Source: Press Release, December 15, Alexandra MacLean:
“Montpelier, Vt., – Governor-elect Shumlin announced today that Noelle Mackay will be Commissioner of the Department of Economic , Housing and Community Affairs and Jenn Hollar will be the Deputy Commissioner. “I am tremendously excited that we have been able to bring together a team with such diverse backgrounds and common interests to meet the challenges we face,” said Shumlin. “Our mission is to support economic development, while preserving Vermont’s heritage, promoting vibrant communities, and creating housing that is affordable for low and moderate income Vermonters. Noelle Mackay and Jennifer Hollar each bring a deep personal commitment to improving the lives of Vermonters. I thank them both for being willing to serve the state in this way.”
Noelle is currently the Executive Director of Smart Growth Vermont, where she has been working with participants from across the spectrum to build growth plans that can work for businesses and local communities in a way that is consistent with our broadly held values. Prior to this, Noelle served as the Deputy Director at the Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association in Princeton, NJ, one of the oldest and largest watershed associations in the US. Noelle received a B.S. in biology from Mount Allison University and an M.E.S. from Dalhuosie University. As Commissioner, Noelle’s salary will be approximately $82,000.
“When people talk about predictable permitting Noelle knows what they mean, and she knows how to get us there,” said Lawrence Miller, Secretary of the Agency of Commerce and Community Development.
Jennifer Hollar’s experience in housing and community development spans twenty-five years and includes service at the state, local and federal levels. She has worked at the Vermont Department of Housing and Community Affairs, the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board and a municipal development organization in Washington, D.C. For ten years, she served as a commissioner of the Montpelier Housing Authority and has been on the Board of the Central Vermont Community Land Trust for six years, until recently as its president. Jennifer has also served as a board member of the Vermont Campaign to End Childhood Hunger. Currently, she is a member of the Government and Public Affairs Group at Downs, Rachlin, Martin, PLLC.
Jennifer’s family has lived in Vermont for six generations. She has a B.A. in Political Science from Middlebury College and an M.P.A. in State and Local Government from George Washington University. As Deputy Commissioner, Jennifer’s salary will be approximately $72,000.
“Our affordable housing issues have not gone away during the recession, and as we face the dual challenges of preserving our affordable housing stock and at the same time accelerating the construction of new units we will need exceptional creativity to meet our needs, Jen has demonstrated that creativity in this area again and again,” said Lawrence Miller.”