TOWNSHEND — West River Valley Thrives (WRVT), a substance abuse prevention organization based in Townshend, has announced the hiring of their new director, Steve Tavella, and project coordinator, Nick Plante.
As director, Tavella is primarily responsible for oversight of the coalition, grant-writing and grants management, and program development. He has a bachelor’s degree in sociology / anthropology from Gettysburg College, and a Masters in international administration from the School for International Training in Brattleboro.
Tavella has been a resident of the West River Valley for more than 32 years, raising his daughter in Brattleboro. He has worked, lived, and traveled in more than 50 countries and six continents, including longer-term stints in Afghanistan, Rakhine State Myanmar, The Republic of Georgia, Egypt, Kiribati, and the Solomon Islands, working with displaced persons, communities in distress, and youth. Tavella feels it is imperative to find positive influences in our young people’s lives and to create healthy lifestyles, according to a press release.
“We must better understand substance abuse issues in our communities, and educate and support our younger generations to live healthy, substance-free lives,” he said.
He is a resident of Dummerston.
As coordinator, Plante oversees the majority of the organization’s youth programming, including the Leland & Gray Above the Influence (ATI) group, which supports West River’s mission to engage youth in developing healthy lifestyles, and educating them to the risks of substance use.
Plante holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Clarion University, and is a member of the Psi Chi National Honor Society in psychology. He has co-authored several academic papers on self-esteem, anxiety, well-being and stress, and proxemics.
Having previously worked in treatment as a mental health worker at Clarion Psychiatric Center and Brattleboro Retreat, he is excited to be a part of a community effort to prevent substance abuse and encourage healthy living. He is a resident of Brattleboro.
West River Valley Thrives’ mission is to support and promote healthy lifestyle choices with an emphasis on the prevention of alcohol, tobacco and other drug use by young people. For more information, questions, or volunteer opportunities, contact Tavella at [email protected], Plante at [email protected], or call (802) 365-4700. WRVT is located at the Leland & Gray Union Middle and High School.
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