United Way of Northwest Vermont hires Nicole Clements and Megan Kastner as Working Bridges Resource Coordinators
South Burlington, VT: United Way of Northwest Vermont, an organization dedicated to improving lives and advancing the common good in Chittenden, Franklin and Grand Isle counties, has hired Nicole Clements, of Essex, and Megan Kastner, of Hinesburg, as Working Bridges Resource Coordinators.
Working Bridges is an innovative United Way program designed to help workers keep and grow stable employment. Resource Coordinators work one-on-one with employees at their workplaces to help them meet their goals and address life issues impacting their work. They provide confidential support and connect workers to community resources to help with housing, transportation, child care, financial counseling, and much more.
Clements joins United Way from ReSOURCE where she worked as a training manager since 2019 helping people get employed through a variety of training programs ReSOURCE offers. Before that she spent seven years at Vermont Association of Business Industry and Rehabilitation (VABIR) where she was an HR consultant for several employers and managed a coalition of 27 nonprofit state and federal employment programs for the Vermont Agency of Human Services.
Clements has a long history with United Way, having served as a Loaned Executive in 2009, helping raise resources to invest in local programs and organizations. She also volunteered on United Way’s Partner Funding Team from 1997-2011.
“United Way’s impact can be a lifelong story. Mine began in early childhood and continues to grow each and every day as I use those skills to help others and pay it forward,” Clements said. “I am thrilled to be part of the Working Bridges team and support community members in securing their employment by offering resources when life’s challenges may get in the way.”
Kastner comes to United Way having served in a variety of roles that intersect with United Way’s work and mission. She worked as a support counselor for COVID Support VT from 2021 to 2022 helping Vermonters to cope with the many impacts of the pandemic. Her professional background has focused on human resources, training and development, and mental health.
Kastner holds a Bachelor’s in Human Services from Colorado State University and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with Northern Vermont University.
“For as long as I can remember, I have always felt the call to help others. I am honored to be able to answer this call as a part of the United Way team. As a Resource Coordinator, I connect employees with resources to overcome barriers in their personal lives and cheer them on along the way,” Kastner said.
In addition to supporting employees, United Way’s Working Bridges program also supports employers with shared resources and training on HR best practices and strategies to support workforce retention and foster an inclusive workplace. In 2022, Working Bridges teamed up with United Way’s Mental Health Initiative to create a free mental health toolkit for employers.
To learn more about United Way’s Working Bridges program, visit: unitedwaynwvt.org/working-bridges.