New Hire Spotlight - Rec Director Kelley Peterson
The Town of Fairhaven is excited to welcome Kelley Peterson as our new Fairhaven Recreation Center Director!
Kelley started this position on September 12th. Kelley has lived in the SouthCoast her entire life and loves the history, diversity and culture of the region. Her major passions include recreation/sports, health, and wellness. She started her career at the YMCA, where she developed a love for serving the community. She brought the skills and knowledge she acquired at the YMCA into municipal recreation management. She has served the Town of Westwood and the City of New Bedford as a Recreation Program Manager, and is very excited to have joined the Town of Fairhaven as our Recreation Director.
Kelly shares that “Fairhaven is a scenic and quaint town with beautiful parks, open spaces and beaches. It is the perfect town to deliver innovative recreation opportunities and programming. I have a passion for public service and working with youth and families, and my new position with the Town gives me an opportunity to create a positive impact in the lives of the Fairhaven residents by offering safe, accessible, and diverse programming.”
Kelley’s previous work in municipal recreation management (in towns with varying needs, challenges, interests, and population sizes) has prepared her well for this role. Operating programming throughout the COVID-19 pandemic has prepared her to be highly adaptable and to think innovatively when it comes to program development and facility management. Additionally, her involvement in the Massachusetts Parks and Recreation Association has “equipped me with invaluable knowledge, tools and strategies that I can use in Fairhaven to further engage the community in quality recreation opportunities.”
Kelley has several goals for the Fairhaven Recreation Department. She aims to increase department engagement with the community by developing creative and strategic partnerships with public, private and non-profit agencies to ensure that the Fairhaven residents—especially the Fairhaven youth—have adequate access to recreation opportunities, health & wellness programming, and open spaces. She also plans to offer new programming that is inclusive/adaptive, fosters a love for nature, and promotes civic engagement. To contact the Recreation Department, call (508) 993-9269, or email Kelley at kpeterson@fairhaven-ma.gov. The Fairhaven Recreation Center is located adjacent to the Fairhaven Senior Center (227 Huttleston Ave, Fairhaven, MA).