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The University of Vermont's Independent Voice Since 1883

The Vermont Cynic

The University of Vermont's Independent Voice Since 1883

The Vermont Cynic

The University of Vermont's Independent Voice Since 1883

The Vermont Cynic

2024-2025 Staff

Sophia Balunek
Editor-in-Chief

Sophia Balunek

(She/her) Sophia Balunek is a senior majoring in Geography with a minor in Wildlife Biology from Cleveland, Ohio. She joined the Cynic her first-year as a staff photographer, then became Photo Editor her sophomore year, and...

Maxine Thornton
Managing Editor

Maxine Thornton

(She/her) Maxine Thornton is a junior English major from Nyack, N.Y and serves as the managing editor at the Vermont Cynic. She has been with the Cynic since her freshman year, starting as a features staff writer before getti...

Frances Flood
Operations Manager

Frances Flood

(She/her) Frances Flood is a senior business administration major with a concentration in marketing and a theme in sustainable business, along with a studio art minor. This is her first role at the Vermont Cynic as the operations...

Liliana Mefford
Features Editor

Liliana Mefford

(She/her) Liliana Mefford is junior political science major with minors in economics and Spanish from Madison, WI. She started at the Cynic as a features writer, then assistant features editor, and now features editor. Outside...

Grace Wang
Culture Editor

Grace Wang

(She/her)  Grace Wang is a junior environmental science major with a minor in reporting & documentary storytelling from Ann Arbor, MI. Throughout her time with the Cynic, she has been a culture staff writer and photograp...

Ayelet Kaminski
Co-Opinion Editor

Ayelet Kaminski

(She/her) Ayelet Kaminski is a junior microbiology major with a minor in history from New Haven, CT. She started at the Cynic as a columnist in the fall of 2022, became Opinion Editor in fall of 2023 and has been busy writi...

Annalisa Madonia
Co-Photo Editor

Annalisa Madonia

(She/her)  Annalisa Madonia is a junior majoring in public communication with a concentration in community media and journalism. She has minors in food systems, applied design and nutrition and food sciences. She joined th...

Charlotte Burns
Podcast Editor

Charlotte Burns

Charlotte Burns, Podcast Editor (She/her) Charlotte Burns is a junior from Seattle, Wash., studying public communication, writing and history. She joined the Cynic in the spring of 2023 as the voice and writer of the Cynic...

Grace Wang
Co-Editor-in-Chief

Grace Wang

(She/her) Grace Wang is a junior environmental science major with a minor in reporting & documentary storytelling from Ann Arbor, MI. Throughout her time with the Cynic, she has been a culture staff writer and photographer...

Zoe Bertsch
Co-Editor-in-Chief

Zoe Bertsch

(She/her) Zoe Bertsch is a senior political science major from Portland, Maine with minors in public communication and statistics. Zoe started at the Cynic in the web design section before moving into copy editing. When not...

Annalisa Madonia
Managing Editor

Annalisa Madonia

(She/her)  Annalisa Madonia is a junior majoring in public communication with a concentration in media and journalism from Wantagh, NY. She has minors in food systems, applied design and nutrition and food sciences. She j...

Busy Anderson
Sports Editor

Busy Anderson

(She/her) Busy Anderson is a junior from New York City majoring in political science with a minor in reporting and documentary storytelling. She joined the Cynic’s opinion section as a freshman before working with the Community...

Erika Tally
Culture Editor

Erika Tally

(She/her) Erika Tally is a sophomore from Bristol, Rhode Island. She is studying environmental policy with a minor in political science. She joined the Cynic as a culture staff writer before becoming section editor. In her...

Olivia Langlan
Co-Opinion Editor

Olivia Langlan

(She/her) Olivia Langlan is a junior nursing major from Marshfield, MA. She began her time in the Cynic as an opinion staff member and is now the opinion editor. She is a bookworm, is always working on a different creative...

Nora Sissenich
Features Editor

Nora Sissenich

(She/her) Nora Sissenich is a sophomore from New York City majoring in math and psychology with a minor in German. She serves as the features editor of the Cynic. She joined the Cynic as a first-year, writing primarily for...

Alyssa Sullivan
Copy Chief

Alyssa Sullivan

(She/her) Alyssa Sullivan is a senior psychological science major from Beverly, Massachusetts with minors in writing and gender, sexuality and women’s studies. She joined the Cynic as a first-year and has since served as...

Natalie Richardson-Wymore
Podcast Editor

Natalie Richardson-Wymore

(She/her) Natalie Richardson-Wymore is a second year English major from Minneapolis, MN. She joined the Cynic the fall of her sophomore year as part of the podcast team and is excited to be taking on a new role as editor! In...

Elizabeth Smith
Co-Photo Editor

Elizabeth Smith

(she/her) Elizabeth Smith is a sophomore from Arlington, VA majoring in Business Administration with a minor in Community and International Development. While working with the Cynic, she has been assistant editor and has now...

Alex Strand
Co-Photo Editor

Alex Strand

(She/her) Alex Strand is a sophomore from the heart of Boston, MA majoring in Psychological Sciences with minors in Biology and Reporting and Documentary Storytelling. She started on the Cynic as a staff photographer and features...

Noah Diedrich
News Editor

Noah Diedrich

(he/him) Noah Diedrich is a senior history and english double major from Arlington, Vermont. He became a Cynic news reporter as a sophomore. When not writing news stories, Noah enjoys playing basketball, listening to music,...

Alex Porier
Illustrations Editor

Alex Porier

(He/him) Alex Porier is a sophomore majoring in anthropology with a minor in sexuality and gender identity studies from Charlotte, NC. He joined the Cynic illustrations team in the fall of 2023 and became the illustrations...

Emma Dinsmore
Digital Media Editor

Emma Dinsmore

(She/her) Emma Dinsmore is a senior elementary education major and political science minor from Queensbury, New York. She has been an Opinion Columnist for the Cynic since the fall of 2021, and became the Digital Media Editor...

Zoe Bertsch
Copy Chief

Zoe Bertsch

(She/her)  Zoe Bertsch is a senior political science major from Portland, Maine with minors in public communication and statistics. Zoe started at the Cynic in the web design section before moving into copy editing. When ...

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