The League of Women Voters of Vermont sponsors the Hertz/Rader Speaker Series in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library and invites guest speakers to discuss issues that impact our community and share their insights.
2025-26: VOTING RIGHTS & ACCESS TO THE BALLOT
January 14, 2026
Liz Tentarelli, President of the League of Women Voters in New Hampshire (LWVNH) reviews common voter suppression methods, as exemplified by recent NH legislation that tightened voter identification requirements, including proof of citizenship for new voters.
She also spoke of the League of Women Voters of New Hampshire v. Kramer case where the court ruled against Steve Kramer, Lingo Telecom, LLC, and Life Corporation who orchestrated and paid for the dissemination of robocalls that used AI to deceive and intimidate voters ahead of the New Hampshire 2024 presidential primary election. This case is the first of its kind in the country.
December 10, 2025
History & Impact of the Voting Rights Act of 1965
Professor Alec Ewald, Political Science, UVM, discusses the History & Impact of the Voting Rights Act (VRA) of 1965. He also reviewed Louisiana v. Callais a case before the Supreme Court in which the Court will consider striking down Section 2 of the VRA which prohibits racial discrimination in voting policies and district maps. Moderator: Lyn Blackwell, member of the League of Women Voters of Vermont.
November 12, 2025
Julio A. Thompson, Assistant Attorney General for the State of Vermont and Co-Director of the Attorney General’s Civil Rights Unit discusses President Trump’s Executive Order on Birthright Citizenship, a fundamental yet often misunderstood element of American democracy. He also reviews what proposed changes could mean for the future of civil rights in the United States and examines the historical roots of the 14th Amendment. Moderator: Paul Erlbaum, Chair of the Vermont Ethics Commission and League member.
2024-25: IMPACT OF RECENT SUPREME COURT DECISIONS
March 12, 2025
Garland v. Cargill: Bump Stocks are not Machine Guns?
Attorney Cabot Teachout, DesMeules Olmstead & Ostler, and Billy Carter Senior Litigation Attorney at Gifford Law Center offer diverse perspectives on the June 14, 2024 U.S. Supreme Court decree that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) exceeded its authority by classifying bump stocks as “machineguns.” Moderator: Liz Scharf, Capstone Community Action Director of Community Economic Development.
February 12, 2025
Carson v. Makin: Using Public Funds for Religious Schools
Rebecca Holcombe, Vermont General Assembly House of Representatives and Harrison Stark ACLU Vermont Senior Staff Attorney discuss the 6-3 Supreme Court decision on June 21, 2022 that the state of Maine disallowing vouchers to pay for religious-based private schools violated the First Amendment Free Exercise Clause, thus requiring public funding for religious schools. Moderator: Susan Clark, Community Development Professional, Educator, Author, Slow Democracy, and League member.
January 8, 2025
Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo: Chevron Doctrine Overruled
Bridget Asay, Partner at Stris & Maher, LLP and Delcianna Winders Vermont Law & Graduate Studies Associate Professor, deliberate the June 28, 2024 Supreme Court judgment cutting back on the power of federal agencies to interpret laws they administer, decreeing that courts should rely on their own interpretation of ambiguous statutes. Moderator, Paul Erlbaum, Chair of the Vermont Ethics Commission and League member.
December 11, 2024
City of Grants Pass, Oregon v. Johnson: Homeless Camping on Public Property
Frank Knaack, Executive Director, Housing and Homelessness Alliance of Vermont, and Falko Schilling, ACLU Vermont Advocacy Director, review the June 28, 2024 ruling that local government ordinances enforcing camping regulations against homeless people does not constitute cruel and unusual punishment. Moderator: Liz Scharf, Capstone Community Action Director of Community Economic Development.
November 13, 2024
Trump v. United States: Presidential Immunity
Rodney A. Smolla, President of Vermont Law School and nationally known scholar, talks about the July 1, 2024 Supreme Court verdict that former President Trump is immune from criminal prosecution for official actions taken during his presidency.
2023-24: Election Issues & Democracy
March 13, 2024
Dave Gram, veteran journalist, and M.E. Kabay, Emeritus Professor of Computer Information Systems at Norwich University, discuss misinformation and disinformation and its potential impact on political campaigns. Sky Barsch, CEO of VTDigger moderates the discussion.
