Senator Wendy Harrison Contact information

Senator Wendy Harrison represents the Windham County district in the Vermont Senate. She has been serving in this role since January 2023. Wendy’s journey began on the “Space Coast” of Florida, where she spent her childhood riding her bike to school and the beach, and watching rockets launch to the moon. Her family later moved to California’s Silicon Valley, where she developed an appreciation for public transportation amidst the expanding suburban sprawl.

Wendy pursued higher education on the East Coast, earning a B.A. in Urban and Environmental Economics from Bryn Mawr College. She furthered her studies with a Master of Government Administration from the University of Pennsylvania, where she met her husband, Peter Elwell. The couple married in Peter’s hometown of Brattleboro, Vermont, and raised two children while living primarily in Jupiter, Florida.

Throughout her career, Wendy has held various roles in municipal government. In Florida, she served as an Assistant Village Manager and a County Solid Waste Director, and was an elected Town Councilor for eight years in Jupiter. Her work focused on sustainable development, environmental preservation, and promoting alternative transportation.

After moving to Vermont in 2015, Wendy continued her public service as the Municipal Manager for Bellows Falls and Rockingham, the Interim Town Manager for Vernon, and the Interim City Manager for Winooski. She also contributed to the non-profit sector, working in housing, land conservation, and circus training in both Vermont and New Jersey.

Wendy is actively involved in several boards and committees. She chairs the Southeast Vermont Economic Development Strategies (SeVEDS) Board and serves on the Vermont State Transportation Board and the Windham County Sheriff’s Advisory. Her previous roles include serving on the Windham Regional Commission, the Southeast Vermont Transit board, and the Friends of the West River Trail board. In Florida, she chaired the PalmTran Service Board and served on the Metropolitan Planning Organization board for Palm Beach County.

In her personal life, Wendy enjoys activities on the water such as rowing, kayaking, and swimming. She also likes traveling, especially by train, and attending live performances. Wendy resides in Brattleboro with her husband and two dogs, and is grateful to have her adult children and their partners living nearby.