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People on the Move

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People on the Move
Matthew Nash

Matthew Nash

Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. (MBK) announced the promotion of Matthew Nash, CPA to partner. Since joining the firm in 2011, he has been an integral part of the team, focusing on audit, review, and compilation engagements and playing a pivotal role in the commercial, not-for-profit audit, and pension engagement teams. Nash earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Nichols College and an MBA from Elms College, and is a member of both the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants. In his time at MBK, he has advanced from an intern to a senior manager and now to a partner. Beyond his professional achievements, Nash is deeply involved in community service. He serves as a board member and treasurer for Springfield School Volunteers and is a committee member of the Ronald McDonald House Golf Tournament.

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The board of directors of AdLib Inc., a community-based, cross-disability, nonprofit organization, announced Sally English as the new executive director. English, who holds a master of social work degree from Boston College, was eager to join the team and return to the independent-living movement. English most recently advanced in leadership at Viability Inc., supporting its Clubhouse and MOMs programs through several leadership, programmatic, and pandemic-related changes. Prior to Viability, she worked at the Boston Center for Independent Living as the director of Services. English was included in the BusinessWest 40 Under Forty class of 2019. AdLib Inc., founded in 1983, provides information and referral, advocacy, skills training, peer support, transition, representative payee, and personal-care-attendant services to people with disabilities of all ages throughout Berkshire County. As a center for independent living, it was important to the AdLib board of directors to find a leader able to embrace the philosophy of independent living, which focuses on ensuring that people with disabilities are able to live in the community with control over their own services and lives. English, who began her tenure in June, has spent the first six months with AdLib creating relationships with staff and external stakeholders, as well as improving internal systems and processes to ensure staff are supported in providing quality services to consumers. An open house will be planned for 2024.

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The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts announced the appointment of new officers to its board of directors, effective Jan. 1. Dr. Charlotte Boney, who has assumed the role of president, chairs the Department of Pediatrics at Baystate Health. The first vice president, Willette Yarbrough Johnson, is a retired educator from Springfield Public Schools, having served 38 years in a variety of capacities. She continues exploring her love of education as a member of the Coalition of Experienced Black Educators, an educational consultant group. The second vice president is Omar Irizarry, director of Cross Agency Initiatives at the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health. William Harju, treasurer, is chief financial officer at USA Hauling & Recycling, and the clerk is Shannon Yaremchak, director of Grants and Latino Economic Development Opportunities at Partners for Community, and director of Mission Advancement at New England Farm Workers’ Council. In their new capacities, the new officers will lead the Food Bank to implement innovative strategies, expand partnerships, and elevate the organization’s impact. Two new board members also began their tenure: Joesiah González, chief Philanthropy & Communications officer at Home City Development Inc., and Xiaolei Hua, first vice president of Commercial Lending at PeoplesBank.

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David Lavenburg

Bacon Wilson, P.C. announced that David Lavenburg, one of the firm’s attorneys, has been promoted to shareholder. Since joining the firm in November 2020, he has been an integral part of the firm, focusing on loan recovery, loan workouts, collection matters, restructuring, debt repayments, and bankruptcy. Lavenburg received his bachelor’s degree from Ohio Wesleyan University and his juris doctorate from Capital University of Law School in Columbus, Ohio. With more than 32 years of litigation experience, he chairs the creditor’s rights, collections, and bankruptcy practice group at Bacon Wilson. He is admitted to practice in both the Massachusetts and Connecticut state courts, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, and the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut. In the firm’s probate department, Lavenburg supports litigation needs in cases involving contests, breaches of fiduciary duty, lack of capacity, and undue influence claims. In the commercial and corporate department, he represents the firm’s clients in partnership disputes, commercial litigation, general business litigation, and commercial lease disputes. He has also been chairman of the Longmeadow Zoning Board of Appeals since 2006.

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MGM Resorts International announced the appointment of Louie Theros as president and chief operating officer of MGM Springfield, where he will oversee the resort’s daily operations and strategic direction, focused on continued employee engagement and community relations. He succeeds Chris Kelley, who recently announced his decision to pursue a new opportunity closer to family on the West Coast. Theros has been with MGM Resorts since 2015, most recently serving as vice president, legal counsel, and assistant secretary at MGM Grand Detroit. Prior to joining the company, Theros worked in legal private practice, serving as vice president of Detroit-based law firm Butzel Long, following more than 20 years as a lawyer at Dickenson Wright. He is a graduate of Vanderbilt University Law School and earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan.

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Stephanie Vincelette

Stephanie Vincelette

Erica Gomes

bankESB recently promoted Stephanie Vincelette to assistant vice president, Human Resources Operations, and Erica Gomes to assistant vice president, Customer Care. Vincelette has 11 years of banking experience. She was previously Human Resources Operations officer and, before that, Payroll manager, and began her career in banking as a Payroll specialist. Before joining bankESB in 2012, she had five years of previous payroll and human-resources experience. With this promotion, she will continue to oversee payroll operations; will now oversee benefits operations; and will expand her responsibilities in salary administration, compensation planning, and policy management. Vincelette has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Western New England University. She holds a senior professional human resources certification. Gomes has 24 years of banking experience. She joined the Hometown Financial Group family of banks at bankHometown in 2013 as branch manager of the Killingly, Conn. office after spending more than 14 years in retail banking with Citizens Bank. She was promoted to Customer Care officer at Hometown Financial’s bankESB in 2016. In her new role, she will manage the Customer Care call center. Gomes completed coursework in accounting at the Community College of Rhode Island. She has been a volunteer for Meals on Wheels, Junior Achievement, the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, and local homeless shelters, and previously served as treasurer of the Killingly Business Assoc.

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Kim Collins

Kim Collins

Caitlin Meyer

The Springfield Symphony Orchestra (SSO) announced the recent hiring of two new staff members: Kim Collins, Audience Development and Community Engagement manager; and Caitlin Meyer, Education director. Collins will work to create community connections for the SSO and engage new audiences, while Meyer will be responsible for bringing back the hosting of SSO educational performances for public-school students as well as creating new educational programming for the organization. Collins joined the SSO in October. She most recently served as director of Member Services with the Connecticut River Valley Chamber of Commerce. In that role, she was the first point of contact for all member relations, led the ambassador team, and revised and refreshed member benefits, onboarding, and retention. She also facilitated networking and member-orientation events, as well as ribbon cuttings, and planned large events for the chamber. Collins has also been a performing artist and educator her entire life. As a flutist, she has performed with the SSO for more than 25 years and also served as the SSO’s orchestra librarian for several years. Meyer is an educational leader, music educator, and professional musician who has taught in China, Tanzania, Israel, and Australia. Before joining the SSO, she served as director of Programs for a charter school in Bridgeport, Conn., where she worked closely with the Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants to build out arts-integrative, culturally responsive programs for newcomer students. Meyer also founded the Qingdao Visual and Performing Arts Educators Assoc., which has allowed students of every background in China to participate in district-wide arts initiatives as well as international travel opportunities. Prior to her work in Qingdao, Meyer was the music director at Saint Bernard School in Uncasville, Conn. for seven years.

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Luke Goodridge has joined the law firm of Bulkley Richardson as a partner. His practice will continue to focus on estate planning, trust administration, and general business-law matters. Goodridge was previously a named partner at the law firm of Curtiss, Carey, Gates & Goodridge, LLP, based in Greenfield. He will continue to maintain an office in Greenfield. He earned a bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, from UMass Amherst; a juris doctorate from the University of Connecticut School of Law, and is currently a candidate for an LLM (master of laws) degree in taxation at Boston University School of Law.

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Ashley Swett

Ashley Swett

Florence Bank recently announced that Ashley Swett has been named manager of the bank’s Customer Service Center at the main office in Florence. In her new role, she will oversee the staff responsible for assisting Florence Bank customers who contact the bank via telephone or email. Swett has 16 years of industry experience and is a graduate of the New England School of Financial Studies. She holds a certificate in supervision from the Center for Financial Training. Active in the community, Swett is currently a member of the Holiday Flair in Ware, where she enjoys the annual festival and parade.

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The Realtor Assoc. of Pioneer Valley (RAPV) announced its annual award winners at the association’s holiday luncheon on Dec. 14 at the MassMutual Center in Springfield. The Realtor of the Year Award was given to Vincent Walsh of Coldwell Banker Realty, while the Affiliate of the Year Award was given to Christine Webster, attorney at Begley & Webster LLC. A Realtor since 1992, Walsh served as president of the RAPV board of directors in 2011. He has also served on the grievance, government affairs, professional standards, and YPN committees. He continues to serve on the RAPV board of directors. Walsh has given back to the community through his involvement by being nominated for and approved by the Springfield City Council and holding the Realtor seat on the Springfield Historical Commission for nearly 12 years. He is a member of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and the USO. He is a supporter of the VFW, Habitat for Humanity, American Cancer Society, American Heart Assoc., and St. Jude Children’s Hospital. A member of RAPV since 2005, Webster has served on the affiliate-realtor and professional development committees. Webster has demonstrated significant support to the association and community outreach and volunteered in RAPV’s seminars held by the affiliate-realtor committee and the professional development committee’s “If the Realtor Had Only Known” sessions. She also provides guidance to all Realtors who seek assistance in transactions and legal questions. Her community activities include being a Westfield Zoning Board of Appeal member and serving on the finance committee at St. Mary’s Parish of Westfield. She also volunteers preparing meals for the homeless and has been involved in fundraising for schools and the parish.

People on the Move

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People on the Move

Phil Giguere

Tim Provost

Tim Provost

MP CPAs announced the promotions of Phil Giguere and Tim Provost to the position of partner with the firm. Giguere provides consulting and tax solutions to a diverse group of clients, including individuals, partnerships, limited liability companies, corporations, and trusts. He also has experience working with international affiliates on foreign tax issues. He specializes in working with high-net-worth clients and with private equity firms and their owners. Giguere joined the firm in 2006 and has more than 18 years of experience in business and individual taxation. He holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a master’s degree in business administration from Western New England University. He is a certified public accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants. He sits on the golf committee for Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island and the finance committee of Wellspring Cooperative, is a member of the Western New England University accounting advisory board, and volunteers his time with the Cory J Garwacki Foundation. Provost provides consulting and tax solutions to a diverse group of clients, including individuals, partnerships, limited liability companies, corporations, and trusts. He also has experience working with international affiliates on foreign tax issues. He specializes in working with high-net-worth clients and with private equity firms and their owners. He is also the director of Business Valuation Services at the firm. He works with clients looking to value their business for the buying and selling of a business, gifting ownership interests in a business, estate-tax issues or estate planning, and other business-valuation needs. Provost joined the firm in 2008 and has more than 15 years of experience in personal and business taxation. He holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Westfield State University and a master’s degree in accounting and taxation from American International College. He is a certified public accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He is also a certified valuation analyst and a member of the National Assoc. of Certified Valuation Analysts. He is active in the community as a volunteer board member of the West Springfield Youth Basketball Assoc.

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Andrew Sullivan

Florence Bank announced that Andrew Sullivan has joined the staff as vice president and commercial lender. Sullivan began his banking career as a credit analyst at a mutual bank in the region, but soon discovered an affinity for relationship building and helping commercial customers achieve their goals. Prior to joining Florence Bank, he served as a portfolio manager, small business loan officer, and commercial loan officer. He began his new role at Florence Bank in mid-October. The founder of the Andrew Sullivan Swing for a Cure Golf Tournament, which benefits the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Sullivan holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and business management and an MBA from Elms College. He is the chairman of the West of the River Chamber of Commerce.

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Erin Cleary

Erin Cleary

Greenfield Cooperative Bank announced the promotion of Erin Cleary to branch manager of its South Hadley branch. Cleary joined Greenfield Cooperative Bank in August 2022 as a teller and quickly earned a promotion to head teller four months later. This past July, she was named assistant manager. She attended Greenfield Community College. Cleary’s promotion is a reflection of the bank’s commitment to investing in its employees and fostering career growth from within. The bank recognizes the importance of having local leaders who understand the needs of their communities.

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Michelle Beaudette

Michelle Beaudette

Monson Savings Bank recently announced the hire of Michelle Beaudette as assistant vice president, Residential Operations officer. She will be responsible for planning, organizing, and directing the residential and consumer lending processing, closing, and operations. Additionally, she will help to foster an environment of teamwork and perform various loan-maintenance functions to ensure the accuracy and completeness of all records and documentation. Beaudette comes to Monson Savings Bank with 18 years of experience in banking and finance. She is a graduate of the New Seminary and holds a financial management certification from the U.S. Army Reserve Command. Prior to joining Monson Savings Bank, she worked at Millbury National Bank.

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Joseph Ford

Joseph Ford

Conval, a global manufacturer of high-performance severe service valves, recently announced that Joseph Ford has been appointed Engineering manager. Ford is a seasoned engineering leader with more than 30 years of experience in all aspects of product life cycle, including research and development, project management, product design, configuration control, and lean manufacturing. He previously served in similar capacities at Linde Advanced Materials Technologies (formerly Praxair) in Manchester, Conn.; CIRCOR Aerospace & Defense in Warren; and Baker Hughes, a General Electric company, in Oklahoma City. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Villanova University.

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Bay Path University recently announced Jacquida Mars has been appointed the new director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA), which serves as a cultural resource for students, faculty, and staff, as well as providing direction and services for current and prospective students from underrepresented populations. Through creative and innovative programs, the office enhances cultural knowledge and produces a deeper appreciation for diversity and inclusion throughout the campus community. Before joining Bay Path, Mars served as assistant director of Alumni & Parent Engagement for Affinity & Identity Programs at Connecticut College, where she successfully developed a mentoring program for BIPOC students and alumni. Prior to her time at Connecticut College, she contributed to the diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts as the Career Programming manager/GA DEI at Trinity College. Mars earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology and crime, law & justice from the University of Connecticut, and a master’s degree in public policy from Trinity College. She is currently enrolled in a doctorate program in educational leadership for social justice at the University of Hartford.

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Richard Kelly

Richard Kelly

MountainOne Bank announced the recent promotion of Richard ‘Dick’ Kelly, who has assumed the role of senior vice president, senior commercial risk officer. This newly created position supports MountainOne’s commitment to asset quality while enhancing its loan-approval process. Kelly now provides direct oversight of credit administration and of all portfolio managers across both of MountainOne’s geographic regions of the South Shore and the Berkshires. Additionally, he works directly with all commercial lenders on new and existing business loan relationships to help provide experienced guidance, perspective, and management of these credits. He originally joined MountainOne Bank in 2020 as senior vice president, commercial team leader for the Berkshires region and is a member of the bank’s senior leadership team. Kelly brings nearly 40 years of commercial lending, credit underwriting, and credit administration experience to this role. He received his bachelor’s degree in economics from Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y. He is active in the Great Barrington community, currently serving on the Berkshire Community College Foundation board. Previously, he was involved with the United Way community representative), the Lions Club (member and past president), the Southern Berkshire Chamber of Commerce (past treasurer), the town of Great Barrington, and the Wyantenuck Country Club (member and past president).

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Trent Rivers

Hometown Mortgage recently promoted Trent Rivers to equity and consumer loan manager, based in Easthampton. He has 15 years of banking experience, including his most recent role as loan specialist. He joined Hometown Mortgage as a consumer loan coordinator in 2017. Prior to that, he was a branch supervisor at NBT Bank. Rivers has a bachelor’s degree in business management from Westfield State University and completed coursework in the school of banking at the Pennsylvania Bankers Assoc.

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Jessica West

Trevor McCarthy

Trevor McCarthy

bankESB recently promoted Jessica West to assistant vice president, branch officer of its 36 Main St., Easthampton office. She has 31 years of banking experience. She was previously assistant vice president, branch manager in Amherst. Before that, she was branch manager at the Northampton Street, Easthampton office, and before that, assistant branch manager at the Belchertown office. She started at bankESB in 2002 as senior teller in Belchertown. West earned an associate degree in mechanical technologies from Springfield Technical Community College. She has been actively involved with the Unitarian Universalist Society of Amherst and Craig’s Doors, helping prepare free community breakfasts every week. She also volunteers at the Amherst Survival Center. She is currently a board member of the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce. bankESB also recently promoted Trevor McCarthy to float retail manager. He has three years of banking experience and joined bankESB in 2020 as a teller. In his new role, he will manage the float staff at bankESB. He will be based in Easthampton but will float to all bankESB branches to support with supervisory needs. McCarthy has a bachelor’s degree in economics from Westfield State University.

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Market Mentors, LLC, a fully integrated marketing, advertising, and public-relations agency, announced the addition of two Enfield, Conn. residents to its account-services team. Chelsea Shelander has joined the agency as an account executive, and Kaitlyn Smith has joined the agency as an account coordinator. Shelander provides client support and ongoing communication and research as well as proposal and presentation development. Prior to joining Market Mentors, she worked in public relations and brand management at BioSafe Systems and as a service and retention consultant for the Aspire Group at UConn Athletics. She earned an MBA at the University of Dayton in Ohio after receiving two bachelor’s degrees — one in business administration with a concentration in marketing, and one in sports management — from Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania. Smith liaises with the agency’s internal teams to identify client needs and develop and implement strategies to achieve their goals, using her organizational skills, attention to detail, and creative flair. Before coming to Market Mentors, she spent several years as an account manager for ADESA Boston, as well as a social-media manager for the DiGrigoli Companies. She earned her bachelor’s degree in media arts and analysis from Westfield State University.

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Jeannie Boudreau

Jeannie Boudreau

James Hagan, president and CEO of Westfield Bank, announced that Jeannie Boudreau has been appointed to the position of mortgage loan officer. She is responsible for Westfield, Holyoke, Huntington, and the surrounding communities, and will be based out of the bank’s 560 East Main St. location in Westfield. Boudreau will develop and maintain business relationships with prospective home buyers, Realtors, builders, and colleagues. Boudreau has more than 40 years of experience in the mortgage industry, holding multiple roles, including area manager and producing branch manager, prior to joining Westfield Bank. She is very involved in her community, serving as an affiliate member to the Realtor Assoc. of Pioneer Valley while also volunteering with Habitat for Humanity and Springfield Rescue Mission.

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Patricia Mullin

Patricia Mullin

Berkshire Bank recently welcomed Patricia “Patsy” Mullin as senior vice president of Cash Management Services. Mullin joins the bank with more than 45 years of experience in the financial and banking industry. She will cover the bank’s entire footprint. “Patsy is a great addition to the commercial Berkshire Bank team as she brings more than four decades of knowledge and experience from the banking and financial sector that will be beneficial to both her colleagues and the clients we serve,” said Scott Houghtaling, senior managing director of Business Banking.

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Mary Paier Powers

Mary Paier Powers

E. Spencer Ghazey-Bates

E. Spencer Ghazey-Bates

At its annual meeting on Dec. 6, the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (MassNAELA) honored Mary Paier Powers and E. Spencer Ghazey-Bates with awards for their service and advocacy for seniors. Powers won the Deborah H. Thomson Advocacy Award, which recognizes a MassNAELA member’s efforts in advocating for elder issues in state government. She co-chairs the MassNAELA advocacy committee, establishing its legislative priorities. She was integral in hosting the organization’s first-ever legislative briefing at the State House in Boston and served as the event’s primary presenter. The John J. Ford Litigation Advocacy Award, which honors a member’s litigation efforts on behalf of seniors and MassNAELA, was bestowed on Ghazey-Bates for his dedicated involvement in MassNAELA’s MassHealth life estate valuation workgroup. He helped clients contest MassHealth’s valuation of their life estate in Superior Court, which led to MassHealth’s return to using the IRS valuation of a life estate.

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Braman Termite & Pest Elimination announced the upcoming retirement of Senior Vice President of Business Development Robert Guyette. During his more than 17 years with Braman, Guyette increased the company’s sales from $6.3 million to $18 million and grew it from 40 to 150 employees. During his time at Braman, Guyette said he is proudest of achieving his ACE (associated certified entomologist) certification, one of the biggest professional challenges he has ever faced. Prior to joining Braman as general manager in 2006, he was production manager at HP Hood in the milk and ice-cream divisions for nearly 26 years. He recently transitioned into his current role in preparation for retirement.

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At its Nov. 30 meeting, the Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee selected its 2024 executive committee and welcomed two new members to its board. Michael Vogel of Westfield Bank will serve another year as president. Tracy Hebda of iSolved Benefits Solutions will serve as vice president. Dr. Jacqueline Pleet will serve as clerk. Roberto Nieves of Common Capital will serve as treasurer. And Jason Levine of Jason L. Levine Law, P.C. will serve the as an at-large member. Welcomed at the meeting to begin three-year terms on the board were Julia Marrero of Bacon Wilson, P.C. and Ann Dargie Gladd of Family Law of Western Massachusetts, P.C. They will be joining current members Alayna Anderson of Bacon Wilson, P.C.; Benjamin Garvey of HUB International New England LLC, Angela Gotay-Cheverez of Freedom Credit Union, Robert Houle of Unity Financial & Insurance Group, Sarah Mailhott of Polish National Credit Union, Malar Patel of Google, and Danielle Rosario of PeoplesBank.

People on the Move

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People on the Move

Lidya Rivera-Early

UMass Amherst has appointed Lidya Rivera-Early to the newly created position of executive director of Government Relations and Springfield Partnerships. Rivera-Early brings more than 25 years of leadership, development, and managerial experience to the position, most recently as director of Community Engagement at Springfield Technical Community College (STCC). She will draw on her established relationships in the public and private sectors to serve as liaison between UMass Amherst and the city of Springfield. At STCC, Rivera-Early served in various roles over the past decade, working to deepen relationships with community partners and collaborating across campus and with outside organizations on educational and career-development initiatives. She also served as a liaison between college departments and regional and statewide stakeholders and represented the college on various boards and in the community. Prior to her role at STCC, she was Section 3 program manager for the city of Springfield, where she was responsible for administrative and technical duties managing, coordinating, and administering the city’s Section 3 grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Previously, she served as grants coordinator/manager for the Springfield Housing Authority, overseeing all grant-funded programs for the agency. Rivera-Early received a bachelor’s degree in human services and a master’s degree in organizational management and leadership in human services from Springfield College. She is a graduate of Leadership Pioneer Valley and is the recipient of several notable awards and honors, including the Massachusetts Latina Excellence Award. She serves on the boards of a number of community organizations, including the Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley and the newly formed Dora D. Robinson Women’s Leadership Council.

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Maureen Buxton

Maureen Buxton

James Hagan, president and CEO of Westfield Bank, announced that Maureen Buxton has been appointed to the role of business specialist, assistant branch manager. She will be based out of the bank’s 1342 Liberty St. location in Springfield and will assist in managing all areas of the branch, including customer service, retail and business product sales, employee development, and general operations. For the past 31 years, Buxton has worked in the banking industry, holding multiple roles in local community banks and credit unions, including branch manager and mortgage loan officer positions. She holds a bachelor’s degree in education from Westfield State University. Buxton is very involved in her community, serving as a chairperson on the Chicopee Parks and Recreation Commission and the Chicopee Athletic Hall of Fame Committee. She also serves as treasurer for the Cigars4Soldiers Committee and is a member of the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Parade Road Race Committee. In 2013, she received the President’s Award at a local community bank, a prestigious award recognizing her outstanding performance and customer service. The following year, she received the Paul Harris Honoree award from the Rotary Club of Chicopee.

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Karolina Weagle

Karolina Weagle

Regional law firm Shatz, Schwartz and Fentin, P.C. announced that attorney Karolina Weagle was accepted into the 2023 Massachusetts Bar Assoc. Leadership Academy. Believing exceptional leaders are essential to the improvement of the legal profession and understanding there are few leadership training opportunities for young attorneys, the Massachusetts Bar Assoc. developed its Leadership Academy to better prepare young attorneys to assume leadership roles at the bar, both in their firms or organizations and in government. Weagle concentrates her practice in estate planning. Prior to joining Shatz, Schwartz & Fentin in 2022, she worked at a Boston firm representing clients in litigation and criminal-defense matters, and later returned to Western Mass., where she practiced in the areas of real estate, estate planning, and estate administration. She graduated summa cum laude from Westfield State University in 2015 with bachelor’s degrees in criminal justice and political science. Soon after, she enrolled at New England Law Boston, where she graduated cum laude in 2018. While in law school, she made the dean’s list every semester, was awarded the CALI Excellence for the Future Award in Property II in the spring of 2016, and earned the New England Scholar Award for 2015-16. She is also fluent in Polish.

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Melissa Blissett

Melissa Blissett, vice president of Family Services at Square One, has been named advisory board chair of the Springfield College School of Social Work. Her appointment follows the passing of long-time social worker and social-services advocate Dora Robinson. Blissett earned her master of social work degree from Springfield College in 2015. As a student, she served on both the advisory board and the student organization for the School of Social Work. She currently serves as an adjunct professor. At Square One, she leads a team of social workers, case managers, and support staff who provide parent education, support, and training programs through groups, home visitation, and personalized case management to help parents access whatever services are needed to be successful in their role as their child’s first teacher. Blissett joined Square One in 2014 as a supervisor in the agency’s Healthy Families and Supervised Visitation programs. In 2017, she went to work as a child and family-law division social worker for the Committee for Public Council Services in Springfield. In 2018, she returned to Square One as the assistant vice president of Family Services, and in 2021, she was promoted to vice president.

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Jasmin Mujkic

Jasmin Mujkic

Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries named Jasmin Mujkic vice president of Retail. He is a retail executive with more than 15 years of business leadership experience, including working in three Goodwill organizations across the country. Mujkic joins Goodwill from LePrix, an e-commerce marketplace for luxury goods, where he was vice president. Prior to that, he was vice president of Retail Operations for Goodwill of Greater Washington, D.C. He has also held management positions at Goodwill of Greater East Bay in California and Goodwill of North Georgia. A native of Croatia, Mujkic began his retail career in Europe and has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Zagreb.

People on the Move

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People on the Move

Tracy Friedenberg

Bacon Wilson announced that Tracy Friedenberg has joined the firm as its new executive director. She comes to Bacon Wilson with more than 25 years of corporate and law-firm experience, including human resources, operations management, and information technology. She will work directly with Managing Shareholder Jeffrey Fialky across all levels of firm management in each of Bacon Wilson’s four offices. Friedenberg previously served as chief of staff for Odin Labs Inc. in New York City. Prior to that, she worked for Day Pitney LLP in Hartford, Conn. for 14 years. Her career path there advanced from project management to senior manager up to director of Technical Services and Project Management in 2020. Day Pitney is an East Coast-based comprehensive law firm with national and international reach, housing more than 300 attorneys and 13 offices throughout the Northeast, as well as in Southeast Florida. Friedenberg holds an MBA from the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst, as well as a bachelor’s degree in Spanish from the UMass College of Arts and Sciences and a bachelor’s degree in apparel marketing from the College of Food and Natural Resources. She serves as president of the board of directors for Dress for Success Western Massachusetts, a nonprofit organization that empowers women to gain economic independence.

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Amanda Sbriscia, vice president of Institutional Advancement at Holyoke Community College (HCC), has been selected for a fellowship for aspiring college presidents by the AGB Institute for Leadership & Governance in Higher Education. Now entering its fifth year, 27 college administrators from institutions around the country began their fellowships with an in-person symposium in Washington, D.C. in September. To date, 18 past participants have become presidents or chancellors of higher-education institutions, and many other participants have successfully progressed on the pathway to the presidency with commendations and new positions. The program consists of two symposia, four online workshops, attendance at the AGB National Conference on Trusteeship, and a shadowing experience with a sitting president. The institute features more than 30 higher-education expert presenters, including current and former presidents, trustees, search consultants, and other sector professionals. Sbriscia holds a bachelor’s degree in communication from Cedar Crest College, a master’s degree in higher education from Drexel University, and a doctorate in education in educational leadership from Gwynedd Mercy University. Before being hired at HCC as vice president of Institutional Advancement in 2017, she served as senior director of Advancement at Bay Path University, following her role there as director of Annual Giving and Alumni Relations. Before Bay Path, she worked in fund development for the Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts and as director of Annual Giving for Anna Maria College in Paxton.

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Rachel Rushing

Rachel Rushing

Holyoke Community College (HCC) welcomed Rachel Rushing as director of the college’s Taber Art Gallery. Originally from Louisiana, Rushing is an interdisciplinary artist with a special interest in photography. She comes to HCC by way of Dallas, where she worked with the Nasher Sculpture Center to develop the Visitor Experiences program and manage special projects, such as the 2022 exhibition of CARNE y ARENA, a virtual-reality exhibition written and directed by Academy Award-winning Mexican filmmaker Alejandro González Iñárritu that integrates viewers into the true accounts of refugees in their journey across the southern U.S. border. Rushing also founded and co-directed Sunset Art Studios, a social-practice art gallery, residency, and studio in Dallas. She becomes only the second director since the gallery opened in 1998, succeeding founding director Amy Johnquest, who retired last spring. Her first show as Taber director was an exhibition of photographs by John Leni Marcy titled “The City on Paper: Representations of HolyoRícan Life,” which was curated and captioned by HCC students enrolled in Latinx Studies classes. The Taber Art Gallery, located off the lobby of the HCC Library on the second floor of the HCC Donahue Building, is free and open to the public Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., during regular school sessions.

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American International College (AIC) announced the appointment of Christopher Putnam as director of Institutional Assessment, Research, and Effectiveness. This appointment reflects AIC’s recognition of Putnam’s dedication, expertise, and valuable contributions to the college. In his new role, Putnam will be responsible for overseeing assessment and evaluation processes designed to measure the effectiveness of the institution’s programs and services. Additionally, he will provide leadership in research and analysis, strategic planning, and ensuring compliance with accreditation standards. Prior to assuming his new role, Putnam served as AIC’s student-success data analyst and demonstrated exemplary leadership in several key areas. This included the supervision of AIC’s New England Commission for Higher Education five-year report, a mandated periodic evaluation of the content and relevance of the college’s mission. Before joining AIC, Putnam held positions as a graduation and transfer credit specialist and manager of Student Services at Sierra College in Rocklin, Calif. He began his career in higher education at California State University (CSU) Sacramento, where he worked in admissions and records and academic advising. During his time at CSU, Putnam pursued his master’s degree in higher education leadership. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Wake Forest University and subsequently obtained a certificate in web programming from Cosumnes River College.

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Pamela Sandler AIA Architect recently welcomed Norman Anton, senior designer and project manager; and Amy Pulver, office manager, to its fast-growing team. Anton is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and has lived and worked in Europe and Saudi Arabia. He attended Washington University School of Architecture in St. Louis and has worked extensively in the field with carpenters, electricians, and landscape designers. Prior to joining the Sandler AIA team, he was an architectural designer at Clark and Green. He has a wide range of experience, including historic preservation, corporate interiors, retail showrooms, and residential projects. Pulver is at the helm of the firm’s mission to create spaces with joy for new and existing clients. Her duties include event planning, facilities management, project coordination, and budget planning, ensuring that the office runs smoothly so that the design team can continue to deliver unique projects to clients and grow its relationship with the community. She brings years of experience to the Stockbridge-based architecture firm. Prior to working with Sandler, she served for nearly a decade in multiple positions and departments within the town of Great Barrington, including Public Works, Planning, and most recently as executive secretary to the town manager and Select Board.

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Celia Hickson

Celia Hickson

One year after joining the Square One team as fiscal manager, Celia Hickson has been named the agency’s chief financial officer. Hickson brings 25 years of accounting and finance experience in a variety of industries. She has worked as a controller and financial analyst in the publishing, software, biotech, and nonprofit industries. She began her career at Ernst & Young, where she earned her CPA. She is a graduate of the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst. An active volunteer with Horizons for Homeless Children, she has held various leadership roles on several volunteer boards.

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After 25 years at the helm, Anne Teschner will step down as executive director of the Care Center. She will continue in that role to support succession planning with the Care Center’s board of directors to ensure a smooth transition to new leadership. The Care Center helps young mothers and low-income women resume their education wherever they left off, from HiSET preparation to an onsite college. Designed for busy mothers living in poverty, the Care Center offers childcare, transportation, counseling, food, and healthcare so that women can concentrate on their studies. During her tenure, Teschner has been instrumental in steering the Care Center through pivotal changes, establishing the organization as a leader in the realm of women’s education and empowerment. Under her leadership, the Care Center has launched visionary initiatives, such as the Bard Microcollege Holyoke and the Moving Women Forward Endowment campaign. Each year, approximately 200 young mothers and other low-income women benefit from the holistic support provided by the Care Center, based at 247 Cabot St. in Holyoke. The process of identifying the next executive director to build upon this foundation is underway.

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Ryan Gagne

Cicely Hislop

Cicely Hislop

Andrew Fleming

Andrew Fleming

D.A. Sullivan & Sons Inc. (DAS) announced the arrival of Ryan Gagne, Cicely Hislop, and Andrew Fleming into its leadership group, marking a significant milestone in the 125-year-old construction company’s history. Gagne is valued for his innovative approaches and collaborative project management and will assume the role of vice president of Construction. His master’s degree in construction management and years of industry involvement will enrich the project experience offered by DAS. Hislop is currently pursuing her MBA at UMass Amherst. She is set to play a pivotal role in enhancing DAS’s operational efficiency and project execution as chief operating officer. Fleming will undertake the role of vice president of Pre-construction. His ability to foresee potential challenges and devise effective solutions is expected to ensure the smooth execution of projects from the initial stages.

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Christopher Thuot

Christopher Thuot

Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) named Christopher Thuot vice president for Academic Affairs. Following a comprehensive national search, Thuot assumed the role on July 17. As the chief academic officer, he provides leadership for implementation of the college’s academic mission and priorities. He plays a key role in supporting the alignment of academic programs with the region’s employment needs while helping develop and sustain partnerships with transfer institutions, local schools, and government agencies. Thuot comes to STCC from Onondaga Community College (OCC) in Syracuse, N.Y., one of 30 community colleges in the State University of New York system. He served as assistant provost, providing academic leadership to eight schools, adult college programs, and the Office of Registration and Records. He helped lead development of all new degree programs, led a comprehensive program revitalization process, and served as OCC’s accreditation liaison officer. He served as project director on a number of grants. Thuot began his career at OCC as a full-time faculty member while serving as the Honors College chair, vice president of the Faculty Senate, and coordinator of General Education. He was first introduced to community colleges as a student at Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte, N.C. He went on to earn a bachelor’s degree at the University of North Carolina Asheville and a Ph.D. in political science at Northern Illinois University.

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Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts (GSCWM) announced that the nonprofit organization’s long-time CEO, Pattie Hallberg, is stepping down at the end of 2023, after 16 years of service. The GSCWM board will oversee the process to choose Hallberg’s successor, and has engaged the search firm Find Good People to assist with the transition. “It has been my honor and a sincere privilege to lead Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts, an organization dedicated to the development of a girl’s personal leadership journey,” said Hallberg, who was named by BusinessWest to its Women of Impact class of 2020. “I am proud of the organization we are today and the impact we’ve made, working with thousands of fabulous girls and adults to further the Girl Scout mission to build girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place.”

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Peter Albero

Peter Albero

Peter Albero has been appointed chief financial officer and treasurer of Greenfield Savings Bank. He will be responsible for all aspects of financial operations of the bank, including internal and external financial reporting, investments, and asset and liability management. Albero joins the bank with more than 35 years in the financial industry. Most recently, he served as chief financial officer at Salisbury Bank & Trust. In addition, he has been a risk advisory consultant at Pricewaterhouse Coopers, where he designed and implemented financial and risk data reconciliations for foreign banks. For more than 26 years, he worked at Morgan Stanley in a variety of senior roles in the Financial Controller group. He is also a licensed CPA in New York. He has a bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance from Manhattan College and an MBA in finance and international business from New York University.

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Conor Carey

Conor Carey

Bacon Wilson, P.C. announced that attorney Conor Carey has joined the firm as an associate in the Litigation department. Carey earned his juris doctorate, cum laude, from the University of St. Thomas School of Law in Minneapolis in 2018 and his bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, from Westfield State University in 2015. Prior to joining Bacon Wilson, he spent a year as a judicial law clerk for Associate Justice Sabita Singh of the Massachusetts Appeals Court and also previously served as a research attorney to the justices of the Massachusetts Superior Court in Worcester. At Bacon Wilson, he will be assisting clients with their litigation needs in both civil and criminal law. He is a member of both the Hampden and Hampshire county bar associations and will be working primarily out of the firm’s Northampton office. He is licensed to practice law in Massachusetts and Minnesota.

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Soniha Nuzrat

Soniha Nuzrat

Dietz & Company Architects Inc. recently welcomed Soniha Nuzrat to the firm in the role of architectural associate, in which she will assist project teams throughout all phases of design. Nuzrat recently received her master of architecture degree from Miami University in Ohio, where she completed her thesis on evaluating cross-cultural courtyard housing for social well-being in Manhattan. As evidenced by her thesis, she has a particular interest and specializes in community-based design. This past spring, she received the AIA Medal for Academic Excellence, which is awarded annually to the top graduating students in National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) accredited degree programs. Prior to pursuing her master of architecture degree, Nuzrat earned her bachelor of architecture degree from Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology. She also worked on a variety of projects for architecture firms in Bangladesh.

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Country Bank announced that Brunilda Demiri has joined its Auditing Division as first vice president and director of Internal Audit. Before joining Country Bank, she worked as a lead auditor for the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. She has more than 14 years of experience in the industry and is currently a member of the Institute of Internal Auditors and the Certified Fraud Examiners Community. She holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Bentley University and is currently enrolled in Babson’s MBA program. Brunilda is also a certified fraud examiner.

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Timothy Murphy

Timothy Murphy

Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C. announced that one of its partners, Timothy Murphy, has been recognized once again by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America list for 2024. He is listed in three fields: employment law – management, labor law – management, and litigation – labor and employment. Focusing his practice on labor relations, union avoidance, collective bargaining and arbitration, employment litigation, and employment counseling, Murphy has been included in The Best Lawyers in America every year since 2013 and was Lawyer of the Year in 2015, 2018, 2020, and 2022. Murphy is very active within the local community, sitting on boards of directors for several area organizations, such as the Human Service Forum and Community Legal Aid. He also is a member of the World Affairs Council.

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Michael Laga

Michael Laga

Freedom Credit Union recently welcomed Mortgage Loan Originator Michael Laga to its Loan Production Office at 115 Elm St. in Enfield, Conn. In this role, Laga works with homebuyers to assess their financial status and credit, recommend the best loan products, and guide members through the homebuying process. Laga graduated from the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst and played professional baseball for 14 years on teams including the Detroit Tigers, St. Louis Cardinals, and San Francisco Giants. Freedom’s Loan Production Office opened in Enfield in November 2022. It is dedicated exclusively to mortgage and business lending. John Santaniello, assistant vice president of Member Business Lending, also works from this office, helping businesses that are seeking loans, including term, Small Business Administration, commercial real estate, and commercial vehicle loans.

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Girls Inc. of the Valley recently welcomed two new members to its board of directors. Trishna Mudumbi and Isani Castro will join the current board to support strategic planning to map out the future of the organization. Mudumbi is an accomplished engineering leader with nearly 20 years of industry experience. She holds a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from Drexel University and a master’s degree in management from Stevens Institute of Technology. She is currently the chief engineer for Environmental and Airframe Control Systems products for the Boeing Defense Value Stream at Collins Aerospace. Throughout her career, she has focused on promoting women and underrepresented groups in STEM and beyond. Castro is an associate attorney at Doherty, Wallace, Pillsbury & Murphy, P.C. in downtown Springfield, with a focus on business and corporate law. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Manhattan College, graduating with honors. She graduated from Roger Williams University School of Law in May 2022 with her juris doctor. In her role as associate attorney, she drafts various legal documents related to intricate business needs, provides legal counsel, and manages negotiations.

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People on the Move
Mae Stiles

Mae Stiles

Sadie Reynolds

Sadie Reynolds

Fierst Bloomberg Ohm recently announced a promotion and a new hire. Mae Stiles has become a partner of the firm after joining the firm as of counsel in 2019. A Northampton native, she has more than 15 years of experience and has worked for major New York and San Francisco law firms in complex commercial litigation, including anti-trust and intellectual-property matters, as well as a wide variety of business, corporate, and licensing transactions. She returned to practice law in Northampton in 2017 and is admitted to practice in the state and federal courts of Massachusetts, New York, and California. Sadie Reynolds has joined the firm as a litigation associate. Previously, she was the Legal Clinic director at the Hampden County Bar Assoc., where she assisted pro se litigants in a variety of matters, including housing and civil litigation; represented parties in Western Division Housing Court; created and developed programs to assist the underserved in Western Mass.; and expanded access to justice and legal services. She is a trained mediator with experience assisting litigants in Springfield District Court, mediating small-claim and summary-process matters.

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April Parsons

April Parsons

Greenfield Community College President Michelle Schutt announced the appointment of April Parsons as the next vice president of Academic Affairs. Parsons brings more than a decade of leading academic teams, as well as more than 20 years of experience in teaching in classrooms, including in high schools, community colleges, and universities. Parsons holds a Ph.D. in comparative literature with a certificate in women’s and gender studies, as well as an master of education degree in language education. Most recently, she taught as a professor of English at Northwestern Connecticut Community College (NCCC) and chaired the Department of Arts and Humanities. She also led a redesign of NCCC’s English curriculum and was a faculty lead through the NECHE regional accreditation process. Beyond Parsons’ professional roles, she’s also active in the community. She volunteers time at her local library working to expand literacy programs, and has helped the institution acquire and implement National Endowment for the Arts grant funding to conduct these efforts. She also works closely with incarcerated individuals, both in a professional and volunteer capacity. She recently served as the lead faculty member on a partnership between NCCC and the Connecticut Department of Corrections that helped bring college education to incarcerated individuals. She is a volunteer for the Prison Yoga Project, which brings yoga lessons into the prison community.

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Susan Levine

Susan Levine

Jewish Federation of the Berkshires announced the appointment of Susan Levine as the new Food Service director for its Connecting with Community kosher meals program that provides free, nutritious meals for the community (in-person, takeaway, and meals on wheels) year-round. Levine received a culinary arts degree at Peter Kump’s New York Cooking School in Lower Manhattan before interning at Canyon Ranch in Tucson, Ariz. There, she learned healthy ways of using her culinary skills, which she applied during a long career in catering and corporate dining that included a recent stint working at the Executive Mansion in Albany, N.Y. A 20-year resident of the Berkshires region, Levine first learned about the federation’s kosher meals program when her parents stayed at her home in New Lebanon, N.Y. and attended federation-sponsored programs and lunches at Knesset Israel in Pittsfield. Now, she is taking over the kosher meals program that was helmed by Cindy Bell-Deane for the past 25 years.

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Bulkley Richardson recently welcomed Sean Buxton, Christa Calabretta, Allison Laughner, and Yevgeniy “Gene” Pilman to the firm. Buxton will practice in the Litigation department. He earned a juris doctorate (JD), summa cum laude, from Western New England University School of Law in 2022. He also earned a bachelor’s degree, cum laude, from Princeton University. He spent the last year as a judicial law clerk for Judge Ariane Vuono of the Massachusetts Appeals Court and previously was an intern at the Hampden County District Attorney’s Office and the Superior Court of New Jersey. Calabretta will focus her practice on Business and Healthcare matters. She is a 2023 graduate of the University of Connecticut School of Law and also earned a bachelor’s degree from St. John’s University and an associate degree from Suffolk County Community College. Laughner will split her time between the Trusts & Estates and Family Law departments. She graduated from Western New England University School of Law in 2023, where she was on the Law Review staff. She also earned an MBA at Western New England University and a bachelor’s degree from Smith College. Pilman will practice in both the Business and Real Estate departments. He earned a JD from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in 2015, where he was a Cordozo Scholar, and a bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, from Hunter College City University of New York.

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Eric Padelford

Eric Padelford

Pittsfield Cooperative Bank announced the hiring of Eric Padelford as senior vice president and chief technology officer. In this role, he will oversee the Information Technology department and work closely with leadership on modernizing technology and platforms to increase efficiency and better serve the institution’s customers. Padelford joins the bank after serving as vice president, integration architect, and developer at Berkshire Bank for the last six years. He has more than 22 years of systems-architecture and development expertise, serving in IT and development roles at McGlinchey Stafford and Tech Valley DataPro LLC. He received his associate of applied science degree from Hudson Valley Community College in Troy, N.Y. and a bachelor’s degree in IT from SUNY Empire State College in Saratoga, N.Y.

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Kathy Martin

Kathy Martin

Glenmeadow, a provider of senior retirement lifestyle options, announced the appointment of Kathy Martin to the position of president and CEO, effective Oct. 1. She succeeds Anne Thomas in that role. Martin brings more than two decades of nonprofit leadership experience. She is currently assistant provost for Accreditation and Administration at UMass Amherst and previously served Springfield College in several roles, most recently chief of staff. Her experience in higher education includes prior posts at Bay Path University, Susquehanna University, and Bucknell University. Her volunteer leadership experience includes membership on the board of directors of Glenmeadow and Link to Libraries. She is also a corporator of Square One. Martin earned her bachelor’s degree in physical education (sport management) from Keene State College and her master’s degree in physical education (athletics administration) and doctor of physical education degree (with a specialization in sport psychology) from Springfield College.

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The Wealth Transition Collective (TWTC) recently announced two additions to its firm. Ashley Hopkins has joined the firm as director of Client Services & Operations. In her role, she will be responsible for new business implementation and five-star concierge service to firm clients. She has more than six years of experience in the financial-services industry. Jennifer Cooke joined the Wealth Transition Collective as a retirement-plan advisor. In her role, she is responsible for all 401(k), 403(b), cash-balance and defined-benefit plan business, including employee education. She helps her clients stay in compliance with ERISA standards for employer-sponsored retirement plans. With more than 25 years of experience in all aspects of the retirement-plan business, she acts as a co-fiduciary on retirement plans for business owners throughout New England. Cooke is a certified retirement-plan specialist, a certified plan fiduciary advisor, and an accredited investment fiduciary.

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Gina Barry

Gina Barry

Earlier this summer, the National Elder Law Foundation (NELF), the only organization approved by the American Bar Assoc. to offer certification in elder law, announced that Bacon Wilson, P.C. attorney Gina Barry has successfully completed its examination leading to such certification. Certification in elder law — one of the fastest-growing fields in the legal profession — will assure the public that the attorney has an in-depth working knowledge of the legal issues that impact the elderly. Barry is now one of two Bacon Wilson attorneys to pass this certification exam. Attorney Hyman Darling earned his certification in elder law in 2008.

