about the state.

Blaise: Thanks for the time, Elizabeth! You are a lifelong Vermonter, originally from South Burlington. What was it like to grow up here? 

Elizabeth: I’m a seventh-generation Vermonter. My grandfather was the principal of Burlington High School, and many of my relatives were public school teachers, so education was always a big emphasis in our family. At the end of high school, I was ready to leave Vermont, but my grandmother had gone to Middlebury – she was class of ’29 – and she really wanted one of her grandchildren to go. So I promised her I’d visit. I fell in love with the campus, applied early, and went to Midd in 1980. 

Blaise: You studied Political Science and American Studies in college. What were some of the key takeaways from your time at Middlebury?

Elizabeth: Middlebury College has played a central role in my family’s life. The biggest takeaways from my college years were the friendships made and the high bar that we all held, and continue to hold, for each other. I’m still close to my friends from freshman year, but I’ve made many, many more friends from Middlebury since then.

Blaise: Once you graduated from Middlebury, you had stints in politics and banking, and you also received a graduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania. What brought you back to Vermont? 

Elizabeth: My husband and I decided to move back when we were ready to start a family. We were working our way up the East Coast. I had been in Washington working for Senator Robert Stafford, then we were together in Connecticut, and then Boston. Jim’s family was in New Hampshire, and mine in Vermont, and we were really looking forward to that. But we also loved the state – the mountains, skiing, biking, and hiking… everything that it has to offer. 

Blaise: You returned to your alma mater in 1994 to serve as the Alumni Director. Then, in 2007, you were named the college’s first Director of the Project on Creativity and Innovation. What was the impetus behind this project? 

Elizabeth: We started the initiative to create an environment where students could exercise creativity, pursue innovative ideas and become more comfortable with risk-taking outside the classroom. I had been the Alumni Director before that, so we took advantage of our generous alumni as mentors and guides. 

Blaise: Over the years, this project has morphed into Middlebury’s Innovation Hub, now with 5 full-time employees. Last year, the Hub received a $5 million donation from the Kelson Foundation and was named in your honor. What did that mean to you?

Elizabeth: I was very humbled by it. I admit I was initially uncomfortable with it, but many of my dear friends and colleagues reminded me that it was pretty neat to have an innovation center named after a woman. The thing that I was most grateful for is that the gift that Jake Moritz [Middlebury ‘11] made through the Kelson Foundation has secured the Innovation Hub for years to come. This is an endowment, and we will always have funding for these types of programs. 

Elizabeth Robinson (left), Middlebury President Laurie Patton (center), and Innovation Hub Director Heather Neuwirth Lovejoy (right) pose for a photo as the Hub is named in Elizabeth’s honor. 

Blaise: Is there a specific program or offering at the Hub that really gets you excited these days? 

Elizabeth: That’s like asking me which of my three girls I like the most. I’m excited about all of them. I have to say it is incredible that David and Sam, over all these years, have come to teach MiddEntrepreneurs over our winter term. I don’t think students realize what a big deal that is, to have the two who lead VCET to come to Middlebury for four weeks and teach this class. And Oratory Now, a program that reaches almost every student and teaches them to be comfortable with public speaking, how important is that? We also have a MiddChallenge competition every year that allows students the opportunity to take a new idea forward over the summer with funding. 

Blaise: As Middlebury continues to scale the Hub, are there any particular challenges or opportunities that you foresee?

Elizabeth: Funding is always challenging and will continue to be so. As I said, Jake supported the Hub and we will be eternally grateful, but we need to build on that so that we can keep offering unique programs and grants. Never have the skills that we are teaching through the Hub been more important. Students have to be more versatile and creative, because the workforce is changing. I’m hoping more and more students take advantage, but that will require more resources. 

Blaise: Shifting gears here: Why did you join VCET’s board and why does its work matter to you?

Elizabeth: I’ve been on the board for 15 years. When I came onto the board, my father [Fred Hackett] was still on it. He was the first chair and helped start [the organization] many years ago, with John Evans and others. It’s been incredible to watch the growth of this organization. 

Blaise: Why is VCET important to Vermont?

Elizabeth: It’s incredible to see all of the many things VCET offers. VCET offers mentorship to hundreds of startups. They support students. They match people up with the right mentors, which is essential for any startup. The coworking space is unique and supportive. Also, we now have even more capital available through our venture funds. My husband has been on the Investment Committee for years and we’re both blown away by what’s happening in Vermont. We are so proud of VCET.

Blaise: Finally, how would you spend your ideal Vermont day?

Elizabeth: It doesn’t matter the season, it’s just to be outside. Camel’s Hump has meant a lot to our family. Many years ago, my father helped preserve some of the land there. So if I can see the Hump –– whether I’m on a bike ride, climbing mountains, or I’m flying in –– it’s really meaningful to me. I also walk my dog every single day on the Trail Around Middlebury and it’s different each day. I spend 45 minutes outside with just the dog and I feel like the luckiest person alive to be able to do that. 

This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity. 

Learn more about the Elizabeth Hackett Robinson ‘84 Innovation Hub here. You can also find her on LinkedIn here.