Kaitlyn Keating

39 | Attorney, Partner, Caffry & Keating PLLC
Residence: Washington

Career Highlights: The career highlight I am most proud of is my almost-decade-long partnership with Jim Caffry, culminating in a formal partnership this year with the creation of “Caffry & Keating PLLC”. After years of working alongside Jim, whom I deeply respect, I am proud to now call myself a partner in our firm. This formal partnership is more than a title — it’s the culmination of years of dedication, trust, shared values, and a mutual commitment to the clients we serve.

I am also extremely proud of my induction into the Special Needs Alliance (“SNA”). The SNA is a national, invitation-only organization comprised of attorneys committed to the practice of disability law and special needs planning. The SNA provides resources, education, and a directory of experienced attorneys to help individuals with disabilities and their families secure and protect their rights and financial stability through guided legal planning. The SNA advocates for public policy changes, supports its members with professional development, and helps connect people with local attorneys specializing in areas such as special needs trusts, public benefits, and guardianships. I was extremely proud to be included among its membership when I was invited to join last year.

Community Involvement: Chairing the Northfield Community Development Network (“NCDN”), which is a community 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to working for economic revitalization and community development and improvement of Northfield, Vermont. Since I joined, NCDN has established “Designated Village Center” status for Northfield Falls, and helped create and hire the new position of Economic Development Director for Northfield, leading to a ‘Designated Downtown’ status for Northfield. NCDN also hosts the annual ‘Northfield Night On The Common’, which gathers and celebrates all the community organizations and volunteer initiatives serving Northfielders.

This position led me to be chosen as the Community Chair of the ‘Northfield: Our Common Future’ series hosted by the Vermont Council on Rural Development as part of its Community Visits program. This Community Visits program is a way for towns to engage and bring together residents, set common goals and directions in a neutral and facilitated structure, and access resources that will help them take action on those goals. The Community Visit program gets citizens engaged in working for their communities and connects them to the resources they need to be successful.

And from this Community Visit series, four Task Forces were created in Northfield, and I joined the “Accessibility, Walkability, & Pedestrian Safety Task Force”.

Along with my fellow Task Force members, we have helped bring ‘safe routes to school’ by replacing and improving the sidewalks and crosswalks around the local schools; encouraged the repair of a walking bridge in town; designed and implemented a universally accessible picnic table to be replicated throughout town; improved accessibility at the Municipal Pool, Library, Community Room, Town Common, school sports fields; initiated sidewalk studies in conjunction with professors and students at Norwich University; and generally raised awareness throughout town about the ways in which our community can be more universally inclusive and universally accessible.

Concurrent with my membership in this Task Force, I am also a part of the Northfield Riverwalk Project, which aims to design and build a universally accessible path alongside the river in downtown Northfield.

What motivated you to live and work in Vermont: I was motivated to live and work in Vermont because I grew up here, and my family and my husband’s family still reside here. While I went to undergrad out-of-state and lived abroad for a period of time, I returned to Vermont because of my family, and because Vermont is a great place to live. Vermont is rich with natural beauty, recreational opportunities, and community engagement.

Favorite part of your job: My favorite, and the most meaningful, part of my work is helping individuals with disabilities and their families find peace of mind. Every family I work with is navigating a unique set of challenges, and it is incredibly rewarding to guide them toward solutions that bring both security and opportunity. Whether it is structuring financial resources or ensuring access to critical public benefits programs, I focus on strategies that help my clients live with greater independence, stability, and dignity. Knowing that my work can make a lasting difference in someone’s everyday life is what makes this work so fulfilling.

What would most people be surprised to learn about you: I can solve a Rubik’s Cube, and at one time, could solve it in under a minute.

Favorite Vermont escape: My favorite Vermont escape is climbing Camel’s Hump – rain, shine, or snow, it is such a rewarding journey that I have loved to repeat for years.

Drawing on your experiences, what advice would you give to someone looking to get involved in community service: Start small and local. It is easy to feel overwhelmed by big issues, especially given the political, environmental, social climate these days. But as cliche as it sounds, meaningful change often starts in your own neighborhood. When I began volunteering, I chose a cause I felt personally connected to—it helped me stay motivated and engaged. And it also helped me meet and engage with my neighbors. Don’t wait for the ‘perfect’ opportunity; just show up, be consistent, and be open to learning. Community service isn’t just about helping others—it’s about growing yourself, too. Listen more than you speak, and always try to approach people with respect and humility.