Sarah Furman
Executive Director
Sarah Furman joins the Chamber & Economic Development of the Rutland Region (CEDRR) after more than 11 years with Heritage Family Credit Union, where she held senior leadership roles in lending supporting the growth and resilience of local businesses. A lifelong Vermonter, Sarah was born and raised in Castleton, where she still resides with her husband and their daughter.
Sarah holds both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in accounting from Siena College. Her passion for Vermont communities runs deep, rooted in her family, her upbringing, and her commitment to strengthening the region’s economic future. When she is not cheering on her soccer‑loving daughter, Sarah can be found spending time with family or volunteering in the community.
She serves on the boards of the Paramount Theatre and Rutland South Rotary and was appointed by the Governor to the Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA) Board. Sarah brings to CEDRR a blend of financial expertise, collaborative leadership, and a genuine dedication to the people and businesses that make the Rutland Region home.
Click here to email Sarah
Shasta Mattino
Director of Finance & Operations
Born and raised in Vermont, Shasta is CEDRR’s Director of Finance rations. She previously worked for Westminster Cracker and has many years of experience in entrepreneurship within the local community, management, and accounting. Shasta graduated from the Community College of Vermont with an Associate Degree in Accounting and from Johnson University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management. In her free time, Shasta enjoys kayaking, playing softball, and enjoying the calmness of Vermont.
Click here to email Shasta
Sarah Pelkey
Director of Economic Development
Sarah joins the Chamber & Economic Development of the Rutland Region (CEDRR) from the Town of Poultney, where she spent six years in Community and Economic Development roles for the municipality. Sarah has recently served as a Regional Commissioner to Rutland Regional Planning Commission, and on its Regional Committee, Transportation Advisory Committee, and Basin Water Quality Council. Sarah has also served as an ex-oficio member to Poultney’s Downtown Organization, Poultney Downtown Revitalization Committee, and is a current Steering Committee member of the Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economic Collaborative (VOREC).
Sarah grew up in Brandon, VT and graduated from Otter Valley Union High School and the University of Vermont. Sarah spent time in Boston, MA and Vail, CO before returning to VT to be near her family. She recently moved to West Rutland from Addison County where she and her husband lived for 15 years while renovating a 150-year old farmhouse in Cornwall. Sarah lives with her husband, daughter and new rescue pup, Lucky and is a proud member of the West Rutland School community. In the winter months, you’ll find her on the slopes, snowboarding and learning to ski alongside her daughter, and in warmer weather she is paddling on the lakes or hiking and riding the trails. She also enjoys visiting VT’s downtowns to check out the local scene!
Click here to email Sarah
Chrispin White
Member Services & Events Manager
Chrispin White joined CEDRR from Vermont Adult Learning (VAL) where he served as Regional Director of the Rutland Center. Prior to his time at VAL, Chrispin was the Title III Activity Director and the Director of Student Success for College of St. Joseph, and the Director of the Center for Community Engagement at Castleton University. At CEDRR, Chrispin works directly with the Rutland County business and non-profit community to identify ways CEDRR can provide additional support and assistance to promote their success. He also works closely on CEDRR events that support the Rutland County community.
Chrispin is a graduate of Castleton University, where he earned a B.S. in Business Management and Marketing. In his spare time, he likes to play tennis, ride his bike, listen to live music, and enjoys time with his family. He and his wife live in Poultney and have three sons.
Click here to email Chrispin
Dominique Winter
Office Manager & Events Coordinator
Dominique is a detail-obsessed operations pro with 10+ years of experience streamlining chaos – whether managing high-volume retail logistics, coordinating flawless accounts, or organizing anything that crosses her desk. A recent Rutland transplant, she’s thrilled to bring her love of systems and community to CEDRR’s mission.
When not wrangling membership renewals or event RSVPs, she’s probably playing disc golf, paddle-boarding, or convincing coworkers that color-coded filing *is* an exciting hobby.
Dominique hails from Queens, NY, is a graduate of the State University of NY at New Paltz and has lived abroad in the UK, Germany, and Lebanon! She and her husband, Fouad, are beyond excited to contribute to this community.
Click here to email Dominique
Matt Britt
Marketing Manager
Matt joined CEDRR from Heritage Family Credit Union, where he spent six years in Marketing and Business Development roles. Originally from Queensbury, NY, Matt started his career wearing technical hats off-off-Broadway at the HB Playwrights Foundation & Theatre in Manhattan, followed by nearly a decade supporting advertising campaigns for over 150 Broadway shows at Serino Coyne. He also has experience as a graphic designer at a marketing agency in Glens Falls, NY and in sales for Snyder Printer in Troy, NY. Matt is a proud graduate of SUNY Geneseo.
Matt and his wife have lived in Rutland City since 2019, and they love taking advantage of all that Rutland County has to offer. In his spare time he loves to travel near and far – he has completed the MLB ballpark tour and has visited all the towns and cities in Vermont as part of the Vermont 251 Club.
Click here to email Matt
Caitlin Gates
Real Rutland Concierge Coordinator
Caitlin was born and raised in Rutland County. She loves Vermont and has spent much of her time exploring this state in all seasons. Caitlin will be the first to tell you that she never could pick a lane when it comes to careers. She has a B.S in Biology from UVM and has worked at State Parks (in both Vermont and Utah), Immunology Labs, Farms, Pottery Studios, and Non-Profit Organizations. This breadth of work experience has given her a deep appreciation for the people and resources that Rutland County has to offer.
Caitlin’s interests outside of work range from outdoor exploration to fine art. In her spare time, she can be found in her garage pottery studio, playing with clay.
In addition to her role with CEDRR, she also works as a Veterinary Assistant. Caitlin currently resides on her family farm in Hubbardton with her horses, sheep, and cats.
Click here to email Caitlin
802-770-7069
Chris Poirier
Office Administrator | The Hub CoWorks and StartUp Rutland
Chris joins the CEDRR as an Office Administrator, supporting The Hub CoWorks, StartUp Rutland, and CEDRR’s broader work across the region. A Rutland-area native, Chris brings experience in operations, marketing, events, community development, customer engagement, and public service across small business, nonprofits, retail, media, hospitality, esports, and comics.
Chris holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Safety, Security, and Emergency Management from Eastern Kentucky University. Before CEDRR, he served as Chief Sales and Marketing Officer at Comix Wellspring, leading brand development, partnerships, creator engagement, growth, and revenue. His career also includes Federal government and military experience in intelligence, emergency management, operations, and program support with Treasury, DHS, and the DoD. He previously founded the gaming nonprofit Columbus Got Game
Chris and his wife currently live in Rutland Town and can be found rolling dice at any Friendly Local Game Store, searching for hidden treasure at the record store, or finding that key issue in the backroom of a local comic shop.
Chris also serves on boards with CEDRR and Rutland Town focused on small business and transportation issues and is a member of the Rutland South Rotary Club. At CEDRR, his focus is simple: connect people, help good ideas grow, and strengthen the Rutland Region.
Click here to email Chris
802-549-6136