Champlain Valley AHEC Staff
Helen Riehle
Executive Director
Helen is Champlain Valley AHEC's executive director. Prior to joining Champlain Valley AHEC, Helen taught middle school, was the executive director of the Vermont 
Program for Quality in Health Care and served in the Vermont State Legislature. As a legislator, Helen chaired health and welfare, administrative rules and health access committees in the House and Senate. She has also been active on numerous non-profit and higher education boards in the Chittenden County region including UVM, Burlington College, Vermont Public Television, and more recently Wake Robin, Mobius-The Mentoring Movement and the College Street Congregational Church. She lives in South Burlington with her husband, Ted Riehle and their two golden retrievers. Helen enjoys spending time with her grandchildren and family, gardening, knitting, reading, and hiking with the dogs.
Helen may be reached by calling x212, or via email at .
Judy Wechsler
Education Resource Coordinator
Judy Wechsler develops, coordinates, and evaluates health care student projects; supports continuing education for health care professionals; leads community-based surveys and studies; and coordinates cultural competency programs in Addison, Chittenden, Franklin, and Grand Isle counties. Wechsler previously served as director of international programs and special projects for Planned Parenthood of Northern New England (PPNNE). She was also a physician's assistant and clinic manager at PPNNE's St. Albans facility.
You can contact Judy by calling x211, or via email at .
Elizabeth Ratta
Health Careers Program Coordinator
Elizabeth Ratta develops, coordinates, and presents health career-related educational programs for middle and high school students in Addison, Chittenden, Franklin and Grand Isle Counties. She also organizes or participates in conferences and job fairs in partnership with local schools, colleges, universities, hospitals and community organizations. Most recently, Ratta worked for Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic in Pittsburgh doing mental health research in mood disorders. Ratta is the former regional coordinator for the Vermont Family Matters program of Champlain Valley Head Start. She previously worked in a range of program management roles during seven years with the Southwestern Pennsylvania AHEC in Pittsburgh. Ratta holds a dual Master's degree in social work and public health from the University of Pittsburgh. She lives in Highgate.
You can contact Elizabeth by calling , or via email at .
Jane Nesbitt
Health Careers Facilitator
Jane Nesbitt, Health Careers Facilitator for the VT Health Careers Opportunity Program (VT HCOP) will provide 
leadership in planning, developing and implementing grant activities focused on creating and expanding health career exploration opportunities for Vermont students in Chittenden, Addison, Grand Isle and Franklin Counties. Nesbitt has served in leadership and management roles, such as Director of Operations, Health Center Administrator/Manager and Senior Program Associate in various Vermont health care, education and human services non- profits. These include the Lund Family Center, Trinity College, WestEd and PACE Vermont. Her personal passions include spending time with family and friends, enjoying her granddaughter, engaging in and contributing to community, gardening, playing first fiddle in the Vermont Fiddle Orchestra, reading, appreciating and creating beauty and traveling.
You can contact Jane by calling x215, or via email at .
Tammy Johnson
Data Manager/Public Relations Coordinator
Tammy manages the database containing information on all primary care practitioners in the Champlain Valley region (Addison, Chittenden, Franklin, and Grand Isle counties). In addition, Tammy handles public relations and marketing, and is the regional Program Coordinator for PTOPhelp. She is active in volunteering with the Fairfield Food Shelf, Bent Northrop Memorial Library, and The Ballet School of Vermont. Tammy lives with her husband and two children in Fairfield.
You can reach Tammy by calling x213, or via email at .
Mary Horton
Administrative Coordinator
Mary is in charge of all day-to-day bookkeeping, board and administrative support and human resources duties. Mary has years of experience in 
office management. She spent the last few years as a comptroller with Professional Nurses Service in Winooski and prior to that spent 13 years managing people and projects as a Captain in the United State Air Force.
You can reach Mary at by calling x210, or via email at .
About CVAHEC
