Board of Trustees

Michele Asch

Biography

Michele Asch (Elected October 2021) is a longtime Burlington, Vermont resident. She is currently Vice President of Leadership and Organizational Development at her family’s business, Twincraft Skincare. Michele has a diverse background that includes many years in student affairs at the University of Vermont, Directing the Family Business Initiative within the School of Business at UVM, starting and selling two small businesses, executive coaching, and business development. She is an active member of the community and is passionate about creating an economically strong, equitable, and healthy Vermont. She currently serves on the board for Let’s Grow Kids, The Center for Real Dialogue, Onward Analytics, and the Dudley Fund Investment Committee. Michele and her husband Peter Asch have five grown children and live on the shores of Lake Champlain.

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Dan Boardman

Biography

Dan Boardman (Re-elected October 2021) ChFC, CFP®, AIF® served as a Principal of Hickok & Boardman Retirement Solutions overseeing Corporate Retirement Plans and Individual Life Insurance Operations. He was primarily devoted to business development and advisor to HBRS’s largest clients. Dan began his career at Hickok & Boardman in 1988. In 1992, he was designated as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER(™) professional and earned his Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF) designation in 2005. He served on the board of the State of Vermont’s Green Mountain Secure Retirement Plan which is a Governor appointed position. In addition, he is past president of both the Vermont Chapter of the Society of Financial Professionals and the Burlington Association of Life Underwriters. He was a member of the Financial Planning Association and Plan Sponsor Council of America. He has been significantly involved with the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT), a Premier Financial Services Organization which has 35,000+ members from over 74 countries. Dan is a shareholder at Acrisure, LLC and a former Chief Executive Officer of Acrisure Investment Advisory Solutions, LLC.

Dan has been heavily involved with the community, as the past president of The Burlington Boys & Girls Club and current Trustee of Champlain College. He was the Vice Chair of the 2020-2021 local United Way campaign. Dan is the past Chair of the MDRT Finance committee and the finance committee for the MDRT Foundation.

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Sara Byers

Biography

Chairperson of the Board

Sara Byers (Elected October 2020) is a CEO, thought leader and published poet. In addition to oversight of her family’s business, Leonardo’s Pizza, Sara has served on multiple boards, including as Board Chair of the Vermont Business Roundtable, Vermont Gas Systems, Flynn Center for the Performing Arts, Lund and Lake Champlain Chamber.

Sara is honored to have received numerous community awards, including an Honorary Doctorate from Champlain College and the Catherine McAuley Award from Mercy Connections. Sara has published two poetry collections, Heart and Moon and Wise Stars. She is also co-host of the Collecting Insight Podcast, which explores the joy and complexities of the human experience. Sara resides in Shelburne with her husband, Kelly.

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Lucia Campriello

Biography

Lucia Campriello (Elected October 2023) lives in Burlington’s South End with her husband and two young daughters, where they can often be spotted adventuring as a four-pack between the bike path, beaches, playgrounds, waterfront, Centennial and Virtue Fields, and Bolton Valley—depending on the season.

As CEO of Hula, Lucia leads with vision and drive—advancing strategic initiatives that support Vermont-based entrepreneurs, foster meaningful community connections, and position Hula as a catalyst for statewide innovation and impact. She is most energized by building and contributing to high-performing, mission-driven teams, and is proud to be part of a dynamic ecosystem working to elevate Vermont as the nation’s premier home for innovative, competitive, and sustainable businesses that expand economic opportunity for all.

Outside of work, Lucia is deeply committed to civic life. In addition to serving as a Trustee of Champlain College, she currently serves as a Burlington School Commissioner and on the Board of Directors at Generator.

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Kevin Chu

Biography

Kevin Chu (elected October 2025) grew up in Vermont and wants to grow old here too. He is the son of immigrants. A graduate of Middlebury College, he studied the environment and education while also competing in track and field. Prior to joining the Vermont Futures Project, Kevin worked at the University of Vermont, where he led efforts in recruiting for diversity, academic advising, communications, community engagement and economic development, and strategic planning. He is now the Executive Director of the Vermont Futures Project, a nonpartisan organization answering the mission question: “How can we use data to support the evolution of Vermont’s economy towards a thriving future with opportunity for all?” This work has taken Kevin all over the state to develop and launch an Economic Action Plan, helping to put Vermont on a path towards affordability and abundance.

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Jim Crook

Biography

Jim Crook (Re-elected June 2021) has spent 40 years in the technology business. After a brief career as an IBM salesman, he joined IDX Systems Corporation in 1981. In the ensuing 25 years, Jim held various IDX executive operating roles including President and CEO from 1999-2006.

