Pam Henshall has held different positions in Philadelphia in the last 13 years, but she’s returning to her South Jersey roots to serve as executive director of the Community House of Moorestown.
Henshall graduated from the College of New Jersey with a bachelor’s in business. She has led various nonprofits and was president of the Greater Northeast Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, as well as executive director for the nonprofit Women In Transition. She also served as vice president of the Cherry Hill Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Henshall is described as someone who demonstrates the ability to develop, implement and oversee innovative marketing and promotional campaigns for mission-based businesses and charitable associations.
“ … A lot of people view the Delaware River as the Nile, and crossing over from one side to the other is a challenge,” she said. “It’s not because we’re in such a close region and we have so much synergy that we really are just the same. I’ve been very fortunate to be able to have worked and lived on both sides of the river, and I appreciate the region.”
Henshall has not only led nonprofits but also has experience in management, leadership, business development, marketing, administration, programming and fundraising. She is expected to bring new opportunities to the Community House.
“I’ve really blossomed as a professional and I’m able to bring a lot of those skills and experiences to the Community House,” she explained. “Because this is a very multi-level facility … I’ll be able to translate a lot of what I’ve brought (to) other organizations here.
“Each position was a jewel in its own right.”
The Community House is an independent nonprofit with tax-exempt status. Operations are overseen by a board of trustees and governed by a charter and a set of bylaws. The facility does not receive any township, county, state or federal funding, so it relies exclusively on donations from the community and room rental fees.
At 25,000 square feet, the Community House sits on 2.2 acres and has three floors, 40 rooms, seven bathrooms and an elevator. Aside from its history, Henshall also admires those who keep the property alive, describing them as engaged and passionate.
“ … The Community House is part of who they are and who they are is a part of the Community House,” she noted. “ … That translates to the staff as well. Everybody cares in their own right, everybody’s collaborative and it’s a team …
“Even though the mission is to support nonprofits and grassroots nonprofits and help them get their start, the Community House, and just the word ‘community,’ is the absolute model of a community, the best model I’ve ever seen.”
Henshall’s goal over the next 12 months is to understand and meet community partners and stakeholders engaged with the Community House. That involves not only the organization’s board of directors, volunteers and financial partners but also other community members and nonprofits in town.
“ … I’d like to see us as a collective making sure that we’re continuing to evolve the organization beyond the memories …” she suggested. “The future needs to change, because the offerings of the building have changed. But it’s moving in a positive direction, so it’s moving and it’s keeping up with the times and what have you, and it gives us an opportunity to be creative.”
