Linda Aitken

A.S. St. Joseph College
M.Ed. Cambridge College
E-mail: laitken@springfield.k12.vt.us

Health Career Academy

Gretchen Austin-Ward

Secretary to the Assistant Director
A.A. Vermont College
E-mail: gaustin-ward@springfield.k12.vt.us

Secretary to the Assistant Director

Elizabeth Barrett

A.S. Green Mountain College
Johnson State College
E-mail: bbarrett@springfield.k12.vt.us

Graphic Communications

Brenda Blodgett

A.S. University of Vermont
E-mail: bblodgett@springfield.k12.vt.us

Secretary to the Director

Morgan Brown
Pre-Tech

B.A. Castleton State College
E-mail: mbrown@springfield.k12.vt.us

I was fresh out of college and decided to begin my teaching career at RVTC. I have now been here for three years and I am working with some of the most talented and dedicated instructors and staff. As the Pre-Tech instructor, I get the opportunity to work with every instructor in a variety of capacities. The Pre-Tech program allows me to help my students experience all that the Technical Center has to offer and to help them begin to make informed career decisions. Working at RVTC is truly an enjoyable experience for me.

Kim Buehler

A.S. Hotel and Restaurant Management
Massasoitt College
E-mail: kbuehler@springfield.k12.vt.us

Travel & Tourism

BettyAnn Casella

B.S. Johnson State College
M.A.T. Marlboro College
E-mail: bcasella@springfield.k12.vt.us

Instructional Assistant-Dist Ed

Chris Chapman

B.S. Theology
International Seminary Plymouth Florida
E-mail: cchapman@springfield.k12.vt.us

Paraeducator: Pre-Technical Studies

Coralee Choiniere

E-mail: cchoiniere@springfield.k12.vt.us

Registrar

Melissa Connor
Business Management

B.S. Castleton State College
E-mail: mconnor@springfield.k12.vt.us

When I was a senior in high school, I had some space in my schedule that I needed to fill so I decided to take an Introduction to Business course, which I absolutely loved! The teacher made business come alive for me, and it was no longer a boring subject. I was able to see how every person could utilize these skills, regardless of what they wanted to do in life — construction, medicine, culinary arts, auto mechanics, journalism, etc. I attended Castleton State College and majored in Business and Education. After graduation, I was lucky enough to land a teaching job here in Springfield, After three years of teaching, I decided that if I was going to be effective, I needed some business experience to bring to the classroom, so I moved to Massachusetts and became a buyer for a large food distribution company on Martha’s Vineyard. My love of business grew and after six years, I decided to get back into teaching. A job in Springfield opened up again and here I am!

David Culver

B.S. State University College at Oswego
M.Ed. Keene State College
E-mail: dculver@springfield.k12.vt.us

Cooperative Education

Tyler Davis

Certification NCCER
E-mail: tdavis@springfield.k12.vt.us

Paraeducator: Carpentry

Scott Farr
Assistant Director

B.S. Lyndon State College
M.S. Minot State University
C.A.G.S St. Michael's College
E-mail: sfarr@springfield.k12.vt.us

My father was a machinist and my mother was a teacher and administrator in Vermont schools for their careers, so I guess ending at the River Valley Technical Center as the Assistant Director isn’t really a surprise. I remember being in middle school and having difficulties in understanding fractions. My mother was a sixth grade math teacher and had been trying to help me with the subject, but I just wasn’t getting it. But when my dad taught me using hands-on examples from his work, it finally clicked. Prior to coming to River Valley Technical Center two years ago, I was employed by the Job Corps Program for 16 years working in a variety of capacities at sites in Vermont, western New York, and Maryland. Wow, that adds up to 18 years of working with students that have an interest in technical education.

Gail Fletcher

B.A. Keene State College
M.A. Marlboro College
E-mail: gfletcher@springfield.k12.vt.us

Hands on Computer Systems / Technology Essentials

Richard Fuller
Industrial Trades

A.A.S. University of New Hampshire
Certification NCCER
E-mail: rfuller@springfield.k12.vt.us

I’ve always been interested in building things, getting them to work, and in knowing how they were put together. As kids, my brother and I spent hours in the sandbox running trucks, dozers, and backhoes, building roads, bridges, and houses. After pursuing Civil Technical in college, I worked in an engineering office for a couple of years, until they decided to expand and actually install the projects they designed. I jumped at the chance to run the equipment! My family purchased a dairy farm and needed mechanical help with the equipment, so I left engineering and became a farmer, again mostly working with the machinery. With very limited supplies and money, I became adept at repairing equipment and fabricating by figuring things out myself. I moved on to a construction company, running both equipment and jobs. I think it was here that I saw a need for a workforce that had a set of skills that helped both themselves and the company. I became a member of the School Board where I saw education a little more closely. I was the board liaison to an elementary school and was also on the RVTC board of directors. I started writing a weekly column in a local paper about what was happening in the schools to kind of “spread the word.” Six years ago, my interest in education peaked and I was so enthralled with it that when an opening came up at the Technical Center in an area I knew, I applied.”

