About
Vice President of Strategy
Heather Gramm
With over 20 years of expertise across municipal, county, and state economic development, Heather holds a wealth of knowledge in transforming communities.
Heather’s career spans a range of economic development focuses, from business and community development to downtown revitalization. After graduating from Hood College with her B.A. in Business Administration, she started her career in economic development, working with the City of Frederick Department of Economic Development. She then transitioned to the Maryland Department of Commerce as Director of Regional Growth and Retention before returning to Frederick in 2017 to serve the Frederick County Office of Economic Development as Deputy Director.
Most recently, Heather served as the Assistant Secretary of Business and Industry Sector Development with the Maryland Department of Commerce.
In this role, Heather oversaw all aspects of the state’s business development efforts, including domestic and international business attraction and in-state business retention and expansion efforts; strategic industry sector development; economic development finance programs; and the agency’s advocacy and support for military and federal assets in the state.
Continuing her dedication to economic development, she became a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) in 2007 and is a graduate of the Leadership Frederick County (2011) and Leadership Maryland (2017) programs.
In 2012, Heather received the Leading Women Award from the Maryland Daily Record, which honors women under forty for outstanding career achievements. Recipients are chosen based on their professional experience, community involvement, and dedication to inspiring change.
Heather was honored by the Development Counsellors International (DCI) 40 Under 40 Awards in 2015, which celebrate the top forty economic development professionals under forty who show exceptional leadership, dedication, and innovation in their work every day.
Connect with Heather via email or on LinkedIn.
Favorite part of her job: Facilitating collaborations and building partnerships.
Professional superpowers: Problem-solving.
Personal superpowers: Finding things! Heather is the official “finder of lost things” in her family.
Her favorite things: Warm beaches in the summer; the colors and smells of fall; gathering around a campfire with friends; reading books; boating, especially at South Holston Lake; spending time with family; a hoppy IPA; traveling; sticky notes; holiday decorations.
Meet the Team Behind PPR Strategies
Sandy Dubay
CEO and Founder
Sandy Dubay, CEcD (formerly Sandy Sponaugle) is the CEO and Founder of PPR Strategies (previously Platinum PR). As PPR Strategies’ fearless leader, she brings over 20 years of marketing savvy …
Meg McQuade Boyle
Creative Director
Meg develops the creative pathway that inspires engagement and action. Drawing on 25+ years of experience in philanthropy and economic development writing and marketing, Meg glides seamlessly between strategy and execution.
Sophie Slawson
Senior content strategist
Sophie loves helping small-town economies reach their fullest potential. As the Senior Content Strategist for PPR Strategies, she translates complex initiatives into clear messaging and content that boosts visibility and opportunity for communities.
Mia Vaccaro
Client Coordinator
Since she was a child, Mia has been in love with creative writing and storytelling. As an adult, Mia has transformed her creative outlet into a way to uniquely tell the stories of her clients …
Shelby Maly
Senior Client and Content Strategist
Shelby is a strategic communicator and relationship builder who helps organizations turn big ideas into clear, impactful messaging. She brings strategy and execution together to connect purpose with audience.
Caleigh Bernota
Communications Specialist
After interning for a semester, then part-time for a year and a half, Caleigh now serves as PPR’s full-time Communications Specialist, crafting impactful messaging and digital content that helps clients share their stories through thoughtful, engaging content.
