The League of Women Voters was founded on February 14, 1920, as women and men around the country worked to get the 19th amendment passed.

A non-fiction book group at the Oliver Wolcott library was my first introduction to the League of Women Voters. At that time the reading list was in support of developing a better understanding of state and national positions held by the League of Women Voters. As a library staff member, I was introduced to a group of wonderfully curious, passionate, and civic minded individuals, many of whom are still active in the League today. This group broadened my reading interest to include non-fiction: Oil the Anatomy of an Industry, and The Walmart Effect were just two of the titles that stayed with me. As a member of the League of Women Voters of Litchfield Country I’ve served as Voter Services Chair, Newsletter Editor, and Website Manager and social media coordinator. Today I continue to be the keeper of the Vote Today Signs and am happy to be rejoining the board as a Member-at-Large. 

Beside a passion for the League and libraries, I am an active member of my church, a gardener, a cook, a baker, a kayaker, a hiker, a reader and more. I am a happy dabbler.  

At the suggestion of a smart, passionate and community minded friend, I joined the League of Women Voters of Litchfield County in 2021. This was shortly after my family had moved to Goshen, full time, but I've actually been a resident of the area for many years. Woodridge Lake was where I spent every summer of my life from ages 1-20. After living in Los Angeles for twelve years while working as a writer for film and television, my husband and I moved back to New York City.  And when we were looking for a weekend home, I said it's got to be Goshen! In 2020 we doubled down on our love for the area, and moved here full time with our two little boys. Having my parents, grandparents extraordinaire, a couple miles down the road was a huge plus. And while much of my time is currently taken up with shuttling children to sports games and practices, I have tried to prioritize involving myself in the community we live in and offering my help whenever possible. This has included working, through our PTO, to support the students and amazing teachers at the Goshen Center School, volunteering with the Prime Time House holiday store, joining the board of Goshen Community Care, as well as becoming a member of the LWV. One thing I love about living in a small town is the opportunity to participate in and learn about the political process on a local level. I firmly believe, the more people, of all ages and walks of life, we have involved in this process, the better off our community. This is why I so greatly appreciate the work of the LWV, to involve ALL in our political process.

I have had many roles, but consider being a nurse my vocation. Even though I’m retired, I continue to be a volunteer nurse--both as a parish nurse and as a member of a mortality review board. Helping others is its own reward.

I joined the League of Women Voters of Litchfield County about five years ago when encouraged by a smart woman I admire. I believe in a democracy where everyone’s vote counts. I am on the LWVLC board, functioning as the hospitality chairperson and corresponding secretary. I continue to be awed by the intelligent women and men League members.

Because two of my ancestors fought in the Revolutionary War, I joined Litchfield Patriots, Inc. which is preparing for the celebration of America 250—the two hundred fiftieth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Another interest is maintaining the Topsmead State Forest butterfly garden. I have been walking with the Litchfield Hill Walkers for over 25 years and have made many enduring friendships. 

Litchfield and surrounding towns provide many opportunities for culture and learning. I am so grateful to live in Litchfield County.

My name is Maria Jose Pettibone and to my friends I am called Marie.

I am a Connecticut native who grew up in Danbury and raised my three sons in New Fairfield. I received my education from Western Conn. University and University of Bridgeport majoring in Business Administration. After a career in management with Borders/Waldenbooks in Stamford and Ann Arbor I returned to Connecticut and then relocated to Florida. In 2019 after the death of my significant other I returned to Connecticut. 

My past affiliations have included: 

Women's Center of Danbury as a group leader for recently divorced women; Volunteer with English as a Second Language (initiating mentorship at Federal Correctional Institute); member and director for the Danbury chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants (now part of Certified Public Accountants); member of New York/Connecticut Assoc.of Tax Professionals; 

in Florida, President of the League of Women Voters of Citrus County followed by 2nd Vice President of Democratic Women's Club of Citrus County. 

I am passionate about women's rights and have first hand knowledge of the obstacles that face all women today in our society. For this reason I joined the League once I had semi-retired and had more time to be involved. I feel that I have excellent organizational skills. I enjoy the challenges that the political environment holds.

Although I am a recent member of the League and full-time resident of the county, I have spent summers and weekends in Goshen since I was a little girl. My family and I live in the house my grandparents bought in 1949, and where my grandmother, Madeleine L'Engle, wrote A Wrinkle in Time. I am a strategic thinker who thrives when I can be involved in big-picture planning and story-telling. I love identifying and describing organizational goals, discovering growth opportunities, and developing relationships among groups that have common interests. In graduate school I studied cross-disciplinary methods and narratives, and when I left academia, I worked in development and marketing at a global non-profit that seeks to build that sector’s capacity. I also worked at a new york city foundation, supporting organizations that served women and girls and workforce development. I continued my work in strategy and planning when I took on managing Madeleine L’Engle’s estate full-time at a critical moment. My volunteer service as a mediator in the nyc court system, training in improv at the Upright Citizen’s Brigade, and self-care through the Feldenkrais method, all involve deep listening and collaboration to bring about something new, joyful, and healing, which I hope to bring to all my endeavors. I am drawn to organizations that seek to broaden knowledge and support informed decision-making, as well as those that empower people to lead and help their communities become more just and sustainable. I serve on the Board of the Susan B. Anthony Project, and I look forward to working with the League.