A Fresh Face in Station Place

Text by Patricia Platt
Photo by Kelly Kandra Hughes

After four years in operation, the Hub has a new manager, Jen Pfaltz.

“When the Hub first opened, no one knew just what it would become,” said Dawn Whalen, the executive director of the Norfolk Foundation. “Since then the Hub has become a vibrant community resource, and because of its popularity, we identified a need for a full-time manager who could enable us to take it to the next step in its evolution of services and activities. We call it Hub 2.0.”

Jen Pfaltz started as the Norfolk Hub office and program manager on Feb. 16. Whalen said, “When I dreamed of what a Hub manager needed to be, it was someone who could hit the ground running and was friendly, welcoming, a good listener and a collaborator. Jen nailed it 100 percent, and I think she will be a wonderful new face of the Hub.”

Pfaltz is new to Norfolk but not to New England. She grew up outside of Syracuse, N.Y., attended the University of New Hampshire and lived in Stockbridge for 10 years. She then moved to the Teton Valley area of Idaho, where she managed Stillwaters Spa at Teton Springs Resort and later served as the director of development at the Family Safety Network, an organization serving victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse. “I am looking forward to bringing my experience in management and nonprofits to the Hub,” says Pfaltz.

Pfaltz settled in Norfolk in June 2021. “I wanted to return to New England to be closer to my family, especially my aging mother, and to find a vibrant, active rural community that I could become part of,” she said. Norfolk was just what she was looking for, and she found a house with enough protected acreage for her three large rescue dogs. If you see her walking one or more of her Great Pyrenees around town, she welcomes folks to stop her for a chat.

Pfaltz expects to “wear many hats” as she manages the building and the Hub’s activities. Her responsibilities for operating the building and maintaining the variety of existing activities will continue the work started by Whalen, who originally served as Hub manager as well as being executive director of the foundation. Pfaltz plans to maintain strong working relationships with the member organizations. Community events, office space rentals, the free use of the central area and visitor services will all continue as usual.

The plans to expand the Hub’s existing activities are evolving and will be developed in collaboration with the Norfolk Foundation. “Right now, we are in the exploration stage of how to achieve Hub 2.0,” said Pfaltz. She is taking every opportunity to meet community members, learn about their interests and help the Hub morph into what the community needs. One of her primary goals is “to make sure all members of our community realize the Hub is for them. The Hub is for everyone.” Programming is likely to be expanded, too. “We want to encourage many kinds of Hub talks,” added Pfaltz. “All in all, we hope to welcome all community members and guests to visit, work and meet at the Hub.”

“I want people to come in and feel at home here,” says Pfaltz. She hopes that people will “stop by and meet me and say hello. I don’t think many people realize what the Hub is. They should stop by and let me show them!” She can be reached at the Hub or via email at jenp@norfolkfoundation.net.