Our Staff: Meet Jessica

Jessica O’Donnell - Gower is the Executive Vice President of Affiliated Chambers, Easton & Phillipsburg Area, and Northern Tier for The Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, a top ten Chamber in the Nation. Jessica began her tenure with the Chamber in February 2014, playing an integral role in leading several of the Chamber’s partnerships and mergers to support its regionalization strategy, including Emmaus Main Street Partners, Whitehall Area Chamber, and most recently, the Nazareth Area Chamber. The efforts of Jessica, her team and volunteer board members prove that the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber is not just a Chamber of Commerce, but also a Chamber of Communities.

Jessica and her team of fourteen work with the East Penn, Greater Northampton Area, Greater Northern Lehigh Area, Hellertown-Lower Saucon, Nazareth Area, Southern Lehigh, Western Lehigh and Whitehall Area Chambers of Commerce, along with the Emmaus Main Street Partners, the Carbon Chamber & Economic Development Corporation, the Pocono Chamber of Commerce, the Easton Area Chamber of Commerce and Phillipsburg Chamber. Jessica strives to carry out the Chamber’s mission of improving the economy and quality of life throughout the entire Lehigh Valley by connecting key business and community leaders across her Affiliated Chambers footprint.

Jessica received a Bachelor of Science degree in Speech Language Pathology from East Stroudsburg University and went on to pursue her Masters Degree at Cedar Crest College. Prior to her collegiate pursuits, Jessica graduated from Palmerton Area High School ("Go Bombers!"), growing up in Towamensing Township, Carbon County, and cherishes her roots there. Even with her current ties throughout the Lehigh Valley, Jessica can often be found at local favorites like Joey B's or The Shelby.

Jessica’s most recent accomplishments included being recognized as the 2021 Lehigh Valley Business' "Women of Influence" and the 2021 "40 Under 40". In 2019, Saucon Valley Community Center recognized her as their Annual Dinner Honoree for her leadership and advancements in the Hellertown-Lower Saucon area, at which she was awarded an official key to the Borough of Hellertown. In 2015, Pennsylvania State Representative Justin Simmons invited Jessica to Harrisburg to recognize and acknowledge her for her impact in the Borough of Emmaus.
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In her free time, she enjoys snowmobiling in the Adirondacks, traveling to new places, spontaneous excursions with her husband, being silly and making memories with her two stepchildren, family & friend time, enjoying the local food scene across the Lehigh Valley and Carbon County, and any time with her two fur babies, Odis & KeKe.