By the Connect Crew | August 5, 2026
Some people leave Happy Valley to chase new opportunities. They build careers, raise families, and discover new places along the way. Then something unexpected happens. They realize the place they left behind still feels like home.
We recently sat down with two guests on the Connect Happy Valley podcast whose stories capture that feeling in different ways. Katy Colby and Karen Shelley each found their way back to Happy Valley for different reasons. One came back because she wanted to make a difference in her community. The other returned because she wanted the best possible place to build a life with her family.
Together, their stories remind us that Happy Valley is more than a place on a map. It is a community people choose again and again.
You can watch both conversations here:
Katy Colby: Building Community One Connection at a Time
Katy Colby proudly calls herself both a “townie” and a “boomeranger.” She grew up in State College, headed to the University of Notre Dame, spent a formative year in France, and built hospitality experience in Napa Valley before eventually making her way back to Centre County.
Looking back, she realized returning home was never about taking a step backward. It was about finding a place where her work could have a lasting impact.
After living in larger communities, Colby gained a new appreciation for what makes Happy Valley unique. It is large enough to offer opportunity and small enough that individuals can truly make a difference. People know one another. Ideas become action. Community involvement is not just encouraged. It is visible.
That belief shapes everything she does today.
As Program Manager for Penn State’s Extended Learning Partnerships, Colby helps create conferences, events, and educational experiences that connect people from across industries and communities. She also serves on the College Township Industrial Development Authority, where she supports conversations about economic growth, small businesses, and the future of the region.
Many people also know her as the creator of CentreVibes, the popular Instagram account that highlights local events, restaurants, live music, festivals, and experiences throughout Happy Valley.
What started as a simple response to the familiar complaint that “there’s nothing to do here” has grown into something much more meaningful.
CentreVibes helps people discover ways to participate in their community.
Whether someone is looking for a hidden gem restaurant, a local festival, or a new weekend adventure, Colby wants them to experience everything Happy Valley has to offer. Every post is an invitation to explore, meet people, and support local businesses.
Her background in hospitality also gives her a deep appreciation for the people who own and operate those businesses. She understands the challenges they face, from rising costs and labor shortages to financing and long-term sustainability. Yet she remains optimistic because she sees entrepreneurs as essential to the character and culture of the community.
She is equally passionate about strengthening connections between local farms and local restaurants, believing there is tremendous opportunity to build stronger relationships that benefit everyone.
Throughout our conversation, one theme kept coming up.
Connection.
Colby is always looking for ways to bring people, organizations, and ideas together. Whether she is introducing someone to a new local business, encouraging residents to venture beyond familiar places, or helping create educational partnerships, she believes stronger communities are built one connection at a time.
Her story is a reminder that Happy Valley is a place where getting involved still matters. It is a place where one person can make a meaningful difference.
Watch the full interview with Katy here.
Karen Shelley: Coming Home to What Matters Most
Karen Shelley’s story begins at Penn State more than three decades ago.
As a student in the early 1990s, she met her future husband, Lucas, at McCoy Natatorium. She worked as the towel attendant. He was a member of the swim team. One introduction led to another, and before long they had built a life together.
After years in Chambersburg raising four children, Happy Valley began calling them back.
The decision did not happen overnight.
As their children became competitive swimmers, the family returned to State College regularly for meets. Every visit reminded them why they had loved the area as students. Their connection grew even stronger when their oldest daughter committed to swim at Penn State.
Soon afterward, Lucas accepted a position with Geisinger at Mount Nittany Medical Center, and the timing finally felt right to make the move.
Listening to Shelley, it quickly becomes clear this was about much more than a job opportunity.
It was about choosing a way of life.
Since returning, she has embraced every opportunity to become part of the community. She has found friendships through pickleball, volunteered at Good Day Café, explored neighborhoods she barely knew as a student, and discovered that there is always something happening beyond campus.
One part of her story will resonate with many families considering a move.
Like any parent, Shelley wondered how her youngest daughter, Natalie, would adjust to a new school and a new community. Moving into State College Area High School could have been intimidating, but through swimming, school activities, and welcoming classmates, Natalie quickly found her place.
That experience reinforced what the entire family was beginning to feel.
Happy Valley has a remarkable way of helping people belong.
Shelley talks enthusiastically about everything the region offers. Arts. Music. Penn State athletics. Outdoor recreation. Community events. Opportunities to volunteer. Friendly neighbors. For her family, those things are not simply amenities. They have become part of everyday life.
One moment from our conversation says it all.
After the Shelleys moved back, something unexpected happened. Instead of constantly traveling to see friends and former teammates, those friends started coming to them. People kept finding reasons to visit Happy Valley.
That is when they realized they had not simply returned to where their story began.
They had found home again.
One Community. Two Stories.
Katy Colby and Karen Shelley returned to Happy Valley for different reasons.
Katy found a place where she could contribute, build connections, and help shape the future of her community.
Karen found a place where her family could thrive, build lasting friendships, and enjoy an exceptional quality of life.
Their stories are different, but the message is the same.
Happy Valley is more than a great place to visit or earn a degree. It is a place where people find purpose, build relationships, and create lives they love.
For many who leave, that is exactly what brings them back.
One Response
Two more excellent stories that reflect so many others. Happy Valley is such a great place to live. I hope more people boomerang back.
If you are reading this and have not lived in Happy Valley, you should start looking for work here or to retire here. I have never talked with anyone who regretted the move here.