Board of Directors
Federation of Vermont Lakes and Ponds

Shadow Lake

Lake Iroquois

Pat Suozzi – President

Pat and her husband Bob Kenny have owned their house on Lake Iroquois since 2010. They now live there full-time. Pat holds BA and MS degrees from the Catholic University of America and has been an administrator and faculty member at several colleges and universities in Pennsylvania and Vermont. She has taught courses in information science, communications, writing, and the First Amendment. Pat has been involved with the Lake Iroquois Association since 2011. She served as the LIA president from 2014-2017 and as board secretary from 2018-2022. She is currently the president of the Federation of Vermont Lakes and Ponds (FOVLAP). Over the years, Pat has published academic articles, edited newsletters, written several blogs, and created and maintained websites. Pat loves xcountry skiing, kayaking, swimming, and hiking around Lake Iroquois.

Harvey’s Lake

Jackie Sprague – Vice President

Jackie and her husband Sherm (Chip) bought their camp on Harvey’s Lake in 1982. (Sherm grew up on Harvey’s from the time he was one when his family spent two weeks each year there.) Beginning in 1983, Jackie and her daughters spent summers at Harvey. Jackie immediately became involved with Harvey’s Lake Association to learn more about the lake. One of the members invited her to attend an annual meeting of the Federation of Northern Vermont Lakes and Ponds. She immediately became actively involved in both. She initiated a Lake Protection Committee at Harvey’s Lake, and supported the joining of both the Southern and Northern Federations to become the statewide Federation of Vermont Lakes and Ponds in 2001. In 2006, Sherm and Jackie began building their year-round home on the lake. Jackie received her master’s degree from Norwich University and continues to take graduate classes on issues for young children. She held office as the president of the Vermont Association for the Education of Young Children (VTAEYC) and represented Vermont in Washington, DC as well as president of Vermont Division of Early Childhood. Jackie continues to hold Vermont endorsements in Early Childhood Education (Birth to grade 3) and Early Childhood Special Education (Birth to Age 6). Upon “retirement,” she continues her passion of supporting young children’s social and emotional development through training and coaching in private and public schools and programs. Jackie also teaches graduate classes at Champlain College and undergraduate classes at CCV. Jackie loves the challenge of creating trainings and higher education classes! In her spare time, she is currently board Vice President of the Federation of Vermont Lakes and Ponds (FOVLAP) and Lake Harvey Association and represents Vermont at the New England Chapter of the North American Lake Management Society. She has held the office of President and Secretary in both the Lake Harvey Association and FOVLAP. Her most precious moments are spending time with her granddaughters, especially on the water.

South Pond, Eden

Jerilyn “Jeri” Bergdahl – Secretary

Jeri and her husband, Dale, built a home on South Pond in Eden in 2004, although they had been recreating there since 1988.  Soon after, she became the voting representative for the association at FOVLAP meetings and served as the Vermont Invasive Patroller on the lake for 18 years. Jeri’s love of the outdoors and science led her to a succession of work experiences, first working as a medical technologist at the University of Minnesota hospital, then working on applied apple research at the University of Vermont and finally teaching high school advanced chemistry and biology.  Growing up on a dairy farm in Minnesota, Jeri holds a BS in medical technology from the University of Minnesota and two degrees from the University of Vermont; a MS in Plant and Soil Science and a MED in Curriculum Development. She is the conductor for three handbell ensembles, sings with Bella Voce Women’s Chorus, gardens, skies, hikes and enjoys lovely South Pond water activities.  She will, however, drop everything to enjoy time with her children and five grandchildren.

Lake Dunmore

David Johnson – Treasurer

With a career as a research PhD physicist working at a DOE laboratory associated with Princeton University, Dave was privileged to work with skilled engineers and scientists focused on exploiting the potential of nuclear fusion as a practical power source for generating electricity. After developing an expertise in instrumentation in this field and working with colleagues around the world, he became a team leader, guiding a large project team developing instrumentation for an international fusion project called ITER, currently under construction in southern France. As he transitioned into retirement, he focused his attention on sustainability. For several years, he supported work to develop a Climate Action Plan for Princeton. He now enjoys working with volunteers in Vermont to preserve its Lakes and Ponds. In addition to serving as FOVLAP treasurer, he is VP for the Lake Dunmore Fern Lake Association, and a board member of the Addison County River Watch Conservancy.

