Gwendolyn Hallsmith

12 Parkside Drive Montpelier, VT 05602 PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE DIRECTOR, DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT: City of Montpelier, Vermont. Responsibilities include land use and comprehensive planning, supervision of planning staff, oversight of development projects, staff support to Planning Commission, Development Review Board, Design Review Committee, Conservation Commission, City Council and other city advisory boards. Current initiatives include the development of a biomass district energy system for the city and the Capitol Complex with an $8 million grant from DOE, a comprehensive zoning revision to bring the ordinance into compliance with the citys first sustainable Master Plan, administration of an innovative elder care program with a $1 million grant from the U.S Administration on Aging, hazardous waste cleanup on two sites, development of a multi-modal transit center, and the creation of the Central Vermont Food Systems Council. Wrote state and federal grants totaling $9.5 million. November 2006 present. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Global Community Initiatives, a non-profit organization based in Montpelier, Vermont and Johannesburg, South Africa. Responsible for strategic direction, fundraising, communication, and organizational development to support municipal sustainable development initiatives. Examples of projects include: 1) the imagineCalgary project, an initiative to produce a 100 year sustainability plan for the city, 2) a sustainable Master Plan for the City of Newburgh, NY, 3) sustainable economic development training in South Africa for newly elected local government officials in partnership with the South African Local Government Association, 4) training the Alberta Environmental Agency to take a whole systems approach in the development of a provincial sustainability strategy, 5) regular workshops for the U.S. National League of Cities, 6) sustainable economic development training for local officials in Serbia, 7) the publication of two workbooks and on-line support systems for cities to use for sustainability planning and local economic development, 8) a project training young people to repair bicycles and run small businesses in Diepsloot, a township outside Johannesburg, South Africa, 9) development of a new Masters program at Goddard College in sustainable business and communities; 10) organization of an international conference on sustainable communities in Burlington, Vermont in July of 2004; and 11) e-learning and knowledge base development for the UNEP International Environmental Technology Center in Japan. 2001-2006. DEPUTY SECRETARY: Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, Waterbury, Vermont. Responsible for leadership, policy development, oversight of internal operations, and coordination of the legislative agenda for an agency with 500 employees and a $50 million annual budget, including the Department of Environmental Conservation, Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Department of Forest, Parks, and Recreation, and the central agency offices. Initiatives included an agency public participation policy that integrates local and regional cooperation into state level activities, a lands planning policy and workplan to involve local communities and citizens in state lands management, a statewide watershed management planning project, a revision of the agency accounting system to more effectively track budgets
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for strategic programs, and training for agency personnel on sustainability principles, to better integrate the environmental work that is done with other social, political, and economic concerns. 2000 2001. COMMUNITY ACTION DIRECTOR: Institute for Sustainable Communities, Montpelier, Vermont. Responsibilities included research, training, and technical assistance for communities in the areas of social development, governance, sustainable economic development, environmental protection, and resource conservation. Lead staff person on the Legacy Project in the City of Burlington, Vermont, facilitating the development of a municipal action plan for sustainability, watershed management advisor to Local Environmental Action Plans and Lake Ohrid Conservation Project in Macedonia, and technical advisor for DemNet in Macedonia. Researched and developed an innovative methodology for community sustainability projects. 1999 2000. TRAINING ADVISOR: International City/County Management Association, Washington D.C., Almaty, Kazakhstan, and Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Responsibilities included conducting a needs assessment and a USAID work plan for training municipal officials in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. Subjects covered in the training program included sustainable economic development, municipal financial management, citizen participation in government, residential property management, competitive procurement, municipal budgeting, leadership skills, and general management. 1998. TOWN MANAGER: Town of Randolph, Vermont. Responsibilities included oversight and management of all town departments, including bridges and highways, police, water and sewer, recreation, planning and zoning, administration, tax collection, landfill, recycling, and accounts payable and receivable. Developed towns first capital plan. Served as staff to the Randolph Selectboard. Supervised 25-30 employees, plus the engineers, architects, contractors, and other consultants who were associated with a multi-million dollar infrastructure construction program, including the construction of a state-of-the-art lined landfill, a combined sewer overflow project, and a downtown revitalization project. Prepared and managed $7 million annual budget for all municipal activities. 1995 - 1998. DIRECTOR, INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY BUILDING AND MANAGEMENT PROGRAM: Institute for Sustainable Communities, Montpelier, Vermont. Responsibilities included the establishment and support of environmental management training and information centers in Bulgaria, Hungary, Russia, Ukraine, and Poland, in partnership with the Regional Environmental Center in Budapest, Hungary, US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), and USAID. This included financial management and program development, developing a sustainability strategy for future activities, writing and delivering training materials, and extensive international liaison work and travel. The training programs were designed for and delivered to national and regional staff of the environmental and health ministries and NGOs, which involved extensive coordination with senior levels of government and civil society. Supervision of program staff and consultants. 1992 - 1995. COUNTY PLANNING DIRECTOR: Franklin County Commissioners, Greenfield, Massachusetts. Responsibilities included regional planning and municipal assistance to 26 towns in the areas of environmental protection, historic preservation, transportation, resource management,
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water quality and supply, economic development, and affordable housing. Supervision of planning staff. Wrote and managed program grants. Training and technical assistance for town boards. Environmental review of major developments. Staff support to Franklin County Planning Board. Advocacy work on state level for regional and rural planning concerns. 1987 1992. SENIOR PLANNER: Massachusetts Energy Conservation Service, Executive Office of Energy Resources, Boston, Massachusetts. Oversight of $7 million residential energy conservation education program. Worked with utilities throughout the state on conservation measures and energy policies. Wrote and revised state regulations. 1985 - 1987. PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR: Alternative Energy Collective, Oakland, California. Administered low-income residential weatherization and solar retrofit program. Installed energy conservation measures and passive solar water heaters in the homes of low-income residents. Wrote and managed program grants. 1984 -1985. PUBLICATIONS CONSULTANT: Oxfam Canada, Vancouver, British Columbia. Worked with staff at Oxfam Canada to develop several educational publications, including brochures on world hunger, women in development, and the problems with the international pharmaceutical industry. 1983 - 1985. EDUCATION COORDINATOR: Department of Public Parks, Providence, Rhode Island. Created and implemented environmental education program for the City of Providence. Wrote and managed program grants. Hired and supervised staff of 20 instructors. Summer, 1983. COMMUNITY OUTREACH COORDINATOR: Urban Environmental Laboratory, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island. Conducted energy conservation and home weatherization workshops. Organized community gardens. Developed public information about local selfreliance and environmental management issues. 1982 - 1983. CASE TEAM MEMBER: Rhode Island Strategic Development Commission, Providence, Rhode Island. Participated in a statewide, multi-stakeholder economic development study. Conducted research and analysis of Rhode Island fishing industry, and made policy recommendations to the Commission. 1982 - 1983. OFFICE MANAGER, VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR, CAMPAIGNER: Greenpeace, Boston, Massachusetts. Managed the New England office and coordinated volunteers. Sailed with the Rainbow Warrior on the east coast of the United States and Canada, working on environmental campaigns and an educational tour through the major eastern cities. 1981 - 1982. CANVASSER AND FIELD MANAGER: Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group. Fundraising and advocacy for environmental and consumer issues. 1981. CANVASSER AND FIELD MANAGER: Connecticut Citizens Action Group. Fundraising and advocacy on utility, environmental, and consumer issues. 1978 - 1979.

