GREENFIELD — After a little over two years as Greenfield’s chief of staff, Erin Anhalt has resigned from her role to spend more time with family.
Anhalt, whose last day in City Hall was Friday, Oct. 16, said in a phone interview on Monday that chief of staff is a very time-intensive position, and with her son being a senior in high school, she decided to step down to ensure she would have adequate time to spend with him and celebrate his senior year. She does not have a new job lined up at this time.
“I’m taking time to refocus on my family,” Anhalt said. “It’s a very stressful job, and I’ve loved every minute of it.”
As chief of staff, Anhalt said her work often included late nights and weekends, as she represented the Mayor’s Office at community events, as well as board and committee meetings. She added that she has enjoyed the job, particularly getting to work with citizens to address their concerns.
“I wish nothing but the best to the city,” she said. “I loved the day-to-day work of knowing I made a positive impact on citizens’ lives.”
Greenfield has not yet hired a replacement for Anhalt, who said she hopes the city can find someone who appreciates the city’s character and people, and recognizes its opportunities.
“Greenfield is a city with unlimited potential,” Anhalt said. “And it has some of the best department heads you could want to work with.”
In a statement, Mayor Ginny Desorgher thanked Anhalt for her work.
“Erin served our community with exceptional commitment,” Desorgher said. “I have deeply appreciated her collaborative spirit, her community-centered approach and the foundation she built through programs like the Citizens Academy. We thank Erin for her dedicated service and wish her the absolute best in her next chapter.”
The city hired Anhalt in August 2024 after the departure of former Chief of Staff Keith Barnicle. In her time with the city, she has helped secure grant funding, work on strategic planning and oversee the Citizens Academy program.
Anhalt said she was particularly proud of the Citizens Academy, which took a cohort of 15 students to see the John Zon Community Center, the Department of Public Works yard, the Health Department offices, the Greenfield Public Library, the Fire Station and the Police Station to hear from employees who help keep the city running behind the scenes.
In addition to her role with the city, Anhalt works with the Secure Families Initiative, a nonpartisan advocacy group made up of military spouses and loved ones. She will continue to support the organization, and a few weeks ago, she spoke at its back-to-school summit.
In a statement, Communications Director Jonathon Weber said the Mayor’s Office will share more information about the hiring process in the coming weeks. Weber can be contacted regarding matters typically handled by the chief of staff at jonathon.weber@greenfield-ma.gov.
The job description posted to the city website explains that the chief of staff oversees the daily functions of the Mayor’s Office, serves as the liaison between the mayor and various city departments, investigates complaints, researches current and potential initiatives, and represents the mayor at meetings and events.
According to the city budget book, $73,945 was allocated for the role for fiscal year 2027.
