Hagemann is also a playwright and his wife, Christianne, is a professional actress. According to biographical information provided in a local theater guide, Hagemann assisted the Clinton-Gore campaign with environmental research and presidential debate prep in 1992. Their only other ostensible connection to Vermont is that Thomas sits on the board of the Putney Open Door Fund, a nonprofit foundation associated with Putney Student Travel, which Shumlin’s parents founded and Peter Shumlin used to be co-director. David Cromwell is a doctor specializing in gastroenterology. Neither the Cromwells nor the Hagemanns immediately returned calls for comment.