Heather Simmons

Term

Deputy Director Heather Simmons is currently serving her fourth term on the Gloucester County Board of Commissioners.

Departments Overseen

As Deputy Director, Heather is Liaison to the Department of Economic Development and Public Works, including oversight of:

• Community and Economic Development
• Business Retention and Attraction
• Gloucester County Chamber of Commerce Representative
• Municipal Economic Development Council
• Workforce Development Board
• Tourism
• South Jersey Film Commission
• Engineering
• Fleet Management
• Highways & Roads
• Mosquito Control
• Planning
• Solid Waste Advisory Commission
• Tri-County Water Quality Management
• Agriculture Development Board
• Rutgers Extension Services/ 4H
• Land Preservation 
• Certified Gardeners

Deputy Director Simmons is the longest-serving female Commissioner (formerly Freeholder) in Gloucester County history. She launched the 70-member Gloucester County Economic Recovery Collaborative in 2021 with a focus on post-pandemic economic recovery and resiliency. She spearheaded the County’s first small business revolving loan fund, resulting in $13 million in low-interest loans for more than 200 businesses.

Deputy Director Simmons made history again by being the first woman to be elected Deputy Director to the Gloucester County Board of Commissioners on January 1, 2022.

Education

Deputy Director Simmons has lived in Gloucester County since 1994. She holds a bachelor's degree in international relations and politics from Saint Joseph's University, where she was Valedictorian of her graduating class. She also holds a master's degree in public relations from Rowan University.

Career

Deputy Director Simmons is Assistant Vice President for Strategic Initiatives at Rowan University, where she previously served as Director of Business Outreach and Associate Director of the Edelman Fossil Park. Prior to that she owned her own communications firm.

Other Involvements

Deputy Director Simmons sits on the boards of the NJ Association of Counties, the NJAC Foundation and the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission. She was the honoree at the 2019 Gloucester County Boys and Girls Club Fall Fundraiser, and raised an unprecedented $400,000 for the organization that year. She chaired the Fall Fundraiser on two additional occasions, raising an additional $200,000 for youth programming. She was also the 2016 Campaign Chair for the United Way of Gloucester County.

In 2022, Deputy Director Simmons was named the president of the NJAC Foundation. Since 2011, the NJAC Foundation has awarded nearly $500,000.00 in scholarships to 750 students who continued their education at home in the Garden State. Through the generous grant funding from some of New Jersey’s leading corporate citizens, such as Investors Bank, PSEG, NJM Insurance Group, Amazon, and SHI International.

She previously served on the Board of the Greater Glassboro Chamber of Commerce, and was a member of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), the Gloucester County Chamber of Commerce and a Commissioner with the Gloucester County Library System.

Awards & Recognition

Deputy Director Simmons was named “Freeholder of the Year” by the New Jersey Association of Counties, one of South Jersey Biz Magazine's "Women to Watch", and "Business Advocate of the Year" by the National Association of Women Business Owners-South Jersey Chapter, and was recognized by South Jersey Magazine as a local "Superwoman." She has been named "Woman of the Year, Women in Communications", by the Gloucester County Commission on Women.

*Aide submitted update on 3/20/23.