Janet McLaughlin

Janet’s passion for a more equitable society has driven her nearly two decades in nonprofit programming and philanthropy. Since 2021, she has been responsible for strategic direction and daily operations of VTAEYC, the state’s professional membership association for early childhood educators. Previously, after joining Let’s Grow Kids in 2016, Janet led a strategic realignment of its programmatic work as Chief Programs Officer, served as the acting CEO, and its Chief Operating Officer overseeing programs, communications, operations, and evaluation. She joined LGK from the Vermont Community Foundation, where she headed its Food and Farm Initiative, an effort to connect more Vermonters with healthy local foods. Previously, she spent 9 years at the DC-based Share Our Strength, where she was the national director of Cooking Matters, a food skills education program for low-income families. Under Janet’s leadership, Cooking Matters grew dramatically, attracting its first two multi-million dollar multi-year funders, and leveraged state and federal funding to support local and state partners. She also worked closely with Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move campaign, leading the launch of the Chefs Move to School campaign.  Janet’s undergraduate degree is from Harvard University and she holds a Masters in Public Administration from the Maxwell School at Syracuse University. She currently serves as the Board Treasurer of Pine Forest Children’s Center and as member of the Board of Directors of the J. Warren and Lois McClure Foundation. Janet lives in Burlington and is a recovering DC-er, enthusiastic eater, dedicated “all levels” yogi, wife of a real Vermonter, and mom of two energetic little boys.