BRATTLEBORO — Outside Andrea Livermore's soon-to-be-former office window in the Robert H. Gibson River Garden, Bill “Wild Bill” Kathan practices jumping jacks.
A fixture for six years in downtown Brattleboro as the executive director of Building a Better Brattleboro (BaBB), Livermore is stepping in a new direction.
Livermore will leave her post at BaBB to become the development director at Brattleboro Area Hospice (BAH), effective April 12.
“I'm ready to not be at the helm,” said Livermore with a smile.
In an interview, Livermore said she respects BAH's mission and looks forward to becoming part of the organization's team.
According to Livermore and Susan Parris, BAH executive director, the hospice is privately funded, with 95 percent of revenue coming from the local community.
Tropical Storm Irene's floods closed the organization's primary revenue generator, Experienced Goods Thrift Store on Flat Street, for six weeks. Retail sales at Experienced Goods provide 64 percent of BAH's revenue.
“The flood reminded us that we need to reach out in new ways for the long-term sustainability of our work,” said Parris.
BAH, one of the nation's few remaining volunteer hospices, offers all its services free of charge, without state or federal funds.
Most hospices in the country are medical, with many operating within a hospital.
During her tenure at BaBB, Livermore collaborated with the Brattleboro Area Chamber of Commerce on joint marketing strategies, leveraging more than $100,000 in funding. Through extensive outreach, she also increased BaBB's membership by 30 percent. Livermore said she also helped restore the organization's credibility within the community.
Prior to working at BaBB, Livermore served as executive director of the United Way of Windham County, where she helped maintain “consistent funding success of over $500,000 annually,” despite changes in corporate donors' funding practices.
Livermore said she is proud of her work pioneering a “cutting edge strategy” which focused on supporting at risk youth. The United Way has adopted this strategy, called the Community Impact Agenda, on a national level.
For nine years, Livermore served as executive director at Youth Services, Inc., where she led the organization's expansion from a 12- to 35-person staff. Livermore also helped broaden Youth Service's scope of services to include prevention, intervention, and treatment in multiple community settings. She doubled the fundraising to nearly $140,000 annually.
According to a press release from BAH, Livermore also taught fundraising principles and practices for a number of semesters at the School for International Training in Brattleboro.
Livermore sits on several boards, including the Brattleboro Savings & Loan board of directors; she is a Gov. Peter Shumlin appointee to the Vermont Community Development Board, and she serves on the Crosby Fund Advisory Committee to the Vermont Community Foundation.
Livermore holds an MBA from Western New England College, a bachelor of arts from the University of New Hampshire, and an associate's degree from Green Mountain College.
She is a Selectboard member in the town of Marlboro, where she lives.
“I am thrilled that Andrea has joined us. She brings a wealth of skills and experience that will really benefit our work in the community,” wrote Parris in a press release. “Our clients range in age from 5 to 90-plus years old, and we serve all walks of life and circumstances. Facing the end of your life, or losing someone you love, is a universal human experience. Andrea will work with our board of directors, volunteers, and staff to increase community support and awareness for how hospice helps during these difficult times in our lives.”