LETTER: Former employees back Aly Richards for governor

July 16, 2026

To the Community:

As former employees of Let’s Grow Kids, we enthusiastically support our former boss, Aly Richards, to become the next governor of Vermont.

We have seen Aly in action and we know she’s ready. She is innovative, collaborative, and data-driven. We stood shoulder-to-shoulder with her as she listened to families and early childhood educators, met with economic development leaders, and won over uncertain legislators. There were many times we weren’t sure we’d achieve our mission to transform the child care system in Vermont, but Aly leaned in. She brought her staff closer, mapped out new paths forward, and together we forged new partnerships, crossed aisles, and invited our neighbors into the solution. 

Aly’s leadership delivers. Our grassroots child care movement mobilized 40,000 Vermonters to pass the landmark law that transformed our broken child care system and offered real economic support to working families, early childhood educators, and businesses across the state. And when Gov. Scott vetoed the bill, she rallied us again. Supporters jumped into action and bolstered legislators from all parties to override the veto. 

This law made real change for Vermonters. It lowered the cost of child care for families while increasing wages for child care providers. It created more spaces for children and offered stability for child care employers. Vermont is a national leader in child care, and other states are following us. After Mayor Mamdani was elected, the Mayor's Office of Child Care and Early Childhood Education called Aly to get the blueprint for what we did in Vermont as they envisioned the next iteration of child care for New York City. All eyes are on Vermont because of our work and her leadership. 

Aly knows that lasting change requires listening to the people most affected by it. At Let’s Grow Kids, that meant putting early childhood educators in the driver’s seat, and on staff. Aly hired early childhood educators into leadership roles so our strategies were shaped by the people closest to the work, not just about them. She led with compassion and got out of the way to let others’ expertise shape the direction of the organization. Over time, that culture rippled outward; we became better listeners, better changemakers, and better leaders ourselves.

Vermont deserves a leader like Aly, not simply because of what she’s accomplished, but because of how she leads. She hired brilliant, dedicated, experienced Vermonters and empowered them to do their best work. Our plan was always to deliver for Vermont and then return to our towns and organizations with the skills we gained to create new change for Vermont. And we did. 

We are now teaching, running, and helping to fund local child care centers. We are nonprofit and government leaders, consultants and mentors. The majority of us remained in Vermont, and when we heard Aly was running for governor, we answered the call to support her. We are now serving as full-time staff, hosting house parties, attending forums, raising lawn signs and knocking on doors for her. 

Aly inspires people to act and to lead. Imagine the ripple effect this type of leadership could have on our entire state. 

Aly’s leadership is joyful and transformational, and right now that matters more than ever. This month you’ll find her speaking at your town library, leaning against cars to answer your neighbor’s questions long after a forum ends, and taking notes from everyone willing to share an idea about how we can revitalize our towns. She’s not performing. This is who she is and it can buoy and inspire each of us during these divisive times to come together for Vermont’s future.

We know Aly, and we trust her. We cannot wait to see how Vermont thrives under her leadership. We believe Vermont deserves a governor who wants to build something great for us, and with us. 

Join us to vote for Aly in the Aug. 11 primary, so she can head to the general election on Nov. 3 and become our next governor! 

Kate Abdel-Fatah, Braintree

LouAnn Beninati, Essex

Emily Blistein, Middlebury

Ansley Bloomer, Middlesex

Rick Blount, Charlotte

Anna Brouillette, Essex

Hannah Burnett, Winooski

Rex Butt, Burlington

Sherry Carlson, Ferrisburgh

Rhea Costantino, Montpelier

Fynn Crooks, Brattleboro

Sam Donnelly, Burlington

Robyn Freedner-Maguire, Jericho

Natalie Glynn, Williston

Suzanne Graham, Underhill

Nicole Haley, Colchester

Sharron Harrington, Rutland

Didi Harris, Shelburne

Emily Healy, Essex Junction

Jen Horwitz, Oregon (formerly of Essex Junction)

Rachel Hunter, Springfield

Zoe Kaslow, Vergennes

Jamie Lofy, Jericho

Lisa Loomis, Huntington

Molly Loomis, Burlington

Stephanie Love, Pennsylvania (formerly of Winooski)

Trey Martin, Adamant

Brenda S. Metzler, Bridgewater

Barbara Postman, Brownington

Maria Richards, New York (formerly of Barre)

Cathy Reitz, Ferrisburgh

Erin Roche, Vergennes

Kate Salina, New York (formerly of Burlington)

Vicky Dibe Senni, Dummerston 

Jen Severance, South Burlington

Dara Sicherman Salett, East Corinth & New York

Drake Turner, Burlington

Lorraine Vernet, Morrisville

Emily Wagner, Dummerston

Beth Waring, Montpelier

Mackenzie Waterhouse, Burlington 

Shayla Zammuto, Colchester

Rachel Zellem, Colchester

The authors of this letter are former employees of Let's Grow Kids, the non-profit child care advocacy organization led by current Democratic gubernatorial candidate, Aly Richards. The signers live in 27 towns in nine Vermont counties. “So many of us not only like our former boss, but have returned to work and volunteer for her and believe she should be the next leader of Vermont,” they said in sharing this letter.