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Pittsfield Cooperative Bank recently hired Joseph Maffuccio II as vice president, branch administration. Maffuccio joins the Co-op after an accomplished 16-year career with Greylock Federal Credit Union. While at Greylock, he held several retail, market, and business-development supervisory and manager positions, most recently as vice president, market manager. Maffuccio received his bachelor’s degree from Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams. He is the past president of Tyler Street Business Group and currently coaches Pittsfield youth sports.

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People on the Move
Lisa Green

Lisa Green

Catherine Thompson

Catherine Thompson

The African Hall Committee of the Springfield Museums announced the recipients of the 2023 Ubora Award and Ahadi Youth Award. Lisa Green, a distinguished professor at UMass Amherst, is this year’s Ubora Award recipient, and Catherine Thompson, a 2023 graduate of Springfield Central High School who is headed to Johns Hopkins University, was chosen for the Ahadi Youth Award. Named for the Swahili word meaning ‘excellence,’ the Ubora Award has been awarded annually since 1992 to an African-American adult who has demonstrated a commitment to Greater Springfield and has exhibited excellence in the fields of community service, education, science, humanities, or the arts. Green is an expert in syntax and African-American English (AAE). She founded the Center for the Study of African American Language at UMass in 2006 and has directed it ever since. She is also the author of two books and is working on a third. She is an active volunteer and mentor with the Greater Springfield Chapter of Links Inc., the Western Massachusetts Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, and the Xi Xi Omega Chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. And since 1996, she has been running a children’s summer reading program that she started at a church in her hometown of Lake Arthur, La. The Ahadi Youth Award has been given since 2009 to an African-American student (age 19 or younger) who embodies the Swahili word for ‘promise’ and excels both in academics and service to the Greater Springfield community. An outstanding student who graduated sixth in her class, Thompson is passionate about community service, especially with regard to social justice. For instance, at the Pioneer Valley Project, she worked on getting teens to pre-register to vote; as a teen-advocacy board member for Girls Inc. of the Valley, she attempted to increase awareness of racial justice, mental health, equal rights, and sexual- and domestic-violence issues. She was also actively involved in myriad clubs and organizations throughout high school, including the Key Club, the National Honor Society, student government, and the varsity tennis and soccer teams.

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Lukman Arsalan

Lukman Arsalan

Elms College has named Lukman Arsalan its new vice president of Enrollment Management and Marketing, effective Aug. 14. In this role, Arsalan will become a member of the president’s cabinet. Arsalan joined Elms College following his most recent appointment as the dean of Admissions and Financial Aid at King’s Academy in Madaba, Jordan. Prior to that, he served as dean of Admission at Franklin and Marshall College in Pennsylvania and director of Global Enrollment and Student Success at Trinity College in Hartford, Conn. He brings a wealth of experience in higher education to this leadership role at Elms and will lead the college’s strategic efforts to attract outstanding students from Massachusetts, New England, and beyond. At King’s Academy, Arsalan achieved record-breaking application numbers and successfully launched a national campaign to attract talented students. During his tenure at Trinity College, he built a reputation for his dedication to providing a student-success ecosystem, while significantly increasing the college’s international applications, net revenue, and global brand recognition.

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Heather Iampietro

Heather Iampietro

Legacy Counsellors, P.C. recently welcomed its newest associate attorney, Heather Iampietro. She focuses her practice on real-estate transactions and estate planning. Iampietro received her juris doctorate from Western New England University School of Law in 2021 as a part-time student, while working full time in commercial and residential real estate as a paralegal at local firms. As a paralegal, she gained experience in all aspects of the real-estate process from inception through closing. She received her bachelor’s degree in legal studies and a certificate of advanced paralegal studies from Bay Path University in 2016.

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Greenfield Community College’s Information Technology team has new leadership with the addition of Antoine Harrison as vice president of Information Technology. Harrison brings more than 25 years of experience in information technology to the campus, including more than 14 years leading IT efforts within education. Harrison joins GCC at a time when numerous large projects are either underway or will soon be at the college to improve student and employee experience, including implementation of GCC’s first-ever CRM, upgrading the college’s enterprise systems, strengthening GCC’s cyber network security, and instituting an identity-management system. Harrison came most recently from Worcester Polytechnic Institute where he served as the institution’s deputy chief information officer. While there, he led critical technology areas and provided key guidance to senior leadership on enterprise applications, data-analytics infrastructure, integrations, business intelligence, web development, and project management. Previously, he has also contributed to infrastructure and technology projects in a variety of disciplines, including higher education, K-12 education, government, and private industry. He has also been recognized nationally for his innovative work, including being featured in industry magazine Toggle as one of the country’s top innovative CIOs.

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Julie Beck

Julie Beck

Elms College named Julie Beck its new dean of the School of Nursing (SON). Beck joins Elms from Wilson College in Chambersburg, Pa., where she recently served as director of Nursing and Health Sciences. The author of the book The Meaning of Voice to Experienced Nurses in Magnet Hospitals, Beck has more than 20 years of higher-education experience in nursing and holds a doctoral degree in adult education from Penn State University. She also holds an MSN in nursing education from Villanova University and a BSN from Bloomsburg University in Pennsylvania. Beck will be a key member of Elms’ leadership, bringing a new strategy and vision that will reinforce the strengths of the School of Nursing.

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Springfield Thunderbirds General Manager Kevin Maxwell announced that Jeff Jordan has been promoted to manager of Hockey Operations. Previously the Thunderbirds’ video coach and Team Services coordinator, Jordan will continue his work with the coaching staff in the video department during the 2023-24 season. Jordan joined the St. Louis Blues’ AHL affiliate in 2019 when he was hired by the San Antonio Rampage as the team’s video coach. Before starting his professional career, he served as an assistant coach with the Ontario Hockey League’s Ottawa 67’s in 2014-15 and 2015-16.

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Bulkley Richardson recently welcomed Jennifer Santucci to the firm as an associate in the Real Estate department. She will work with clients on drafting and negotiating purchase and sale agreements; reviewing and analyzing sales contracts, LLC/corporate documents, trust documentation, and title commitments; and preparing for and conducting closings. Her experience also includes real-estate financing, including representing various lenders in commercial real-estate transactions, and preparation of loan agreements and other loan documents on behalf of lenders. Santucci earned a juris doctorate from Suffolk University Law School in 2014 and a bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, in criminal studies from Johnson & Wales University in 2009.

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Jane Wolfe

Jane Wolfe

Greenfield Cooperative Bank (GCB) announced that Jane Wolfe, executive vice president of Residential Lending, successfully completed the inaugural American Bankers Assoc. (ABA) Wharton Leadership Lab at the University of Pennsylvania. She earned an ABA Wharton Executive Leadership Certificate, a prestigious credential that demonstrates her excellence in leadership and strategic planning. Wolfe is a valuable member of GCB’s senior leadership team and a leader in the residential-lending industry, with more than 20 years of experience providing service and solutions to the bank’s customers and partners.

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The St. Patrick’s Committee of Holyoke announced that its 71st grand marshal is Mary Lynch, a Holyoke native and 34-year member of the St. Patrick’s Committee of Holyoke. The grand marshal of the annual parade is the committee’s highest local honor given to a person who has distinguished themselves as a loyal person to their career, family, and Irish ancestry. Lynch is a graduate of Holyoke Catholic High School, Holyoke Community College, and Westfield State College, where she earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education. She retired in 2017 as a long-time professor of Early Childhood Education at Holyoke Community College. She also served on several boards, including the Greater Holyoke YMCA and the Irish Cultural Center of Western New England. She was honored in 2010 with the Oldershaw Award from the Greater Holyoke YMCA, which is its highest honor given to an individual who has made significant volunteer contributions to the Greater Holyoke community. “Auntie Mary,” as she’s known to many on the committee, has held many important roles, including chair of the JFK and Memorial Mass, Grand Marshal’s Reception, Coronation Ball, and Awards Dinner. She has also served on the program book and tartan committees, parade coordination, and the board of directors. She was honored with the Rohan Award in 1996 and was a member of the Grand Colleen Court in 1970.

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Tim Deshaies

Tim Deshaies

Florence Bank recently presented its 2023 Community Support Award to Tim Deshaies, director of Retail Operations at the bank. The award was established by the bank in 1997 as a means of formally recognizing employees who are active in the community and give their personal and professional time to local nonprofit organizations. Each year, the award recipient can select an organization to which the bank will donate $500. Deshaies has chosen the Therapeutic Equestrian Center, citing the work the organization does with horse-assisted therapy for people in the community. Deshaies came to Florence Bank in 2007. He holds a master’s degree in business administration from Western New England University. He is active in the community, serving as treasurer of the Therapeutic Equestrian Center and the Wistariahurst Foundation, vice president of Black Horse Trust, and director of Mansir Trust.

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Berkshire Money Management (BMM), a full-service financial-advising firm with offices in Dalton and Great Barrington, announced the expansion of its Great Barrington team with the addition of Airen Wadsworth as front office coordinator. In that role, he is the first person to welcome guests to the new Great Barrington office at 72 Stockbridge Road. His goal is to help every client and visitor feel comfortable, at home, and part of the BMM culture. He will also support the firm with scheduling, data entry, and other vital tasks. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from MCLA in 2018.

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Dorian Guidi

Dorian Guidi

Monson Savings Bank (MSB) recently announced the promotion of Dorian Guidi to portfolio manager. He will continue to be based out of the Monson Savings Bank Loan & Operations Center, located at 75 Post Office Park in Wilbraham. Guidi is a graduate of Western New England University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in finance and accounting. Additionally, he completed the School of Commercial Lending facilitated by the Massachusetts Bankers Assoc. in October 2020, and the Leadership Institute facilitated by the Springfield Regional Chamber in June 2022. He is currently attending the New England School for Financial Studies and is on track to graduate in 2024. With more than eight years of banking experience, five of which have been at Monson Savings, Guidi has the background and banking knowledge to serve the bank’s commercial borrowers. Prior to working with MSB, Guidi spent 3 years at TD Bank as a teller and customer service representative. In his new role as portfolio manager, he will be responsible for assisting the bank’s commercial-loan officers with managing established commercial banking relationships and facilitating the underwriting, closing, and booking of new commercial-loan requests. Additionally, he will work to support the commercial loan department with audits and regulatory exams.

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KeyBank announced that Dennis Breitrick has joined the bank as senior Business Banking relationship manager for its Connecticut and Western Mass. market. In his new role, he will provide customized financial solutions to improve cash flow, such as commercial lines of credit, SBA financing, equipment financing, cash management, merchant services, commercial real-estate financing, and more to businesses with sales revenues between $3 million and $50 million annually. A graduate of Fordham University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree, Breitrick joins KeyBank from M&T Bank (formerly People’s United Bank), where he served as a business relationship manager since 2019. Previously, he spent 10 years with JPMorgan Chase Bank in similar roles serving business clients.

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Kathryn Crouss

Kathryn Crouss

Doherty, Wallace, Pillsbury and Murphy, P.C. (DWPM) announced that Kathryn Crouss, who became a shareholder at the firm in January, was named the 78th president of the Hampden County Bar Assoc. (HCBA). Crouss joined the firm in May 2022 and became a shareholder at the start of this year. With extensive experience in both family law and employment matters, she is a certified mediator and represents family-law clients both in court and through alternative dispute resolution. In addition to her service as president of the Hampden County Bar Assoc., Crouss also serves on the board of Community Legal Aid and has chaired the its Access to Justice fundraising campaign for the past two years. She has served on the board of the Hampden County Bar Assoc. since 2018.

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Shatz, Schwartz and Fentin announced that eight of its lawyers have been awarded in the 2024 editions of The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America. Steven Schwartz was named a Lawyer of the Year in the field of business organizations (including LLCs and partnerships). He was also chosen for The Best Lawyers in America in the fields of business organizations (including LLCs and partnerships), closely held companies and corporate law. Gary Fentin was named a Lawyer of the Year in the fields of banking and finance law and commercial transactions/uniform commercial code (UCC) law. Carol Cioe Klyman was named a Lawyer of the Year in the fields of elder law and trusts and estates. Timothy Mulhern was named a Lawyer of the Year in the fields of corporate law and tax law. Steven Weiss was named a Lawyer of the Year in the fields of bankruptcy and creditor debtor rights/insolvency and reorganization law. Mark Esposito was named to Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America in the fields of commercial litigation and litigation – labor and employment. Also selected by their peers for inclusion in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America are Michele Feinstein, recognized in the fields of trusts and estates litigation, elder law, and trusts and estates; and James Sheils, recognized in the field of commercial transactions/ uniform commercial code (UCC) law.

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Bulkley Richardson announced that 15 lawyers from the firm were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. These lawyers were recognized in 24 unique areas of practice. They include Peter Barry: construction law, healthcare law, and education law; Kathy Bernardo: real-estate law; Michael Burke: medical malpractice law (defendants) and personal-injury litigation (defendants); Mark Cress: banking and finance law, bankruptcy and creditor-debtor rights/insolvency and reorganization law, and corporate law; Francis Dibble Jr.: bet-the-company litigation, commercial litigation, white-collar criminal defense, labor and employment litigation, and securities litigation; Daniel Finnegan: administrative/regulatory law, construction litigation, and construction law; Scott Foster: business organizations, including LLCs and partnerships; Mary Jo Kennedy: employment law (individuals) and employment law (management); Kevin Maynard: commercial litigation, banking and finance litigation, and construction litigation; David Parke: corporate law and mergers and acquisitions; Jeffrey Poindexter: commercial litigation and construction litigation; John Pucci: bet-the-company litigation, general-practice criminal defense, and white-collar criminal defense; Jeffrey Roberts: corporate law and trusts & estates; Michael Roundy: commercial litigation; and Ronald Weiss: corporate law, mergers and acquisitions law, and tax law.

People on the Move

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People on the Move
Dr. Mark Keroack

Dr. Mark Keroack

Dr. Mark Keroack announced his plan to retire as Baystate Health CEO in July 2024 after 10 years of leadership of the region’s primary health system. The board of trustees will launch a national search for his successor. Keroack joined Baystate Health in 2011 as chief physician executive and president of Baystate Medical Practices and was appointed to the CEO role in 2014. He has had a long career in both medicine and health administration, serving in leadership roles at UMass Memorial Medical Group and the University Health System Consortium. A specialist in infectious diseases, Keroack was a leading voice during the COVID-19 pandemic, offering public-health information and partnering with public-health officials to address the crisis. The board has established a search committee and identified a search firm to help conduct a nationwide search for a new CEO. It is expected to take several months to a year to identify a candidate and finalize the next CEO. During this period, Keroack will continue in all aspects of the CEO role.

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Kaz Borawski

Kaz Borawski

The North Brookfield Savings Bank board of directors announced that Kaz Borawski has been appointed president and CEO, effective immediately. Borawski has more than 26 years of experience in industries including retail banking, investment banking, wealth management, and technology and operations at organizations such as JPMorgan Chase and MassMutual Financial Group. He has spent the last 13 years in community banking with United Bank, Merchants Bank, and Holyoke Credit Union before joining North Brookfield Savings Bank in February 2022 as chief financial officer. She holds a certificate from the New England School for the Financial Studies at Babson College, an MBA with a major in finance from Manhattan College in New York City, and a bachelor of business administration degree with a major in accounting from Baruch College, also in New York City.

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Katy Malouin

Katy Malouin

The Royal Law Firm recently welcomed attorney Katy Malouin to the team. She has more than 10 years of experience in commercial insurance defense work, primarily focused on contract analysis and legal research and writing. After obtaining her undergraduate degree, Malouin worked as a human resources information systems assistant, verifying the accuracy of professional licensure and compliance with union contracts. While in law school, she worked as a law clerk and also participated in a small-business clinic, assisting local individuals with setting up their businesses. She is passionate about diversity, equity, and inclusion and has previously been involved in advising in the areas of disabilities in the workplace and neurodiversity in the workplace. Malouin holds a dual bachelor’s degree in paralegal studies and business administration from Elms College, a master’s degree in business administration from Western New England University, and both a juris doctorate and an master of law degree in elder law and estate planning from Western New England University School of Law.

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Patrick Grego

Patrick Grego

Berkshire Agriculture Ventures (BAV), a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting local agriculture and resilient food systems in the Berkshire-Taconic region, announced the appointment of Patrick Grego as its full-time Communications and Development associate. Grego comes to BAV with a background in nonprofit communications. After moving from Brooklyn, N.Y. to Hudson, N.Y. in 2021, he served as a Communications coordinator at Time & Space Limited, a community arts center in Hudson, and later as Communications assistant at the Olana Partnership. Grego has a passion for storytelling. His writing has been published in several regional newspapers, including the Times Union and Chronogram’s River Newsroom. He recently won the New York Newspaper Publishers Assoc. award for distinguished feature writing.

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Holyoke Community College (HCC) Culinary Arts Professor Warren Leigh has been named Educator of the Year by the Center for the Advancement of Food Service Education (CAFE), a national industry group. Leigh, a professional chef and restaurateur who has been teaching at HCC for 15 years, received his award June 21 at the 2023 CAFE Leadership Conference in Charleston, S.C. Leigh also received honorable mention for CAFE’s annual Community Outreach award. In receiving the Educator of the Year award, Leigh, co-chair of HCC’s Culinary Arts program, was recognized for his part in designing the HCC MGM Culinary Arts Institute, the college’s state-of-the-art teaching facility on Race Street that opened in 2018; reimagining the culinary-arts curriculum; creating a line-cook training program in collaboration with HCC’s non-credit business and workforce division; and pushing forward on his concept for a mobile kitchen where students could learn food-truck operations while also teaching the community about nutrition and healthy eating. Leigh holds a bachelor’s degree in food service administration from the Rochester Institute of Technology and a master’s degree in management from the University of Phoenix. He trained extensively as a chef in Germany and Switzerland. He is the owner, operator, and executive chef for Hydrangea Catering & Consulting and has worked over the years in many capacities at restaurants in Connecticut and Western Mass.

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Kyle Young

Kyle Young

Dietz & Company Architects Inc. announced that Kyle Young, AIA has been promoted to the position of senior architect. Young joined the firm in 2014 as an architectural associate upon graduating with his master of architecture degree from UMass Amherst. Now as a senior architect, he manages medium- to large-sized construction projects specializing in renovations and new construction for multi-family housing. He also serves as the firm’s AXP mentor/supervisor, supporting employees on their paths to architectural licensure.

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Eric Garcia

Eric Garcia

Freedom Credit Union announced the promotion of Eric Garcia from assistant branch officer to branch officer at its main office in Springfield. He first joined the Freedom team in September 2020 as a member services representative and, due to his potential and initiative, was quickly promoted to the role of assistant branch officer in November 2021. With this latest promotion to branch officer, he will assume responsibility for the day-to-day operations of the main branch. Throughout his tenure at Freedom, Garcia has been recognized for his outstanding contributions. He is a recipient of both the prestigious GEM Award and the President’s Award, highlighting his exceptional work ethic, commitment to excellence, genuine kindness, and positive impact on the organization.

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James Montana

James Montana

Dietz & Co. Architects announced that James Montana, AIA has completed the Architectural Registration Examination and met all of the requirements for architectural licensure in the state of Connecticut, bringing the firm’s total number of registered architects to eight. Montana joined Dietz & Co. in January and is currently participating in the design and project management of a new senior-center facility for the town of Wilmington. He holds a master of architecture degree from Wentworth Institute of Technology and has led design teams for multiple award-winning projects. Prior to working for Dietz, Montana worked for architectural firms in Massachusetts and Connecticut, where he developed a specialization in design for mixed-used commercial and residential projects. He also has experience in designing boutique corporate interiors and campus planning for higher education.

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Former Downtown Northampton Assoc. Executive Director Amy Cahillane has begun her new role as Greenfield Community and Economic Development director. She replaces MJ Adams, who retired in April. Cahillane graduated from Smith College in 1993 with a bachelor’s degree in government. She then earned her juris doctorate in 1999 at Suffolk University School of Law before achieving a master’s degree in political science at the University of Washington in 2005. She worked in a multitude of roles across the Northampton community. She was a board member from 2011 to 2013 and co-president from 2013 to 2016 of the Northampton Education Foundation. The volunteer board spearheaded fundraising efforts to procure private and corporate funds to support Northampton public schools. As a participant on the Northampton Center of Arts from 2014 to 2016, Cahillane and other board members worked to provide affordable and accessible venues for a wide range of arts experiences, including performances, exhibits, arts education, and more. The board also partnered with the Northampton Community Arts Trust to reinvent 33 Hawley St. into a multi-faceted art space. In 2016, Cahillane was hired as the first executive director for the Downtown Northampton Assoc. Through strong partnerships with the local business community, city government, and downtown stakeholders, she produced various events, championed beautification efforts, and advocated on behalf of Northampton’s downtown community. She also worked as the community liaison board member for the Northampton Jazz Festival from 2019 to 2023.

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Amelia Holstrom

Amelia Holstrom

Attorney Amelia Holstrom of Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C., was named chair of the Wilbraham Personnel Advisory Board, which advises the town’s Select Board on matters pertaining to personnel policy. Holstrom, who joined the firm in 2012, is a partner at Skoler Abbott who practices in all areas of employment defense. She provides counsel to management on taking proactive steps to reduce the risk of legal liability that may be imposed as the result of illegal employment practices and defends employers who are faced with lawsuits and administrative charges filed by current and former employers. Holstrom, who was appointed to the Personnel Advisory Board by the Wilbraham Select Board, is an active participant in the Greater Springfield community. She is a member of the Wilbraham Commission on Disability, the boards of Clinical and Support Options Inc. and the East of the River Five Town Chamber of Commerce, the board development committee for the Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts, and the personnel committee for the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts.

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Brittany Yvon

Brittany Yvon

Brittany Yvon, credit manager for OMG Inc., has been named as a Rising Star by HBS Dealer magazine in its annual Top Women in Hardware & Building Supply listing. She was selected from among a record-breaking number of nominations of up-and-coming and high-performing leaders who are making an impact in the hardware and building-supply industry. Since 2020, HBS Dealer and industry partners have promoted the role of women in the hardware and building-supply industry. Individuals are nominated by their peers and selected by a panel of judges based on their contributions and attributes that go above and beyond the call of duty. Professionals receiving the Rising Star designation have been identified as women with the potential to make a significant, positive difference both within their company and within the industry for years to come. Yvon has been with OMG for seven years and was promoted to credit manager in 2021, where she is responsible for overseeing OMG’s Accounts Receivable department, including researching customer credit reports, creating credit scoring models to predict risk, monitoring customer balances, and preparing end-of-month reports and reconciliations. She is a member of the National Assoc. of Credit Management, a certified international credit professional through the Finance, Credit, and International Business Assoc., and a credit business associate through the National Assoc. of Credit Management.

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Dan Moriarty

Dan Moriarty

Monson Savings Bank President and CEO Dan Moriarty was named Board Member of the Year at the East of the River Chamber of Commerce (ERC5) 2023 annual breakfast. Moriarty has been a member of the ERC5 board of directors for more than four years. In addition to the work he does with the ERC5, he is involved with several other community organizations. He is a strategic council member of Springfield nonprofit I Found Light Against All Odds- Lighthouse Home for Homeless Teen Girls, a board member of the Monson Home for the Aged, and a member of the Links to Libraries board of directors. He also is on the Baystate Health community benefits advisory council, a member of the Monson Free Library finance committee, and co-chair of the Monson Savings Pro-Am. He co-chairs the diversity, equity, and inclusion council of the Massachusetts Bankers Assoc. and he serves on the finance committee and as a confirmation teacher at St. Patrick’s Church in Monson. Additionally, he is a former volunteer grant scholarship reviewer for the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts and a past co-chair of the Brightside’s Golf Classic.

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Shefali Desai

Shefali Desai

American International College (AIC) announced the appointment of Shefali Desai as the newest member of its board of trustees. With a career spanning more than 30 years in the financial-services industry, including 22 years at MassMutual, Desai brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her new position on the AIC board. In her role as head of Worksite at MassMutual, she has been instrumental in driving the success of MassMutual’s Worksite business, offering voluntary benefit and executive group life solutions through employers to the mass market. Before assuming her current position at the company, Desai served as the leader of the Strategy and Analytics team for MassMutual Workplace Solutions. Additionally, she has served as the Emerging Market sales manager of the MassMutual Retirement Services Sales Division. A graduate of Babson College, Desai joined the Bucknell University Parents Board in 2022 and has been actively involved in a variety of initiatives, including new-student orientations, fostering diversity and inclusion efforts, and providing career-counseling support.

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Curran and Keegan Financial recently welcomed two additions to its team, Amy Watts Bovaird and Megan Rooney. Watts Bovaird spent more than a decade fundraising for an academic institution, nonprofits, and a trade association, sparking her interest in personal finance. In 2020, she made a career transition and pursued her FINRA Securities Industry Essentials, Series 66, and Series 7 certifications, and spent more than a year advising at a major firm. At Curran and Keegan, she is a financial advisor and is pursuing the certified financial planner certification. Rooney joined the team as a client services associate. She is a recent graduate of Mount Holyoke College, where she received her bachelor’s degree with a concentration in politics. It was during her studies that she became fascinated with personal finance and decided to venture into financial planning. She completed her FINRA Securities Industries Essentials certification as a primary step into the field, and is now pursuing the FINRA Series 7 certification.

People on the Move

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People on the Move
Ruth Lahti

Ruth Lahti

Following a national search, Bay Path University announced that Ruth Lahti was selected to be the inaugural dean of the School of Education, Psychology & Humanities. In her previous position, Lahti served as the associate vice president of Academics at Southern New Hampshire University, Global Campus Online. In that role, she led a team of 70 full-time administrators and faculty while overseeing 22 online programs; spearheaded the development of a career-oriented master of fine arts program in creative writing that is now the largest MFA program in the country; oversaw DEI strategies that produced positive, measurable results; and implemented data-driven decision making to foster student success, grow online programs in both enrollment and revenue, and launch a suite of career-focused embedded certificates. As dean of the of the School of Education, Psychology & Humanities, Lahti is responsible for leading and coordinating the operations of department chairs and program directors to support student and faculty success. Through collaboration with cross-university departments, she will be a member of teams that develop strategic external partnerships, implement ongoing processes for the development of and scanning for new curricular ideas and initiatives, and identify and assist in obtaining new revenue streams to support the expansion of school programs and infrastructure. Lahti earned her Ph.D. and master’s degree in English from UMass Amherst and her bachelor’s degree in English from James Madison University.

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Ryan Hess

Ryan Hess

Florence Bank announced that Ryan Hess has joined the staff as vice president and commercial team leader. Hess has more than 11 years of experience in banking, serving in roles from credit analyst and portfolio manager to leadership in commercial lending. He most recently served as chief lending officer for a locally based startup bank and played a key role in its founding. Hess holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Stonehill College. He serves as co-chair of the Ronald McDonald House golf committee, a member of the Make-A-Wish golf committee, and vice chair of the Springfield Zoning Board of Appeals.

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Cristina Gonzalez has been promoted to general manager at the Holiday Inn Express Ludlow. She has worked with Pioneer Valley Hotel Group (PVHG) since 2015. Before taking the general manager position, she worked in various other roles within the PVHG family of hotels. Gonzalez began working at the Holiday Inn Express Ludlow in the winter of 2022. She said she has appreciated meeting new people every day, growing and learning, and experiencing innovation in hospitality, and strives to create a healthy workplace environment through trust and cooperation.

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Laura Mukazhanova

Laura Mukazhanova

Chen Yu

Chen Yu

Dietz & Company Architects Inc. recently welcomed Laura Mukazhanova and Chen Yu to the firm, both in the role of architectural associate. Mukazhanova recently received her bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University, where she completed her thesis on the effects of architecture on one’s mental and emotional state. She illustrated this with a focus on addressing the issue of burnout in the healthcare industry through the use of visual and sensory perceptions in the workplace. As such, she has a particular interest and curiosity in architecture that has the potential for emotional and aesthetic influence on its occupants. Chen recently graduated with her master of architecture degree from the University of Virginia. While completing her studies, she interned at architecture firms in Virginia and China. She also had the opportunity to conduct research on-site in Utqiagvik, Alaska regarding the reuse of waste heat. With an interest in public building design, she looks forward to expanding her knowledge on the subject through her project work at Dietz.

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Ali Salehi

Ali Salehi

Melissa Alvarado

Melissa Alvarado

Gloria Williams

Gloria Williams

Daniel Currier

Daniel Currier

The Westfield State University board of trustees elected Ali Salehi to serve as its chair, while trustees Melissa Alvarado and Gloria Williams were elected as vice-chair and secretary, respectively. Daniel Currier, class of 2025, was elected to the board as student trustee. Salehi serves as managing director of Hansen Engineering and Machinery Co. Inc. of Danvers. A former board member of the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce, the Westfield State University Foundation, and the Westfield Redevelopment Authority, Salehi is a current trustee of Suffield Academy and a former vice chair of the Baystate Health Foundation. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and a master’s degree in engineering management from Western New England University. Alvarado is an assistant vice president in strategic planning and delivery at MassMutual Financial Group and, prior to that, worked in its compliance and information-technology organizations. She previously served as clerk of the Westfield State Foundation and was a member of the Westfield State Alumni Assoc. executive council. In addition earning a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Westfield State in 1999, Alvarado holds an MBA in finance from Western New England University and earned an executive certification in leadership and management from the University of Notre Dame. Williams is an educational consultant and leadership mentor who previously completed a 21-year tenure as a master principal for Springfield Public Schools. Her service in education, including as a representative for the Superintendent’s Advisory Committee, was recognized when she received the 2019 Educational Legacy Achievement Award, presented by Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. Williams is also president of the consulting firm Coalition of Experienced Black Educators Inc. and the newly elected president of the board of directors for Families Against Violence. She earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Westfield State College in 1977 and a certificate in advanced graduate studies, a M.Ed., and a Ed.D. from UMass Amherst. Currier was elected by the student body in April to serve as Westfield State’s student trustee for the 2023-24 academic year. A junior with majors in accounting and finance with minors in economics and English, Currier was formerly vice president for Finance for Westfield State’s Student Government Assoc., is president of the Accounting Club, and serves as a campus tour guide, new-student-orientation leader, and peer tutor. Currier is also a Commonwealth Honors Scholar and received the Executive Excellence Award from the Westfield State University Student Government Assoc.

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Panna Royal

Panna Royal

Greenfield Savings Bank (GSB) promoted Panna Royal to the position of senior vice president and chief information officer. As CIO, she will oversee the operations of the Information Technology (IT) department, including the planning, management, implementation, support, and the security of the bank’s information and computer technologies. Royal joined GSB in November 2019 as senior network administrator with more than 25 years of experience working in IT. In 2020, she was promoted to the position of vice president and senior network administrator in the IT department. In 2022, she became senior technical program and compliance manager in the Operations department, implementing and overseeing the project-management program for the bank. Royal and her team will support the bank with technology solutions to help the organization continue to provide customers with an outstanding user experience. She will also oversee training programs for upgrades and system changes, ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, and oversee the hiring and training of the IT department. She will manage the implementation and maintenance of existing information systems and will develop the bank’s information-technology roadmap for the future.

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Alexandre Pereira

Alexandre Pereira

Allison Hanna

Allison Hanna

Lauren Rainville

Lauren Rainville

Emily Gorney

Emily Gorney

Bacon Wilson, P.C. announced that Alexandre Pereira, Allison Hanna, Lauren Rainville, and Emily Gorney have been accepted into its law-clerk program for the 2023-24 school year. Bacon Wilson created the clerkship program more than 40 years ago to allow law-school students to gain experience and mentoring in the legal profession. The clerks are an integral part of the firm and participate in various firm events during their time at Bacon Wilson. Pereira joined Bacon Wilson in May 2023. He is a Western New England University School of Law candidate for juris doctor in May 2024. He earned his bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, in finance from Western New England University (WNE) in 2021. Prior to Bacon Wilson, he was a teaching assistant in the academic success center at WNE. He was also a legal assistant at Marta Law Offices in Ludlow, where he gained experience in estate planning and real-estate law. Currently, he has interests in estate planning and litigation. In addition to his previous work experience, Pereira has volunteered his time at Our Lady of Fatima Parish and was also a Best Buddies International Organization member. He has lived in Western Mass. his entire life and hopes to continue his legal career here after graduation. He is looking forward to using his time at Bacon Wilson to explore many other areas of law. Hanna is one of two returning law clerks for a second year and has been with Bacon Wilson since September 2022. She is a Western New England University School of Law candidate for juris doctor in May 2024. She earned her bachelor’s degree, summa cum laud, in legal studies from State University of New York in Canton in 2020, and her associate of applied science degree in paralegal studies from Tompkins Cortland Community College in Dryden, N.Y. in 2018. Hanna competed on the WNE National Moot Court team and served as a student attorney for the WNE Global Justice Clinic. She is the founder and chair of the parents attending law school committee through Western New England, and also worked as a lawyering skills teaching assistant. Before joining Bacon Wilson, she was a law clerk for Riscassi & Davis, P.C. in Hartford, Conn., as well as a paralegal at Morrison Mahoney in Springfield and Newman & Lickstein in Syracuse, N.Y. Rainville is a returning law clerk who joined Bacon Wilson in May 2022. She is a Western New England University School of Law Candidate for juris doctor in May 2024. She earned her bachelor’s degree, cum laude, in business management from Bay Path University in 2016. Her previous experience includes negotiations and settlements with claimants’ attorneys and pro-se claimants on personal and commercial auto damage and injury losses in Connecticut. Rainville has volunteered her time at the Jewish Family Services Legal Immigration Clinic and as an educator at Paulo Freire Social Justice Charter School. She participated in the WNE School of Law’s Real Estate Practicum in the spring of 2023. She is interested in pursuing a career in criminal or civil litigation, and she hopes to build on the network she has formed and practice in the Springfield area. Gorney joined the firm in May 2023 and will be eligible for her juris doctor in May 2024 from Western New England University School of Law. She holds a bachelor’s degree in international trade and marketing from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. She is interested in family law, immigration, and international law. This fall, she will be a judicial intern for the Hartford Immigration Court. She participated in WNE’s Global Justice Clinic last spring, which provided legal aid to families separated at the southern U.S. border. She has also volunteered for the National Immigrant Women’s Advocacy Project, Jewish Family Services of Western Massachusetts, and Dakin Humane Society. Gorney enjoys the personal and interactive aspects of lawyering and is passionate about advocating for underrepresented communities. She hopes to continue building a professional network in the Western Mass. area and is committed to maintaining involvement in the community.

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MP CPAs recently announced the promotions of Tony Trinchini, Katelyn Henderson, and Meghan Boone. Trinchini was promoted to senior tax accountant. He works to provide quality tax services to a diverse group of clients, including individuals, trusts, corporations, and partnerships. He has a strong rapport with clients, working with many of them year-round. He joined the firm in 2020. He holds a master of accounting degree from the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst. He works to recruit potential interns and clients as a member of the college outreach and networking committees. Henderson was promoted to senior tax accountant. She works to provide quality tax services to a diverse group of clients, including individuals, estates, trusts, corporations, and partnerships. She has begun to develop relationships with clients and advisors, and has enjoyed gaining experience with high net-worth clients and businesses with multi-state filings. She joined the firm as an intern and started full-time in 2021. She holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance from Western New England University (WNE). She has taken a lead role this year in organizing firm-wide events and activities, and also works closely with colleagues from WNE to continue a mentoring and recruiting relationship with her alma mater. Boone was promoted to senior audit associate. She works to provide quality audit services to a diverse group of clients, including for-profit companies, nonprofits, employee benefit plans, and charter schools. She has begun to develop relationships with her clients and has enjoyed working with them on their audits, reviews, and compilations. She joined the firm in 2020. She holds a bachelor’s degree in management and accounting from Westfield State University, and works closely with colleagues from Westfield State to continue a mentoring and recruiting relationship with her alma mater.

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Julie Dick

Julie Dick

Julie Dick, counsel at Bulkley Richardson, has been named one of this year’s Emerging Women Leaders in the Law by the Women’s Bar Assoc. of Massachusetts (WBA). The WBA’s Emerging Women Leaders in the Law award honors women attorneys who have demonstrated professional excellence or had a significant professional achievement in approximately their first 12 years in the legal profession, and either promote the status of women in the legal profession or contribute meaningfully to the equal participation of women in a just society. The other honorees are Avana Epperson-Temple of Peabody & Arnold LLP, state Rep. Tram Nguyen, and Whitney Williams of the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office. The 2023 awardees will be celebrated at the WBA’s annual gala on Oct. 16 at Marriott Copley Place in Boston.

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Pittsfield Cooperative Bank appointed Ray Smith as its vice president, Marketing director. In his new role, Smith will manage the co-op’s marketing efforts, media relations, and community outreach, ensuring that the company’s brand and image are communicated effectively across all platforms. Smith joins the co-op after serving as administrative director, Public Information officer, Marketing officer for Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC) in Bennington, Vt. for the last nine years. While at SVHC, Smith received several marketing and communications awards and was instrumental in opening up the Northern Berkshire market and developing promotional fundraising materials. He has more than 20 years of experience in senior marketing and executive leadership roles in financial services, tourism and hospitality, consumer packaged goods, and manufacturing. He previously served on the board of directors for the Southwestern Vermont Chamber of Commerce, the Williamstown Chamber of Commerce, the Berkshire Workforce Board, Berkshire Compact for Higher Education, and Berkshire Creative Economy. Smith received his bachelor’s degree in communications from Colby-Sawyer College in New London, N.H., and his master’s degree in communications from Ithaca College in Ithaca, N.Y.

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Peter Gilbert

Peter Gilbert

bankESB recently promoted Peter Gilbert to assistant branch manager of its 241 Northampton St. branch in Easthampton. Gilbert started as a teller at bankESB’s Hadley branch in 2018, was promoted to teller supervisor in 2019, and moved to float retail supervisor in 2021. He holds an associate degree in liberal arts and science from Springfield Technical Community College, as well as a bachelor’s degree in computer information technology from Elms College.

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The New England Financial Marketing Assoc. (NEFMA) recently welcomed Jamie Conaghan as its new president. With 15 years of experience in the financial and marketing industry, she brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her new role. She has previously served as NEFMA’s vice president and currently serves as the senior vice president of Marketing & Digital at Main Street Bank, based in Marlborough, where she oversees the marketing department and shapes the bank’s digital experience, ensuring a customer-centric approach. In addition to her new role as NEFMA president, Conaghan also serves as vice chair of the board of directors for the Nashoba Valley Chamber of Commerce, actively contributing to the growth and development of the business community. Furthermore, her dedication to financial education is showcased through her volunteer work as a mentor and facilitator for the Dollar $cholar program.

People on the Move

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People on the Move
Michael Fox

Michael Fox

Michael Fox has been appointed dean of the College of Natural Sciences (CNS) at UMass Amherst, effective Aug. 15. Fox has been a member of the Virginia Tech faculty since 2012, where he currently serves as director of the Virginia Tech School of Neuroscience, the endowed I.D. Wilson Chair in the Virginia Tech College of Science, and professor at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, a research-intensive institute on the health-sciences and technology campus of Virginia Tech. After beginning his undergraduate studies at the U.S. Military Academy (West Point), Fox earned his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the College of William and Mary and his Ph.D. in anatomy from Virginia Commonwealth University. He completed his post-doctoral training in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at Harvard University. Throughout his career, Fox has received numerous awards and honors, including both the Jordi Folch Pi Award and the Marian Kies Award from the American Society for Neurochemistry, and has served as a counselor for the American Society for Neurochemistry, on several leadership committees for the Society for Neuroscience, and as a reviewer and chair for National Institutes of Health review panels.

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Kuhn Riddle Architects (KRA) announced the promotion of four key team members to leadership positions. Andrew Bagge has been promoted to associate/senior architect. He has a proven track record of delivering successful projects and will play a vital role in driving the firm’s design vision and fostering creative excellence. Thom Barry has been promoted to associate/senior architect. He displays outstanding leadership abilities and commitment to delivering exceptional results, and will optimize project-delivery processes and ensure the highest standards of quality and client satisfaction. Brad Hutchison has been promoted to senior architect. He shows deep attention to detail, remarkable dedication to his clients, and outstanding project-management skills. He will expand his technical proficiency and mentor staff in the latest building-science technologies and energy-efficient design practices. Karen Michalowski has been promoted to associate/senior interior designer. Her tremendous expertise in interior design, and her sensitivity and understanding of client needs and the ever-changing interiors market, will help to expand the firm’s market presence in interior design.

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Elizabeth Dougal joined Bulkley Richardson as counsel in the Trusts & Estates department, where her practice incudes preparation and administration of wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, personal-effects memorandum, durable powers of attorney, healthcare proxies, real-estate deeds, homestead exemptions, and small-business succession plans. For the past 19 years, Dougal ran a boutique legal practice providing clients with estate planning and related transactional work. She was also a consultant to estate, trust, and elder-care clients in several states through the Attorney Resource Center. She earned both a bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, and a juris doctorate from Boston College.

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Aimee Goddard

Aimee Goddard

Kristina Laplante

Kristina Laplante

Sara Dieters

Sara Dieters

Terry McConkey

Fifteen months after introducing its Client Advisory Team, HUB International New England announced the appointment of the personal lines directors: Aimee Goddard, director of Personal Lines – Operations; Kristina Laplante, director of Personal Lines – Sales; Sara Dieters, director of Personal Lines – Service; and Terry McConkey, director of Personal Lines – Specialty. Goddard has been in the insurance industry for over 32 years, starting her career in commercial lines before switching to personal lines in 1997. She spent 10 years of her career at Eastern Insurance, contributing to the company’s personal-lines growth and success. Having been with HUB since 2016, she has been promoted numerous times, to manager, director, regional director/senior vice president, and now to Operations director/senior vice president. With more than 20 years of experience in the insurance industry, Laplante has held various roles, providing her with extensive experience. She is committed to growing a sales team that is both customer-focused and driven to achieve results. A natural leader, her energy and enthusiasm inspires her team to strive for excellence, making them an asset to the organization. Having first started in banking, Dieters was introduced to insurance by a family friend, which proved to be an ideal fit, as she has now spent more than 16 years in the industry, including 10 years at HUB. She has been promoted numerous times over the years and is excited for this new opportunity. McConkey has worked for HUB for more than 35 years. She has held various roles in personal-lines service and leadership, including account manager, team leader, PL manager, PL specialty manager, and now Personal Lines director. She has a wealth of insurance knowledge and leadership experience and is excited to continue her positive impact in her new role. In addition, HUB congratulates the following employees who have been promoted to senior regional managers: Lisa Koehler, Partnership and Processing Teams; Patty Angell, Service and Remarket Teams; and Shirlee Capponcelli, Sales Team. Becky McLaughlin is moving into a new role as East Region director of Learning & Organizational Development.

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1Berkshire announced the promotions of staff members Benjamin Lamb and Kristen Harrington in recognition of their achievements, contributions, and dedication to the organization and its initiatives throughout Berkshire County. Lamb has been promoted to vice president of Economic Development. This promotion follows five years of work helping to build the economic-development team and expand the 1Berkshire footprint of activities and overall work. Hired in 2018 as the Economic Development projects manager, he was promoted to director of Economic Development a short time later. In his new position, Lamb will continue to lead and expand the outreach of 1Berkshire through its economic development in Berkshire County. Harrington has been promoted to Finance & Administration coordinator, a title that reflects her new responsibilities in accounting and internal operations and as property liaison. Previously, she functioned as the accounting specialist for 1Berkshire, a position she had held since 2019. She joined the Berkshire Visitors Bureau as a finance associate in 2015, and a year later, in a merger resulting in the creation of 1Berkshire, Harrington was named accounting associate.

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Country Bank announced four recent promotions. Jessica McGarry has been promoted to senior vice president, East Region Commercial Lending team lead, while Shantie Prashad, Cindy Saucier, and Blair Robidoux have been promoted to assistant vice presidents, Retail Banking. McGarry has more than 20 years of experience in the banking industry and has been a commercial lender in the Worcester market for the past 10 years, with the entirety of her career spent in a community-bank setting. She earned her bachelor’s degree in business from Nichols College, received the Forty Under 40 designation in 2014 from the Worcester Business Journal, and was a member of the Leadership Worcester class of 2015-16. She also gives back to the community, currently serving on the board of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Worcester Business Development Corp. She remains active in volunteer opportunities through various organizations, including Habitat for Humanity, Be Like Brit, and the Community Harvest Project. Prashad has more than 26 years of sales and leadership experience, most recently serving as the Retail Banking officer of Country Bank’s Park Avenue, Worcester location. She graduated from the New England School for Financial Studies in 2022 and is highly active in the Worcester community, serving on the board for the Learning First Foundation and the YWCA and as an ambassador for the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce. Saucier has more than 20 years of banking and leadership experience, serving as the Retail Banking officer of the Charlton Banking Center. She graduated from the New England School for Financial Studies in 2021, is a board member and vice chair for the Central Mass South Chamber of Commerce, and serves with various nonprofits and committees within the Charlton community. Robidoux currently leads the West Street Banking Center and has more than 17 years of experience in the retail division. She has held various roles throughout her tenure at Country Bank and graduated from the New England School for Financial Studies in 2019. Throughout her career, she has been an integral part of the community within her market. She serves on the board of the Ware Business and Civic Assoc. Country Bank also congratulates Dianna Lussier, vice president of Risk, on her recent graduation from the American Bankers Assoc., Stonier Graduate School of Banking, which is the industry’s preeminent graduate banking program. Graduates receive both a Stonier diploma and a Wharton leadership certificate.

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Karen Rousseau

Karen Rousseau

Karen Rousseau, dean of the School of Health Sciences at American International College (AIC), has been recognized as a member of the Commonwealth Heroines class of 2023 by the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women (MCSW). This state-established body is responsible for assessing the status of women in Massachusetts and making recommendations to enhance access to opportunities and promote equality. Each year, in collaboration with state legislators, the commission acknowledges and celebrates remarkable women who have made significant contributions to their organizations and communities. Rousseau was nominated by state Sen. Jacob Oliveira as the honoree in his Hampden, Hampshire, and Worcester district. She was among 126 women across the state honored during the MCSW’s 20th-anniversary celebration at the Massachusetts State House on June 23. With a career spanning four decades, Rousseau excelled as a practicing registered nurse and has dedicated more than 30 years to nursing education. Her areas of expertise include maternal/newborn and pediatric nursing, as well as nursing management. Before holding the position of dean of the School of Health Sciences at AIC, she served as director of the Division of Nursing and contributed as a professor in both the undergraduate and RN-to-BSN programs.