February 14, 2024
Tom Little, former Chair of the Vermont Legislative Apportionment Board (2021-2022), speaks about redistricting in Vermont. His presentation covers Vermont’s state constitution and statutory structure and process for periodic legislative district reapportionment and the roles of the Apportionment Board and General Assembly. Tom focuses on where and how the process generated controversy over the last two cycles.
January 10, 2024
Vermont Secretary of State, Sarah Copeland Hanzas, speaks about civics education in Vermont schools. She is joined by Martha Deiss, Global Citizenship Specialist with the Vermont Agency of Education. Tom McKone moderates.
December 13, 2023
Susan Clark, facilitator, educator, author, and Middlesex Town Moderator, talks about constructive discourse from a local democracy perspective and navigating differences in a time of political division.
November 8, 2023
Electoral College and National Popular Vote
Tim Jerman, former state representative (Essex Junction) talks about National Popular Vote (NPV), a state-based effort to fix the Electoral College. In 2011, Rep. Jerman worked with Sen. Chris Pearson (Chittenden County) to pass NPV and considered this to be one of the most important bills passed during his tenure. Presentation begins at the 4.45 minute mark.
2022-2023 VIRTUAL DISCUSSION SERIES: IMPACT OF CLIMATE ON VERMONT
FEBRUARY 8, 2023
CURRENT LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES UPDATE
Moderated by Jared Duval, Executive Director of Energy Action Network, panelists Vermont Senator Andy Perchilik and Representative Gabrielle Stebbens discuss proposed legislative initiatives and the impact of past legislation.
JANUARY 11, 2023
CLIMATE CHANGE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
Moderator Senator Kesha Ram Hinsdale discusses climate change and social justice with Kashka Orlow of the Vermont Climate Council Just Transitions Subcommittee and Judy Dow executive director of Gedakina.
DECEMBER 14, 2022
IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON AGRICULTURE AND ECOLOGY
Moderated by Tom McKone, retired Executive Director, Kellogg-Hubbard Library, panelists Jillian Liner, Vermont Audubon, Jim Shallow, Nature Conservancy, Abbie Corse of Corse Farm Dairy and Vermont Climate Council, and Josh Faulkner, UVM and Vermont Climate Council.
NOVEMBER 2022
WHAT CLIMATE CHANGE MEANS TO YOU
The effects of climate change on Vermonters Lesley-Ann Dupigny-Giroux, Vermont State Climatologist, Jared Ulmer, Vermont Department of Health, and Julie Moore, Secretary of the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources.
Moderator: Peter Walke, Efficiency Vermont
- DECEMBER 14, 2022: IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON AGRICULTURE AND ECOLOGY
Jillian Liner, Vermont Audubon, Jim Shallow, Nature Conservancy, Abbie Corse of Corse Farm Dairy and Vermont Climate Council, and Josh Faulkner, UVM and Vermont Climate Council
Moderator: Tom McKone - JANUARY 11, 2023: CLIMATE CHANGE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
Judy Dow, Executive Director Gedakina, et al (TBD)
Moderator: Senator Kesha Ram-Hinsdale - FEBRUARY 8, 2023: CURRENT LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES UPDATE
Looking at proposed legislative initiatives and the impact of past legislation - MARCH 8, 2023: WHAT CAN WE DO?
What can we do individually and as a community? Includes perspectives of the next generation.
2021-2022 Virtual Discussion Series: Racism and Public Health
Three-Part Series, 6:30 TO 8:00 P.M. | FREE. Register at: WWW.KELLOGGHUBBARD.ORG/ADULT-PROGRAM
NOVEMBER 2021
The Connection between Racism and Public Health
Maria Mercedes Avila, UVM College of Medicine
JANUARY 2022
How Does Racism Affect Environmental Health?
Jonathan Rosenbloom, Vermont School of Law
Disparate impact of public policies governing land use, housing, occupational health and industrial development on the health of communities of color.
FEBRUARY 2022
How Is Vermont Responding to the Challenges of Racism and Health?
Anna T. Noonan, President and COO, Central Vermont Medical Center, Monika Ganguly-Kiefner, Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Equity Specialist, Vermont Department of Health, and Kheya Ganguly, Director of Trauma Prevention and Resiliency Development, Vermont Department of Health. Moderator: Tom McKone, retired Executive Director, Kellogg-Hubbard Library.
2020-21 POLICING TO PUBLIC SAFETY
JANUARY 2021
Brian Peete, Montpelier Chief of Police, A.J. Ruben, Disability Rights VT, and Karim Chapman, Vermont Psychiatric Survivors. Moderator: Madeline Motta, League of Women Voters.