Since selling the company to GE in 2000, Jim has been a very active growth capital investor. Most of his interests are in healthcare software and services. He plays lead governance roles in RxcRules, Dealer Policy, Arcadia Healthcare Solutions, Greensea Systems, Benchmark Space Systems and Frictionless Technologies, among others. Jim is a member of the Colby College Board of Trustees and is a returning long term member of the Champlain College Board of Trustees.

Jim lives in Delray Beach, FL in the winter and summers in Shelburne, VT. he and his wife Andrea have three married daughters and five grandchildren.

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Laura Dagan

Biography

Laura Dagan (Re-elected October 2021) has three decades of management experience in the investment industry and retired after serving as CEO of a Boston-based investment management start-up. Previously she held multiple positions over 22 years at Vermont-based Dwight Asset Management Company where she ultimately served as Chairman and CEO prior to its acquisition by Goldman Sachs Asset Management. Laura has been an active participant in the investment industry and the Burlington, Vermont community though board and volunteer work with non-profit organizations including the Vermont Capital Debt Affordability Advisory Committee, the CFA Institute, the Humane Society of Chittenden County, the Community Sailing Center, the Vermont Food Bank, and Meals on Wheels. She is a returning trustee of Champlain College after completing a 10-year term and serving as Board Chair. Laura has a BS degree from Bucknell University, completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School, and attended the Women’s Director Development Program at the Kellogg School of Management.

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Ian Davis

Biography

Ian Davis (Elected October 2021) is currently the President of Rockstar New England, a studio within Rockstar Games. He was formerly CEO and Founder of Mad Doc® Software (acquired by Rockstar), Creative Director on the critically acclaimed Empire Earth® II, and former Technical Director at Activision’s Santa Monica studio, and is widely acknowledged as one of the top Artificial Intelligence experts in the video game industry. His credits include Red Dead Redemption 2, Grand Theft Auto 5, Max Payne 3, Red Dead Redemption, Bully: Scholarship Edition, Star Trek Legacy, Empire Earth® II (a PC Gamer Editor’s Choice Award winner), the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences Computer Role Playing Game of the Year Finalist: Dungeon Siege®: Legends of Aranna™; Empire Earth: The Art of Conquest™; and Star Trek®: Armada II™, among others.

Dr. Davis earned his doctorate in Robotics from Carnegie Mellon University and his undergraduate degree in Math, English, & Computer Science (triple major) at Dartmouth College.

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Marguerite Dibble ’12

Biography

Marguerite Dibble ’12 (Elected January 2023) grew up in Landgrove VT, attended Champlain College graduating from the game development program in 2012, and is the Founder and CEO of GameTheory, a game development studio specializing in creating games for learning, research, and social change that partners with clients around the world to create game products, as well as to offer consulting on how to engage people towards action and education. Marguerite currently serves as the interim executive director for the Black River Innovation campus, and the Chair of the Board for Vermont Public. She lives in Londonderry VT and spends her free time writing, rock climbing, and playing games.

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Justin Fimlaid

Biography

Justin Fimlaid (Elected January 2022) has spent over 20 years in the cybersecurity industry. Justin is the founder and President for NuHarbor Security, a national cybersecurity firm located in Colchester Vermont. NuHarbor Security has hired many Champlain College graduates and is annually ranked as Top 100 National Cybersecurity Provider, ranked as a Best Places to Work, and multiple times award winner for Top Entrepreneurial Companies in America.

Prior to founding NuHarbor Security, Justin held a variety of cybersecurity positions from security engineering to leading large international security operations teams for Colorado Business Bank, Sun Microsystems, and Green Mountain Coffee & Keurig.

He graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a degree in Economics and Computer Science. In his free time, he can be found in Vermont’s Green Mountains with his family.

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David Finney

Biography

David Finney (Re-Elected October 2022) was the seventh President of Champlain College from 2005–2014, and also served as Interim President from 2021–2022. During his time at Champlain, the college implemented a new core curriculum requirement, the development and completion of a campus master plan, the completion of a ten year college-wide strategic plan, tripled applications for admission, nearly doubled the size of the faculty, established several new graduate programs, created of a life-skills curriculum and established study abroad campuses in Montreal and Dublin as well as a campus in Shanghai for native Chinese. During Dave’s tenure the operating budget nearly quadrupled, enrollments and student selectivity increased, the tuition discount rate remained at less than 50% of the national average, and the College’s reputation grew.

Prior to Champlain, Finney was the Dean of the School of Continuing and Professional Studies at New York University from 1999 until 2005. Earlier roles at NYU included serving as the Vice President of Enrollment Services and Planning, Associate Vice President for Enrollment Services and Director of Admissions. He came to NYU in 1985 from the Rochester Institute of Technology where he was the Director of Admissions.

