Heather has been the Commissioner of the Department of Tourism and Marketing since 2019, leading the team responsible for promoting Vermont as a global travel and relocation destination that welcomes over 16 million visitors annually, driving $4.2 billion in economic impact for the state. Her work at the department has included the strategic deployment $10.4 million in EDA-ARPA Travel, Tourism and Outdoor Recreation funding to aid post-pandemic economic recovery, culminating in the state’s first Destination Management Plan and the recent launch of Vermont’s first dedicated tourism brandmark and ‘State of Inspiration’ brand platform. Pelham also serves as Vice-Chair of the Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economic Collaborative and previously served as the Chief Marketing Officer for the State of Vermont. Before joining state government, Heather was the managing partner of a local advertising and design firm.