Lake Iroquois

Roger Crouse

Lake St. Catherine

Jerremy Jones

Jerremy’s grandmother and grandfather purchased a three season camp on Lake St. Catherine in 1957, and his family has been enjoying the lake ever since. Since his first visit to Lake St. Catherine as a baby, his summers were always full of swimming, fishing, waterskiing, and having fun at ‘Camp’. After purchasing a four season camp in 2015, Jerremy started volunteering for the Lake St. Catherine Association (LSCA), and was elected as a Trustee in 2017. He publicizes the LSCA’s activities, programs, and initiatives by managing the LSCA’s website and Facebook pages, he also chairs the LSCA’s Membership Committee, and he assists with other LSCA efforts including grants, milfoil control, Lake Wise, and the Lake St. Catherine Watershed Action Plan & Stormwater Master Plan. He is dedicated to the LSCA’s mission of the preservation, protection, and maintenance of Lake St. Catherine. He is happy to have joined the board of FOVLAP in 2022 to be able to work on behalf of all lakes and ponds in Vermont. Jerremy has lived full-time on Lake St. Catherine since 2017 with his wife Carrie, and their dog Boone.

Harvey’s Lake

Jan Parsons

Jan Parsons has been captivated by lakes and ponds since early childhood when her family spent time at Skaneateles Lake, in upstate New York. Later, she spent summer vacations in Deerfield, NH, with frequent visits to pristine Pleasant Pond. Fast forward to the 1990’s when a trip to Harvey’s Lake in West Barnet brought back wonderful memories and a feeling of being home again. When the opportunity soon arose, Jan became a renter at Harvey’s and then a camp owner in 2004. Born in Syracuse, NY, Jan grew up in Malden MA and graduated from Colby College in ME, near the Belgrade Lakes. After earning an M.Ed from Boston College, her professional career was spent as a high school counselor and administrator in the Natick MA school system. She also taught as an adjunct professor at University of Massachusetts, Boston and at Boston University, retiring in 2013. Jan served for many years as a trustee of the Massachusetts School Counselor Association with a term as MASCA president in the 1990s. Jan’s personal career consisted of marriage, and raising two sons, both of whom appreciate the great outdoors. From 1988 to 2005, Jan was involved as a student, teacher and director of the New England School Counselor Practitioner Institute, (fondly known as NESCPI) at Lyndon State College, now Northern Vermont University. That was her introduction to the beautiful state of Vermont, Caledonia County and eventually Harvey’s Lake. Since 2011, Jan has been the Loon Monitor for Harvey’s Lake, as a volunteer for the Vermont Loon Conservation Project, run by the Vermont Center for Ecostudies and Vermont Fish and Wildlife. She became involved in kayaking the entire lake, channel, and adjacent stream and learning about its history as successful loon habitat. In 2014 Jan joined the board of trustees of the Lake Harvey Association, providing Loon Monitor reports to LHA membership, and has served as secretary of LHA since 2016. Jan attended her first FOVLAP Lake Seminar in June, 2019 and joined the FOVLAP board in September of 2019, the last in-person meeting at National Life before the pandemic arrived! She is especially interested in issues which affect the loon population as well as all native flora and fauna in, on and around our lakes. Jan appreciates the commitment and enthusiasm of her fellow board members to FOVLAP’s mission of protecting and enhancing Vermont’s public waters.

Lake Morey

Kemper Pierce

Bio coming soon…

Echo & Seymour Lakes

Tracey Shadday

Northern Lake Champlain

Jay White

Bio coming soon…

Lake Raponda

John “Jack” Widness

Jack Widness is a New Englander at heart and retired academic pediatrician. He and his wife, Michaelanne, live on Lake Raponda in Wilmington. Since retirement in 2017 Jack has become active in conservation efforts in Vermont. This has included his service on the following boards: the Southern Vermont Natural History Museum; Hogback Mountain Conservation Association; and Trout Unlimited. During summers, Jack also coordinates the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation Aquatic Invasive Species Greeter Programs at Harriman and Somerset Reservoirs. He maintains an endless curiosity about the ever-changing natural world about which he strives to learn as much as possible. He does this to protect Mother Nature. A favorite quote of his from Margret Mead is: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, is the only thing that ever has.” As a FOVLAP Board member, his primary objective is to reach out collaboratively to those who love Vermont’s waters by sharing FOVLAP’s knowledge, expertise, and friendship. He hopes you will support and become actively involved with FOVLAP’s mission… because it is only together that we can protect Vermont’s lakes!

