Anne Lezak is stepping down from her role as chair of the Vermont Democratic Party, effective in late February, the party announced Tuesday in a news release. The party has yet to set a date to elect a new chair.

According to the release, Lezak is leaving her post to return to Uganda with her husband, Harry Chen, who is currently the interim commissioner of the Department for Children and Families. The two previously served in Uganda as Peace Corps Response volunteers in 2017 and 2018. 

Lezak has served as chair of the party since November 2021.

Under her leadership, Vermont Democrats notably swept 2022’s midterm elections, winning all but one race for statewide office and gaining a historic majority in Vermont’s Legislature.

“This has been a real capstone of my career; it’s been incredibly gratifying to head up our party as we’ve gone through an historic election season,” Lezak said in a written statement Tuesday. “We’ve emerged stronger and ready to support our legislature and their highly capable leaders, along with our topnotch statewide and federal electeds, and focus on further activating and energizing town and county Dem committees to be a real force in their communities.”