Lisaius: I’m running to represent strong Vermont communities
May 29, 2026 | By Katarina LisaiusI have proudly filed to run for the Vermont House of Representatives to represent the Washington-Chittenden district. The primary reason I am stepping up to serve is simple: to support and cultivate strong Vermont communities.
Katarina Lisaius, of Bolton, is a Democratic candidate for the Washington-Chittenden district in the Vermont House of Representatives. Photo by Josh Coffee
Strong communities build connections and a shared sense of purpose. They are places we are proud to call home, support our neighbors, and consistently show up for one another. At its core, a healthy community thrives because its members continuously support each other and innovate together. We celebrate victories, but we also the first to help when times get tough. Ultimately, strong communities exist because we exist.
At a time when federal politics is so often defined by division and chaos, there is profound meaning in turning toward local governance. A thriving community is far greater than the sum of its parts – it grounds us with a sense of belonging, builds trusting relationships, and allows us to address real problems.
Bolton, Buel’s Gore, Huntington, and Waterbury are towns that truly practice community. We talk and listen to our neighbors about the issues impacting our everyday lives; we tackle challenges head-on; and we share a goal of collaboration to reach solutions.
We also know that our communities have faced enormous hardships in the last decade. From navigating a global pandemic, multiple devastating flood recoveries, to facing rising costs in our state, town, and household budgets, to witnessing the erosion of critical federal protections – the terrain has been difficult. In my own experience, navigating these shifting times has felt like the final push up Mount Hunger: rocky, steep and draining. But we keep climbing.
As your representative candidate, I will bring governance and policy experience to Montpelier. My career has been dedicated to public service:
Local Experience: Most recently, I served our community as the Recreation Director for the Town of Waterbury. In that role, I oversaw our camps, afterschool program and the pool, while managing major capital projects for ADA-accessible playgrounds and a new soccer field. I also collaborated closely with community members for the disc golf course, youth sports teams, and our new skatepark.
State experience: As the Senior Advisor to the commissioner at the Vermont Department for Children and Families, I led legislative and policy reforms, drove systems change, and worked towards creative solutions for complex challenges.
Federal experience: I spent nearly a decade working for U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders in his Burlington office. There, I sought Vermonters’ vital feedback to help shape federal legislation, including the Elementary and Secondary Education Act reauthorization, Violence Against Women Act reauthorization, and multiple COVID relief bills.
Ultimately, the strength of our local communities doesn’t come from Montpelier – it comes from backyard barbecues, our town meetings, and uplifting the places we call home. We face real, complex hurdles ahead, but I know what Vermonters can achieve when we look out for one another.
I am running because I believe that by working together, we can build a resilient, supportive future where every neighbor thrives.
Please join me this Sunday, May 31, from 2 to 4 p.m. at The Tropic in downtown Waterbury. You can press your own “Katarina for Vermont” campaign button, share what makes our community great, and connect with neighbors.
Bolton resident Katarina Lisaius is a Democratic candidate for the Washington-Chittenden district in the Vermont House of Representatives that covers Waterbury, Bolton, Huntington and Buel’s Gore. More online at katarinaforvermont.com.