Elms College Appoints Seven New Board of Trustees Members

CHICOPEE — Elms College announced that seven prominent leaders in the region have joined the board of trustees.

Kathleen Bernardo is a partner at Bulkley Richardson and leads the Real Estate practice group. Her practice focuses on commercial real-estate matters such as conveyancing, financing, leasing, title matters, and all aspects of complex property transfers, including purchase agreements, easements, liquor-license transfers, special permits, regulatory compliance, zoning and variance issues, 1031 exchange transfers, boundary disputes, public and private conservation restrictions including agricultural preservation restrictions, petitions to partition, and other land-court matters. Her probate practice includes the preparation of wills and trusts, estate and trust administration, equity petitions, guardianships, and conservatorships.

Larry Eagan is the president and CEO of Collins Electric and has been with the company since 1984. Collins Electric is a private company with offices in Chicopee and Pittsfield, sales of more than $15 million, and more than 80 employees. Collins Electric is an Elms College vendor and a sponsor of the Executive Leadership Breakfast. Eagan is on the board of directors of Associated Subcontractors of Massachusetts, serves as the chapter president of Legatus of Western Massachusetts, and is a member of the National Electrical Contractors Assoc.

Lindsey Gamble is the director of Nursing at Mercy Medical Center, a broad role that carries with it many responsibilities, including staffing, budgeting, training, and ongoing education of the nursing staff. Gamble started her nursing career as a labor and delivery nurse. She played a key role in the opening of Mercy’s Innovation Unit, designed to ensure that families of COVID-19 patients stay connected with the patient and the care team during their hospital stay.

Catherine Ormond, SSJ serves as pastoral visitor at St. Jerome’s Parish in Holyoke and most recently was pastoral minister at St. Patrick’s Church in South Hadley for nearly 20 years. Prior to that, she held counseling positions at Holyoke Catholic High School and Charles River Hospital in Chicopee Falls, and was coordinator of services at Brightside Mental Health Clinic.

Frank Robinson is the vice president of Public Health for Baystate Health. In this role, he is responsible for integrating clinical and community care to better serve vulnerable people and populations across the spectrum of diversity and create healthier communities. Robinson also represents Baystate Health in the area of community relations by building a shared agenda and common goals for community improvement with neighborhood, community, and business representatives, as well as other key stakeholders. He has led the establishment of the Baystate Springfield Educational Partnership and the founding of the Baystate Academy Charter Public School.

Betsy Sullivan, SSJ serves as president of the congregation for the Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield. She has extensive leadership experience, including vice president of the congregation, preceded by three decades as a licensed administrator of Mont Marie Health Care Center, a licensed nursing home in Holyoke.

Henry Thomas III serves as president and CEO of the Urban League of Springfield Inc. He has worked in the Urban League movement for 43 years, serving 39 years as president and CEO. Previously, he served as vice president for Youth Development with the National Urban League in New York. He is also the former chair of the Springfield Fire Commission and the Springfield Police Commission. Thomas serves as CEO for the historic Camp Atwater, the oldest African-American overnight youth camp in the U.S., which he reopened in 1980 following a six-year hiatus. He served on the UMass board of trustees from 2007 to 2021 and served as chairman in 2012.

“I am delighted to welcome these seven new members to the board,” said Harry Dumay, president of Elms College. “Their guidance and support will be important to me as we advance the strategic vision of the college.”