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Anna Bognolo will serve as the Greenfield Public Library’s new library director beginning July 10. She is taking over for Ellen Boyer, who is retiring after leading the library since February 2012. Bognolo earned her bachelor’s degree, three master’s degrees, and a post-graduate diploma while attending the University of Rochester, the University of Toronto, the Courtauld Institute of Art in London, the Scuola Vaticana di Biblioteconomia in Rome, and Simmons University in Boston. Prior to entering the field of librarianship, she worked for Christie’s Auctioneers in London and Rome. She then spent much of her career in library services, working for nearly a decade at Springfield Technical Community College as the reference outreach and technical services librarian. In that role, she developed a sound knowledge of the Central and Western Massachusetts Automated Resource Sharing consortium’s inner workings and the services it provides to member libraries. In September 2017, Bognolo was named library and archive director at Eaglebrook School in Deerfield. She oversaw the day-to-day operation of the library, provided instructional support to students and teachers, and led the expansion of the school’s archive. She has also worked as a substitute librarian at the Jones Library in Amherst and the Greenfield Public Library, as well as in a part-time capacity at the Boyden Library of Deerfield Academy.

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Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C., a leading labor and employment law firm, recently welcomed Kelley Mantz as a summer associate. Mantz attends Western New England University School of Law and will enter her third year this fall. After graduating from Hobart and William Smith Colleges in 2019, she assisted employers of all sizes as a technical recruiter. While doing so, she worked closely with human-resources professionals to identify hiring goals and implement strategies for meeting those goals. Since entering law school, Mantz has worked for a law firm in Connecticut and participated in the Small Business Clinic, where she assisted local small to mid-sized entrepreneurs in the Springfield area with legal matters, including employment matters.

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The Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) board of directors approved a long-planned leadership transition under which President and CEO John Regan will step down at the end of 2023 and be succeeded by Chief Government Affairs Executive Brooke Thomson. To support a smooth transition, Regan will remain in the CEO role through the end of the year, and Thomson will begin as president effective immediately. During his tenure, in tandem with the leadership team and board, Regan, 62, has guided AIM’s public-policy work, served as a voice for the employer community, expanded the award-winning AIM HR Solutions business, built a comprehensive team with the skills necessary to support AIM’s 3,400 member organizations, made AIM a leader on diversity, and assured that members had access to timely support during the pandemic. He plans to pursue new opportunities as a consultant, advisor, and board member. Before joining AIM’s leadership team more than four years ago, Thomson, 44, was a member of the AIM board. In her current role, she has been responsible for designing and advancing AIM’s policy agenda and strengthening relationships with elected officials and business leaders on Beacon Hill and throughout the Commonwealth, while ensuring that employer needs are represented at every level of the public-policy-making process. Thomson is committed to expanding the progress AIM has made in diversifying its membership, reflecting statewide business-community needs, and advancing policies that support both economic competitiveness and economic opportunity for the people of Massachusetts. She previously served as vice president of Government Affairs for AT&T and is a former senior official with the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office.

People on the Move

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People on the Move
George Timmons

George Timmons

The Holyoke Community College (HCC) board of trustees voted in favor of George Timmons — currently provost and senior vice president of Academic and Student Affairs at Columbia Greene Community College in Hudson, N.Y. — as the next president of HCC. He is expected to start his term as HCC’s fifth president the last week of June. Christina Royal, who has led HCC since January 2017, will officially step away on July 14; her last three weeks will overlap with Timmons’ first three at HCC. Timmons, 61, holds a Ph.D. in higher-education administration from Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio; a master’s degree in higher education from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va., and a bachelor’s degree in financial management from Norfolk State University, also in Norfolk, Va. He has held his position as provost and senior vice president of Academic and Student Affairs at Columbia-Greene Community College since 2019. Before that, he worked at Excelsior College in Albany, N.Y., where he held a number of administrative positions culminating with dean of the School of Liberal Arts.

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Bethany Mauri

Bethany Mauri

Jason Waisnor

Jason Waisnor

Priscilla Ramos

Priscilla Ramos

Dietz & Co. Architects Inc. recently welcomed three new employees, all in the role of architectural staff, to the firm. Bethany Mauri earned bachelor of architecture and bachelor of building science degrees from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Prior to joining Dietz & Co., she worked for firms in Albany, N.Y., and Connecticut, and as a freelance architectural designer. She has primarily worked on projects in the K-12 education sector but also has experience with retail and residential projects. Jason Waisnor has spent his career thus far working for architecture firms in New York City, where he focused on housing and sustainable redevelopment. He also completed work for the hospitality and gaming industries earlier in his career. He holds both bachelor’s and master’s of architecture degrees from Roger Williams University. He enjoys working on preservation projects and specializes in historic restoration, renovation/interior fit-outs, and housing projects. Priscilla Ramos earned a master of architecture degree from Hampton University and has spent a number of years working for firms in New York City in multiple market sectors, specializing in programming and spatial relationships. Project types she has worked on include single- and multi-family housing, education, and transportation. Outside of architecture, she has experience with engineering, code consulting, and work with the National Park Service.

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Zelda Harris

Zelda Harris

Western New England University (WNE) announced that Zelda Harris, currently the director of the Dan K. Webb Center for Advocacy and Mary Ann G. McMorrow professor of Law at Loyola University Chicago School of Law, has been appointed the incoming dean of Western New England University School of Law, starting Aug. 1. For more than a decade, Harris has been responsible for overseeing all aspects of the Loyola University Chicago Law School’s Center for Advocacy, including curriculum development for both the JD certificate and LLM degree programs in advocacy. Under her leadership, the school’s trial-advocacy program became nationally ranked. Prior to joining Loyola University Chicago School of Law, Harris served as a clinical professor of Law and director of the Domestic Violence Law Clinic, a multi-disciplinary clinical program, at the University of Arizona’s James E. Rogers College of Law. She also co-directed the Child and Family Law Clinic. Prior to her time at Arizona, Harris was a staff attorney in the Children and Family Justice Center at Northwestern University School of Law. She began her practice as an attorney at Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation in Alton, Ill.

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Mel O’Leary Jr.

Mel O’Leary Jr.

Meredith-Springfield Associates Inc., a plastics manufacturer specializing in bottles and hollow technical articles manufactured through extrusion blow molding and injection stretch blow molding, announced that President and CEO Mel O’Leary Jr. was honored on April 13 for his two decades as a second-chance employer as part of the Hampden County Sheriff’s Office’s All-Inclusive Support Services (AISS). The award was presented by Hampden County Sheriff Nicholas Cocchi during the 24th annual AISS graduation ceremony at the Cedars in Springfield. AISS helps formerly incarcerated people in all aspects of their lives as they move from incarceration into the community. In addition to educational and employment support, it offers a comprehensive range of services, such as parenting groups, assistance accessing housing and food benefits, behavioral-health and addiction-recovery services, and support groups. In 2019, Cocchi opened AISS to anyone in the community in addition to the justice-involved population.

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Deborah Dart

Deborah Dart

Carol Campbell, president and CEO of Chicopee Industrial Contractors (CIC), announced the promotion of Deborah Dart to vice president of Operations. Dart started her career at CIC as a work-study student at Chicopee High School and has held many roles with the company. Her responsibilities include overseeing day-to-day operations and scheduling. Chicopee Industrial Contractors is a leader in relocation service and machinery installations, celebrating more than 30 years in business.

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Paul Mokrzecki

Paul Mokrzecki

Tony Worden, president and CEO of Greenfield Cooperative Bank, announced that Paul Mokrzecki has joined the team as senior vice president of Government Banking. Mokrzecki brings more than 40 years of experience in the public and private sectors, with a focus on providing banking solutions to municipal clients. He has been responsible for establishing, growing, and maintaining Government Banking departments for two local banks in the past. He has also served as the Finance director, treasurer, and collector for the town of Greenfield, where he oversaw all aspects of financial operations. Prior to that, he was the elected treasurer and collector for the town of Hadley. He holds an MBA from UMass Amherst. He is a certified municipal treasurer, a certified municipal collector, and a member of the Massachusetts Collectors and Treasurers Assoc.

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Anthony Arevalo

Anthony Arevalo

Best Western Plus Berkshire Hills Inn & Suites promoted Anthony Arevalo to the position of director of Operations for Best Western Plus Berkshire Hills Inn and Suites in Pittsfield. Arevado will be responsible for day-to-day operations of all departments and ensuring customer satisfaction. In addition, he will work with General Manager Kevin Martin to increase group sales and general revenue management for the hotel. He has been a member of the team for two years, working in maintenance, front desk, and sales. Growing up in California, Arevado worked on the customer-service side of the wedding and function industry and in manufacturing of new housing developments.

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Ian Megraw

Ian Megraw

bankESB recently promoted Ian Megraw to information technology officer. Megraw joined bankESB in 2016 as a systems administrator. He has seven years of experience in banking and brings many strengths that have significantly contributed to the success of the IT department and the bank’s conversions since joining the team. He is a respected manager, strong technician, and an important part of the growing Hometown Financial Group family. Megraw earned an associate degree in Business Administration and Network Administration from John Abbott College.

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The board of directors of Big Y announced the appointment of Tenneille McFarlane-Smart as director of the newly created Project Management Office. As director, she will be responsible for all project activity across all divisions at Big Y, including Big Y Supermarkets, Big Y Express Gas and Convenience, Big Y at Fresh Acres, and Table and Vine. She will serve as a liaison between Information Resources Technology and all business units to track strategic projects centrally for visibility, prioritization, and resource allocation. In addition, she will provide guidance and support for these initiatives toward timely and successful strategic project delivery. She reports to Michael D’Amour, chief operating officer. McFarlane-Smart’s work experience expands across many different industries. In 2005, she served as associate project manager supporting new business development for J. Walter Thompson, an international advertising agency in New York City. Two years later, she moved to Voya Financial in Connecticut, where she held several roles, starting as a business analyst lead for Retirement Services IT, then a continuous-improvement change agent by 2013 and, finally, project manager for Retirement Services IT. In 2019, she joined Envision Pharma Group as a senior IT project manager before becoming chief of staff in the office of the CEO from 2021 until the present. McFarlane-Smart holds a BBA from Pace University, an MBA from Bay Path University, and a JD from Western New England University School of Law. She is licensed to practice law in the state of Connecticut. She is a certified project-management professional, a credential from the internationally recognized Project Management Institute. She serves on the executive board of directors of the Pathlight Foundation, a nonprofit that supports individuals with developmental disabilities. She also volunteers for the Connecticut Bar Assoc. Pro Bono Legal Advice Clinic.

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Florence Bank promoted Candace Pereira to the role of vice president, commercial lender. Since 2018, she has worked at Florence Bank as assistant vice president, commercial portfolio manager in the Commercial Lending department. In her new role, she will concentrate on commercial and industrial lending, as well as lending to women-owned businesses. Pereira holds an associate degree in finance from Springfield Technical Community College and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst. She is currently pursuing an MBA from Isenberg as well. She began her career in banking in 2003 and has held various roles at mutually held and stockholder-owned banks in Western Mass., in both residential and commercial lending. Recently named an ambassador for the Springfield Regional Chamber, Pereira is also a member of the BusinessWest 40 Under Forty class of 2017, and she attended the Springfield Leadership Institute. She has served on various local boards over the last several years and has also volunteered as an athletic coach in East Longmeadow, where her daughter is a student.

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Dennis Gober, a longtime executive in hospital management, has been named chief operating officer of MiraVista Behavioral Health Center. Gober served previously as CEO in Oklahoma of Cedar Ridge Behavioral Hospital, whose campus in Oklahoma City provides inpatient psychiatric and residential services to children and adolescents, and its Bethany campus, which serves the mental-health needs of adults. Cedar Ridge is part of Universal Health Services, one of the largest providers of hospital and healthcare services in the country. Gober, who holds a master’s degree in community counseling, has held several other senior-level positions, CEO for Acadia Healthcare’s Rolling Hills Hospital in Ada, Okla., which provides mental-health and substance-use services for adolescents, adults, and seniors, and division director of community-based youth services for the state of Oklahoma. As a licensed behavioral practioner, Gober also served as the Director of the Community Works’ Norman Academy Day Treatment Program leading treatment teams, and providing individual, group, and family therapy. He received a master of education degree in community counseling and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Central Oklahoma.

People on the Move

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People on the Move

O’Reilly, Talbot & Okun (OTO) recently announced nine staff additions and promotions: Jonathan Hermanson, Lori McCarthy, Caren Irgang, Lily Elkhay, Kaitlyn Sistare, Pierre Carriere, Elise Zalenski, Toby Simmons, and Christine Arruda.

Jonathan Hermanson

Jonathan Hermanson

Lori McCarthy

Lori McCarthy

Caren Irgang

Caren Irgang

Lily Elkhay

Lily Elkhay

Kaitlyn Sistare

Kaitlyn Sistare

Pierre Carriere

Pierre Carriere

Elise Zalenski

Elise Zalenski

Toby Simmons

Toby Simmons

Christine Arruda

Christine Arruda

• Hermanson earned his bachelor’s degree in chemistry and environmental science. Before moving to Massachusetts, he worked in environmental consulting for five years in Kansas City. As an environmental scientist at OTO, he helps the team with Massachusetts Contingency Plan work and risk characterization, as well as environmental compliance. He also assists the asbestos and industrial hygiene team. Some of his latest achievements while at OTO are becoming a radon measurement professional and a certified hazardous materials manager.

• McCarthy earned her bachelor’s degree in biochemistry. This degree taught her how releases of hazardous chemicals to the environment can have negative health effects to humans and animals nearby. She then went on to study a second degree in environmental sciences. With more than 20 years of experience in her field, she has worked on sites across New England, finding solutions to remediate the releases of oil and hazardous materials. At OTO, McCarthy was most recently promoted to associate and is the team leader for the environmental sector.

• Irgang earned her bachelor’s degree in civil engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and then went on to earn her master’s degree in civil engineering at Manhattan College. Irgang has experience in structural engineering from building and bridge engineering in New York City and performing construction inspections. Joining OTO as a Level II engineer, Irgang is performing geotechnical investigations and design and field oversight. She continues to utilize her structural engineering skills and provides an added perspective to our geotechnical projects.

• Elkhay is earning her bachelor’s degree in marketing at UMass Amherst and brings her experience from her previous internship. As the marketing intern, Elkhay has posted on OTO’s social-media pages, created ads, and performed any other as needed marketing tasks.

• Sistare is a 2022 graduate from Western New England University (WNE), earning her bachelor’s degree in civil engineering with an environmental engineering concentration. At WNE, she and her team’s senior project placed first in the civil engineering department. She primarily works with the geotechnical group at OTO as a Level I engineer, but also assists the environment group.

• Carriere graduated from WNE in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. During his studies, he gained experience in many areas, including surveying, technical writing, CAD, soil and materials testing, and collaboration skills. Joining OTO as a Level I engineer, he has become heavily involved in field work and working on site, as well as working on proposals, reports, and site plans in the office.

• Zalenski earned her MBA in 2010 and has spent the last nine years developing her skills in office management, HR, IT, and bookkeeping. She has worked in residential and light commercial water treatment, which provided experience in site evaluations, water testing, treatment design, and reviewing EPA, DEP, and local board of health regulations and practices. As OTO’s office manager and executive assistant, she will be managing the day-to-day needs of the staff that may arise in the areas of IT, telephones, general building or parking issues, and scheduling events and vacations, along with providing support for OTO’s president, Ashley Sullivan.

• Simmons has brought her 20 years of field-technician experience to OTO. As an environmental technician, she has taken on many field duties to make sure the job is done safely and efficiently.

• Arruda has been with OTO for more than 25 years and has been part of the internal leadership transition taking place since 2020. As a result, she was promoted to associate this past year and serves on the company’s operations committee. With more than 20 years of experience as a both a certified indoor environmental consultant and Environmental Protection Agency-accredited and Massachusetts-licensed asbestos inspector, she manages and works on numerous types of indoor environmental issues, including asbestos, radon, HVAC, chemicals, and microbial contamination. She also is an National Radon Proficiency Program-certified radon-measurement professional who can perform single, multi-family, large-building, school-building, and water-radon-measurement services.

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Country Bank announced that Erin Pope has joined its Innovation & Technology division in Ware. Before joining Country Bank, Pope worked at Digital Credit Union and American Tower. Pope holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical and computer engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and received certification in Professional Scrum Master 1. “At American Tower, I managed a network-operations team responsible for the global office and data-center infrastructure,” she said. “It was through working with this team that I learned the importance of strength and a diverse team. I am excited to join Country Bank’s storied history and contribute to its continued success. I hope to support the team by increasing engagement and innovation to support the business and its customers better.”

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Nick DePalma

Nick DePalma

Nick Bernasconi

Nick Bernasconi

Notch Mechanical Constructors announced the promotion of two employees to newly created executive positions. Nick DePalma has been promoted to executive vice president. In this role, he will have overall responsibility for operations, quality, safety, and customer-base growth in alignment with the company core values. This promotion will allow Steven Neveu, president of the company, to focus more on the long-term strategic growth and vision for the company. In addition, Nick Bernasconi has been promoted to vice president of estimating and project management. He will oversee all activities and initiatives related to the company’s accounts management, estimating, and project management. Previously a family-owned business for 48 years, Notch transitioned to an employee-owned ESOP company in 2020. These new roles will be critical to breaking through to the next level as an organization and ensuring a strong leadership team into the future.

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Riverside Industries Inc. (RSI) announced that four new members have joined its board of directors to help support its mission to empower people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to live rich and full lives. All four of the new board members began their three-year term with RSI effective March 2023. They include Tara Brewster, vice president of Business Development and director of Philanthropy at Greenfield Savings Bank; Jeff Palm, partner and chief operating officer at Global Educators Inc.; Melissa Peters; Human Resource generalist for Fiducient Advisors; and Teremar Rodriguez-Vazquez, assistant general counsel at Health New England.

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Aieshya Jackson

Aieshya Jackson

Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services (MLKFS) has wrapped up an almost-year-long search for a new leader. After an extensive search campaign and interview process, Aieshya Jackson, chair of the board of directors of MLKFS, announced that Shannon Rudder will be the next president and CEO of the organization. Rudder, who will join MLKFS on March 13, most recently served as deputy director of Teach Western Mass, a nonprofit organization working toward educational equity in partnership with area schools. She also served as executive director of Providence Ministries Inc., an organization supporting the needs of marginalized populations by addressing food insecurity, addiction recovery, housing, clothing, and workforce development. She earned her MBA and her BBA, the latter magna cum laude, from Medaille College.

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Tech Foundry, a regional leader in IT workforce development and training, announced the hiring of three new staff members as well as four promotions, which will allow the organization to double the number of participants served annually.

• Henry Alston was hired as Tech Foundry’s Service-Learning coordinator. In this role, he will be responsible for implementing the organization’s new service-learning pilot program in collaboration with Mass Humanities’ Clemente Course in the Humanities. He is a tech and wellness enthusiast with career experience in sales, marketing, and project coordination. After attaining his bachelor’s degree from Lincoln University in Oxford, Pa. in 2015, he went on to graduate from the University of Louisville with his MBA in 2020. He is a Tech Foundry alum.

• Phillip Borras is Tech Foundry’s Career Readiness and Recruitment coordinator, a new role created to provide focused support and mentoring to student members. His diverse experience as a professional speaker, comedian, and life coach allows him to successfully teach and support Tech Foundry participants as a career coach during and after the program.

• Jessica Cogoli has been promoted to assistant instructor. She is a Tech Foundry alum and has been working closely with the organization since she graduated, both as a volunteer and a TA for its IT-support training program. She is currently enrolled at Holyoke Community College and will graduate with an associate degree in computer science in the spring.

• Marie-Ange Delimon, a Tech Foundry alum, has been promoted to manager of Community Impact for the organization. In this role, she oversees external partnerships and community engagement, including managing internship and job-placement programs as well as partnerships with a variety of nonprofit organizations throughout Western Mass. Previously, she served as Tech Foundry’s manager of Workforce Development. She is a graduate of a variety of medical-training programs and holds an MD degree from Université Notre Dame d’Haïti.

• Johannes Romatka has been promoted to manager of Instruction and Curriculum. Previously an instructor at Tech Foundry, he has a diverse background in information technology, including training and network support. Prior to joining Tech Foundry, he worked in a training role for internal IT-support staff at U.S. Bank.

• Linh Tran joined Tech Foundry in February as the organization’s new Administrative and Marketing coordinator, where she will support development, program, and communication initiatives. Originally from Vietnam, she has been studying and working in Massachusetts for almost 10 years. She is an experienced management professional with a diverse background in nonprofit, retail, legal, and insurance organizations, and is a graduate of Tech Foundry’s IT-support training program.

• Michelle Wilson was hired as Tech Foundry’s manager of Administration and Operations in September and was recently promoted to deputy director, a position that encompasses a variety of duties, including overall operations management, fundraising, and marketing. Her background includes more than 17 years in nonprofit management, with roles at a national membership organization in San Francisco, a globally recognized mentoring program, an independent school in Seattle, and a state humanities council. She is a graduate of Lafayette College in Easton, Pa. and holds a master’s degree in public administration from San Francisco State University.

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The Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden Agricultural Society, the nonprofit organization that manages Northampton’s Three County Fair and fairgrounds, recently elected its newest president, Thomas Smiarowski, who has been a member of the society for more than 20 years and was elected to its board of directors in 2016. Smiarowski is expected to serve two years as president, leading the society’s board of directors, which consists of 21 other appointees who make up the fair’s agricultural leadership. Smiarowski grew up on his family’s vegetable and dairy farm in Montague, where he continues to help his brother Dan, who currently owns and operates the family farm. Following his graduation from UMass Amherst, Smiarowski worked 34 years for the USDA’s Farm Service Agency, holding a number of management positions. Following his retirement from USDA in 2012, he worked 10 years as an agricultural risk-management educator for UMass Extension. He is currently a director of the Massachusetts Agricultural Club, the longest-standing agricultural club in the country; serves as a Massachusetts trustee of the Eastern States Exposition; and is a member of the New England Vegetable and Berry Growers Assoc. He also serves on the capital campaign to fund the new construction of the Newman Catholic Center on the UMass campus.

People on the Move

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People on the Move
Danielle Ren Holley

Danielle Ren Holley

Danielle Ren Holley, noted legal educator and social-justice scholar, will become the 20th president of Mount Holyoke College on July 1. The board of trustees unanimously elected Holley following a thorough and inclusive search process. Holley is the first Black woman in the 186-year history of Mount Holyoke College to serve as permanent president, and the fourth Black woman in history to lead one of the original Seven Sisters colleges. Since 2014, she has served as dean and professor of law at the Howard University School of Law. She is widely viewed as having renewed Howard’s historically important law school and raised its stature and visibility as a leading educator of social- and racial-justice lawyers. Prior to joining the Howard School of Law in 2014, Holley served as distinguished professor for Education Law and associate dean for Academic Affairs at the University of South Carolina. Earlier in her career, she served on the faculty of Hofstra University School of Law and practiced law as an associate at Fulbright & Jaworski in Houston. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Yale University and a juris doctorate from Harvard Law School, and she was a law clerk to Judge Carl Stewart on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. She currently serves as co-chair of the board of directors of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. She also sits on the boards of the Law School Admissions Council and the Howard University Middle School of Mathematics and Science. She is a Liberty Fellow through the Aspen Global Leadership Network and was also a fellow with the American Council of Education at Brown University in 2021-22, and currently serves on the board of the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta.

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Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. recently announced nine promotions: Samantha Calvao and Andrea Latour to associate; Mallory Beauregard, Olivia Calcasola, Lauren Foley, Keara Moulton, Kelly Moulton, and Francine Murphy to senior associate; and Sarah Rose Stack to director of Marketing & Recruiting.

Samantha Calvao

Samantha Calvao

Andrea Latour

Andrea Latour

Mallory Beauregard

Mallory Beauregard

Olivia Calcasola

Olivia Calcasola

Lauren Foley

Lauren Foley

Keara Moulton

Keara Moulton

Kelly Moulton

Kelly Moulton

Francine Murphy

Francine Murphy

Sarah Rose Stack

Sarah Rose Stack

• Calvao started her career as a paraprofessional at Meyers Brothers Kalicka and was recently awarded the PwC LLP Scholarship by the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants. She received her associate degree in accounting from Holyoke Community College and her bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Southern New Hampshire. She is also a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants (MSCPA).

• Latour began her career with Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. in February 2011. She primarily focuses on client bookkeeping and writeup work including monthly reconciliations, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, and quarterly payroll returns and tax filings, as well as preparing corporate and personal tax returns. She received her associate degree from Becker College and is a member of AICPA and MSCPA.

• Beauregard began her career with Meyers Brothers Kalicka and has been a member of the MBK team for three years. She works on a diverse range of engagements, including not-for-profit, commercial, and review and compilation engagements. She received a bachelor of business administration degree in accounting from UMass Amherst and is currently studying for her MBA at UMass Lowell. She is also a member of AICPA and MSCPA.

• Calcasola has been a member of the taxation department at Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. (MBK) for one year. Prior to MBK, she worked for two years as a senior corporate tax associate for a Boston-based firm. In her new role, she will be working on larger, multi-state returns and strengthening her niche in business taxation. She holds a bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting from UMass Amherst and is a member of AICPA and MSCPA.

• Foley started her journey with accounting at Meyers Brothers Kalicka in 2020. She focuses on commercial and individual tax returns as well as compilation and review engagements. She graduated from UMass Lowell with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in accounting. She is also a member of AICPA and MSCPA.

• Keara Moulton began her career with Meyers Brothers Kalicka as a tax intern in January 2020. In addition to being a member of the tax department, she is a leader in the firm for various community-service and corporate-culture initiatives. As a senior associate, she will be working on more complex tax returns and helping clients prepare for deadlines throughout the year, as well as expanding her knowledge in the firm’s cannabis niche. She received her bachelor’s degree in accounting and sports management summa cum laude from Elms College and is currently studying for the CPA exam. She is also a member of AICPA and MSCPA.

• Kelly Moulton has worked in public accounting since 2020 and works on a diverse range of engagements, including accounting and audit, not-for-profit, and HUD engagements. In her new role as a senior associate, she will be leading more engagements as an ‘in-charge’ and also be taking on more detail review. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business management and accounting from Elms College and is a candidate for an MBA in accounting at Fitchburg State. She is a member of AICPA and MSCPA.

• Murphy joined MBK in 2013 with significant tax-preparation experience and a special focus in tax preparation for not-for-profit organizations and individuals. She will be taking on a larger leadership role with the firm’s tax-exempt clients, preparing larger 990 returns and reviewing smaller tax-exempt clients. She will also have more opportunities to assist with tax-planning and tax-projection projects for a wide breadth of clients and prepare more complex corporate consolidated returns. She holds an associate degree in accounting from Holyoke Community College and is a candidate for a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Westfield State University. She is also a member of AICPA and MSCPA.

• Stack joined Meyers Brothers Kalicka in early 2020 to spearhead its marketing and recruiting efforts. With more than 15 years of digital marketing, design, and communications experience, she brought a unique perspective to the firm and attracted new talent. In her new role as a director, she will be expanding the marketing department, enhancing the niche-development program, and developing a new marketing advisory service line. She earned a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from UMass Amherst and is a candidate for a master’s degree in communication with two concentrations, digital communication and corporate and nonprofit communication, from Johns Hopkins University. She is a member of the Assoc. for Accountant Marketing, the American Marketing Assoc., and CPAmerica, and is the marketing committee co-chair for the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants.

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Laura Freeman

Laura Freeman

Kelly Galanis

Kelly Galanis

Holyoke Community College (HCC) recently welcomed two new colleagues to its Institutional Advancement team: Laura Freeman as manager of Stewardship and Donor Relations, and Kelly Galanis as manager of Advancement Services. Prior to HCC, Freeman worked as the Alumni Relations program coordinator at UMass Amherst and VIP Services representative at MGM Springfield. She brings extensive experience to the development team in event planning (virtual and in person), project management, scholarship administration, and volunteer management. She holds a master’s degree in strategic fundraising and philanthropy from Bay Path University and attended Nichols College for her bachelor’s degree in business administration. In her new role, Galanis will provide leadership and direction for the Advancement division’s fundraising operations, including database management, prospect research and moves management, advancement reporting, gift recording, data integrity, and data security. She joins HCC with more than 20 years of experience in higher education, including 14 at Westfield State University. She holds a master’s degree in communication and information management and is currently pursuing her doctorate in education in higher education leadership and organizational studies at Bay Path University.

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Joshua Griffing

Joshua Griffing

Excel Dryer Inc., manufacturer of the XLERATOR Hand Dryer, announced that Joshua Griffing has been promoted and will serve as the director of International Sales in addition to his current role as director of Marketing. He joined the Excel Dryer team in 2022 as director of Marketing, bringing more than two decades of experience in sales and marketing for international organizations. A graduate of Central Connecticut State University with a degree in international business, Griffing has held roles including executive vice president at Sportika Export, president of Raw Food Central LLC, and director of Sales and Marketing at Joining Technologies Inc. In his new role at Excel Dryer, he will be responsible for managing the export sales team, creating targeted territory-expansion plans, negotiating key account agreements, and increasing brand awareness globally.

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Nikki Beck

Nikki Beck

Peggy Twardowski

Peggy Twardowski

CitySpace recently welcomed two new members to its board’s executive team. Nikki Beck will serve as CitySpace’s vice president, and Peggy Twardowski is the new clerk of the organization. Beck has been a board member of CitySpace since 2017. She is the production manager for the Smith College Theatre Department and also works at the Academy of Music and as a freelance stage manager. She is passionate about connecting theater organizations and has been sending a weekly newsletter of theatre events (Pioneer Valley Theatre News) since 2015. A Mount Holyoke College graduate and CitySpace board member since 2021, Twardowski is the Business Information director for the video-game industry’s largest representation agency, Digital Development Management, where she oversees research and data services. She has sought ways to actively promote the arts in the area, using her experience from top-grossing video-game crowd-funded campaigns to advise regional creators on Indiegogo and Kickstarter campaigns. Previously, she organized the Paint & Pixel Festival, a small press expo for regional children’s book illustrators, comic artists, and web comic creators.

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Craig Shrimpton

Craig Shrimpton

Earlier this month, Cohn & Company Real Estate added Craig Shrimpton to its team of real-estate professionals. He brings more than 25 years of service in information security and technology consulting. Shrimpton is a veteran and a member of the Realtor Assoc. of the Pioneer Valley and the National Assoc. of Realtors.

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Whittlesey, an assurance, advisory, tax, and technology firm, recently welcomed the newest manager to its team. Alanna Madsen, CPA is the latest tax professional to join the firm’s growing leadership team. Madsen has more than 14 years of public accounting experience and expertise in tax, accounting, and advisory services for closely held businesses, nonprofit organizations, and high-net-worth individuals. She holds a bachelor of business administration degree and a master’s degree in accounting from the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst. She is a member of the American Society of Certified Public Accountants and the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants.

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Heather Dameworth

Heather Dameworth

Lora Thayer

Lora Thayer

bankESB recently announced that two of its employees have been promoted to officer. Heather Dameworth has been promoted to cash management and government banking administrator officer. Dameworth joined bankESB in 2021 as cash management – government banking administrator. She has more than 18 years of banking experience, including roles in accounting, call centers, and retail. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from UMass Amherst. Lora Thayer has been promoted to commercial loan administrator officer. Thayer joined bankESB in 2003 as a teller and was promoted to loan servicing specialist in 2006. She joined the commercial team as commercial loan administrator in 2017 and was promoted to senior commercial loan administrator in 2021. She is also a member of the Hometown Financial Group checking acquisition team.

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Naomi Aina

Whittlesey, a leading public accounting firm, announced the promotion of Naomi Aina, CPA to Assurance manager. She brings a wealth of experience, knowledge, and commitment to providing exceptional service to clients. Aina has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting, with a practice concentration in nonprofits. She joined Whittlesey in 2014 after working at Lester Halpern & Company, P.C. for 14 years. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants (MSCPA). She earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting from American International College and a master’s degree in accounting from Western New England College.

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Hogan Technology announced the addition of two new team members. Kyle Partridge, an experienced IT support technician and Air Force veteran, is working with the IT support team in service and projects. He has a great understanding of the network environment and is very familiar with the company’s tech stack. Corey Harris is now director of IT. His roles and responsibilities will be to guide Hogan’s growth and nurture its IT team as the company expands its marketplace. He has more than 15 years of experience and is skilled at simply explaining complex solutions.

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David Gadouas

David Gadouas

bankESB recently announced that David Gadouas has been hired as assistant vice president and branch officer of the bank’s State Street, Belchertown office. Gadouas has more than 15 years of banking experience. Prior to joining bankESB, he was employed by Bank of America, where he served as vice president and financial center manager. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Westfield State University.

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The Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce welcomed five new board members at its first meeting of 2023 last month. The new board members are Erin Cahillane, Jillian Duclos, Ebru Kardan, Nanci Newton, and Amanda Shafii. Cahillane is the Amherst Fund coordinator at Amherst College and president of the Northampton St. Patrick’s Assoc. She received a bachelor’s degree in communications from Keene State College and a master’s degree in communications and new media marketing from Southern New Hampshire University. Duclos is vice president of Operations for Roberto’s in Northampton. After earning a bachelor’s degree in politics at Mount Holyoke College, she explored many different paths, moving away to work in politics, then public relations, then for nonprofits. Kardan is senior director of Diversity Communications and Events at UMass Amherst. She holds a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and art history from Rutgers University. At UMass, she provides leadership and oversight for internal and external visibility efforts of the Office of Equity and Inclusion, and implements campus-wide campaigns that strategically advance the university’s strategic goals around diversity, equity, and inclusion. Newton is a licensed massage therapist and owner of the Healing ZONE Therapeutic Massage in Hadley. She studied at the Muscular Therapy Institute in Cambridge and holds a bachelor’s degree in music education from Westfield State College. A member of the chamber for more than 20 years, she is active in the local nonprofit community, volunteering for many events for Cancer Connection, Safe Passage, and others, in addition to her work with the chamber. Shafii is the owner of CopyCat in Northampton. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology/neuroscience from UMass Amherst, where she also minored in sociology.

People on the Move

By
People on the Move

Peter Pan Bus Lines recently announced five major promotions in management.

Frank Dougherty

Frank Dougherty

• Frank Dougherty, who started with the company as a bus driver, and has now been promoted to chief operating officer. According to CEO Peter Picknelly, Dougherty sent him a 20-page letter about everything that was wrong at Peter Pan Bus Lines more than 18 years ago. Picknelly asked him to join the team to help correct the situation. Dougherty was a driver, and he will now be leading the company.

Don Soja

Don Soja

• Don Soja has been named vice president of Operations. He has been with Peter Pan for more than 20 years. According to Picknelly, Soja knows all aspects of the bus company, including charters, line runs, finance, and technology. Picknelly hopes he will lead the way for decades to come.

Timothy Grabowski

Timothy Grabowski

• Timothy Grabowski has been promoted to vice president of Planning and Revenue Management. Picknelly said Grabowski brings a skill set that allows Peter Pan to continue strategic growth, and that he makes Peter Pan stand out among other bus companies and keeps Peter Pan moving forward.

Danielle Veronesi

Danielle Veronesi

• Danielle Veronesi has been promoted to senior director of Marketing. If there’s a special project, Picknelly said, Veronesi is the one to rely on, and she’s always the one to volunteer. He added that Venonesi has made a big difference in the company.

Joseph Picknally

• Joseph Picknally has been named senior director of Maintenance for Peter Pan. Picknelly said Picknally has done an exemplary job in realigning the Maintenance department, and that he has big shoes to fill in the company; Picknally’s father, Thomas, was the company’s vice president of Maintenance for decades until his passing in 2021.

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William Gagnon

William Gagnon

Excel Dryer Inc., manufacturer of the XLERATOR hand dryer, announced it has promoted a member of the family-owned business, William Gagnon, to an executive leadership role within the company. Gagnon is now executive vice president and chief executive officer, and sits on the Excel Dryer board of directors. As a leader in the industry, Excel Dryer has accomplished many firsts spearheaded by Gagnon, including establishing the high-speed, energy-efficient category for hand dryers with the XLERATOR. When Excel Dryer initiated the process to substantiate claims and educate buyers and specifiers about how to avoid falling victim to ‘greenwashing,’ Gagnon chaired the committee to create product category rules for the hand-dryer industry with UL Environment (a business division of Underwriters Laboratories). The result of their efforts set a precedent; the rule developed was the first global standard for any industry and the first industry-consensus standard for the hand-dryer industry. Gagnon and his team then published the first environmental product declarations for their three signature products. In his new role, Gagnon will improve operational efficiency, expand the product offering through research and development, increase global awareness, and inspire employees to support the vision of the organization.

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Paul Lambert

Paul Lambert

The Springfield Symphony Orchestra (SSO) announced the appointment of the interim Director Paul Lambert to the position of president and CEO, removing Lambert’s interim status. Lambert joined the SSO as interim director in January 2022 after serving for many years as vice president of Enshrinement Services & Community Engagement at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Since his appointment to the interim director position, Lambert has overseen the return to the stage of the SSO with six classical and two pops concerts in the current 2022-23 season, the first in more than two years as a result of the pandemic. He has been instrumental in adding new individuals to the SSO board, hiring key new staff, re-engaging with the corporate and philanthropic community, and launching a comprehensive communications and marketing program to support the current season. Lambert’s professional experience includes nearly 20 years with the Basketball Hall of Fame, initially as vice president of Guest Experience and Programming, and more recently as vice president of Enshrinement Services & Community Engagement. Prior to the Hall of Fame, he served as director of Event Production for the National Basketball Assoc. (NBA). Before working in the basketball industry, Lambert enjoyed a career in the professional theater, including roles as general manager of the Cape Playhouse in Dennis for seven years and as executive director of the Westport Country Playhouse in Westport, Conn. He also served as a production stage manager for many years. Lambert serves on a number of local boards and community organizations, including the National Conference for Community and Justice, New England Public Media (where he was a board chair), the Loomis Communities, and the boards of Cape Cod Center for the Arts, the South Hadley Cultural Council, Longmeadow UNICO, and the Springfield Rotary. He is a graduate, cum laude, of Boston College, with a bachelor’s degree in English and theater.

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Valley Communications Systems Inc. announced that Edward Tremble is vacating the role of CEO and has been named board chairman. In this role, he will continue his strategic oversight and business-development efforts for the company. Tremble, who has served as CEO since 2010, will be succeeded by Michael Tremble, who has been serving as executive vice president, with Joshua Kranz assuming the role of president. In their new roles, Michael Tremble and Kranz will draw on their extensive knowledge and tenure at Valley Communications, leveraging their creative mindsets and passion to help the company further build out its solutions while identifying future areas of growth. Michael’s work over the past 11 years at Valley has helped the company grow through its strategic sales and partnership objectives. Prior to joining Valley, he served as a strength and conditioning coach both at the NCAA and professional levels. His 10-year coaching background, with a focus on individual and team growth and development, has helped guide his leadership style and approach to how he has supported Valley’s customers and employees. He is also active in the community, currently serving as a board member for Glenmeadow (board vice chair), Providence Place, and Mary’s Meadow, all nonprofit organizations focused on senior living and care. In Kranz’s 34 years with Valley, he has held numerous roles of increasing responsibility across the organization. Most recently, he served as the company’s chief technical officer, a position he will retain alongside his new role as president.

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Lori Beth Chase

Lori Beth Chase

Arlene Castellano

Arlene Castellano

Peter Ruffini

Peter Ruffini

Cheryl Malandrinos

Cheryl Malandrinos

Lori Beth Chase was installed as the 2023 president of the Realtor Assoc. of Pioneer Valley (RAPV), a nonprofit trade association with more than 1,800 members. The 107th annual installation of officers and directors was held on Jan. 12 at the Roosevelt Room at Union Station in Northampton. Chase started her professional real-estate career in 2017 and quickly became involved in serving locally. Since 2020, she has served on the local board of directors at RAPV and, in 2021, served as treasurer and chair of the finance committee. Also in 2021, she served on the Massachusetts Association of Realtors finance committee and, after the passing of Rick Sawicki in 2021, has served as the Western Mass. regional vice president, serving not only the Pioneer Valley but the Berkshires as well. In this position, she sits on the Massachusetts Assoc. of Realtors executive committee and board of directors. The following individuals were installed as 2023 officers: Arlene Castellano of Maria Acuna Real Estate as president-elect; Peter Ruffini of RE/MAX Connections as treasurer; and Cheryl Malandrinos of BHH Realty Professionals as immediate past president. Directors include Carrie Blair of Keller Williams Realty, Shawn Bowman of Trademark Real Estate, Brenda Cuoco of Brenda Cuoco & Associates, Peter Davies of Borawski Real Estate, Janise Fitzpatrick of Jones Group Realtors, Judy Nevarez of BHH Realty Professionals, Michelle Stegall of Property One, and Clinton Stone of RE/MAX Connections.

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Florence Bank announced that Vice President and Granby Branch Manager Jessica Wales has been named manager of the bank’s King Street branch in Northampton. Wales will replace Lee McCarthy, who is retiring in April after serving as manager of the King Street branch for 18 years and area manager for the bank since 2018. Since 2020, Wales has served as manager of the Granby branch. She has 26 years of banking experience and previously worked for Florence Bank from 2000 to 2011. She holds a bachelor’s degree in management from Ashworth College and is a graduate of the New England School for Financial Studies. Active in the community, she is a board member and member of the finance committee for the United Way of Franklin & Hampshire Region, and a committee member for the Western Mass Women’s Business Network and Cooley Dickinson Hospital’s Golf FORE Health Tournament. She is also an ambassador for the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce. A member of BusinessWest’s 40 Under Forty class of 2014, Wales is also a past recipient of the Florence Bank Community Support Award. McCarthy worked in the banking industry for 42 years. Hired in 2004 by Florence Bank, she served as branch manager for King Street, beginning in 2004, and in 2018, she also became area manager, overseeing the King Street, Williamsburg, downtown Northampton, and Easthampton branches. For 16 years, McCarthy served on the United Way’s community investment committee.

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Kathryn Crouss

Kathryn Crouss

Erin Meehan

Erin Meehan

Doherty, Wallace, Pillsbury and Murphy, P.C. (DWPM) announced that the firm has elected Kathryn Crouss and Erin Meehan as new shareholders. Crouss joined the firm in May 2022. She has extensive experience in both family law and employment matters. She is a certified mediator and represents family-law clients both in court and through alternative dispute resolution methods. She is currently president-elect of the Hampden County Bar Assoc., serves on the board of Community Legal Aid, and has chaired Community Legal Aid’s Access to Justice fundraising campaign for the past two years. While a student at Western New England University School of Law, she served as editor-in-chief of the Western New England Law Review. Meehan concentrates her practice in general civil litigation and municipal law. She joined DWPM as an associate in 2014. She is a member of the board of directors of the Hampden County Bar Assoc. She earned her juris doctorate from Suffolk University Law School and her bachelor’s degree from Hobart and William Smith Colleges. She is admitted to practice in Massachusetts and Connecticut.

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Amherst College named Michael Thomas its new chief financial and administrative officer (CFAO). On the finance side, he will be responsible for all finance functions of the college, including budgeting, accounting, financial reporting, long-range financial planning, and asset, liability, and risk management. On the administrative side, Thomas will oversee facilities, health and safety, and business services (dining and auxiliary), among key operating functions. He joins Amherst from Middlebury College, where he was vice president for Administration and chief risk officer for the past two years and vice president for Finance and assistant treasurer for the previous four and a half years. He will report to and serve as a strategic partner to President Michael Elliott. His appointment is effective March 27, and he succeeds former Amherst CFAO Kevin Weinman, who became the president of Marist College in the fall of 2021. In his more than nine years at Middlebury, Thomas led all aspects of financial matters, including accounting, financial systems and reporting, budgets, debt and cash management, and endowment reporting, as well as risk evaluation, campus safety, environmental health and safety, emergency management, and land and property management. Before that, he was the controller and director of financial resources for Skidmore College (2006-13); the controller, manager of Financial Systems and Accounting, and a financial analyst for General Electric Silicones, Americas (1999-2006); and an associate at PriceWaterhouseCoopers (1995-98). He graduated from Union College with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and from the University at Albany with a master’s degree in accounting.

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Nicolle Marceau

Nicolle Marceau

Florence Bank promoted Nicolle Marceau to branch manager of the Granby branch. With 10 years of retail banking experience, Marceau was hired in October 2022 and has worked in the bank’s Belchertown, Amherst, and Florence branches. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Westfield State College and is certified in business banking. In the community, Marceau coaches youth sports for the South Hadley Recreation Department and will soon be a member of the Parent Teacher Assoc. for Mosier Elementary School and the Plains Elementary School Council, both also in South Hadley.

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Judith Roberts, executive director of the Literacy Project, announced her retirement at the end of June 2023 after 16 years at the helm of the educational nonprofit. The Literacy Project opened its doors in Franklin County in 1984 with co-founder Lindy Whiton. The Literacy Project classrooms in Greenfield, Orange, Northampton, Amherst, and Ware are places of respect, belonging, hope, and grit. Classes offer a warm and welcoming community for adults and out-of-school youth who need another chance at success. During Roberts’ tenure at the Literacy Project, the program has consistently been among the top three adult-education programs in the state in terms of achieving successful outcomes for more than 200 students per year. These outcomes include passing the High School Equivalency Test (also known as the HiSET or GED), moving on to community college, job-training programs, and better jobs. The Literacy Project has expanded to provide more classes during the day and evening, creating online and in-person options to meet the changing needs of the local communities it serves in Franklin and Hampshire counties.

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Nonotuck Resource Associates announced that Ryan Gaw has been promoted to director of Finance. Gaw has worked at Nonotuck since 2017. Initially hired as a staff accountant, he has also worked as a senior accountant and accounting manager before his promotion to director of Finance this month. He will now supervise accounts payable, accounts receivable, the staff accountant position, and the billing and A/R coordinator position. Gaw earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Rhode Island and his master’s degree in accounting from UMass Amherst. Nonotuck Resource Associates offers shared living, adult family care, and personalized day services for people with disabilities. Each of its services helps support its mission of providing people with disabilities a choice, a voice, and the opportunity to live authentic lives. The agency provides support and services across Massachusetts and is the largest shared-living organization in the state.

