All materials copyright Vermont Marriage Advisory Council, 2008, unless otherwise noted. We ask that articles be reprinted or distributed in entirety only.

About Us

The Vermont Marriage Advisory Council is composed of a diverse group of concerned Vermonters - husbands, wives, and civic leaders from many backgrounds such as skilled workers, business people, doctors, and past legislators. We are united by a common goal: to insure that the debate now starting over legalizing genderless marriage will be as fair, balanced, comprehensive, responsible and factually-based as possible.

We believe that the decision to legalize genderless marriage is one of the most critical social policy issues we as voters and citizens will ever deal with, simply because it has such profound implications for the society we pass on to our children, grandchildren and future generations. For millennia, traditional marriage, defined as only the union of a man and a woman, has been an essential foundation of every viable, lasting society. We should not tamper with this or any other critical social institution lightly. 

We formed VMAC because we believe that this issue is far more complicated than most Vermonters now understand.  We strongly feel that it would be highly irresponsible to make such drastic changes which redefine the critical social institution of marriage without understanding the far reaching implications.

To accomplish these goals we will be sponsoring forums with nationally and internationally recognized marriage experts posing key questions which have not been – and must be - addressed in this debate, and subsequently providing the best informational materials available on the marriage issue. We hope to contribute to this debate by helping Vermonters individually to take an informed and responsible position on this important issue.

We urge you to sign up for our periodic e-mail updates on this issue. We also urge you to join us in our efforts by helping spread the word to others about the importance of making sure that this debate is comprehensive, fair and responsible.

While more people are in the process of joining the council, currently our members are

Virginia Duffy is a wife, mother, and grandmother. Mrs. Duffy has worked as a social worker in Nassau County’s Dept. of Soc. Welfare, an artist, small business owner, realtor, and Vermont State Representative.

Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Duprey have four children, and Mr. Duprey practices law in the Middlebury area.

Bill and Meg Barnes have farmed in Vermont since 1964, and currently own and operate a 1,000 head family dairy farm in Shoreham. Bill has a degree in Agriculture and Meg has a degree in nursing, both from Cornell University.

Dale and Nancy Gassett have four children, homeschooled by Nancy. Dale is a construction superintendent.

Jeff and Jodie Stephenson are newlyweds. Jeff serves as a Rutland County Deputy Sheriff, and Jodie has a BS degree in Exercise Science.

Richard and Ellen Broggi have been married for 32 years. They have two adult children. They are both avid skiers, hikers, and bicyclists. Rich is an entrepreneur who has owned numerous businesses in Vermont. Most recently (1992), he co-founded Vermont Scientific Technologies (VTEK), involved with the design of Ceramic Metal Oxide Semiconductors for the telecommunications market.  A NASDAQ 100 firm purchased VTEK in 1998. Rich retired from the business world in 2000.

Rich has been a member of the MEM Project Review Board at Dartmouth College, has served as an Auditor for the Town of Bridgewater Vermont, and has been active in several leadership roles in his church and community.Rich has a BS in Economics, and did additional studies at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in computer science while at Holy Cross. 
 
Ellen conducted undergraduate studies at Connecticut College, and continues her studies through the American Association of Christian Counselors and it's Light University Counseling Studies program.  She has worked for 32 years as a homemaker, and alongside many wives and mothers encouraging them in their marriages. 

Rick and Phyllis Callahan and their family live in the Williston area. Rick, with Doctorates in Ministry and Divinity, is a Bishop at Maranatha Church, In the past three years, he has visited the Middle East, China, India, Central America and the Philipine Islands, and has formed a ministerial fellowship to provide support and direction for area pastors, founding Maranatha Minsiterial Fellowship, International (MMFI). Today, MMFI covers and supports nearly 50 ministries in seven states and the province of Quebec, Canada.

Phyllis holds a Doctor of Ministry degree, and is a registered nurse and teacher by profession. Phyllis serves as the pastor of Adult Christian Education for Maranatha, and is the Administrator to the Beacon Institute of Ministry, accredited through Beacon University in Columbus, Georgia. Phyllis also serves as an instructor for Destiny International Leadership Center, the church's training center for those called to a fivefold ministry gift to the body of Christ.

Shawn and Kathy Byrne own and operate Byrne’s Truck Store Inc., in Clarendon.

Mrs. Judy Barone practices law in the Rutland area.

Dr. Bart and Paula Bonzinga are parents of three children, and own Integrative Cardiology of Rutland. Dr. Bonazinga is a prominent Cardiologist in the area.

Henry and Cynthia Socinski have been married forty-one years, are the parents of two children, and grandparents of four. Cynthia holds a business degree from UVM, and Henry is a graduate of Rutland Business College. Together they own and operate Artistic Memorials, a manufacturer of cemetery memorials. Henry has been in business 57 years.

We will update our website as our membership grows and further information is provided.