In the Middle Ages, the term chatelain or castellan referred to the commander of the castle. The feminine form, chatelaine, was the woman who supervised its daily function and kept the keys. Frequently, she was in charge of hospitality to any guests. In the Middle Kingdom, we use the term chatelaine to refer to the officer who assists newcomers in their efforts to find a place within the Society for Creative Anachronism.
The Shire Chatelaine is charged with spear-heading recruitment and retention efforts at the shire level. He or she is also expected to be a go-to contact for all helpful information pertaining to acclimating new members to the SCA.