Community Heart & Soul Staff
Our staff is devoted to building brighter futures for small cities and towns across America through developed trainings and practical resources. Using their wealth of knowledge and experience with field-testing our Community Heart & Soul model, they are able to provide invaluable assistance and on-the-ground support for communities around the country.
Mark joined Community Heart & Soul in July, 2020 and brings a range of strategic marketing and operational skills that reflect past leadership roles at technology firms and nonprofit organizations. Mark grew up in South Burlington, VT, and attended the University of Vermont before moving to Seattle to pursue his MBA at the University of Washington. After over 20 years in the Pacific Northwest, Mark and his wife fulfilled their long-term goal of returning to their home state of Vermont. Mark is thrilled to be leading the expansion of Community Heart & Soul and promoting the benefits of life in small town America.
Al Getler joined the Community Heart & Soul after a career in media.
Al published websites, newspapers, and magazines in the northeast and Ohio. He and his teams were Pulitzer Prize, Associated Press, and Edward R. Murrow (TV/video) Award winners. He served as a sought-after lecturer at the American Press Institute and is a strong believer in community journalism.
Al formed a non-profit organization that oversaw an $8.5 million restoration of a theater in downtown Newark, OH along with building an endowment. He currently serves the New England Newspaper and Press Association on the Lake Champlain Access Television board.
He presently serves as a volunteer firefighter and EMT in South Hero, VT where he and his wife Nancy live with their three rescue dogs. He credits his parents for raising their family to serve their communities. It is why he believes in the mission of Community Heart & Soul.
Sara’s passion is connecting with people and hearing their stories, and she also enjoys telling a story or two. Sara grew up in a small town (population 350) in western Iowa, where she experienced life in a tight-knit and caring community and learned the importance of volunteerism. Prior to joining Community Heart & Soul, Sara was a Director of Programming and Training in the Peace Corps, working in the education and public health sectors in the Eastern Caribbean and the Republic of Vanuatu for nearly a decade. Sara lives in Shelburne, Vermont with her family, where she volunteers at the town library and attends various sporting events across New England (and always has a book in her bag!).
Justin is a communications and marketing leader with a background in association management and environmental consulting. In collaboration with other Community Heart & Soul staff, he is responsible for increasing demand for and adoption of Community Heart & Soul through impactful communications and marketing initiatives that inspire residents and municipal officials to implement our program. Prior to joining Community Heart & Soul, he served as Marketing and Communications Director for the Geological Society of America. Justin holds a bachelor’s degree in Geology and a master’s degree in Strategic Communication.
Carol is a Vermonter who plays a mean game of Scrabble and has a soft spot for rescue dogs. She holds a Master of Business Administration and bachelor's in business finance from the College of Saint Joseph. She co-owns Ridgeback Properties, a rental property business. An active community member, her service includes a term on the board of Dinners with Love, a nonprofit that connects hospice agencies with local restaurants to provide free, delivered meals to caregivers and their loved ones. She joined Community Heart & Soul in 1998. She and her husband look forward to visits from their son and enjoy family, friends, biking, and kayaking.
Leanne, whose career started in the klieg lights of Broadway, combined her stage presence with her love of small towns and now holds audiences rapt as she shares her passion for Community Heart & Soul. Leanne has an extensive background in community revitalization including coordinating the Vermont Downtown Program. She was Director and CEO of Erie Downtown Improvement District in Erie, Pennsylvania, where her work included redevelopment of Erie’s Waterfront. In Warren, Pennsylvania, she was Executive Director of Warren Main Street and in Arizona was Executive Director of the Lake Havasu Uptown Association and was appointed to the Arizona Downtown Advisory Council.
Before joining Community Heart & Soul, Joan directed the Center for Community Engaged Learning at St. Michael’s College in Colchester, VT. In this role, she served as an instructor, faculty consultant, student philanthropy advisor, AmeriCorps supervisor, and liaison to local communities. Her work focused on developing projects and partnerships bringing students, faculty, and community organizations together to advance the democratic traditions of volunteerism and civic engagement. Joan holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and English as well as a master’s in Education. In 2017, she earned her doctorate in Education with a focus on organizational leadership and policy. During the short Vermont growing season, she enjoys digging into the dirt and coaxing beautiful things out of the earth to nourish family, friends, and neighbors. Year round, she is on a mission to visit each and every town, city, and gore (there are 251) across the “Brave Little State” she calls home.
Ian enjoys working within his community as a soccer coach and serves as President of the township youth soccer association. He is the past chair of the Parent/Community Advisory Board of his local Family Success Center and is currently a member of the Winslow Board of Education Citizens Advisory Committee. His background is in higher education student support and administration in the United Kingdom, but since moving to New Jersey he has moved into information technology and website development. This has developed a wide range of people focused skills, complemented by technical knowledge, that have proved useful when assisting community led projects.
Kyla is a digital native and brings to Community Heart & Soul an intrinsic understanding of all things digital from website development, customer acquisition strategies, and content creation for web and social.
Born and raised in Connecticut and now living in Burlington, Paul’s career in helping businesses build stronger connections with their audiences has supported independent crowdfunding passion projects and global B2B organizations alike. As a graduate of the University of New Haven with a bachelor’s degree in Communications and Digital Media, he brings both creativity and hands-on experience to his work. Outside of his role aiding Community Heart & Soul’s goal of reaching new towns across the country, his passion for photography, music, and travel keeps his new ideas flowing.
Jillian has a lot of community engagement experience and a passion for helping others find ways to be engaged. She is a past president of the Hastings Rotary Club and has served on many boards and committees as well as being an active volunteer. Before joining Community Heart & Soul, she was the director of community engagement at the Barry Community Foundation, as part of her work she was the director of a community leadership program. She brings a wealth of knowledge about leadership and community engagement to our organization.
She is a lifelong resident of Michigan where she resides with her husband, daughter, and two cats. When she is not working, Jillian loves to read, travel, and spend time with her family.
Before joining Community Heart & Soul, Josh Kaiel served as Director of Community Development at Innovia Foundation, where he helped expand the Community Heart & Soul program across Eastern Washington and North Idaho.
With a master's degree in teaching, Josh has spent more than 25 years coaching and mentoring students, athletes, entrepreneurs, leadership teams, and communities. Whether in a classroom, on a playing field, or alongside community leaders, he is passionate about listening, learning, and helping people discover what's possible together.
Outside of work, Josh enjoys traveling, discovering great local food, and exploring the Pacific Northwest. He loves visiting both rural and urban communities and learning about the people, traditions, and local character that make each place unique. Most of all, he values spending quality time with family and friends.