Committee Members:

James T. Key, Jr

James T. Key, Jr is Vermont's first African American Certified Beekeeper of the Vermont Beekeepers' Association which was established in the 1800s. James is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Vermont Beekeepers' Association, on their Advisory Board, and in the organization's Certification group. Since 2017, James has owned Farmer James Apiculture where he cultivates and sells honey and other products. You can find him at www.farmerjamesapiculture.com James has been a member of the Bethel Equity and Inclusion Committee since 2022.

Jesse Plotsky

Jesse Plotsky is a Bethel resident of 3 years. He is a co-owner and bar manager of Babes Bar, and a proud queer member of the first Equity and Inclusion committee. Jesse is a drummer and multi-instrumentalist and toured nationally with punk/rock bands for over a decade before moving to VT. He's an amateur bicycle mechanic, avid cocktail taster, and dog dad. Jesse hopes that working with the EIC will help bring a wide variety of folks into town politics, conversation, and important decision making. 

Rita Champion

Rita Champion (she/her) fell in love with Bethel and moved onto the old Bundy Farm in 2015 with her husband. She is the owner and farmer at Stitchdown Farm, a diversified growing operation that specializes in cut flowers for local markets and events. Rita’s work with the Equity and Inclusion committee is informed by her relationship to the land and hopes through this work to be an advocate for diversity in land access and stewardship in Bethel and the around the state.

Owen Daniel McCarter 

Owen (he/him) is co-owner of Babes Bar in our town's historic train depot. He is a graduate of the University of Vermont (class of '04!) and worked as a civil rights attorney in Illinois for 11 years before moving back to Vermont. In addition to this committee, Owen is also an active member of the Development Review Board and proud FUNcle to his nibblingFrancis. Owen loves our community with his whole heart and believes that equity and inclusion is a practice, not a box to check. If you want to reach him, give him a ring at 729-0321 or email him at owen@babesvt.com

Christy Fry

Christy (gender pronouns: she/her/hers) is a resident of Bethel and an international educator by profession. Christy works at Middlebury College in the role of Assistant Director of International Student and Scholar Services, providing undergraduate degree-seeking students visa and immigration support and advising, as well as facilitates relevant programming. She is also a Veteran, having served in the U.S. Navy and Vermont Army National Guard. Having lived and worked both in the U.S. and abroad, Christy has a strong and present passion for intercultural competency-building and particularly the importance of communication and awareness across cultures and identities. Having grown up on a beef farm in Pennsylvania, Christy feels very much at home in Bethel surrounded by a similar farming community where she resides with her wife. They enjoy kayaking, snowshoeing, camping in the Vermont State Parks, traveling in pursuit of the best espresso-based coffee, and sitting on their deck watching for wildlife and the changing seasons. Christy is excited to contribute to the Equity and Inclusion Committee and equally appreciates the opportunity to serve the larger Bethel Community. 

Laura Perez

Laura (she/her) lives in Bethel Gilead and joyfully leads a team of people who are fiercely dedicated to the delivery of transformative programs and amplifying the voices of the community they serve at the Special Needs Support Center. She is dedicated to people-powered advocacy and organizing. Her passion is to be with her community, listen to what people want and need, and work to make those visions a reality. She brings over fifteen years of community organization experience to this group, having dedicated her career to creating a safer, happier, and healthier place for us all to live, play, and work. Laura’s undergraduate work focused on the politics of poverty and community education as a force for social change. Her Master’s degree is in Business Administration with a focus on strategic organizational leadership. In her spare time, Laura finds her greatest delight in working side-by-side with her husband at their small family farm and playing with her children.