Liz Hartsgrove was born and raised in the suburbs of Washington D.C and was a professionally trained dancer with the internationally renowned Maryland Youth Ballet. She studied, interned and performed with both American Ballet Theater and Joffrey Ballet Company in NYC and in Washington DC at the Kennedy Center.
After completing her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, Liz underwent a transformative shift, transitioning to a career with the National Park Service. As a Park Ranger, she embraced roles at Yosemite National Park and Boston National Historic Park, marking the beginning of her dedication to community service.
Driven by a desire to directly impact communities, Liz pursued a Master's in Public Administration and acquired multiple certificates from Suffolk University. Over the past two decades, she has demonstrated exceptional leadership, strategic planning, and community engagement expertise within local municipalities on Cape Cod, including Provincetown, Wellfleet, Yarmouth, Barnstable, Bourne, and now shifting to the Berkshires in her current role as Town Manager for Great Barrington.
Liz's distinctive blend of fine arts and public administration backgrounds brings a fresh, creative perspective to community leadership and intricate problem-solving. Committed to enhancing the lives of those she serves, Liz employs innovative leadership and design-thinking techniques, earning national recognition and the esteemed International Parking & Mobility Institute's 2021 Professional Excellence Award for Customer Service. Liz's passion, expertise, and commitment continue to resonate through her contributions to national and regional conferences, podcasts, published articles, including “WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP: Intentional Design of Gender-balanced Municipal Organizations,” April 2024 ICMA PM Magazine, and consulting engagements with various universities, organizations, and municipalities.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Liz is an active volunteer for local performing arts institutions, demonstrating her ongoing dedication to the arts. Alongside her husband, she joyfully lives vicariously through their two daughters.