Aspire is deeply saddened to announce that board member Bob Sheil has passed away. Bob was appointed to the Aspire Living & Learning Board of Directors in 2018 and served until his passing. He brought his unique expertise and passion for Aspire’s mission to his work on the board.

Bob graduated from Union College and Vermont Law School. He began his legal career as a Deputy State’s Attorney in Washington County, Vermont, and then spent six years in private practice specializing in juvenile and criminal law. For the following twenty-eight years, he was employed as the supervising attorney in the office of the Juvenile Defender, which is a division within the public defender system in Vermont. Bob was devoted to assuring that juveniles accused of offenses received fair treatment in the courtroom. He combined solid legal knowledge and a sense of compassion when defending youngsters in court. In 2016, the Vermont legislature honored him with a resolution for his exemplary public service.

After retirement, Bob served on several non-profit boards in addition to Aspire’s, including the Policy Council for the local Head Start program, the Washington County Youth Service Bureau, and Voices for Vermont’s Children. He served on several state and national committees and councils and was a member of the Children and Families Council for Prevention Programs, a governor-appointed council. He was also the Northeast Regional Chair of the Coalition for Juvenile Justice, a national organization advocating on the federal level for juvenile justice issues.

All of us at Aspire extend our deepest condolences to Bob’s family and friends. He will be sorely missed.

You can learn more about Bob’s life as a servant leader in Seven Days.