People on the Move

By
People on the Move
Matt Garrity

Matt Garrity

Matt Garrity launched a new era for Florence Bank, taking the helm as president and CEO. He brings extensive experience as a leader and promoter of growth along with a broad base of knowledge in serving both business customers and general banking consumers. Garrity was formerly the executive vice president and chief lending officer and head of Residential Lending at Premier Bank, serving Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Indiana. He replaces Michael Lynch, senior vice president and senior commercial lender, who has served as interim president since former president and CEO Kevin Day retired on Nov. 25. In his first year — the 150th-anniversary year for Florence Bank — Garrity expects to focus on getting to know the Florence Bank staff and, over time, on growth, particularly further expansion into Hampden County, where the bank currently has three branches. John Ebbets, chair of the bank’s board of directors, said the search for a new president and CEO began in July and was led by Kaplan Partners, which broadcast the position throughout New England, parts of the mid-Atlantic, and Ohio. A pool of 125 candidates was methodically pared to two finalists, each of whom met live with the full board, which sought a leader with vision, a history of execution, and a willingness to embrace Florence Bank’s mutual culture. Garrity lived in Lee until seventh grade, when he moved to Ohio. He holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration from Ohio University and chose banking as a career so he could help consumers achieve their financial goals. His first job was in consumer banking, but he quickly learned he was drawn to commercial banking and took a job as a credit analyst; he rose into leadership steadily over the years. In 2009, he was recruited to serve as chief credit officer for a mid-size bank and rescued the organization from significant financial distress and the threat of closure via a federal cease-and-desist order.

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Megan Burke

Megan Burke

The trustees of the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts (CFWM) announced the appointment of Megan Burke to the position of president and CEO (see story on page 4). Burke has been a Community Impact officer at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving for more than seven years, most recently serving as its director of Community Impact Grantmaking. Burke has more than 20 years of experience in nonprofit management, strategic planning, and philanthropy. She will begin her tenure at the Foundation on Jan. 18, succeeding Katie Allan Zobel, who moved forward in her career on Oct. 1 after navigating the pandemic and a period of tremendous growth for the foundation. Burke began her career working on international peace and security issues at the Ford Foundation and through the United Nations. She also lived in Nicaragua for several years, where her work supported the emerging LGBTQ+ movement and the development of a nationwide campaign to advance human rights. Prior to her most recent position at the Hartford Foundation, Burke led the Nobel Peace Prize-winning International Campaign to Ban Landmines, an international network of nonprofits engaged in advancing a ban on anti-personnel landmines and cluster munitions worldwide. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Wellesley College and a master’s degree from Yale University.

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Michael Savitt

Michael Savitt

Excel Dryer Inc., manufacturer of the XLERATOR Hand Dryer, announced the promotion of Michael Savitt to director of Domestic Sales. Savitt has held positions with increasing responsibility over his 10 years with Excel Dryer, most recently serving as Business Development manager for North America. In his new role, Savitt will supervise the U.S. sales team, explore opportunities to support the company’s growth, and work closely with architects, distributors, and end users to identify how high-speed, energy-efficient hand dryers fit into cost-saving and sustainability initiatives. Prior to his role as Business Development manager for North America, Savitt started at Excel Dryer as a field sales manager and then became a national field sales manager. He has worked across all markets, verticals, and channels for Excel Dryer over the past decade. Before joining the company, Savitt worked at Avatar HR Solutions and Data Recognition Corp. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a bachelor’a degree in journalism and went on to receive his master’s degree in journalism at Indiana University Bloomington. He completed the “Mastering Sales: A Toolkit for Success” course at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, “Coaching for Improved Performance & Results” with Leadership Dynamics Inc., and “Effective Personal Productivity” with Leadership Management International Inc.

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Ibrahim Alkahiabri

Ibrahim Alkahiabri

Dietz & Company Architects Inc. announced the addition of Ibrahim Alkahiabri in the role of architectural associate, where he will assist project teams throughout all phases of design.

Alkahiabri holds a bachelor of fine arts degree in architecture from Savannah College of Art and Design, as well as a diploma in business and tourism from the Prince Sultan College of Business in Saudi Arabia. He comes to Dietz having worked at firms in Charlotte, N.C. and Atlanta, where he gained experience working on multi-family and single-family housing projects.

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Jake Hooker

Jake Hooker

Jake Hooker, a 2012 Northampton High School graduate, has passed the state’s bar exam and joined his father, Michael Hooker, in Hooker’s legal firm, Attorney Michael Hooker Elder Law, which serves elders and those living with disabilities. Jake Hooker is the second attorney at the firm, which also includes a Medicaid specialist, a social worker, a financial specialist, and two specialized paralegals. The practice is unique; its services extend beyond the realm of the law to provide financial and social services for elders and their families. Hooker began interning at the firm while he was attending Northampton High School and continued to assist while at Greenfield Community College and UMass Amherst, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science. He graduated from Northeastern University School of Law in 2022. While there, he completed two internships — one at Attorney Michael Hooker Elder Law and one with the Executive Office of Health and Human Services at the General Counsel’s Office, where he assisted the MassHealth Estate Recovery Unit as well as the Litigation Department.

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Alexander Pattacini

Alexander Pattacini

Bacon Wilson, P.C. announced that attorney Alexander Pattacini has joined the firm. He is a member of the firm’s Estate Planning and Elder Law department. Pattacini earned his juris doctorate with a concentration in transactional law from Western New England University School of Law, where he served as a clinician in the Small Business Clinic. He previously earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Connecticut in Storrs. Prior to joining Bacon Wilson, P.C., he interned with the Connecticut Department of Education Division of Legal Affairs, and served as legal counsel for the Connecticut House Majority Leader’s Office. He is a member of the Massachusetts Bar Assoc. as well as the Education Law Assoc. He is licensed to practice in Massachusetts and will be working in all Bacon Wilson office locations, but primarily in Springfield.

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The International Language Institute of Massachusetts (ILI) recently welcomed Italian instructor Jennie Coletta, ESOL instructor Brandon LeBlanc, Spanish teacher Kara McBride, and Spanish instructor Boris Romero. Coletta has a bachelor’s degree in Italian studies from Brown University and a master of education degree from Lesley University. As an undergrad, she studied abroad at the Università di Bologna, and later au paired for a family in Sicily. She has taught Italian at a public high school in Massachusetts, and while living in Italy, she taught English to Italian adults. LeBlanc earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Pace University in New York City and a master’s degree in history from York University in Toronto. He has taught English in Spain, social studies/ESL in Bolivia, and most recently taught adult ESL in South Carolina. McBride has one master’s degree in Spanish from Purdue University and another in teaching English to speakers of other languages from Indiana University, and a PhD in second language acquisition and teaching from the University of Arizona. She first joined an improv group in St. Louis, where she was working as an associate professor of Spanish. After eight years at Saint Louis University, she moved to Valparaíso, Chile and opened the House of English. Her business offered immersive language learning experiences such as improv workshops and mystery dinner theater. She returned to the U.S. in 2016 to work as a senior education specialist for World Learning, the international development organization that grew out of the School for International Training. While living in Washington, D.C., she joined the Washington Improv Theater. She will be teaching Spanish improv at ILI this winter. Romero has taught Spanish since 2008 in institutes and universities of Colombia, Canada, and the U.S. He earned both his bachelor’s degree in modern languages and his master’s degree in applied linguistics of Spanish as foreign language at Javeriana University in Bogota, Colombia. He is in the last stages of his doctoral dissertation related to the connection between language and culture. He speaks English, Spanish, French, and a little Italian.

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Trevor Brice

Trevor Brice

The Royal Law Firm recently welcomed attorney Trevor Brice to the team. Brice received his bachelor’s degree from Providence College and his juris doctor and MBA from Suffolk University Law School. He has regularly advised and represented clients in state and federal courts, as well as at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities, and other state agencies. Brice moved to Western Mass. after working for a large company in the Boston area, work that provided him with a detailed understanding of the difficult scenarios employers face when defending claims of discrimination, harassment, wrongful terminations, and allegations of violations of FMLA. He is admitted to practice law in the state and federal courts in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine, New York, and New Hampshire.

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Bulkley Richardson announced that Sarah Willey has been promoted to partner in the firm’s Business/Finance Department, and Stephen Holstrom has been promoted to counsel in the firm’s Litigation Department. Willey’s practice includes a range of business services, including advising clients in business formation, mergers and acquisitions, business-succession planning, and corporate structuring of businesses in regulated industries, including cannabis. She also represents employers in a variety of matters before the MCAD, EEOC, and state and federal courts, and counsels clients in protecting and maximizing their intellectual property via trademarks, copyrights, and licensing agreements. Holstrom joined the firm in 2018 as an associate. He is a general practice litigator with a focus on medical-malpractice defense. In addition to medical-malpractice actions, he has litigated other complex tort actions, commercial cases, insurance cases, complex class actions, and education cases.

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Megan Lagoy

Megan Lagoy

UMassFive College Federal Credit Union announced that Megan Lagoy has been promoted to assistant vice president (AVP) of Loan Operations. Lagoy began her career at UMassFive in 2012 as a call-center representative before taking on other various Contact Center roles, eventually becoming assistant vice president of the Contact Center and Interactive Teller Machine department. More recently, she held direct oversight of UMassFive’s flagship Hadley branch in the position of assistant vice president of Retail Services. Her various roles at the credit union over the past 10 years have prepared her for this transition to assistant vice president of Loan Operations.

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Girls Inc. of the Valley recently welcomed five new members to its board of directors: Nikai Fondon, George Keady, Alaina Macaulay, Cheri Mills, and Ciara Speller. These new members join the current board of directors to support strategic planning to map out the future of the organization. Fondon has worked at Marketing Doctor Inc. since January as a marketing specialist and previously worked at the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts (CFWM) as a donor-engagement coordinator and scholarship program associate for four years. She currently serves as a board member for the Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield (YPS). She has been a panelist for the 2020 Girls and Racism Virtual Town Hall and has worked with Girls Inc. teens on creative writing and marketing projects. She was recognized as a Dream Maker at Spirit of Girls 2022. Keady has worked at UBS Financial Services/Wealth Management in Springfield for 39 years and, upon retirement this year, was a managing director. He has served as a board member for CFWM and Saint Michael’s College, and was a chairperson for Glenmeadow Retirement Community and Bay Path University. He has been a long-time champion for girls and friend of Girls Inc. Macaulay is the senior director for Inclusion and Strategic Engagement at UMass Amherst. She worked previously at UMass Amherst Isenberg School of Management for three years as the executive director of Diversity and Inclusion and, before that, at Elms College as the director of Diversity and Inclusion for two years. She has been involved with Girls Inc. through support of the 2020 Girls and Racism Virtual Town Hall. She currently serves as a board member for YPS and Chester Theatre Co. Mills has worked at PeoplesBank for eight years as a Business Banking manager and is currently the assistant vice president. She has been involved with Girls Inc. as a volunteer through the finance committee this past year. She also served on the corporate and community impact committee and helped secure sponsorship commitments for Spirit of Girls 2022. Speller has worked at WWLP as an evening anchor for five years. She has been involved with Girls Inc. for the past couple of years, including as the moderator for the 2020 Girls and Racism Virtual Town Hall and host for Spirit of Girls 2021. She and WWLP did the news broadcast live for Spirit of Girls 2022 on location at the Big E, where she was also a recipient of a Girls Inc. Dream Maker award. She also serves as a board member for the nonprofit I Found Light Against All Odds.

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Monte Belmonte

Monte Belmonte

New England Public Media has hired local radio personality Monte Belmonte as host and executive producer of a new radio show and podcast celebrating life in Western Mass. Belmonte comes to New England Public Media (NEPM) from 93.9 the River/WRSI, where he’s hosted the popular “Mornings with Monte” since 2006. The new show and podcast will launch later this winter. Belmonte will be joined by Kaliis Smith, who also comes to NEPM from the River, where she hosted weekday evenings and was a regular guest on “Mornings with Monte.” Smith will be the show’s digital producer and will join Belmonte on air. Belmonte plans to bring some of his regular guests and popular segments to the live, daily program, along with new segments and opportunity for regular audience call-ins. The show will be available as a podcast and on YouTube. Belmonte will also have a presence at NEPM events and other station initiatives.

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After a yearlong national search, the board of directors at Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts (JFSWM) announced the hiring of a new CEO, Rabbi James Greene, who brings more than two decades of expertise in the Jewish nonprofit world from the interdenominational space of Jewish community centers (JCCs) and independent camps. JFS’s current CEO, Maxine Stein, whose vision and leadership was responsible for the agency’s unprecedented growth and expansion during her tenure, will retire at the end of January 2023. After 20 years of professional communal work, Greene sees the need for bringing core Jewish values to the work of building a stronger community and is excited by the challenge of empowering people to build better lives and growing organizational capacity to meet the needs of this unique moment at JFS. He spent nine years in the JCC movement, first as the program director at the Addison-Penzak JCC, and more recently as the assistant executive director for the Springfield JCC. In early 2020, he stepped into Jewish camping full-time as the executive director at Camp Laurelwood, where he successfully guided the agency through the pandemic, grew fundraising and grant revenue, took new programs from vision to successful execution in partnership with community agencies around the state, and oversaw the creation of a strategic vision to guide the organization into the future. Greene has a bachelor’s degree in Holocaust and Judaic studies from Florida Atlantic University, and a master’s degree in Hebrew letters rabbinic ordination from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.

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

Kathleen Bernardo

Kathleen Bernardo

• 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

Larry Eagan

• 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

• 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

Catherine Ormond

• 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

Frank Robinson

• 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

Betsy Sullivan

• 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

• 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.

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Katharine Shove

Katharine Shove

Brodeur-McGan, P.C. announced that Katharine Shove joined the firm this fall. As a litigator, Shove particularly enjoys employment law, representing both employees and employers in discrimination, retaliation, and wage-and-hour cases. She regularly assists employers with complex state and federal compliance issues, representing electric companies, construction companies, and manufacturers. In addition to employment and compliance matters, she litigates matters involving property damages (real and personal), personal injuries, contract disputes, and consumer-protection violations, such as violations of General Laws Chapter 93A. After law school, Shove clerked for Justice C. Jeffrey Kinder of the Massachusetts Appeals Court, where she conducted legal research and drafted criminal and civil decisions for panel cases. Following her clerkship, she practiced as a litigator with Bacon Wilson, P.C. Shove serves as a board member of the Hampden County Bar Assoc. New Lawyers Section and is a member of the Hampden County Legal Clinic’s pro bono associate advisory board.

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The Realtor Assoc. of Pioneer Valley announced its annual award winners at the association’s holiday luncheon on Dec. 1 at the Log Cabin in Holyoke. The 2022 Realtor of the Year is Arlene Castellano of Acuna Real Estate. The 2022 Affiliate of the Year is Victor Rodriguez Sr. of PeoplesBank. A Realtor since 2015, Castellano has served on the RAPV board of directors since 2020. She has also served on the community service, finance, government affairs, member engagement, professional standards, and YPN committees. She has given back to the community through her active involvement with the community service committee, including as a board member for Dress for Success and co-chair of its relocation committee; as a basketball coach; serving in the Franklin County Meal; and coordinating a Meet the Candidate event for state Rep. Jake Oliveira. She has also coordinated RAPV’s new-member orientation and has been featured on the Real Estate Minute segment of WWLP’s Mass Appeal program intended to educate the public about real estate and the role of Realtors. She recently participated in and graduated from the Massachusetts Assoc. of Realtors’ 2022 Leadership Academy Class. A member of RAPV since 2015, Rodriguez is the mortgage consultant at PeoplesBank and has served on the affiliate-Realtor and community service committees. He has demonstrated tremendous support to the association and community outreach and volunteered in RAPV’s community-service efforts through its Christmas adopt-a-family program. His community activities include being director at Heir of Christ Christian Church since 2016, a board member of Holyoke Chapter Salvation Army since 2019, a board member of One Holyoke CDC since 2019, a committee member of Buy Holyoke Now, and a prior board member of the Greater Holyoke YMCA.

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Diane Sabato

Diane Sabato

John Diffley

John Diffley

Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) professors Diane Sabato and John Diffley received the Michelson IP Educator of Excellence Award. Sabato, an STCC business professor, and Diffley, an attorney and history professor, have been working on the intellectual-property (IP) educational initiative since 2020. STCC was one of only five colleges nationwide with faculty accepted into the Michelson IP Educator in Residence initiative. The Michelson Institute for Intellectual Property and the National Assoc. for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE) selected Sabato and Diffley for the project. Sabato and Diffley have been collaborating with four other educators focusing on a mission to deliver intellectual-property education. They joined faculty from institutions in New Jersey, Florida, California, and New Mexico. Intellectual property refers to inventions and human creations such as literary and artistic works, designs, symbols, and names and images used in commerce. Sabato taught intellectual-property concepts in an entrepreneurship class at STCC. Diffley brought the historical perspective of Springfield as an innovation hub and the capacity to implement campus-wide initiatives, initially, through the Honors Program.

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Berkshire Money Management (BMM), a boutique advisory firm with offices in Dalton and Great Barrington, recently welcomed Brenda Bailly and Tina Archambault as client care specialists. The two new hires join the client care team led by Chelsea Smith, recently promoted to the role of client specialist leader. All three employees play a vital role in providing attentive, personalized service to the clients of Berkshire Money Management. Bailly, based in the company’s downtown Great Barrington office, brings more than 24 years of experience in financial services and wealth-management operations to her role as client care specialist. Before joining the BMM team, she was a wealth management senior operations specialist at Berkshire Bank, where her responsibilities included client care, opening and closing accounts, audit assistance, system configurations, and more. A notary, Berkshire Community College graduate, and experienced customer-service professional, Archambault joins the Berkshire Money Management team as client care specialist at the Dalton office. She brings to her new role 25 years in customer service and 16 years of experience in trusts. In her previous role as wealth management operations specialist at Berkshire Bank, she worked with various accounts, including IRAs, trusts, and investment and estate accounts, and was responsible for the opening of new accounts, asset transfers, and other operational tasks. As part of the client care team, both Bailly and Archambault will assist with client onboarding, scheduling, opening and servicing accounts, facilitating account transactions, building strong relationships, and helping clients with their day-to-day service needs. Berkshire Money Management also congratulates Smith on her recent promotion to client specialist leader. She joined BMM in 2021 as a client care specialist. In her new role, she is focused on strengthening BMM’s client care team through coaching, developing new standards and practices, and leading the team in providing exceptional client service. She is a veteran customer-service professional and notary public and has an associate degree from Berkshire Community College in liberal arts with a concentration in business administration.

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Pema Latshang

Teach Western Mass Executive Director Pema Latshang has been selected to serve on the Healey-Driscoll Thriving Youth and Young Adults Transition Committee. Transition committees aim to guide Gov.-elect Maura Healey and Lt. Gov.-elect Kim Driscoll on important work as they prepare to take office in January. Each committee is composed of a diverse group of community members, advocates, subject-matter experts, and business and nonprofit leaders. Latshang’s participation gives voice to the education community of Western Mass. Her expertise in reducing barriers to entry to the profession, maintaining performance standards, and increasing retention supports for new teachers will help her advocate for a high-quality, diverse teacher workforce.

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The Look Memorial Park board of trustees voted unanimously to name Justin Pelis the park’s fifth executive director. Pelis has served as the interim executive director since July 29. “Look Memorial Park is special to so many people,” Pelis said. “It evokes a different meaning to everyone, but in the end, the park is a place where memories are built between families and community. I’m proud to be the newest executive director of Look Park, where my vision and contribution will live on in the hearts of the community for years to come. That was the intent of Mrs. Fannie Look when she set forth to memorialize her late husband Frank Newhall Look in 1928. As executive director, I honor the responsibility to preserve Mrs. Look’s vision while also being responsive and adaptive to the changing needs of our patrons and communities.”

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Britaney Guzman-Bailey

Britaney Guzman-Bailey

Sarah Federation

Sarah Federation

Joshua Goldstein

Joshua Goldstein

Bacon Wilson P.C. announced that three new associate attorneys have joined the firm. Attorney Britaney Guzman-Bailey is a member of Bacon Wilson’s Domestic Relations and Family Law practice group. She earned her juris doctor degree magna cum laude at Western New England University School of Law, where she served as a production editor of the Western New England Law Review, and earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Connecticut. Prior to joining Bacon Wilson, Guzman-Bailey served as a judicial law clerk at the Connecticut Superior Court. She received the CALI Award for Gender and the Law in 2021, the CALI Award for International Business Transactions in 2021, and the CALI Award for Family Law in 2020. She is a member of the Hispanic National Bar Assoc., the Hampden County Bar Assoc., and the Massachusetts LGBTQ Bar Assoc. She is licensed to practice in Massachusetts and will be working from Bacon Wilson’s Springfield location. Attorney Sarah Federation is a member of Bacon Wilson’s Business and Corporate Law practice group. She earned her juris doctor degree cum laude from Western New England University School of Law in 2022 and earned her bachelor’s degree cum laude from Siena College in Loudonville, N.Y. in 2019. Federation’s Bacon Wilson career originally began as a law clerk in May 2021. She received the CALI Award for Bioethics and Law in 2021 and was named Best Plaintiff’s Advocate in 2020. She is licensed to practice in Massachusetts and was officially sworn into the Massachusetts Bar Assoc. on Nov. 15. She will be working from Bacon Wilson’s Springfield location. Attorney Joshua Goldstein is a member of Bacon Wilson’s Business and Corporate Law practice group and the Banking and Finance practice group. He earned his juris doctor degree cum laude from Western New England University School of Law in 2022 and his bachelor’s degree in business economics from the State University of New York, Oneonta in 2018. Goldstein completed pro bono activity with the City of Homes Project under the direction of retired Judge Dina Fein. He also is a member of the Hampden County Bar Assoc. He is licensed to practice in Massachusetts and was officially sworn into the Massachusetts Bar Assoc. on Nov. 15. He will be working from Bacon Wilson’s Springfield location.

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Shannon Gurek

Shannon Gurek

Jeffrey Markham Jr.

Jeffrey Markham Jr.

Marty Bongfeldt

Marty Bongfeldt

Sarah Guerin

Sarah Guerin

Ann Tweedy

Ann Tweedy

The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts recently welcomed Shannon Gurek as vice president for Finance and Operations. She will provide strategic leadership in finance, information technology, operations, and risk management during a transformative period for the foundation. She was selected after a national search conducted by Lindauer, a leading executive search firm serving foundation and charity organizations. Lindauer is also leading the foundation’s search for its next president and CEO. Gurek, who began her career in Springfield and is a life-long resident of Massachusetts, most recently served nine years as vice president for Finance and Administration and treasurer at Mount Holyoke College. While there, she also served as a member of the president’s cabinet and worked closely with the college’s trustees. In addition to overseeing the college’s operating budget, financial planning and reporting, and policies governing the stewardship of its $1 billion endowment, Gurek was responsible for key administrative areas that included human resources, facilities, risk management, and sustainability. Prior to joining Mount Holyoke, Gurek was the associate treasurer and director of the budget at Amherst College, and early in her career, she was an audit supervisor at Coopers and Lybrand. A certified public accountant, she earned her MBA from the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst and her bachelor’s degree from Nichols College. She is also a member of the board of directors of Holyoke Medical Center. Gurek will be joining Jeffrey Markham Jr., Marty Bongfeldt, Sarah Guerin, and Ann Tweedy, all of whom recently joined the Community Foundation as staff members. Markham began serving the foundation as program officer for Community Impact and Partnerships after 15 years in public-health research and community-based programming. His previous work was with the MOCHA (Men of Color Health Awareness) program in Springfield, where he directed its Disrupting Systemic and Structural Racism Initiative as well as its research collaboration with the UMass Amherst School of Public Health. Bongfeldt joined the foundation as its new Donor Services associate. She brings extensive experience as an executive assistant to chief-level leadership in both corporate and nonprofit organizations. Originally from Dallas, Bongfeldt relocated to Western Mass. after her acceptance to Smith College’s Ada Comstock Scholar Program. She earned her bachelor’s degree and master of fine arts degree from Smith. She is also a playwright member of the Dramatist Guild. Guerin joined the foundation as program assistant after serving the Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts for nearly five years. She served as Executive Services assistant to the organization’s CEO and COO. She brings with her a wealth of nonprofit and youth organization experience as well as a strong background in volunteerism. Tweedy joined the foundation as fund administration associate for Philanthropic Services. She comes to the foundation from Franklin/Hampshire County MassHire’s first upskilling navigator, in which she helped launch the first Career Technical Initiative (CTI) Commonwealth Corp.-funded Adult Vocational Education program at Franklin County Technical School in Turners Falls. She is the treasurer of a family foundation in Providence, R.I. and volunteers on several boards.

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A dozen UMass Amherst researchers representing a wide range of disciplines have been recognized as among the world’s most highly cited researchers in 2022. The list is generated by the Web of Science database of analytics provider Clarivate. The highly cited papers rank in the top 1% by citations for their field and publication year, span 69 countries or regions, and are spread across a diverse range of research fields in the sciences and social sciences. The highly cited UMass Amherst researchers for 2022 are three food scientists, Professor Eric Decker, Distinguished Professor David Julian McClements, and Professor and Clydesdale Scholar of Food Science Hang Xiao; two microbiologists, Kelly Nevin and Derek Lovley; Distinguished Professor in Chemistry Vincent Rotello; Armstrong/Siadat Endowed Professor of Chemical Engineering Nianqiang “Nick” Wu; Director of Stockbridge School of Agriculture and Professor of Environmental and Soil Sciences Baoshan Xing; Silvio O. Conte Distinguished Professor of Polymer Science and Engineering Thomas Russell; Hospitality and Tourism Management Provost Professor Muzaffer “Muzzo” Uysal; Associate Dean of Undergraduate Academic Affairs and School of Public Health and Health Sciences Professor Laura Vandenberg; and Electrical and Computer Engineering Professor Qiangfei Xia.

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Daryl Johnson

Daryl Johnson

Kevin Hassett Jr.

Kevin Hassett Jr.

Rachel Fancy

Rachel Fancy

Fitzgerald Law recently announced that attorneys Daryl Johnson, Kevin Hassett Jr., and Rachel Fancy have joined the firm. Johnson has a broad business-law practice advising clients on matters of commercial real estate, corporate finance, succession planning, and trust and estates. She has eight years of experience practicing as an attorney and has served as corporate counsel for an international importing business. She graduated summa cum laude from Elms College, where she earned a bachelor’s degree, and cum laude from the UMass School of Law in Dartmouth, where she earned her juris doctorate. She is a trustee of Springfield International Charter School, regularly fundraises to benefit Empty Arms Bereavement Support, and has served as a volunteer for Girls on the Run and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampden County. Hassett focuses his business-law practice on the areas of contract drafting and negotiation, commercial loans, commercial real-estate development including acquisition and sale, regulatory and government enforcement actions and investigations, and employment law. He is a graduate of UMass Amherst, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in legal studies, and Western New England University School of Law, where he earned his juris doctorate. He is a member of the Hampden County Bar Assoc. New Lawyers’ Section Executive Board and a member of the Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield. Fancy advises business owners and leadership teams on the resolution of commercial disputes, litigation tactics and procedure, and land use, zoning, and permitting. She is particularly skilled at legal research and writing, as well as oral advocacy and negotiation. She graduated magna cum laude from Suffolk University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree, and cum laude from Western New England University School of Law, where she earned her juris doctorate. She represents the firm with the Westfield Chamber of Commerce. She has also volunteered with a small-business clinic while in law school, working with local startups.

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Eli Freund

Eli Freund

Louis Burgos

Louis Burgos

Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) announced the hiring of Eli Freund as director of Marketing and Communications and Louis Burgos as Digital and Social Media manager. Freund comes to the college with experience in communications and journalism. In his new role, he will plan and execute strategic marketing and communications programs that promote STCC, among other responsibilities. He was previously the director of communications for the University of Connecticut School of Engineering, where he oversaw external and internal communications. He also managed the integrated marketing plan for the school, which included social media, email marketing, paid advertising, search-engine optimization, and media relations. In addition to his new role at STCC, he serves as an adjunct communications professor at Eastern Connecticut State University. Prior to his role at UConn, Freund worked as a reporter, covering education and town government for the Chronicle in Willimantic, Conn., and the Journal Inquirer in Manchester, Conn. After leaving journalism, he worked in the mayor’s office in the town of East Hartford, Conn., as a communications officer, and worked for Clarus Commerce in Rocky Hill, Conn., coordinating all its public relations. Freund earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Connecticut and a master’s degree in communication from the University of Hartford. Burgos will lead a strong content strategy for STCC across its digital platforms, advancing the college’s brand, stakeholder support, and enrollment. In his new role, he will develop the college’s web content, social-media channels, and digital media and manage many creative projects, including writing digital copy. Burgos previously worked at the Center for EcoTechnology in Springfield as a bilingual Marketing And Communication coordinator, where he managed its social-media presence and also served as videographer/video editor. In addition to his position there, he has also worked as a wedding videographer. Burgos earned an associate degree in communication media and theater arts in 2018 from Holyoke Community College. In 2020, he continued his education and received a bachelor’s degree in communication from Westfield State University.

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Deborah Stephenson

Deborah Stephenson

After a multi-state search, Brattleboro Savings & Loan (BS&L) recently welcomed Deborah Stephenson to the position of president. Current president Dan Yates will retire at the end of this year after 17 years in that role. Stephenson comes to BS&L from Berkshire Bank, where she served as senior vice president for Compliance and helped grow the bank’s assets from $2 billion to $13 billion. She first took her university degree in economics and finance into public service as a bank examiner for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Seeing so many banks from the inside helped her to learn the fundamentals of banking as well as to become an expert at risk management and compliance issues. Her first job out of the government was with Woronoco Savings Bank in Westfield, which was suffering from compliance issues that Stephenson helped clean up. This became a specialty that has followed her throughout her career, leading her to Berkshire Bank and now to BS&L.

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Berkshire Money Management (BMM) recently welcomed Julia Lewis to a new position of compliance professional. Her arrival adds internal compliance capacity to the firm’s operations team. As compliance professional, Lewis is responsible for Berkshire Money Management’s internal compliance program, employee training, and processes and procedures. She brings to the team eight years of experience in the finance industry across the retirement, home-lending, and insurance sectors. Prior to joining Berkshire Money Management, she was the Technical Operations manager at PCS Retirement. She is happy to join the BMM team, where she can be a part of giving back to the community and supporting local growth.

 

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Shelley Bongiovanni

Shelley Bongiovanni

Devon Bunger

Devon Bunger

Bryan Fleury

Bryan Fleury

Madison Kinney

Madison Kinney

bankESB announced four recent promotions: Shelley Bongiovanni to underwriting officer, Devon Bunger to closing and post-closing officer, Bryan Fleury to secondary and system support officer, and Madison Kinney to assistant branch manager in the Amherst office. Bongiovanni, Bunger, and Fleury’s promotions coincide with the launch of Hometown Mortgage, the newly formed residential-lending division of bankESB. Bongiovanni joined bankESB in 2013 as loan specialist/underwriter and was promoted to senior loan specialist and underwriter in 2020. She is responsible for underwriting and approving loans, mentoring and training new underwriters, and monitoring construction loans through the disbursement phase at Hometown Mortgage. She has 26 years of experience in the banking industry, and prior to bankESB, she was employed by Park West Bank and Trust and CitiFinancial. She holds an associate degree in business administration from Holyoke Community College. Bunger joined bankESB in 2018 as disclosure desk specialist/closer. As closing and post-closing officer, she is responsible for managing the daily operations of the residential lending closing and post-closing/funding department at Hometown Mortgage. Before joining bankESB, she was employed by Dwyer & Sanderson as a real-estate paralegal, at Florence Bank as a loan closer, and at Greenfield Savings Bank as a post-closing quality-control specialist. She holds a bachelor’s degree in legal studies from Elms College and a lending diploma from the Center for Financial Training and is currently working toward a supervisor diploma and real-estate lending diploma, both from the Center for Financial Training. She is also a member of the Northampton St. Patrick’s Assoc. Fleury joined bankESB in 2013 as loan processor and was promoted to mortgage systems administrator and then secondary/post-closing manager. In his new role as secondary and system support officer, he is responsible for supporting the secondary market and all lending software at Hometown Mortgage. Fleury holds an associate degree in business administration from Holyoke Community College and is the president of the International Assoc. of Approved Basketball Officials Board 28. Kinney joined bankESB in 2017 as a teller and most recently held the title of teller supervisor. In her role as assistant branch manager, she is responsible for assisting with overall branch management of bankESB’s Amherst office, as well as applications for consumer and home-equity loans, as well as the employee-hiring process. She holds a certificate in human resources from the Center for Financial Training.

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Jason Tsitso

Jason Tsitso

Joseph Leon

Joseph Leon

Professional Drywall Construction Inc. (PDC), a commercial drywall company headquartered in Springfield, announced the promotion of two of its employees. Jason Tsitso was promoted from executive project manager to vice president of Operations, and Joseph Leon was promoted from project manager to executive project manager. Tsitso has been with PDC for five years, starting as a project manager and taking on increasing responsibility as a senior project manager and executive project manager. As the vice president of Operations, he is now responsible for the development and success of the staff and company. He is a graduate of Porter & Chester Institute and was named to BusinessWest’s 40 Under Forty class of 2012. Leon, who holds a degree in construction management from the University of Nevada, joined PDC three years ago as a project manager. In his new role as executive project manager, he will oversee the project-management staff.

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Colleen Berndt

Colleen Berndt

Mia McDonald

Mia McDonald

Karen Korpinen

Karen Korpinen

Eric Bone

Eric Bone

Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. (MBK) recently welcomed Colleen Berndt, CPA as senior manager, as well as Mia McDonald; Karen Korpinen, MSA; and Eric Bone as associates in the Audit and Accounting department. Berndt has practiced public accounting since 1989 and holds valuable experience in both public accounting and corporate firms. She holds a bachelor’s degree from American International College and sits on the board of directors of the Colburn Keenan Foundation. McDonald has worked in public accounting since 2020 when she began as an intern with MBK. She holds bachelor’s degrees in economics and business management with a mathematics minor, accounting concentration, and anticipates completing her master of science in accounting (MSA) degree in May. Korpinen brings experience in the nonprofit field to her work in public accounting with MBK. She holds an MSA from Merrimack College and an MBA from Clark University. She serves as treasurer on the board of directors of the Northampton Parents Center. Bone brings a fresh perspective to his engagements as a recent college graduate; he holds a bachelor’s degree in accountancy with a minor in finance from Providence College and is currently pursuing his MSA with a focus in data analytics at UMass Amherst.

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Country Bank announced that Lisa Saletnik has been promoted to vice president of Business Systems Optimization. Saletnik holds an associate degree in health science from Bay Path University and graduated from the New England School for Financial Studies. She has been with Country Bank for 23 years and has extensive experience in the bank’s core systems and digital technologies. Having worked in various departments at the bank, she found her passion in the Information Technology and Innovation department in 2018. Before joining the IT department, she managed the eServices area for eight years. She has been instrumental in working with vendors and partners to continue to find the best solutions to help the bank best serve its internal and external customers.

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Rose Colon

Rose Colon

The board of directors of Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services has elected attorney Rose Colon as vice president. Colon practices in the Probate & Family courts of Western Mass. for the Massachusetts Department of Revenue. Prior to that role, she was the first Latina assistant district attorney in Berkshire County. She is also an adjunct professor at Bay Path University in its Legal Studies & Criminal Justice Department. She earned a bachelor’s degree in legal studies from Bay Path University in Longmeadow and her juris doctorate from Western New England University School of Law.

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Jean Clarke-Mitchell

Jean Clarke-Mitchell

MCLA announced that Jean Clarke-Mitchell, assistant professor of Social Work at Lesley University, has been nominated to the MCLA board of trustees. A 2000 alumna of MCLA, she is also in her second term on the college’s foundation board. Clarke-Mitchell is a licensed clinical social worker who served as the clinical director of the Elizabeth Freeman Center, and an outpatient clinician at the Brien Center for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. With more than 20 years of experience in the clinical field and more than 10 years in academia, she looks forward to participating on the board. She has an extensive resume in social justice activism and working with community organizations, including the Rights of Passage and Empowerment program as a senior mentor. She serves as a board member on Rockfort Moving Forward, Leadership Councils of Western Massachusetts, the Albany Assoc. for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, and the Massachusetts Women of Color Network. Prior to teaching at Lesley, Clarke-Mitchell taught social work and psychology at Westfield State University, Smith College, Cambridge College, and Elms College. She has worked with groups in South Africa, taught students in Ghana, and conducted presentations on healthy relationships and self-care in Jamaica. She continues to affect positive change by teaching social work full-time and continuing to develop effective social-work practitioners.

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Joe Kriesberg has been named the next president and CEO of MassINC, a non-partisan think tank dedicated to making Massachusetts a place of civic vitality and inclusive economic opportunity. Kriesberg will oversee all strategic planning, fundraising, and operations for the organization’s work across multiple disciplines, including research and civic programs, and will serve as publisher of CommonWealth, MassINC’s civic news outlet. The organization also includes the MassINC Polling Group, a for-profit subsidiary of MassINC. Kriesberg will join MassINC after nearly 30 years at the Massachusetts Assoc. of Community Development Corporations (MACDC), an organization which he has led as president and CEO for the past 20 years. MACDC is the policy and capacity-building arm of the community-development movement in Massachusetts, with 100 nonprofit member organizations across the state. As President, Kriesberg was responsible for the overall management of the agency, including financial management and fundraising, program development and implementation, policy advocacy, staff supervision, board management, and strategic planning. In his role leading MACDC, Kriesberg has been a strong advocate for vibrant communities and has advanced issues such as economic opportunity, affordable housing, and innovative development, all of which align with MassINC’s dedication to civic vitality and economic inclusion.

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Dawn Creighton has joined neba as strategic initiative consultant. The organization has a 40-year history assisting individuals with disabilities and other barriers to attain employment, establish a career path, and meet critical workforce needs and shortages. With more job openings and less candidates, Creighton will play a pivotal role in ensuring that area businesses in Massachusetts and Connecticut have a plan to fill vacancies and meet important diversity and inclusion efforts. Creighton brings more than a decade of successful partnerships with the community at large to support and develop myriad workforce-development efforts meeting and matching businesses with qualified candidates. As the former board president of Dress for Success, Creighton created the Foot in the Door program, a workforce-readiness program dedicated to helping women develop critical skills for entering and re-entering the workforce.

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Jamie Blaxland

Jamie Blaxland

Monson Savings Bank recently announced the promotion of Jamie Blaxland to Accounting manager. In her role as Accounting manager, Blaxland is primarily responsible for managing the Accounting department, which oversees the bank’s accounts payable, automated clearing house (ACH), investment bookkeeping, wires, general-ledger reconciliations, and more. Blaxland has been with Monson Savings Bank for 20 years. Prior to this recent promotion, she served as Accounting supervisor. She has worked in the bank’s Accounting department for more than 18 years and has 25 years of experience working in the banking industry. She holds several ACH certifications and is an accredited ACH professional.

People on the Move

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People on the Move
Lisa Halbert

Lisa Halbert

Doherty, Wallace, Pillsbury & Murphy, P.C. announced the hiring of Lisa Halbert as an attorney in the law firm’s Northampton office. Halbert joined Doherty, Wallace in July and brings more than 30 years of experience in representing clients throughout Western Mass. Halbert has an extensive background in elder law and estate planning, estate and trust administration (including estate-tax return preparation), special-needs trusts, asset-protection planning, residential real estate, and preparation of personal and fiduciary income-tax returns. She is available to assist clients in Hampshire, Hampden, and Franklin counties. Since 2016, Halbert has served on the board of directors for Lathrop Community located in Easthampton and Northampton, and currently serves as its secretary. She is a member of the National and Massachusetts Associations of Elder Law Attorneys, the Massachusetts Bar Assoc., the Hampshire County Bar Assoc., and the Pioneer Valley Estate Planning Council.

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Malissa Naylor

Malissa Naylor

KeyBank announced that Malissa Naylor has joined the bank as vice president, Business Banking relationship manager for the Hartford and Springfield areas. In her new role, she will provide customized financial solutions such as commercial lines of credit, SBA financing, equipment financing, cash management, merchant services, and more to businesses with sales revenues between $3 million and $25 million annually. She reports to Allison Standish-Plimpton, Business Banking sales leader for KeyBank’s Connecticut and Massachusetts market. Naylor brings to KeyBank more than 15 years of banking experience, most recently as a business banker with Webster Bank. She has also held various branch-network management roles with New Valley Bank and Trust, PeoplesBank, and TD Bank. She is active in her community, volunteering with Home City Development Inc., Springfield Young Professional Assoc., Holy Redeemer Cathedral, Vision Intervention Technology Academic Learning Center, YMCA of Greater Springfield, East Longmeadow Lions Club, and numerous chambers of commerce in both Connecticut and Massachusetts.

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Nayroby Rosa

Nayroby Rosa

Nayroby Rosa, director of Community Engagement and Resident Services for OneHolyoke CDC, has been appointed to the Holyoke Community College (HCC) board of trustees by Gov. Charlie Baker. Her term will expire on July 10, 2027. An HCC alumna, Rosa graduated in 2010 with an associate degree in human services before transferring to UMass Amherst, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in child and youth services through the University Without Walls program. Rosa, a certified nursing assistant and home health aide, got her start in human services as a personal-care attendant for Community Enterprises, assisting patients with their daily living and transportation needs. Since then, she has worked as site director and case manager for the YMCA in Springfield, home health aide for Home Health Solutions, program specialist for HAP Inc., and resident services coordinator for Beacon Residential Management. She has been employed in her current position at One Holyoke since 2018.

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Mary Cate Mannion

Mary Cate Mannion

Social-media platforms, like New England weather, seem to change by the minute. For that reason, Mary Cate Mannion, digital PR analyst and video producer at GCAi, was tapped to lead a panel of experts through a discussion of best practices and new innovations at New England Financial Marketing’s (NEMFA) fall conference in Worcester. Joining Mannion on the “Navigating New Media: How to Evaluate Emerging Trends” panel were Anna Baskin, content manager at Service Credit Union; Justin Roberts, vice president of Marketing for Country Bank; and Kristin Sundin Brandt, president of Sundin Marketing. “The experts were focused on metrics — specifically, the metrics that matter to your organization,” Mannion explained after the conference. “Content was also a focus, and the discussion focused on the power of these platforms for highlighting community support and corporate responsibility efforts.” Mannion was also the keynote speaker at the NEFMA 2022 Awards Show, where she presented on “What’s Old is New: How the Age-old Art of Storytelling Will Set Your Existing Media Channels on Fire.”

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Amelia Holstrom

Amelia Holstrom

Amelia Holstrom, a partner at Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C., a leading labor and employment law firm, was recently appointed to the Wilbraham Commission on Disabilities by the Wilbraham Board of Selectmen. The commission provides information, referrals, and technical assistance to individuals, businesses, and organizations in all matters pertaining to disability. It acts as an advocate for disabled individuals, their family members, and caregivers, and also advises and assists Wilbraham businesses and municipal officials in ensuring compliance with disability laws. Holstrom’s involvement will include promoting awareness of disability-related issues and assisting in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and state disability laws. Holstrom, who joined Skoler Abbott in 2012, defends employers against claims of discrimination, retaliation, harassment, and wrongful termination, as well as actions arising under other employment-related laws. She also frequently provides counsel to management regarding litigation-avoidance strategies.

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Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC) Chair Walter Gunn announced the completion of a new five-year contract with Executive Director Kimberly Robinson, who has led the PVPC — the state-designated regional planning agency for Hampden and Hampshire counties — since October 2019. Robinson came to the PVPC after serving as executive director of the Truckee Meadows Regional Planning Agency in Greater Reno, Nev. for more than seven years. Additionally, she has held leadership positions for Washoe County, also of Greater Reno, as well as the city of Detroit.

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Jeffrey Gelinas

Jeffrey Gelinas

OMG Inc., a Steel Partners company and a leading manufacturer of fasteners, adhesives, and construction-productivity tools, has named Jeffrey Gelinas manager of Sales Training for its FastenMaster and Roofing Products divisions. In his new role, Gelinas will develop and manage a comprehensive sales-training program focused on reducing time to proficiency for sales personnel in both company divisions. Specific responsibilities include developing curriculum, role-specific sales training, as well as analytics for measuring program effectiveness. He will also oversee new hire training as well as advancement training for sales personnel moving into new roles. Gelinas joined OMG from Westfield Middle School, where he has been teaching science since 2007 and was on the team that helped develop the school district’s current science curriculum. In addition to the classroom work, he has also been coaching at the collegiate level, overseeing the women’s golf program at Westfield State University since 2021. He has also been actively involved in coaching a variety of teams at Westfield High School and numerous youth sports programs in Western Mass. for years. Prior to his teaching career, Gelinas held various sales positions for Tommy Hilfiger Golf, TaylorMade/Adidas, Sanofi Pharmaceuticals, and Spalding Sports Worldwide. He holds a master’s degree in education from UMass Amherst, a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Westfield State University, and an associate degree from Holyoke Community College.

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Excel Dryer Inc., manufacturer of the XLERATOR hand dryer, announced that Timothy Bates has joined its growing team as senior director of Operations. He has more than 35 years of industry experience and has spent nearly 25 years in a senior management role. Bates is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts with a degree in industrial engineering. Since starting his career as an industrial engineer, he has held various positions, each with increased responsibilities, including positions such as program manager, director of operations, and general manager/vice president at organizations like Kaman Aerospace Corp. and TigHITCO. At Excel Dryer, Bates will oversee manufacturing and warehouse operations, ensuring the facility is running in a safe, efficient, and profitable manner.

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Geoff Naunheim

Geoff Naunheim

United Way of the Franklin and Hampshire Region announced that Geoff Naunheim will take on the role of executive director. Naunheim, who has served as interim executive director since the departure of former Executive Director John Bidwell in April, brings five years of experience within the organization. Most of Naunheim’s tenure at United Way has been spent running its Community Investment program, a term used to describe the community-informed process of distributing community funds and creating partnerships with local nonprofits that are addressing the greatest needs of the region. Naunheim was also instrumental in developing and expanding United Way’s Diaper Bank, which distributes over 100,000 diapers a year across Franklin and Hampshire counties. Before joining United Way’s Development team in 2017, Naunheim worked in the development departments of two nonprofits focused on education and literacy. He is currently the board president of the Council of Social Agencies of Hampshire County.