FEBRUARY 2021
RACIAL DISPARITIES IN POLICING & JUVENILE JUSTICE
Dr. Stephanie Seguino, University of Vermont, Rebecca Turner, Appellate Attorney; Racial Disparities in the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Systems Advisory Panel, and Sara Grace, Chittenden County State’s Attorney. Moderator: Anna Saxman, League of Women Voters.
MARCH 2021
Dr. Etan Nasreddin-Longo, Fair & Impartial Policing and Community Affairs for the Vermont State Police and Vermont’s Racial Disparities in the Criminal and Juvenile Justice System Advisory Panel. Jay Diaz, ACLU of Vermont, and Robyn Freedner-Maguire, Mental Health First for BTV. Moderator: Tom McCone, Kellogg-Hubbard Library (retired.)
2019-20 CRIMINAL JUSTICE IN VERMONT
OCTOBER 2019
IMPACT OF INCARCERATION: WOMEN, FAMILIES, SOCIETY
NOVEMBER 2019
Emily Tredeau, Defender General’s Office, Dr. Delores Burroughs-Biron, Tina Hagen and Ed Paquin, Disability Rights Vermont, Judy Henkin, Department of Corrections. Moderator: Susan Clark, League of Women Voters.
JANUARY 2020
Bor Yang, Executive Director and Legal Counsel, Vermont Human Rights Commission. Introduction by Xusana Davis, Vermont’s Executive Director of Racial Equity.
FEBRUARY 2020
RACIAL BIAS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Jessica Brown, Chittenden County Public Defender Office, Captain Garry Scott, Vermont State Police, Dr. Stephanie Seguino, University of Vermont. Moderator: Honorable Denise R. Johnson, Vermont Supreme Court, (retired.)
MARCH 2020 (not recorded)
TRANSITIONING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AFTER INCARCERATION
Chris Barton, Department of Corrections Restorative Justice Program, Stephanie Clark, Vermont Law School Center for Justice Reform, Alfred Mills, Montpelier Community Justice Center. Moderator: Heather Newcomb, Vermont Works for Women.
2018-19: CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS?
SEPTEMBER 2018
JANUARY 2019
Professors Matthew Dickinson, Middlebury College, Lisa Holmes, University of Vermont, Peter R. Teachout, Vermont Law School. Moderator: Lyn Blackwell, League of Women Voters.
MARCH 2019
MAY 2019 (not recorded)
SINGLE-ISSUE POLITICS
Professor Robert Boatright, Clark University; National Institute for Civil Discourse.
2107-18: FIRST AMENDMENT, FIVE FREEDOMS
MAY 2017
Anne Galloway, VTDigger.org, Jim Sabataso, Rutland Reader, Matthew Byrne, Gravel & Shea, Attorneys at Law. Moderator: Garrett Graff, Journalist and Historian
OCTOBER 2017
A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY
Chloe White, ACLU of Vermont, James Haslam, Rights & Democracy, Tony Facos, Montpelier Police Chief. Moderator: David Gram, Vermont Digger.
JANUARY 2018
Professor Peter Teachout, Vermont Law School, Lia Ernst ACLU of Vermont, Michael Donahue, Vermont Press Association; New England First Amendment Coalition. Moderator: David Moats, Rutland Herald.
MARCH 2018
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM: WHAT IT IS AND WHAT IT IS NOT
Rob Boston, Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
JUNE 2018
THE RIGHT TO PETITION THE GOVERNMENT FOR A REDRESS OF GRIEVANCES
Professor Peter Teachout, Vermont Law School, Paul Gillies , Tarrant, Gillies & Richardson, John L. Franco, Jr., Attorney. Moderator: Cary Brown, Vermont Commission on Women.
2016-17
OCTOBER 2016
NEW IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES: THE VERMONT STORY
Lori Pietropaoli, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, Amila Merdzanovic, United States Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, Yacouba Bogre, Association of Africans Living in Vermont, Susan Sussman, Office of Senator Patrick Leahy. Moderator: Representative Kesha Ram.
JANUARY 2017
Susan Barrett, Green Mountain Care Board, Dr. Deb Richter, Vermont Health Care for All, Lindsay DesLauriers, Main Street Alliance of Vermont. Moderator: Representative Tony Klein.
MARCH 2017
PRIVACY, WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT IT?
James Duff Lyall, ACLU of Vermont
