Erin Bombard, Class of 2018

Tourism Marketing and Events Manager
and Director of Burlington Young Professionals
at Lake Champlain Chamber

1. Tell us a little about your current position.
   At the Chamber, I oversee events, implement the tourism marketing strategy for the Lake Champlain region and direct the Burlington Young Professionals group. On any given day, I could be developing content for vermont.org, helping a family of four relocate to Vermont, designing collateral and solidifying a catering order for a business after hours event, and then ending the day emceeing a BYP seminar on financial literacy.
   
   
2. What’s new since you graduated from Leadership Champlain?
   Since starting the program in September 2017, I sit on two boards and am active on a number of committees.
   
   
3. What is your favorite Leadership Champlain memory?
   I loved getting direct access to inspirational community leaders at all the seminar days.
   
   
4. How has Leadership Champlain helped you get to where you are today?
   Leadership Champlain opened my eyes to our community’s many moving components.  It’s encouraged me to think bigger and be a better advocate for myself and the community. Since I recently graduated, it’s hard to pinpoint how the program has driven me to where I am today, but I will say that because of the program, I know where I want to be 5, 10, 20 years down the road.
   
   
5. What does leadership mean to you?
   Leadership is about creating a clear direction in the face of uncertainty.
   
   
6. Any final thoughts?
   Leadership Champlain is such a special program in our community, and I am so thankful to have gone through it.