People on the Move

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People on the Move
Michael Eriquezzo

Michael Eriquezzo

Tami Christopher

Tami Christopher

Millie Lopez-Cook

Millie Lopez-Cook

American International College (AIC) named Michael Eriquezzo associate vice president for Marketing and Communications. He oversees the Office of Marketing and Communications and is responsible for advertising, design, web management, public relations, branding, and internal and external communications, including Lucent magazine, a publication with a print distribution of 26,000. Eriquezzo joined AIC in 2017 as the chief graphic designer and visual brand manager for the college. He received a bachelor’s of business administration degree in marketing from the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst. Meanwhile, Tami Christopher has joined AIC as executive director of Student Success and Opportunity, tasked with leading the Center for Navigating Educational Success Together (NEST), which encompasses the James Shea Library along with advising, tutoring, accessibility and accommodations, and other specialized support initiatives that facilitate and support students’ educational success via student-centered educational services. Christopher brings more than 10 years of experience supporting the post-secondary success of students, particularly those from traditionally marginalized communities. She has held leadership roles with Post University, the University of Bridgeport, and Middlesex Community College in Connecticut. She has supported post-secondary access and opportunity initiatives through research, policy, and program design work with CT Voices for Children, Our Piece of the Pie, and Ready CT. She has worked closely with current U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona on early college program development and has collaborated on college access and success initiatives nationally, including in Colorado, Maine, Rhode Island, and Texas. She earned a doctorate in educational leadership from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. In addition, Millie Lopez-Cook has been hired as director of Human Resources and deputy Title IX coordinator. She will have oversight and responsibility for recruiting, training and development, employee relations, compensation management, health and welfare benefits, record management and diversity, equity, and inclusion for AIC. Additionally, as deputy Title IX coordinator, she will serve in an investigative role and ensure the timely resolution of reports of sex discrimination, sexual misconduct, or harassment. Lopez-Cook brings to AIC an extensive background in human resources professionally in the nonprofit and for-profit sectors and as an academic, having taught human-resource management, organizational behavior, labor relations, and business management at the college level. She graduated with a master’s degree in science management from Albertus Magnus College in Connecticut.

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Sara Rodrigues

Sara Rodrigues

Monson Savings Bank recently announced the promotion of Sara Rodrigues to assistant vice president, Commercial Loan Operations officer. In her new role, Rodrigues is responsible for managing the Commercial Loan administrative team and Commercial Loan Servicing team at Monson Savings Bank, as well as planning, organizing, and directing all Commercial Loan operations. She has been with Monson Savings for 10 years, previously serving in the role of Commercial Loan Operations officer. She has 22 years of experience in the banking industry, 21 within the commercial-lending sector. Prior to working with Monson Savings, she worked with TD Bank, N.A. as a Commercial Loan document supervisor. Rodrigues believes in giving back to the communities she works and resides in. Prior to the pandemic, she participated in Link to Libraries’ Monson Schools Read a Loud program. As a Link to Libraries volunteer, she read to students and helped the organization serve its mission to distribute new books to the school and home libraries of children in need. She is looking forward to the Read a Loud program starting back up again. In addition to her volunteer work, she serves on the Monson Savings Bank community reinvestment committee.

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Springfield Prep Charter School recently announced the election of the two newest additions to its board of trustees, Ron Molina-Brantley and Amneris Narvaez. Narvaez is senior director of Central & Western Mass. Programs at Generation Teach. In her current role, she develops new generations of diverse teachers and leaders, while providing summer enrichment opportunities to local students. Prior to this, she was the Engagement Organizing manager for Stand for Children and also served for seven years as a special-education teacher for Springfield Public Schools. Molina-Brantley serves as vice president and relationship manager for Berkshire Bank. Previously, he served as chief operating officer at Valley Venture Mentors, as well as a senior program manager & energy manager for the city of Springfield. He is also an adjunct professor for Uptima Entrepreneurial Cooperative. In his work, he fosters organizational and departmental growth driven by his several years of experience as a business and financial professional. He is also a member of the board at the MassLGBTQ Chamber of Commerce, Wellspring Cooperative (as treasurer), and Massachusetts Special Olympics.

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Geralyn McCarthy

Geralyn McCarthy

Geralyn ‘Geri’ McCarthy, OMG’s director of Operations, has been named by HBS Dealer magazine in its annual Top Women in Hardware & Building Supply for Business Excellence. She was selected from among a record number of nominations of high-performing leaders who are making an impact on the industry. The Top Women in Hardware & Building Supply program honors women making outstanding contributions to their companies and their communities. The goal of the program is to recognize achievement and offer educational resources to everyone in the industry. Individuals are nominated by their peers and selected by a panel of judges based on their contributions and attributes that go above and beyond the call of duty. The Business Excellence Award is presented to leaders who have demonstrated achievement, growth, and success in the hardware and home-improvement industry, embraced education and community service, and inspired others to follow a similar path. McCarthy has been with OMG for 10 years in operational roles, driving employee development and continuous improvement to achieve company goals. In addition, she chairs the company’s wellness committee, which is focused on improving the nutritional, financial, emotional, and physical well-being of OMG employees and their families. She and the other award recipients will be honored at the third annual Top Women in Hardware & Building Supply awards ceremony at the Fairmont Hotel in Chicago on November 8-9.

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Matt Bertuzzi

Matt Bertuzzi

The Springfield Symphony Orchestra (SSO) announced that Matt Bertuzzi has been hired as the conductor of the SSO’s Springfield Youth Sinfonia, a youth orchestra that develops ensemble skills and performs in Springfield Symphony Hall. Bertuzzi, who also serves as music director at the Springfield Honors Academy, previously served as assistant conductor of the Pioneer Valley Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in Greenfield. He has been hailed as a “lively and animated teacher” by OperaPulse. Growing up, Bertuzzi was part of the Springfield Symphony Youth Orchestra. Bertuzzi has served as musical director of the UMass Chamber Orchestra and as assistant conductor of the UMass University Orchestra, the Five College Opera Projects, and Opera Workshop. In his final concert at UMass, Bertuzzi produced and conducted the University’s first fully staged opera to be performed with full orchestra, Donizetti’s Rita, for which he was a semifinalist for the American Prize in Opera Conducting, the only collegiate conductor to achieve such an honor. Bertuzzi has extensive experience conducting internationally, which includes serving as assistant conductor of the Professional Advantage and the Italian Operatic Experience, opera festivals in the Marche region of Italy. He was also a guest conductor with the Orquestra Criança Cidadã, Recife, Brazil’s premier youth orchestra academy, and has also conducted at the International Institute for Conductors Advanced Conducting Academy in Bacau, Romania. He is a former trustee of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra and developed and implemented the symphony’s innovative Real-Time Concert Notes program, which allows audience members, using a smartphone app, to receive live program notes about the music they are hearing while it’s being played in concert.

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The Mental Health Assoc. (MHA) recently named Jennifer Ducharme vice president of Development & Community Relations. She will be instrumental in providing leadership to ensure that MHA continues to expand the agency’s resources and presence in the community. The population MHA serves includes those navigating substance-use dependency and mental-health conditions, adults with acquired brain injury, individuals with intellectual disabilities, and the chronically homeless. Ducharme has held various positions with nonprofit organizations for over a decade, including the American Cancer Society, Boys & Girls Clubs, and American Red Cross. She also serves on several local nonprofit boards and councils. She holds an undergraduate degree in business management from the University of Phoenix and a master’s degree in nonprofit management and philanthropy from Bay Path University. She is a member of Nu Lamda Mu, an international honor society established by the Nonprofit Academic Centers Council to recognize students dedicated to the study of nonprofit management, philanthropy, and social entrepreneurship/enterprise.

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Adam Moreau

Adam Moreau

Marketing Doctor Inc. recently welcomed Adam Moreau to its management team. He brings more than 19 years of advertising experience to Marketing Doctor. A longtime senior account executive for Effectv (formerly Comcast Spotlight), Moreau was integral in creating strong, custom campaigns and messaging that delivered impressive results for his clients. He constantly leveraged his expertise in media sales and omni-channel advertising solutions to find the next opportunity for his clients, both during and after campaigns. He is a fixture in the local media-sales field, working at the forefront of local advertising in the Springfield market. With clients across New England, his accounts spanned size and industry, including automotive, legal, retail, healthcare, business services, and more. He also executed political advertising campaigns for local and federal candidates. He holds an MBA from Western New England University.

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Country Bank and the Worcester Red Sox recently announced the 2022 WooStars, a program that supports nonprofit leaders throughout the region. Country Bank recently recognized nine local WooStars and the nonprofits they are affiliated with at Polar Park. They include Katie Roy, Big Brothers Big Sisters; Nicole Broushet, Glo Mom; Pamela Daly, Girls Inc.; Jessika Zequeira, Shine Initiative; Johanna Annunziata, Give Gratitude; Moses Dixon, the Central Massachusetts Agency on Aging; John Rodriguez, Worcester Latino Dollars for Scholars; Geoff Naunheim, United Way of Franklin and Hampshire County; and Denise Blodgett, Jubilee Cupboard. Each nonprofit was presented with a $5,000 check from Paul Scully, president and CEO of Country Bank.

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People on the Move
Nathaniel Munson

Nathaniel Munson

Lisa Phakos

Lisa Phakos

David Viamari

David Viamari

Cara Cusson

Cara Cusson

bankESB recently promoted three team members — Nathaniel Munson to vice president, commercial credit officer; Lisa Phakos to compliance officer; and David Viamari to assistant vice president, assistant controller — and welcomed Cara Cusson to the Marketing Department as its Marketing Communications manager. Munson joined bankESB in 2018 as portfolio manager and was promoted to assistant vice president, portfolio manager in 2020. He is responsible for managing credit analysts and portfolio managers in underwriting new loans. Prior to bankESB, he was with Westfield Bank for six years, most recently as senior credit analyst. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Western New England University and a certificate from the New England School for Financial Studies. Munson is an active member of Mountain View Baptist Church in Holyoke, currently serving as a trustee and Sunday school director. Phakos joined bankESB in 2001 as assistant branch manager. She moved to the Audit Department as staff auditor in 2006 and was promoted to compliance specialist in 2018. She is responsible for implementing and managing the COSO internal-control frameworks across the Hometown Financial Group family of banks, which includes bankESB, bankHometown, and Abington Bank. She is also responsible for compliance reviews of all marketing and advertising materials, manages the Compliance Department monitoring program, and completes regular compliance monitoring and audits. Phakos attended the ABA Foundational Compliance School and the Mass Bankers Compliance Academy and serves on the board of governors of the Western Mass. Compliance Assoc. She is also a board member and secretary for the Nonotuck Valley Hockey Assoc. Viamari joined bankESB in 2020 as accounting officer. Prior to bankESB, he was employed by Wolf & Co., P.C. for 10 years, most recently as senior auditor. He oversees general finance and accounts payable for bankESB and financial and regulatory reporting for the Hometown Financial Group family of banks. Viamari holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting from UMass Amherst and is a member of the Boston chapter of the Financial Managers Society and a finance committee member for the Lathrop Home. Cusson will be responsible for strategic marketing communication plans and programs, managing and directing the company’s sales material and promotional inventory program, managing communications-related projects and priorities, and managing the promotion of sponsorships and donations company-wide for bankESB and across the member banks of its parent company, Hometown Financial Group. Prior to joining bankESB, Cusson was the director of Planning and Special Projects in the University Relations Department at UMass Amherst and before that was the production manager in the Communications Office at Deerfield Academy. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communication from UMass Amherst and a master’s degree in corporate and organizational communication from Northeastern University. She is a volunteer for Safe Passage.

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Brenda Burdick

Brenda Burdick

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) announced that Brenda Burdick, director of Strategic Communications at General Dynamics Mission Systems, has been elected to the role of chair of the board of trustees for the college. Gov. Charlie Baker appointed Burdick to the board in 2018, and she was reappointed for a second five-year appointment this summer. Prior to her election, Burdick had served as chair of the student affairs committee and academic affairs committee as well as vice chair of the board. She succeeds Mohan Boodram as chair of the board. Burdick started her career at General Dynamics in Pittsfield in 1995 before becoming the Marketing and Public Relations manager in 2002, and later adopting the role of senior manager of Marketing and Public Relations in 2014. Before joining General Dynamics, Burdick was director of Sales and Marketing for Swift River Inn in Cummington and was both a Sales manager and a Public Relations assistant for Canyon Ranch in Lenox. She also served as a member of the Berkshire United Way board of directors from 2008 to 2017, which included one two-year team as chairperson and two two-year terms as vice chairperson. Burdick holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a double major in business communications and marketing from Bryant University. She currently serves on 1Berkshire’s executive committee as the vice chair and has been with the organization since 2009.

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Linda Bushey

Linda Bushey

Tiffany Poirier

Tiffany Poirier

Shaina Snape

Shaina Snape

Nicholas Andrus

Nicholas Andrus

Florence Bank recently presented its 2022 Community Support Award to Linda Bushey, a mortgage specialist in the main office in Florence. The Community Support Award was established by the bank in 1997 as a means of formally recognizing employees who are active in the community and give their personal and professional time to local nonprofit organizations. Each year, the award recipient can select an organization of his or her choice, and the bank will donate $500 to that organization. Bushey chose to support two organizations, so $250 will be granted to the Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden Agricultural Society and Three County Fair, which promote agricultural education and scientific agriculture, and $250 will be granted to the Greater Northampton St. Patrick’s Committee Inc. Bushey was hired at Florence Bank in 1994 as a teller and held a variety of positions before becoming a senior mortgage processor. She is now a mortgage specialist with 32 years of banking experience. She received the Florence Bank President’s Award for outstanding service in 2001 and is a 2017 recipient of the inaugural Leonard Von Flatern Jr. Volunteer Award presented by the Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden Agricultural Society. Bushey serves on the Three County Fair board of directors and is a longtime fair volunteer. She is treasurer of the Greater Northampton St. Patrick’s Committee and also volunteers in many events for the committee. She also volunteers at the Hampshire County Sherriff’s picnic and has volunteered during the Northampton Family Fourth event at Look Memorial Park. Florence Bank also recently presented its 2022 President’s Award to three staff members for outstanding service. Established in 1995, the President’s Award recognizes outstanding performance, customer service, and overall contribution to Florence Bank. Honorees are nominated by their colleagues at the bank. This year’s award winners are Tiffany Poirier, commercial loan-support assistant manager in the Commercial Department; Shaina Snape, a customer-service specialist in the Customer Service Center; and Nicholas Andrus, a customer-service representative. All three employees work in the bank’s main branch in Florence. Poirier was hired at the bank in March 2017. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Westfield State University and has 15 years of banking experience. Snape began working at Florence Bank in 2018 and has 12 years of banking experience. Andrus was also hired in 2018 and has eight years of experience in banking.

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Dean Gomes

Dean Gomes

Dean Gomes recently joined Bulkley Richardson as senior manager of Information Technology. His career has been dedicated to IT management, and he spent the last 13 years as director of Enterprise Technology at the law firm of Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider, LLP with offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, and Hartford, Conn. Gomes earned a bachelor’s degree in management information systems from Pace University in New York City. Bulkley Richardson also recently welcomed four attorneys to the firm. Matthew Dziok earned a juris doctor degree from Western New England University School of Law, where he graduated second in his class. He also earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from UMass Boston. Briana Dawkins is a graduate of Western New England University School of Law and earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Curry College, summa cum laude. She was an intern at the U.S. Department of Labor and the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities. Shriti Shah graduated from the University of Connecticut School of Law. She received a master’s degree in Management Studies in 2007 and a bachelor’s degree in commerce in 2004 from the University of Mumbai. Jacob Kosakowski is a graduate of Suffolk University School of Law and earned a bachelor’s degree from UMass Amherst, summa cum laude. He served as an intern for Chief Justice Paul Dawley and the Child Abuse Unit of the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office.

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Duffy Judge

Duffy Judge

The board of directors of the Northern Berkshire United Way (NBUW) announced the appointment of Duffy Judge as its new executive director. Judge has filled the role of interim executive director since March, following the vacancy created by Christa Collier when she departed for a position with the Massachusetts Children’s Alliance. Judge has taken the lead on a number of important community initiatives and is committed to following the mission, vision, and values of the agency. He has made a strong commitment to the agency’s board of directors and staff, allowing NBUW to continue serving the Northern Berkshire community. Judge came to NBUW from Berkshire United Way in Pittsfield, where he served as Development manager since July 2017.

People on the Move

By
People on the Move

Greenfield Savings Bank (GSB) recently announced six employee appointments and promotions.

Jocelyn Alvord

Jocelyn Alvord

• Jocelyn Alvord was promoted to manager at the Shelburne Falls branch office. She will be responsible for overseeing the operations of the branch. She has been with GSB since 2015, starting as a teller and then quickly moving up to super banker in the new GSB office in Hadley. She was promoted to assistant manager in the Hadley branch before moving back to Shelburne Falls, where she has been serving as assistant branch manager. Alvord actively participates in civic and charitable events such as Moonlight Magic and the Bridge of Flowers Road Races in Shelburne Falls and Monte’s March for the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. She has volunteered at the Shelburne Falls Visitor Center and helped coordinate the Giving Tree Program with the Mary Lyons Foundation to provide holiday gifts to local educators.

Sherie Lewis

Sherie Lewis

• Sherie Lewis has been named vice president and Operations officer. In her new role, she oversees the Deposit and Loan Operations teams including deposit processing, operations administration and quality control, digital, and loan operations. She is leading a variety of projects to enhance the bank’s use of technology, improve automation, and increase efficiency. In addition, she works closely with other departments of the bank to ensure seamless operation and regulatory compliance. She joined GSB with more than 20 years of banking experience.

Lisa McKenna

Lisa McKenna

• Lisa McKenna has been promoted to assistant vice president and Conway branch manager. She has worked at GSB for more than 30 years, starting as a teller in 1988 at the main office in Greenfield. She then worked in GSB’s Customer Service department and was previously manager of Greenfield and South Deerfield. She was most recently assistant vice president and the branch manager for South Deerfield and Conway before shifting exclusively to Conway’s branch manager. McKenna is very active in the local community, volunteering for the Franklin County chapter of the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, the Greenfield Kiwanis Club, and the South Deerfield Women’s Club.

Josh Mozeleski

Josh Mozeleski

• Josh Mozeleski has been named investment officer and Infinex investment executive. In his role as Infinex investment executive, he will be able to offer access to insurance and investment products through Infinex Investments. He joins GSB as a securities registered investment executive with more than nine years in the banking industry. He obtained a Massachusetts individual producer license as well as both the FINRA Series 6 and Series 63 registrations, plus a Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry license. He is also a Massachusetts notary public. An active volunteer in the community, he has previously helped organize a food drive at Open Pantry Community Services in Springfield. Most recently, he helped run his local Toys for Tots program.

Vyeluv “Mpress” Nembhard

Vyeluv “Mpress” Nembhard

• Vyeluv “Mpress” Nembhard joined Greenfield Savings Bank (GSB) in May as a CRA analyst and Community Outreach officer. She assists the vice president of Compliance/CRA officer in creating and updating financial aid outreach presentations to a wide range of community partners, businesses, schools, and customers, focusing on low- to moderate-income applicants and minority/women-owned businesses. Nembhard is active in the local community, including being a commissioner of Greenfield’s Human Rights Commission, a member of the Greenfield Cultural Council, and CEO of her nonprofit, UACSAM. She also produces the “Moving Mountains Media” program on Greenfield Community Television. She most recently organized Greenfield’s first annual Juneteenth cultural and youth event celebration.

Kimberly Zabek

Kimberly Zabek

• Finally, Kimberly Zabek has been promoted to Greenfield Savings Bank’s South Deerfield branch manager and officer. In that role, she oversees the branch’s daily responsibilities, focusing on local business development. She has been in banking for more than 25 years and with Greenfield Savings Bank for more than 10 years, most recently serving as the assistant branch manager in Hadley. In addition to her managerial role, Zabek has been featured in many of the bank’s advertisements, including voicing certain radio spots, in GSB Teller Connect/ATMs and e-statement promotional videos, and on the Teller Connect/ATM welcome screens. Recently, she voiced animated videos for a GSB career fair. She also represents the bank at community events around the Pioneer Valley, such as the Northampton and Greenfield Pride events, the Hot Chocolate Run in Northampton, and Moonlight Magic in Shelburne Falls.

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Molly Gray, president and chief administrative officer of the Baystate Health Eastern Region, has announced her retirement, effective Oct. 9. Ronald Bryant, president of Baystate Noble Hospital and Baystate Franklin Medical Center – Northern Region, will extend his role to become president of Baystate Health Regional Hospitals, which also includes Baystate Wing Hospital in Palmer, which Gray currently serves as president and chief administrative officer of the Baystate Health Eastern Region. Gray has served Baystate Health and the community for 34 years. She has held seven roles with progressive responsibility, culminating in her role as president and chief administrative officer for the Baystate Health Eastern Region, including Baystate Wing Hospital and Baystate Mary Lane Outpatient Center. She joined Baystate Health in 1988 as a professional nurse and transitioned to a managerial role as a level IV nurse manager, a unit manager, and then Women and Infants’ manager. An advocate for children’s health issues, Gray assumed the role of director of Women’s Services and Baystate Children’s Hospital in 2003. In 2013, she was promoted to vice president of Baystate Health Children’s Hospital, Women’s Services, Behavioral Health, Observation and Emergency Services. In 2016, she assumed the role of vice president and chief Nursing officer for the Baystate Health Eastern Region and was promoted in 2019 to her current role. Bryant joined Baystate Health in 2015 as president of Baystate Noble Hospital. Previously, he was executive vice president and CEO for the Noble Hospital Health System. In 2018, he was promoted to president of both Baystate Noble Hospital and Baystate Franklin Medical Center. He brings a wealth of leadership experience and a passion for positive change within the Western Mass. healthcare community. During his time as president of Baystate Noble Hospital in Westfield and Baystate Franklin Medical Center in Greenfield, he successfully developed the strategic and operational plans for the two hospitals, comprised of 200 combined beds and nearly 1,800 team members. He will now oversee three hospitals with nearly 300 combined beds and more than 2,300 Baystate team members.

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Christina Royal

Christina Royal

Holyoke Community College (HCC) President Christina Royal will retire from the college after the 2022-23 academic year, she announced today. Her last day will be July 14, 2023. Royal, 50, said she is not leaving HCC for another job and has no specific plans. Royal started at HCC in January 2017. She is the fourth president in the 75-year history of HCC and not only the first woman to hold the position, but the first openly gay and first bi-racial person to serve HCC as president. Presidential search plans will begin immediately. Before coming to HCC, Royal served as provost and vice president of Academic Affairs at Inver Hills Community College in Inver Grove Heights, Minn. Prior to that, she was associate vice president for E-learning and Innovation at Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland and director of technology-assisted learning for the School of Graduate and Continuing Education at Marist College. She holds a PhD in education from Capella University and a master’s degree in educational psychology and a bachelor’s degree in math from Marist. In her announcement, Royal cited some of the milestones of her tenure: working collaboratively to develop HCC’s first strategic plan, advancing equity across the institution, and investing in programs to support students’ basic needs, such as creating the President’s Student Emergency Fund (to provide grants to student facing immediate financial needs), opening Homestead Market (the first campus store in Massachusetts to accept SNAP benefits), partnering with Holyoke Housing Authority (to help students find affordable housing), and launching the Itsy Bitsy Child Watch Program (to provide HCC student-parents access to free, short-term care for their children). Other highlights include opening the HCC MGM Culinary Arts Institute on Race Street; reopening the HCC Campus Center after a two-year, $43.5 million renovation; establishing El Centro, a bilingual center dedicated to the needs of Latinx students; weathering a global pandemic; and celebrating HCC’s 75th anniversary as the oldest two-year college in Massachusetts.

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With 22 years of experience as a certified safety professional (CSP), Scott Smith has joined Tighe & Bond as director of Safety and Health. Smith has worked on a global scale facilitating hazard analysis, reducing costs, risks, and recordable injuries for companies across North America, Canada, and Asia. As director of Health and Safety for Tighe & Bond, Smith will develop and maintain programs, procedures, policies, and training to mitigate safety and health hazards and risks to personnel. He will work closely with the firm’s safety steering committee and lead a team of safety representatives across Tighe & Bond’s business lines and 12 offices. Smith has an advanced education in environmental health and safety, receiving a master’d degree in industrial hygiene from UMass Lowell and a doctor of law and policy degree in occupational safety from Northeastern University. Additionally, he continues his education on the latest policies and practices by active involvement in the American Society of Safety Professionals, the American Industrial Hygiene Assoc., and the National Safety Council. Smith has been an active participant and change leader on corporate boards and worked with global industry groups to develop integrated safety and health-management frameworks. He has published multiple peer-reviewed articles addressing safety integration, adult education, and hazards assessment, and continues to perform original research.

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John Sieracki

John Sieracki

The office of Institutional Advancement at Holyoke Community College (HCC) recently welcomed John Sieracki as its first leadership gift officer and manager of campaign initiatives. Sieracki joins HCC after nearly 19 years at Mass Humanities, where he started in 2003 as director of Development. In that role, he built a multi-faceted Development office from scratch that now has a thriving major donor program, a robust and engaged volunteer group, a prestigious awards dinner, and multi-platform annual appeals. He also managed a portfolio of major gift prospects resulting in five- and six-figure donations and oversaw capital campaign planning. Prior to that, he served as director of Development for the Northern Forest Center and Baltimore Educational Scholarship Trust. His 30-year career also includes stints in development at Landmark College, New York Law School, New York Academy of Sciences, and Children of Alcoholics Foundation. He has also been active in the Western Mass. community as a volunteer, serving as a board member and president of the Amherst Committee for a Better Chance program, and treasurer of Blues to Green, producer of the annual Springfield Jazz and Roots Festival. In his new role, Sieracki will manage a portfolio of donors and prospects and seek new major gifts and deeper philanthropic relationships. He will also manage and support the efforts of HCC’s capital-campaign steering committee, work closely with the college’s board of trustees and HCC Foundation’s board of directors on fundraising involvement, and organize and lead other campaign-related initiatives. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Delaware and a master’s degree in fine arts in creative writing and poetry from UMass Amherst, where he received the Best New Poets Award from the Department of English.

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Bacon Wilson, P.C. announced that eight of its attorneys have been named to Best Lawyers in America for 2023. They are: Kenneth Albano, recognized in the category of business organizations (including LLCs and partnerships); Gary Breton, banking and finance law; Gina Barry, elder law; Hyman Darling, elder law; Mark Tanner, litigation – real estate; Michael Katz, bankruptcy and creditor debtor rights/insolvency and reorganization law; Peter MacConnell, real-estate law; and Stephen Krevalin, family law. Daniel McKellick was also recognized in Best Lawyers’ Ones to Watch in America for his work in real-estate law. The firm was also recognized in Best Lawyers’ Best Law Firms in U.S. News & World Report. The firm is regionally ranked in tier 1 in banking and finance law, tier 2 in business organizations (including LLCs and partnerships), tier 2 in elder law, and tier 2 in family law.

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Bulkley Richardson partners Mark Cress and John Pucci were named 2023 Lawyer of the Year in their respective practice areas by Best Lawyers, in partnership with U.S. News Media Group. Cress was named the 2023 Lawyer of the Year for bankruptcy and creditor debtor rights/insolvency and reorganization law and was also recognized in 2022 as Lawyer of the Year for his work in the area of corporate law. He leads the firm’s banking, finance, and bankruptcy practice group and has significant experience representing banks and other financial institutions, for-profit and not-for-profit entities, and individual clients in connection with all forms of financing and business transactions. He also represents parties in creditor-debtor relationships and appears on behalf of creditor parties in proceedings before the U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Pucci was named the 2023 Lawyer of the Year for white-collar criminal defense and has held that title for 10 of the past 13 years for his success as a litigator. He co-chairs the firm’s independent investigations practice and represents individuals and companies in complex civil and criminal litigation of all kinds in both state and federal court, as well as in responding to government investigations and in conducting corporate internal investigations. He has particular experience in the areas of white-collar criminal defense and state and federal regulatory agency matters. Lawyer of the Year rankings are awarded to one lawyer per practice area and region. Honorees receive this award based on their high overall peer feedback within specific practice areas and metropolitan regions.

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Flying Cloud Institute (FCI) has hired Angela Parker as a science and art educator. In this role, she will lead the summer program, vacation camps, classroom residencies, and family STEAM challenge events, and work with the FCI team to inspire the next generation of artists and engineers. She brings multifaceted K-12 educational experiences to the organization as it continues to partner with local school districts to bring meaningful experiences to students. Parker’s past experience includes initiating a multi-site STEAM museum program for the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art in collaboration with the Connecticut Science Center. She also launched a tour titled “STEAM: Sketch Like a Scientist!” that drew connections between the skills used by artists and scientists. While at the Visual Arts Center of Richmond, Va., she worked with teaching artists to plan school tours that incorporated studio art activities, ranging from bookmaking to ceramics. As a classroom teacher at St. Ignatius Loyola Academy, she created interdisciplinary learning experiences for K-12 students, and at Capital and Asnuntuck community colleges, she trained and supported adult students.

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Nicole Skelly

Nicole Skelly

Berkshire Bank announced the promotion of Nicole Skelly to first vice president, regional financial center manager for the Pioneer Valley in Massachusetts. She will manage the daily operations of financial centers in the Pioneer Valley, which includes Springfield and surrounding towns. Skelly brings more than 25 years of banking experience to her new role at Berkshire Bank. Most recently, she was vice president and senior branch officer of the Springfield offices, which include multiple sites at Berkshire Bank. Before joining Berkshire, she was a personal banker for United Bank. Outside of work, Skelly is a 2014 Graduate of Leadership Pioneer Valley, where she learned how to address the challenges and opportunities of this region. She also volunteers at events such as the Springfield Pride Parade, the Springfield Boys and Girls Club, and the Irish Cultural Center of New England.

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Jeremy Payson

Jeremy Payson

Tony Worden, president and CEO of Greenfield Cooperative Bank and its Northampton Cooperative Bank division, announced that Jeremy Payson has joined the bank as the new senior vice president – controller, based out of its King Street, Northampton location. Payson comes to Greenfield Cooperative Bank with many years of financial-planning and analysis experience, most recently with Northern Bank and Berkshire Bank, and was previously the treasurer for Big Y Foods Inc. He holds an MBA from Western New England University.

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The Peace Development Fund announced the addition of two new foundation associates, Sophia Trifone and Sonya Epstein, in its Amherst office. Trifone will oversee the organization’s communication work, including social media, newsletters, press outreach, and annual publications. Epstein will be focused on donor data management, ensuring accurate accounting of donations, grant requests, and support for fiscally sponsored organizations. After earning her associate degree from Holyoke Community College, Trifone began her career with a prominent local nonprofit focusing on arts and culture in Holyoke’s Puerto Rican cultural district. In her time there, she notably fundraised for signature events and projects, hosted walking tours of the city’s artwork, collaborated with other community organizations, and aided in weekly food distribution. Epstein is a community organizer who has been deeply involved with student activism around restorative justice, free public higher education, and LGBTQ liberation for many years. They are an immigrant from Belarus and studied social thought & political economy and sociology at UMass Amherst.

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John Bechtold

John Bechtold

Eggtooth Productions announced that board member and frequent collaborator John Bechtold has been appointed to the role of creative director for the company. Working closely with founder and Artistic Director Linda McInerney, Bechtold’s role will be to help guide the creative vision for Eggtooth’s original works. Following award-winning experiences at Eggtooth’s Double Take Fringe Festivals in 2011-2013, Bechtold’s first full-length production with Eggtooth came in 2016 with an immersive version of William Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale, taking over the entirety of the then-vacant Arts Block (now Hawks & Reed Performing Arts Center) in downtown Greenfield. With an emphasis on site-inspired design, he has been dubbed the “Valley’s genius of immersive theater” by the Valley Advocate, with a list of immersive works including Sam’s Place (Shea Theater), Stagehand (Shea Theater and Academy of Music), Before You Became Improbable (Emily Dickinson Museum), and Gem of the Valley (Chester Theatre).

United Way of the Franklin & Hampshire Region Presents Awards

By
Daily News

NORTHAMPTON — United Way of the Franklin and Hampshire Region staged its annual meeting last week, offering two awards in partnership with the Daily Hampshire Gazette and three awards from the United Way.

The United Way’s Kay Sheehan Spirit of the Community Award was presented to It Takes a Village, a nonprofit in Huntington. The Community Champion Award went to Dr. Martin Wohl, a dentist from Northampton, and the 2022 Workplace Champion Award was presented to Greenfield Savings Bank.

In conjunction with the Daily Hampshire Gazette, United Way honored Robin Bialecki, executive director of the Easthampton Community Center, as the 2022 Person of the Year, and Lilly Fellows, of Orange, was named the Young Community Leader.

“Our annual meeting is always a wonderful opportunity for us to express gratitude to our partner agencies, donors, volunteers and the community at large, and we are honored to also be able to present awards to activists in the community who offer so much support and ask for nothing in return,” Said Geoff Naunheim, United Way’s interim executive director.

 

 

People on the Move

By
People on the Move
Lara Sharp

Lara Sharp

Lara Sharp, dean of the School of STEM at Springfield Technical Community College, has been named to the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Engineering Technology Council. Sharp is the only community college representative on the council. The ASEE is a nonprofit organization of individuals and institutions committed to furthering education in engineering and engineering technology. The ASEE Engineering Technology Council is committed to promoting quality engineering technology education. “It is an honor to be voted on to the Engineering Technology Council,” Sharp said. “This will be an opportunity to share best practices and develop new ideas that we can use in our engineering technology programs at STCC.” The only technical community college in Massachusetts, STCC offers a wide variety of programs in science, technology, engineering, and math, many of which cannot be found elsewhere in Western Mass. The college offers affordable transfer options in engineering and science as well as two-year degrees and one-year certificates that prepare graduates for positions in the region’s workforce. Programs include civil engineering technology, electrical engineering technology, mechanical engineering technology, optics and photonics (laser technology), and more. Sharp was named dean of the School of STEM in 2021. Her professional experience includes six years at St. Petersburg College in Clearwater, Fla., as the program director for Engineering, Manufacturing and Building Arts and also serving as the acting dean of Natural Sciences, Engineering, Manufacturing, and Building Arts. From 2013-2015, she was at the Corporate College of Polk State College, in Winter Haven, Fla., managing National Science Foundation (NSF) and Department of Labor (DOL) grants in advanced manufacturing and engineering technology. Sharp spent more than 11 years teaching chemistry, natural science and engineering to high school students at various locations. Sharp also brings industry experience, having worked at Specialty Minerals Inc. as a process engineer and an operator technician as well as an educational consultant for PASCO Scientific. She has been recognized for her outstanding teaching as well as her community engagement including a STEM Woman of the Year Award from Girls Inc. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and math.

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Tracye Whitfield

Tracye Whitfield

The Coalition for an Equitable Economy (CEE) announced the hiring of Tracye Whitfield as its new executive director. In this new role, Whitfield, named a Woman of Impact by BusinessWest in 2021, will lead the coalition’s efforts to ensure equitable access to capital for BIPOC small business owners across the state of Massachusetts. Whitfield will continue the coalition’s efforts in creating new programs and policy needed to change and dismantle racist structures preventing the equitable investments needed to support the growth and viability of these businesses. Prior to joining CEE, Whitfield was appointed as the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer by Mayor Reichelt for West Springfield. Her work in this role included promoting a diverse environment free from discrimination among employees as well as residents of their town — with an emphasis on racial equity when recruiting new people or hiring existing ones. In her 25-year career, Whitfield has served as a finance analyst for the city of Springfield and data analyst at Springfield Technical Community College. She also worked in various positions including one with MassMutual Financial Group and youth advocacy at Martin Luther King Family Services. She served as the director of Business Development for Training And Workforce Options (TWO), a collaboration between STCC and HCC where she assisted employers in developing customized trainings to strengthen their workforces. She’s also the owner of T&J Tax and Credit Savers, focusing on individual and small business tax preparation, credit repair, and assisting clients on their journey to home ownership. In 2018, she became an elected official in her community as a Springfield city councilor at large. She is now the first African American woman vice president of this position. For the past seven years, she’s served as co-chair of Mason Square C-3 Initiative. This position has allowed her to work closely with residents and local organizations and police officers to promote public safety while also improving the quality of life throughout the community. The Coalition for an Equitable Economy convenes and partners with a broad cross-sector coalition of stakeholders from across Massachusetts aligned around a shared commitment to building an equitable small business ecosystem and to the values of racial equity, collaboration, and shared leadership.

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Sheila Bandyopadhyay

Sheila Bandyopadhyay

Sheila Bandyopadhyay has joined Shakespeare & Company as its director of training, beginning her new position on August 9. A director, movement specialist, performer, and devisor of original theater, Bandyopadhyay has an extensive background in both new work and Shakespeare and has trained and taught with the company as an education and training artist. “I began my career at Shakespeare & Company, so taking on this role is a wonderful return,” said Bandyopadhyay. “I look forward to upholding the high quality of actor training Shakespeare & Company is known for, establishing inclusive practices, and expanding our offerings to keep us at the forefront of theatrical artistry.” Bandyopadhyay has been an active player in New York’s independent theater scene, with work at venues including the West End Theater, the Brick in Brooklyn, the Tank, the 72nd St. Theater Lab, and multiple festivals for new work (directing/devising); the Boston Center for the Arts, Gallatin NYU, FSU/Asolo, and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts Company (movement and choreography), and The Humanist Project and Stages on the Sound as a performer, among others. Before becoming director of training, Bandyopadhyay served as head of the Professional Training Program and Core Movement Faculty at Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre, and Head of Movement at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. Bandyopadhyay has taught actor training workshops internationally and on both coasts. In her new role, Bandyopadhyay will steward Shakespeare & Company’s acclaimed Center for Actor Training into a new era, continuing to refine its aesthetic and enacting positive change for a more accessible, inclusive environment.

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Insa, a grower and retailer of medical and adult-use cannabis in Massachusetts, announced the hiring of three new employees who will play key roles in helping propel the Company forward in the burgeoning cannabis industry:

• Michael Bird has been named chief people officer. Bird brings significant human resources experience to the team having worked in the field for almost 30 years. Bird started in Human Resources at the Yankee Candle Company as an Employment Recruiter in 1995 when the company was owned and operated by the founder, Mike Kittredge, had 700 employees, and operated 27 retail stores. As Yankee Candle grew, so did Bird’s career. He advanced to hold a variety of positions within HR at Yankee Candle, including serving as the HR director of North American Operations where he led a team of HR business partners serving all corporate functions, with more than 5,000 employees and 500 retail stores. He went on to join The East Coast Tile Group in 2017, a family owned and operated tile importing and multi-channel tile distributor as vice president of Human Resources.

• Nicole Constant joins as brand director. She brings more than 10 years of CPG experience to the rapidly growing cannabis industry. Prior to joining Insa, she was at Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc., where she led innovation for the cooperative’s Foods Business Unit, which includes the Craisins® brand. Prior to that, Constant led the new Accelerator team within Ocean Spray’s Innovation Hub. In this role, she took an entrepreneurial approach to building disruptive innovation from within.

She is a strong believer in the medical benefits of cannabis and the quality and craftsmanship of Insa’s product portfolio. In her new role, she will be leading brand expansion and development as well as strategic planning within new and existing markets; and

• Kate Nelson will hold the role of director of Digital Experience. In the newly created role, she will lead the creation of a full digital experience in-store and online that puts customers first and offers them seamless ways to make purchases, communicate with customer service, interact with the brand across social, SMS, email, benefit from Insa’s loyalty programs, and educate themselves on adult and medical-use cannabis products. She joins Insa from Vista Outdoor, a publicly traded company who owns over 40 outdoor and action sports brands, where she created loyalty programs and digital marketing strategies leveraged across their portfolio. Prior to Vista Outdoor, Nelson worked at DEG Digital, a digital marketing agency where she created digital marketing strategies for premier brands such as Walmart, PepsiCo Brands, and AMC Theaters.

“We are thrilled to welcome Nicole, Michael, and Kate to our team at Insa,” said Pete Gallagher, Insa co-founder. “They each have valuable expertise and deep knowledge in their respective areas. Their hard-work, insights, and problem-solving abilities will be critical in growing the Insa brand, helping the Company meet its objectives, and in helping bring high-quality cannabis to many more Insa customers.”

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Stephen Duval

Stephen Duval CFP, a Private Wealth Advisor with Summit House Wealth Partners, a private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC. in South Hadley, has qualified for the company’s Circle of Success annual recognition program and will be honored for this achievement in 2022. To earn this achievement, Duval established himself as one of the company’s top advisors. Only a select number of high-performing advisors earn this distinction. He has 30 years of experience with Ameriprise Financial.

People on the Move

By
People on the Move
Katie Allan Zobel

Katie Allan Zobel

The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts has announced today that President and CEO Katie Allan Zobel intends to transition out of her role, concluding 17 years of service and a decade-long tenure as executive leader at the foundation. Zobel will continue to serve in her role while engaged in continued succession planning with the Foundation trustees through September 2022.  “On behalf of the trustees, I want to express my gratitude for Katie’s many contributions to the Community Foundation and to our community. She has led the organization with passion and a deep commitment to its mission and impactful work,” said Paul Murphy, trustee chair. “Under Katie’s stewardship and with the support of her talented and dedicated team, the foundation’s position as the region’s philanthropy hub has been strengthened by the more than doubling of its assets; the building of strong partnerships with donors, institutional partners, and community leaders; and the nearly doubling of its staff capacity. It is without a doubt that Katie is leaving the foundation stronger than it has ever been, which benefits the communities that it serves throughout Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin Counties.” Building on the prior accomplishments of the foundation, Zobel has led the foundation through a period of extraordinary innovation, growth, and change. Under her leadership, the foundation launched and directed ValleyGives, which raised more than $10 million through annual one-day, on-line fundraising campaigns for local nonprofits, established new partnerships with state and private philanthropy to expand funding for the region, including the launch of ValleyCreates, a partnership with the Barr Foundation established to support a vibrant arts and creativity sector in Western Mass. The foundation has also supported research on college completion and expanded funding for local colleges and universities through its Western MA Completes initiative. The Community Foundation has distributed more than $13 million through the COVID-19 Response Fund to support community members and nonprofit partners most severely impacted by the pandemic. “It has been a joy, an honor, and a privilege to serve my community as a member of the CFWM team. I arrived on a three-month temporary assignment that evolved into an amazing 17-years,” said Zobel. “I have had the great good fortune to be connected deeply to an incredibly generous and caring community that gifted me with countless opportunities to work alongside people determined to make the world a better place. “I am so proud of what we have built together, how willingly we have supported each other during some of the greatest challenges our communities have experienced, and the promise it holds for our future,” she went on. “It’s been quite an adventure and now it’s time for me to hand over the reins to the foundation’s next leader and seek out my next professional adventure.” A national search for a successor will commence this month under Murphy’s leadership. Last week the trustees elected the firm Lindauer to launch a national search for Zobel’s successor. Lindauer has substantial experience in placing highly qualified candidates in organizations like the Community Foundation.

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bankESB has promoted three of its officers to vice president.

Meagan Barrett

• Meagan Barrett has been promoted to vice president, Human Resources. Barrett joined bankESB in 2008 as a human resources assistant. She was promoted to officer in 2016 and to assistant vice president in 2019. Barrett manages a team of six and has responsibility for human resources across the family of banks of Hometown Financial Group, including bankESB, bankHometown, and Abington Bank. Barrett earned the designation of Certified Employee Engagement Specialist and also maintains a Professional in Human Resources certification. She is currently pursuing designations as both senior professional in Human Resources and the Society for Human Resources Management senior certified professional, and also is a member of the HR Advisory Council for Employers Association of the NorthEast (EANE). Barrett is active in the community, volunteering for Easter Seals and as a youth sports coach.

Cara Crochier

Cara Crochier

• Cara Crochier has been promoted to vice president, Marketing. Crochier joined bankESB as a teller in 2008 and joined the Marketing department the following year. She was promoted to interactive marketing officer in 2015 and to assistant vice president in 2018. Crochier manages a team of four and has overall responsibility for campaign management, advertising agency relations, and all earned and owned media channels across the Hometown Financial Group family of banks. She earned her bachelor’s degree in political communication from Emerson College and the designation of Certified Financial Marketing Professional from the American Bankers Association Bank Marketing School at Emory University. Crochier is active in the community, serving as a board member and clerk for the Children’s Advocacy Center and as a committee member of the New England Financial Marketing Association.

Stacey Tower

Stacey Tower

• Stacey Tower has been promoted to vice president, Strategic Project Management. Tower joined bankESB in 2001 as a teller and has held various positions in both retail banking and operations prior to joining the information technology/projects team in 2008 as a project coordinator. She was promoted to bank officer in 2014 and currently manages a team of five project managers. Tower earned her bachelor’s degree in leadership and organizational studies from Bay Path University, completed the Graduate School of Banking’s program in technology management last year, and earned the designation Certified Associate in Project Management from the Project Management Institute. She is also a board member of the Lathrop Retirement Community and is a volunteer with the Cutchins Programs for Children and Families.

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Leslie Klein Pilder

Holyoke Community College has appointed Leslie Klein Pilder as the first director of its new free program, Itsy Bitsy Child Watch. Pilder started working at HCC in March. Pilder served for nine years as executive director of the Nonotuck Community School in Northampton. She has worked as director of Buds and Blossoms, a Mandarin-immersion childcare center in Boston, and as director of The Educational Alliance Preschool in Manhattan. She has also worked at New York University’s Teaching for Success program — a research project designed to improve the quality of teaching and learning in New York City’s Head Start centers. Pilder holds a bachelor’s degree from Northeastern University, a master’s degree in early childhood and Montessori education from Xavier University. As a lecturer at SUNY’s Empire College, Pilder taught undergraduate and graduate students studying early childhood education and created a seminar series on adolescent rites of passage — the topic of her second master’s degree from New York University. HCC held a ribbon-cutting event for the Itsy Bitsy Child Watch Center on May 4. The center will officially open with the start of summer classes on May 24.

 

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Kayla Brown-Wood

BFAIR (Berkshire Family & Individual Resources) announced that Kayla Brown-Wood has been promoted to director of Day Services. In addition to her management of the Employment Service department, she will now also be providing oversight to both Day Habilitation and Community Based Day Services (CBDS) programs. Brown-Wood has been with BFAIR since 2016, and has held various roles including assistant director of Employment Services and most recently the director of Employment Services. She is also a 2021 graduate of the Berkshire Leadership Program, which led to her being asked to be a member of the 2022 Berkshire Leadership Program Steering Committee. She will also be continuing her education in graduate studies in Healthcare Administration. Since 1994, BFAIR has been providing AFC, residential, in-home clinical services, employment and day services for adults and children with developmental disabilities, acquired brain injury and autism. BFAIR is a member agency of the Northern Berkshire United Way and the Williamstown Community Chest.

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TommyCar Auto Group, operator of five dealerships in Western Massachusetts, recently welcomed Nicholas Moszynski as its new director of Marketing & Communications. Moszynski is a seasoned marketing and advertising professional, including an extensive background in digital marketing. “We’re excited to welcome Nicholas to the team,” said Carla Cosenzi, President of TommyCar Auto Group. “His digital and marketing background is going to help us streamline our advertising and elevate our digital presence. As our company evolves to satisfy the demands of the tech-savvy car shopper, Nick is the perfect person to help us lead these initiatives.” TommyCar Auto Group is comprised of Country Nissan in Hadley, Country Hyundai, Genesis of Northampton, Volvo Cars of Pioneer Valley, and Northampton Volkswagen in Northampton.