EDUCATION M.Div. Candidate Ph.D. Student (A.B.D.) Andover Newton Theological School, Newton, Massachusetts. Master of Divinity Program. 1999 2003. University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia. International Environmental Policy. 1983 - 1984.

M.A. Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island. Political Science/Public Policy. 1984. B.A. A.A. University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado. Political Science (cum laude). 1980. Hartford College for Women, Hartford, Connecticut. Liberal Arts. 1978.

IN-SERVICE TRAINING RECEIVED Mediation and Conflict Resolution Budget Management Evaluation Strategies Environmental Economics Capital Planning Coaching Workshop for Supervisors Sexual and Racial Harassment First Aid and CPR PUBLICATIONS Creating Wealth: Growing Local Economies with Local Currencies. Bernard Lietaer, coauthor. New Society Publishers, June, 2011. Local Action for Sustainable Economic Renewal (LASER). Americas Development Foundation, GCI, and Natural Capitalism. April, 2006. www.global-laser.org. Taking Action for Sustainability: The EarthCAT Guide to Community Development. World Resources Institute, January 2005. www.earthcat.org. The Key to Sustainable Cities: Meeting Human Needs, Transforming Community Systems. New Society Publishers, 2003. Field Notes (Community Newspaper in Plainfield and Marshfield, Vermont). Founder and Managing Editor. 1999 2001. Billtown Bulletin (Community Newspaper in Williamstown, Vermont). Founder and Contributor. 2001 - 2003. Systems Thinking and Community Action, Balaton Bulletin. July, 2000. Public Participation in Government, Pylyp Orlyk Institute. Kiev, Ukraine. 1997.
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Occupational Health and Safety System Dynamics and Policy Project Logic Models Risk Assessment Communications Technology Affirmative Action Policies Grant Writing and Management Team Building Skills

