Jen Roberts, Chair
Jen Roberts is co-owner of Onion River Outdoors, author of AMC’s Best Day Hikes in Vermont, and editor of Northern Forest Canoe Trail’s debut map series and guidebook.
Natasha Eckart Baning
Natasha Eckart Baning has spent the last 20 years in the world of Education, serving as a paraeducator, teacher and Union Representative. She has also worked extensively as a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion facilitator and advocate. She currently is a volunteer contributing writer as well as a member of the Montpelier Bridge Board.
Larry Floersch
Retired. When his first career choice — to become a cowboy — didn’t pan out because of a sharp decline in the number of cattle drives on the Chisholm and Goodnight-Loving trails out west, Floersch decided to study history in college. That led to work in public relations (he once served as the acting press secretary to the state treasurer of Florida) and then to a career in publishing as a proofreader and later a copy editor, and ultimately as a managing editor of several scholarly journals, including “Philosophy & Public Affairs” (Princeton University Press), the “Journal of Trauma” (Williams and Wilkins), and the “Journal of Microsurgery” (Houghton Mifflin, later John Wiley and Sons). He then jumped to work in the IT world and served for about 10 years as the webmaster for the Vermont Department for Children and Families. Some say he is a fairly good gardener, and those who survive claim he is a good cook. He has been a humor columnist for The Bridge since 2015.
Gregory Gerdel
Greg Gerdel has extensive experience in public relations, journalism, market research, social media, and film/video production. During his career with the State of Vermont he served as the research and operations chief for the Department of Tourism where his responsibilities included editing and production of a dozen publications and the annual marketing plan. He was instrumental in creating the Vermont Film Office, which provided location and resource assistance to productions ranging from catalog shoots to major motion pictures. An avid cross-country skier, he coached the Montpelier High School Nordic ski team for 17 years and continues to be active in establishing a local network of groomed trails. His involvement with The Bridge dates to the 1990s when he was a volunteer contributor and served on the community-based board of directors.
John Lazenby
John Lazenby is a Vermont based photojournalist whose work has appeared in the New York Times, the Boston Globe and a wide variety of other publications and websites. His daily journalism experience includes working as a reporter and editor for the Providence Journal (RI) and the Rutland Herald (VT). He was the managing editor of Vermont Life Magazine for 20 years, during which the regional magazine regularly won national awards for editorial excellence. Find John on Instagram at: @lazenbyphoto, or see his blog, lazenbyphoto.com/blog
Stephen McArthur
Stephen McArthur has worked in Washington DC as a lobbyist and chief of staff for a member of Congress, and in Vermont as a music producer and music company executive, as a longtime advocate for survivors of domestic violence, and as a book publisher. He played alto and tenor sax, as well as hand percussion, for years with many different bands in Vermont and was one of the founders of ReBop Records which had three of its premier releases licensed by A & M Records. He has lived and worked in and around Montpelier for over 40 years and can’t think of anywhere else he’d rather live. His wife, Rickey Gard Diamond, is an author, a journalist who was founding editor of Vermont Woman, who founded the non-profit An Economy of Our Own, and now writes a regular column for Ms. Magazine, under the column title Women Unscrewing Screwnomics.
Linda Radtke
Linda Radtke from Middlesex taught English at Harwood Union High School for 31 years, where she also directed student plays. Because of her passion for classical music, she drifted to the world of radio, producing The Vermont Choral Hour on Vermont Public Radio, and before that on WCVT, Vermont’s classical radio station. As a singer, she has been active in community choral groups as well as the VSO Chorus and their SymphonyKids program. Linda has a particular interest in collecting old Vermont songs, and presents programs through the Vermont Humanities Council. She is happy to serve on the board of The Bridge in order to strengthen the bonds between our community members.
Nancy Reid
Nancy Reid is a retired educator. She taught in the local public schools for many years and then taught at the higher education level in a number of
colleges in Vermont. She was particularly involved in educating future teachers. She moved to Montpelier eight years ago and has been committed to her new community since.
With some experience with board work and community service, she has been involved on the board at The Bridge as it has evolved into a responsive and inspiring local newspaper.
Mason Singer
Mason Singer is an award winning graphic designer and publications consultant. For more than three decades his studio, Laughing Bear Associates, has provided a wide range of design services to nonprofit organizations, publishers, business, government, academia, and individuals throughout the northeast. Mason has taught elements of graphic design for a number of schools and workshops, been a member of the faculty at the Governor’s Institute on the Arts, and has frequently spoken to groups about developments in design and communication and its social impact.
He currently lives with his pet octopus at the bottom of the sea.
Justin Turcotte
Justin Turcotte grew up in the woods of East Calais Vermont where his mother and father where carving out a place in the forest. Some of his fondest memories are sitting in the sweet pea patch, shelling and eating peas while the bees buzzed and flowers bloomed in “Mrs. McGregors” Garden. Making people smile has always made him smile whether it be a joke, delicious food, or everyday courtesy. Justin hates waste and inefficiency. He also holds significant concerns about the quality of life and sustainably of humanity given the current trajectory and limitations of our planet Earth. Broadband, and real-estate and food related businesses keep him engaged in the business community. Wife Michele and Justin now have 2 children Ankia (16) and Nicholas(14) who also attend Montpelier Public School when not traveling on global adventures.