Jeff Burnham is the police chief in Springfield, Vermont. He is developing community partners to better impact substance misuse and related community harms. Chief Burnham has worked as an officer for 30 years and grew up in Vermont. He graduated from Castleton State College with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and the University of Maryland with a master’s degree in management.
Ward Goodenough is the elected state’s attorney in Windsor County, Vermont. He was first appointed by Governor Phil Scott in January 2000 before being elected in 2022. Prior to serving as state’s attorney, Mr. Goodenough worked as a deputy state’s attorney in Windsor County and Rutland County, Vermont. As state’s attorney, he has worked to prioritize domestic and sexual violence cases, while working to expand restorative justice programs for minor offenses. Mr. Goodenough grew up in Windsor County and attended Vermont Law School for his juris doctorate degree.
Since 2018, Sue Graff has been the Vermont Agency of Human Services (AHS) Field Services Director for the Brattleboro and Springfield Districts, following a 20-plus-year career in the nonprofit sector. She represents the AHS Secretary in the field and acts as a liaison between the six departments of AHS: Corrections (DOC), Health (VDH, including Division of Substance Use), Health Access (DVHA), Children & Families (DCF), Mental Health (DMH) and Disabilities, Aging & Independent Living (DAIL), and community partners. Ms. Graff has a master’s degree in nonprofit management from The New School’s Milano School of International Affairs, Management, and Urban Policy.
Michael Johnson has been the chief executive officer of Turning Point Recovery Center (TPRC) of Springfield, Vermont, for 10 years. He is also the board president of Recovery Partners of Vermont, the umbrella organization of recovery centers throughout the state. Mr. Johnson is a member of the Knights of Columbus and came to lead TPRC after 19 years in mental health services. As a person in long-term recovery, Mr. Johnson’s role as a peer in recovery fuels his passion for serving the greater Springfield community.
Kristi Morris is serving his fifth 3-year term on the Springfield, Vermont, Selectboard, where he has held the office of chair for 10 of those years. He is an appointed liaison with the Springfield Regional Development Corporation and the Transportation Advisory Committee with the Mount Ascutney Regional Commission, serving as that committee’s chairperson. He is a member of the Springfield Fire Department, serving as a firefighter/emergency medical technician since 1974, and held the rank of on-call captain and department assistant chief until commencing his term on the Selectboard.
Michael Russell is the public health services district director for the Springfield District Office of Local Health in Vermont. The Springfield Health District is composed of 16 rural communities. Mr. Russell brings more than 20 years of experiences as a public health professional and leader. He has developed many types of public health services to help people live their healthiest lives and is passionate about eliminating preventable health disparities and ensuring healthy equity.