People on the Move
Kiley O’Meara
The directors of the Irene E. & George A. Davis Foundation announced that Kiley O’Meara has been named the new executive director of the foundation. She will oversee the foundation’s strategic initiatives and brings with her three decades of experience in philanthropy, policy, and education. For the past year, O’Meara has served the Davis Foundation as director of Strategy and Learning. She previously worked as a senior researcher at Stanford University at the PACE (Policy Analysis for California Education) research center. In that position, she supported continuous improvement in policy and philanthropy through research, data-based insights and analysis, and strategic planning. Specializing in improving education for low-income youth, O’Meara has conducted pivotal research on initiatives supported by major foundations, including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Her diverse career spans roles such as director of Policy and Research at GreatSchools, program officer at the Stupski Foundation in San Francisco; and policy director of the Bay Area School Reform Collaborative, part of the national Hewlett-Annenberg Challenge school-improvement effort. She served as an AmeriCorps member after graduating college, teaching inmates at the Suffolk County House of Correction in Boston. She then went on to be a TK-12 educator before entering the realm of policy and research. She holds a master’s degree in public policy from the Kennedy School at Harvard University and a bachelor’s degree from Middlebury College. In the community, she serves in leadership roles at Choate Rosemary Hall’s parent association and the Harvard Alumnae Assoc., and also volunteers at Healing Meals in Simsbury, Conn.
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Gerardo Sanchez
bankESB recently promoted Gerardo Sanchez to digital banking product officer, based at its 241 Northampton St., Easthampton office. He has 26 years of banking experience and joined bankESB in 2021 as an electronic banking systems manager. Previously, he was the Financial Center Operations manager at Bank of America and, before that, eBanking manager at Florence Bank. In this new role, he will focus on bankESB’s digital banking roadmap, initiatives, and upgrades. Sanchez earned an associate degree in business studies from Holyoke Community College and a bachelor’s degree in both business management and human resources from Bridgewater State University. He also earned a certificate from the Massachusetts Bankers Association’s New England School for Financial Studies.
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Laura Davis
Andy Zhang
Dietz & Company Architects Inc. announced that Laura Davis has been promoted to the position of senior project manager. She joined the firm in 2019 as an architectural associate and quickly grew to become an invaluable part of the team through her strong project-management skills. Now, as a senior project manager, she leads projects across many states and properties for the firm’s hospitality clients. Dietz & Company also announced that Andy Zhang has earned his professional license to practice architecture in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. To achieve licensure, he successfully completed all six divisions of the Architectural Registration Examination and 3,740 experience hours under a licensed architect, as well as meeting all requirements for architectural licensure in the Commonwealth. Zhang joined Dietz & Company in 2020 as an architectural associate and has since grown within the company, working on a variety of project types and now as a member of its hospitality team. He earned his master of architecture degree from UMass Amherst and his bachelor of architecture degree from Shandong Architecture University in China.
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Mary McGovern, president and CEO of Country Bank, announced the promotion of Melissa Mann to vice president of Customer Experience and Michael Dias to Product Marketing & Business Insights officer. Mann offers a unique blend of skills, including completing the New England School for Financial Studies through the Massachusetts Bankers Assoc. in 2019. She is currently working on completing her project management certification through the Project Management Institute, which shows her ongoing commitment to professional development. She will continue to lead and manage the bank’s Sales and Customer Experience programs and strategies. Dias has been a driving force in integrating data analytics into the bank’s marketing strategies. With an MBA in data analytics from Western New England University and his recent certification as a certified financial marketing professional by the American Bankers Assoc., his strategic mindset and forward-thinking approach have been key in integrating data analytics into the bank’s marketing strategies.
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Autumn Leshinski
Hogan Technology, a leading managed technology services provider, announced the promotion of Autumn Leshinski to the position of voice group manager. She has been an integral part of Hogan for more than 11 years, during which time she has expanded her role significantly, transitioning from client services to technical services and project coordination. “Autumn has become an indispensable member of our team,” said Sean Hogan, president of Hogan Technology. “She engages daily in client-facing roles, making her a crucial element in both client retention and new customer onboarding. Her new responsibilities as voice group manager will encompass partner and resource development.”
