Registration is open for people to attend the Vermont Safety and Health Council annual expo and the 2025 Vermont Governor’s Award for Excellence in Worksite Wellness Awards. The event takes place on October 31, 2025, at the Killington Grand Resort. Registration is open now on the event website and will close October 29.
Vermont’s new Commissioner of Health, Rick Hildebrant, M.D., will present awards to a record 132 employers for their efforts to promote wellness initiatives within the workplace. The awards recognize Vermont employers for their programs and policies which bolster a culture of wellness and improve the lives of their employees.
Expo Agenda
8:00 – 9:00am Registration | Breakfast | Networking | Ongoing Wellness Activities
9:00 – 9:15am Opening remarks – Oscar Ballroom
9:15 – 10:00am Keynote speaker – Porter Knight : Strategies for mental focus in the workplace – Oscar Ballroom
10:00 – 10:15am Transition time | Networking, Vendor Visits | Ongoing Wellness Activities
10:15 – 11:15am Breakout sessions (5 options)
1. Ways To Decrease Pain in the Workplace – Tracy Benedict, PT, DPT, MTC, OCS – Oscar Ballroom
2. Working in Tandem to Return to Work After an Injury – Donna Curtin – Gateway
3. Accident Investigations for the Real World – Dan Whipple – Northstar 1
4. From Perk to Purpose: Embedding Well-Being into Culture – Lindsay Simpson, Mari Walsh – Northstar 2
5. Ongoing Wellness Activities – Escapade
11:15 – 11:30am Transition time | Networking, Vendor Visits | Ongoing Wellness Activities
11:30 – 1pm Governor’s Excellence in Worksite Wellness Award Ceremony – Oscar
Lunch | Networking, Vendor Visits
1:00 – 2:00pm Breakout sessions (5 options)
1. Grief: A Hidden Safety Risk – Jennifer Landon, M.Ed. – Northstar 1
2. Tending to the Whole Employee: Wellness Beyond the Workday – Sunny Noelle Naughton – Oscar Ballroom
3. Mental Fitness for Safety: How Positive Intelligence Builds Stronger, Safer Teams – Jessica Redmond – Gateway
4. Leadership through Safety – Dylan Hovey – Northstar 2
5. Ongoing Wellness Activities – Escapade
2:00 – 2:15pm Transition time | Vendors | Networking | Ongoing Wellness Activities
2:15 – 3:15pm Leadership and Safety Panel Discussion – Oscar Ballroom
Moderated by Daniel Whipple, Integrity Safety Consulting Services
Panelists – Guy Auger, STO Corp; Joseph Hayes, One Atlas; John Varney, Vermont Electric; Tony Etherington, One Atlas; Gregory Fiedorowicz, One Atlas; Becky Lesperance, Ben & Jerry’s; Jonathan Lambert, Ben & Jerry’s
Ongoing Wellness Activities
3:15 – 3:30pm Closing remarks – Oscar Ballroom
Vermont Health and Safety Expo 2025 Wellness Activities
The Vermont Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports provides information about the Vermont Senior Games and the Vermont Cup Challenge Race, including tips on how to leverage these events into wellness activities for employees.
Lisa Donohue of Thrive Center of the Green Mountains offers a “self-care” station that includes
• recommended books on workplace wellness topics
• recipes and remedies
• tools and tips for self-massage and muscle tension relief
• Hands-on Reiki sessions from 8:00-11:30 and 1:1 answering questions about worksite best practices
Ashwinee Kulkarni of Invest EAP hosts a “wellbeing resiliency” station to provide mindfulness and relaxation activities throughout the day. Feel free to come in anytime you need a break to experience:
• Short meditations
• Chair yoga stretching
• gratitude and breath work activities
• information about Invest EAP’s Resilient Workplace Certification program
Laurie Knauer of Tai Chi Vermont demonstrates and leads Sun Style Tai Chi, which helps improve balance and mobility and prevents falls and muscle strains.
Ann Bower of Tai Chi Vermont demonstrates and leads Bafa Wubu Tai Chi for muscle strengthening in small spaces.
Rachel Desautels of Girls on the Run Vermont leads an all-day wellness clinic offering flexibility, conditioning, and strength exercises to ensure all bodies are ready for movement in a safe and fun way. Learn exercise to helps maintain and increase range of motion, decrease risk of injury, lessen muscle tension and fatigue, and prevent or lessen muscle soreness after a workout.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont provides a stretching station with yoga mats and information.