Page 18 - BusinessWest Women of Impact 2020
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Pattie Hallberg says she enjoys spending time with Girl Scouts, and those who have been Scouts and can
talk about what that organization has done for them.
   from a merger, which she managed, of three councils; her advocacy for young women; her work to inspire girls to pursue careers in STEM; her involvement in the community (she’s involved with groups ranging from the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts to the Investing in Girls Alliance in Worcester); and even how she has handled the responsibilities of being a mother and grandmother.
“It’s so important to teach children in general — for me, my job is girls — to learn about the community and to give back to their community,” she said. “That’s the ultimate community service in Girl Scouting, and I try be a role model for that; I try to give back to my community as best I can.”
Mostly, though, she is a role model, and a Woman of Impact, for the way in which she has devoted most of her career to understanding the issues and challenges facing women and
girls — and there are many of them — and being proactive in finding ways to address them.
When asked about what her work entails, Hallberg said there is a lengthy job description, as might be expected when managing a $4 million agency. But overall, she said it boils down to two main duties — listening and relationship building.
“This is a business about relationships,” she explained. “I spend a lot of time talking to people who were Girl Scouts about what Girl Scouts meant to them. And then I talk to a lot of girls about what they’re doing, what they want to do, and where they want to go.”
Suffice it to say, during her career advocating for women and girls, she has gone well beyond talk. And that’s why she was nominated for, and is a recipient of, this BusinessWest honor.
Moving Stories
Among her many goals and aspirations, Hallberg wants to someday hear someone say, ‘Eagle Scout? Is that the equivalent of being a Gold Scout in the Girl Scouts?’ or words to that effect.
She’s heard the reverse of this question more times than she would care to say or count, because while most everyone
has heard references to Eagle Scouts, the highest rank in Boy Scouts and
a proud line on any résumé, only those in the know understand its counterpart. Hallberg wants more people to know and thus put an end to those frustrating questions.
But she has more
pressing concerns at the
moment, especially the
many challenges facing
girls of all ages today. When asked to give a list, Hallberg put stress at the very top of it.
“Girls are under an incredible amount of stress today,” she explained. “There’s the stress to do well in school, and all those things that we’ve all had, but there’s this added layer to it now that’s really overwhelming.”
Much of this stress is connected to bullying, she
went on, adding that, while it has always been an issue, today it is an even deeper concern, for obvious reasons.
“The stories are overwhelming ... what can happen to a girl in just a moment, mostly around the internet,” she said. “It’s frightening, and it really takes its toll on these girls.”
For these reasons, the Girls Scouts and especially the GSCWM have always been
  There has never been a more important time in our country for Women Leadership.
 Thank you, Pattie Hallberg, for being the ultimate troop leader!
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