About the Bixby Board of Trustees
The Board of Trustees is composed of individuals with diverse skills, experience, interests, and backgrounds with representation from each of the five towns the Bixby serves.
Trustees are appointed to a three-year term and participate in one or two committees of the Board, in addition to participating in the monthly Trustee meetings. The Bixby Board of Trustees works closely with the Library Director in strategic planning and policy development, preservation of the building and its collections, as well as stewarding its financial resources.
For more information about The Bixby and our work, please review our website and peruse our recent newsletters to familiarize yourself with who we are, what we are doing, and how we are looking to the future. In addition, the Library Trustees section of the Vermont Department of Libraries website has a wealth of information about this role and its importance in the community and in our state.
Monthly Trustee meetings are currently held via Zoom on the second Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. Meetings are open to the public. Register for the meeting here: https://zoom.us/j/93054157440.
Current Trustees
Tom Borchert, Waltham

You can reach Tom at thomas.borchert@bixbylibrary.org.
Bethanie Farrell, Panton

You can reach Bethanie at bethanie.farrell@bixbylibrary.org.
Marsha Hoffman, Ferrisburgh, Treasurer

You can reach Marsha at marsha.hoffman@bixbylibrary.org.
Alex McGuire, Vergennes

Alex brings a broad range of relevant experiences – both personal and professional – in addition to her passion for the role libraries can and do play in the lives of their community members.
“When I moved to Vergennes in 2006, one of my first stops, literally on the day I closed on my house, was the Bixby; I wanted a library card right away. Imagine my delight to discover such a beautiful, community space, one that has become as special in the lives of my six children as my hometown library was in my own.”
Alex has served as the Chair of the VUES Community Group, as President of the Board of Directors at the Evergreen Preschool, on the Vergennes Planning Commission. She also brings relevant experience from her roles at the Northeast Resource Recovery Association and the Disabilities Rights Center. Feel free to reach out to Alex with any feedback or suggestions you have for the library at Alex.mcguire@bixbylibrary.org.
Susan Nelson, Addison

You can reach Susan at susan.nelson@bixbylibrary.org.
Nancy Remsen, Vergennes

Nancy joined the Bixby Board of Trustees in June 2021. She is head of a newly established Historic Collections Committee and volunteers once a week with a team of history volunteers to organize and catalog the library’s historic objects, documents, books, photos, and other items. Nancy retired in 2016 after 40 years as a reporter and editor for newspapers in Maine and Vermont. She volunteers weekly at the Vermont Historical Society in Barre where she helps inventory and catalog objects from furniture and clothes to dolls and political pins. She has a B.A. in history from Middlebury College and an M.A. in journalism from the University of Missouri. She is trying to learn Spanish, took up fiddle when she retired, and runs, hikes, bikes, and cross-country skis. She and her husband have two sons and four grandchildren. You can reach Nancy at nancy.remsen@bixbylibrary.org.
Erin Roche, Vergennes, President

Erin Roche, the President of the Bixby Board of Trustees, became a Trustee in 2019. Prior to settling into her home in Vergennes with her husband and son in 2011, Erin has lived in Long Island, NY, Chicago, IL, Seattle, WA, and the Kingdom of Tonga. She has degrees from the University of Chicago and UVM. Erin is the Director of Operations and Evaluation at Let’s Grow Kids. When she is not working or walking her dog, you are likely to find her on the couch in the Bixby’s Community Room. You can reach Erin at erin.roche@bixbylibrary.org.
Chris Spencer, Vergennes, Secretary

Chris joined the Bixby Library Board in March 2021. Chris works for himself as a freelance videographer and editor out of his home in Vergennes. A transplant from New Hampshire, Chris moved to Vermont in 2015 after taking a job as the Senior Digital Media Producer at Middlebury College where he stayed for 5 years and eventually met his wife Erin. When not working behind the camera, Chris enjoys reading, cooking, early morning splitboard laps, and attempting DIY house projects with the help of YouTube. You can reach Chris at chris.spencer@bixbylibrary.org.
Silas Towler, Ferrisburgh

You can reach Silas at silas.towler@bixbylibrary.org.
Peter Welch, Vergennes

You can reach Peter at peter.welch@bixbylibrary.org.