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April Bartley

April Bartley

Holyoke VNA and Hospice Life Care, a member of Valley Health Systems and affiliate to Holyoke Medical Center, has announced the appointment of April Bartley, RN, MSN, NE-BC as its executive director. “April brings more than 15 years of innovative leadership experience with a focus of empowering staff to provide high-quality, compassionate care,” said Spiros Hatiras, president and CEO of Holyoke Medical Center. “We are confident that the Holyoke VNA Hospice Life Care will continue to provide the best care for our patients under her guidance.” Bartley will lead the Holyoke VNA Hospice Life Care, which has been serving the community since 1905. The organization offers a full range of home health care services that promote independence and quality of life. The professional team at Holyoke VNA Hospice Life Care works with patients and their physicians to develop a plan of care, which allows patients to remain safely at home. The team includes registered nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, social workers, home health aides, dieticians, interpreters, a chaplain, and volunteers. In her most recent role as director of Nursing at Sullivan County Health Care, Bartley oversaw the clinical and regulatory aspects of nursing in a skilled nursing facility with 156 dually certified beds. Her leadership resulted in an increase of average daily facility census and staffing by assertively hiring and interviewing to build staffing capacity. Prior to her success in this role, Bartley served as the director of Home Care and Hospice at Lake Sunapee VNA and Hospice and director at Home Healthcare, Hospice and Community Service. Bartley received her associate’s degree in Nursing from New Hampshire Community Technical College, her bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration and bachelor of Science in Nursing from Granite State College, and her master of Science in Nursing from River University.

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Kevin M. Sears, AHWD, C2EX, of Springfield, has been elected 2023 first vice president of the National Association of REALTORS®. The election took place at the NAR board of directors meeting. Sears is a broker/partner of Sears Real Estate, specializing in single-family brokerage and property management. He has served NAR in numerous capacities, including as a president’s liaison in 2019 and as NAR vice president of Government Affairs in 2017. He has a long history of serving in volunteer leadership positions. He served as the 2010 President of the Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® (MAR) and state REALTOR® of the Year in 2006. He has been a member of the MAR Board of Directors since 2000. The REALTOR® Association of Pioneer Valley (RAPV) elected Sears as president in 2005 and named him REALTOR® of the Year in 2006. He has also served as a Chair of a number of the association’s committees.

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Tom Senecal

Tom Senecal

The Massachusetts Bankers Association (MBA), a multi-faceted banking trade group representing more than 120 banks that manage an aggregate $27 trillion in assets under custody, has named Tom Senecal, president and CEO of Holyoke-based PeoplesBank, to its board of directors. The MBA was founded in 1905 to “promote the general welfare and usefulness of banks” and today serves a number of constituencies including legislators, regulators, consumer advocates, the media, community groups and, of course, the general public. Its member banks currently employ more than 72,000 professionals who work at more than 2,000 separate locations across the state.Senecal has more than 30 years of experience in the financial services industry. He was elected president of PeoplesBank in 2016 after previously serving as the bank’s executive vice president and chief operating officer. He is a graduate of the UMass Amherst Isenberg School of Management (B.S. Business Administration) and is a certified public accountant. He also attended the Tuck Executive Program at Dartmouth College.

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Tony Worden, president and CEO of Greenfield Cooperative Bank and it’s Northampton Cooperative Bank division, announced several recent promotions:

Lisa Kmetz

Lisa Kmetz

• Lisa Kmetz is being promoted to executive vice president, Retail Banking. She has been with the bank since 1998 when she started as a branch manager. She holds an associate’s degree in Business Administration from Holyoke Community College and certification in Computer Information Systems from Western New England University.

• Chelsea Depault is being promoted to vice president, Commercial Operations Officer. She originally started with the bank back in 2007 as a float teller and also worked in the Accounting Department before moving on to Commercial Lending, where she has been for the past several years as a credit analyst and then as an assistant vice president, Commercial Lending. In her new role, she will oversee the operations of Commercial Loan Servicing and Administration. She holds a bachelor’s degree from UMass Amherst.

Casey Cusson

Casey Cusson

• Casey Cusson is being promoted to vice president, branch manager. He has been with the bank since 2017, when he started as a branch manager. He holds a bachelor’s degree from UMass Amherst and lives in Shelburne with his family.

• Lisa Granger

• Lisa Granger

• Lisa Granger is being promoted to vice president, branch manager. She has been with the bank since 2007, when she joined as a branch manager with several years of experience in bank management. She is a graduate of the New England School of Financial Studies.

• Jenicca Gallagher

• Jenicca Gallagher

• Jenicca Gallagher is being promoted to vice president, branch manager. She has been with the bank since 2010, when she joined as a branch manager. She holds a bachelor’s degree from UMass Amherst.

• Cynthia Gonzalez is being promoted to vice president, branch manager. She has been with the bank since 2003, when she joined as a branch manager. She attended Salem State College.

Dawn Hibbert

Dawn Hibbert

• Dawn Hibbert is being promoted to vice president, branch manager. She has been with the bank since 2002, when she joined us as a teller. She holds an associate’s degree from Holyoke Community College.

Chris Wilkey

Chris Wilkey

• Chris Wilkey is being promoted to assistant vice president, Information Systems. He has been with the bank since 2007, when he joined as a back-up head teller before becoming lead technology specialist in 2014, and MIS Officer in 2019.

• Julie Gonzales is being promoted to Human Resources officer. She has been with the bank since 2012, when she joined us as a teller before becoming executive assistant to the CEO and then most recently HR coordinator. She holds an associate’s degree from Greenfield Community College.

Other notable promotions:

• Matt Welcome was promoted from branch manager-in-training to branch manager. He has been with the bank for more than four years and has served as a float teller, float head teller, and was most recently promoted to branch manager-in-training for the Turners Falls branch. He now drops the in-training designation to become a branch manager in Turners Falls. He holds an associate’s degree from Springfield Technical Community College.

• Erika Kleeberg was promoted from head teller to assistant manager. She has been with the bank since 2019 and has quickly risen from teller to head teller and now assistant manager. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Roger Williams University.

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Cindy Jerome

Lathrop, a senior living community with campuses in Northampton and Easthampton, recently welcomed Cindy Jerome as its new chief executive officer. Johnson is a seasoned executive leader with 23 years of leadership experience in senior living communities in New England. A non-profit founded in 1989, Lathrop is a Kendal affiliate, serving older adults in the Quaker tradition. “I was delighted to receive a call inquiring about my interest in leading a Kendal community,” said Jerome. “Kendal’s values and my own have great affinity.” Both of Lathrop’s campus communities offer independent living in townhomes. The Easthampton campus is also home to The Inn, an Enhanced Living option offering meals and daily support. Jerome has a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Antioch New England Graduate School. Most recently she was the senior leader of Alice Peck Day Lifecare and, prior to that, of Garden Path Elder Living.

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Trevor Brice

Trevor Brice

Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C., a labor and employment law firm serving employers in the Greater Springfield area, recently welcomed attorney Trevor Brice to its team. A native of Newport, R.I., Brice received his law degree fromSuffolk University School of Law in Boston, where he was the recipient of the Robert Fuchs Memorial Labor Law Award. After practicing in Boston, he recently relocated to Northfield and joined Skoler Abbott.Brice has regularly advised and represented clients in state and federal courts, as well as at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Mass. Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD), the Conn. Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (CHRO), and other state agencies. He is licensed in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, and New York, and is a member of the bar associations in those states.

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The Board of Directors of Cancer Connection announced that Chelsea Sunday Kline has been named executive director of the nonprofit. Kline’s hiring comes as Cancer Connection is poised to create and implement a new plan of strategic growth in programming, development, and outreach. Kline said she is eager to support the staff in safely reopening to provide in-person supports for participants and their caregivers, from massage, reiki, mindfulness, and more. Kline joins Cancer Connection with a wide range of applicable professional skills and expertise. Kline is a graduate of both Smith College and Harvard Divinity School and has a background as an academic program director for a local university, an interim executive director of a small non-profit, and is currently a consultant and professional life, career, and transition coach. Moreover, she contributes a regular column to the Daily Hampshire Gazette’s Living section entitled “In the Present,” featuring content about mindfulness, gratitude, and kindness.

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Patricia Begrowicz, president and co-Owner of Onyx Specialty Papers in Lee, was elected recently as chair of the board of directors of Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM), the statewide business association. A respected business and community leader in Berkshire County, Begrowicz has led the rebirth of a successful manufacturing company she acquired with a partner from MeadWestvaco during the great recession. She will become the second woman to chair the board of the largest business group in the Commonwealth and the first person from Berkshire County to lead AIM since 1953. Representatives of 3,400 AIM-member businesses elected Begrowicz during the association’s annual business meeting. Members also elected Donna Latson Gittens, principal and Founder of MORE Advertising in Watertown, as clerk of the corporation, and Gregory Buscone, executive vice president and senior commercial banking officer, Eastern Bank, Boston, as treasurer. Begrowicz bought the MeadWestvaco specialty papers business with partner Christopher Mathews in December 2009 and formed Onyx Specialty Papers. The company, which currently employs 150 people, provides skilled manufacturing jobs in a region that has seen many manufacturers downsize or close. Onyx produces highly engineered papers for technically demanding applications in global markets including automotive, medical filters, fine art, decorative surfaces and filtration.

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Jane Albert

Jane Albert

Jane Albert, senior vice president and chief consumer officer at Baystate Health, will retire on July 1, following 20 years of service with the system. Albert joined Baystate Health in 2002 as manager of Medical Practices Marketing and developed the first marketing plan to integrate legacy physician groups into the organization known today as Baystate Medical Practices (BMP). She then expanded her scope as manager of Corporate Marketing for the whole health system. She went on to deepen her focus on the external environment in subsequent roles in Public Affairs, Strategic Communications, and Community Relations. Albert then returned to BMP to stand up its first Office of Physician Referral Services, with a focus on improving access to care. She was recruited back to the system level with a promotion to vice president of Philanthropy and executive director of Baystate Health Foundation (BHF). During four years at the foundation, she developed a comprehensive strategic plan that led to a more balanced portfolio of events, major gifts, and planned giving, all tracked by a dashboard of performance metrics. Her work led to significant growth in overall giving and greater diversification of BHF’s philanthropic activities. She was promoted again in 2017 to senior vice president of Marketing, Communications and External Relations, a role which included the areas of BHF and Government & Community Relations. She brought in experienced leaders for all three areas and oversaw dramatic growth across all her areas of responsibility. Key activities included the “Advancing Care. Enhancing Lives” brand campaign, the growth of more broad and sophisticated governmental advocacy efforts, and continued growth in philanthropy. During the pandemic, Albert’s scope was enlarged yet again to her current role. She collaborated with other members of the President’s Cabinet to develop the health system’s 2025 Consumer Strategy with a focus on access to care, a new digital platform, and the importance of recognizing the unique needs of individual patients and families.

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Ryan Shorette

Berkshire Bank announced the promotion of Ryan Shorette to senior vice president, Retail Branch Banking. In this new role, he will oversee all 105 branches across Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New York. Prior to this promotion, he was first vice president, regional branch manager at Berkshire Bank for the last eight years. Shorette has more than 25 years of retail banking experience and has held a number of leadership positions. Before joining Berkshire Bank, he worked at Bank of America and Webster Bank. He has been nominated for the New Leaders in Banking Honors Award from the Connecticut Bankers Assoc. and has a proven track record of successfully developing leaders and enhancing the customer experience. He earned his bachelor’s degree in finance from Central Connecticut State University. Outside of work, Shorette is an active volunteer, coaching youth sports for the towns of Bristol and Plainville, Conn. He has also participated in Christmas in April, the United Way Day of Caring, and Hands on Hartford, a COVID-19 virtual event assembling comfort kits for those in need. Beyond these civic efforts, he also served as an executive board member for the American Heart Assoc. Heart Walk in Hartford, Conn.

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Patrick O’Hara

Patrick O’Hara

Country Bank, announced that Patrick O’Hara has joined its Commercial Lending Division in Worcester. A 17-year industry veteran with immersive client engagement, O’Hara will architect and deliver strategies to support growth in the commercial banking portfolio. O’Hara has held several positions in commercial lending and business development with SunTrust Bank, Bank of America, Santander Bank, and, most recently, Citizens Bank covering the Worcester and MetroWest Boston markets before joining Country Bank. In his new role, he will serve Central and Eastern Mass. to support businesses throughout the region. O’Hara holds a bachelor of Arts degree from Providence College, he is accredited in Commercial Credit from Omega Performance, and has received multiple top performer and excellence awards throughout his career. He is also an avid supporter of St. Vincent De Paul and New Horizons, which supports veteran’s issues and mental health. “I’m extremely excited to join a bank with such an impressive history of helping businesses grow and thrive in our region,” said O’Hara. “Country Bank is one of the most well-capitalized banks in the market, with a tremendous reputation for integrity and service to the community.I look forward to contributing to our continued growth and success across central and eastern Massachusetts, and beyond.”

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James Martin

James Martin

Attorney James Martin has joined the Springfield office of Pullman & Comley, LLC. Martin has more than 43 years of experience practicing in the areas of corporate and business counseling, commercial real estate, real estate planning and permitting, solar and wind, and litigation. He is also recognized as a leading automotive franchise attorney throughout New England. He has handled the purchase and sale of numerous car dealerships and related real estate, franchise negotiations, floor plan and real estate financing, in addition to litigation arising from the operation of a dealership. ​​He is a member of the National Assoc. of Dealer Counsel and the Massachusetts Automobile Dealer Association. Martin received his B.A. from Georgetown University and his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center, and is admitted to the Massachusetts Bar, U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. District Court and the Massachusetts and U.S. Tax Court. He has been named to Best Lawyers every year since 2001 and Massachusetts Super Lawyers since 2009. He previously practiced with the law firm Robinson Donovan, P.C. The addition of Martin and his team marks a noteworthy expansion for Pullman & Comley’s Springfield office, which was established in 2019. Drawing on resources from across the firm’s eight offices, in addition to Martin’s areas of practice, the Springfield office specializes in commercial property tax appeals and eminent domain matters, employment law and more. Martin is the former chairman and a former trustee of Baystate Medical Center and was recently appointed as a trustee for Springfield Museums, where he also serves as vice chair of the Museum Committee. He serves on the Springfield Riverfront Development Commission and is the chairman of the board of directors of the Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off Classic. He has also served as a youth sports coach in Springfield and Longmeadow.

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John Roberson

John Roberson

Pathlight, an organization serving people in Western Mass. with developmental and intellectual disabilities, has named human services leader John Roberson as its new executive director. Throughout his career, Roberson has designed and implemented programs tailored to meet the needs of vulnerable children and families. He brings an extensive background in leadership and operations for community-based residential programs and a passion for improving the quality of life for individuals with disabilities and special needs. Most recently, Roberson was vice president of Children & Families for the Center for Human Development (CHD), where he was responsible for management of a $25 million annual budget and expansion of services with local, state and federal agencies for a division that provides housing, child development, behavioral health and court guided support services. Prior to becoming vice president, he served in a variety of capacities including managing two large residential facilities as CHD’s director of Juvenile Justice Programs. Previously, he was a lead treatment supervisor for the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department, where he supervised treatment staff and developed treatment programs for inmates housed in the Pre-Release Center. Roberson is a member of the Child Welfare League of America and the American Correctional Association. He has served as a board member of the Correctional Association of Massachusetts, the Restorative Justice Collaborative of Hampden County, and the Martin Luther King Jr. Charter School of Excellence. He holds an M.S. from Cambridge College in Springfield. He will assume his responsibilities as executive director of Pathlight on May 2.

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Sam Killings

Sam Killings

Jeremiah Bentley

Jeremiah Bentley

UMassFive College Federal Credit Union (UMassFive) announced the retirement of board member Sam Killings at its 55thAnnual Meeting on March 23. New director Jeremiah Bentley was elected to the open position at the virtual event.Killings is retiring from the UMassFive Board of Directors after serving since 1998. During his tenture, Killings served on the credit union’s Asset and Liability Management Committee, which he chaired for several years, as well as the Human Resources Committee and the Diversity Task Force. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Accounting and 42 years of experience as an internal auditor and assistant controller for Research Accounting at UMass Amherst. With his retirement, Killings was recently honored with the status of director emeritus, the first person to hold this title at the credit union. Bentley has been a member of UMassFive since 2015, when he moved to the area after completing his Ph.D. in accounting from Cornell University. He previously served as a volunteer on the credit union’s Asset and Liability Management Committee. He currently serves as a research foundation director for the Institute of Management Accountants, and in multiple positions with the American Accounting Association. He is also the Richard Dieter & Susan Dieter Faculty Fellow and associate professor at UMass Amherst, where he teaches financial and managerial accounting and examines how accounting systems change the way people think about and report on their performance.

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Amy Handelsman

Amy Handelsman

Shakespeare & Company, a theater performance, education, and training outfit now celebrating its 45th year, announced the appointment of Amy Handelsman as managing director, effective May 1. Handelsman accepted the position following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG), and comes to the company with more than two decades of diverse experience in theater, dance, film, and television, particularly in the areas of nonprofit management, business development, and strategic planning.In her new position, Handelsman will be responsible for championing Shakespeare & Company’s artistic vision through the development of new and expanded income streams, expansion, and cultivation of the company’s Board of Trustees; supervision of administrative, marketing, and fundraising efforts, and ongoing engagement with various constituents in the Berkshire County community. Most recently, Handelsman served as managing director of GALLIM, a movement production company based in Brooklyn, N.Y., which has staged productions at Lincoln Center’s Hearst Plaza, New York City Ballet, the Martha Graham Dance Company, Ailey II Dance Company, and other venues.She serves on the Artistic Council of the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center’s Playwrights Conference, and has worked as a curator, dramaturge, project manager, and consultant for a wide range of clients including the Hip-Hop Theater Festival (Hi-ARTS), HBO’s U.S. Comedy Arts Festival, and locally with Jacob’s Pillow and the Batsheva Dance Company’s 2018 Summer Tour.

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Paul Scully, president and CEO of Country Bank, announced eight recent staff promotions.

Mary McGovern

Mary McGovern

• Mary McGovern was promoted to executive vice president, chief financial and operating officer. She joined Country Bank in 2011 as the executive vice president and chief financial officer. She oversees the bank’s finance, operations, electronic delivery, information technology, retail banking, retail lending, facilities, and security. She holds an MBA in accounting and finance from Babson College and recently served on the board of the Baystate Health Foundation.

Miriam Siegel

Miriam Siegel

• Miriam Siegel was promoted to first senior vice president, chief Culture and Development officer. She will continue to lead the human-resources and learning and development functions, and serves as the bank’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion officer. Joining Country Bank in 2018, she brought 26 years of professional experience as the senior vice president of Human Resources for United Bank. She serves on the board of Behavioral Health Network, the Baystate Wing Hospital board, and the Wilbraham Personnel Advisory Board.

Jennifer Bujnevicie

Jennifer Bujnevicie

Laura Dennis

Laura Dennis

• Jennifer Bujnevicie and Laura Dennis, of the Retail Banking division, were promoted to vice presidents. Collectively, they contribute 36 years of experience at Country Bank; each began her professional banking career as a teller and has grown within the organization to oversee the Retail Banking division. Together, they bring a wealth of experience to the banking centers and are focused on providing the bank’s customers with exceptional customer service throughout its network. Both hold associate degrees in business administration and management from the New England College of Business and have attended the New England School for Financial Studies.

Alyson Weeks

Alyson Weeks

• Alyson Weeks was promoted to vice president of Human Resources and Professional Development. She has been with Country Bank for 13 years, starting as a teller and working in various other roles in the Retail Banking division, including teller supervisor, Branch Operations manager, and Retail Operations manager, before joining the Human Resources team six years ago. She holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Worcester State University and a master’s degree in education from American International College.

Erin Skoczylas

• Erin Skoczylas, assistant controller, was promoted to assistant vice president, assistant controller. She began her career at Country Bank 25 years ago as a part-time Operations clerk. Before transitioning to Accounting in 2008, she worked in various positions throughout the Operations department. She holds an associate degree in business administration from Springfield Technical Community College and a bachelor of business administration degree from Western New England University. She is also a 2017 graduate of the New England School for Financial Studies.

Tracey Wrzesien

• Tracey Wrzesien of Retail Banking, Wilbraham Banking Center was promoted to assistant vice president. She has been with Country Bank for 27 years and previously served as a Retail Banking officer. She is the vice president of the Wilbraham-Hampden Rotary Club and will take over as president in July. She is a graduate of the New England College of Business and holds an associate degree in science and business administration with a concentration in finance and is also a graduate of the New England School for Financial Studies.

Dianna Lussier

Dianna Lussier

• Dianna Lussier has been promoted to assistant vice president of Risk Management. She has been with Country Bank for 18 years and previously served as the Risk Management officer. During her tenure with Country Bank, she has worked in various roles, including accounting representative and financial-reporting analyst. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in finance and accounting from Worcester State College and has attended the New England School for Financial Studies. She is currently attending the Graduate School of Banking and Wharton Leadership Program. She was also the recipient of the President’s Platinum Award in 2021.

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Springfield Museums announced that Jenny Powers has been named director of the Springfield Science Museum. A science educator for 20 years and the family engagement coordinator for the Springfield Museums for six years, Powers is ready to take her knowledge of playful learning to the Science Museum in the form of interactive, immersive additions to the museum. She also takes inspiration from the last woman who directed the Science Museum, Grace Pettis Johnson, who led the way from 1910 to 1949. Powers’ dynamic programing has filled the Museums on family-engagement days with exciting features such as bubble parties, high-fives with the Cat in the Hat, and Mount Crumpit derbies during Grinchmas. She has also been a regular guest on WWLP’s Mass Appeal, sharing hands-on science that families could explore together at home.

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Alissa Fuller

Alissa Fuller

Florence Bank is announced that Alissa Fuller joined the bank as assistant vice president, Compliance and CRA manager. She has more than 20 years of experience in retail banking, consumer lending, and compliance. Prior to joining Florence Bank, she was a compliance specialist at a local community bank. Her duties included ensuring that the organization’s operations complied with relevant laws, regulations, and policies. In her new role at Florence Bank, Fuller’s primary responsibilities will include the oversight of programs to ensure compliance with all federal and state laws that govern the bank’s operations. In addition, she will play a vital role in the encouragement and development of the bank’s Community Reinvestment efforts. She graduated from the New England College of Business and Finance in 2016 with an associate degree in business administration with a concentration in management.

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Bulkley Richardson recently welcomed Jeffrey Roberts to the firm as counsel in the Trusts & Estates and Business practices. Roberts has handled many sophisticated estate-planning matters and complex business transactions throughout his career. His practice will continue to focus on estate planning, trusts and estates, taxation, and estate administration, as well as corporate work and business transactions primarily for closely held companies. He also has extensive experience with advice to family-owned companies with respect to business-succession planning and representation of the owner with respect to the sale of a closely held business. Roberts has practiced law at Robinson Donovan P.C. since graduating from Georgetown Law in 1974 and served as the firm’s managing partner for many of those years.

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Chris McMasters

Phillips Insurance Agency Inc. announced the promotion of Chris McMasters to the role of vice president. He is an accredited adviser in insurance and has been with Phillips Insurance for more than eight years. He is a graduate of Springfield College. “Chris has developed a strong clientele within the construction, hospitality, and manufacturing industries throughout New England,” said Joseph Phillips, president of Phillips Insurance. “His strong work ethic and creativity in developing risk-management strategies has set him apart.”

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The Hampshire, Franklin & Hampden Agricultural Society, the nonprofit organization that manages Northampton’s Three County Fair and fairgrounds, has elected two new members to its board of directors, Jessica Dizek of Mapleline Farm in Hadley and Thomas Giles, former owner of Hadley Garden Center. Dizek and Giles join the society’s board, consisting of 21 other members who make up the fair’s agricultural leadership. Dizek is the fifth generation on her family’s farm. Mapleline Farm milks about 125 Jerseys and bottles their milk on the farm premises, while running a distribution business, wholesaling fluid milk products to the local area and Boston market. Prior to her taking over operating the farm full-time in 2018, Dizek held full-time employment off the farm for 20 years, most recently at UMass Amherst. She started at the university working for cooperative extension programs and eventually working in alumni major gifts. During this time, she also earned her MBA from the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst. She currently serves as treasurer for the New England Jersey Breeders Assoc. and as a director for the Massachusetts Dairy Promotion Board, and is a member of the Massachusetts Dairy Advisory Board for the Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center. Giles is a graduate of the Stockbridge School of Agriculture, having majored in landscape operations, and first worked for the Hadley Garden Center in the spring of 1973. In January 1988, Giles and his wife, Janine, purchased the center and ran it for 33 years until selling it to Gardeners Supply Co. of Vermont in January 2020. Giles is an active member of the First Congregational Church of Hadley and is on the board of directors for Easthampton Savings Bank and has also served on the horticulture/forestry advisory committee at Smith Vocational High School.

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Heather Gawron

Annie Celdran

Annie Celdran

The Springfield Symphony Orchestra (SSO) announced it has hired Development and Grants Associate Heather Gawron and Audience Development Manager Annie Celdran. Gawron has focused the past 10 years of her career on fundraising for community nonprofits in Western Mass. Most recently, she served as senior director of Development at New England Public Media (NEPM), where she focused on overseeing the nonprofit media organization’s fundraising efforts, including grants, on-air fundraising campaigns, and its planned and major giving programs, contributing to the organization’s overall budget of $10 million. Prior to NEPM, Gawron spent years at American International College as executive director of Institutional Advancement. During her tenure at AIC, Gawron was an engine for growth, strengthening and expanding the college’s alumni-engagement program on a national scale. Her stewardship work with alumni yielded remarkable growth in engagement of the alumni base and landed one of the largest-ever single donations made to AIC. She also worked closely in supporting the grant director to secure Title III funding and developed scholarship funds to help AIC students continue their education. Before AIC, Gawron worked for Alstom University, headquartered in Paris, and helped launch five international corporate university campuses across Europe and Asia. Prior to joining SSO, Celdran most recently worked for New England Public Media as the New Voices Campaign manager. She communicated regularly with donors, visitors, and volunteers and worked closely with the president, chief operating officer, and Marketing and Development personnel on ambitious fundraising campaigns. A Western Mass. native, Celdran spent some of her career in San Francisco, utilizing her client-services skills at Hanson Bridgett, LLP, a Bay Area law firm with a reputation for community engagement. At the firm, she managed the Client Concierge and Office Services departments, also bringing her creativity to various fundraising campaigns such as the firm’s annual Food From the Bar campaign in support of the SF-Marin Food Bank.

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Beth Cohen, professor in Western New England University (WNE) School of Law and former WNE Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, has been named interim dean of the School of Law by Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost Maria Toyoda. Cohen will provide interim leadership following the departure of current Dean Sudha Setty, who will begin her new role as dean of the City University of New York School of Law on July 1. A School of Law professor since 1990, Cohen has also served as director of the Legal Research and Writing Program since 1999. She was the associate dean for Academic Affairs from 2009 to 2020 and the director of the Academic Support Program from 1994 to 2008. She teaches Lawyering Skills, Externship Seminar, Professional Responsibility, and Mindfulness in Law Practice, and has written a number of articles in the areas of legal education, legal writing, civic education, and name-change law. Cohen graduated cum laude from Suffolk University Law School and earned a diploma in Advanced International Legal Studies in Salzburg, Austria, from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge Law School. She also co-founded and co-directed the popular civic-education Mini-Law School Program at WNE. A search committee will be appointed to conduct a national search for a new School of Law dean. Cohen will hold her position until a new dean is appointed.

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Carolyn Martinez

Carolyn Martinez

Shannon Mumblo, executive director of Christina’s House, announced that Carolyn Martinez has joined the organization as program manager. In her new role, Martinez will work closely with Christina’s House human-services professionals and direct service staff to ensure that mothers and their children who were homeless or near-homeless are developing vital life skills and are steadily working through the program with the goal of transitioning to stable housing and self-sufficiency. Martinez brings first-hand experience to Christina’s House as a graduate of the program. She has worked in community healthcare settings for the past several years and has completed certificate programs in child behavioral health and community health. She is currently a student at Cambridge College working toward a bachelor’s degree in human services.

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Milford Federal Bank announced that Jeremy Leap has joined the Bank as senior vice president, Commercial Lending. He will lead a growing team of commercial bankers, joining Anna Case, associate vice president, Commercial Credit officer, and Operations manager; Anita Carroll, Commercial Portfolio manager; and Stephanie Saraidarian, Commercial Credit representative. Leap has 16 years of experience as a commercial lender, including in the Western Mass. region at Country Bank in Ware and People’s United Bank in Springfield, and most recently at Savers Bank in Southbridge. He is involved with the United Way and Habitat for Humanity.

People on the Move

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People on the Move
Linda Schmidt

Linda Schmidt

Robert Walters III

Robert Walters III

Brittany Ward

Brittany Ward

UMassFive College Federal Credit Union announced three recent management-team promotions: Assistant Vice President of Finance/Controller Linda Schmidt, Interactive Teller Machine (ITM) Supervisor Robert Walters III, and Hadley Branch Manager Brittany Ward. Schmidt’s career at UMassFive began in 2010 as a teller and a Call Center representative. Her role quickly progressed to a Contact Center supervisor, where she remained until 2014. That year, she moved into the Finance department, holding the title of staff accountant until 2016, and most recently serving as financial analyst. In her new position, she will oversee the Finance department, as well as perform all controller responsibilities for the credit union. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in accounting at the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst. Walters’s career at UMassFive began in 2018 as a member service specialist in the Hadley branch, and he was most recently promoted to backup supervisor in January 2020. In his new position, he will oversee the daily operation of the ITM department, ensuring adequate staffing levels for member volume, troubleshooting the video teller machines, and ensuring members have an excellent service experience. Ward began her career at UMassFive seven years ago and has held multiple positions during her tenure at the credit union. Starting as a member service specialist, she moved on to become a retail trainer, ITM supervisor, assistant manager in the Contact Center, and most recently the ITM manager. In her new role, she will oversee the day-to-day operations of the Hadley branch, including the training and development of the branch staff.

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Bulkley Richardson recently welcomed James Moher and Michael McAndrew to the firm. Moher joined the firm as counsel in the Business and Finance department, where his practice will focus on general corporate and business matters, including mergers and acquisitions and other transactional work. He will also be active in the areas of cannabis and other emerging businesses. Moher previously practiced at a Hartford, Conn. law firm and most recently was founder and CEO of a successful startup business, giving him an insider’s perspective on the challenges and opportunities faced by a small business. He received a bachelor’s degree from Boston College in 2008 and a juris doctor from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 2011. McAndrew joined Bulkley Richardson’s Litigation department as an associate. Previously, he was a law clerk at several area law firms and served as a clerk intern to the Hon. Alfred Covello in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut. He received a bachelor’s degree from Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, magna cum laude, in 2018 and a juris doctor from Western New England University School of Law, magna cum laude, in 2021.

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Angelina Stafford

Angelina Stafford

Justin Kissell

Justin Kissell

Doherty, Wallace, Pillsbury and Murphy, P.C. (DWPM) announced that the firm has elected Angelina Stafford as a new shareholder and welcomed to its team attorney Justin Kissell as an associate. Stafford, who was previously an associate attorney at DWPM, concentrates her practice on trust and estate matters, including estate and tax planning, estate and trust administration, business succession planning, and probate litigation. Stafford earned her juris doctor degree summa cum laude from Western New England University and her bachelor’s degree with distinction from the University of Michigan. Prior to joining Doherty, Wallace in 2013, she clerked for the Connecticut Appellate Court. She is admitted to practice in Massachusetts and Connecticut. Kissell joined the firm in 2021 and became an associate attorney in January 2022 after being admitted to the bar. He is a graduate of Suffolk University Law School in Boston. While at Suffolk, he was the chief note editor for the Journal of Health & Biomedical Law. He earned a bachelor’s degree in economics, with a minor in political science, at the University of New Hampshire. Kissell’s experience includes working as a law clerk at Rimon, P.C. in Boston, where he worked in trusts and estates, taxation, and general business. Prior to that, he was a summer intern at the Dedham District Court, working with the Hon. Judge Michael Pomarole. He is admitted to practice in the state of Massachusetts.

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The board of directors of Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services has elected Aieshya Jackson as vice president and Darren James as treasurer. Jackson is a business manager for the city of Springfield Library Department and has more than 15 years of financial-services experience. She is a graduate of Bay Path University, where she earned a master’s degree in healthcare management. She also attended the Connecticut School of Finance and Management. James is a financial representative for Northwestern Mutual and has more than eight years of financial-services and operations experience. He earned a bachelor’s degree from American International College with a concentration in communications and business.

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Western New England University School of Law announced that Professor Tina Cafaro was unanimously confirmed to serve as associate justice of the District Court. Cafaro began her legal career in 1995 as a clerk for the Hon. Justice Kent Smith of the Massachusetts Appeals Court. She then joined the Hampden County District Attorney’s Office as an assistant district attorney in 1996. Since 2001, she has been a clinical professor of Law and director of Criminal Law Clinics at the Western New England University School of Law. In this role, she instructs students in both prosecution and defense clinics, and has served as a special assistant district attorney for the Hampden District Attorney’s Office. She has been an instructor for the Massachusetts Police Training Committee, the Massachusetts State Police, and the Massachusetts Trial Court Academies since 1999. Cafaro has been a member of the Hampden County Bar Assoc. education committee since 2015 and is active in her community. She has been a basketball and lacrosse coach with the East Longmeadow Youth Sports Program for nearly two decades, and previously served on the East Longmeadow Basketball Assoc. board of directors. She received her bachelor’s degree from UMass Amherst in 1992 and her juris doctorate from Western New England University School of Law in 1995.

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OMG Inc. has hired Brianna Akers as talent-acquisition specialist. In her new role, Akers will work closely with the talent-acquisition manager and the company’s management team to develop and implement strategic hiring strategies that expand the employee base across all facilities for continued growth. She reports to Gina Williamson, talent-acquisition manager. Akers began her career at ProAmpac as a human-resources coordinator, supporting payroll, recruitment, benefits administration, and other aspects of human resources. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Western New England University and a master’s degree from Springfield College.

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Elizabeth Román will join New England Public Media’s newsroom as managing editor for news after reporting for nearly two decades at the Republican. In recent years, she has also edited El Pueblo Latino, co-founded Colectivo de Medios Latinos, and appeared as a panelist on NEPM’s “The Short List” and “Connecting Point.” In her role at NEPM, she will edit daily news stories, work to expand the diversity of sources in news coverage, and explore ways to create more Spanish-language news content. Román is a lifelong resident of Springfield and the daughter of Puerto Rican parents who migrated to Massachusetts from the island more than 40 years ago. She is a graduate of Holyoke Community College and UMass Amherst. Throughout her career as a print journalist, it has been her objective to provide accurate representation of communities of color in Western Mass., and she is excited to continue that work at NEPM.

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DDS Acoustical Specialties, LLC announced the addition of Tyler Hadley to its team as director of Marketing. He will create, implement, and manage marketing campaigns that promote the products and services offered by the company, and will develop essential communication resources that educate and inform customers about the importance of acoustics and the solutions DDS Acoustical Specialties provides to solve noise issues. Hadley brings a bachelor’s degree in mass communication from Westfield State University along with more than six years of experience in marketing and communications. He has a broad knowledge of advertising, design, social media, and other marketing platforms and systems. Prior to joining DDS Acoustical Specialties, Hadley worked for Way Finders, a nonprofit organization based in Springfield, where he managed marketing and communications for the organization and its seven lines of business. He also sits on the board of directors for the Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield and serves on committees for the Human Service Forum and the Fair Housing & Civil Rights Conference.

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Friends of Children Inc. presented Northwestern District Attorney David Sullivan with the 2022 Changemaker Award at a dinner on March 25 at the Garden House in Look Park. Sullivan was presented with the Changemaker Award to celebrate his accomplishments, advocacy, and impact. He has been a steadfast advocate for vulnerable people in the Pioneer Valley, including children and young people served by Friends of Children, since 2003. He has led initiatives to address child abuse and domestic violence. He co-founded the Children’s Advocacy Center of Franklin County and North Quabbin Region and serves as an advisor to its board, as well as to the Children’s Advocacy Center of Hampshire County. Sullivan was part of the core team that helped establish the Franklin County Family Drug Court. He co-founded and co-chairs Hampshire HOPE and the Opioid Task Force of Franklin County and North Quabbin Region to address the opioid epidemic and its devastating impact on children and families. He is a board member of the Massachusetts Children’s Trust, an organization dedicated to ending child abuse. He also testified twice to the Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities in support of bills that would establish external oversight of the state’s child welfare system.

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Musicians of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra, the not-for-profit organization also known as MOSSO, has engaged a management team to assist in producing live classical-music concerts for Greater Springfield and Western Mass. MOSSO Chair Beth Welty (who will also serve as MOSSO’s interim librarian) announced that Douglas Evans, former CEO at the Bushnell in Hartford, Conn., will serve as management consultant. Mark Auerbach, an area public-relations consultant who was the Marketing director of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra from 1982 to 1985, will serve as public-relations and marketing consultant. Northampton- and Hartford-based development specialist Nancy Wheeler of WheelerConnect will work with MOSSO as a major-gifts consultant. And Gregory Jones, who has worked in concert production with artists including Simon & Garfunkel and Bob Dylan, will coordinate productions. Welty added that Sarah Sutherland, a MOSSO horn player with a mathematics and statistics degree, will be MOSSO’s finance director, and Lauren Winter, MOSSO’s principal horn player, will coordinate box-office operations and personnel. Matthew Anderson, who holds a bachelor’s degree in composition from the Hartt School and an MBA from the University of Hartford, will work in production.

People on the Move

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People on the Move

Lora Wondolowski, the founding executive director of Leadership Pioneer Valley (LPV), and the organization’s leader since 2011, will leave her post on April 1. Her leadership has been integral to all aspects of LPV’s operations, with notable successes including the growth of the core LEAP program, the Leaders on Board initiative, building strategic partnerships, and improving and stabilizing operations and organizational processes. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the first graduating class. Upon her departure, the board plans to appoint an interim executive director until finding a permanent executive director. Wondolowski and the LPV board of directors are working with staff and stakeholders to ensure a smooth transition for LEAP participants, partners, and supporters.

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Tech Foundry, with a mission to support the region’s growing need for a qualified technology workforce and elevate underrepresented groups into sustainable careers in information technology, announced the appointment of Tricia Canavan as its CEO effective March 21. Canavan will succeed Bruce Dixon, who resigned to pursue new opportunities. Founded in 2014, Tech Foundry has offered internships, networking opportunities, and instruction to traditionally low-income, underserved populations, preparing graduates for entry-level IT work in the Pioneer Valley. These programs are offered free of charge to participants through donations from area businesses and members of the local community. With a background in nonprofit and business management, workforce development, and adult education, Canavan currently serves as executive vice president of corporate relations and advocacy for Masis Staffing Solutions. Previously, she served as CEO of United Personnel, which was acquired by Masis in May 2021. She chairs the Western Massachusetts Economic Development Council, co-chairs Springfield Business Leaders for Education, and serves on the boards of Associated Industries of Massachusetts, MassHire Hampden County, and the Springfield Public Forum.

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Mount Holyoke College President Sonya Stephens announced that she will step down in August to become president of the American University of Paris. Stephens joined Mount Holyoke in 2013 and served as vice president for Academic Affairs and dean of faculty before being appointed acting president in 2016 to replace Lynn Pasquerella. In 2018, the board of trustees voted to remove the ‘acting’ title. In a letter to the Mount Holyoke community, Stephens said her new role in Paris is a “unique opportunity to advance a contemporary expression of the liberal arts in France — one that brings together so many of my intellectual and administrative interests and commitments.” She added that “it has been an extraordinary honor and a privilege to serve you and Mount Holyoke since 2013 and to work in concert with brilliant and exacting students, with a faculty that is as devoted to outstanding scholarship as it is to cultivating inquiry in others and with a leadership team and staff so exceedingly devoted to our mission. It has been inspiring and motivating to work with such an engaged, thoughtful, generous, and dedicated board of trustees, and to come to know, admire, and deeply appreciate the wider alum community. While I have held different roles over these nine years, I see our work together as a continuum — one focused resolutely on the future strength of the college, on enhancing the exceptional educational experience it offers, and on the community that makes this possible, here on campus, across the nation, and worldwide.”

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Jaclyn Stevenson

Jaclyn Stevenson

Jaclyn Stevenson has been appointed director of Marketing and Communications at Shakespeare & Company, a nonprofit theater performance, education, and actor-training organization based in Lenox. In her position, Stevenson directs all marketing and communications efforts for the company and supervises the Graphic Design and Patron Services departments, including in the areas of audience engagement, retail operations, and concessions. She also serves as co-chair of the communications subcommittee of the IDEA (inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility) committee, and as liaison to the Lenox Cultural District steering committee. Stevenson brings more than 20 years of communications experience to the position, having worked with a wide range of clients, including Toyota Motor Corp., CIGNA Healthcare, Disney World Sports, Spalding, and many others. Most recently, she served as director of Marketing and Communications for Columbia-Greene Community College, part of the State University of New York system. A BusinessWest 40 Under Forty honoree in 2012, she holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Bridgewater State University and a master’s degree in organization development from American International College, as well as several certifications relative to web accessibility, social-media management, and risk management.

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Susan Henrichon

Susan Henrichon

American International College (AIC) has appointed Susan Henrichon dean of the School of Education. Henrichon joined American International College in 2018, bringing more than 30 years of experience in PK-12 public education, with more than 15 years spent in senior leadership roles. Most recently, she served as the associate dean of academic programs while teaching extensively in the School of Education, and additionally serving as a senior instructor and program supervisor for graduate students. Prior to coming to AIC, Henrichon was an assistant superintendent of schools in Oxford and director of Special Education and Student Services for the Oxford Public Schools system. Before that, she was the director of Pupil Personnel Services in Monson, director of Special Education in Easthampton, director of Student Services for the Southwick-Tolland-Granville school district; special-education team leader in the Holyoke Public Schools; and assistant department head of Quality Assurance at the Monson Developmental Center. Henrichon has been recognized by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for her work. Her professional affiliations include the Massachusetts Assoc. of School Superintendents, the Worcester County Superintendents Assoc., Massachusetts Administrators for Special Education, the Western Massachusetts Special Education Directors Assoc., the Assoc. for Supervision and Curriculum Development, and the Council for Exceptional Children. She received a doctor of education degree in educational administration at Northcentral University in Phoenix; her certificate of advanced graduate studies in educational administration from the University of Massachusetts; a master’s degree in education, special education, from Westfield State University; and a bachelor’s degree from Plymouth State University in Plymouth, N.H.

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Michelle Jarvis-Lettman joined Elms College as director of Financial Aid in January. She has 15 years of experience within student financial services with positions at Worcester State University, Springfield Technical Community College, Wesleyan University, University of Hartford, and Ironbridge Resources, LLC. She has presented on the topic of financial aid to many audiences, including the Massachusetts Assoc. of Student Financial Aid Administrators in 2019. Jarvis-Lettman received her master’s degree in higher education administration from Bay Path University after completing her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Worcester State. She was recently appointed to Worcester State’s Athletic Hall of Fame Committee. She also coaches basketball. In addition, the Elms College Graduate Admission Office recently announced the promotion of Stefany Scliopou to director of Graduate and Continuing Education Admission. She is a graduate of Johnson & Wales University with a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management. After working in the hotel industry for nine years, she transitioned into higher education, where she completed her MBA degree with Elms College. For the last six years, Scliopou has worked in a graduate admission role helping non-traditional adult students embrace their next-level education endeavors. She has worked alongside students and program directors to ensure exceptional student support. In addition, she is the academic coordinator for the Elms-HCC business-degree-completion programs as well as a part-time adjunct. She serves on the board of the Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield, the Greater Chicopee Chamber of Commerce events committee, and the parish council board for St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Springfield.

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Tahirah Amatul-Wadud

Tahirah Amatul-Wadud

The Massachusetts chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR Massachusetts) announced that Tahirah Amatul-Wadud has been chosen to serve as its new executive director. Amatul-Wadud is an attorney based in Springfield with more than 16 years of experience in corporate, family, and civil-rights law. A former staff attorney with Western Massachusetts Community Legal Aid before entering private practice, she served as a commissioner with the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women from 2014 to 2020. In 2016, she rose to national prominence serving as the principal attorney on behalf of the residents of Islamberg, N.Y. against Robert Doggart, an anti-Muslim conspiracy theorist who had planned a violent attack against the community. In 2018, she ran for Congress in Massachusetts’ first district, securing 30% of the vote. She served as vice president of the board of directors at CAIR Massachusetts from 2016 to 2018 and its president since 2018, and during her tenure has overseen the organization’s restructuring and rapid growth. CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.

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Darcy Young

Darcy Young

The Irish Echo, the premier news title in Irish America since 1928, presented Darcy Young with a Top 40 Under 40 award at its 15th annual event at Rosie O’Grady’s in New York City on Feb. 25. The popular event is a celebration of the Irish and Irish Americans who have distinguished themselves in their respective fields of work before reaching age 40. Young was selected for her service to Irish community. A former Colleen, she currently serves as the communications chair for the Springfield St. Patrick’s Parade Committee and has served on the board and many of the subcommittees. The Springfield St. Patrick’s Parade Committee promotes and celebrates Irish heritage in Western Mass. through enriching experiences for its members, yearly honorees, and scholarships for students. One of her favorite volunteer efforts is chaperoning the Colleen and her court every year as they travel to a variety of public presentations to share their Irish heritage. She is also a member of the John Boyle O’Reilly Club. Young has served as a media professional for more than a decade, first at ABC and FOX news affiliates and most recently as director of Digital Public Relations at Garvey Communication Associates Inc. and a video producer at New England Corporate Video. She also serves on the executive board of the Children’s Study Home.

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ArchitectureEL Inc. (AEL) recently welcomed a new member, Marco Crescentini, to its team as senior project architect. ArchitectureEL Inc. provides professional design services on a wide range of projects, including both new buildings and renovations to existing structures. The firm boasts significant experience in accessibility, historic preservation, educational and commercial design, as well as extensive experience in both private and multi-family residential development. “I am thrilled to hold a position on the AEL team, as they are a group of creative and hardworking individuals,” Crescentini said. “I hope to contribute to the success of the company and to collaborate on some of the intriguing and influential jobs we have before us.”

