EMILYs List Endorses Two Women Leaders for the Vermont State Senate
For Immediate Release
July 13, 2020
EMILYs List Endorses Two Women Leaders for the Vermont State Senate
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, EMILYs List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, endorsed two women leaders for the Vermont state Senate Chittenden County District. Stephanie Schriock, president of EMILYs List, released the following statement:
“EMILYs List is thrilled to endorse June Heston and Kesha Ram for the Vermont state Senate. June has dedicated her career to serving others as the former CEO of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Vermont and the Vermont Family Network. A trailblazer who became the youngest legislator in office in 2008, Kesha has a proven record of advocating for Vermont’s women and working families. As state senators for Chittenden County, they will fight to expand economic opportunity, provide support for vulnerable communities, and create a more inclusive state government. June and Kesha are the champions Vermonters need in Montpelier, and EMILYs List is proud to stand with them.”
June Heston was born and raised in Vermont and is a proud daughter of two World War II veterans who originally inspired her passion for Democratic politics. June earned two associates degrees, a bachelor’s degree, and a master’s degree from the Vermont College of Norwich University and Saint Michael’s College. She has served as CEO of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Vermont and the Vermont Family Network, and as executive director of the Chill Foundation. June currently owns Purple Lotus Consulting which supports nonprofit organizations in Vermont and across the country.
Kesha Ram is a dedicated public servant who learned the values of hard work by contributing to her family’s business growing up. After graduating from the University of Vermont, she served as the legal advocacy director for Steps to End Domestic Violence and taught preschool at the Burlington Children’s Space. She later worked with the city of Burlington as a civic engagement specialist. When she was elected to the state House of Representatives in 2008, she was the youngest state legislator in the country. Currently, Kesha serves on the boards of Planned Parenthood of Northern New England and the Vermont Natural Resources Council.
EMILYs List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, has raised over $600 million to elect pro-choice Democratic women candidates. With a grassroots community of over five million members, EMILY's List helps Democratic women win competitive campaigns – across the country and up and down the ballot – by recruiting and training candidates, supporting strong campaigns, researching the issues that impact women and families, and turning out women voters to the polls. Since our founding in 1985, we have helped elect 150 women to the House, 26 to the Senate, 16 governors, and nearly 1,100 women to state and local office. Nearly 40 percent of the candidates EMILYs List has helped elect to Congress have been women of color. During the historic 2017-2018 cycle, EMILYs List raised a record-breaking $110 million and launched a record independent expenditure campaign. We helped elect 34 new women to the House, including 24 red-to-blue victories; enough seats to have delivered the U.S. House majority alone. Since the 2016 election, more than 55,000 women have reached out to EMILY's List about running for office laying the groundwork for the next decade of candidates for local, state, and national offices.