Best Practices for Sustainability, Institute for Sustainable Communities. 2000. River Basin Management: A Workbook for the Yantra and Arges River Basins, Institute for Sustainable Communities. 1993. Yantra: An Attempted Portrait, 1993 (Film about the Yantra River, Funded by UNDP). Organizational Management for NGOs. Institute for Sustainable Communities. 1994. Grant Writing and Management. Institute for Sustainable Communities. 1993. A Critique of the Clean Air Act. Planning. 1992. Relicensing Issues on the Deerfield River. Atlantic Salmon Journal. 1992. Franklin County Growth Policy Statement, Franklin County Planning Department. 1988. A Franklin County Guidebook to Forest and Farmland Preservation, Franklin County Planning Department. 1988. Affordable Limited Development: A Model for Housing in Rural Communities, Franklin County Planning Department. 1989. Franklin County Data Characteristics, Franklin County Planning Department. 1988 - 1991. Deerfield River Comprehensive Management Plan, Franklin County Planning. 1990. Franklin County Directory of Environmental Organizations, Franklin County Planning. 1990. Franklin County Economic Profile, Franklin County Planning Department. 1991. Hunger: The Causes, Oxfam Canada. 1985. Dangerous Drugs: The International Pharmaceutical Industry, Oxfam Canada. 1988. Women in Development, Oxfam Canada. 1988. World Bank, The Game, Rural Praxis, Inc. 1988. LANGUAGES French (7 years) German (3 years) Spanish (3 years) Russian (2 years) Fluent conversational French, good reading and writing. Some spoken German, fair reading and writing. Some understanding, and some conversational Spanish. Some conversational Russian, some comprehension.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS AND AWARDS Donella Meadows Institute, Board Member. 2011- present. Vermont Community Development Association, President (2011). 2007 present. Advisory Board, Rural Elder Assistance for Care and Health (REACH), 2009 - present Sustainable Cities PLUS Network, Advisory Board Member, 2004 present. International Network of Research and Information Centers (Balaton Group), 1994 - present. Marshfield Planning Board and Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission, 1999 2001.
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Vice President, Randolph Rotary Club, 1997 1998. International City/County Management Association (ICMA), 1997 2000. Vermont League of Cities and Towns, Vermont Town Managers Association, 1995 - 1998. American Planning Association member, 1987 - 1992. Women in Planning and Development, Co-Coordinator, 1987-92. "Friend of Downtown Greenfield" Award: Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, 1990. Mellon Fellowship: Center for Environmental Studies, Brown University. 1982 - 1983.

VOLUNTEER WORK AND OTHER INTERESTS Headwaters Garden and Learning Center, Owner and Developer. 2010 present. Vermont Council of All Beings, Coordinator. 2010 present. Montpelier Rotary Club, Board Member. 2009 2011. Onion River Exchange, Board Member. 2008 2010. Earthwalk, Board Member. 2004 2009. Pastor (part time): United Federated Church in Williamstown, 2000 - 2003. Founding Board Member: Vermont Peace Academy, 2002 - 2005. Board of Directors: Vermont Earth Institute, 2001 2006. President, 2004 2006. Board of Directors: Water Music Project, 2004 2007. Chair 2006 2007. Board of Directors: Institute for Spiritual Development, 2001- 2004. Steering Committee/Grant Writer: Twinfield Learning Center, 1999 2002. Volunteer: Dale Prison for Women. 2000 2001. Sister City Coordinator: Randolph/Myrhorod Sister City Project. 1996 1998. Volunteer Elementary French Teacher: Randolph Elementary Schools, 1997 1998. Steering Committee: White River Partnership, 1995-1998. Parent Advisory Board: Turtle Island Day Care Center, 1994 - 1995. Board of Directors, Magic Mountain Day Care Center, 1992 - 1994. Board of Directors, Mt. Grace Land Conservation Trust, 1991 - 1992. Board of Directors, Urban Solar Energy Association, 1986 - 1987. Board of Directors, Colorado Public Interest Research Group, 1978 - 1980. REFERENCES William Fraser, City of Montpelier Patricia Gordon, International Center for Sustainable Cities Bernard Lietaer, University of California, Berkeley wfraser@montpelier-vt.org pgordon@icsc.ca blietaer@earthlink.com