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Leadership Pioneer Valley (LPV) announced new campaign co-chairs for the LEAP 2023 campaign, Jason Randall and Ayanna Crawford. Both are alumni of the class of 2013. They will be leading the effort to connect with businesses and potential applicants about the benefits of LPV’s LEAP program. Randall is director of Human Resources at MGM Springfield and a current LPV board member. He is involved with Springfield Works and Springfield Business Leaders for Education. Crawford is president of AC Consulting and Media Services and specializes in communications workshops in the New England area. She currently leads an after-school program for girls, positions herself as an educator in the Springfield Public Schools, and works for state Rep. Orlando Ramos. In its 11 years, more than 300 individuals representing more than 100 companies, organizations, and municipalities have participated in LEAP. The program has filled a critical need for a leadership program that builds a network of emerging leaders to address the challenges and opportunities of the region. LPV will begin accepting LEAP applications in April, with an application deadline of July 1.

People on the Move

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People on the Move
Hubert Benitez

Hubert Benitez

The American International College (AIC) board of trustees announced that Hubert Benitez, DDS, PhD has been unanimously selected as the 12th president of the 137-year-old institution. Benitez will succeed President Vince Maniaci, who is retiring after 17 years of service. Benitez will join American International College on April 11. In his most recent position, Benitez served as vice president for Strategic Initiatives and Academic Innovation and as acting chief inclusion officer at Rockhurst University (RU) in Kansas City, Mo., a comprehensive institution of higher learning that offers educational programs to a diverse student population in business, communications, education, engineering, healthcare, humanities, performing and visual arts, science, and mathematics. Among his responsibilities, Benitez had direct oversight of strategic planning, institutional effectiveness, accreditation and assessment, distance education/e-learning, and the Prosperity Center for Financial Opportunity. Prior to Rockhurst, Benitez served as president and CEO of Saint Luke’s College of Health Sciences in Kansas City for almost five years, where he provided visionary and strategic leadership that included growing and diversifying the college’s academic portfolio; promoting a culture of assessment; increasing the visibility of the institution through community presence, engagement, and outreach efforts; engaging in recruitment and enrollment-management practices that increased the college’s population while meeting the needs of a new and diverse demographic of students; and implementing a financial strategy that increased the institution’s fiscal stability and outlook. Benitez received his first doctoral degree in dentistry from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Latin America. He subsequently completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Connecticut Health Sciences Center, later earning a PhD in higher education administration from Saint Louis University’s College of Education and Public Service. He is a graduate of the Institute for Educational Management at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, and he completed the Executive Leadership Program at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business. He has dedicated the last two decades to higher education as an academic and administrator, and 15 years prior as a clinician. A member of numerous academic organizations, boards, and advisory committees past and present, Benitez currently serves on the board of directors for the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Kansas City and the board of trustees for Cristo Rey Kansas City, a Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth high school; is a peer reviewer for Middle States Commission on Higher Education; is a member the Hispanic Advisory Committee for Kansas City Public Schools; and is a member of the KC Rising Steering Committee, a body of the KC Rising initiative, composed of business and community volunteers from across the Kansas City metropolitan area who are committed to regional collaboration. His professional associations include the President’s Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, the American Assoc. of Hispanics in Higher Education, the American Dental Assoc., and the Golden Key International Honor Society, among others. In addition to an extensive selection of published works, Benitez has been a guest lecturer in the U.S. and abroad and has been the recipient of federally and privately funded research grants. His work ethic and commitment has been recognized by Univision Kansas City for his ongoing support for Hispanic heritage and by Universidad Piloto of Colombia for forging international and interdisciplinary exchange programs. He has been a recipient of the Hispanic Heritage Award and received special recognition for service to the community through Excellence in Education. His contributions to Suffolk County from the Office of Minority Affairs have been praised, in addition to being selected as one of the Top 25 Advocates for Latino Empowerment in Long Island, N.Y.

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Carla Banas

Freedom Credit Union has hired Carla Banas as branch officer for its Ludlow location. She brings more than 16 years of banking experience to her role, the last several of which were in Ludlow, where she specialized in commercial banking. In her new role, Banas will oversee the daily operations of the branch, ensure the growth and development of employees, ensure exceptional customer service for members, and grow new business by cultivating lasting relationships. Outside her professional role, Banas is on the board for Women to Watch and serves as community outreach chair. She is also a member and past president of the Ludlow BNI Core Connections chapter and is active in the East of the River Chamber of Commerce. In her previous position, she was recognized for her work with employed veterans by Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve.

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Elena Hovagimian

Elena Hovagimian

Elena Hovagimian has been promoted to director of Agriculture at the Eastern States Exposition (ESE) after a 25-year career spanning agriculture and education, IT, and retail sales management at the West Springfield fair and trade-show facility. Hovagimian, who succeeds retiring Director of Agriculture Donna Woolam, will oversee all agriculturally based events year-round as well as the hundreds of animals entered in shows and contests, educational presentations, the Creative Arts department, the Fiber Festival of New England, the Gold Medal Wine and Cheese competitions, and retail sales for the Farmers Market, Storrowton Village Museum Gift Shop, and Christmas Shop. Hovagimian joined the Eastern States Exposition staff in October 1997 as a part-time data-entry clerk, and shortly thereafter became assistant to the Agriculture manager. In addition, she took on the Management Information Systems (MIS) coordinator duties, supervising and implementing the computer systems and programs in the company. In January 2007, she became a full-time staff member at ESE as Agriculture and Education/MIS coordinator. She was responsible for coordinating and producing more than 119 agricultural events throughout the year and during the Big E. She also increased the efficiency of all facets of the department through the use of computer software and technology. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from UMass Amherst, a master’s degree in innovative thinking and entrepreneurial business practices from Bay Path University and a certificate for online journalism from UMass. She graduated from the International Assoc. of Fairs and Expositions’ (IAFE) Institute of Fair Management in 2015, and earned her certified fair executive status from the IAFE in 2018. During her career, Hovagimian led a cross-functional team to innovate and promote New England agriculture in a virtual environment, maintaining the pillars of the Exposition’s mission. She also developed processes and systems of efficient software and technology applications to allow for day-to-day business to continue in a remote environment. She developed four attractions outside of the Big E, including the Big East Youth Cattle and Jackpot Show, the Fiber Festival of New England, and the Wine and Cheese competitions. Hovagimian is an active member of the IAFE, where she chaired the agriculture and education committee in 2020 and was website technology committee chair in 2017. She is also a member of the North American Livestock Show and Rodeo Managers Assoc. and the Massachusetts Cheese Guild Advisory Board.

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Tanzania Cannon-Eckerle

Tanzania Cannon-Eckerle

Attorney Tanzania Cannon-Eckerle has rejoined the Royal Law Firm full-time in a partner-level position as chief legal and administrative officer. Her practice includes matters involving labor relations, discrimination, harassment and retaliation, wrongful discharge, workers’ compensation, employee privacy, wage and hour law, leave laws, and matters involving business, including business planning, business formations, business contracts and negotiations, franchise law, and licensing and permitting. Her preventive work includes drafting a variety of employment-related manuals and contracts, such as executive agreements, compensation and commission agreements, and severance and settlement agreements. Cannon-Eckerle obtained her juris doctor degree from Southern Illinois University School of Law and her bachelor’s degree from Indiana University.

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Rae Brown

Rae Brown

Freedom Credit Union announced it recently promoted Rae Brown to the role of branch officer for its Northampton and Easthampton locations. She previously served as the assistant branch officer at the Main Street, Springfield office. “Rae has been with us for nearly eight years and has proven herself to be a wonderful leader, dedicated to providing outstanding service to our members and committed to the success of her team,” Freedom Credit Union President Glenn Welch said. “She is the perfect person to oversee our two branches in Hampshire County.” Brown has more than two decades of experience in banking, including more than 11 years in Hampshire County. She has an associate degree from Springfield Technical Community College and is also a notary public.

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Carli Ross

Carli Ross

Carli Ross recently joined Raipher, P.C. in Springfield as a personal-injury and civil-litigation attorney. Ross is a passionate advocate who began her legal career concentrating on criminal defense and employment discrimination work. She joined the practice in November and became the firm’s 16th lawyer. Ross completed her undergraduate degree at the University of California Santa Cruz in 2017, earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology and legal studies. She then went on to earn her juris doctor degreee from Western New England University School of Law in 2021, graduating cum laude.

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Comcast named Saif Malik vice president of Finance for the company’s Western New England region, which serves more than 300 communities across Connecticut, Western Mass., Vermont, Western New Hampshire, and New York. In this role, Malik will oversee finance and accounting, warehouse and materials, information technology, facilities, fleet management, and environmental health and safety. Malik joined Comcast in 2007 as senior manager of Finance for Comcast’s Greater New Haven area, where he was responsible for the financial growth of technical operations, marketing, warehouse, and customer service centers. He most recently served as senior director of Finance for the Western New England Region, providing strategic direction for technical operations, construction, and Comcast Business functions, including the region’s capital expenditures. Prior to joining Comcast, he was manager of financial planning and analysis for AT&T. Malik earned his master’s degree in economics from the University of the Punjab and his MBA in finance from Oklahoma City University. Over the past seven years, he has served on the board of CRIS radio, an organization that provides audio access for people who are blind or print-challenged.

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Curtis Haines

Curtis Haines

OMG Inc. has added to its Technical Services department with the addition of a technical-support specialist in its OMG Roofing Products division. In his new role, Curtis Haines will provide the roofing sales team with expanded technical product training and technical support in the field. Additionally, he will work with the new-product-development team to assist in expanding the company’s product lines. He reports to Stephen Childs, Technical Services manager. Haines comes to OMG Roofing Products with eight years of technical and product management experience from ITW/Permatex in Hartford, Conn. Most recently, he was involved in inside technical sales. Earlier, he had been a technical services manager and an associate innovations manager for the company. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Southern Connecticut State University.

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The Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield (YPS) recently welcomed 14 new board members. As Springfield YPS continues to concentrate its efforts on business and career development, networking, social and cultural involvement, and community activism, its diverse membership comes from a wide range of professions and backgrounds united by a commitment to make Springfield a better place to work, live, play, and stay. New board members include Nikai Fondon of the “She Did That!” podcast, Tyler Hadley of DDS Acoustical Specialties, Kara Bombard of Performance Foodservice, Isabella Brady-Prankus of the Gray House, Julie Fruscio of Dominion Dealer Solutions, Russ Kelly of LUSO Federal Credit Union, Emily Burr of PeoplesBank, Christopher Scuderi of Charter Oak Wealth Partners, Jessica Colson of Girls Inc. of the Pioneer Valley, Drew McConaha of Train for Life, Stefany Scliopou of Elms College, Kara Sotolotto of LiftTruck Parts & Service Inc., Lauren Martin of the Markens Group, and Alaina Macaulay of the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst. The new board members join existing board members Jack Yvon of Charter Oak Financial, Melissa Cuzzone of EBS Insurance Brokers, Ashley Batlle-Ramos of Beauty Batlles Lounge, along with Andrew Mankus of UMass Dining, treasurer; Amie Miarecki of Christopher Heights of Belchertown, immediate past president; and Heather Clark of the Baystate Health Foundation, president.

People on the Move

By
People on the Move
Priscilla Kane Hellweg

Priscilla Kane Hellweg

Enchanted Circle Theater’s executive and artistic director, Priscilla Kane Hellweg, has stepped down after 40 years of service, having grown Enchanted Circle from a small touring educational theater company into a nationally recognized leader in the field of arts integration. The board of directors is currently working with a consultant and staff on temporary management while studying various governance models. The organization will announce the plan by the end of the school year. Under Hellweg’s direction, Enchanted Circle has become the regional leader in the field of arts integration, working district-wide in public schools throughout Western Mass. and collaborating with more than 60 community partner organizations, developing work that bridges arts, education, and human services. She received the 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network and was a finalist for Excellence in Leadership in 2018. She has received a Champions of Arts Education Award from the Massachusetts Alliance for Arts in Education and a Millennium Award from the National Guild of Community Arts Educators for her commitment to making quality arts education accessible to all. In 2016, Enchanted Circle was nominated to represent Massachusetts by the Massachusetts Cultural Council to receive the Creativity Connects Award from the National Endowment for the Arts. Its work was highlighted in the national PBS series, American Graduate, for its Shakespeare program that combats summer learning loss in Holyoke Public Schools. Enchanted Circle received the 2015 Commonwealth Award, Massachusetts’ highest honor in arts, sciences, and humanities; received the 2013 Arts and Humanities Award for Outstanding Organization from NEPR; and was named Outstanding Arts Collaborative in 2011 from Arts/Learning. Hellweg has created district-wide arts-integration initiatives to enhance academic achievement for Holyoke, Amherst, Northampton, and Westfield public schools, and has collaborated on the development of several Teacher Training Institutes with numerous partners, funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and Teaching American History grants. She has taught professional-development workshops for many district-wide school systems in Massachusetts and Connecticut, including the Wang Center in Boston, the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C., the History Institute at the University of Massachusetts, and the Collaborative for Educational Services in Northampton. She has been adjunct faculty at the University of Hartford, Hampshire College, and Westfield State University. She has also co-written and directed several site-based historical plays for educational and cultural tourism sites.

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Melissa English

MP CPAs recently announced the promotion of Melissa English to senior audit manager and Tim Provost to senior tax manager. English works with clients across a variety of industries, including nonprofits, manufacturers, distributors, and other small to medium-sized businesses. She is also the lead professional for the firm’s employee benefit-plan practice. She performs technical reviews of employee benefit-plan audits and is frequently called upon to assist with research regarding plan issues. Her experiences with benefit plans include working on Internal Revenue Service examinations, voluntary plan corrections, and self-corrections of plan errors. English joined the firm in 2001 and has more than 20 years of audit experience. She holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Westfield State University and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and AICPA’s Employee Benefit Plan Audit Quality Center. She is very active in the community as a volunteer board member of the Down Syndrome Resource Group of Western Massachusetts and the Chicopee Galaxy Youth Athletic Assoc., of which she is also a co-founder. Provost provides consulting and tax solutions to a diverse group of clients including individuals, partnerships, limited-liability companies, corporations, and trusts. He also has experience working with international affiliates on foreign tax issues, and specializes in working with high-net-worth clients and with private equity firms and their owners. Provost joined the firm in 2008 and has more than 13 years of experience in personal and business taxation. He holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Westfield State University and a master’s degree in accounting and taxation from American International College. He is a certified public accountant and a member of AICPA. He is very active in the community as a volunteer board member of the West Springfield Youth Basketball Assoc. and a volunteer youth basketball coach.

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Melissa Stefanowich

Melissa Stefanowich

Country Bank announced that Melissa Stefanowich has joined its Retail Banking division. An experienced leader who has been in the retail banking industry for 14 years, she will serve Western Mass. in her new role at Country Bank. Stafenowich joins Country Bank from Westfield Bank where she was a Retail Banking officer, branch manager, and mortgage specialist. She was responsible for the leadership and management of branch service, sales, operations, and team development. She worked for Chicopee Savings Bank for eight years before it merged in 2016 with Westfield Bank. She is a supporter of the Huntington’s Disease Society of America and Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts.

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After a nationwide search, Bay Path University announced that Frank Rojas has joined the university as the new vice president of Enrollment Management. In this role, he will oversee many duties, including creating and driving the strategic vision for enrollment, overseeing all aspects of enrollment operations, executing a comprehensive enrollment plan, and identifying and employing strategies that clearly demonstrate the university’s value proposition and align with institutional goals. Rojas has extensive experience in higher education, most recently as chief operating officer and executive vice president at Los Angeles Pacific University. In that position, he led a team that successfully drove enrollment growth and increased revenue, while implementing marketing plans and strategies for an online university that also integrated a focus on student support. As an educator, he is a strong advocate in providing access to learners, including marginalized students in post-secondary higher education. During his career, he has been a results-oriented leader committed to building profitable growth and return on investment both domestically and internationally. He earned a Ph.D. in organizational development and change and a master’s degree in organizational leadership through Fielding Graduate University. In addition, he received an executive MBA through Pepperdine University and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from DeVry University.

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American International College (AIC) has appointed Michael Dodge associate vice president for Academic Affairs following a national search. Dodge has been with AIC since 2018, previously serving as dean of Student Success and Opportunity. As dean, he had oversight of the tutoring and advising programs on campus and the James J. Shea Memorial Library, and was instrumental in the success of the AIC’s Plan for Excellence (APEX) program for students, serving as director of the program. In addition, he served as the principal investigator for the U.S. Department of Education Title III Grant program. While maintaining several of his previous responsibilities, as the associate vice president for Academic Affairs, Dodge will serve as the chief of staff to the executive vice president for Academic Affairs (EVPAA), including responsibility for day-to-day operational support for all areas reporting to the EVPAA, including the schools of Business Arts and Sciences, Education, and Health Sciences. Among his many areas of responsibility, Dodge will represent the Office of Academic Affairs to internal and external constituencies to develop comprehensive and integrative structures and processes to support student success and timely graduation. In addition, he will assist in the institution’s assessment processes and support development of meaningful and measurable institution, program, and course student-learning outcomes. He will research and analyze new program proposals from concept to market. Prior to joining AIC, Dodge worked for more than a decade at UMass Amherst in a variety of teaching and administrative roles. He earned his doctorate in educational policy, leadership, and administration at UMass Amherst after first earning his master’s degree in student affairs in higher education from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania and his bachelor’s degree in secondary education and English at the State University of New York Oswego.

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Western New England University School of Law Professor Jennifer Levi has been named an inaugural fellow in a new Salem State University program of the Berry Institute of Politics (IOP). Levi will share this honor with former Boston Mayor Kim Janey for the spring 2022 semester. Levi is a lawyer, professor, and nationally recognized expert on transgender legal issues who has dedicated their career to fighting for the rights of women, children, the poor, and gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) clients. Currently, Levi serves as director of the Transgender Rights Project for GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) and as professor of Law at Western New England University. Throughout their career, Levi has led legal fights for transgender equality across a range of contexts, including in the areas of family law, education, healthcare, incarceration, military service, and beyond. As rising or seasoned professionals, fellows share their knowledge, skills, and experiences with students who are exploring and pursuing careers in politics and public service. As current practitioners, fellows support students building practical skills that will supplement what they are learning through academic courses. Through one-time and ongoing engagement, fellows serve as resources and mentors to students. During their visits, IOP fellows will participate and lead both curricular and co-curricular programs.

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Evelyn Rivera-Riffenburg

Evelyn Rivera-Riffenburg

Holyoke Community College (HCC) recently welcomed Evelyn Rivera-Riffenburg as the college’s executive director of Human Resources. Rivera-Riffenburg has worked in human resources for more than 25 years. She started her career as a personnel assistant and most recently worked as director of human resources for Chicopee Public Schools. Her previous employment featured positions in human resources for the town of Amherst, Medtronic (formerly Covidien), Hot Mama’s Foods, C&S Wholesale Grocers, and Coca-Cola. She is also an adjunct professor at Bay Path University and Western New England University. Rivera-Riffenburg began her undergraduate education at HCC before transferring to Baker College, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in human resources management. She holds master’s degrees in communications and information management from Bay Path University and in organizational leadership from Southern New Hampshire University. She is a Society for Human Resources Management certified senior professional, an HCRI senior professional in human resources, and a certified K-12 Title IX coordinator.

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The New England Financial Marketing Assoc. (NEFMA) welcomed Mary Cate Mannion, a digital PR analyst for Garvey Communication Associates Inc. and producer for New England Corporate Video, as the keynote presenter for its virtual Awards Show on Feb. 11. The event featured the winners of awards for the most creative, innovative, and successful campaigns across several different financial-services categories. Mannion’s presentation, “What’s Old Is New: How the Age-old Art of Storytelling Will Set Your Existing Media Channels on Fire,” explained how brands can generate meaningful and measurable engagement while shedding all that extra budget weight of meaningless and empty impressions. Included in her presentation were best-practice examples from HarborOne Bank, Mascoma Bank, Monson Savings Bank, Needham Bank, and PeoplesBank. Mannion has worked in the Holyoke-Springfield DMA as an anchor/reporter for ABC, CBS, and FOX News affiliates; in Bismarck, N.D. as an anchor/reporter for an NBC News affiliate; and in Portland, Maine as a reporter for an ABC News affiliate. She won a Broadcaster’s Award for her work and was nominated for two Midwest Emmy Awards. She is a graduate of Emerson College, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism. She is also currently a board member of the Willie Ross School for the Deaf and a member of Women in Film & Video New England.

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New England Public Media has named Deepa Krishna director of Finance and Accounting. Krishna will oversee the nonprofit media organization’s $10 million budget, working directly with internal departments as well as community funders and grantors. A licensed certified public accountant, Krishna joins NEPM from the Connecticut Airport Authority in Windsor Locks, where she served as the accounting manager for Bradley International Airport and five general aviation airports, overseeing annual budgets and managing federal and state grants for the nonprofit organization. Prior to that, she was the finance manager for Bristol Hospital and Healthcare Group. She received her master’s degree in commerce and accounting from Madurai Kamaraj University, India, and her bachelor’s degree in commerce and accounting from Mahatma Gandhi University, India.

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Colin Griswold

Colin Griswold

OMG Roofing Products promoted Colin Griswold to the position of codes and approvals engineer. In his new role, he will manage product approvals for OMG Roofing’s product portfolio as well as assist the new-product development team in addressing code and approval issues. In addition, he will work closely with OMG’s private-label customers and code and approval officials with product evaluations, developing technical product specifications, as well as maintaining code approvals and keeping abreast of technical changes and advancements in the commercial roofing industry. Griswold started with OMG Roofing Products in 2013 in the manufacturing area. Since then, he has held positions as a laboratory technician in the company’s New Product Development & Innovation department, and most recently in the Technical Services department as a technical support specialist. He is a member of the Single-Ply Roofing Industry and holds an associate degree in engineering from Springfield Technical Community College.

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Nourse Farms Inc. announced that founder and President Timothy Nourse has transitioned from overall leadership of Nourse Farms to chairman of the board of directors. He is leaving the day-to-day operational oversight in the hands of John Place, who has been promoted to CEO. Over the past 90 years, Nourse Farms has grown to be a leader in berry-plant propagation in North America and now produces more than 30 million strawberry plants in addition to 6 million raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, currant, gooseberry, elderberry, asparagus, rhubarb, and horseradish plants each year to customers around the world. Tim Nourse is recognized as a pioneer in tissue-culture propagation, having built the first lab at Nourse Farms over 40 years ago. Establishing this capability in the 1980s was a key to growth and innovation for customers around the world. Before joining Nourse Farms as chief operating officer in 2019, Place built his career in Pennsylvania at Keepsake Farm. He holds a degree in agriculture and animal science from the University of Delaware and is a highly accomplished farmer and successful business executive.

People on the Move

By
People on the Move
Tom Bernard

Tom Bernard

Tom Bernard, who just wrapped up his last term as mayor of North Adams, has been selected to lead Berkshire United Way (BUW) as the new president and CEO starting Jan. 24. Bernard earned his bachelor’s degree from Williams College and later his master of public administration degree from Westfield State University. After a decade working in Boston and then as a freelance writer, he began a long career in the nonprofit sector. Bernard first served as development officer at Mass MoCA, followed by nearly 10 years at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts as director of Corporate, Foundation, and Government Relations, then executive assistant to the president, and eventually director of Business Affairs. He was the director of Special Projects at Smith College before becoming mayor in 2018.

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Chelsea Depault

Chelsea Depault

Marjorie Smith

Marjorie Smith

Erica Josephson

Erica Josephson

Tony Worden, CEO of Greenfield Cooperative Bank and its Northampton Cooperative Bank division, announced three promotions within the bank. Chelsea Depault is being promoted to AVP, Commercial Operations officer. She originally started with the bank back in 2007 as a float teller and also worked in the Accounting department before moving on to Commercial Lending, where she has been for the past several years as a credit analyst and then as an AVP, Commercial Lending. In her new role, she will oversee the operations of commercial loan servicing and administration. She holds a bachelor’s degree from UMass. Marjorie Smith is being promoted to senior commercial credit analyst. She has been with the bank since 2010, when she started as a teller. In the years since, she worked for the Residential Lending department in various roles before joining the Commercial Lending side as a credit analyst. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Houghton College. Erica Josephson is being promoted to senior commercial credit analyst. She has been with the bank since 2019, when she joined as a credit analyst with several years of experience in credit underwriting at two other local institutions. Since coming on board, she has played a critical role in shepherding customers’ PPP loans through to forgiveness. She holds a bachelor’s degree from University of Vermont.

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Bulkley Richardson announced that Elizabeth “Liz” Zuckerman has been promoted to partner in the firm’s Litigation department. Zuckerman joined the firm in 2014 as an associate in the Litigation department, where her practice focuses on general commercial litigation, First Amendment issues, and defamation. She has a proven history of successfully litigating complex cases in both state and federal courts. “Liz is an incredible asset to the firm,” said Dan Finnegan, managing partner at Bulkley Richardson. “Her keen insight and unshakeable confidence has helped shape her into a formidable lawyer. Not only is she a skilled litigator, but she is compassionate, making her an effective advocate for her clients.”

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Jim Hickey

Jim Hickey

Florence Bank hired a Greenfield native with 25 years of strategic marketing experience with a focus in the banking sector to serve as vice president and director of Marketing Operations. Jim Hickey stepped into the new role in mid-November after keeping his eye on Florence Bank for many years because he respects its creative marketing strategy, customer-focused approach to banking, and community engagement. Previously, Hickey was vice president of Account Service at Communicators Group, a marketing communications firm in Keene, N.H. He has also served as vice president and director of Marketing for Westbank, a financial institution formerly based in West Springfield. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English from UMass Amherst. He has experience in areas that include account management, creative development, media-plan execution, and media buying. He said Florence Bank has a well-established brand, and the challenge for him and the Marketing team moving forward will be paying homage to that brand and evolving it. “Our goal is to keep the brand fresh and take it to the next level.”

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Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. (MBK) announced the promotions of Christopher Soderberg, Ian Coddington, and Briana Doyle to senior associate; Daniel Eger and Brenden Cawley to tax supervisor; and Corey Jenkins, Chelsea Russell, Eric Pinsoneault, Kara Graves, and Matthew Nash to senior manager.

Christopher Soderberg

Christopher Soderberg

• Soderberg has been a member of the Audit department at MBK since 2018. He primarily focuses on not-for-profit, commercial, taxation, and HUD engagements. In his new role as a senior associate, he will take on a larger leadership position at the firm. He holds a bachelor’s degree in accounts and management, as well as an MBA with a concentration in financial planning, from Elms College. He is a member of the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Ian Coddington

Ian Coddington

• Coddington is a licensed certified public accountant in Massachusetts who has been working in the firm’s audit department since 2018. His work is predominantly focused on review and compilation, commercial, not-for-profit, employee benefit plans, and business valuation. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Westfield State University and an MBA from Fitchburg State University. He is a member of the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Briana Doyle

Briana Doyle

• Doyle started working at MBK in 2018. As a member of the firm’s Audit department, she works on employee benefit plans, not-for-profits, HUD, and commercial engagements. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in accounting from Nichols College. She is a member of the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Daniel Eger

Daniel Eger

• Eger has been with MBK since 2005, working primarily with large companies and corporations as well as high-net-worth individuals. He has more than 20 years of accounting experience, handling many of the most complicated tax-preparations in these areas, including multi-state tax preparation. He leads the tax intern program at MBK, which has resulted in numerous hires in the firm. He holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from American International College and is member of the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Brenden Cawley

Brenden Cawley

• Cawley joined MBK in 2020 after spending eight years as a tax professional at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in Boston. He provided tax and consulting services for large investment companies with a focus in private equity and credit funds. He received a bachelor’s degree in finance and accounting from Boston College and is an enrolled agent with the Internal Revenue Service, as well as a member of the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Corey Jenkins

Corey Jenkins

• Jenkins joined MBK in 2019 after spending five years as a public accountant in New York. She is a leader within the firm’s NFP division, working primarily on audits of not-for-profit organizations and multi-family housing entities. She received her master’s degree in accounting from the University at Albany and her bachelor’s degree from the College of Saint Rose in Albany. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants as well as the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants and is a certified public accountant in Massachusetts and New York. She is also a member of the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Chelsea Russell

Chelsea Russell

• Russell began her career with MBK as an intern in 2015 and has been working full-time in the Accounting and Audit department since June 2016. In her role as manager, she is a key player in the Accounting and Auditing department and primarily focuses on not-for-profit, commercial, and employee benefit-plan engagements. She received a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Westfield State University and her master’s degree in accounting from Bay Path University. She is licensed as a certified public accountant in Massachusetts and is a member of the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. She also co-leads the firm’s community-outreach program.

Eric Pinsoneault

• Pinsoneault joined MBK in 2018. Before that, he worked in public accounting in the Greater Boston area for BDO USA, LLP. He has experience providing audit and attest services for a variety of industries, including technology, manufacturing, transportation, and energy. He currently works closely with many privately held businesses in Western Mass. He received an MBA and a master’s degree in accounting from UMass Boston. He is a certified public accountant in Massachusetts and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Kara Graves

Kara Graves

• Graves is a licensed certified public accountant in Massachusetts and has been with MBK since 2011. She holds a bachelor of accountancy degree from Roger Williams University and a master of accountancy degree from Western New England University. She is a member of the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants and CPAmerica and serves on the audit committee for the United Way of Hampshire County.

Matthew Nash

Matthew Nash

• Nash has been with MBK since 2011 and focuses on audit, review, and compilation engagements. He is a key leader on the commercial, not-for-profit audit, and pension engagement teams. He is presently a senior manager leading engagement teams on a day-to-day basis. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Nichols College and an MBA from Elms College. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants and has been a certified public accountant in Massachusetts for the past three years. He is also a board member and treasurer for Springfield School Volunteers, where he also serves on the investment and finance committee, as well as a Ronald McDonald House Golf Tournament committee member.

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Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. also recently welcomed Danny Krasin, Olivia Calcasola, Anthony Romei, and Samantha Calvao to the firm.

Olivia Calcasola

Olivia Calcasola

• Calcasola is an associate in the firm’s Taxation department. Prior to MBK, she worked for two years as a senior corporate tax associate for a Boston-based firm. She received a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in accounting from UMass Amherst.

Danny Krasin

Danny Krasin

• Krasin joined the Accounting and Audit department at MBK. He started his career in private accounting and transitioned to public accounting in 2018. In his role as an associate, he will focus on a vast array of audit engagements, including not-for-profit, commercial, employee-benefit plans, and HUD. He received his bachelor’s degree in accounting from American International College and his master’s degree in accounting from Southern New Hampshire University.

Anthony Romei

• Romei joined the firm’s Accounting and Audit department. He began his career on public accounting in 2019, and will primarly focus on not-for-profits and HUD engagements. He received his bachelor’s and masters degrees in accounting from Elms College.

Samantha Calvao

Samantha Calvao

• Calvao joined the firm as a paraprofessional. She received her associate degree in accounting from Holyoke Community College and is a candidate to receive her bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Southern New Hampshire this summer. She was also recently awarded the PwC LLP Scholarship by the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants.

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Western New England University (WNE) President Robert Johnson announced the appointment of Kristine Goodwin as the university’s vice president of Student Affairs. Goodwin is charged with developing and maintaining an energized approach to cultivating an engaged student environment where learning, academic success, career readiness, and personal development are top priorities. She will oversee the university’s departments of Athletics, Career Education, Residence Life, Community Standards and Education, Student Involvement and Leadership Development, Inclusive Excellence, and the Center for Health and Wellness. Goodwin earned a bachelor’s degree from Westfield State University and a master of education degree from UMass Lowell before graduating magna cum laude from the UMass School of Law in 2020. A senior executive in higher education for more than 20 years at multiple institutions, most recently having worked as an attorney and adjunct faculty member teaching ethics, Goodwin succeeds interim Vice President for Student Affairs Bryan Gross, who will return to his previous position as vice president for Enrollment Management and Marketing.

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Mark Esposito

Mark Esposito

Shatz, Schwartz and Fentin, P.C. announced Attorney Mark Esposito as a new shareholder in the firm. Esposito joined the firm in 2017 and has a wide-ranging, litigation-focused practice. He represents clients in general, commercial and probate litigation, labor and employment matters, administrative law, and criminal cases. He has counseled various public-sector labor unions and employees in collective bargaining, arbitration, and litigation, and represents clients in state and federal courts as well as before administrative agencies. A summa cum laude graduate of Boston University School of Law, Esposito was a member and note editor of the Boston University Law Review. Prior to law school, he graduated magna cum laude from Williams College, where he was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa society.

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Vanessa Martínez

Vanessa Martínez

Holyoke Community College (HCC) Professor of Anthropology Vanessa Martínez is the recipient of the 2022 Thomas Ehrlich Civically Engaged Faculty Award from Campus Compact, a national coalition of colleges and universities committed to the public purposes of higher education. Through academic work that focuses on storytelling, culturally responsive instruction, and cultural humility, Martínez invites diverse groups of students to learn about community-based organizations, advocate and fundraise for community needs based on engaged research, and think critically about the role they play in their communities. One example is the Women of Color Health Equity Collective, a Springfield-based nonprofit organization she co-founded that seeks to provide communities of color better access to maternal health, therapeutic services, and support. Through the collective, students learn about the social determinants of health and the role social inequality plays in health outcomes while researching community needs and developing advocacy plans to help create change. Martínez is also coordinator of HCC’s Honors Program and leads a new community leadership certificate program at the college to give students formal training to continue work at community organizations and take on leadership roles. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Columbus State University, a master’s degree from Georgia State University, and a PhD from UMass Amherst. In 2011, she received the Latino Teaching Excellence Award from then Gov. Deval Patrick, and in 2015 she was selected as a leadership fellow by the American Anthropological Assoc. In 2020, she received the Elaine Marieb Award for Teaching Excellence, HCC’s highest faculty honor. She has been teaching at HCC since 2006.

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The Springfield Museums announced that Emilie Czupryna has joined the staff as director of Development. She arrives in her new role ready to build a strong development team as the Museums focus on their new strategic plan, which includes the objective of long-term fiscal sustainability. She assistant director of External Affairs for Communication & Events, and was promoted to associate director of College Events. In 2017, she was selected for the position of assistant director of Development and in 2018 was promoted to associate director of Development. “I am thrilled to be working with such a wonderful team here at the Springfield Museums,” Czupryna said. “I look forward to enhancing the vision and strategic goals of the Museums through individual philanthropic support and corporate partnerships.”

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Brittany deRonde

Brittany deRonde

OMG Roofing Products, a leading manufacturer of fasteners, adhesives, and installation-productivity tools for the commercial roofing industry, named Brittany deRonde to the newly created position of Product Development chemist. In her new role, deRonde will work with the product managers and development team to address unmet market needs with innovative new adhesive and sealant solutions based on advanced engineering. She reports to Cecile Mejean, director of New Product Development & Innovation. She comes to OMG with significant technical experience. Most recently, she was with ProAmpac in Westfield, where she was a Product Development engineer. Earlier, she worked for Mondi Tekkote of Leonia, N.J. in various engineering and technical management positions supporting product-development efforts. She holds a Ph.D. and master’s degree in polymer science and engineering, both from UMass Amherst, and a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Rutgers University.

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Ruth Banta

Ruth Banta

Pathlight’s executive director, Ruth Banta, announced her retirement after almost 20 years with the organization. Pathlight, established in 1952 and headquartered in Springfield, is a pioneer in services for children, teens, and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities throughout the four counties of Western Mass. Banta came to Pathlight in 2003 and served 14 years as its chief financial officer and vice president of Administration. She was named executive director in 2016. In her tenure as executive director, she has led Pathlight through a period of growth, as well as steering it through the rocky waters of a global pandemic. Some of the highlights of her tenure as director include revenue growth of 14% and 22% growth in net assets, leaving Pathlight in a strong financial position. Under her leadership, Pathlight created the first program in this part of the state to serve an individual in a community residence who needed full-time ventilator support. Pathlight also acquired 13.5 acres of previously state-owned land to replace two antiquated community homes with three modern, five-bedroom homes for people with intellectual disabilities. The Milestones day program, located in Hadley, grew by 55%, while there was a 100% increase in adult services through Family Support and Autism Connections. Banta also supported the development of an innovative sexuality and relationship curriculum through Whole Selves. Most recently, she oversaw the purchase of a new building in Northampton to house programs in Hampshire County, including Whole Children, Milestones, and Family Empowerment. She also supported infrastructure developments for remote services and work, electronic health records, and online training.

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Jessica McGarry

Jessica McGarry

Country Bank announced that Jessica McGarry has been promoted to first vice president, team lead for its Commercial Lending division in the East. McGarry, who joined Country Bank in 2017, has more than 20 years of experience in financial services focused on commercial lending. She earned her bachelor’s degree in business from Nichols College, was a recipient of the Forty Under 40 designation in 2014 from Worcester Business Journal, and was a member of the Leadership Worcester class of 2015-16.

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Jonathan Van Beaver

Jonathan Van Beaver

The Diocese of Springfield hired Jonathan Van Beaver as the new director of Development. Van Beaver will be responsible for all diocesan fundraising efforts, including overseeing the Annual Catholic Appeal (ACA), which funds ministries that help the elderly; mothers and families in crisis; the homeless; and youth. He will also oversee the Foundation Grants, which support Catholic schools, the Newman Catholic Center at UMass Amherst, and lay and social ministries. A graduate of Providence College and convert to Catholicism, Van Beaver most recently worked for Guidance in Giving, which provides fundraising services to Catholic dioceses and schools nationwide. He has worked with the Diocese of Providence, helping to raise more than $2 million. He also helped the Diocese of Worcester, raising $6 million during the pandemic. In addition to working with the diocese, Van Beaver will assist parishes.

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Cheryl Malandrinos

Cheryl Malandrinos

Cheryl Malandrinos was installed as the 2022 president of the Realtor Assoc. of Pioneer Valley (RAPV), a nonprofit trade association with more than 1,800 members. The installation of officers and directors was held on Jan. 14 at the RAPV headquarters and was also livestreamed on Facebook. Malandrinos started her professional real-estate career in 2014 and quickly became involved in RAPV. She has served on the board of directors for three consecutive years and has been involved in several committees. The RAPV named her Realtor of the Year in 2019. In addition to her association involvement, she devotes her time to other community-outreach programs such as Rick’s Place in Wilbraham, Christina’s House in Springfield, and as treasurer for WriteAngles Inc. The following individuals were installed as 2022 officers: Lori Beth Chase of LAER Realty Partners as president-elect, Arlene Castellano of Maria Acuna Real Estate as treasurer, Peter Ruffini of RE/MAX Connections as secretary, and Elias Acuna of Maria Acuna Real Estate as immediate past president. Directors include Shawn Bowman of Trademark Real Estate, Brenda Cuoco of Brenda Cuoco & Associates, Peter Davies of Borawski Real Estate, Janise Fitzpatrick of Jones Group Realtors, Luci Giguere of Landmark Realtors, Sharyn Jones of Executive Real Estate, Michelle Stegall of Property One, and Clinton Stone of Property One.

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John Anz

The Loomis Communities announced that John Anz, former director of Development and interim executive director for the Springfield Symphony Orchestra (SSO), has joined Loomis as director of Development and Community Engagement. He will be responsible for fund development and outreach to the three Loomis-affiliated senior-living communities: Applewood in Amherst, Loomis Village in South Hadley, and Loomis Lakeside at Reeds Landing in Springfield. Anz joined the SSO as Development director in 2019 and served as interim executive director of the organization from April through December 2021. He has a 20-year career in development that includes independent schools, the YMCA, and music and the arts. Prior to joining the SSO, he worked as director of Development at Berkshire Hills Music Academy in South Hadley.

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Kevin J. O’Neil, chairman of the board of directors of Greenfield Cooperative Bank (GCB) and its Northampton Cooperative Bank division, announced the promotion of Anthony Worden to chief executive officer. Last year, Worden took over as president of GCB, following the planned retirement announcement of former President and CEO Michael Tucker. Worden’s promotion to CEO culminates a transitionary year and overall succession plan put in place by the board of the bank. Worden is a director, executive committee member, and former chair of the governance committee for the United Way of the Franklin and Hampshire Region; a former director of the Franklin County Community Development Corp.; and a former director of Berkshire Brewing Co. of South Deerfield. He received his bachelor’s degree from UMass Amherst and his MBA is from the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst, and he is a graduate of the ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking at the University of Pennsylvania.

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Paul Lambert

Paul Lambert

The Springfield Symphony Orchestra (SSO) board announced the hiring of Paul Lambert, former vice president of Enshrinement Services & Community Engagement at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, as interim executive director of the SSO. Lambert succeeds interim Executive Director John Anz, who left the SSO to take a position at another organization. Lambert will start in the position immediately. Lambert’s professional experience includes nearly 20 years with the Basketball Hall of Fame, initially as vice president of Guest Experience and Programming, and more recently as vice president of Enshrinement Services & Community Engagement. Prior to the Hall of Fame, Lambert served as director of Event Production for the NBA, working on the development and execution of live programming, grassroots initiatives, and international events, including the NBA Jam Session program, numerous All-Star Games, successfully staged events in Canada and Mexico, and numerous initiatives and events throughout Europe, Asia, and Australia. Before working in the basketball industry, Lambert enjoyed a career in professional theater, including his roles as general manager of the Cape Playhouse in Dennis for seven years and as executive director of the Westport (Conn.) Country Playhouse. He also served as a production stage manager for many years. Lambert serves on a number of local boards and community organizations, including the National Conference for Community and Justice; former board chair of New England Public Media; the Loomis Communities; and the boards of the Cape Cod Center for the Arts, the South Hadley Cultural Council, Longmeadow UNICO, and the Springfield Rotary. He is a graduate of Boston College, cum laude, with a bachelor’s degree in English and theater.

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Greg LaCasse

Greg LaCasse

Whittlesey announced the promotion of Greg LaCasse, CPA to director, effective immediately. LaCasse joined the firm in 2017 and has more than 25 years of experience in public and private accounting, including Big 4 experience and four years in the private sector, serving as the chief financial officer for an international retail and consumer goods IT consulting firm. LaCasse is an active member of Whittlesey’s real-estate, construction, and manufacturing niche and specializes in providing tax and advisory services to both businesses and individuals with a focus working with clients in the professional-service, real-estate, retail, wholesale, construction, and manufacturing and distribution industries. He holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Central Connecticut State University and a master’s degree in taxation from the University of Hartford. He also pursues continuing professional education in taxation and business-advisory services. He is an active member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Connecticut Society of Certified Public Accountants.

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Alexander Cerbo

Alexander Cerbo

The Royal Law Firm recently welcomed attorney Alexander Cerbo to its team. Cerbo received his bachelor’s degree from Assumption College and his juris doctor from Western New England University School of Law. He is admitted to practice law in the state of Massachusetts. Prior to joining the Royal Law Firm, he worked at Rhode Island Legal Services (RILS), a nonprofit legal-aid organization dedicated to providing high-quality legal representation to low-income individuals. As their rent-relief specialist, he assisted more than 60 indigent tenants and their families secure more than a half-million dollars in federal funding to pay rental arrears as a result of financial hardship experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Before his time at RILS, Cerbo served as a law clerk to Judge Robert Fields of the Western Massachusetts Division Housing Court. The Royal Law Firm is a boutique, corporation-side-only law firm operating throughout New England.

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Following a rigorous national search, the New England Public Media (NEPM) board of directors selected Matt Abramovitz as the new president of NEPM, starting Feb. 1. Abramovitz joins NEPM from New York Public Radio, where he is currently serving as vice president of Programming for WQXR, one of the nation’s leading classical-music stations. During his tenure, he developed new digital content, diversified programming, and established innovative partnerships, including a collaboration with the Metropolitan Opera that produced the critically acclaimed podcast “Aria Code.” He is a graduate of Wesleyan University and received his master’s degree from Cornell University.

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The Children’s Museum at Holyoke celebrated 40 years of growth and service earlier this year, and hopes to accelerate its success with the appointment of new Executive Director

Jenny Powers

Jenny Powers

. She succeeds Susan Kelley, who retired earlier this year. Powers’s background includes work in public school and museums, as well as a long history of volunteering with Girl Scouts in Holyoke. The Children’s Museum at Holyoke was founded in 1981 by the Junior League and was incorporated in 1984. It exists to ensure that any child who is interested can take advantage of the educational and cultural programming. Powers hopes to build on this legacy and to increase community partnerships and bring the museum outside of its four walls into the community.

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Kevin DeRosa

Greenfield Savings Bank (GSB) announced the hiring of Kevin DeRosa as vice president for its Retail Distribution Network. He will be responsible for overseeing the retail operations of all GSB offices and the bank’s contact center, which includes teller and customer service in the lobbies, the call center, and the teller services offered through the bank’s network of Teller Connect ATMs, which provide GSB teller service via video. DeRosa earned a bachelor’s degree in business finance and an MBA from the University of New Hampshire. He graduated from the CUNA Management School as a certified credit union executive and has also earned the designation of credit union compliance expert. He has recently received a National Excellence Award from the Credit Union National Assoc. for developing a solutions-based sales program. He is also an adjunct professor at Vermont State Colleges and at the Community College System of New Hampshire, where he has taught since 2014. He is very active volunteering in the Claremont, N.H. area at Riverstone Church and has been a past board member and treasurer of the Greater Claremont Chamber of Commerce. He is also a past member of the Norwich, Vt. Business Council.

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Collins Electric announced a change in leadership, with Larry Eagan taking the reins as company president and CEO, Patrick Egan assuming the role of vice president of Finance, and Andrew Collins, the son of the company’s recently retired co-president, assuming the role of vice president of Operations and beginning the fifth generation of family company ownership. Established in 1906, Collins Electric serves commercial, industrial, and institutional facilities across Western Mass. Eagan was co-president with Joseph Collins until Collins’ retirement in late 2020. Eagan has been with the company for more than 30 years, representing the fourth generation of family ownership. He and Joseph are the great-grandsons of the company co-founder, Timothy Collins. Another great-grandson, Egan, joined the company in 2019, previously serving as the CFO and COO of the YWCA of Western Massachusetts. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Boston College and an MBA from the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst. Andrew Collins first joined Collins Electric in 2011. He is a graduate of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 7 apprenticeship program and Johnson & Wales University. He has been working as an estimator and project manager for the company for the last several years. He is a great-great-grandson of Timothy Collins.

