Meet Our Program Development Team

The PIVOT Program Development Team is comprised of a small group of dedicated undergraduate students who are volunteering their time to help shape the peer educator program. The group is currently engaged in designing and conducting a mixed-methods community needs assessment to gather nuanced information about perceptions of interpersonal violence on campus that can then inform the continued development of the PIVOT program.

Our Mission

Our mission as a collaborative team working to inform the PIVOT program is to actively engage with and empower our community by assessing their unique needs and experiences. This work, rooted in activism and advocacy, acknowledges that prevention is not one-size-fits-all. By using a community-engaged scholarship approach, we strive to build a program that is not only informed by research, but that is shaped by the voices and perspectives of ¶¶Òõ̽̽ survivors and community members. We acknowledge that the voices of survivors and those with marginalized identities have been too often silenced or ignored. Therefore, we aim to create a study design that centers the needs of survivors, approaches this community issue with sensitivity and respect, and ensures that our most marginalized and underrepresented community members feel safe and comfortable sharing their experiences.


Our Current Team Members

Maddie Brown

Maddie Brown

She/Her

Senior, Human Development and Family Science

As a Human Development and Family Science major, in my college experience, I have spent a lot of my time learning about the importance of prevention and intervention. With a specific interest in trauma therapy, I have found the work I have done in PIVOT and in Dr. Demers’ interpersonal violence classes to be insightful. I hope to bring this new knowledge and experience into a future career working with and supporting survivors of sexual violence. 

I have enjoyed learning from my fellow passionate peers who are involved in developing the PIVOT program. I look forward to working with more people in the future who share the same drive to make an impact in this field. I have appreciated Dr. Demers mentorship throughout this process, and I am excited for the prospective change the PIVOT program is going to bring to University of Vermont.

Mahder Teferra

Mahder Teferra

She/Her

Senior, Agroecology and Landscape Design

Although this work does not relate to my studies, I am interested in changing the culture on campus that has been the source of so much harm. This work is not the end all be all for preventing interpersonal violence, but it’s a start. I look forward to seeing the outcome of strong student activism and hope to see the momentum continue.

Outside of PIVOT, I am the President of the Student Government Assocation. I also work at Campus Recreation, Athletics, University Program Board, and have been a part of Orientation for two years.

Katy Blanchfield

Katy Blanchfield

She/Her

´³³Ü²Ô¾±´Ç°ù,ÌýPsychological Science

Preventing interpersonal violence has been something that has pressed on my heart for a long time. Getting to ¶¶Òõ̽̽ and being able to connect with the domestic violence awareness movement through my sorority and the University Sexual Violence Prevention Task Force has been incredibly inspiring to see what work has been done and the passion we all need to have to continue these efforts. Being a psychology major with a minor in human development and family science, my end goal is to work in childhood psychology and advocacy, especially in cases of DV. I am so excited to be a part of the PIVOT program and I have so many ideas to share as a peer educator this fall!

Samjana Rai

Samjana Rai

She/Her

Junior, Public Health Sciences

During the first day of classes, Dr. Demers mentioned the PIVOT program and it instantly caught my attention. Before enrolling at ¶¶Òõ̽̽, I had been avidly following the news, and as someone who isn't afraid to speak up, I saw it as an opportunity to dive into something I truly cared about while also acquiring new knowledge. Being a part of the team has been incredibly fulfilling; I cherish the company and support from my fellow members.

Aine Sponholz

Aine Sponholz

She/Her

Junior, Environmental Studies and Sociology

Understanding and preventing interpersonal violence has been an interest of mine for a long time. When I first got to ¶¶Òõ̽̽, I joined the Sexual Violence Prevention Task Force for Sorority and Fraternity Life in my first semester after joining a sorority. It was through this group that I was able to meet Dr. Demers when I originally asked her to speak at an event we were having. Later that semester, when she reached out about the class she was beginning and the start of the PIVOT program, I knew I would have loved to be a part of it. I am already proud of the pivot team for the dedication and commitment to helping our school, and I cannot wait to see where Dr. Demers and this team can take the peer education program.

Sophie Bierman

Sophie Bierman

She/Her

Sophomore, Public Health Sciences

I am interested in this work because it gives me the opportunity to make an impact on an issue that I care about as I enter the ¶¶Òõ̽̽ community. I hope to attend graduate school in the future and conduct research. Outside of this work, I enjoy being in the lab and I DJ for the ¶¶Òõ̽̽ radio station (WRUV).

Sofia Calzone

Sophia Calzone

She/Her

Sophomore, Public Health Sciences

I love collaborating with the team to reduce interpersonal violence on campus. I appreciate how this program allows me to continue my journey of fighting for social equity. I enjoy tailoring this program to help best fit the needs of our community, and hopefully improve campus living. I enjoy working with PIVOT to learn more about the norms that condone interpersonal violence and how we can best uplift survivors. This work allows me to delve into my passions and learn how to create impactful research. I intend to pursue my MPH and eventually PhD in Health Policy Analysis. I am also a member of the ¶¶Òõ̽̽ cheer team.

Summer Puterbaugh

Summer Puterbaugh

First Year, Psychological Science

I was instantly drawn to the PIVOT program during my first week at ¶¶Òõ̽̽ due to the passion Dr. Demers expressed for student welfare and safety. I’ve always sought to create an impact, or to simply just get involved, within my environment, and this program not only provided a meaningful research opportunity but a caring medium to assess and meet student needs. I seek to continually advocate for the needs of my school community while supporting survivors.

Team Alumni

Gal Rocabado

She/Her

Post-Baccalaureate, Public Health Sciences

My personal and academic journey in the field of Public Health and Medicine has brought me many places, but few as meaningful as this work of building the PIVOT Program here at ¶¶Òõ̽̽. Collaborating on an interpersonal violence prevention effort structured around research and community engagement has taught me that prevention truly is multidisciplinary with strong roots in community voices. With a passion for family medicine and community health, I am deeply committed to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and cultural humility within healthcare and beyond – and the PIVOT program is just that.

I am determined and looking forward to continue using my skills and knowledge to promote health equity and social justice in my future endeavors, while making conscious efforts to be a catalyst for positive transformation, specifically in fostering a culture of inclusivity, compassion and empowerment for everyone. I must say, this work has been a PIVOTal part of my personal growth and success here at ¶¶Òõ̽̽!

Emma DesRoches

She/Her

Junior, Public Health Sciences

I was initially interested in being a part of PIVOT because I did similar work in high school. I was in MVP, mentors in violence prevention, where I had discussions with other students on interpersonal and domestic violence and ways to bring awareness to it. I loved the opportunity to be a part of this work as it's been a huge discussion on campus for a long time. PIVOT is such a great team to collaborate and share ideas with and I look forward to seeing the impact it has on campus. I plan to continue studying women's health and hopefully do work in that field.