Representative Gayle Pezzo

Gayle Pezzo of Colchester, Chittenden County, Democrat, was elected in 2024. Gayle grew up in Long Beach, New York, and moved to Colchester, Vermont, in 2016 to be near her amazing adult daughter and awesome young grandson. She is a fierce advocate and cares passionately about mental health/substance abuse, affordable housing, environmental justice, and climate resilience issues, as well as the importance of community building and engagement to encourage individuals to become proactive and vocal advocates in their neighborhoods. She attended Molloy College, RVC, NY, receiving a degree in Alcohol/Substance Abuse Counseling working in the field of Mental Health/Substance Abuse and Comorbidity treatment as a Counselor and Clinical Director for over two decades. Gayle’s past experiences have been as a volunteer for a crisis literacy and suicide hotline and a member of the Vermont State Environmental Justice Advisory Council and the Mobile Home Task Force. For the past five years, she has been involved as an organizer for her community, which successfully created an Incorporated Municipal Village in Colchester. She is a founding member and volunteer of her Cooperative’s Board of Directors, currently serving as Board President for the past five years. Gayle enjoys spending time with her grandson, caring for her 10 exotic parrots, cooking, reading, listening to music, boating, fishing, and basking in the sun.