Finney earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Westminster College, Pennsylvania and a Master of Arts in higher education from Bowling Green State University. He holds a Master of Science in adult education and a doctorate in adult education, both from Teachers College, Columbia University.

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Jerry Ford

Biography

Jerry Ford (Elected October 2024) is currently a managing partner of Centerboard Advisors— a team of fractional executives and advisors. Jerry is also a limited partner of the Dudley Fund, and serves on the Advisory Board of Northwind Pharmaceuticals and Aligned Marketplace.

Prior to that, Jerry served as CEO and president of Marathon Health from February 2008 through February 2021 and as chairman of the Board of Directors through December 2022. He provided guidance to the CEO and Senior Leadership Team on overall business performance, corporate culture, and customer care. Jerry brought to Marathon Health an extensive senior management background in healthcare information technology, process improvement, and customer experience management.

Before joining Marathon Health, Jerry served as CEO and president of an Accel-KKR-owned company,  Systems & Software, from April 2006 through January 2008. He spent 15 years from June 1991 through March 2006 at IDX Systems Corporation where he served primarily as vice president of operations responsible for more than 300 large and complex healthcare delivery system customers.

Jerry began his professional career as an educational representative for Apple Computer and then served as the computer coordinator for Pine Ridge School in Williston, VT. He is passionate about education at all levels and promotes continuous improvement and continuing education at every opportunity.

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Kristin Halpin Perry ’89

Biography

Kristin Halpin Perry (Elected October 2021) has over 25 years of experience as a human resources executive in a variety of different global business sectors, having worked in both large public companies and private high-growth technology companies. Kristin is currently the Chief People Officer for DealerPolicy, a rapid growth Insurtech business. She also serves on two boards; a public Saas company, Docebo and a private Saas company, Fluency Inc. Kristin holds an International Coach Federation License, an Associate of Arts degree in Business Administration from Champlain College in Vermont, a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Saint Michael’s College in Vermont and an Executive and Transitional Coaching Certification from the Hudson Institute of Coaching.

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Mahmoud Jabari ’15

Biography

Mahmoud Jabari (Elected October 2022) works across sectors, regions and platforms to shape regional collaboration and inform public policy agendas. His professional expertise includes private sector diplomacy and public-private partnerships. At the World Economic Forum, he works with government and business leaders in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa to amplify their impact and bring their expertise to new communities. Prior to the Forum, Mahmoud was an Economic Development Associate at the Jerusalem-based Quartet Mission. He has spoken at the Annual Conference of the US World Affairs Councils, TEDx Tufts and TEDx Teen New York City. Mahmoud serves on the advisory board of Sawaed19.

Mahmoud Jabari holds a Master’s of Arts in Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School at Tufts University, with a concentration in International Political Economy. In 2021, he completed the Global Leadership and Public Policy for the 21st Century Program at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. In April 2018, he was inducted into Tufts University Honos Civicus Society for exemplary civic engagement. He holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Communication with a minor in Global Studies from Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont, which he attended on a merit-based scholarship. He was awarded the 2015 Champlain College Presidential Award for outstanding leadership, and gave the senior commencement address.

Mahmoud Jabari grew up in Hebron, south of Palestine’s West Bank.

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Robert Lytle

Biography

Robert Lytle (elected October 2025) is a Senior Managing Director at Grant Thornton Stax, based in the Boston office.

Over the past three decades, he has advised a diverse range of clients—including governments, non-profits, high-growth organizations, global public companies, and investors—on policy, strategy, performance improvement, and investment due diligence. His expertise includes managing high-profile corporate turnarounds, mergers, divestitures, and privatizations across Europe, North America, Latin America, the Middle East, and Asia.

A recognized thought leader in the education sector, Robert frequently speaks and moderates at global forums and events focused. He has also served on several education organization boards, contributing to the advancement of and innovation within the sector.

Before joining Grant Thornton Stax, Robert spent 25+ years at Parthenon and EY-Parthenon. As a founding member of Parthenon’s global education practice, which he led for 15 years, he played a pivotal role in shaping strategies for education companies, universities, K-12 institutions, and government agencies. In his final three years with the firm, Robert led EY-Parthenon’s US Government and Public Sector practice, where he provided strategic solutions to federal and state government entities.

Robert’s career began as a U.S. Army Aviator before transitioning to consulting with Bain & Company after earning his MBA. Robert holds an MBA with high distinction from The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth and a BS in Economics and Finance from the University of Pennsylvania.

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