Behind the Scenes with Kathryn Torres

Each month, "Behind the Scenes" features an interview with a leader in our community designed to provide readers a glimpse into his/her interests and passions inside and outside of the workplace

This month, "Behind the Scenes" sat down with Kathryn Torres, Co Executive Director of the Better Middlebury Partnership

What is your hometown?

I was born in Cambridge, England, and grew up in a small borough called Godmanchester, about 50 miles from London.

Where did you go to school?

I attended the local village school until I was 11, and then went on to Hinchingbrooke, a nearby high school. I attended college as a mature student and earned my undergraduate and masters’ degrees in education and early years in the late 90’s and early 2000’s at Roehampton University in London, England.

First ever job?

I was talking to BMP board the other day, and reminiscing about the three years I spent working every Saturday at the Huntingdon Farmers’ Market between 14 and 17 years of age. My father was a sceptic about me lasting, so I stuck it out, probably to prove him wrong! I moved up over the years from the root vegetable section to the fine fruit, which was certainly a little easier than hauling 50lbs of potatoes around! It was never as cold as it gets in Vermont, but it RAINED a lot…!

It taught me the discipline of hard work, punctuality, perseverance, as well as the value of earning and saving towards things I wanted. Our family didn’t have abundant resources when we were growing up and being financially independent was truly significant, as I was finally able to finance the things I appreciated. I have always loved theatre and the arts, and much of my money went to train travel and matinee shows!

Who was your greatest inspiration growing up?

My maternal Grandmother. She was born in Lancashire England in 1911. She was steely, beautiful, stylish, funny and a force to be reckoned with, and I ADORED her, and she me. I was the middle child in my family, with an older brother and a little sister, and whenever I could, I would spend time with my grandmother. My Grandfather was a civil engineer, and they had lived in the Middle East and South East Asia. They eventually settled in a nearby village to us, and their home was a sanctuary. It was full of books, had a pantry full of deliciousness and the garden was magical. Full of hiding places and special nooks to get lost in. I can still remember the smell of apples in the summer house, where she taught me the art of taking afternoon tea, a habit I have to this day!

Favorite Vacation Spot?

That’s easy. Our camp on the lake in North Ferrisburgh-it’s a small slice of heaven. And close second is Cape Town South Africa, where we lived for 14 years.

Favorite movie, TV Show?

I have very varied tastes, but the only thing I can’t watch is horror, science fiction, or fantasy fiction, which makes family viewing a challenge, as my husband has instilled a love of all three genres in our children! Although my husband is American, we only moved to the States in 2019, just before the pandemic, so we had time to watch The West Wing from beginning to end. It felt like a character study on the American way of being, and a love letter to democracy, which was very soothing at a difficult time. I LOVE documentaries of any description, and historical biography. The latest movie I laughed out loud to was Saltburn, which is very funny and macabre, in a typically British way.

We are currently watching The Bear, which feels realistic and believable, and the character development over the series is incredible. When The Bear gets too stressful, we watch Julia, about the glorious Julia Child. It’s funny, quaint and adorable and provides a model of what a healthy and positive relationship to food and love looks like past the age of 50. It’s comforting and inspirational.

Who do you most admire?

Working mothers everywhere. They deserve a medal… the emotional labor of parenthood can sometimes go unnoticed and unrewarded, so they get my vote every time. The juggling required to hold home, children and family together takes enormous energy, and I salute every woman doing their best. Hero’s, every one.

Typical work week?

There is no typical day, which I enjoy. I have recently become co-director of The Better Middlebury Partnership (BMP) and our mission is to ensure that Middlebury is a wonderful place to live, work and play. The brief makes me so happy; it’s what attracted me to the role in the first place. We have a very supportive board, which makes the job a joy. We are currently working on getting the farmers’ market downtown to Triangle Park two days a week from June 2024, and this is currently taking up some of our time. We are also spending time getting to know our Middlebury town partners and listening to how we can assist them going forward. It’s been great getting to know a little more about how a successful town operates, and some of my favorite meetings have taken place on Main Street in Middlebury, counting lampposts and looking at opportunities for flags and bunting. In fact, I’ve talked so much about flags recently that Kelly my partner at the BMP dubbed me the queen of flags! I have so enjoyed getting to know the retailers and townspeople in Middlebury-it is early days, but I already feel immersed and very much part of the daily fabric of our beautiful shire town. As summer approaches, we’re looking forward to open doors and collaboration; helping to promote business in interesting and creative ways in whatever way we can.

Favorite type of music?

I am a product of my time, and I love female singer songwriters. Anything by Carol King, Joni Mitchell, Joan Armatrading. More recently, I listen to a lot of Anais Mitchell.

We live in New Haven during the winter, and I often find myself at the Watershed listening to her on repeat…her voice is both ethereal and grounded, and her voice just makes me so very happy. I love dancing and we’re lucky to have a great group of friends who love parties, so whether it’s The Grift, Earth Wind and Fire, or any sounds from the 70’s, 80’s or 90’s, you’ll find me in the middle of the dance floor. It’s a time to get truly lost and lean fully into my more playful side.

Biggest Career Challenge?

I have had a varied career over the decades: I trained for my city and guilds in hairdressing in the late 70’s. By the early 80’s I was working as a window dresser in a large chain of fashion stores, and graduated to a fashion buyer for a large chain of stores by the mid 80’s. The biggest career challenge I’ve had was when I decided to go back to school as an adult. My husband was incredibly supportive and helped me balance my studies with taking care of our young family, and although it was a lot of hard work, it was worth it. As an adult, I LOVED studying, and I soon realized that hard work and determination makes up for any gaps in knowledge. I’m a naturally curious person, and my world opened in a way I could not have imagined as a younger person. This career pivot meant that I could make a meaningful change to the world of non-profit, and I spent 14 happy years co-directing a literacy project in South Africa.

What's the greatest career risk you have taken?

Others may look at this decision as a risk, but for us, it was an adventure. In 2005, we left our jobs, rented our home, travelled for a year and homeschooled our children. This change was seminal to where we ended up for the next 14 years, and the decision we made has enriched our life beyond the realms of what I could have imagined as a small child. This choice ultimately led us back to Addison County, our chosen home.

What's the one thing you would like to see change in your business/industry?

I feel that each part of my varied life has collided in this role with the Better Middlebury Partnership. It’s a bit of a dream, really. The Japanese have the word “ikigai” which I believe roughly translates to ‘a motivating force, something that gives a person a sense of purpose or a reason for living.’ This might sound odd, but my new role asks for a very varied skill set-I have been a retailer, have a deep love of the arts and culture, have been an educator and have co-run a small non-profit organization. My heart, soul and the desire for connection, belonging and purpose is all fed through this role. How lucky am I?