Our Staff
Staff Profiles:
Cindy Hayford is the DVCP Coordinator.
Cindy has worked as a community coalition leader for the past twenty years. Cindy has also served as a high school leadership program advisor, and middle school tobacco prevention program advisor throughout those years. Prior to working in the prevention field, Cindy was a teacher and coach for 16 years. This background contributes to her understanding of implementing successful evidence-based substance misuse prevention initiatives in communities and schools.
Cindy received her B.S. at Springfield College in Springfield Massachusetts. Under her leadership, the DVCP received the CADCA Outstanding Coalition Award in 2001 for reducing youth substance use in the Windham Southwest Supervisory Union. Since this time, data has shown a continuous decrease in youth substance misuse among our youth.
Cindy received the Vermont Office of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Programs Directors Award in 2002 and 2009 for her work in the prevention field. In 2003, Cindy was selected as a National Leader/Mentor for CADCA and currently serves on the CADCA Coalition Advisory Council and the Vermont Substance Misuse Prevention and Oversight Advisory Council.
Cindy lives in Wilmington with her husband Buddy. She enjoys spending time with her family including daughter Kate and son Scott, gardening and volunteering as a board member of the Old School Community Center.
Phone: 802-464-2202
Email: chayford.dvcp@gmail.com
Jennifer Nilsen is the DVCP Program Coordinator.
Jennifer has an education degree from the University of Vermont and has been teaching our evidence-based prevention curriculum in the WSSU for the past ten years. Jen’s incredible energy and enthusiasm makes her a “kid-magnet”. Youth at all levels (and adults for that matter) want to join any program/activity that she is involved in because she is so much fun!
Jen is the advisor for the TV Middle School About the Influence Group, TV High School Wildcat Community Service Group, and Coordinator for Project Graduation. Jen also works for the Wings Afterschool programs as the High School FRESH Room Coordinator.
Jen grew up in Wilmington and lives here with her husband Karl and has two grown children, Nick and Gunnar.
Jen loves skiing, playing with her dogs, exercising and empowering youth.
Email: jknilsen@myfairpoint.net
Shelley Park is the DVCP Tobacco Coordinator.
Shelley has a B.S in Human Services from the University of Scranton and an EdM in Therapeutic Recreation from Boston University. She moved to Wilmington over twenty years ago with her husband Peter and feels truly blessed to have found such an enriching community to raise her family of boys. She has a passion for creating community and connection wherever she goes.
Shelley currently works to prevent youth initiation of tobacco products and to encourage community-wide norms that discourage tobacco use and support cessation attempts. Shelley is also the advisor to our High School tobacco prevention team, Our Voices Exposed (OVX). In addition to her work with DVCP, she works as the Site Coordinator for the Twin Valley Middle High School Wings program, and is Director of the Wings Summer Play at Memorial Hall. Shelley hopes that through local, state-wide, and national tobacco prevention efforts, we may soon witness the first Smoke-Free Generation in America.
Shelley loves traveling to far off lands, moonlit adventures in the snow, and dancing around the kitchen.
Email: aspark802@gmail.com
Karen Molina is the DVCP Media Coordinator.
Karen Molina has a Masters in Spanish Literature from New York University. Karen has been involved in DVCP since 1992. Her concern for our youth grew from her years of teaching middle school and high school students in the Deerfield Valley.
Karen is the Media Coordinator and also investigates and writes for the DVCP newsletter. In addition, she records the minutes of the DVCP monthly meetings.
Karen grew up in Western Pennsylvania and lived for 11 years in Madrid, Spain before moving to Wilmington. She has a grown daughter, Sara.
Karen enjoys reading, walks, travel, and spending time with her family.
Email: vtkarenm@gmail.com
Student Assistance Program Counselors:
TVMHS: Position Open
Michaela wears many hats! She is a licensed master social worker (LMSW) and a certified
N-O-T On Tobacco Youth Cessation Program facilitator. She earned a master’s degree in clinical social work with a focus in child welfare from Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College. Michaela also holds a graduate certificate in dyslexia studies and language-based learning disabilities through Southern New Hampshire University. She has been involved with the National Center for Learning Disabilities in multiple capacities for several years, including as a young adult leadership council member, developmental intern, community organizer, and outreach coordinator for young adult initiatives.
Michaela earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Manhattanville College and an associate degree in liberal studies from Landmark College, where she graduated summa cum laude. She is passionate about how intersecting identities affect learning and applying her lived experiences to her work with students. In October 2020, Michaela published a blog for the United States Department of Education titled “Sharing My Story to Inspire Others”.
Michaela can be found climbing trees, writing, exploring coffee shops, and spending time with family.
Email: mhearst@tvhs.k12.vt.us
Twin Valley Middle School Above the Influence Group: Jen Nilsen & Keli Gould
jknilsen@myfairpoint.net
Twin Valley Kids Against Tobacco @ TVMS: Carrie Blake
clmblake@myfairpoint.net