Heather is responsible for leadership and management activities to advance the mission of Tompkins County Area Development to build a thriving a prosperous economy in Ithaca and Tompkins County. She oversees direct business services, provides leadership in developing financial resources, and manages programs and initiatives that address challenges and opportunities in the upstate New York county of 100,000 residents. She also serves as the administrative director of the Tompkins County Industrial Development Agency and the Tompkins County Development Corporation.

Heather has spent the last 13 years at TCAD, joining the organization as Empire Zone Coordinator in 2007, becoming Director of Economic Development Services in 2008, Vice President in 2014, and President in 2018. She has delivered over $50 million in incentives to community and economic development projects.

She previously worked for the Tompkins County Department of Planning, managing economic development and affordable housing programs. Heather worked in cooperative housing and redevelopment in New York City and began her career with Cushman Realty Corporation in Los Angeles.

Heather has a Master’s degree in Urban Planning from New York University and a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of California, Berkeley. She is a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD), certified Economic Development Finance Professional, and a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners.

Heather sits on the executive committee of the Southern Tier Regional Economic Development Council, the board of trustees of The Sciencenter, the Tompkins County Workforce Development Board and The Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce. She chairs the Membership Development Advisory Committee of the International Economic Development Council. Heather lives in Ithaca, New York with her daughters, Olivia and Alex.