Jennifer Hatfield entered the pool and hot tub industry as a government-relations expert after serving as a legislative committee attorney. As a water lover and with experience as a pool operator, lifeguard and swim instructor, Hatfield found the industry greatly appealing.
In 2006, Hatfield was the in-house government relations director and lobbyist for the Florida Swimming Pool Association. In 2010, she started her own consulting business and worked for both the FSPA and APSP. She has also collaborated with the IHTA many times, on monthly calls with its engineering group and advising IHTA on hot tub industry matters. Earlier this year, Hatfield became vice president of government relations and codes for what is now the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance.
Hatfield was part of the team that got the ANSI/APSP/ICC-7 suction entrapment standard adopted into building codes. Her more recent accomplishments include aiding in continued growth on adoptions of the APSP-14 portable spa energy efficiency standard and the International Swimming Pool & Spa Code. She says she is also proud of the work PHTA and its members did to find the best outcomes possible amid COVID-19’s many challenges.
Hatfield says while most regulators and elected officials still tend to be male, she sees an increase in women’s contributions leading the industry forward. “Like any industry, there are some who may devalue a woman’s opinion,” she says. “Over my 14 years, I have experienced that at times, but I see it less and less, and overall I believe our industry is very supportive of women. Looking at how we have our first woman CEO of PHTA, our chair-elect is a woman, our IHTA strategic leadership team is a woman, and I could go on.”