Photo by Christina VanHorn,
UNH Human Resources

There is a familiar quote in the business world that states "with any successful organization, it all starts at the top." If you listen to people who have just come from programs and trainings at the Browne Center at UNH you're typically going to hear the following: "Awesome!" "Great!" "Wonderful!" A huge part of why these responses occur so often is due to the labor of love that it's Director, Pam McPhee, has for the work that is done there.

Originally from New Jersey, Pam chose UNH as an undergraduate because of her love of New England and because she wanted to row crew. And she didn't get this desire from having done it for years in New Jersey. "I saw a tiny picture in TIME Magazine," she remembers, "and I decided right there that was what I wanted to do in college." She was a member of the UNH Crew Team for all four of her undergraduate years. "Once here, I really connected with the people, the environment and the opportunities that UNH has to offer," she says. "One of the turning points of my life was having the opportunity to create a self-designed major at UNH in Outdoor Education. This was an extremely educational experience that would not have been possible without the guidance of Mike Gass. Other key people who have shaped my career have been Evelyn Browne and Dennis Meadows. I am very fortunate to have had such dynamic people in my life who have been passionate about the vision of the Browne Center, and who given freely of their talents and resources to make it what it is today."

The Browne Center works with over 9,000 people each year in various educational settings. As the Director of the Browne Center for the past 11 years, Pam oversees a staff of 4 full time people, and over 100 part time people. Her responsibilities include "teaching (adjunct faculty) in Kinesiology and Social Work, creating and researching new programs, strengthening student/employee/client relationships, and enhancing our facility while always keeping an eye on a balanced budget." While she says that "patience, perseverance, empathy, creativity, a sense of humor, and a love of people and the environment" are some of the skills needed for her job it's instantly obvious from speaking with her that the 'love of people and the environment' is what makes her such a wonderful leader in her position. "I find it very rewarding to see individuals authentically connect with themselves, their values, their colleagues, the environment and their purpose," Pam says. "At the Browne Center we honor people-however they show up, to help them identify and achieve their goals through insight, intention and action. Using experiential methods, I find the work to be very engaging, with a healthy dose of introspection and celebration."

A large goal of the programs offered by the Browne Center is to have its participants challenge themselves. Pam calls it "challenge by choice" which offers the individuals the ability to choose the level of challenge that makes the most sense to them. She speaks of "stretch zones" (where there is some degree of risk) and "strain zones" (where people are often so far out of their comfort zones that it might seem almost paralyzing to them). "We want to get people into their stretch zones within their organization(s) so that their comfort zone grows," Pam explains. "It's by challenging yourself where the most growth occurs."

One of the programs the Browne Center offers "Adventure Day for People With Cancer" was conceived of and designed by Pam herself. She says "the cancer itself is less than a pound, but then you think that your entire body has let you down. Even when people are at their weakest, think of the resilience the human body has. No matter what stage of cancer folks may be in we want them to celebrate the health they do have, and also the relationships they have. We all have the ability to go beyond our preconceived limitations. You live every moment you're alive! You're more than your disease!" This program shares an excellent relationship with the Exeter Hospital and has also received money from the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

As a resident of Durham, NH with her husband (Steve) and their two daughters (Molly, 10 and Kaeli, 9), Pam and her daughters enjoy eventing, polo and trail riding - activities brought on from owning a small horse farm. "My daughters and I are 'Team McPhee" when we play in an indoor polo league" Pam smiles. "When I came to UNH I always said to myself that I would someday ride in the UNH Horse Trial. After 20 years in the area I eventually took the Equine Instructors course here at UNH and I finally rode in that UNH Horse Trial!" She also enjoys long distance running and triathlons, having run in the Burlington Marathon as well as the Lobsterman Triathlon (with her daughters).

Pam and her horse, Minnie during UNH Horse Trials