Seymour Lake

Bruce Barter

After a 31 year management career with several former Bell System companies (including New York Telephone, AT&T, Bell Laboratories, New England Telephone and NYNEX), Bruce is now fully enjoying life in retirement. He has spent summer vacations at Seymour Lake since childhood in a cottage bought by his parents in 1953. He and his wife, Peggy, now spend summers living at that cottage. He has been on the Seymour Lake Association (SLA) Board of Directors continuously since 2012 and membership secretary for the SLA continuously since 2008 (typically 370 +/- members). After attending several FOVLAP annual meetings for SLA he realized the value of FOVLAP as a coalition of lake associations and individuals throughout Vermont with the objective of preserving its lakes and ponds and decided to become involved with FOVLAP as well. He served on the FOVLAP Board of Directors from July, 2011 through July, 2012 and as FOVLAP Treasurer from July, 2012 through July, 2016.

Seymour Lake

Peggy Barter

Peggy and her husband, Bruce, have spent some time each summer since 1961 at their cottage on Seymour Lake, becoming five month residents after retirement. The five month limit is necessary because the water pipes are above ground. Before us, Bruce’s parents set the example of stewardship by their work with the lake community. Upon retirement both Wynne and Harold took on lake association tasks. Their friends included Dot and Mel Carter (who were among the founders of FOVLAP) and Seymour Lake’s first Lay Monitor, Bob Arnold (for whom the Robert Arnold Award is named). Both of our children and all the grandchildren have enjoyed time at the lake as they were introduced to it and have become stewards of the lake. For the past 23 years, it has been Peggy’s privilege to work alongside her family, lake neighbors and FOVLAP friends to steward Seymour Lake and all of Vermont’s lakes.

Ann Bove

From 1987 to 2017, Ann worked as an aquatic biologist/environmental scientist for the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation where her focus was aquatic plant inventories, and assisting natural resource partners and the public identify and manage aquatic plants and prevent the spread of invasive aquatic species. She was department lead on aquatic invasive species from 2002 until she left state government in 2017. To pass on what she learned during her state government career, Ann provides regional aquatic invasive species technical assistance to groups and individuals managing aquatic invasive species. When not in or on the water, in the woods, or searching or refurbishing vintage goods, Ann is an avid gardener and back country skiing enthusiast.

Shadow Lake

Christine Cano

Bio coming soon…

Judy Davis

Bio coming soon…

Lake Morey

Bruce Durgin

Bruce grew up as a summer resident on Shadow Lake in Glover at his grandparents cottage. To this day he has spent every birthday in Vermont. In 1962, his parents bought a cottage on Lake Morey in Fairlee. Following graduation from UVM IN 1967, he joined Eastman Kodak and spent 30 years in marketing positions in Atlanta, NYC, Dallas and Denver with Kodak. In 1967 with his retirement from Kodak, he joined Steelcase for 10 years in a like role covering the 16 Western states. Following that second retirement, he began spending five months at Lake Morey and became active with the Lake Morey Protective Assoc. as a Board Member and President. He also served as Board Member and President of the Lake Morey Foundation. While President of LMF, was instrumental in raising $425,000 to purchase a 420 acre parcel adjacent to the Lake Morey shoreline and saved it from forestry operations to protect the water quality. I also served on the FOVLAP Board and as an officer prior to joining the Auxiliary Board in 2019.

Angela Shambaugh

Angela is a retired aquatic biologist. Since moving to Vermont in 1986, she has worked in the fields of water quality and phytoplankton ecology for private consultants, the University of Vermont, and most recently, the State of Vermont.  In those roles, she participated in the development of a cyanobacteria monitoring protocol for Lake Champlain, which in its current form, is used for all water bodies in Vermont. Angela has been a team leader and a writing group leader for the Interstate Technology and Regulator Council (ITRC) national Harmful Cyanobacteria Bloom team as they developed guidance materials about cyanobacteria, past co-chair of the North American Lake Management Society’s (NALMS) Inland HABs Committee, and guest editor for special cyanobacteria editions of the NALMS Lakeline magazine. Angela enjoys kayaking, hiking, gardening, fiber arts, and writing about water-related science. Follow her posts on FOVLAP’s Wise About Water blog to see what up with aquatic science.

Lake Willoughby

Bruce Tanner

Bio coming soon…

Lake St. Catherine

Mary Jo Teetor

Bio coming soon…