Staff
Christy Mitchell (she/her),
Executive Director
A longstanding presence in the South End, Christy serves as a champion and advocate of this exceptional Burlington neighborhood. A graduate of the Savannah College of Art and Design, Christy has been an artist and small business owner in the South End for 20 years and brings
extensive experience that integrates perfectly with the SEABA mission. She assisted in securing the legal designation of the ‘South End Arts District’ while the Assistant Director of SEABA in 2011. Christy was also the founder and Director of The Space Gallery in The Soda Plant for 14 years. Across her working history, Christy’s passion for the arts and love of creative endeavors has led her down a path of connecting artists to opportunity. Her vision for the South End consists of building up relationships and paving new ways for artists and entrepreneurs to connect with each other and the broader community, allowing everyone to thrive!
Kristen Eaton (she/her), Outreach Coordinator
Kristen is a freelance project manager (and the proprietor of Shaken & Steeped LLC) who specializes in gatherings that foster community and conversation. She spearheaded the first Vets Town Hall in Vermont, and continues to coordinate and consult on these events both locally and nationally. She works as the Teacher Host/Coordinator for the International Herb Symposium, and on fundraising and programming for Vermont University’s Veterans Summit. Kristen has worked as SEABA’s Outreach Coordinator since late 2021, and is the go-to person for questions about Art Hop registration.
Photo courtesy of John Moyers.
Juli Badics (she/her), Curator
Enamored by the power of storytelling, Juli Badics is a Hungarian American painter, printmaker, and mixed media visual artist who has a profound curiosity for understanding what it means to be human in the modern world. With a bachelor’s degree in anthropology and studio art from The University of Vermont, Juli’s studies have closely guided her approach to artmaking and her post-grad pursuits. She firmly believes in the power of art in connecting and strengthening communities and is excited to be a part of the thriving South Ends Arts District.
Julia Chalmers (she/her), Marketing + Media Specialist
Julia Chalmers is a marketing consultant and artist based in Burlington, VT. Julia uses these seemingly opposite disciplines to create marketing strategies that are as effective as they are creative. Whether building brands or designing jewelry, her work is continuously inspired by the magic of everyday things and the power our intention can have on our work. After creating Love Burlington to uplift and celebrate Burlington's entrepreneurs, she is excited to work with individual organizations and artists to realize their visions.
Board of Directors
Danielle Altenburg (she/her),
President
Danielle Altenburg is Director of Development in the Office of Advancement at Champlain College. She works at the Miller Center at Lakeside Campus for Champlain in the South End. Danielle's career began at the Shelburne News as a print reporter after she graduated from Champlain College in 2008. Five years later she found a love for fundraising for the Girl Scouts when she was living in South Texas. She then spent some time in the Washington, DC area working for animal welfare organizations and then for American University before she and her husband decided to move back to Vermont to raise a family. Danielle and Paul now live in Huntington with their two boys. She spends her free time gravel biking, skiing, and spending time with her family.
Liz Ford (she/her), Vice President
Liz Ford is a financial advisor with Hanson+Doremus Investments and Planning. She studied Cognitive Psychology at Reed College in Portland, OR and earned an M.B.A. from the UVM Sustainable Innovation program (SIMBA). Previously, Liz played billiards professionally and founded the Green Mountain American Poolplayers Association (GMAPA) league. Liz lives in Winooski and enjoys backpacking.
Scott Anderson (he/him),
Secretary
Scott Anderson is an AVP Branch Manager for Mascoma Bank working out of their Pine Street Branch. Scott’s work covers a wide array of categories from standard banking to community development and involvement. Along with nearly a decade of experience in the financial industry, Scott earned a BA in Business Management, minoring in music from Northern Vermont University. He is also a graduate of the Leadership Champlain program and Gallup’s leading high performance team’s course. addition to his work with SEABA, he coaches with and serves on the board of Milton Youth Hockey. In his free time Scott resides in Milton with his family and when not at work he enjoys being outside fishing, camping, or riding his motorcycle.
Henry Sinkula (he/him), Treasurer
Henry Sinkula is a Principal and investment analyst at Champlain Investment Partners, a Burlington-based investment management firm. Henry graduated from the University of Vermont with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance, earned his Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA) designation in 2018 and is a member of the CFA Institute and the CFA Society of Vermont. Henry is a new homeowner in Burlington’s south end.
Laura Treu (she/her)
Laura Treu is a real estate attorney working as underwriting counsel for First American Title Insurance Company. She received her law degree from Western New England College School of Law and her bachelor's in history from Nazareth College, Rochester NY. When not assisting agents on real estate and title issues, Laura loves playing soccer, camping, and experiencing all that this world has to offer. She lives in Burlington with her husband Ian, and their daughter.
Morgan Bailey (she/her)
Morgan Bailey is a working artist with a studio in the South End’s SPACE Gallery, and dedicates most of her time to painting colorful abstract worlds of dreamy chaos. When she is not painting in her studio, she can be found making silver jewelry at BCA, taking dance classes, thrifting for vintage clothing, and hanging out by the lake with her family. Before moving to Burlington Morgan was a costumer and stylist in Los Angeles, working on TV, movies and music videos. Morgan has a BFA in Textiles and Printmaking from Southern Oregon University, and studied glass blowing at the Rhode Island School of Design.
Alex Germek (she/her)
Alex Germek works as a Support Analyst for Dealer.com. Her degree is in Video Game Art & Animation from Champlain College. Alex has lived in Burlington since 2012, and previously came to Vermont to spend summers working at a canoeing camp. She enjoys both outdoor and indoor hobbies ranging in everything from kayaking to being a Dungeon Master in local Dungeons & Dragons games.
Thea Heck (they/them)
Thea is the Communications and Outreach Coordinator for Vermont Businesses for Social responsibility. Thea joined VBSR in April of 2023 as an experienced Graphic Designer with a demonstrated history of working in the higher education industry and with municipalities. With a BFA in Graphic Design and Digital Media and an MFA in Emergent Media from Champlain College, Thea’s work centers around disorientation, defamiliarization, and altered perceptions, and their work has been shown in galleries in Burlington, Vermont, and referenced in doctoral studies.
Thea is a part of several organizations, other than SEABA, including; Rad Magpie, a nonprofit game studio working to dismantle hetero-patriarchy and white supremacy in the gaming industry; and AIGA Vermont, the professional association for design that empowers and supports all professional creatives by fostering connections and demonstrating the impact of art and design.
Katie Greene (she/her)
Katie is a Vermont native with a background in African history, education, and community development and is the Financial and Grants Coordinator at Burlington's Racial Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Office. She holds a bachelor's degree in History and African Studies from St. Lawrence University and earned her MA in African History from Michigan State University. Katie has dedicated several years to living and working in East Africa, focusing on community development and research. She also contributes her time as a volunteer with AALV, working with youth, and serves on the board of Gallop to Success at Kimberly Farms. In her free time, Katie enjoys hiking with her dog, Beau, reading, spending quality time with family, traveling, and exploring new foods!