Inside the Changemaker Collective’s mission to connect, support, and elevate women across Centre County
On the final Monday in March, more than two dozen local women gathered on the second floor of the Eric J. Barron Innovation Hub in downtown State College.
Although their life paths varied, each found themselves in the building’s second-floor Happy Valley LaunchBox space for the formal introduction of Happy Valley Changemaker Collective’s newest addition.
Just after 6 p.m., a quiet hush fell over the room, and the attendees were given an icebreaker to spark conversation and set a relaxed tone for the next hour.
The late-March gathering launched the Work, Wealth, and Agency Collective, making it the sixth for the Changemaker Collective — an organization that was created last winter.
In November 2024, the co-founders Elizabeth Hay, Beth Shaha, and Jennifer Eisenhuth, along with Happy Valley LaunchBox planning committee members, occupied the same space in the Eric J. Barron Innovation Hub on the verge of turning an idea into reality.
That day, they welcomed more than 150 women into the space for the first W.E.Connect Women’s Conference, a boot camp of sorts designed to empower local women with leadership and tools for entrepreneurial growth, all under the banners of community and collaboration.
Before the conference concluded, attendees were tasked with sharing their ideas and interests on a designated community impact wall.
“What happened was an entire wall in the back of the Eric J. Barron Innovation Hub’s meeting space was filled with women who said ‘Yes, I want to be part of this,’” Shaha says, Changemaker Collective’s chief operations officer. “That was our community impact wall, not knowing what we wanted to do with it… We promised them that we could connect individuals in each of those categories or issues around a common joy of trying to get together and make something happen in the community.”
Before that first conference, the Changemaker trio envisioned W.E.Connect as an annual endeavor. That plan, however, was soon changed. It became patently clear that demand for such an outlet and platform in Centre County outpaced supply.
So they reevaluated their objective and focus.
That first W.E.Connect Conference was the genesis of the Happy Valley Changemaker Collective. Each of its six collectives took inspiration from the community impact wall: Creation and Expression; Entrepreneurship; Lifestyle and Community; Sustainability; Wellness; Work, Wealth, and Agency.
“We all agreed that this needs to be every day — it needs to be daily accessible — this just can’t be a conference one and done,” Eisenhuth says, Changemaker Collective’s chief people officer. “That truly was a catalyst for us keeping it going.”
More than 400 community members have interacted with Changemaker since its debut. And last year’s conference doubled in size, with over 250 women attending.
For every collective, there are up to three “expert leaders” who facilitate monthly meetings and help develop ideas and inspiration. Community interest and demand remain strong.
Lisa Pellicciotta attended last year’s W.E.Connect Conference at the recommendation of a good friend. The energy that November day, she says, was infectious. Connecting with others who shared similar interests and ideas energized Pellicciotta, who is “in the process of hopefully opening my own business.”
Two months later, she found herself at one of the organization’s kickoff events. Today, Pellicciotta is a member of multiple collectives and was recently named a co-leader of the Lifestyle Collective.
While Changemaker provides a space to share ideas and dreams, it also gives seasoned professionals a platform from which to meet others, a not-so-easy endeavor due to State College’s transient population. Pellicciotta says that aspect is invaluable.
“It’s one thing when you’re going to Penn State and have natural connections from your classes or your professors,” Pellicciotta says. “As a professional in State College, it’s not easy to find that. The collective really gives a lot of women an opportunity in all different facets. … There are just so many options that if you feel like you’re lacking in one area, there’s a collective for it.”
Among the more than 400 individuals who have participated in Changemaker, no single demographic holds a monopoly on the roster. The age range of participants spans from teenagers to those well into their sixth decade. Despite age differences, a practical skill or a new idea creates a shared connection that Changemaker aims to foster.
There’s also no cost to join a collective. Those interested in tapping into one or more can do so for free under the Community Member option.
Andrea Pandolfi found herself among that first group of attendees of the W.E.Connect Conference two years ago. The event coincided with Pandolfi’s then-recent completion of graduate school, where she earned a master’s degree in corporate innovation and entrepreneurship. She scoured the local entrepreneurial landscape and came across information about the 2024 conference.