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Sue Drumm

April Healey

The Realtor Assoc. of Pioneer Valley (RAPV) announced its annual award winners at the association’s Holiday Celebration meeting on Dec. 8 at the Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel. The Realtor of the Year is Sue Drumm of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. The Affiliate of the Year is April Healey of Norcom Mortgage. The Realtor of the Year Award is the highest form of recognition the association can bestow on a Realtor member. It is given to a member based on association activity, community activity outside the association, and business activity. A Realtor since 2009, Drumm has served on the RAPV board of directors since 2013. She has also served on the community service, education fair and expo, finance, government affairs, and member engagement committees. Drumm has given back to the community through her active involvement with the community service committee, including conducting toy drives and assisting with the Shriners Hospitals for Children blanket drive to benefit the committee’s effort. She has also coordinated RAPV new-member orientation and participated in the Mayoral Minute with Agawam Mayor William Sapelli. The Affiliate of the Year Award is the highest form of recognition the association can bestow on an affiliate member. It is given based on affiliate membership activities related to the association, community service in activities outside the association, and business activity. A member of RAPV since 2002, Healey is the loan officer at Norcom Mortgage and has served on the community service and affiliate-Realtor committees. She has demonstrated a tremendous amount of support to the association and community outreach and volunteered in RAPV’s community-service efforts by helping and taking the lead in serving neighbors in the Franklin County Community Meals Program and getting involved with her local Rotary Club. She has also conducted financial-management workshops for teens and single moms in Franklin County.

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The Springfield Symphony Orchestra (SSO) board announced that interim Executive Director John Anz, who formerly served as Development director, will be accepting another position outside of the SSO. Concurrently, the board has begun the process of identifying and hiring a new interim leader for the organization. The SSO management committee will serve as the committee to conduct the search process. Anz said the announcement about his new position will be shared at a later date in order to allow the hiring organization to inform internal staff and related constituencies. “It has been my great pleasure and privilege to be a part of this important cultural partner in our community these past few years,” he said. “Despite the many recent challenges we have faced, I have complete confidence in the current leadership of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra. I look forward to the SSO’s triumphant return to the concert stage and continuing to be a patron and supporter now and in the years to come.”

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The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts (CFWM) announced the promotion of Colleen Kucinski to director of Education Impact and Partnerships, and the appointments of Meredith Lewis as director of Community Impact and Partnerships and Bandhana Sinha as business analyst. Kucinski, who celebrated her sixth anniversary at CFWM in September, will now direct post-secondary programs, Western Mass Completes, and other initiatives, including a forthcoming focus on supporting a strong start for all children. Prior to administering CFWM’s $2 million scholarship and interest-free loan program as a senior program officer at the foundation, Kucinski spent more than 20 years working directly with students at area colleges, including Greenfield Community College, where she served as director of Career Services and later as director of Admission. She earned a master of education degree at Springfield College. In her new role, Lewis has oversight of all aspects of community investments, including the design, implementation, and monitoring of grant-making activities to direct the foundation’s community-impact goals. She previously served as director of Content, Education, and Family Experience for PJ Library, a global literacy program, as well as in a variety of roles, including managing editor and chief operating officer, at 70 Faces Media. She received her master of public administration degree and a master’s degree in Hebrew and Judaic studies from New York University, and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University. In a newly developed position, Sinha is responsible for leveraging technology and data to drive productivity and innovation. In recent work, she served as an IT business analyst for Equinix and a business initiatives consultant for Wells Fargo in the San Francisco Bay area. Sinha received her post-graduate diploma in management from New Delhi Institute of Management and her bachelor’s degree in business management from Bangalore University.

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Zhaojun ‘Steven’ Li of the Western New England University (WNE) College of Engineering has been elected to serve as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Reliability Society’s 2022 president. Li is an associate professor with the Department of Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management at WNE. He currently serves on the editorial board for IEEE Transactions on Reliability and is the lead editor of IEEE Access Reliability Society Section. He served as the vice president for publications of the IEEE Reliability Society in 2019 and has been the treasurer since 2020. He also served as a board member of the IISE Quality Control and Reliability Engineering Division. He is an ASQ-certified reliability engineer and Caterpillar Six Sigma Black Belt. His research interests include data analytics, applied statistics, operations research, and reliability engineering. He is a senior member of IEEE and IISE. Li was named Engineer of the Year by IEEE Reliability Society in 2020. He received his PhD in industrial engineering from the University of Washington. Established in 1884, the IEEE is the world’s largest technical professional organization dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity. The IEEE Reliability Society promotes recognition of the reliability profession, develops and disseminates reliability best practices, and is a resource for collaboration among reliability professionals.

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Care Coordinate, a statewide network that provides access to high-quality and cost-effective home- and community-based services, of which LifePath is a partner, named Sean Rogers its managing director. A senior-level executive with extensive home-care and community-based experience, Rogers most recently served as vice president of Strategy and Development at Amedisys, a leading provider of in-home healthcare for older adults. Additionally, he has held state government leadership positions at the Executive Office of Elder Affairs, where he served as director of Operations, and with the Department of Mental Health as director of Budget and Core Services for the metro-suburban region. In this new position, Rogers will leverage the strength of Care Coordinate’s network of aging-services access points (ASAPs) to offer a single, statewide entity for insurance plans, accountable-care organizations, and other providers and payers to manage and administer long-term services and supports that drive quality care and improved outcomes for its partners. Services offered include in-home case management, care transitions, provider-network management, third-party billing and claim operations, and consultative solutions. Rogers received his education and training in human-resource management, financial systems, administration, and leadership from the U.S. Coast Guard. He is currently on the board of directors of the Home Care Aide Council and serves as president of the board of the Home Care Aide Foundation.

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Valley Community Development announced Alexis Breiteneicher has been named executive director. She comes to Valley after almost eight years at Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA), where she served as director of Development. Before that, she was the Development manager for the Trustees of Reservations and worked for the Melville Charitable Trust in Boston. She also has considerable experience working with nonprofit organizations that support low-income communities, with an emphasis on finding solutions to homelessness. Board President Peter Jessop had been serving as interim executive director prior to Breiteneicher’s hire.

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HCC Foundation Inc., the nonprofit fundraising arm of Holyoke Community College, has added four new members to its board of directors, including three alumni. Wendy Fox (’16) is director of Curriculum Development for Onramp Invest, a crypto-asset management company. A graduate of HCC and the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst, Fox worked with the UMass Foundation board and UMass alumni board as an administrative fellow for corporate engagement at the university. Maura Greaney (’93) is director of Philanthropy, Development Communications, and Special Events for the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy. Greaney has an extensive background in nonprofit fundraising, grant writing, event planning, and development. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Mount Holyoke College and a master’s degree from UMass Boston. Erin Godfrey is director of Odyssey House, a program of Viability, a Holyoke nonprofit that supports individuals with disabilities and other societal advantages. She is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College whose husband, Chris Godfrey, attended HCC through the support of the college’s veterans programs, and both were involved with the HCC Military Club while he was a student. Camille Theriaque (’12) is a licensed clinical social worker with MiraVista Behavioral Health Center in Holyoke. As a student at HCC searching for a second career, Theriaque, a retired Holyoke firefighter, received a 29 Who Shine award from the state Department of Higher Education as well as a prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship. She earned her bachelor’s degree at Mount Holyoke College and a master’s degree at Smith College.

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Catherine Rioux

Catherine Rioux

Monson Savings Bank announced the recent promotion of Catherine Rioux to commercial portfolio officer. She will be based out of the Monson Savings Bank Loan & Operations Center at 75 Post Office Park in Wilbraham. Rioux is very involved in the local communities. She is a member of the Ludlow Rotary Club and the Monson High School scholarship committee, and volunteers with local organizations, including St. Patrick’s Church and I Found Light Against All Odds. She is a graduate of Western New England University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration. She is also a graduate of the New England School of Financial Studies and the Springfield Regional Chamber Leadership Institute. Rioux has had the unique opportunity of working in many departments of the bank, gaining vast knowledge of the industry. In 2006, she started her career with Monson Savings Bank as a high-school intern in the Human Resources department. When her internship ended, she accepted a position as a receptionist, shortly after moving to the Retail department. In 2013, she joined the Residential Lending department as a residential loan servicer. In early 2015, she accepted a position in the Commercial department as a commercial loan servicer. She thrived in this department and would go on to become a junior credit analyst before being promoted to credit analyst. Prior to this most recent promotion, she served as commercial portfolio manager.

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Matt Eddy

Matt Eddy

UMassFive College Federal Credit Union recently introduced the newest leader of its Northampton VA Medical Center branch, Matt Eddy. Eddy began his career at UMassFive three years ago as a member service specialist at the credit union’s King Street, Northampton branch, where his standards for outstanding service quickly created a rapport among the Northampton membership and built the foundation for his promotion to manager of the Northampton VA Medical Center branch. In his new position, he now oversees the day-to-day operations of the Northampton VA Medical Center branch, including leading a team that cultivates a positive banking experience with each member interaction. He is also in charge of maintaining branch compliance.

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Lachlan Harris

Lachlan Harris

Florence Bank promoted Lachlan Harris to the position of information security administration officer. Harris joined Florence Bank in 2016. Prior to his recent promotion, he had served as the information and cybersecurity administrator. In his new role, he will be responsible for security protocols throughout the bank’s information infrastructure. He is a certified information systems security professional and also a member of the Global Information Assurance Certification Advisory Board.

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Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts (JFS) announced the appointment of Gabriela Sheehan as its new Berkshires resettlement coordinator. Sheehan comes to JFS with master’s degree in career and technical education from Northern Arizona University, and more than 10 years of experience teaching in the Pittsfield public-school system. In addition, she served on the United Educator of Pittsfield board for two years, and recently taught ESL to multilingual students in grades 5-8 at Du Bois Middle School. She will join JFS’ New American Program to facilitate the reception and placement of Afghan evacuees in Berkshire County, including coordinating with legal, housing, education, government, advocacy, and social-service agencies and businesses to advance opportunities for refugees to survive, integrate, and thrive in Berkshire County. She will also work closely with volunteer leaders and organizations taking part in resettlement efforts. She will begin her new position on Dec. 6. Sheehan credits growing up in a multi-lingual, bicultural home, and her late father, Ramiro Guerrero, who was a champion for justice for the Latino community in the Berkshires, for giving her the incentive to become a strong advocate for immigrant families. She looks forward to sharing her passion for cultural diversity with the greater community.

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Cecile Mejean

Cecile Mejean

OMG Inc., a Steel Partners company and a leading manufacturer of fasteners, adhesives, and construction-productivity tools marketed through its FastenMaster and Roofing Products divisions, named Cecile Mejean director of the New Product Development & Innovation Department for its OMG Roofing Products division. She will lead the new-product development team, driving product and application innovation for the division. In addition, she will lead the Technical Services organization in delivering technical product support and managing codes and approvals. She reports to Peter Coyne, senior vice president and general manager. Mejean joins OMG Roofing Products from Saint-Gobain High-Performance Materials. She spent the past nine years in research and development and business-leadership roles, most recently as business manager for the electronic market. Before Saint-Gobain, she held research positions at Yale University Medical School and Harvard University. She holds a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering and materials science from Yale University and master’s degrees in soft matter, colloids, and polymers from the University of Bordeaux and in chemical engineering from the Ecole National Superieure de Physique et Chimie de Bordeaux, both in Bordeaux, France.

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Mike Kelly

Smith Brothers Insurance hired Mike Kelly as private client practice leader. He is responsible for private-client growth initiatives, client service, and enhancing the company’s people-focused culture. Kelly brings 15 years of experience in the insurance industry on the agent, broker, and carrier sides, with key leadership roles in high-net-worth personal lines. Most recently, he was vice president, regional executive for PURE Insurance, a carrier that specializes in financially successful families.

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Dr. Simone Alter-Muri

Dr. Simone Alter-Muri, Springfield College’s director and professor for Art Therapy/Counseling and Art Education Programs, recently received the American Art Therapy Assoc. (AATA) 2021 Outstanding Creative Applied Practice Award (OCAPA). Alter-Muri received her honor during the AATA’s recent 2021 virtual awards ceremony. The criteria for this award included personal art making that emphasized social justice, resilience, and the promotion of art therapy in the community. Alter-Muri’s art making has demonstrated a commitment to creative practice and has significantly influenced the art-therapy community with these art-based practices. She has demonstrated support for the value of art in art therapy as evidenced by both personal and professional practice as an artist and art therapist. The OCAPA is designated for an active member of the AATA whose contributions as an artist and art therapist (or student in a current art-therapy program) have significantly influenced the art-therapy profession. The AATA is dedicated to the growth and development of the art-therapy profession. Founded in 1969, the association is one of the world’s leading art-therapy membership organizations. Its mission is to advance art therapy as a regulated mental-health profession and build a community that supports art therapists throughout their careers.

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Diane Brunelle

Diane Brunelle

Dennis Duquette

Dennis Duquette

Mark O’Connell

Mark O’Connell

The Elms College board of trustees appointed three regional leaders — Diane Brunelle, Dennis Duquette, and Mark O’Connell — to serve on the board. Brunelle, a 1984 alumna, is president of the Elms College Alumni Assoc. and has been a member of the association since 2012. She is a retired nurse executive who has more than 30 years of experience serving in leadership positions at acute healthcare facilities in both Massachusetts and Vermont, including Shriners Hospital for Children, Baystate Health, Holyoke Medical Center, and Brattleboro Memorial Hospital. She has served on numerous boards throughout her career and was the recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award from Elms in 2013. Brunelle was a member of the college’s first RN-to-BSN class. She also received her master’s degree in nursing administration from the University of Massachusetts and is a graduate of the Wharton Nursing Leaders Program through the Wharton School and Leonard David School of Health Economics at the University of Pennsylvania. Duquette is head of Community Responsibility for MassMutual in Springfield and president and CEO of the MassMutual Foundation. He and his team are responsible for setting corporate community-relations strategy development and driving community investments, philanthropy, and community-impact program management for the firm nationally. Duquette has worked in financial services for 40 years; he began his career at MassMutual just out of college and then worked for Fidelity Investments in Boston for 27 years. He returned to MassMutual in his current role in 2016. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Boston College, graduating cum laude with a double major in communications and English. He earned a master’s degree in administrative studies, also from Boston College, and later earned a master’s degree in public policy and administration from Northwestern University. He currently serves on the board of directors at the Jump$tart Coalition in Washington, D.C. as well as the community and government relations committee for the Springfield Museums. O’Connell is a principal in Wolf & Company’s assurance group and is the firm’s president and CEO, responsible for leading Wolf’s overall strategic direction. He has more than 40 years of experience providing audit and financial reporting services to both privately held and publicly traded financial institutions, as well as holding companies (including community banks and mortgage banking institutions) across New England. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Western New England University and is a former board member and board president with the Children’s Study Home in Springfield.

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Marylou Fabbo

Marylou Fabbo

Timothy Murphy

Timothy Murphy

Amelia Holstrom

Amelia Holstrom

Meaghan Murphy

Meaghan Murphy

Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C. announced that two of its attorneys, Marylou Fabbo and Timothy Murphy, have been selected to the 2021 Massachusetts Super Lawyers list in the field of employment and labor law. Additionally, attorneys Amelia Holstrom and Meaghan Murphy were named to the 2021 Massachusetts Rising Stars list. Fabbo has been selected to Super Lawyers 11 times and was twice prior named to the Rising Stars list. A partner and head of the firm’s litigation team, she represents employers in litigation before state and federal courts as well as agencies in Massachusetts and Connecticut. She also has more than 25 years of experience providing legal advice to clients to reduce the risk they will unknowingly engage in illegal employment practices. Murphy was selected to Super Lawyers for the third time after twice being named to the Rising Stars list. Focusing his practice on labor relations, union campaigns, collective bargaining and arbitration, employment litigation, and employment counseling, he has been included in The Best Lawyers in America every year since 2013 and was named Lawyer of the Year in 2015, 2019, 2020, and 2021. He is very active within the local community, sitting on boards of directors for several area organizations, including the Human Service Forum and Community Legal Aid. Holstrom and Murphy have both been selected to the Massachusetts Rising Stars list for the fourth time. Massachusetts Rising Stars recognizes no more than 2.5% of the lawyers in the state. Holstrom defends employers against claims of discrimination, retaliation, harassment, and wrongful termination, as well as actions arising under the Family Medical Leave Act and wage-and-hour laws. She also frequently provides counsel to management regarding litigation-avoidance strategies. She was awarded the Massachusetts Bar Assoc. Community Service Award in 2016, and was named in 2017 as an Up & Coming Lawyer by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly at its Excellence in the Law event. Murphy advises clients regarding all employment-related matters, including compliance with state, federal, and local laws, as well as discipline of employees. She also creates workplace policies for clients and represents them in various forums, including at the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities, government agencies, and in state and federal court.

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Antonio Dos Santos

Antonio Dos Santos

Crear, Chadwell, Dos Santos & Devlin, P.C. announced that Partner Antonio Dos Santos was selected to the 2021 Massachusetts Super Lawyers list in the field of real estate. Dos Santos focuses his practice on all facets of commercial real estate, commercial finance, and general business law. He has significant experience representing developers, investors, and lenders regarding complex commercial real-estate transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions, leasing, financing, zoning, and permitting. Additionally, he represents many closely held businesses regarding entity formation, succession planning, mergers and acquisitions, and financing. Active in the community, Dos Santos currently serves as general counsel for a local nonprofit organization, providing advice for all its day-to-day operations, including its development of affordable housing in Massachusetts and throughout the U.S. He also currently serves as chairman of the Westmass Area Development Corp. board of directors.

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William Burke III

William Burke III

William Burke III will chair the Springfield College board of trustees for the 2021-22 academic year. A board of trustees member since 2004, he will lead the governing body of the college, which is responsible for major decisions and changes on campus, and comprises an integral part of the progress and advancement of the college. Burke was chief operating officer of Newell Brands, a Fortune 200 global marketer of consumer and commercial products with worldwide sales of more than $10 billion. The company has a strong portfolio of well-known brands, including Yankee Candle, Sharpie, Paper Mate, Parker, Elmer’s, Yankee Candle, Coleman, Marmot, Rawlings, Oster, Sunbeam, Mr. Coffee, Graco, Baby Jogger, Calphalon, Contigo, First Alert, Jostens, and Rubbermaid. Burke’s 13-year career with Newell Rubbermaid started as president of American Saw, where he was recruited to integrate a privately held company, Lenox, into Newell Rubbermaid. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Loyola College (now Loyola University), and also received an MBA from Loyola College Sellenger School of Management.

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Jaclyn Cronin

Jaclyn Cronin

Jeremy Saint Laurent

Jeremy Saint Laurent

The Royal Law Firm recently welcomed attorneys Jaclyn Cronin and Jeremy Saint Laurent to its team. Cronin received her bachelor’s degree from Eastern Connecticut State University and her juris doctor from Western New England University School of Law. She is admitted to practice law in the state of Connecticut. Saint Laurent joins the firm with extensive litigation experience, having worked as the head of the Litigation department for the city of Springfield. The Royal Law Firm is a boutique, corporation-side-only law firm operating throughout New England.

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Joe Desormier has joined Clayton Insurance Agency as an account executive/producer. Desormier graduated from Granby High School in 2017 and continued his education at Worcester State University (WSU), where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. “I am extremely excited for my journey here at Clayton to finally be underway,” he said. “Having a great team of co-workers by my side to help me along the way will be an incredible benefit, and I look forward to being a productive member of the team.”

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Sudha Setty

Sudha Setty

Western New England University (WNE) School of Law Dean Sudha Setty has been elected to serve on the advisory committee of the American Bar Assoc. (ABA) Legal Education Police Practices Consortium. The consortium aims to contribute to the national effort examining and addressing legal issues in policing and public safety, including conduct, oversight, and the evolving nature of police work. The consortium leverages the ABA’s expertise and that of participating ABA-accredited law schools to collaborate on projects to develop and implement better police practices throughout the U.S. The advisory committee provides input and advice concerning the general direction of the consortium, suggests ideas for appropriate law-student participant assignments, and advises on other relevant matters. Setty became dean of the School of Law in 2018 and has served on the faculty since 2006. She is the author of National Security Secrecy: Comparative Effects on Democracy and the Rule of Law and the editor of Constitutions, Security, and the Rule of Law, and has written dozens of articles on national-security law and policy. In 2018, she was elected to membership in the American Law Institute. She is also a founder of the Workshop for Asian-American Women in the Legal Academy, an effort to support current and aspiring members of the legal academy and to diversify its ranks, which held its inaugural workshop in 2021.

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Erica Flores

Erica Flores

Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C. announced that Attorney Erica Flores has been recognized as one of the 2021 Top Women of Law by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly. She will be honored at an award ceremony recognizing the top 50 female legal professionals in Massachusetts on Wednesday, Nov. 17 at Boston Marriot Copley Place. Flores has been with Skoler Abbott since 2013 and was named a partner earlier this year. She defends employers in single-plaintiff and class-action litigation involving claims of discrimination, harassment and retaliation, wage and hour violations, contract disputes, and other employment issues. She also advises clients with respect to compliance challenges, personnel policies, and day-to-day employment issues, and provides custom training programs and materials on a variety of important topics, including sexual harassment, paid and unpaid leave, and ADA accommodations. Flores has been an invited speaker at educational events sponsored by local chambers of commerce, the Employers Assoc. of the NorthEast, the CMEA Employers Assoc., and other organizations, and has been published in BusinessWest, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, and the Massachusetts Bar Association’s Massachusetts Law Review. She is also an editor of and contributor to the New England Employment Law Letter and volunteers her time as president of the board of directors of the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. She received her law degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and her undergraduate degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

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Janice Ward

Janice Ward

Greenfield Savings Bank Wealth Management and Trust Services named Janice Ward first vice president and trust officer. She joins GSB Wealth Management and Trust Services with more than 19 years of experience in the industry, and will assist clients with financial-planning, estate-settlement, and trust-administration services throughout the Western Mass. area, including the Berkshires. Ward graduated from Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. She then received a juris doctor degree at Western New England University and has been a licensed attorney in both Massachusetts and New York since 2005. In 2012, she earned the designation of certified financial planner. She is the co-founder of the Berkshire County Estate Planning Council, and after serving as president for five years, she is currently a director. She has many active professional connections with CPAs, attorneys, investment and insurance professionals, and financial planners throughout Franklin, Hampshire, Hamden, and Berkshire counties.

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Jennifer Halpin

Jennifer Halpin

Florence Bank promoted Jennifer Halpin to the position of assistant vice president, Human Resources and affirmative action manager at the main office in Florence. Halpin is a seven-year employee of Florence Bank who brings extensive knowledge and skills to her new position, in which she will lead and direct the routine functions of the Human Resources department, including hiring and interviewing, payroll administration, benefits, and overseeing and implementing the bank’s equal-employment opportunity and affirmative-action policies and plans. During her tenure at the bank, she has been the recipient of the President’s Award, which is given to employees who demonstrate superior levels of performance, customer service, and overall contribution to the bank. Halpin holds an associate degree in business administration from Berkshire Community College and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from UMass Amherst.

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Morgan Stanley announced that John Pappas, a financial advisor in the firm’s Springfield Wealth Management office, has been named to Forbes magazine’s list of Top Next-Gen Wealth Advisors. The Forbes listing is a select group of individuals who were born in 1981 or later, have a minimum of four years of industry experience, and lead — or are viewed as potential leaders of — their teams. The ranking, developed by Forbes’ partner, SHOOK Research, is based on an algorithm of qualitative and quantitative data, weighing factors like revenue trends, assets under management, compliance records, industry experience, and best practices learned through telephone and in-person interviews.

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Nathan Leveille

Nathan Leveille

Holyoke Community College (HCC) recently welcomed Nathan Leveille as its new staff associate of Grants Development and Management. Leveille, an HCC graduate from the class of 2001, returns to the college with more than 15 years of experience in grants development and management through his positions at Springfield Technical Community College, where he had worked as grants manager and staff assistant in the Development Office since 2005. He started his position in the office of Resource Development at HCC on Oct. 18. After graduating from HCC with his associate degree in liberal arts, Leveille went on to Westfield State University for his bachelor’s degree in mass communication with a concentration in public and corporate communications.

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In an effort to defend science and combat misinformation, Richard Peltier, associate professor of Environmental Health Sciences in the UMass Amherst School of Public Health and Health Sciences, has started writing a free, weekly newsletter called Up in the Air on Substack, a digital subscription newsletter platform. Peltier, an expert in air pollution, aims to offer “objective analysis of science — mostly air quality and health, but occasionally dipping my toes in other directions where I might have something to say.” He conducted urgent research at the start of the pandemic to test whether healthcare workers could safely reuse face masks designed for one-time use. In general, using innovative approaches and novel designs and applications of instrumentation, he focuses his research on advancing knowledge of particulate matter and its impact on human health. Peltier’s expertise is often sought by national media outlets and such agencies as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the World Health Organization, for which he serves on the Global Air Pollution and Health Technical Advisory Group. Subscribe for free at 20000breaths.substack.com/about.

People on the Move

By
People on the Move
Caitlin Trites

Caitlin Trites

Bill Kemple

Bill Kemple

Trina Moskal

Trina Moskal

The Wealth Transition Collective Inc., a values-based, full-service financial-planning firm in Holyoke, recently announced personnel news regarding three team members. Caitlin Trites recently passed the Securities Industry Essentials and Series 6 exams and has been promoted to registered client relationship manager. She has 13 years of financial-services industry experience. Bill Kemple was recently awarded Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor designation. CPFA designees are financial professionals that demonstrate expertise and experience working with qualified retirement plans. During the CPFA certification, candidates spend two months learning about fiduciary services for qualified retirement plans. Kemple recently celebrated his one-year anniversary with the Wealth Transition Collective and brings more than 13 years of financial-services experience helping individuals, families, and small business owners oversee their fiduciary affairs. Trina Moskal has joined the firm as a Medicare planning specialist. She will be responsible for new business development as well as working with firm clients on their individual Medicare and Social Security planning needs in the pre- and post-retirement life stages. Moskal has held a number of leadership positions in the healthcare community, and earned a master’s degree in healthcare management from Bay Path University.

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Jean Deliso

Jean Deliso

Jean Deliso, CFP has been named a member of the 2021 Chairman’s Council of New York Life. Members of the Chairman’s Council rank in the top 4% of New York Life’s more than 12,000 licensed agents in sales achievement. Deliso has accomplished this level of achievement for 10 consecutive years. Deliso has been a New York Life agent since 1995 and is associated with New York Life’s Connecticut Valley General Office in Windsor, Conn. She is a member of Nautilus Group, an exclusive advanced-planning resource for estate-conservation and business-continuation strategies. She is president and owner of Deliso Financial and Insurance Services, a firm focusing on comprehensive financial strategies that help position clients for a solid financial future. She has been working in the financial field for more than 30 years, her first seven in public accounting and the balance working in the financial-services industry. A certified financial planner, Deliso has developed an expertise in assisting business owners and individuals protecting and securing their and their family’s future. Her extensive experience has led to a focus in certain fields, such as cash-flow planning, risk management, investment, retirement, and estate planning. Deliso currently serves on and has held chairman of the board positions at Baystate Health Foundation and the Community Music School of Springfield. She is also a former board member of the YMCA of Greater Springfield and Pioneer Valley Refrigerated Warehouse, a former trustee of the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, and a member of the Bay Path University advisory board.

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Two employees who have been coordinating UMass Amherst’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic since March were recently honored by Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy for their efforts. Ann Becker, campus Public Health director and a clinical associate professor in the Elaine Marieb College of Nursing, and Jeffrey Hescock, executive director of Environmental Health and Safety and Emergency Management, were awarded the Chancellor’s Medal at a recent tribute dinner. Hescock and Becker are the co-directors of the university’s Public Health Promotion Center (PHPC), which has been the home to the UMass COVID testing and vaccination programs. The Chancellor’s Medal is the highest honor the campus bestows on individuals, and is given for exemplary and extraordinary service to the university. Becker and Hescock had worked together before the pandemic on urgent issues of campus public health and safety, including their successful effort to stem a campus meningitis outbreak. When COVID-19 hit, they once again combined their respective expertise in public health and emergency management to quickly develop a response strategy for the campus, including the establishment of the PHPC, which became one of the largest asymptomatic COVID testing resources in the Commonwealth. They continually evolved the PHPC from a testing site to a vaccination clinic as well.

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Jenna Rahilly

Jenna Rahilly

Florence Bank appointed Jenna Rahilly to serve as vice president and Human Resources Operations director. She is a 23-year veteran in the banking industry with 28 years of professional human-resources experience. Rahilly most recently served as vice president of Human Resources for a local credit union. Her duties included the overall management of the credit union’s human-resources function, which encompassed the development and implementation of policies related to employee relations, organizational development, recruitment, compensation and benefits, training, and human-resources compliance. Rahilly studied at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in English.

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Eric Frazier

Eric Frazier

Eric Frazier joined OMG Roofing Products as the market manager for its growing line of roofing adhesives. In his newly created position, Frazier is responsible for developing marketing strategies and sales-execution plans for the adhesive-product category, including OMG’s popular line of OlyBond500 adhesives. In this capacity, he will work closely with product management, marketing communications, as well as the field sales team to deliver adhesive solutions to OMG customers. He reports to Adam Cincotta, vice president of the Adhesives & Solar Business unit. Frazier has extensive experience in brand and product-line commercialization as a product marketing manager. He comes to OMG from Techtronic Industries of Anderson, S.C., where he spent more than six years, most recently as group product manager responsible for leading product development and marketing efforts within its Ryobi and Hart brands. He holds a master’s degree in marketing from Southern New Hampshire University and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Bryant University in Smithfield, R.I.

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Professor Jennifer Taub of the Western New England University School of Law has recently been elected to the American Law Institute (ALI), the leading independent organization in the U.S. producing scholarly work to clarify, modernize, and otherwise improve the law. The organization includes judges, lawyers, and law professors from the U.S. and abroad, selected on the basis of professional achievement and demonstrated interest in improving the law. Taub will join 24 new members from across the country to advance the ALI mission to clarify the law through restatements, principles, and model codes. At WNE School of Law, she teaches civil procedure, white-collar crime, and other business and commercial law courses. A legal scholar and advocate, she is devoted to making complex business-law topics engaging inside and outside of the classroom. Her scholarly research and writing centers on corporate governance, banking and financial market regulation, and white-collar crime. Similarly, her advocacy is focused on ‘follow the money’ matters, promoting transparency and opposing corruption. Her book, Big Dirty Money: The Shocking Injustice and Unseen Cost of White Collar Crime, was published in 2020 by Viking Press. Penguin Books published the paperback edition of Big Dirty Money last month with a new subtitle: Making White Collar Criminals Pay, with a new preface and epilogue updates.

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Andrea Kwaczala, assistant professor of Biomedical Engineering (BME) in the Western New England University College of Engineering, has been named a 2021 Woman of Innovation for her efforts in post-secondary academic innovation and leadership by the Connecticut Technology Council (CTC) and the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology Inc. Kwaczala was among 11 exceptional Connecticut women recognized for their achievement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) at the 17th annual Women of Innovation awards held virtually on Oct. 14. Women of Innovation finalists are nominated by their peers, co-workers, and mentors and are selected based on their professional experience, history of innovation, ability to think creatively and solve problems, and demonstration of leadership. The Post-Secondary Academic Innovation and Leadership award is granted to a woman working in the post-secondary academic setting who has created and fostered STEM programs in curriculum development, student research, and teacher-student collaborations. Each finalist has secured outside funding to support her work and/or received peer recognition for her leadership and innovation. The prestigious awards were earned by women innovators, role models, and leaders in STEM disciplines. They were selected from a field of 26 finalists — the scientists, researchers, academics, manufacturers, student leaders, entrepreneurs, and technicians who are catalysts for scientific advancement throughout Connecticut.

People on the Move

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People on the Move
Dr. Lynnette Watkins

Dr. Lynnette Watkins

Dr. Lynnette Watkins, an ophthalmologist and healthcare administrator and leader, has been named president and CEO of Cooley Dickinson Health Care. Currently the group chief medical officer for the Baptist Health System/Tenet Healthcare – Texas Group, she will begin her new role at Cooley Dickinson on Sept. 27. Since joining Baptist Health System/Tenet Healthcare in 2017, she has been a member of a team that has provided executive oversight for the multi-hospital system that stretches across the state, with more than 3,600 beds and $3.45 billion in patient revenue. She also has significant leadership experience in community-hospital settings. In addition, Watkins has ties to Massachusetts and the Mass General Brigham system, having completed her residency at Massachusetts Eye and Ear, where she began her clinical career in ophthalmology and oculoplastic surgery and served on the faculty of Harvard Medical School. Before joining the Baptist Health System, Watkins held the position of chief medical officer and chief operating officer at Paris Regional Medical Center in Paris, Texas. She has also served as chief medical officer in Tenet’s Abrazo Community Health Network in Arizona. Her career as a healthcare executive began in Mishawaka, Ind., where she was vice president and chief medical officer for the Saint Joseph Health System/Trinity Health. Watkins earned her undergraduate and medical degrees at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and completed her internship in internal medicine at Truman Medical Center in Kansas City before coming to Boston in 1995 as a resident in ophthalmology at Massachusetts Eye and Ear. After residency, she completed a fellowship in oculoplastic surgery at the University of Iowa, then returned to Massachusetts Eye and Ear, where from 1999 to 2004 she directed the emergency ophthalmology service and walk-in clinic and was an attending physician in the Ophthalmic Plastic Surgery Service.

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Brian Rucki

Brian Rucki

Amanda Carpe

Amanda Carpe

Bacon Wilson announced that Brian Rucki and Amanda Carpe have joined the firm as associate attorneys. Rucki is a member of the real-estate team, and Carpe has joined the probate and estate-planning department. Prior to joining Bacon Wilson, Rucki spent five years practicing law in Westfield, where he worked on all aspects of real-estate transactions including purchases, sales, refinances, and title work, as well as estate-planning matters. Previously, he also served as a clerk in the solicitor’s office for the town of Agawam, where his work focused on municipal law. He attended Western New England University School of Law, earning his juris doctor laude in 2016. He earned a bachelor’s degree from UMass Amherst in 2013. Carpe comes to Bacon Wilson with five years of experience in estate planning, estate administration, guardianship, conservatorship, and residential real estate. She previously practiced in Ludlow and Worcester. In addition to her work in estates and probate, she clerked for the Hampden County Juvenile Court and interned with the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families, where her work focused on juvenile and child-welfare law. She earned her juris doctor in 2016 from Western New England University School of Law, and a bachelor’s degree from Wilkes University in 2013.

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Joseph Deady

Joseph Deady

Kaitlyn Malin

North Brookfield Savings Bank announced the promotions of Joseph Deady and Kaitlyn Malin within the Operations department. Deady has been promoted to Digital Services manager/fraud analyst. He will be responsible for ensuring the bank is using all possible digital products to align with its strategic goals and the needs of our customers, while overseeing account fraud. He joined the bank as a teller in 2011 and has held various roles, including supervisor and management roles and finally fraud analyst in the Operations department in 2015. Most recently, he held the title of Operations specialist and fraud analyst, handling debit-card fraud claims and account compromises and processing and reviewing international wires. Deady has more than 10 years of professional banking experience and holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. He is also ACH-certified. He supports his local communities by volunteering his time and attending fundraising events for local, community-focused organizations like Camp Putnam in New Braintree. Malin has been promoted to Operations specialist. She holds an associate degree from Mount Wachusett Community College. She previously held the position of Operations customer service representative, where she was tasked with answering customer calls and connecting customers and non-customers with appropriate staff to assist them. She also was responsible for reviewing all daily Operations reports. Before coming to the bank in November 2020, she worked as a teller at Athol Savings Bank. In her three years, there she assisted customers with transactions, concerns, and other inquiries. In her new role, Malin will be responsible for reviewing reports to mitigate fraud and risk for both the bank and customers as well as servicing customers’ online banking needs and completing account modifications such as travel notifications.

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J. Williar Dunleavy, chairman of Berkshire Bank and its parent company, will retire in September, the bank announced. He will be succeeded on the board of both the bank and Berkshire Hills Bancorp by David Brunelle, currently vice chairman. Brunelle is co-founder of Northe Pointe Wealth Management in Worcester. He has been on the board since 2017. Dunleavy took over as chair of the board in late 2019, when Bill Ryan, formerly the chief exective of Banknorth, gave up the position for health reasons.

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Joseph DaSilva

Joseph DaSilva

Richard Glejzer

Richard Glejzer

Jeannette Smith

Jeannette Smith

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) recently welcomed three new vice presidents to its executive team: Joseph DaSilva, vice president of Administration and Finance; Richard Glejzer, vice president of Academic Affairs; and Jeannette Smith, vice president of Student Affairs. DaSilva has worked in public higher education for more than 28 years, the last 21 at Springfield Technical Community College (STCC). During his tenure as vice president of Administration and chief financial officer, he provided executive-level vision, leadership, planning, and direction, and managed all aspects of fiscal operations, facilities management, Campus Police, Information Technology, Student Financial Services, and Human Resources/Employee Benefits and Operations Center. Glejzer was most recently the interim dean of Graduate Studies at Muhlenberg College, and previously served as provost and dean of Faculty at Marlboro College for 10 years. Prior to joining Marlboro, he served as professor and chair of English at North Central College and as chair of the college’s academic programs and policy committee. Among his other institutional duties, he served on the college’s steering committee and the dean’s academic advisory committee. He was a faculty liaison to the board of trustees. Earlier in his career at North Central, Glejzer revised the composition program as the director of Writing. Smith is a scholar-practitioner with 16 years of work experience in higher education, having worked most recently as the associate dean of Student Affairs and Engagement at Evergreen State College. She was previously employed at Truckee Meadows Community College, the University of Nevada Reno, and Elmhurst College. Her practice areas of experience include student unions, residence life and dining, academic advising, financial aid, shared governance, and student employment. Her scholarship areas of interests include policy, equity, financial aid, and student development.

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Sam Einzig

Sam Einzig

UMassFive College Federal Credit Union recently introduced Sam Einzig as the newest member of UMassFive’s Retirement Planning and Investments team available through CUSO Financial Services, L.P. He supports the credit union’s team of CFS financial advisors by scheduling appointments, sending appointment reminders, and helping with advisor administrative duties and service work. As an advisor assistant, he is also now the primary contact for current and prospective clients looking to work with the credit union’s trio of financial advisors. Einzig has worked at UMassFive as a member service specialist since September 2018, prior to taking on his latest role with the Retirement Planning and Investments team. He is licensed as a producer of life insurance and accident and health or sickness insurance in Massachusetts, and is currently pursuing his FINRA Series 7 and 66 securities licenses. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Berklee College of Music in Boston, where course studies in music business and taxation in the music industry kindled his interest in the financial world, as well as helping people.

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Country Bank announced several recent staff promotions. Julie Yi has been promoted to senior vice president, controller and Operations. She has extensive experience in finance and operations and serves on Country Bank’s senior management team. She holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Nevada Las Vegas and is a certified public accountant. Justin Calheno has been promoted to assistant vice president, Retail Lending. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from Westfield State University and is a graduate of the New England School for Financial Studies. He serves as a board member for the Ludlow Boys and Girls Club. Lisa Saletnik has been promoted to assistant vice president, Business Systems. She holds an associate degree in health science from Bay Path University and is a graduate of the New England School for Financial Studies. Mackenna Hogan has been promoted to Commercial Banking Administration officer. She holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from UMass Amherst. Antonio Palano has been promoted to assistant vice president, Retail Lending. He holds an associate degree in business administration from Springfield Technical Community College. Newly appointed officers include Sam Pursey, Erin Skoczylas, Ashley Swett, and Sarah Yurkunas. Pursey has been promoted to Relationship Management officer. He holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from UMass Amherst. Skoczylas has been promoted to assistant controller. Erin holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Western New England University, an associate degree in business administration from Springfield Technical Community College, and is a graduate of the New England School for Financial Studies. Swett has been promoted to Customer Care Center officer. She is a graduate of the New England School for Financial Studies. Yurkunas has been promoted to Relationship Management officer. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business from Bay Path University, a certificate from the Massachusetts Bankers Assoc. in Fundamentals of Credit Analysis: Intro to Commercial Lending, and is currently enrolled in the New England School for Financial Studies.

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Mary Cate Mannion

Mary Cate Mannion

Garvey Communication Associates Inc. (GCAi) announced that veteran ABC News affiliate reporter and anchor Mary Cate Mannion has joined the team as a digital PR analyst and will be responsible for planning, producing, and editing video content; photo supervision; and writing posts for digital dissemination on platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and the Google Ads Display Network, but not Tik Tok, as well as working directly with media publications. She is working in GCAi’s Springfield edit suite with award-winning video producer Darcy Young and planning digital campaigns with award-winning digital marketer James Garvey, who is based in GCAi’s Marina del Rey, Calif. office. Mannion is an award winner in her own right, receiving a Broadcasters Award and two Emmy nominations during her tenure as an anchor and energy-news reporter with NBC News affiliate KFYR-TV. Her reporting was also used in an investigative segment by John Oliver on HBO’s Last Week Tonight, and she has served as a correspondent for Headline News. She earned a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism from Emerson College. She crossed paths with Young during her time at Western Mass News, when she emceed the Springfield Colleen Contest, for which Young is a long-time volunteer. Mannion also her singing skills during an American Idol audition in Boston and was successful for six rounds. Mannion has also achieved considerable success as a competitive Irish dancer, something she is still enthusiastic about today as a member of Springfield’s Claddagh School.

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Mercedes Maskalik, formerly the director of Marketing at CUE Inc., a membership and professional-development nonprofit organization, has been appointed assistant vice president for Marketing and Communication at Western New England University. In her new role, Maskalik will oversee the university’s Division of Marketing and External Affairs, whose mission and purpose is to broadly and creatively share the story of Western New England University regionally, nationally, and internationally. In her previous position as director of Marketing at CUE, Maskalik was responsible for the development, coordination, and management of all marketing and communications efforts to promote the CUE brand, the professional learning community, and the professional learning events. She received her master’s degree in organizational communications from Central Connecticut State University and a bachelor’s degree in English from Southern Connecticut State University. An active member of a number of international associations, Maskalik’s professional affiliations include the American Marketing Assoc., the Public Relations Society of America, and the European Assoc. of Communications Directors. She is the co-author of Social Marketing Environmental Issues, a theoretically grounded text on social-marketing strategies for influencing environmental behaviors.

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Bryan Czajkowski

Bryan Czajkowski

Market Mentors, a marketing, advertising, and public-relations agency, announced the addition of Bryan Czajkowski as director of Production and Technology. He brings more than 25 years of experience to the newly created position, in which he oversees the agency’s web, design, video, and production operations. Czajkowski most recently served as chief technology officer for Rebel Interactive Group in Southington, Conn. Through this and previous positions, he has gained extensive experience working with international and national organizations across diverse industries, from finance and insurance to automotive and aerospace. The opportunity to integrate his various professional skills and interests is something that drew Czajkowski to the Market Mentors position.

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Bulkley Richardson announced that Mike Sweet has joined the firm as a partner in the Business and Finance department. Sweet started his career at a Wall Street-based law firm and has been practicing in Springfield for the past 25 years. His practice focuses on representing businesses and the people that own and manage those businesses through all stages of their business cycle, as well as in their personal lives. “This is an exciting development for the firm and furthers our goals for continued growth and talent acquisition,” said Dan Finnegan, managing partner. “Mike has established longtime relationships with his clients and continues to achieve successful results for them. He has earned the reputation of a great lawyer, and we feel honored to have him on our team.”

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Vanessa Smith

Vanessa Smith

Vanessa Smith, senior vice president and chief legal officer for Baystate Health, has been appointed to the Holyoke Community College (HCC) board of trustees by Gov. Charlie Baker. The term will run until March 1, 2025. “I am passionate about education and its ability to empower, inspire, break down barriers, and create pathways to opportunity,” Smith said. “I am honored to begin my service as trustee during Holyoke Community College’s celebration of its 75th anniversary, and I look forward to helping shape its bright future.” Smith has worked for Baystate Health since 2016 as associate general counsel, vice president, chief general counsel, and now senior vice president and chief legal officer. Prior to that, she was a partner in the law firm Bulkley, Richardson and Gelinas, LLP in Springfield. She has also worked as an assistant attorney general in the New York Attorney General’s Office in Syracuse and as a court attorney for the New York State Court of Appeals. She holds a law degree from Syracuse University College of Law and a bachelor’s degree in French from Wells College.

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Bulkley Richardson partners Michael Burke and Mark Cress were named 2022 Lawyer of the Year in their respective practice areas by Best Lawyers in partnership with U.S. News Media Group. Burke was recognized for his work in personal-injury litigation, and Cress was recognized for his work in corporate law. Burke and Cress have been named by Best Lawyers since 2001 and 2003, respectively. Lawyer of the Year rankings are awarded to one lawyer per practice area in each region, making it a distinguished accolade. Honorees receive this award based on their extremely high overall peer feedback within specific practice areas and metropolitan regions.

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Michael Cardaropoli

Michael Cardaropoli

Attorney Michael Cardaropoli, a partner in the law firm Pellegrini, Seeley, Ryan and Blakesley, has been appointed to serve on the board of directors of Springfield Habitat for Humanity. “I’m proud of the opportunity to serve on the board of this incredible organization,” he said. “We have a rich history as a firm of charitable connections to the community. I had first-hand experience with the Habitat for Humanity team as we worked on the SGT Sullivan house, and I am so pleased to now be a part of their ongoing efforts.” Twelve staff members from Pellegrini Seeley, Ryan and Blakesley donated a total of nearly 100 man hours to kick off the Gunnery Sgt. Thomas J. Sullivan project on the first build day in 2018. The firm also contributed $2,500 to the effort. “As a firm, we are committed each day to help make the lives better for the residents of Springfield,” Cardaropoli said.

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Bacon Wilson announced that eight of the firm’s attorneys have been named to Best Lawyers in America 2022. Kenneth Albano, the firm’s managing partner, was recognized in Best Lawyers for business organizations, including LLCs and partnerships; Michael Katz for bankruptcy and reorganization; Stephen Krevalin for family law; Hyman Darling for elder law; Gary Breton for banking/finance law and business organizations; Gina Barry for elder law; Mark Tanner for real-estate litigation; and Peter MacConnell for real-estate law. In addition, MacConnell was named 2022 Lawyer of the Year for real-estate law in Springfield, a designation presented to a single outstanding lawyer in each practice area for each region. Bacon Wilson, P.C. is one of the largest Pioneer Valley firms, with 43 attorneys and approximately 80 paralegals, administrative assistants, and support staff. The firm has five locations, in Springfield, Amherst, Hadley, Northampton, and Westfield. First published in 1983, Best Lawyers is regarded as one of the definitive guides to legal excellence. There is no opportunity to pay for a listing; rather, lists are based entirely on peer review.

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