Board Members
Amy Anderson-President
Amy retired from the Vermont Dept. of Corrections in 2021, where she held positions as a Correctional Officer, Caseworker, and Transitional Housing Coordinator for the Restorative Justice Unit. Previously, she worked for the Dept. of Children and Families as a Resource Coordinator. It was impossible not to notice the significant overlap between the families served by both entities.
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As a foster/adopt and kin Parent and former orphan of St. Joseph’s Orphanage in Burlington, Vermont, the mission is a very personal one. Amy combined these personal and professional experiences with her education, a Master’s in Liberal Arts where she studied the Emotional Health of Children in Foster Care, and a Bachelor’s in Human Services with a minor in Psychology, to found Amy’s Armoire.
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Amy vowed to create an organization that served its mission without anyone ever needing to worry about how much the CEO was making and where the money was going. Amy has made a pledge to never draw a salary from this organization.
Wanda Audette-Vice President
Wanda is the Director of Adoptions at Lund and adoptive parent of Chittenden County. She has been employed with Lund since 1995. She has an Associate’s Degree in Social Work and amassed 14 years of experience as the Assistant Director for Residential Treatment Services at Baird Center for Children and Families in Burlington, Vermont, before becoming the Director of Adoption Services at Lund. Wanda’s work and that of her staff have been celebrated and acknowledged with three Congressional “Angel in Adoption” Awards and two Health and Human Services “Adoption Excellence Awards.”
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Tracy Patnoe-Board Chair/Member at Large
Tracy has spent the majority of her life advocating for children and families in various capacities. She spent 20 years in early childhood and education; running a registered home childcare, opening and directing a large licensed childcare center, and mentoring other early educators. She was the Executive Director of the Lamoille County Child Advocacy Center/Special Investigation Unit for over six years before going to work for the State of Vermont. Tracy has a Bachelor's Degree in Human Services with a focus on Early Childhood Education and was previously a foster parent. Tracy has experience as a business owner, non-profit management, and has held positions on a number of boards, including holding the position of President of the Vermont Children’s Alliance (2019–2023).
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Patty Ristau-Treasurer
Patty has accounting experience dating back to2001 and has also been a foster parent many years ago. These experiences make her a great fit for our organization. She has chosen to volunteer her time with Amy’s Armoire to make a difference and to help meet the mission of the organization. She has been an irreplaceable asset since the day she came on board.
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She also has been volunteering her time with the Barre Elks Lodge #1535 since 2016 and has been managing their accounting needs since 2017. Patty has been the Treasurer of the Vermont Elks Association since 2016 in addition to helping the VSEA and their accounting needs since 2017.
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Jessica Summer-Secretary
Jessica Summer joins the board with years of grant writing experience and a background in substance abuse prevention as well as public librarianship, having obtained a Master of Library Science degree. She has previously served as the Executive Director of the Milton Community Youth Coalition, as well as a board member for the Old School of South Burlington. She is currently a social worker employed with Spectrum Youth and Family Services as a Youth Coach while pursuing her Masters in Social Work. Jessica is an adoptive parent and supports a former foster youth and her baby, who aged out of foster care. Supporting foster, adoptive, kin, and natural families is a passion for Jess and she is very excited to be on our team.
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