VFOR Staff
Jason Whipple (HR manager)
Jason serves as VFOR’s Human Resources Manager, bringing a fresh and dynamic perspective shaped by nearly two decades of experience in retail operations and management. His passion for customer service, employee relations, and team-building drives his approach to creating a positive and productive workplace environment. Originally from the Northeast Kingdom and identifying as part of the LGBTQ+ community, Jason’s diverse life experiences—including living in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska and a decade in San Francisco—have broadened his worldview and deepened his commitment to inclusivity. A lover of travel and new experiences, he thrives on building meaningful connections with others. Now a resident of Winooski, Jason enjoys his collection of records and books, visits to Montréal in his free time, and tending to his two pet tarantulas.
Amanda Putvain (Membership Manager)
Amanda is the Membership Manager for VFOR. She has 11 years of experience in management, team-building, and strategic planning. Amanda has a desire to help others, and she joined the recovery field after witnessing her own family members’ and friends’ struggles with addiction and mental health. She is passionate about helping those in recovery access services, resources, set goals, and learn new skills. She and her spouse, Lance, along with their four boys, are a very active family who enjoy riding dirt bikes, atv racing, arm wrestling competitions, soccer, hunting, and fishing.
Harley LaRocque (Membership Coordinator)
Harley is the house manager for the Saint Albans VFOR house and lead office administrator for our organization. Harley was a former member of VFOR from February 2017 to August 2020. He was born in Burlington, VT, and is an active member of the 12 step/recovery community. Harley has been clean and sober since February 12th, 2017. Harley is passionate about service to others and helping his community. He also enjoys cooking, writing, and making music.
Kevin Holcomb (Membership Coordinator)
Kevin is the St. Johnsbury House & Membership Coordinator. He started with VFOR in early august of 2023. Kevin is a native Vermonter and has been a person in recovery for several years. Kevin is an entrepreneur who has built and owned several businesses over the years and has a strong background in customer service with over 35 years of experience. Kevin along with his wife Gessica and their two rescue dogs Cherry and Jack live in Lyndon Center, VT and own NEK Self Storage LLC.
Charlotte Martino (Finance Manager)
Charlotte serves a VFOR's Finance Manager. She graduated with an Associate' Degree in Accounting from CCV in 2021 and is currently working towards a Bachelors Degree through DeVry University. Charlotte was born and raised in Barre, VT. She has been in recovery since June 3, 2015, and now resides in Enosburg, VT with her husband and three sons.
Lex Arthers (Community Relations Manager)
Lex Arthers is the Community Relations Manager at the Vermont Foundation of Recovery (VFOR), where she cultivates meaningful connections with community partners, donors, and advocates dedicated to supporting recovery efforts across Vermont. Drawing on extensive experience collaborating with colleagues in the substance use disorder field, she brings a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities within the state’s recovery landscape. Passionate about fostering strong support networks for individuals in recovery, she is committed to expanding VFOR’s outreach, community engagement, and fundraising initiatives to ensure the long-term sustainability of recovery housing and programs. Lex lives in Middlesex, VT, with her partner and their beloved pets.
Cali Muñiz (Regional Manager- Women's Homes)
Cali, a lifelong Vermonter, serves as a Regional Manager for VFOR. With over 10 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, Cali has led initiatives focused on housing stability, mental health, and community-based support services. In their current role, they oversee the operations of multiple recovery homes, ensuring they provide safe, structured, and compassionate environments that promote long-term healing and personal growth. As a person in long-term recovery themselves, Cali brings a deep, personal understanding to their work and is committed to building strong community partnerships and expanding access to recovery resources across Vermont.
Jake Robert (Regional Manager- Men's Homes)
Jake became a member of the Saint Albans VFOR home in March of 2022. Jake is originally from Wilton, NY and spent most of his life in that area. He graduated from the University at Albany with a B.A. in Anthropology. Jake spent most of his career in the hospitality industry. He came to VFOR for a new beginning and a chance to start over. When Jake was a member of the Saint Albans VFOR home, he became involved with the recovery community. Jake loves working at VFOR because it keeps him involved in recovery and allows him to be of service to people who were once in the same position he was when he started his journey.
Stephanie Holland (House Coordinator)
Stephanie Holland serves as VFOR's Bennington House Coordinator. A native Vermonter, Stephanie and her husband have spent over 15 years raising their children in the Green Mountain State. Having personally navigated a six-year journey of recovery, Stephanie is now committed to helping other women access the resources that were not readily available to her in her early recovery. As a Housing Coordinator, she is passionate about creating a safe and supportive environment for individuals to heal and grow. In her free time, Stephanie enjoys motivating youth through coaching sports, exploring new recipes, rescuing animals, and nurturing her love for nature with an extensive plant collection.
Ray Phillips (House Coordinator)
Ray is VFOR's House Coordinator in the Rutland men's house. After getting into recovery in 2018, Ray worked with a recovery coach, which inspired him to become a recovery coach himself. He worked at Turning Point as a recovery coach for a couple years, after which he worked at Serenity House for about 8 months. Ray has been at the VFOR Rutland House since the fall of 2023.
