South Burlington – Lund recently welcomed four new members to its Board of Trustees. They are Donna Austin-Hawley of Williston, John Hollar of Montpelier, Darren Springer of Burlington, and Anna Walls of Waterbury. The agency, which provides adoption, treatment, and family support services to families across the state, is critical to strengthening Vermont families and creating a stronger Vermont community.
“Strong volunteer leadership makes the work of Lund in communities across the state possible,” said Mary Burns, President and CEO of Lund. “Each of these highly accomplished individuals will contribute new insights to our board and be great ambassadors and advocates for Lund. I look forward to partnering with Donna, John, Darren, and Anna to make sure the children and families we serve have access to the support and resources they need to reach their full potential.”
Donna Austin-Hawley
Donna Austin-Hawley is the Executive Vice President & Chief Human Resources Officer at Northfield Savings Bank. Prior to joining NSB, she was the Director of Human Resources at the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation for 15 years. Austin-Hawley has over 30 years of human resources experience and holds both the SHRM-SCP and SPHR professional certifications. Austin-Hawley was the past President of the Vermont Human Resources Association (VHRA) for 7 years and received the Vermont Human Resources Professional of the Year award in 2012. In the Community, Austin-Hawley currently serves on the boards of the United Way of Northwest Vermont, Vermont Public Company, and the Burlington Business Association.
John Hollar
John practiced law in Vermont for thirty years, most recently as a partner with the law firm Downs Rachlin Martin. Originally from Oklahoma, he graduated from Georgetown University Law Center. He has been active in Montpelier community life throughout his career. He served as chair of the Montpelier School Board from 2002-2010 and was mayor of Montpelier from 2012-2018. John also serves on the board of Let’s Grow Kids Action Network, the Montpelier Foundation, and the Montpelier Area Mountain Bike Association. He is a member of the Capitol Complex Commission, which oversees the architectural and aesthetic integrity of the capitol complex.
Darren Springer
Darren Springer is currently General Manager of Burlington Electric Department. During Darren’s tenure, Burlington has been named the top northeastern city per capita for solar in 2019 and 2020 by Environment America. Prior to joining BED, Darren served as Chief of Staff for the Office of Governor Peter Shumlin; was appointed as Deputy Commissioner at the Vermont Public Service Department, and worked for 4 years in the Washington, D.C. Office of U.S. Senator Bernard Sanders as Senior Policy Advisor for Energy & Environment, and later as Chief Counsel. Darren has a B.A. from Florida Atlantic University and earned a J.D. and Master of Studies in Environmental Law from Vermont Law School. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for Vermont Electric Power Company, the Energy Action Network, and BTV Ignite.
Anna Walls
Giving back through human services has long been Anna’s passion. As a senior in high school, she interned with the lead prosecuting attorney for the Department of Children and Families and since then has continually amplified her voice as an advocate for children. Anna has 15-plus years of experience in banking and finance, and in her current role oversees the customer experience at community-focused Mascoma Bank, a B Corp. Lund is dear to Anna’s heart, as the organization helped shape her own family through adoption. She lives in Waterbury, VT, with her husband, two children, and two cattle dogs.
“I’m so pleased to welcome Donna, John, Darren, and Anna to the Lund Board of Trustees; their energy and ideas will help Lund and the Vermonters we serve find hope, opportunity, and family,” stated Maurine Gilbert, Chair of the Board.
Lund helps children thrive by empowering families to break cycles of poverty, addiction, and abuse. Lund offers hope and opportunity to families through education, treatment, family support and adoption. Lund is a member agency of the United Way of Northwest Vermont. For more information, please connect at lundvt.org