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Melisa Loa
American International College (AIC) appointed Melisa Loa dean of students and director of Residence Life. In this role, she will lead the Office of Student Affairs and oversee student conduct, support, and advocacy. She is especially dedicated to advocating for and supporting first-generation students, aligning with AIC’s mission of providing access and opportunity for all. Loa joins AIC with more than a decade of experience in and out of higher education. She most recently served as assistant director of Residence Life for First-year Experience at Anna Maria College, where she worked closely with first-year students. Loa began her professional journey as a resident assistant, steadily advancing in leadership roles. She holds a bachelor’s degree in anthropology and sociology with an individualized focus on higher education from Roger Williams University and a master’s degree in student affairs administration from Michigan State University.
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Courtney Huxley
Greenfield Cooperative Bank announced the promotion of Courtney Huxley to Business Development officer. In this role, she will be responsible for developing and implementing strategies to grow the bank’s customer base and strengthen its market position. She will be responsible for driving business growth by fostering new customer relationships, supporting marketing strategies, and implementing initiatives to attract customers to the bank. She will also be a strong presence at the bank’s numerous community giving and outreach programs. Huxley has a 22-year career in retail banking, including five years as a branch manager at Greenfield Cooperative Bank.
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On Jan. 1, Michael Skillicorn joined Alisa Klein as co-executive director of Grow Food Northampton (GFN). Together, they say their complementary strengths and shared vision will lead Grow Food Northampton into an exciting new chapter, advancing its mission as a food and farming justice organization. Skillicorn joined Grow Food Northampton eight years ago as program director and was promoted five years ago to associate director. Over the last five years, Klein has led Grow Food Northampton as the sole executive director — through the pandemic, the catastrophic flood of the Grow Food Northampton Community Farm in July 2023, and a period of growth and stability for the organization.
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Cliff Hedges
Mackenzie Coburn
Eastern States Exposition (ESE) employees Cliff Hedges, director of Security, and Mackenzie Coburn, Sales Innovation manager, have been appointed chairman of the Safety & Security Committee and chair of the Sponsorship Committee, respectively, by the International Assoc. of Fairs and Expos (IAFE). Hedges has an extensive background in public safety beyond his six years as ESE’s director of Security. He began his career in law enforcement as a police officer in Dallas and was later employed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for 26 years. He maintained various roles while working for the FBI in Tampa, Fla., Boston, and Springfield. While in Springfield, he spent five years conducting criminal investigations as a supervisory special agent for the Safe Streets Gang Task Force and Outlaw Motorcycle Gang Task Force. He was a foreign counterintelligence investigator when he concluded his career with the FBI. Immediately before joining ESE, Hedges was the Compliance director and investigator for Regional Care Healthcare, where he oversaw the security of five hospitals. At that time, he was simultaneously acting as a security consultant for Bee-Line Security. Coburn began her career at ESE more than five years ago as a marketing intern immediately after completing her bachelor’s degree in communications at Westfield State University. Soon after, she joined the team as a brand marketing coordinator and expanded her responsibilities tenfold, overseeing website redesigns for ESE and the Big E, rebranding the Big E’s food competition, refreshing the sponsorship program, and more. In July 2022, she became Sales Innovation manager, re-establishing the internship program, developing a brand style guide, curating a local brewers showcase, and more. Coburn has also completed the Institute of Fair Management graduate certificate program in November 2023 and became an IAFE ambassador in February 2023.
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The Stack Group Inc. announced the hiring of Jordan Stack as an associate. In this role, he will contribute to content creation for SEO clients as well as design for website projects. Stack is currently a sophomore at UMass Amherst, where he is pursuing a major in legal studies. Prior to attending UMass Amherst, he was a business and marketing major at American International College (AIC), where he also competed as a student-athlete on its Division II lacrosse team. An accomplished student, he has achieved dean’s list honors in all his semesters of academic work. He also earned a design certification via Duda and a content certification via HubSpot.