She vividly recalls writing her name on the community impact wall near the entrepreneurship category. Pandolfi attended an organizational meeting a few months later, where she, along with Angel Mariotti, agreed to co-chair the Entrepreneurship Collective.
“It has really been a unique opportunity for me to come together with other women who I hadn’t met before through other channels in the community, and I’m not sure that I would have met them otherwise,” Pandolfi says. “It’s been great to really know a much broader network. And it’s people coming from all different places and types of careers, so we’re constantly learning from each other.”
Approximately 60 members comprise the Entrepreneurship Collective. The larger group meets for WOVEN networking events each quarter, and several smaller circle meetings take place monthly. The Entrepreneurship Collective’s roster features women from diverse backgrounds, stages of business, and experiences.
“They come from corporate, higher education, healthcare, professional services, professional sports, and now they’re working on businesses that also have a very wide span, from food and beverage or the hospitality industry to wellness, business consulting,” Pandolfi says. “Each month that we meet, we have a topic that we focus on to develop, either business fundamentals or leadership.”
The Entrepreneurship Collective isn’t the only subsection of the Changemaker Collective to draw strong interest.
Rachel Mateo and Shaha first met through wellness pursuits along Mateo’s career as a personal trainer. As the Changemaker Collective developed, Mateo’s experience as a wellness-and-fitness professional aligned with one of the collectives being considered at the time.
Mateo joined the Changemaker Collective late last year and was tapped as a co-leader of the Wellness Collective a couple of months ago.
Of the more than 100 events Changemaker has offered since its inception, the Wellness Collective has facilitated many focused on practical topics. One was a sourdough workshop that featured a discussion of gut health and the health benefits of sourdough.
Members of the Wellness Collective also trekked to The Healing Room off Pine Hall Road for an event titled “Burnout to Balance.” The experience included a conversation about managing stress and the importance of balance in one’s life.
The Wellness Collective’s most recent gathering took place in March, when members participated in a self-defense workshop at the Eric J. Barron Innovation Hub’s Happy Valley LaunchBox. Two Penn State law enforcement officers presented and shared ways members can be more aware of their surroundings and defend themselves.
Like Pellicciotta, Mateo believes that part of Changemaker’s value is not only the business-career mentorship it provides. The sense of community with like-minded individuals is equally beneficial.
“That’s part of health, that sisterhood, that community,” Mateo says. “Being part of something bigger and having the ability to network and connect with a diverse group of women. That’s a huge part of it because a lot of times, people don’t have the outlets they want, or they want more outlets and more community. At the very least, (Changemaker Collective) provides that for them.”
Mateo, Pellicciotta, and Pandolfi are just three of the approximately 20 leaders for the greater collective. The title of leader, however, is merely a formality.
Changemaker emphasizes that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Although each collective has its designated leaders, anyone with experience in a particular area is encouraged to contribute and share ideas.
“They are creating events, experiences, and conversations around those topics,” Shaha says. “Our hope is that each of them becomes a go-to expert in the area, and a resource for women in the area who are able to be relied upon and become involved with making an impact if they want.”
The impact so far has already begun to be felt in the community. And over time, Changemaker leadership hopes its collectives will become even greater resources to the State College and Centre County communities.
Last month, collective leaders spoke at a national conference for contract workers. As the number of women entering the trade workforce continues to climb, members of that particular collective were invited to speak and share their insights on making the workplace more inclusive and welcoming to women.
“We don’t just want to create spaces for women — we want to create impact,” Hay says. “Yes, we meet as women, but we’re also resources for the broader community. Being invited to speak at the conference showed that. Our Work, Wealth, and Agency Collective includes leaders with real experience in the trades, and they’re helping shape how women are seen and supported in those spaces.”
Those with ideas, dreams, and curiosities can find a welcoming resource in the Changemaker Collective. Members host a coffee chat at Good Day Cafe on the first Friday of each month, where those interested in joining are encouraged to attend and learn more about the organization. The organization’s website hvchangemakers.com also includes a plethora of information.
As a new nonprofit, the organization continues to seek financial support as it aspires to expand its reach and create an empowering space for local women. Several tiers of support are available, with annual financial obligations starting at $75.
“There are so many women with incredible ideas and passions,” Hay says. “When you bring them together, that’s where real change starts.” T&G
Elton Hayes is a freelance writer in State College