Christopher Gray
Engineering

A.S. Keene State College
B.S. Keene State College
M.A. Norwich University
E-mail: cgray@springfield.k12.vt.us

Engineering

Dave Groenwold

Industry Council of Greater Cincinnati
Certifications: Garde Manger, Culinary Theory, and Classical Pastry
Culinary Institute of America
E-mail: dgroenewold@springfield.k12.vt.us

Culinary Arts

John Harmer

Stockbridge School of Agriculture
A.S. University of Massachusetts
B.S. University of Massachusetts
E-mail: jharmer@springfield.k12.vt.us

Horticulture and Natural Resources

Ken Hart

A.S.C.S Hesser College at Manchester
Certification, Comptia A+
Certification, Comptia Network+
E-mail: khart@springfield.k12.vt.us

Systems Administrator

Erin Hunter

B.S. Vermont College of Union Institute
M.Ed. Antioch University New England
Certification NCCER
E-mail: ehunter@springfield.k12.vt.us

Carpentry

Stephen Karaffa
Law Enforcement

SUNY Cobleskill
Kingston Police Acadamy MPTC Cert Police OFficer
Vermont Police Acad VCJTC Cert Police Officer
RocklandCounty Police Acad MPTC
Cert Police Supervisor
E-mail: skaraffa@springfield.k12.vt.us

After spending 23 years in various positions (deputy sheriff, police officer, police sergeant, police chief) in the law enforcement field, I decided it was time to make a career change. Having been assigned different teaching assignments throughout my career, I realized that I had a passion for teaching. I don’t pretend to know everything about Public Safety, but I do have many years of hands-on experience that I use in my lessons.

Courtney Lihatsh

B.S. Skidmore College
E-mail: clihatsh@springfield.k12.vt.us

Human Services

Roger McNamara

B.S. Northeastern University
M.Ed. Antioch New England University
E-mail: rmcnamara@springfield.k12.vt.us

Guidance

Zachary McNaughton

Audio Engineering / Distance Education

A.S. Full Sail Real World Education
E-mail: zmcnaughton@springfield.k12.vt.us

Upon completion of my Associates of Science in the Recording arts I returned to Vermont and began employment with The Springfield Area Public Access Television station where I worked as the Production Assistant. During my stay at SAPA TV I founded my own Multi-Media Production Company specializing in all aspects of media production. I have worked freelance for the BBC (Front Row with Mark Larson) and several Indie Film Companies recording sound effects for low budget horror movies. In 2006 I moved to Bennington, VT to work as the Production Manager of Catamount Access Television Corporation. At CATTV I managed all aspects of production for Public Access Television in Bennington, Arlington, Pownal and Shaftsbury, Vermont. In the fall of 2007 I began employment at RVTC as an Audio Engineering Instructor and am looking forward to working with the up and coming Media Arts & Technology Cluster. In my "spare" time I am a Multi-Media Production CEO, Swing Dance Instructor, and future Fruit Farmer.

Carl Mock

B.S. Dartmouth College
M.S. University of Vermont
E-mail: cmock@springfield.K12.vt.us

Jeff Renard
Audio Engineering / Distance Education Coordinator

A.A.S. Comm.Coll. of the Air Force
B.A. Burlington College
E-mail: jrenard@springfield.k12.vt.us

After growing up on Cape Cod, serving over ten years in the United States Air Force, working on electronics equipment, being a technical training instructor, and getting to work with performers like Sinbad, the Commodores, and Fred Travalena, I finally found my way to Vermont. Since 1993, I have had the pleasure of teaching students about electronics and the interesting world of audio. Being involved with bands and audio since high school myself, I have had the chance to see how important a strong technical background can be. My work has taken me all over the world, doing what I love to do. Now, I get to work with some great students, in a great state, and work on some really great recording and movie projects, too!

Casey Spindler

B.S. Johnson State College
E-mail: cspindler@springfield.k12.vt.us

Special Populations Specialist

Donna Vargas

UVM Professional Program Culinary Arts
E-mail: dvargas@springfield.k12.vt.us

Jan Wright

B.S. Springfield College
M.Ed. Springfield College
E-mail: jwright@springfield.k12.vt.us

Guidance Counselor