Lisa Chase

Lisa Chase serves as Extension Professor and Natural Resources Specialist at the University of Vermont's Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, where she directs the Vermont Tourism Research Center (VTRC). Her work bridges academic research with practical applications in community development and natural resource management across Vermont and internationally.

Her educational background includes a B.A. in Economics from the University of Michigan (1990), M.S. in Agricultural and Resource Economics from Cornell University (1996), and Ph.D. in Natural Resource Management and Policy from Cornell University (2001).

• B.A. Economics, University of Michigan, 1990
• M.S. Agricultural and Resource Economics, Cornell University, 1996
• Ph.D. Natural Resource Management and Policy, Cornell University, 2001

Chase's research focuses on the intersection of food systems, community vitality, tourism, and working landscapes. She has pioneered work in agritourism economics, examining how farms can diversify revenue through tourism while maintaining agricultural integrity. Her research spans rural economic development, sustainable tourism practices, and the social dimensions of natural resource management, with particular emphasis on Vermont's unique landscape and agricultural heritage. She co-authored the foundational text Food, Farms and Community: Exploring Food Systems and established the Global Agritourism Network following the International Workshop on Agritourism she chaired in 2022.

Her publication portfolio reveals a strong trajectory in agritourism economics, community-based tourism development, and food system resilience, with recent work addressing pandemic impacts on local food businesses and the sustainability paradox facing Vermont farmers. Studies increasingly incorporate interdisciplinary approaches, combining economic analysis with social science methodologies to address complex rural development challenges.

Award highlights include:

• Founding Chair of the Global Agritourism Network (2022)
• National Extension Tourism Career Achievement Award (2023)
• National Extension Tourism Award for Excellence in Tourism Programming (Team) for the International Workshop on Agritourism (2023)

As Director of the Vermont Tourism Research Center, Chase leads initiatives connecting academic research with practical tourism development. Her outreach spans farmers, food entrepreneurs, and tourism businesses across Vermont and internationally, building networks like the Global Agritourism Network that facilitate knowledge exchange between practitioners and scholars. She has conducted research and outreach in New York, Colorado, Costa Rica, and Ecuador, demonstrating a commitment to both local and global applications of her work.

The Vermont Tourism Research Center serves as her primary operational hub, functioning as Vermont's sole research center dedicated to tourism and recreation. Under her leadership, VTRC provides critical resources including agritourism 'how-to' guides, economic benefit studies, and state-wide association listings that directly support Vermont's tourism-dependent communities.