Paula Caron, Secretary
nikolla1954@gmail.com

Paula and her husband moved to South Village in 2022. They were drawn to the area by family, the beauty of the region, and the concept of an Agrihood. Paula is at home in South Village, and she feels fortunate to live near an organic farm, preserved lands, and incredible neighbors. A retired nurse, Paula watches her granddaughter, works at the farmstand, coordinates the community gardens, walks her “very slow” Great Pyrenees named Ama, and paddles with Dragonheart Vermont.

Susan Darnell, Member
susandarnell@comcast.net

After graduating from Middlebury College, Susan always dreamed of making Vermont her home. Following a fulfilling career in non-profit management—and a creative chapter as a landscape designer—she and her husband finally made the move back in 2015. They were instantly drawn to the Farm, Preserve, and sense of community that South Village offers. That same year, Susan joined the Stewardship Board as a way to give back to the place that had welcomed them so warmly. A passionate gardener, Susan thrives on any excuse to be outdoors. She’s an avid reader, and when winter sets in, you’ll find her knitting or quilting by the fire.

Barry Gruessner, Member
bgruessner@gmail.com

Barry moved to South Village in 2013 with his wife Emily Miller, her sons Peter and Jonas, and the family cockapoo Tyler. Barry works as the Grants Director for the Burlington School District. He has also taught high school and worked as an environmental scientist and planner. He loves walking and running through the beauty of South Village, including the farm and the Preserve. He is excited to serve on the Stewardship Board to help further the good work that has been done by current and past board members.

Diana Haghighat, Member
haghighatdiana22@gmail.com

Diana and her husband moved to South Village in 2023. They loved visiting Vermont and decided to finally move from Connecticut once their children were grown. Diana enjoys hiking, skiing, gardening, creating pottery, and walking Molly, the family rescue dog. She also loves to cook, bake, and especially loves all things sourdough. You may recognize Diana from the farm stand, where she occasionally volunteers. She says volunteering is a great way to meet neighbors, support local agriculture, and connect to the South Village agrihood.

Heidi Kvasnak, Chair
haghighatdiana22@gmail.com

Heidi grew up in Williston and she & her husband Neil moved to South Village in 2014. The organic farm, lovely front porches, and beautiful preserved land, sidewalks and trails were a few of things that drew her to South Village. She is a professional yoga therapist and teacher, and enjoys gardening, walking, kayaking, cooking and spending time with her family. Heidi is thrilled to be part of the Stewardship Board and excited to dive in and support their mission in helping to maintain the unique treasures of this special neighborhood.

Vicky Tebbetts, Member
vtebbetts@gmail.com

Much of Vicky’s work (and play!) centers around her interests in education, recreation, conservation, and a strong local economy. She brings a background in communications, marketing, and policy to the Stewardship Board, and enjoys sharing the Board’s passion and dedication for our special place. She loves the outdoors and when she’s not strolling around South Village with her white Goldendoodle, Pepper, she can be found hiking, biking, doing yoga, hanging out with her college kids, and loving life in Vermont.

George Zipf, Treasurer
georgezipf@gmail.com

George and his wife have wanted to move back to Vermont since the year 2000, and COVID and validation of remote work helped make the move happen. The preserved space, farm and the concept of the agrihood made South Village particularly attractive to them. A trained statistician, George loves growing vegetables, hiking, swimming, and sailing. He’s now firmly settled in Vermont, where he’s learned to drive a tractor as well as create beautiful wood-fashioned bowls, benches, and even a bow-and-arrow.