PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Health Systems (BHS) announced the election of Ashley Benson of Optimal Healing, LLC, and Matthew Lauro of MountainOne Bank to the BHS board of trustees.

“We are excited to welcome Ashley and Matthew to the BHS board of trustees,” President and CEO Darlene Rodowicz said. “They are recognized leaders in our community, and BHS will be lucky to benefit from their perspectives as we continue working to advance health and wellness for everyone in the region.”

Ashley Benson

Benson is the founder and owner of Optimal Healing, LLC, and is a psychotherapist, consultant, and clinical supervisor. A dedicated mental-health professional with over two decades of experience in social work and clinical practice, she founded her practice in 2019 to provide holistic health resources to the community and formally established Optimal Healing in 2022. She specializes in trauma-focused care and the treatment of children, adolescents and families.

Benson earned her undergraduate degree from Berkshire Community College and the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, followed by a master’s degree in social work from Smith College. Committed to continuous learning and leadership in the field, she holds two post-graduate certifications: advanced clinical social work supervision from the Smith College School for Social Work and advanced practice with children & adolescents from Springfield College.

Matthew Lauro

Lauro is senior vice president and Western Massachusetts commercial team leader for MountainOne Bank. He is responsible for managing existing portfolio risk, loan growth, and a team of commercial bankers.

Lauro is active in the community as a board member for Berkshire Education and Correction in Pittsfield, former national council member of the Avon Old Farms School for Boys in Avon, Conn., and former trustee of the Pittsfield Affordable Housing Trust. He received his bachelor’s degree in business management from the Lally School of Business Management at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y.

Departing the BHS board of trustees are Timothy Burke, Barton Raser, and Dr. John Loiodice, who provided leadership and service to Berkshire Health Systems for many years.

“On behalf of BHS, I offer my deepest appreciation to Tim, Bart, and John for their commitment to furthering our mission and their invaluable contributions in support of our community,” Rodowicz said.

GREAT BARRINGTON — Berkshire Health Systems (BHS) and the Community Development Corp. of Southern Berkshire (CDCSB) are partnering to support the expansion of workforce housing in South County. BHS will provide the CDCSB with financial support to make some units of the Thornewood available for temporary housing of healthcare workers who face barriers in finding available housing options.

“As part of our mission to advance health and wellness for everyone in our community, we recognize that creating better access to housing resources for a diverse population of workers will make a real impact,” said Darlene Rodowicz, president and CEO of BHS. “We were pleased to work with the CDCSB to develop this innovative new collaboration focused on addressing one of the core challenges in our community — accessible, affordable workforce housing through the redevelopment of the Thornewood Inn.”

The Thornewood, at 453 Stockbridge Road in Great Barrington, has 16 furnished units that are suitable for one or two adults and vary in size, layout, and features. According to the CDCSB, applicants working in Great Barrington will receive priority access to the rooms. Those working elsewhere in Berkshire County are also eligible. Eligibility for the affordable units is subject to maximum income levels.

“BHS’s early support of the Thornewood project is greatly appreciated,” said Jim Harwood, CDCSB board president. “Our partnership not only addresses a critical community need for short- and long-term housing for healthcare workers, but the additional financial support also allows us to provide this housing at affordable levels and fund ongoing upgrades for the property, such as our current project to build an improved shared kitchen for Thornewood residents.”

PITTSFIELD — The Berkshire Health Systems board of trustees announced that a leadership transition will take place at BHS early in the new year. The 20-member board unanimously voted to appoint Darlene Rodowicz as the next president and CEO, following the announcement of current CEO David Phelps’s departure.

“When Dave shared his intention to retire with the board several years ago, we asked that he participate in a thorough succession-planning process,” explained Bart Raser, chair of the BHS board of trustees, adding that the board did, indeed, engage in a multi-year succession-planning process designed to ensure a smooth leadership transition and support the strategic advancement of BHS.

“We wanted to guarantee that all health-system leadership roles were staffed with skilled executives and that the board would have a viable internal candidate to consider as a potential successor,” Raser added. “After carefully coordinating the process and weighing all possible options, the board is thrilled to appoint Darlene as the next CEO of Berkshire Health Systems, and, notably, the first female CEO in the organization’s history.”

Raser praised Rodowicz as a strong leader with more than 30 years of experience in healthcare, a deep knowledge of the Berkshire community, and a sterling reputation among government leaders and healthcare colleagues across the Commonwealth. He particularly highlighted her leadership in orchestrating BHS’s successful pandemic response over the past two years.

“Darlene has demonstrated excellence, effectiveness, and grace under fire throughout the past two years in the battle against COVID-19. Berkshire County will be lucky to have her at the helm to face any new challenges that the pandemic and the healthcare industry may send our way,” Raser said.

Phelps agreed. “From working side by side for years, I know that Darlene is uniquely qualified for this position, and I couldn’t be happier that she will be taking on this new role,” he said.

Rodowicz expressed her appreciation to Phelps for maintaining high standards for integrity, dedication, and excellence throughout his career at BHS.

“Our organization has enjoyed great success under Dave’s leadership. To be able to build upon all we’ve done together for decades is a tremendous opportunity,” she said. “I am grateful that I will be able to partner with our extraordinary team of providers and healthcare professionals, who are the heart and soul of BHS. Caring for every person in our community is the reason why we all are here, and, as a Berkshire native, I can’t think of a greater honor.”

Rodowicz joined BHS in 1984 and served in various positions of increasing responsibility, including as chief financial officer from 2005 to 2020, when she was appointed executive vice president. Rodowicz holds an MBA from Western New England College and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from UMass Amherst.

PITTSFIELD — David Phelps, president and CEO of Berkshire Health Systems (BHS), the region’s largest employer, announced that he will leave BHS in early 2022, concluding a 31-year career of service to the local community, with 28 as the system’s chief executive.

“After engaging in thoughtful succession planning with the BHS board of trustees for the past three years and with the confidence that we now have a full complement of experienced executive leaders in place at BHS, I know that now is the right time is right for making this transition,” Phelps said.

Bart Raser, chair of the BHS board of trustees, spoke on behalf of the organization in response to Phelps’s announcement, noting that “ensuring an orderly leadership transition has been incredibly important to Dave and board members alike. We are sincerely grateful to Dave for working with us to facilitate a smooth process for his departure and are pleased that we will be able to share more about the appointment of a new CEO for Berkshire Health Systems later this week.

“Today, we would like to recognize and celebrate Dave’s tremendous accomplishments at BHS over more than 30 years,” Raser went on. “The scale of the transformation that Dave has achieved at our organization is a testament to his selfless leadership, his bright vision, and his tireless advocacy for the people of the Berkshires. There is no way to adequately thank him for all he has done to care for Berkshire County.”

Raser highlighted key successes from Phelps’s distinguished career as CEO, including rehabilitating the financial resources of the once-troubled health system, implementing substantial technological and facility improvements such as the Crane Center for Ambulatory Surgery and the BMC Cancer Center, building BHS’s affiliated long-term-care company, developing important clinical partnerships like Berkshire Medical Center’s membership in the Dana-Farber Cancer Care Collaborative, and cultivating important relationships with local and state leaders that elevated the status and reputation of Berkshire Health Systems across the Commonwealth.

“Continually developing new opportunities to care for the people of Berkshire County alongside our exceptional providers and staff at BHS has been the honor of a lifetime,” Phelps said. “I am incredibly proud of our entire organization’s commitment to service, compassion, and excellence in patient care, and I am grateful to my colleagues and my community for having entrusted me with protecting, cultivating, and advancing the BHS mission for the past 28 years.”