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James Dyment
Tighe & Bond, a Northeast leader in engineering, design, and environmental consulting, recently welcomed James Dyment as a vice president in its Water Business Line. He will help to drive business-development strategy and pursuits within that line, as well as provide coaching and mentoring to staff. In addition to his role at vice president, he will serve as a project director with a focus on wastewater project management. Dyment brings more than 25 years of progressive experience in water and wastewater engineering. His wastewater infrastructure experience includes treatment, collection systems, pumping stations, infiltration/inflow analyses, and sewer system evaluation surveys. He has extensive experience collaborating across engineering disciplines, including instrumental and controls as well as supervisory control and data acquisition, and managing projects throughout the life cycle from conceptualization through design, construction, commissioning, and operation. His drinking-water infrastructure experience includes pump stations, booster stations, and storage tanks. Throughout his career, he has been responsible for a variety of successful, multi-discipline municipal water and wastewater engineering projects. Dyment has worked on significant municipal treatment facility projects in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, including overseeing the design, construction, and startup of the 7.7 MGD advanced wastewater treatment facility in Warwick, R.I. and the 10 MGD advanced wastewater treatment facility in Taunton; developing upgrades to the wastewater treatment facility and remote pumping stations in Bristol, R.I.; and serving as project manager for the design and construction of water storage tanks in Milton. He will be based out of the firm’s Providence, R.I. office.
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Rachel’s Table of Western Massachusetts (RTWM) announced a slate of new board members to its roster, enhancing its community leadership in a cause that has engaged more than 350 volunteers in Western Mass. Board members inaugurated in 2025 include Mallory Probert-Caplan, Cathy Dorison, Michael Paysnick, and Carolyn Martinez, executive director of Christina’s House, as agency representative, a new position on the board of directors. In addition, RTWM also added Janice Dickstein to the board in 2025 and to the executive board in 2025. Jeffrey Sagalyn and Erinn Young, vice president at PeoplesBank, moved from the professional advisory council to the board. RTWM’s new president is Judy Yaffe, and the vice president is Jane Cohen. Laura Katz remains treasurer.
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The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts announced the addition of three community members to its board of directors: Amy Rome, Olivia Aguilar, and Maureen James. Each brings a wealth of experience and a shared commitment to addressing food insecurity in the region. With extensive expertise in fundraising across health, education, performing-arts, international, and faith-based organizations, Rome has held key roles at institutions such as Lincoln Center, Cancer Care, and the William J. Clinton Foundation and Union Seminary. She has also consulted on initiatives for the Guggenheim Museum and the Episcopal Divinity School at Union. She has actively contributed to the Food Bank’s development committee since March 2022. Beyond her professional accomplishments, she has served on the board of the Academy of Music and leads the Banned Book Initiative for the League of Women Voters in Northampton. Aguilar, director of the Miller Worley Center for the Environment at Mount Holyoke College, is a nationally recognized expert in environmental education and community-based learning. A first-generation college graduate, she has earned degrees from Texas A&M University and Cornell University, with research focused on inclusivity in environmental and science learning communities. Her work explores intersections of community, race, and transformative education. Her dedication to equity aligns with the Food Bank’s mission to create inclusive and sustainable solutions to hunger. Her upcoming book, Remembering, Resisting, and Reimagining: The Latinx Outdoor Experience, will be published in 2025. A Cathedral High School alumna, James brings legal and community-service expertise to the board. After earning degrees in political science and English from Boston University and her law degree from Suffolk University, she has specialized in employment defense and insurance law at Skoler, Abbott, and Presser, P.C. in Springfield. Since returning to Western Mass. in 2015, she has become deeply involved in her community, chairing Wilbraham’s Commission on Disability, and, starting this year, serving as vice chair of the Baystate Health Foundation board. Her dedication to community empowerment complements the Food Bank’s vision for a hunger-free region.
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Local nonprofit community behavioral-health agency Clinical & Support Options (CSO) has announced key leadership changes within the organization. Chief Financial Officer Frank Mertes announced his plans for retirement last fall. This month, CSO welcomes Jeffrey Cebula as its new CFO. Cebula comes from Baystate Health, where he served in progressive roles, including six years as director of Finance for Baystate Franklin Medical Center and Baystate Noble Hospital. Also new to CSO’s senior leadership team is Brooke Deren, who joins the agency as its new regional program director of Emergency Services Programs. Like Cebula, Deren also comes to CSO from Baystate Health, most recently working in its Partial Hospitalization Program.
