Partnering With You to Prevent Suicide

The Board of Directors at the Center for Health and Learning has named Kathleen Kilbourne, M.Ed., of Vergennes, Vermont, as the new Executive Director at the Center for Health and Learning. 

Kilbourne’s background as an innovative educator and principal in Vermont, combined with her passion for education and trauma-informed practices that improve resilience and health, will help advance the Center for Health and Learning's mission. CHL recently celebrated its 23rd anniversary. 

“We are delighted to welcome Kathleen as a new Executive Director,” says Frank Dike, Board of Directors President. “She brings tremendous competency and leadership, and her more than 30 years of experience as an educator makes her highly qualified to lead the Center for Health and Learning as we work to improve outcomes in public health and prevention. We feel lucky to have found her and look forward to welcoming her to the helm of our organization.”

When Kilbourne assumes the role in mid-October, she will oversee all programming at the Center for Health and Learning (CHL), an organization known for its commitment to supporting mental health in Vermont through practice improvement, development of educational resources, projects, and community programs, such as Umatter® Suicide Prevention. Kilbourne will also direct CHL fundraising programs and marketing while driving community engagement initiatives that aim to increase CHL’s strong strategic partnership initiatives. Kathleen will be responsible for growing CHL’s online e-commerce to advance the work and mission of the organization while keeping the financial health of the organization strong.

“I am thrilled to join the team at CHL,” says Kilbourne. “As both an advocate and an innovator in public education and community health, I aspire to create more opportunities that offer optimal health for all.”

Kilbourne succeeds JoEllen Tarallo, Ed.D., who has grown and led CHL for 18 years. Tarallo has been the face of CHL and has carried the organization through the pandemic most capably. She remains invested in its growth and the relationships she cultivated during her tenure at CHL. Tarallo will devote her energy and efforts to promoting the Umatter® suite of training and products to a national audience, and she will remain a member of the CHL team.

“I look forward to learning from JoEllen and following in the footsteps of her tremendous leadership to continue to build the organization's reputability and service orientation, " says Kilbourne.

“CHL is poised for a terrific next chapter,” says Tarallo. “Along with the Board, I am committed to ensuring its success and am delighted to watch Kathleen continue to advance its mission.”