The Collaborative fills new epidemiologist post

The Collaborative, the regional substance misuse prevention organization located in Londonderry, announces Samantha Pearce as its community health epidemiologist, a new position funded by a federal grant.

Pearce, who recently earned her master’s in Public Health from the University of New England in Biddeford, Maine, will oversee designing, collecting and analyzing statistical data to measure collective impact locally and regionally.

Pearce returned to Vermont in July 2020 after completing her one-year AmeriCorps VISTA service in Montana at Chinook Horses. She attended Currier Memorial School in Danby, Manchester Elementary Middle School and Burr and Burton Academy and earned an undergraduate degree in Public Health from Rivier University in Nashua, N.H. Pearce has experience in planning health programs and evaluations, developing audience-appropriate communications, and community outreach coordination.

Victoria Silsby, prevention specialist and the grant’s project director, said, “Samantha’s experience and educational background will complement the local, regional and statewide work and will be an excellent fit to the team. She will play an integral role in positively impacting the prevention of substance misuse and building a healthier community to live, work and attend school in.”

The Collaborative serves Bennington County, Southern Windsor and Rutland counties and Western Windham County.