A native Vermonter, Caroline was was born in Burlington to Jennifer Neville Bright and Thomas Bright. Soon after, her parents brought her home to The Old Mill River Place, her family's home for four generations, on the Georgia Shore Road just over the St. Albans town line in Georgia.
Caroline is proud to continue her family's history of service to Franklin County. Her great-grandfather, R.C. MacWilliams ("Mr. Mac") served as the County Agricultural Agent for the USDA and UVM Extension Service for over forty years. Her grandmother, Anna Neville, was the District Director of Social and Rehabilitative Services (now the Department of Children and Families) for Franklin and Grand Isle counties for over thirty five years, and today the children's playroom in the Franklin County District Court House is named for her. Caroline's mother, Jennifer Neville Bright, is a past Master of the Grange in Franklin, former Director of the Franklin County Humane Society, and today owns and runs the Tabor House Inn on Lake Champlain in West Swanton.
From an early age, Caroline demonstrated her capacity to lead and serve others. As a child, Caroline raised funds for the Franklin County Humane Society by selling her homemade ginger cookies, and in the sixth grade won the Modern Woodmen of America's Civic Oration Competition at the Franklin Central School.
While in high school, Caroline participated in a wealth of activities and held numerous leadership positions, including president of her class, president of the student body, captain of the economics team and co-captain of the Scholar’s Bowl team. She was an officer in the National Honor Society and Model United Nations, and had leading roles in musical theater and chorus productions. She was student representative to the MVU School Board and as a senior, she received the Gold Presidential Volunteer Service Award for her extensive service to her community.In 2006 Caroline was selected to attend the American Legion Auxiliary's Green Mountain Girls State where she was elected Governor. After graduating from MVU, Caroline continued her involvement as a counselor and external speaker coordinator. In 2011 she was selected by the Green Mountain Girls State Committee to serve as the Co-Director for the program.
Also in 2006 Caroline’s leadership and community commitment were recognized by Governor James Douglas, who appointed Caroline as the sole student representative to the Next Generation Commission. The commission was charged to develop a plan to encourage Vermonters to live and work in Vermont and to ensure that postsecondary education is accessible and affordable for all Vermonters. Ultimately, the Next Generation Commission created a unified strategy to encourage Vermonters to live and work in the state and to ensure that postsecondary training and education is accessible and affordable to all. The final report can be found here.
Caroline began her college career at St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y. As a freshman she was selected as a senator in the St. Lawrence Thelomathesian Society. The following year she worked as a Community Assistant (residential assistant) in a freshman residence hall. Also in her sophomore year Caroline joined the Epsilon Kappa Chapter of Chi Omega Fraternity, where she was elected as Model Initiate and Panhellenic delegate.
At the beginning of her junior year, she transferred to St. Michael’s College where she excelled academically and was selected for membership in the political science honors society—Pi Sigma Alpha.
During her college career, Caroline served as an Intern in Senator Patrick Leahy's Burlington office and in Speaker of the House Shap Smith's Montpelier office. The experience she had learning about the intricacies of Vermont politics was invaluable.
On June 5th, 2010, Caroline was thrilled to bring the Miss Vermont crown home to Franklin County. In her commitment to the Miss Vermont Scholarship Organization, Caroline postponed her senior year of college. She was a full-time Miss Vermont traveling the state, sharing the message of the organization and promoting her platform, Rock the World - Run for Office. She enjoyed an exciting year meeting her fellow Vermonters, and was enormously proud to represent the great state of Vermont at Miss America in January 2011.
In 2012 Caroline campaigned to represent Franklin County in the Vermont State Senate. She was the youngest Senate candidate in the state and the only woman representing a major party in her race. She ultimately came within 1% of the vote of becoming the youngest woman to serve in any state senate in the nation.
Caroline is a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, and has been affiliated with the Epilepsy Foundation of Vermont, Make-A-Wish Vermont, Vermont HAS Talent, and the Vermont Children's Hospital. She serves on the advisory council for Laurie's House and continues to volunteer with the Miss Vermont Scholarship Organization
