KATHERINE Levasseur
30 | Vermont State Colleges | Director of External and Governmental Affairs
Residence: Hinesburg
Career highlight(s): I am proud that my career is grounded in public service and public interest. Creating opportunities for young Vermonters, breaking down barriers to accessing those opportunities, and uplifting young 
leaders is incredibly important to me.
Community Involvement: My community involvement is largely focused on democracy and voter registration, as well as creating leadership opportunities for young women.
From 2008-2010, I worked to change the Vermont Constitution to expand voting rights in primary elections to 17-year-olds who will be 18 by the date of the general election. Over the last decade, it has been my greatest joy to meet young Vermonters who have been able to exercise that right to vote. I have registered hundreds of Vermonters to vote, enjoy volunteering at my polling location on election day, and serving as a Justice of the Peace.
Additionally, I am passionate about creating and expanding leadership opportunities for young women. There are many organizations that made a difference for me as a young woman growing up in Vermont and it is my pleasure to pay that forward.
What motivated you to live and work in Vermont? My family has deep roots in Vermont. I had the opportunity to travel extensively across the US for a consulting position after college. While I enjoyed living on the road and experiencing many corners of the US, Vermont will always feel the most like home to me.
What is the best career advice you have received? The best advice I have received is to keep putting myself out there, to continue to advocate for myself, and to seek out new opportunities.
Tell us something fun about yourself that few people know: In high school, I was a competitive Scottish Highland Dancer and travelled across the US, Canada, and even Scotland for competitions and events. While I am now retired from the dance community, it was an important part of shaping me as a young adult and I still enjoy the occasional teaching opportunity.
Favorite Vermont escape: East Barnard, VT. My mother's large and extended family lives in and around East Barnard and it has always felt like a second home to me.
If you had unlimited access to funds, which cause(s) would you support: I would pay off student debt, especially for those who were not able to complete their degree, then I would work to make childcare available and low cost, and child care providers better paid.
How has your job changed since this pandemic? I changed jobs a year ago and since then have worked almost entirely remotely. I have only met my team members a handful of times in-person. This model has worked incredibly well for us and I am looking forward to my work environment continuing to evolve over the coming months and years.