Mollie Alexander (House Coordinator)
Mollie is a dedicated House Coordinator at VFOR’s Barre and Morrisville recovery residences, leveraging her expertise to provide essential support to individuals navigating the path to recovery. A native Vermonter, she draws strength from her roots and upbringing in the community. As a loving mother to two remarkable children, she finds inspiration in their resilience and serves as a guiding light in their lives. Driven by her own journey through the shadows, Mollie is a fervent advocate for change and healing. Embracing a 12-step program, she actively engages in her personal recovery journey, embodying the transformative power of perseverance and commitment. As a certified recovery coach, her calling lies in empowering others to overcome adversity and reclaim their lives. With unwavering compassion and empathy, Mollie dedicates herself to fostering a supportive environment where individuals can thrive on their path to wellness. Her unwavering dedication to the cause stems from her profound belief in the inherent hope that exists within every individual, inspiring others to embrace the possibility of transformation and renewal.
Brett Hill (House Coordinator)
Brett Hill is the House Coordinator for VFOR's St. Johnsbury residence. He grew up in Vermont, currently lives in Lyndonville, and has two grown children. After finishing college, Brett worked for 22 years in telecommunications before deciding to switch his life focus to working in the recovery field. Along with Brett's position with VFOR, he is a certified recovery coach at The Kingdom Recovery Center, where he works in the RCED (recovery coach in the emergency department) program. He also works with the Making Recovery Easier Outside In program, which not only brings an introduction to recovery into prisons, but also helps break down any barriers that people may have previously had in their prior attempts at living a sober life.
VFOR Board
John S. Rogers (Chairperson)
John Rogers serves as the Chairperson of VFOR’s Board of Directors. John and Anne have two adult children of whom they are very proud. John transitioned from a 30-year marketing and e-commerce career culminating in the c-suite in 2014 to serve in organizations focused on providing relief to the disenfranchised and pathways to salvation. John has a B.S. in Marketing from Quinnipiac University and a M.B.A. from Northeastern University. As someone who is in long-term recovery, John knows first-hand the importance of having a safe and supportive place to call home, for an extended period of time, as one does the self-work necessary to get right with God, themselves and others.
Sarah Truckle (Treasurer)
Sarah Truckle serves as the Treasurer of VFOR’s Board of Directors. Prior to her current position at Vermont State, she worked for the State of Vermont in various senior leadership and strategic roles. She is highly regarded for her innovative thinking, problem-solving ability, and management acumen and has garnered national recognition for programmatic operations and policy development during her time in government. Sarah is a graduate of Vermont Law School with a Juris Doctor and a Master’s in Environmental Policy and Law. Sarah also attended Johnson State College, now part of Vermont State University, as an undergraduate. She completed a double major in Business Management and Political Science. Sarah lives in Norwich with her children and rescue pup. She loves music, travel, and baking tasty treats – particularly those from her British heritage.
Anne Latullipe
Anne Latulippe serves as a Board Member and past President of VFOR’s Board of Directors. She currently lives in Duxbury with her husband, two sons, and dog, Brady. She attended Essex Junction High School and is recent graduate of Northern Vermont University with a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Leadership and Management. Over the years, Anne has served her community by holding numerous positions on non-profit boards and holding elected office. She believes in the idea, “it takes a village”. Currently, she is filling an Interim position as Central Vermont Regional Coordinator for Building Bright Futures. Anne has been with VFOR since 2016 and stepped into the role of president in 2018. Having been sober since 1997, Anne understands the importance of a supportive, clean environment as a person transitions into a sober life from the ravages of addiction. She is excited to be a part of this amazing team of dedicated people who are passionate about sobriety and dedicated to making a difference for those who are still suffering.
Lisa Mugford
Lisa Mugford serves as a Board Member of VFOR’s Board of Directors. She also attended and graduated from Champlain College. Lisa has owned and operated a successful business in Stowe VT for 25 years. She has been clean and sober since 2007 and dedicates a lot of time to 12 Step service. From 2013-2017 she worked as operations manager at North Central Vermont Recovery Ctr. During this period Lisa worked directly with folks in or seeking recovery from drugs and alcohol on a daily basis.
Karen Ryan
Karen Ryan serves as a Board Member of VFOR’s Board of Directors. Karen grew up in Highland, New York and attended Binghamton University graduating in 1994 with a BS in Computer Science. Karen has had a 25 year career in Application Support at a few different large corporations. She had been volunteering for a weekday lunch and food basket program in Colorado called Friends of Saint Andrew. Karen has been sober since December of 2014 and is truly enjoying a great life in Central Vermont. Her hobbies include golf, cooking and a new love kayaking.
Ron Stankevich
Ron Stankevich serves on VFOR’s Board of Directors. He has two advanced degrees; Master of Science in Administration from St. Michael’s College, and a Master of Social Work from the University of Vermont. He is also an Apprentice Addiction Professional. In his role at Dominion, Ron is tasked with developing innovative vision, strategy and outreach programs that positively impact patients, providers and the broader continuum of care ecosystem. He believes very strongly that an essential part of successful recovery is safe and supportive sober housing without delay after inpatient treatment and support. Without this scaffolding, individuals may have no choice but to return to an environment which quite possibly might short circuit their journey of recovery. He feels VFOR is an effective deterrent to relapse and a pathway to a healthy and happy life.
Joanie Sabin
Joanie Sabin serves as a Board Member of VFOR’s Board of Directors.
What I Needed Was A Place That Let Me Have The Freedom To Work, Make Friends, And Learn How To Be Sober And Enjoy Life While Also Holding Me Responsible. I Was Expected To Build A Relationship With A Sponsor, Get And Hold A Job, And Attend Meetings. I Have Started To Acquire The Skills Needed To Deal With Life Without Having To Turn To A Drink Or A Drug. The VFOR Program Has Taught Me How To Balance An Active, Fulfilling Life With Sobriety.
