Three changes to the board of directors

The Charlotte News Board of Directors voted on April 17 to elevate Andrew Zehner to the chair position. Although Zehner joined the board only last year, his longtime connections to this area, starting as a student at Middlebury College in the 1980s and work as an attorney and instructor for the University of Vermont position him well to lead the organization.

He has been an enthusiastic organizer and leader in his communities over the years, including serving as president of his kids’ youth soccer league and a board member for science and technology-focused nonprofits. During the warmer months, Zehner often can be found riding his bike on Charlotte roads with friends. He is a veteran of the Kelly Brush Foundation annual ride, cycling 100 miles from Middlebury to Charlotte and back to raise money for adaptive sports.

The board of directors also welcomed Damaris Herlihy. She has made her career in college textbook publishing and has been deeply engaged in Charlotte civic life, including as co-head of the Charlotte Central School’s Parent Teacher Organization and as an effective advocate for safer streets in town.

She loves The Charlotte News and values the importance of independent, community-based media, especially during this era of political polarization and struggling news outlets across the country. Herlihy brings great energy and organizational skills to the board. Her work creating digital content for learners will serve the paper well as a member of the board’s digital committee.

These wonderful changes come as Bill Regan resigned from the board. He and his spouse, Nina, have made the difficult but ultimately happy decision to move from Charlotte to the Seattle area to join their children and grandchildren there. They never expected to leave Vermont and will deeply miss the friends, community, work, play and natural spaces they have enjoyed in Charlotte and across the state.

Regan joined the board in January 2022, headed the effort to develop the paper’s current strategic plan, chaired the business development committee and became board chair in July 2024. He feels that the paper, and the town in general, are in a stronger position than when he arrived, reflecting the hard work, dedication and generosity of the many residents who have stepped up to serve a cause larger than themselves and to prepare an already-special paper and community for the inevitable changes and challenges that await.