Office of Disability

Biography of Deborah Lisi-Baker

Deborah Lisi-Baker is the Executive Director of the Vermont Center for Independent Living, a statewide independent living center with offices in Bennington, Brattleboro, Montpelier and Burlington. As VCIL's executive director, Ms Lisi-Baker represents VCIL and citizens with disabilities in key public policy and systems change initiatives and helps the organization establish and maintain programs and partnerships that expand the civil rights and independent living opportunities available to Vermont citizens with disabilities. Today VCIL operates several outreach, education and evaluation grants working on fair housing, work incentives, health access, youth leadership and personal assistance issues; is active in public transportation planning in Vermont; and serves as the Vermont affiliate to the New England ADA and Accessible IT Center in Boston.

Prior to accepting the Executive Director position, Ms. Lisi-Baker offered public policy and non-profit management services to disability organizations and state agencies and provided training and technical assistance to several college and university programs and state agencies working on health care, long term care, disability services, and long term care. She is the author of two training programs for youth and adults with disabilities and has published articles on women with disabilities and on planning effective focus groups. For several years she has served as the editor of The Independent, a statewide paper co-sponsored by disability and senior rights organizations and written for and by Vermont seniors and individuals with disabilities and is a writer, speaker, and consultant on disability issues.

Last Revised: June 17, 2004

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