For Release October 31, 2024

Speaker of the House Candidate Laura Sibilia Announces Staff Support from Lucy Rogers; Endorsement from Long-Time Moderate Rep. Anne Donahue

Laura Sibilia announced Wednesday that former Democratic State Representative Lucy Rogers will provide the services of Chief of Staff for her campaign for Speaker of the House. Sibilia has also received the public endorsement of veteran House member Rep. Anne Donahue, a deeply respected moderate who recently shifted from the Republican Party to become an independent. Sibilia’s campaign centers on addressing Vermont’s key challenges, including affordability, housing, healthcare and education. Donahue’s support reflects the broad, bipartisan appeal of Sibilia’s candidacy and commitment to responsive, inclusive leadership.

Rogers represented Waterville and Cambridge for two terms in the Vermont House (2019-2023), where she served on the House Health Care Committee and House Energy and Technology Committee. Rogers also co-founded the legislature’s Social Equity Caucus, held leadership positions in the Rural Economic Development Caucus, and served as Vermont’s liaison to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Her commitment to civility and community engagement drew national attention when she performed a musical duet with her Republican opponent following a campaign debate.

In her community, Rogers was a founding board member of the Lamoille FiberNet Communications Union District, which is actively expanding fiber-optic internet access to every address in its member towns. She has served as a board member of the conservation nonprofit Cold Hollow to Canada and was an employee of LSF Forest Products, a softwood sawmill in Fletcher.

“Lucy is serious, smart, and collaborative, with a depth of legislative and policy expertise that is essential as we work toward building an effective and inclusive Vermont House,” said Sibilia. “Her commitment will ensure that, if elected, I am ready to govern from Day One. Together, we’ll prioritize establishing committee structures, collaborating with existing and emerging legislative leaders, and setting a consensus driven policy agenda that responds to Vermont’s pressing challenges.”

Rogers expressed her enthusiasm for Sibilia’s campaign, stating, “Laura’s candidacy represents a unique opportunity for Vermont to elect a once-in-a-generation leader as Speaker of the House. I’m thrilled to support her campaign, having seen firsthand that she is deeply responsive to Vermonters’ needs and has the exceptional ability to foster collaboration and deliver results.”

Rogers will be paid as an independent consultant from Sibilia’s legislative campaign account. Incumbent speakers receive two paid staff positions from the State Budget to assist with member communications and session preparation. There is no such equivalent support for Speaker candidates. Sibilia has begun soliciting donations to her campaign fund to support Rogers’ work, ensuring she is fully prepared to govern on Day One of the legislative session if elected.

Sibilia’s announcement of Rogers’ support comes alongside her endorsement from veteran moderate Rep. Anne Donahue, a long-serving legislator from Northfield known for her depth of knowledge in mental health and public policy. Donahue has a respected voice in the House, with a bipartisan reputation for bringing forward thoughtful solutions. Donahue’s endorsement carries particular weight due to her well-established credibility across party lines, underscoring an existing bipartisan respect and confidence in Sibilia’s ability to unify and effectively lead Vermont’s House of Representatives.

“I’m supporting Laura Sibilia because she brings a pragmatic, solutions-oriented approach that Vermont and the House needs. Laura has shown she can cut through partisan noise and focus on making progress. With Lucy Rogers on her team, she’ll have someone who deeply understands policy and knows how to make ideas work on the ground. Lucy’s commitment and experience will strengthen Laura’s ability to address the complex issues Vermont faces.”

Sibilia’s campaign will focus on building an effective and inclusive committee structure through collaboration with both current and emerging legislative leaders. Her goal is to create a policy agenda that acknowledges and responds to Vermont’s key challenges, and if elected, to be prepared to get to work on Day One.

“I’m encouraged by the strong support I’ve been receiving from members, and the consideration from those who are still exploring their options. With respected leaders like Lucy Rogers and Anne Donahue backing my candidacy, we are demonstrating the potential to unite the House and make progress together on the challenges our state faces.”

Support Laura Sibilia’s Campaign: Interested parties can contribute to Laura Sibilia’s campaign fund at www.LauraSibiliaVT.com to support her team’s preparation efforts, helping her build an independent and proactive leadership structure that can deliver on critical legislative priorities from the start.