MIDDLEBURY — Emerge Vermont has appointed Ruth Hardy of Middlebury as its new executive director, former Gov. Madeleine M. Kunin, board chair, announced last week. She will replace founding Executive Director Sarah McCall who left the position to manage Sue Minter’s campaign for governor.
Vermont was the 14th state to affiliate with Emerge America. Emerge America and its state affiliates are committed to recruiting, training and inspiring Democratic women to run for political office at all levels of government. Several of Emerge Vermont’s graduates have been elected to the Vermont Legislature and to local office.
“I am delighted that Ruth will lead our organization. She brings great enthusiasm for the Emerge mission and has valuable experience in local office, as well as organizational and fundraising skills,” Kunin said. “She will be a perfect fit.”
“I am honored to join Gov. Kunin and the Emerge Vermont team. Sarah and Gov. Kunin have established a strong foundation for the organization and its important work of building the skills and capacity for women to win elected office at every level in Vermont,” Ruth Hardy said. “I’m excited to continue this work and expand the impact of Emerge Vermont throughout the state.” Hardy is the school board chair of Mary Hogan Elementary School and the co-founder of Middlebury Women for Democracy. She has served as the director of government grants for Planned Parenthood of Northern New England and as assistant director of the Middlebury College Budget Office. Prior to moving to Vermont, she worked for the Wisconsin Legislature as a fiscal analyst. Hardy is a graduate of the Snelling Center’s Vermont Leadership Institute, the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at UT-Austin, and Oberlin College.
Hardy’s official start date is Monday, Nov. 2.
Her arrival comes as Emerge Vermont is accepting applications for another round of its training program, which aims to inspire women to run and hone their skills to win. Those who are accepted will meet one weekend a month for six months and participate in training on public speaking and communication; fundraising; media and messaging; networking; campaign strategy; field operations; labor and endorsements; technology and new media, cultural competency; and ethical leadership
Speakers and trainers in past years have included, among others, Kunin, state reps, local board members, consultants and Democratic party officials.
Applications for the Class of 2016 can be filled out online at www.emergevt.org/training/application. The deadline for applying is next Monday, Nov. 9.