Who I Am

Wendy was a child on the “Space Coast” of Florida, riding her bike to the beach and to school and watching rockets launch to the moon. When her family moved to California’s Silicon Valley, she was disenchanted with the expanding suburban sprawl and first appreciated public transportation.

She went “back east” for college, studying Urban and Environmental Economics at Bryn Mawr College. She earned a Master of Government Administration at the University of Pennsylvania, where she met her husband, Peter Elwell. Wendy and Peter got married in his hometown of Brattleboro and raised two children while living mostly in Jupiter, Florida. The family enjoyed many vacations in Brattleboro visiting Peter’s family.

In 2015, Wendy and Peter permanently moved to Brattleboro where they live with their dog, Derby. Their daughter is a public school teacher in New Hampshire and lives in Keene.

EXPERIENCE IN VERMONT

Chair of the SeVEDS Board (Southeast Vermont Economic Development Strategy)

Vermont State Transportation Board (member since 2017)

Vermont Women Leading Government (member since its inception in 2018)

Interim City Manager, City of Winooski (2021-2022)

Interim Town Administrator, Town of Vernon (2020-2021)

Interim CEO, New England Center for Circus Arts (2020)

Municipal Manager, Town of Rockingham + Village of Bellows Falls (2018-2020)

Director of Community + Partner Relations, Retreat Farm (2016-2018)

Director of Development/Communications, Windham+Windsor Housing Trust (2015-2016)

Board Member, Southeast Vermont Transit (SEVT) (2015-2021)

Board Member, Friends of the West River Trail (2017-2019)

EXPERIENCE PRIOR TO 2015

Elected Town Council Member in Jupiter, Florida (2007-2015)

Assistant Village Manager in Tequesta, Florida

Solid Waste Director in Martin County, Florida

Neighborhood Coordinator in Jupiter, Florida

Special Assistant in the Finance Department in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Staff Member at the Morris Land Conservancy (now the Land Conservancy of New Jersey)

Girl Scout Leader

President of Homeowners’ Association Board

Member of Center for Children in Crisis Board

Almost anything on the water: rowing, kayaking, swimming, beginner ice skating

Enjoying the outdoors: walking, hiking, discovering and photographing what’s out there

Meeting new people, learning new things, and visiting new places

Historic Preservation and Historic Fun

Live Music