Heather Adams

What’s your relationship to this town? 
I grew up in Norfolk and moved back in 2017 with my husband Bryan, and two children, Brown and Henry. My mom, Kathy Tirrell; extended family and friends, still live in town. I often consider my experience growing up here a central part of my identity. 

How did you come to be here?
After graduating college, I moved to Boston and lived and worked there for 15+ years. I met my husband and started a family. We decided to move back to Norfolk after many years of visiting my mom on weekends and holidays. We were living in Wellesley, Mass., which is very suburban, and we liked the idea of living in a smaller town and being closer to family. Bryan works remotely, and at the time of our move back, I was a full-time mom, so it felt like the right time to make a move. 

What do you do?
I work in the Advancement Office at Indian Mountain School. I have had a dual career path in nonprofit/school fundraising and cooking. I worked as a pastry chef in Boston for six years, but restaurants are no joke, and I made a move back to fundraising and development right before I had my oldest son, Brown. I still love to bake for friends and family! (Or anyone really) As the kids got older and I began to think about going back to work, the position at IMS was the perfect fit for my fundraising and event experience. 

What’s the best part of your work?
I love working where my kids go to school. My mom was a teacher at Botelle, and it was nice having her at school every day. I come from a family of teachers, and I really enjoy working at an educational institution. IMS has a welcoming and diverse community of faculty, staff and students. 

What do you like best about Norfolk? Least?
Our family really likes living in the center of town. Being able to walk to the Norfolk Library, Post Office, Infinity Hall and my mom’s house has helped us feel connected. We like both Norfolk’s rural feel and its proximity to other towns with activities, restaurants and cultural institutions. Bryan’s work takes him to Boston on a regular basis, and we enjoy being in the heart of New England. I also like being a member of the board of Norfolk Now and the Norfolk Hub. We really like the individuality of people in Norfolk; it is a refreshing place to land after the hustle and bustle of suburban living where there was often pressure to “keep up with the neighbors.” We would love to see a few more small businesses in town and a return of the farmer’s market!

What are your favorite seasons, and where are some of your favorite places in town? Why?
I have always loved summer in Norfolk, and my family agrees that it is one of the most beautiful places during the summer months, especially in August. We don’t really feel the need to “vacation” anywhere in the summer. We have friends who love coming to visit us and Norfolk for long weekends in the summer! Swimming at Tobey Pond, tennis, golf, concerts at Yale or Tanglewood and enjoying the outdoors keeps us busy. With two active boys, any weather in which they can play outside is optimal. We have spent many hours at “The Train” behind the library, and I would put it at the top of our favorite list along with Tobey and Haystack Mountain, all great places for kids! Personally, my favorite place in Norfolk is the center of town in August, at sunset looking west. 

What do you hope for the future of Norfolk?
I hope that Norfolk works to embrace change and growth with a more open mind. Thinking long-term about opportunities for the town and community could be really exciting. There are a lot of talented, smart, and generous people in town working together to problem solve and provide innovative, new ideas and solutions.  

–Interview by Micheal Cobb