PARTY STAFF
May Hanlon
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
May joins the VDP as Executive Director after a career dedicated to building winning campaigns at the local, state, and national levels. A native of Island Pond, Vermont, May began her political work with the Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG), where she built grassroots support for critical public interest issues and deepened community engagement across the state.
Most recently, May served as Deputy Director of Direct Marketing at the Democratic National Committee (DNC), overseeing key strategies and operations for the Harris Victory Fund. Prior to that, she worked with the Pennsylvania House Democratic Campaign Committee (PAHDCC), where her data-driven electoral strategies helped flip a net of twelve seats in 2022, securing the first Democratic majority in over a decade. She went on to lead the campaign plan for the 2023 special elections, ensuring Democrats defended their state House majority.
May’s experience in both organizing and campaign strategy has reinforced her belief that elections are about more than candidates—they are about long-term movement building and empowering communities. She is eager to strengthen the VDP’s infrastructure, invest in grassroots organizing, and elect Democrats up and down the ballot. A graduate of Bryn Mawr College, May is excited to return home to Vermont and get to work for the people of the Green Mountain State.
Sinéad Murray
FINANCE DIRECTOR
Sinéad joined the VDP as Finance Director in August of 2025. Her expertise in grassroots fundraising and organizing comes from years of advocacy, campaign management, and community engagement.
She previously served as Administrative and Community Outreach Coordinator in the Office of Burlington Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak, where she worked to strengthen communication between city government and residents, coordinated community engagement efforts, and supported initiatives on public safety, affordability, and climate resilience. Before that, Sinéad spent several years with the Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG), where she worked to expand access to the ballot box by helping to bring Ranked Choice Voting to Burlington and supporting efforts to make RCV available for Vermont’s presidential primaries. She also served as Operations Director for the VPIRG Canvass for two years, overseeing Vermont’s largest face-to-face voter contact program, where she and her team recruited and trained diverse staff, strengthened operations, and built a culture of excellence that consistently surpassed fundraising goals. She graduated from the University of Vermont with dual degrees in Political Science and English and currently resides in Burlington.
Liam O'Sullivan
HOUSE DIRECTOR
Liam joined the VDP in March of 2023 as the House Caucus Director. He comes with years of experience in fundraising, advocacy, and organizing at the Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG). As an advocate, Liam cultivated long-lasting relationships with legislators and organizations around Vermont and helped pass millions of dollars in climate-related infrastructure investments. Liam was also the Operations Director for the VPIRG Canvass for three years – activating thousands of Vermonters and raising millions of dollars on behalf of strong, environmentally conscious legislation. In addition, Liam directed the ground-game for VPIRG Votes during the 2020 and 2022 election cycles. He recruited, trained, and managed a team of canvassers on behalf of endorsed candidates across Vermont. He graduated from UVM with a dual degree in political science and environmental studies, and currently resides in Burlington.
Quinn Houston
Organizing Director, Coordinated Campaign
Quinn Houston serves as the Organizing Director for the VDP's Coordinated Campaign. He oversees the strategic mobilization and infrastructure necessary to support democratic candidates across Vermont for the 2026 Coordinated Campaign.
Prior to joining the VDP, Quinn worked in advocacy and fundraising at the Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG). As the Democracy Associate, he advocated for campaign finance reform, election integrity, and the protection of voting rights. He has a background in field operations; during his four-year tenure as a Director for the VPIRG Canvass, he mobilized thousands of constituents and raised millions of dollars for environmental and democratic initiatives. As the Field Director for VPIRG Votes during the 2024 election cycle, Quinn was responsible for recruiting, training, and managing statewide field teams.
Quinn is a 2024 graduate of the University of Vermont (UVM), where he earned a degree in Political Science with a minor in Geospatial Technologies. A native of Westminster, Vermont, he currently resides in Burlington.
Sara Buckley
Intern
Sara has joined the VDP as an intern for the summer of 2026. She previously served as a field organizer for the New Hampshire coordinated campaign in 2024 where she worked to elect Democrats in rural parts of the state. On the campaign, she recruited dozens of volunteers to connect with voters, managed relationships with candidates and town committee chairs and canvassed extensively. Most recently, Sara was a board member of the Middlebury College Democrats, serving as the treasurer and community liaison. She is currently a student at Middlebury College majoring in International and Global Studies with a minor in French.
