South Burlington – Lund announced today that Wanda Audette, longtime Director of Adoption and Co‑Director of Project Family, will retire from her leadership role on October 31, 2025, after more than three decades of service. Audette will continue supporting Lund in an advisory capacity through June 2026, helping guide a seamless leadership transition.
“The privilege of contributing to this important work—serving children and families across Vermont—has been the greatest honor of my career,” Audette shared. “I retire with full confidence in the future of Lund. The organization is guided by a strong leadership team and an exceptional President & CEO, whose energy, vision, and collaborative spirit continue to move the agency forward.”
A Legacy of Impact
Since joining Lund in 1995, Audette has played a key role in transforming Vermont’s adoption system. She led the development of Project Family, the state’s first public-private adoption partnership, which reduced the average time to permanency from 48 months to just 23. Under her leadership, the Adoption Department grew from two staff to 22 and now represents over 246 years of combined professional experience.
Audette has been involved in 5,323 adoptions and helped establish Lund’s longstanding partnership with the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, securing funding for recruiters and in-home clinical positions across the state. The department has received multiple national honors for its outcomes in permanency and child-centered care.
“Lund’s adoption services aren’t transactional,” Audette said. “They are journeys—guided by deep relationships, trust, and enduring support. We walk alongside families for life.”
Moving Forward with Confidence
“Wanda has been a pillar of Lund’s success,” said Darren Springer, Chair of the Board of Trustees. “Through her leadership, thousands of Vermont’s children have found safe, loving families more quickly and with stronger support. Today, we honor her extraordinary legacy—and we move forward with confidence, knowing the Adoption Department rests on a foundation of unmatched experience and unwavering values.”
“It is nothing short of extraordinary to reflect on the impact Wanda has had on thousands of Vermont children and families brought together through adoption,” said Liz Gamache, President & CEO of Lund. “Her chapter in Lund’s 135-year history is a remarkable one—defined by visionary leadership, deep expertise, and unwavering compassion. As she transitions from her role, I’m deeply grateful that Wanda will continue to serve as a trusted advisor and friend to Lund through next June and beyond. Lund’s exceptional adoption team will carry forward this vital work, and we are all committed to honoring Wanda’s legacy and making her proud.”
Celebrating and Sustaining the Work
Lund invites the community to celebrate Audette’s remarkable impact by making a gift that carries forward the work she championed in adoption and permanency.
To make a gift in Wanda’s honor contact development@lundvt.org or
