My Roots

In 1996, the small grocery store in my rural Vermont town closed, and suddenly the closest place to buy food was over 30 minutes away. My friend Katie and I—both young moms—were each quietly dreaming about creating a community space centered around healthy food and local connection. When our husbands happened to compare notes over lunch, we realized we shared the same vision. And we got to work.

What began as two friends dreaming around a kitchen table turned into a four-year journey of community organizing, coalition-building, fundraising, and learning. We created a steering committee that reflected the full diversity of our town—lifelong locals and newcomers, elders, young families, conservatives and progressives. We handed out surveys at the dump and the laundromat, held listening sessions, and partnered with everyone from local selectboards to nearby food co-ops. Together, we built something lasting.

Today, over 20 years later, that co-op has tripled in size and is a vital hub for our town. I’m no longer on the board—but I shop there nearly every day. It’s a living reminder of the power of shared purpose and grassroots action.

That experience lit a spark in me. Since then, I’ve trained hundreds of nonprofit professionals, fundraisers, and board members. What continues to drive me is the transformational power of people working together toward something meaningful—and the equally vital work of helping individuals discover their own leadership, voice, and inner compass.

This is my north star: to help people connect with their deepest values, step into their wholeness, and move with clarity and confidence in the world.

About Jenn

Jenn Hayslett is an executive coach and consultant with over 30 years of experience helping people and organizations lead with clarity, integrity, and heart. Her work focuses on leadership development, strategic planning, fundraising, and team building—with a special emphasis on nurturing authentic connection and forward movement.

With a background in education, publishing, fundraising, and community organizing, Jenn brings a rare blend of big-picture strategy and grounded, relational insight. She’s trained hundreds of professionals through hands-on workshops, courses, and coaching programs that focus on real-world impact—especially in values-driven and mission-based settings.

Jenn is the creator and lead trainer for the Fundraising Certificate Program through Philanthropy Massachusetts and Common Good Vermont. She received her coach through the Co-Active Training Institute and is a certified DEIB consultant through the Institute for Nonprofit Practice and is an Andy Robinson–trained facilitator and consultant.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, Jenn moved to Vermont for college (BA in Education with honors from UVM) and stayed—drawn by the landscape and the sense of community. Along with her husband and partner of 40+ years, Jenn lives in deep connection to the land and to her family. She is the proud mother of two adult children and grandmother to a very cute and endearing grandchild who keeps her grounded and connected to what matters most.