About Tim
A career spent in service to Vermont
Tim’s career in public and professional service to Vermont spans local and state leadership roles, including affordable housing development, primary health care, helping lead the first months of Vermont’s COVID-19 response.
A History of Local and Statewide Leadership
Tim Ashe came to Vermont to attend the University of Vermont (UVM), fell in love with the state and later just plain fell in love, and has dedicated himself to serving others since. Since 2021 he has served as the Deputy State Auditor.
The fourth son of a public school teacher and a probation officer, Tim graduated from the University of Vermont in 1999, and immediately joined Bernie Sanders’ Vermont staff. He logged hundreds of hours a car seat away from Bernie crisscrossing Vermont many times over. He credits his time with Bernie with cementing his belief that government can play a positive role in improving people’s lives and that public resources must be used as effectively and efficiently as possible.
Tim visiting the North Country Career Center.
Shortly after receiving his masters degree from the Kennedy School of Government in 2004, Tim won a seat on the Burlington City Council, winning re-election twice. He quickly established himself as a stalwart supporter of policies to improve and increase the supply of affordable home ownership and rental housing, and authored some of Burlington’s early climate change legislation. He also passed legislation requiring all city departments to produce annual performance measurement reports.
Tim’s affordable housing career began in 2005 when he became director of the Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity’s Mobile Home Project where he assisted residents in Vermont’s 250 mobile home parks to improve conditions in their communities. He remains inspired by the many residents who stood up for their rights, and who stepped up to help neighbors in need.
Tim later became the Project Manager at Cathedral Square (CSC), Vermont’s primary non-profit developer of high-quality affordable housing for seniors and people with disabilities. In his role at CSC, he managed projects creating or renovating 396 apartments with combined budgets exceeding $30 million.
Tim speaking on the floor of the Vermont Senate.
From 2009 to 2021, Tim served in the Vermont Senate. Tim sponsored bills and was a leader on issues ranging from marriage equality and gun safety, to land conservation and rural economic development, to protecting reproductive rights and addressing climate change. His legislative roles including four years on the Appropriations Committee, four years chairing the Finance Committee, and ended with four years serving as the Senate President.
He currently serves as president of the Board of Directors of the Community Health Centers of Burlington, and just completed more than four years on the Board of the Humane Society of Chittenden County, finishing as the vice-president. He previously served on the boards of Housing Foundation, Inc., a non-profit that manages hundreds of affordable housing units throughout Vermont, and Spectrum Youth and Family Services, an organization serving at-risk youth. He’s served stints on Vermont’s Judicial Nominating Board, Economic Progress Council, and Emergency Board.
Tim coached the Old North End little league Pirates for two great seasons, and volunteered on local school initiatives. He continues to play as much competitive soccer as he can, in all seasons, despite having more and more trouble keeping up with the young players!
He lives in Burlington with Paula Routly, his partner of more than twenty years.